Presby-Musings

No journey to the Holy Land can be complete without a visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the culmination of the Via Dolorosa pilgrimage path through the heart of the Old City.  In its current form, the Holy Sepulcher was reconstructed in the 9th century and refurbished during the Crusader era.  In 1757, during the Ottoman era, after violent clashes between Orthodox and Franciscan priests within the church, a system of governance was established that still exists today.  The Status Quo agreement stated that the Holy Sepulchre would be maintained by the following Christian groups: Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Coptic, Syriac, and Ethiopian Orthodox churches.  Each group has it's own chapels, spaces and responsibilities.  Visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is an experience unlike any other. It is a sacred destination where countless pilgrims seek to touch the story of Jesus’ sacrifice, death, and r...

One of the great opportunities my group experienced when traveling with me to Israel was a fantastic boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee.   I've been on similar cruises when traveling to the Holy Land. Still, it never gets old to be out on the water of the Sea of Galilee, which is actually a below-sea-level, freshwater lake fed by the Jordan, which is actually not a river.   I know. Names happen sometimes, regardless of history, facts, and the like.   While we were having a pleasant cruise on the boat, I read the story of Jesus walking on water from Matthew's Gospel, and encouraged the group to spend a few moments in silence, looking around them and thinking about the story.   For my own part, I got to thinking more deeply about that story, and what it means to me, so I thought I'd share some of those thoughts.  During life’s storms, we easily find ourselves shaken, overwhelmed, and uncertain. But in Matthew 14:22-33, we are reminded of a profo...

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Hippos on the Golan Heights above the Sea of Galilee.  It was the first time I'd visited the site, and I couldn't have been more pleased.  Hippos was a Hellenistic city positioned high on a hill and was part of the Decapolis, ten Roman/Hellenistic cities that occupied the Golan Heights in the ancient world.  It was the site of a miracle of Jesus, and could very well have been the "city on a hill" that he referred to when teaching his disciples about being lights in the world.   In Mark 5:1-18, we encounter a dramatic story filled with spiritual and cultural meaning, especially in light of the Roman occupation of 1st-century Judea.  As Jesus and His disciples cross the Sea of Galilee, they arrive in the region of the Gerasenes, a territory marked more by Hellenistic influence and Roman dominance than by Jewish tradition.  This “other side” of the lake was a place of t...

On my recent visit to the Holy Land, I had the chance once again to visit the traditional site for Jesus' Sermon On The Mount, and the Church of the Beatitudes.   The Church of the Beatitudes was built on the site of an ancient Byzantine church. It was completed in 1938 by renowned Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi, who built numerous churches on Catholic holy sites throughout Israel.   The Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary maintain the site, which is one of the most beautiful on the Sea of Galilee.   During our visit, we gathered together, looking down to the edge of the Sea of Galilee, and listened to our guide Erez read from Matthew's beginning of the Sermon in Hebrew. We imagined a throng of people below us, looking up as Jesus taught.   The text we used was in Matthew 5:1-12, where Jesus begins His famous Sermon on the Mount with blessings known as the Beatitudes.  These words turn worldly expectations upside down: “Ble...

One of the great joys I have when I travel with a group on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land is teaching and offering onsite devotionals in the very places where Jesus ministered.  The Mount of Precipice, just outside of Jesus' hometown of Nazareth, is one of the sites where I particularly enjoy gathering my group together for a brief teaching on our expectations of Jesus versus what Jesus proclaimed as his purpose.   In Luke 4:16-30, Jesus begins His ministry in His hometown of Nazareth, reading from Isaiah and proclaiming His mission: “to proclaim good news to the poor... freedom for the oppressed... and recovery of sight for the blind.”  His words resonate deeply, but the response He receives is far from welcoming. When Jesus suggests His message is for everyone, especially those outside their familiar circle, His audience becomes infuriated. They are offended, unable to accept that God's mercy extends beyond their own community, beyond their comfort zone, beyond thei...

It’s Still Easter!  He is risen! The Season of Easter offers us a chance to experience the implications of the Resurrection and to trust Jesus as we follow him.  In fact, that is the title of our sermon series for the season of Easter: Trust Me.  This series answers the important question, "Jesus is risen, now what?" Today, we will read a challenging passage of Scripture that contains words from Jesus that can inspire us to trust him fully.  He proclaims that those who belong to Him will hear his voice.  What sounds imply belonging to us?   It could be a familiar song, the sounds of a familiar amusement park, or an old hymn at church. Voices and sounds that speak to our sense of belonging are deeply felt.   I have been thinking a lot about my mom this weekend.  She passed away eight years ago, but sometimes it feels like yesterday.  The weirdest thing happened to me the other day when I was thinking about her.  I forgot what he...