June 29: Following the Palm Sunday Path

  

Neither you, Simon, nor the fifty thousand,

Nor the Romans, nor the Jews,

Nor Judas, nor the twelve

Nor the priests, nor the scribes,

Nor doomed Jerusalem itself

Understand what power is,

Understand what glory is,

Understand at all, Understand at all.

If you knew all that I knew, my poor Jerusalem,

You'd see the truth, but you close your eyes.

But you close your eyes.

While you live, your troubles are many, poor Jerusalem.

To conquer death, you only have to die.

You only have to die.

"Poor Jerusalem" - Jesus Christ Superstar

Our morning explorations outside the old city of Jerusalem on the 29th took us down the Palm Sunday Path, from the Mount of Olives, to the place where Jesus wept over the city, and to the Garden of Gethsemane and the Church of All Nations.   The picture above is of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives.  Just below the viewpoint where this picture was taken is a large Jewish cemetery.  The reason for the location is that it would be closest to where the Messiah comes back.  The picture below is the Golden Gate, the gate that Jesus walked through on Palm Sunday and the gate through which the Messiah will return/come (depending on your viewpoint).  It was bricked over in the 12th or 13th century - trying to make it impossible for the Messiah to enter the city.

From the Mount of Olives we walked down the "Palm Sunday Path"

Along the path is the Basilica of Dominus Flevit, or the "Jesus Wept" Church.  Peter spoke very movingly about the plight of Jerusalem, both in the time of Jesus and the struggle that the Christians have carrying their cross there today.   The cross in the window lines up with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (the church that marks the location of Calvary, where Jesus was crucified).  The church, or at least the roof, is made of chalk, so when it rains, the church actually weeps, and it changes color.  This was one of my favorite places.

Discussion about Jerusalem outside the Basilica

The cross lines up with the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

What a good looking group!

The roof is chalk...it weeps

Garden of Gethsemane



Gethsemane means oil press - oldest tree in the garden, 1000 years old

The stone where Jesus hit his knees and asked for the cup to be taken from Him
Church of All Nations

Greek Orthodox Grotto

After a busy morning on the Mount of Olives
it was time for a coffee break!

(to be continued)