When traveling, it is always good to interact with locals to get a first hand education of the cultural differences and similarities. This is a wonderful way to deepen your travel experience. I love to visit Churches as well as shopping malls, grocery stores, street vendors, museums, and other entertainment venues.
Some of our pilgrimage adventures include a Sunday morning worship service in Bethlehem. One year, we shared communion in this small community church. At home, communion elements consist of grape juice and Hawaiian bread. In Bethlehem, the service and scripture are the same. The Minister invited all to the communion table as I have seen in many other Protestant Churches. The difference was the elements, strong red wine and dense focaccia bread full of spices such as rosemary and oregano. It was an experience I’ll never forget.
Other cultural differences are the way we celebrate or remember Good Friday. Some traditions include Hot Cross buns, Easter egg hunts, Noon Services, or Resurrection Rolls. I didn’t realize that in our culture, each Sunday is a celebration of Resurrection Sunday (Easter) and we have been enjoying Resurrection Rolls almost every week. In the Holy Land these are special at Easter.
What is a Resurrection Roll? Here in Texas they are also known as donut holes.
The ball of dough represents Jesus, the dough goes into the hot oil (crucifixion), descends to the bottom of the pot (death), then rises to the top of the pot (resurrection), and covered with a sweet glaze (holy spirit). This description is paraphrased from a local tradition shared with me.
Whatever your family tradition to celebrate Good Friday and Easter, let us all remember our common ground of Jesus and his sacrifice for all of us.
I pray each of you remember your pilgrimage, or plan to join us soon. As we remember our Palm Sunday Walk and the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross). Our view of Calvary and the Empty Tomb. No matter where I am, every year as the scripture is read, I can visualize my experience in the Holy Land walking the same path as Jesus. This is why the Holy Land is often referred to as the 5th Gospel. God’s word is revealed to us through the land.
Have a Blessed Good Friday and Happy Easter.
