How often does one get to spend the second Sunday in Advent in Bethlehem? I am staying for the week in the Bethlehem Hotel, a half hour walk from the ancient Church of the Nativity. This morning Barbara Lloyd, the other United Church representative, and I got to the Church before the tour bus onslaught.
I had to bend in half to squeeze in the tiny door of the church. Here was a reminder at the door to humble oneself when entering. This for me is one of those "thin places" in this land. That's what the Celts called these places where the threshold to the holy was more translucent than usual.
We had arrived at the end of what may have been an Armenian service of worship. Sun streamed in the upper windows casting the pillars in lovely tones of light and shade. The atmosphere was thick with incense and radiant with large chandeliers and freshly placed prayer candles.
We took a seat just emptied as the worshippers had gone forward for communion. They streamed by us with pieces of bread in hand. For what purpose? To share with family members who could not attend? To take to relatives in hospital? We felt a bit disconnected to what was taking place in a language that we did not understand. We were visitors but we were not just tourists. We were pilgrims, as we told the Security officers when we entered the country yesterday.
A woman walked by us with her two children. She turned and with a smile offered a piece of bread. Her son did the same.At that moment we felt part of that Bethlehem Advent service.
These Christians in the Holy Land have gone from 10% of the population to less than 2% but they are still here and they have a story they want to tell. That's why we are here this week.
Peter
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