November 12, 2009

Bob’s Sabbatical

November 12, 2009 – The Last Supper

 

            Yesterday
was Jocobien, our guide’s, last day with us. 
She shared a moving poem about stones, “Temporary Poem of My Time,” by
Yehuda Amichai.

            This
morning began with a lecture by Andrew.  He
noted that the words and actions of the Eucharis are sometimes so familiar to
us that we become desensitized to its power. 
We miss the “shock” that the Apostles must have had when they were
expecting another Passover meal, and got something very unexpected.  Andrew went on to discuss three themes
related to the Eucharist: Passover, Remembrance and Covenant.

            We then
went to the Syrian Orthodox church of St. Mark, where we were “welcomed” by
Sister Justinia.   Though forewarned, she
immediately spoke to one of our party who crossed his legs in the Church.  Later, she yelled at someone she thought was
about to take a picture of the icon on a side wall, the only thing we had been
told not to photograph (supposedly painted by St. Luke the Evangelist).  This one of two sites claiming to be the “Upper
Room,” where Jesus shared the Last Supper with his Apostles, and where he later
appeared to them when they had locked themselves away.

            Sister
Justinia, after a long story of miracles old and new, explained that the “upper”
room was actually down one floor, because, in Jerusalem, “if you want old, you
have to go down.  Indeed, this is the
third city that has been built on top of what was the Jerusalem of Jesus’ day.

            After
lunch, we headed to St. Peter Galicantu (cock-crow) on Mt. Zion.  This is the site of the High Priest Caiaphas,
where Peter denied knowing Jesus 3 times, and where the cave where Jesus was
imprisoned overnight.  There are some 1^st
Century steps leading up to the site – ones Jesus and the Apostles may have
walked down on their way to Gethsemane after the Last Supper, and more surely,
ones he would have been brought back up after his arrest in Gethsemane.   The present Church is fairly modern (at least
two earlier ones preceded it), with wonderful mosaics.  I tried to get a picture of one of St. Paul.  Look closely, on the left.

            Once
again, we were given time for quiet, meditation and prayer.  As Susan noted, it is nice to be given this
time, but it is very hard to take advantage of it.  There are so many tour groups parading
through, that finding quiet spots is almost impossible.

            We will
have Eucharist at the Cathedral before supper tonight, and after supper, a
presentation by Xavier Abu Eid, a Palestinian Christian, on his perspective on
the Peace process and other issues for Palestinian Christians. 

Peace,

   Bob