We have continued the extraordinary journey “Following the steps of Jesus” in the Holy Land. This has meant much more than anyone might have thought, because following his steps means “trying to become what he taught us”. He taught us so much that is relevant to our life, and it is all to do with Him being alive among us and within us. He gave us the gift of Baptism, and at the Jordan – not the very place where Jesus was baptised – there was a moment of great beauty when we renewed our baptismal vows.

It was perhaps a moment of great ‘emotional’ importance because of the ‘ministers of churches among us’ – URC, Anglican and myself led the short ceremony. It was very meaningful to sing “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est” (Where there is charity and love, there is God), because all this made us feel the ‘communion’ or ‘unity’ among us. Communion is very necessary especially in this troubled land, because Jesus, himself, did not lead an easy life, and therefore his presence within us is growing day by day.

We have, since then, taken a swim in the Salt Sea (Dead Sea), seen Quran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and been to Jericho where Jesus welcomed Zaccheus and had many adventures. As I write, we are now ‘locked in’ behind a huge security wall in the ‘Ghetto-Prison, which is today’s Bethlehem. Of course, we have seen the place where Jesus was born, and had Mass at the field where the Shepherds visited – or a place very much like it. Also, where Mary visited Elizabeth.

But, much more important than all that, has been the meeting with about 10 families who live here in Bethlehem. They are Palestinian Christians and they have a story to tell that has made us proud to be considered their friends. They are so proud to be part of the one family of the Church, and they are much more the ‘living stones’ than we are. Why? Because they, like Jesus, know what real suffering is all about – thought they admit they do not suffer anything like the way he suffered: they are also proud to suffer a little, like he suffered, in his own land, and in this place where he was born. It reminds me of what St. Paul said on this subject.

These simple, but beautiful people that we metare also bound together in a communion of great love. It seems that the Israeli people, who restrict their freedom, so strongly, and cause them such great problems – the details of which I don’t wish to share just now – but which include loss of their jobs, their houses, being invaded by soldiers and being subjected to robust searches – they, and the Moslem majority in the Palestinian territories, in Israel, squeeze them from both sides: yet they love their neighbours as brothers and sisters in Christ, and do practical things to support each other. Their children survive in all this – with insufficient education – though attempts are being made to try and remedy this. The Palestinians we metare biology teachers, medical experts, architects etc.

All in all, it makes us realise that we have here the ‘living stones’ at the foundation of the Church who are, fundamentally, just like the first Christians. So “we follow the footsteps of Jesus” – not so much in his very steps – but with Him alongside us, teaching us, loving us, helping us to grow in our spiritual life.

The Holy Land is a quite safe place, when you come here and try to love, and so follow the advice of guides and pilgrimage leaders. More importantly, visitors are absolutely necessary for the livelihood of the Palestinian people who economically and ‘in their spirits’ survive through tourism and their contacts with outsiders. They are largely forbidden to move out of their living areas and have to do what the Israeli authorities tell them. Jesus is very much alive in this wonderful Holy Land, and perhaps, not surprisingly, his Death and Resurrection is ‘re-lived’ each day. Today, we join Him by going to the sites of his passion and death. We are also ‘living stones’ of his ‘beautiful temple’ – the Church, and these stones are growing more solid and beginning to fit in with each other.