Old City and conflict over sacred
2000 years
Jerusalem. 0.35 square miles
the walled Old City of Jerusalem
exceptionally high concentrations
of holy sites and monuments
how can the sacred be
so shattered and collaborated?
disjointed yet knit together
by what each holds sacred—
there’s Jewish Quarter
there’s Muslim Quarter
there’s Christian Quarter
this city, the capital of the ancient
Israelite kingdom and the former
location of the Jewish temples
a place of many promises—
now on the site of the Old Temple
yet is a mosque
the veil is torn in victory
yet there are wails at the Western wall
muddled by the Islamic call to prayer,
just a short walk from this mosque
is the site of Calvary
just outside the gates
of Old City, the Garden of Gethsemane
silent tears of blood rolling down
now inside the gates metal detectors
scanning tourists, residents, school children alike
it is finished, Jesus said.
coming up the steps to of Temple Rock
armed military all around
an unassuming pile of ballistic shields in the corner
armed soldiers telling us to turn around,
“you are not allowed here, no Muslim”
so we enter through Jewish quarter
women wailing at the Western wall. Hopeless
2000 years.
His truth has not changed.
the veil is still torn.
He has died and rose,
He is living hope,
this conflict stirs so many questions
the truth my heart holds screamed,
walking past the pool of Bethesda
“do you want to be well?”
as the constant fight for Sacred Relationship
continues on
the path of sorrow
Via Dolorosa
in the streets of Jerusalem
Jesus’ mission completed—
the place of the crucifixion
and resurrection of Jesus.
the completion.
our Messiah.
the way of victory.
eternal hope, truth.
and yet so many
still walk in a way of sorrow—
on a path that doesn’t end at Calvary.
Old City, Jerusalem (January 2019)
