Melissa Hinnen stands in the Garden of Gethsemane
Photo by Kristen Brown
By Melissa Hinnen
I woke up this morning in Bethlehem and walked over to the Church
of the Nativity a block away from my hotel. There was a Greek Orthodox worship
service going on, and I lit a candle, said a prayer and walked outside to the
courtyard. As I heard a baby crying, I imagined what it may have been like that
Christmas morning 2,000 years ago. It was amazing to think of the light that
came into our midst in that very spot — a light that has transformed my life. That
light has been passed from generation to generation and in Jesus’ name
continues to work for justice and peace throughout the entire world — on earth
as it is in heaven.
In so many ways, that truth is not obvious here. This sacred
land is filled with so much contradiction and complexity. Everywhere there are
signs of conflict and power struggles in the name of God. Religious tensions have
displaced families, caused war after war, destroyed buildings and overbuilt
cities.
In the midst of these contradictions, it was a blessing to
worship at the Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr – an Anglican church
in Jerusalem. The service was in Arabic and English, and it was especially
meaningful to partake in the sacrament of Communion in this holy city on a day
that Christians around the world were also celebrating World Communion.
The sermon was centered on Harvest Sunday, and the message
was about thanksgiving in times of joy and in times of sorrow. As people of faith,
we are motivated by our thankfulness to make a better world. Throughout the
day, as I visited the holy sites, I meditated on the idea that if we think of
Jesus’ sacrifice and ministry only as something to worship — visiting those
places where he walked and taught but not continuing his ministry in our own
contexts — then what was the point? What do we do with that glorious sacrifice
and promise that Jesus offers? How do we show our thanksgiving?
Taking Communion, I was reminded once again that despite
denominational differences, we are all part of the body and nothing can
separate us from the love of God. Humans can put up walls and create different
churches with differently designed crosses. But we all worship the same patient
God and are wrapped in that eternal love. What affects one child of God,
affects all of us. Isn’t the church’s role to keep Jesus’ mission as our focus,
help us put aside and celebrate our differences, truly love our neighbor and
recognize God in one another?
Visiting the Garden of Gethsemane
, I was struck by the olive trees. Some of them
have roots that are more than 2,300 years old, and their branches are full of
olives. They are grounded in the land and stand as a silent witness to all that
has happened and continues to happen in Jerusalem. As buildings have come up
and been torn down and groups of people have claimed the land as their own,
these trees are solidly rooted and continue to offer simple grace and peace. On
the night that he was arrested, Jesus chose to spend time under these trees. It
was in the garden that he expressed his anguish and prayed that it would be
God’s will that would be done.
We drove from the garden to the Old City. It was an amazing
experience to walk the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering, and bring to life so
many of the stories and miracles that are part of my Christian tradition. As we
knelt in the empty tomb at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the guard
urged us to hurry, Kristen, a United Methodist missionary, gave thanks that
Jesus was not there. And I remembered the words of the gardener: “Why do you
seek the living among the dead?” While it is an awesome experience to be in the
place where holy mysteries and miracles took place, we are Easter people. The tomb
is empty — thanks be to God. We must take up the cross, continue God’s mission
with acts of mercy and piety and give thanks for all God has done for us not
only in this holy land but also in all the world. The kingdom of God starts
here.
I look forward to the rest of the week and visiting with “living
stones.” We will meet with Palestinian Christians, who have deep roots here and
who interpret the Bible through the lens of their ancestors. There is peace and
justice work happening with groups like the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program
and the Wi’am Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center. Janet, Kristen and J.D.
are focusing on advocacy and activism in the region. On Thursday, we will
celebrate the opening of a Global Methodist office, a partnership with the
United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, the British Methodist
Church and the World Methodist Council. I am thankful to be here and to have
the privilege to share the stories of how we are connecting the church in
mission in Israel and Palestine.
