Two Songs
The first time I was in Israel (1995), I was literally overwhelmed with the sights, the sounds, the smells, and just the sheer fact that I was walking where Jesus walked. The streets of the Old City in Jerusalem especially looked and felt like I had always imagined they did when Jesus was there (minus the signs advertising electronics and such...).
I also learned much—most notably how so few spots can be verified as "authentic." We simply don't know specifically where many of the events took place, and so, as Bishop White reminded us at the time, that makes the whole land holy. Every place, every rock, every bend in the road might be a place where Jesus walked.
Having said that, though, there are several sites that archaeology has verified, and two of those were places that touched my heart deeply. One of the last places we stopped during that trip was the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, which is built over the place most believe was the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest who presided over Jesus' mock trial. Outside that church are steps from the Kidron Valley up to the house that used to stand there, first century steps, most likely steps Jesus would have been taken up when he was under arrest.
And under the altar of that church is a dungeon, a hallowed out cave where prisoners would be dropped in (through a hole in the floor) and left in the dark. There is every reason to believe it was in this cave that Jesus was held while the Sanhedrin gathered upstairs. We went down into that cave (there are stairs now), and once we gathered there, we sang "Were You There?" It was awful. No matter how well we sang (and we could sing pretty well as a group), the song sounded atonal, off key. The notes bounced off of the oddly shaped walls and made a horrible sound. I still remember it today, and I remember at the time thinking how appropriate it was that, in this place where Jesus was held unjustly, it's impossible to sing a beautiful note.
I couldn't help but contrast that to another song we had sung, in a place also verified by archaeology. In John 5, we're told about a pool in Jerusalem that was surrounded by five covered colonnades. For centuries, people said that didn't exist...until it was found. Today you can visit the remains of that pool that was a place of healing, and beside it is the Church of St. Anne, a beautifully stark church that is a place set aside to pray for healing. During our visit there, we sat down in the cool of the sanctuary and someone began to sing. The song grew among our group and the music lifted up into the rafters. It echoed for some time and made for one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard or ever expect to hear. Now, I know much of it has to do with acoustics and such, but how wonderful that this place of healing also has a place where a song can be lifted to the heavens and sound even more beautiful than it was when it was first sung.
Two songs. A place of healing and a place of torture. It occurs to me during this Holy Week that we tend to respond to Jesus in either of those two ways. What will your heart be this week? Will you be one who provides a song of healing to others? Or will you be one who rejects Jesus and provides yet another song of despair to the world? Two places. Two songs. One choice.
I also learned much—most notably how so few spots can be verified as "authentic." We simply don't know specifically where many of the events took place, and so, as Bishop White reminded us at the time, that makes the whole land holy. Every place, every rock, every bend in the road might be a place where Jesus walked.
Having said that, though, there are several sites that archaeology has verified, and two of those were places that touched my heart deeply. One of the last places we stopped during that trip was the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, which is built over the place most believe was the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest who presided over Jesus' mock trial. Outside that church are steps from the Kidron Valley up to the house that used to stand there, first century steps, most likely steps Jesus would have been taken up when he was under arrest.
And under the altar of that church is a dungeon, a hallowed out cave where prisoners would be dropped in (through a hole in the floor) and left in the dark. There is every reason to believe it was in this cave that Jesus was held while the Sanhedrin gathered upstairs. We went down into that cave (there are stairs now), and once we gathered there, we sang "Were You There?" It was awful. No matter how well we sang (and we could sing pretty well as a group), the song sounded atonal, off key. The notes bounced off of the oddly shaped walls and made a horrible sound. I still remember it today, and I remember at the time thinking how appropriate it was that, in this place where Jesus was held unjustly, it's impossible to sing a beautiful note.
I couldn't help but contrast that to another song we had sung, in a place also verified by archaeology. In John 5, we're told about a pool in Jerusalem that was surrounded by five covered colonnades. For centuries, people said that didn't exist...until it was found. Today you can visit the remains of that pool that was a place of healing, and beside it is the Church of St. Anne, a beautifully stark church that is a place set aside to pray for healing. During our visit there, we sat down in the cool of the sanctuary and someone began to sing. The song grew among our group and the music lifted up into the rafters. It echoed for some time and made for one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard or ever expect to hear. Now, I know much of it has to do with acoustics and such, but how wonderful that this place of healing also has a place where a song can be lifted to the heavens and sound even more beautiful than it was when it was first sung.
Two songs. A place of healing and a place of torture. It occurs to me during this Holy Week that we tend to respond to Jesus in either of those two ways. What will your heart be this week? Will you be one who provides a song of healing to others? Or will you be one who rejects Jesus and provides yet another song of despair to the world? Two places. Two songs. One choice.
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| Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu |
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