markmathis

I have been in Israel playing music at a festival here in Jerusalem for the past week. I have been waiting for an epiphany to happen in which I feel about this city how all of the contemporary religious world does. Instead, I find myself saddened as Christ was when he said, “Jerusalem, how I have longed to gather you as a mother it’s children…”(loose translation).   Jerusalem only makes sense to me in brokenness. 

There are few authentic places still standing relevant to a Judao-christian faith and the ones that are have mosques built on them. You do feel a bit like a mother here visiting her son’s grave – only to find that it has been moved and you don’t know where it is. The frenzy of the crowds and their devotion to mary, jesus, mohammed is underscored by this uncertainty – you can see it behind the eyes of every pilgrim. The concrete that we all desire is not found in Jerusalem. 

    It seems like God, though. It is God. The contradiction of religion vs. love – I see it everywhere. The Jewish people are only interested in each other and it is a minor miracle if one speaks to you. They also live in the only posh side of town and given what I have seen on the west bank this is inexcusable. The Muslim population is just as reserved and does not allow any outsiders into their holy places. The Arab population has lived for centuries in this see-saw of power between the two strongmen and are ambivalent about any type of religion and consequently ‘right and wrong’ have no value to them. 

    I think that we have a chance to see into the future with Israel. A post apocalyptic view of what life could be like without so many of the things we in the western world have. I seriously was walking around the other day and felt like I was in a ‘mad max’ film. I have realized my own brokenness as I have been a visitor to the broken. I do feel like I have developed a compassion towards this city. I am not the one that will come back and be assimilated into the culture. I am the one that will pray that this city will go beyond its current state. I will pray for its healing – and be healed myself.