Greetings from Nazareth – the city of many friends including Martina and Elias at Cactus (www.nazarethbathhouse.com) and the Mazzawi Brothers Naim, Rami & Basil. They are a bit like the Three Musketeers and a late meal in the restuarant Rida was a great occasion of catching up, and hearing all about Rami’s recent engagement. (Many women across the world now crying at such a loss…..).

The meal followed a time of Taize worship in the chapel of the Little Brothers of Charles de Foucauld, attended by various Christians from across the city, and put together by Basil Mazzawi. I had the privilege of leading the English readings, and the songs – “Sing praises all you peoples, sing praises to the Lord”, “Within the darkest night, you kindle the fire that never dies away”, “Stay with us O Lord Jesus Christ, night will soon fall. Then stay with us O Lord Jesus Christ, light in our darkness”. I read some words of Brother Roger of Taize which were quite a challenge – “Jesus, love of all my loving, you were always in me and I was forgetting you. You were in my heart of hearts, and I was looking for you elsewhere. When I kept myself far from you, you were waiting for me. And now I dare to tell you: ‘Christ, you are my life'”.

My friendship with the Mazzawi’s started some years ago when I walked into their shop, and heard Taize music being played. Naim wore a Taize cross, and talked to me about the Spirit of Christ – language I understood from my time at Taize in the past. It is great to be able to share food, friendship and worship with these very modern Nazarenes. I write my blog from their shop, with the song ‘Yes, I shall see the goodness of our God – hold firm – trust in the Lord’ playing in the background. An encouraging word for us all.

Charles de Foucauld wrote a famous Prayer of Abandonment that I carry in my Bible:

Father,
I abandon myself into your hands;
do with me what you will.
Whatever you may do, I thank you:
I am ready for all, I accept all.

Let only your will be done in me,
and in all your creatures –
I wish no more than this, O Lord.

Into your hands I commend my soul:
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
for I love you, Lord, and so need to give myself,
to surrender myself into your hands without reserve,
and with boundless confidence,
for you are my Father.

Salaam from Nazareth.

And so, with a final look across the rooftops of the Old City, and sip of Taybeh (www.taybehbeer.com) with new friends, I pack up from Ecce Homo, Jerusalem, and get ready for the early morning ‘newspaper taxi’ to take me to Nazareth, and to the friends and project partners in the north.

A couple of these new friends have been taking pilgrimage seriously, walking from Paris to Jerusalem with a letter of authority from their Bishop in hand, and dropping in on pilgrim houses and monastries all along the route. At each place they have collected a ‘stamp’ of proof in a sort of pilgrim passport they carry with them. Every stamp a memory too I guess. Arriving in Israel a week ago, they walked down from Haifa, and have been in Ecce Homo, Via Dolorosa for the last few days making it to The Church of the Holy Sepulchre today…..the focus of their long walk. All very Canterbury Tales….but without the rather odd companions that Chaucer wrote about!

Wow, what commitment, what focus, and what a journey – all proved by these stamps which they proudly showed to me. It made me think what ‘stamps’ I had collected along my journey of faith, and what commitment it takes to keep the focus.

Anyway – cheers…time for bed!

So the day began with the usual hilarity over breakfast – an Englishman with failed French ‘O’ level attempting to communicate with a table full of pilgrims from Italy, France, Thailand and New York. Felt like I was in the Tower of Babel as we ate toast with strange jam, cheese and olives, and sliced egg, whilst trying to tell each other what our plans for the day were. Anyway, we played a game with our names as we introduced ourselves again to new people who had arrived – I am Ian White, Jovani Bianco, Jean le Blanc (a personal favourite), and in Arabic Hanna Abiad. White is a good surname to translate.

Reflected a bit more on the Tower of Babel story as I walked out along the Via Dolorosa and through Lions Gate to Gethsemane later in the day. Sitting in The Church of all Nations at the foot of Gethsemane and listening to the quiet murmured prayers and occasional singing in a variety of languages, I just thanked God that in Christ there is a Church for all Nations – and we aren’t some kind of monochrome mass. Somehow not understanding the words sometimes actually frees you to appreciate how the gospel is for All – and how the Good News has carried itself around the world through all cultures. As an old hymn says “For All, for All my Jesus died; For All, for All was crucified”.

Mind you, the moment changed a bit when an American group came in and sang ‘Abide with me’…. all I could think of at that moment was the FA Cup at Wembley!

My mum’s birthday tomorrow, so I was thanking God for her especially, and sad not to be with her over the weekend.

So, wanting to check out the new Rambam synagogue, I head for the Jewish Quarter via the Western Wall. Lots of live music, water, and strange cakes – “free my friend, you must have some…please”, I was caught up in a vast circular dance with hundreds of cheery Orthodox Jewish men, all celebrating, clapping, and rhythmically moving towards the Western Wall to pray. Well…..it would be a shame to let them down, and they did seem very friendly – so join in and dance I did (think lots of Dad dancing by men in black hats). Quite obviously I am looking a little more Jewish today. But not enough for the Rambam synagogue 30 minutes later – “sorry, no, we are at prayer”.

Recovered with mint tea whilst chatting to my Armenian friend Kevork in Elia Photos, Christian Quarter (www.eliaphotos.com), about forgiveness and family. Elia Photos is the best photo shop in Jerusalem, with some great material going back into the 1880’s…..and yes, I did buy another one!