Tension and Prayer

There is a place in Jerusalem called the Western Wall, but most commonly known as the Wailing wall. It is the place in the city where religious Jews go to pray that the temple will one day be rebuilt. What we see of the Western wall, however, is only the most southern part of what actually existed when the actual temple was still standing. I had the opportunity, last Wednesday, to visit the Western Wall Tunnels. This is a museum that takes you below ground to view the whole extent of the Western wall of the temple mount, which has been revealed by archaeological excavations. It was amazing going underground in order to view something so ancient, yet so recently discovered. What we saw while below ground was not actually the Jewish temple, but the temple that Herod built. Herod was trying to win favor among the Jewish factions, which he ruled at the time. He thus, built a replica of the Jewish temple on the temple mount so that Jews could worship. While underground, we were able to see the huge massive stones that are characteristic of Herodian architecture. Another characteristic of Herodian buildings is the border chiselled around each stone that was put in place. I can't even imagine how these stones that weighed hundreds of tons were moved! We were also able to walk through ancient tunnels leading to the temple, which were built to protect the temple from invaders. As we walked along the western wall, we passed the place that it is said the holy of holies lies behind. Here there were a few devout Jews praying. It was striking to see how touched they were by such a significant spot. Also, while walking through the tunnels we saw an ancient well and an water storage pool. Water was, and is, precious in Jerusalem. Herod managed a great fete of diverting water from sources miles away with aqueducts. These aqueducts then filled many pools throughout the city, that stored the water for usage. The Western Wall Tunnels are another point of contention in this city. Many Muslims protested the beginning of excavations to discover the Western wall. The reason for this protest was that it might do damage to the foundations of Muslim holy sites and surrounding buildings in which people live and conduct everyday activities, which are mostly in the Muslim quarter of the Old City.
Although, it is amazing to see these sites and the devotion people have for them, there is another side to this city that I am quickly realizing. There is a deep tension. It is sad to see a place that is thought to be so holy, become such a breeding ground for fear; a fear which only leads to hate and further tension. It is sad to see beautiful landscapes and holy places marred by the presence of barbed wire, metal detectors, and soldiers carrying guns almost everywhere you go. For me, it is hard to know how to act, trying to avoid adding further to the conflict, which already creates tension. In this attempt to live ethically and contribute to peace rather than conflict, I feel more tension within myself. I realize how much, I contribute to this conflict and other conflicts around the world each and everyday. I see the complexity of the situation and sometimes feel hopelessness that a situation that is getting worse, will ever get better.
When tension and hopelessness overwhelms me, all I can do is pray. I have sometimes doubted prayer in my life. I only knew of the kind of prayer where you prayed for something to happen and it was supposed to. For me there are so many problems in the world, I don't see how this kind of prayer can always work. I have, however, since learned about a different kind of prayer (which I actually learned from a Jewish prayer book). That prayer is not for us to ask God for things that we want or for him to change things. Instead, it is a way we communicate to God; acknowledging that he exists and is in our lives, even when we may not see or feel him. When I feel such tension and see such pain and fear, all I can do is pray. I realize that I have so little power to change such an intricate and long-lasting power. The only way, I can have hope amidst all the conflict here and in the world, is to pray and hope that it will change. I have to believe that God exists, because otherwise we would be left to our own human means, and I could never hope that the world would change and be able to continue on each day.
On Monday, I found out that a school room collapsed injuring 12 school children. The school was located near Al-Aqsa Mosque (which is on the Temple Mount). The reason suspected for the collapse of the school is the excavations taking place underneath; the very same excavations, which I promoted 4 days earlier as I toured the Western Wall Tunnels. Thus, tension prevails.