On all of our trips to the Holy Land, we find ourselves in that ancient and special place on a Sunday. Sometimes our itinerary brings Sunday and our visit to Bethlehem together. This blessing has given us the beautiful opportunity to worship with local Christians and other pilgrims in the Evangelical Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem.
The church follows a Lutheran liturgy in Arabic (with a few English elements) that is surprisingly easy for us to follow. Many parts of the worship service are familiar to us, and participating alongside of the Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem reminds us of all that we have in common as the Church. On one visit, the pastor invited me to lead the reading of one of the Bible texts for the day. It was a passage from Romans, and mercifully, he permitted me to read it in English. When it is time to stand and sing the Doxology to the familiar tune of “Old 100th,” all the people are invited to sing in their native languages. Wow. Local believers and visiting travelers from points around the globe combine into one, as a glorious international expression of praise to our one God erupts.
The town of Bethlehem draws pilgrims from all over, and a highlight of our trips is a visit to the famed Church of the Nativity. As we wait expectantly in the church to descend to the cave where ancient tradition locates the place of Jesus’ birth, we hear the languages of many nations among the tourists. But the town is also home to thousands. On some of our visits to Bethlehem, we are able to dine in the evening with Christian families who share their stories of joy in the Lord, daily struggle, the challenge of forgiveness, and the pursuit of peace. And in Christ, we know that we are all one: sisters and brothers (Galatians 3:28-29). These moments of friendship, fellowship, and grace are some of the most powerful memories that I return to my home with.
Centuries before Jesus’ birth, Micah the prophet spoke of the Messiah who would come out of Bethlehem. This Messiah would be the great shepherd of God’s people and would himself be peace—our peace (5:2-5). Our shalom. Micah’s contemporary Isaiah reminds us that one of Messiah’s titles is Prince of Peace (9:6). Wherever we come from, wherever our home is, wherever we venture in our lives, we are a people of peace. We are to live and to offer the peace that is found in the love and grace of Jesus. And we are to remember that as diverse as we are in this world, there is one Peace who is truly able “to reach to the ends of the earth” (Micah 5:4).
