The word Liturgy literally means the work of the people. So my prayer for you today is that you might pray, perisist in prayer and pray again.
We walked to the Western Wall. Here lots of Jewish men are praying in front of the wall that leads up to where their Temple once was. This is Temple Mount. To the side there’s a smaller area for women to be praying. Pushed into the wall are lots of paper prayers. Some are singing their prayers with others, some are working hard at reciting and then looking back to their book to remind them of their next prayers. I dont know if these are prayers for the Peace of Jerusalem, or particular prayers for their Government, their marriages and familes.
We move out from the unforgiving sun onto a cool tour of the tunnel that runs along the rest of the Western Wall. Here we see incredibly ridiculously huge stones that Herod (the great) caused to be put here in building the 2nd temple. And I remember Jesus’ remark about faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. I suspect that Herod used sharp pointy spears to get slaves to move his.
We emerge opposite the first Station of the Cross. Its busy and bustly and so we zip past them and into the Holy Sepulchre, but along the way I see groups in prayer, one carries a huge cross (they can be borrowed). I see a woman in preayer-filled tears. The queues are too big and so we move on.
Later in the afternoon I pop back to the Armenian Cathedral of St James and enjoy the choir and singing in a strange language and allow myself to worship differently. I am so excited to get in here again.
And then I go back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre with intent to read my bible in the quiet franciscan chapel. Alas I have forgotten my reading glasses. I am in a queue which turns out not to be a queue but a procession. The franciscan monnks come out singing, with a cardinal and lots of clergy, and a cloud of incense (which in this hot country acts as efficient deoderant too). Suddenly the barriers close in behind me and i am now in this procession unable to step out of this act of worship, (not sure if its Latin or Italian) with plenty of Pater Nosters and Hail Mary’s. We process all over the Holy Sepulchre, down to a lower chapel, up and up to a higher chapel, round the Tomb, perhaps 3 or 4 times. The procession is led by three chaps wearing bright red Fezs, carrying swords, and thumping the ground with thick metal poles. Its awesome. Its 90 minutes of worship. Unable to sing along, I must adjust my worship to resonate with their prayers, and thank God for each of these people, and for the patience of the tourists who dont understand why they are being delayed in their pilgrimage.
I return and remember that Ive seen a day full of liturgy and that word comes from the invitation of God for us to pray, it is the work of the people. So keep at it.
(Photo is of me on the Via Delarosa about to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulchre through the Ethiopian Chapel)