Israel/Palestine: Blessed Are You

We began our day in the coastal city of Haifa, reconnecting with our dear friend, Archbishop Elias Chacour of the Melkite Church. He had visited us in Minnesota in September, and so having the chance to pay him a visit in his own context was an immense privilege for us. Following our time at his residence, we spent time at the House of Grace, a ministry to former prisoners run by the Shehada family, a Christian Israeli Arab family. In addition to hearing about this unique 30 year-old ministry, we were also given a glimpse into the unique challenges of being Arab, Christian, and Israeli.

We then embarked on a drive that took us on a loop that would eventually culminate in an evening arrival in Jerusalem.

Much of our time was spent around the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, and the Mount of Beatitudes...places with familiar names that now take on a new sense of fresh, palpable reality. The juxtaposition of the ordinariness of the places we saw with the holiness and significance of their history was at times overpowering. Interspersed throughout the day were readings from the gospels that connected the ancient story to our current story. Whether it was the place in Luke chapter 4 where Jesus taught in the synagogue, or the hillside where he delivered his Sermon on the Mount, or the place along the shore where, according to John's account, following the resurrection, Peter was restored, we were drawn into a whole new appreciation of "incarnation."

At nearly 700 feet below sea level, the Sea of Galilee is in some ways symbolic of the ironic movement of Christ's incarnation and atonement.

I end this entry with what for me is the quintessential text of St Paul, describing the mystery of the incarnation.
"Have the same mindset as Christ, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
~Philippians 2:6-11.