Holy Week

This post is incredibly late, but I was on a trip to Lebanon (pictures to come later), so I didn't have time to write about Holy Week yet.
It was definitely an interesting experience being in Jerusalem for Holy Week. It was often hard for me to realize the magnitude of it all. Many people dream there entire lives of being in Jerusalem for Holy Week. They look forward with anticipation to this pilgrimage. Yet, I happen to be here in Jerusalem during this time without even intending it.
In Jerusalem, there were two holy weeks, one for Western Easter, the next for Orthodox Easter. This year, the two Easters happened to be only 1 week apart, which meant celebrations happened for two weeks. I was here for Western Easter, but not for Eastern Easter due to my trip to Lebanon.
I will therefore, tell of some of the events of Western Easter.

Holy Week started out with Palm Sunday. Every year, for Western Palm Sunday, there is a huge procession in Jerusalem. It starts near the current day area of Bethany and Bethphage. We started there on a hot day and headed down to the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem, as Jesus did in the Bible. There were thousands of people at the procession. Waving palm branches and olive branches sold by the local children. The procession began with the scouts from the local Palestinian churches leading. Following were pilgrims from all over the world, some singing and playing musical instruments. It was a definite celebration and easier to imagine what it would have been like when Jesus was here. My favorite part was being able to see so many people from all over the world meet together in one place.
On Maunday Thursday, I joined the Lutheran church for a service in the Old City and a procession to the Garden of Gethsemane. Again, another time walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
Friday morning, at 6 am, I attended another procession with the Lutheran and Anglican church for a walk on the Via Dolorosa (the stations of the cross. It was a nice walk. I had done it a week earlier with Sabeel for what they have created called "The Contemporary Way of the Cross". I preferred the Contemporary Way of the Cross as it reflects on Jesus steps to crucifixion, but ties them to current day sufferings of the Palestinian people.
Sunday morning came with a sunrise service at the Mount of Olives. I had not experienced a true sunrise service outside since living in Florida. It was even more breathtaking as the sun rose during the sermon over the Judaean Desert.
I enjoyed Holy Week, but I kept thinking that it is still hard for me at times, to understand what Jesus' death and resurrection means, much less feel the weight of it when I am in the place that it happened. It was also hard for me to see so many pilgrims coming because this place has such significance for them. They come, however, and only see the holy sites and often fail to see the conflict here and how it affects people daily. How can somebody be interested in the two thousand year old stones representing Jesus life, while failing to live his life to the people who are here in the present day? The Lord's prayer says, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". To me this means that we are to live out his kingdom, a kingdom of compassion, mercy, and peace, now, not just remember it in the past and wait for it in the future. Yet, even as I write this, I realize how short I fall and wish I could do better.