Bethlehem and Beyond

Apologies for a missed day of blogging! Today's entry is actually from Sunday, written by the Rev. Ron Stone. It is the meditation that he provided for his fellow pilgrims as they stood overlooking the scrub dotted hills of Bethlehem. Thanks for all your help on the blog, Ron!

Bethlehem, West Bank
Shepherd's Field
Matthew 1:18-25

We're finally here in Bethlehem. It's Christmas for us!

We've heard a lot of "Mary-ology" in the time we've been in the Holy Land. How about the 'bit player' named Joseph?

I relate to Joseph in a number of ways: he wasn't eloquent, he was likely an introvert, and there wasn't much written about him. The Gospel only refers to him less than a half-a-dozen times. Yet, he played a significant role in the first adventure of Christmas.

As I think about Joseph, I look at Matthew's Gospel, but I also imagine what it would have been like to be betrothed to the One who gave birth to the Son of God. I think about four instances in his life.

Introvert that Joseph was, how could he find the words to ask Mary to be his betrothed? Yet, for the first time in his life the words of love came tumbling out of his mouth. They would be husband and wife.

The second instance was one which brought Joseph much despair: the occasion when he found out that Mary was pregant. How the news must have hit him like a sledgehammer! What would it have been like to confront her?

The third event came as he slumbered. Joseph dreamed so vividly that he thought he could touch the angel who appeared before him saying: "Joseph, do not fear to take Mary to be your wife. For that which is concieved within her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a child and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.

Wouldn't he sit bolt upright in his bed to ask: "What did it all mean?" Without any regard for the fact that it was the middle of the night, wouldn't he have gotten up and gone over to Mary's house and awakened her and told her about his dream and what the angel said? I can imagine that they mingled their tears and smiles and prayers when the morning sun appeared.

The fourth happening for Joseph that stands out abouv the others is the night Jesus was born! Christians know the events of that night as well as they know their own name. I won't recite them.

I can imagine how he felt when Mary first placed him in Joseph's arms just as we have held babies in our arms. Joseph held the baby close and tight and as he looked into the child's tiny face through misty eyes he said: "Your name will be called Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."

A question that comes to my mind is: Who was holding whom? After all Joseph tried to bring Jesus up in the truth, but Jesus is the truth. Joseph gave this one a livelihood, but he is life. Joseph would have poured out on him all the love his heart could hold, but Jesus is love!
Who was holding whom? Believe me when I say: When Jesus holds you he will never ever let you go.

I suppose there is only one thing left to do: Express the greeting: Merry Chrstmas!" This greeting would have little meaning to Joseph. Let me share with you what I think Joseph would say: "May the one born here be born in your life again this day. May he fill you with his blessing. May he encourage you with his hope. May you find Shalom--peace n Christ!
~Ron Stone

PILGRIMS WAIL AND WAIL

Today's blog was a group project between Jeff Wood, Roy Knight and John White! ~~~

Jerusalem and wailing? We’re talking the wall, right? Not completely.
We began the day at another possible site of Jesus’ tomb. Pretty quickly, however, we were at Caiaphas’ house. He was the high priest who was big in Jesus’ demise. There’s a statue on the grounds that has a rooster. It signifies that this place we were at was not only the scene of a trial but of a denial as well. (Peter and the cock crowing thrice. Mark 14:66ff) All that is pretty understandable, something we might expect. But it was the basement that got us.
Caiaphas had, supposedly, in his basement a sacred pit. That’s what one of the signs named it. You know what was in parenthesis after that phrase? Dungeon. Yep, dungeon. Here’s a high priest with a dungeon under his house. This is where, was suggested to us, Jesus was not simply kept after his hasty trial but tortured. He would be tortured by the Roman soldiers. But before that as well. Here at Caiaphas’ house. Beneath the chamber for the flogging inflicted by Caiaphas was a kind of cave. It could only be entered by rope. It could only be gotten out of by being raised by rope. The idea was that this is where Jesus was put until being paraded over to Pilate. He was put in a dark, cold stone pit.
While we were crowded in there, Fairfax read Psalm 88. Amongst its verses: “You have put me in the depths of the Pit, in the regions dark and deep." We wailed a little.
Thirty minutes later, in the bright sunlight, we were forehead to the Wailing Wall. All sorts of people foreheads to rock praying. It was a sight. Men in black with big hats. Tourists with cameras. Others in prayer shawls. All praying. Thanking God. Wailing for God’s desires to come to fruition for God’s world. It was a different kind of wailing.
Wail at the beginning of our day for Christ’s suffering for us. Wail at the end of our day for God’s weal for all of us.
Jeff, Roy, and John