

It is said that he Old City is one of the safest places in Israel. However, as you can see from the picture on the right, that peace is fragile and marked by distrust. There are many people
here. Jew, Christian & Moslem, who have experienced first hand the horror of war. They know that their safety is tenuous and could be snatched away at any moment. I pray that Psalm not just for them, but for all of the GAFCON particpants....for the sake of my brothers and my friends (for we have made other friends here this last week)...I will say, peace be within you.

We look out from the walls and pray as well. The conflict is close. The "fence" is only a couple of kilometers away. On one side reside Christians, Jews and
Moslems in a tenuous peace, on the other there are Palestinian Christians & Moslems who see Israel as a threat to their life and safety.

Mount Zion was our next stop. Again, a Psalm comes to mind. In Psalms 125:1-2 we hear, Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people, from this time forth and forevermore. As we tread this ancient place, the Word comes alive.
It is said that this is where Mary resided after Jesus death and where she was eventually buried. The church is very beautiful and there is a wonderful sense of peace about it. (besides being a cool place to sit out o
f the heat for a moment.) The mosaics were stunning! The location of the upper room is reported to be next door. However, after being reconstructed by the Crusaders, used as a church, then by the Moslems as a Mosque, and finally reclaimed by the RC church, it has lost some of what one might call authenticity. The room is very Byzantine, and is little more than a tourist site. In reality, the actual upper room was probably 15-20 meters under where the present room is built.


This is also th
e location of the Pools of Bethesda, and a place where many still come to pray and be healed. There is an extensive archeological excavation. In the evening we returned to St. Anne's for a chamber music concert. The first three numbers were held outside and in the excavation....the final series in the church.


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