It’s tempting to think of the stories of our faith, especially those around the betrayal, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, as happening long ago and far away.
At least until one visits the part of the world where these events actually happened.
Three years ago I traveled on assignment to Israel and the West Bank to meet Lutherans whose home is the spiritual homeland of all Christians. My guide was Mary Jensen, an ELCA pastor who was then communications assistant to Munib Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land.
While those of us who live in the U.S. might do our best to imagine the sights and sounds that accompany the stories in the Holy Week lectionary, these Christians get it. They know how easy it is to get lost in the desert. They know what a bustling place is Jerusalem. When they hear stories set in Galilee and Capernaum, they know to picture lush foliage and stones along the shoreline, to imagine the scent of summak berries.
They’ve visited the Garden of Gethsemane and walked the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, whether as an intentional remembrance or as part of their daily life in the city.
I visited these sites as a tourist, but what stays with me from my journey isn’t the memory of the historically important places. Rather, it’s a bit of graffiti I encountered at the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. Carved into the rock of one of the minor worship spaces was the word Isa.
Jensen explained that Isa is the name for Jesus in the Arabic language. I filed that fact away and promptly forgot it.
Our group was staying at Christmas Hotel, an East Jerusalem establishment owned by a Christian family. Every morning we met a man outside the door, with his dairy crate and shoe-shine supplies, offering his services to hotel patrons and anyone else who passed by.
I saw him every day of our visit. On the last day, I learned his name: Isa.
Since then, I haven’t been able to think of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples without thinking of Isa, ready to shine the boots of Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem.
Resurrection promise: We live in eternal life today. (Image at right.)
Join harpists Sarah Schwartz and Melanie Brown (right) in our discussion forums today through April 18.
Andrea Pohlmann blogs about what could be the 11th commandment: “Thou shalt shop only in Christian businesses.”
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