Another road to wander. This time it is a worn and crowded cobblestone road tread upon for a thousand years instead of a lonely desert path........
I have been in Jerusalem for officially 24 hours and Israel for over a week. Immigrants aren't aliens, but pilgrims, and a huge diversity of culture is forced to lived in tight quarters. Most of my possessions are caked in dirt from Tel Megiddo and I was denied entry into a church today because I did not have a skirt. What? I am dirty and skirtless which surely has some metaphorical connection that my tired brain just can't connect right now. This adventure is exciting and unique, but it is also outside of my area of expertise. So I quietly watch and absorb my surrounding hoping to learn.
Today I took the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Sorrows, and saw sacred places to a form of Christianity that is largely foreign to me. I also saw historical places to Judaism and Islam... and by 'saw' I mean getting caught in massive movements of Orthodox Jews and Muslims during holy times when I had to travel against the flow of traffic. A difficult way indeed.
It is amazing how I feel like a stranger in a place where I am supposed to connect to ancient parts of my religious identity. Alas, I am still waiting for a spiritual connection to this place. Unfortunately, it feels a lot like an Orlando theme park rather than a site of religious pilgrimage. I will return to dig up an eschatological playground and hope the next time I walk the Old City something new will be excavated in this amazing experience.
To me, the most inspiriting spiritual connection was worshiping with fellow Anglican Christians at St. George's Cathedral in East Jerusalem. On Sunday mornings they have both an Arabic service and an English service. The sense of connection to my brothers and sisters was very strong. Surprisingly, I felt it most powerfully in the Arabic service. The sensation of being an alien seemed crucial (pun intended) to Christian identity. Perhaps how you feel is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered if it would be hard to be literally in Israel, trying to connect with the past, when so much of that has changed now, and especially with religious tourism thrown in the mix. I'm really glad you're posting about your experiences! It's good to hear your thoughts on that, and how you're processing it. Also, your sunglass tan is amazing :).
ReplyDeleteLiz W.