Hear O Israel… Part 2
“mosaic image at the Basilica of the Annunciation church”
a man approached us, speaking quickly and in a angry tone and of course, not in english. Nir approached him and listened. Returning to me, Nir’s first words were, “OK, this man was very rude, and…” Great! My first interaction with a church person and he’s rude. We were told we could not bring in our “big” cameras and if we wanted to take pictures we could only use small point and shoot’s. What the? He didn’t even ask our names, he didn’t say welcome or praise the Lord you are h
ere. He assumed, demanded and was rude. None of which I find in the “fruit of the Spirit.” Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and Self Control. What really hurt was this, my friend Nir respects my faith, but it is not his belief. He’s taken time away from his family to show me some “holy” sites and this is the message the church gives to strangers. I was ashamed.
Now this is why this story comes in so many parts. I’ve struggled with questions of how we in the US, treat people who step on our holy ground. Not just in our building, but in our lives. Have they been close to the presence of the Messiah, the one who lives in you, only to be shut down or shut up? My feeling is that we have been guilty of the same assumptions in the church. Not church buildings but the church people… the body, the community of believers. Where is our repenting? Where is our memory of salvation and grace in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us?
As we entered into the “church building” it seemed that mass was taking place. Knowing what I do know, I’m surprised they even let us in during communion. This is what I saw:
silent angel
Mass behind closed gates
an elegant building with empty pews
a small window to heaven
I’m not sure if you are thinking the same thoughts that are running though my head. But it was not anything like the Jesus I had read about or the church that I’ve read about.
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