Trip of the Jaffa kehilla to Jerusalem

This past Saturday, the Jaffa kehilla set off for a trip to Jerusalem. About thirty people walked down the Mount of Olives on a sunny and pleasant spring day. We visited the important sites for our faith and by means of these places we remembered Jesus and his disciples and the spirit and meaning they bequeathed to us.

We began at the site where Jesus ascended into heaven and there Father Apolinary emphasized that we must not continue staring into heaven in order to find Jesus but rather we must set off towards the world and be his disciples. He ascended into heaven but is alive and within us too.

We continued on the Church of the Pater Noster (Our Father). We remembered that Jesus taught the disciples in this place, and he teaches us too, how to pray. The first Creed was also composed here by the apostles. We engraved on our hearts the essence of our faith when we sang in Hebrew the prayer of the “Our Father”. We joined with all those who pray this prayer, in all the languages of the world, with words that were echoed on the walls of the church.

We began the winding descent of the Mount of Olives, with the view of Jerusalem unfolding as a splendid panorama at our feet. Our next stop was the Church of Dominus Fleviit. Before the beauty of the city, where the Temple once stood, we understood the deep sorrow of Jesus. When he cried over the coming destruction, and even more that his people would not recognize the time of the visitation of the Redeemer of its country. God’s heart is still pained when we do not recognize how He appears and acts in our lives.

The churches, the stones, the archeological findings, bear witness that believers like us have visited these places where Jesus passed in order to understand and experience the meaning of the life and words of Jesus by means of these places. Father Apolinary emphasized that these places serve as another Gospel because through them we see things through the eyes of Jesus.

We stopped for a short prayer at the beautiful Church of Mary Magdalene and continued on to the Church of Gethsemane. The ancient olive trees and the well cared for garden reminded us that Jesus also needed a place of quiet prayer. Jesus came to the place regularly with his disciples. Here he prayed, experienced fear, just before he was taken to the Way of the Passion. In the adjacent chapel, which witnesses to the place where Jesus was arrested and taken to be judged and crucified, we contemplated the experiences of fear and lack of security when we too learn to trust in God, seeking to accept His will in our lives.

We concluded the trip at the Tomb of the Virgin Mary and there we reflected on the passing of Mary, which according to our faith was simply a passage to everlasting life where she was taken body and soul. Mary gives us hope because we are also invited to enter into everlasting life, the state of joy alongside God.

The Mount of Olives allowed us to journey into the mystery of our faith, especially into the meaning of life and death, life in this world accompanied by prayer, faith and remaining devoted to the will of God, and life in the world to come where Jesus and Mary already are.

After the trip, we went to the Monastery of Saint John in the Desert, which is situated near Ein Karem and alongside the moshav of Even Sapir. It is a magnificent place, constructed on the hill side, in the rock face. It is a souvenir of the life of Saint John the Baptist, the place where he was alone and prepared for his role as the Baptist. The cave and the spring served as a quiet place for a simple life of prayer. Here we also had our delicious picnic and enjoyed the view and the special atmosphere. We celebrated mass on the Feast of the Mystery of the One God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit and we thanked him for the unity in Him and the unity and love that weave us together in our kehilla.

Thanks to all who participated and contributed to this blessed and pleasant day.