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| Praying at the River Jordan |
This morning was beautiful, warm, and sunny as we headed to the east of Jericho in order to visit the site along the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized. Jesus’ baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry. We spent some time in silence and solitude along the banks of the river, reflecting on the events that took place there. During our visit, we saw groups of pilgrims from many different countries and denominations pray, immerse themselves, put river water into bottles to bring back home, and even prepare themselves to be baptized in the river.
Afterwards, we headed west to the Mountain of the Temptation (Mount Quarantania), upon which there is a Greek Orthodox monastery at the site tradionally held to be the place where Jesus was tempted by the devil after fasting 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. From the monastery, you have a wide view of Jericho, the Jordan Valley, and the Dead Sea. To reach the monastery, we took cable cars. Those afraid of heights may have been tempted to stay behind in the valley below, but by God’s grace, they were able to overcome this temptation too, and everyone made it to the monastery. Within the ancient walls, we prayed in front of the grotto where it is believed Jesus rejected the devil’s temptation to turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger. We also prayed in a small chapel housing a stone outcrop believed to be where Jesus rejected the devil’s temptation to idolatry.
Afterwards, we headed west to the Mountain of the Temptation (Mount Quarantania), upon which there is a Greek Orthodox monastery at the site tradionally held to be the place where Jesus was tempted by the devil after fasting 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. From the monastery, you have a wide view of Jericho, the Jordan Valley, and the Dead Sea. To reach the monastery, we took cable cars. Those afraid of heights may have been tempted to stay behind in the valley below, but by God’s grace, they were able to overcome this temptation too, and everyone made it to the monastery. Within the ancient walls, we prayed in front of the grotto where it is believed Jesus rejected the devil’s temptation to turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger. We also prayed in a small chapel housing a stone outcrop believed to be where Jesus rejected the devil’s temptation to idolatry.
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| Someone's afraid heights... |
After visting the Mountain of the Temptation, we stopped briefly to see the ruins of one of the palaces of King Herod. Getting off the bus there for a 10 minute break, a few locals allowed one or two of us to try riding on their donkey; it looked like a considerable feat. Next, we enjoyed a terrific lunch in modern Jericho, located near the ancient city. Jericho is believed to be one the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, beginning around 9000 BCE (that’s 11,000 years ago). The walls of ancient Jericho were said to have collapsed when the Jewish people, under the leadership of Joshua, conquered the city and began to enter the promised land after crossing the Jordan River.
Today’s overarching theme was “faith.” At all the sites today we contemplated faith, which we received as a gift in Baptism and which bonds us to Christ, and how “faith working through love” can dispel any illusion and enable us to live in the light of truth.
Today’s overarching theme was “faith.” At all the sites today we contemplated faith, which we received as a gift in Baptism and which bonds us to Christ, and how “faith working through love” can dispel any illusion and enable us to live in the light of truth.
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