A Day in Jerusalem

The Lord asked me to tell you about the day that I arrived in Jerusalem. In September 2007, we left Tel Aviv on a bus to Jerusalem and had planned to stay in an Arab hotel because it was written that Arab hoteliers were suffering due to the building of hotels by Israeli's. A friendly Jewish taxi driver greeted me at the bus station and offered to take me wherever I wished to go. I asked him to take me to a Arab family hotel in East Jerusalem. The first hotel was fully booked and on arrival at the second hotel we both walked into reception together. The receptionist took her time, looked me up and down, looked at her computer again without a single smile and shook her head, meaning no! Immediately, I thought of those words 'No room at the inn'. Yet, in my heart I knew the reason why she did not have a room for me and it brought great sadness to my heart. A Western woman was not welcome.

The taxi driver apologised, we did not try any more Arab owned hotels and the clock was ticking away. He then took me to a beautiful hotel high up on the hill overlooking Jerusalem. Pope John Paul II, said “We dedicate this Center to Our Lady of Jerusalem, Regina Pacis (Queen of Peace), and offer it to the world as a place of fruitful spiritual development.” http://www.notredamecenter.org/

The Arab Christians booked me in and I was made very welcome. I then ventured into the old city in East Jerusalem alone, the Damascus Gate was bustling with people. There were Arab women that shone with love in their eyes. However, there were also women that pushed, shoved and did all they could to intimidate me, no light could be seen in their eyes only contempt for a Western woman. As I walked through the Eastern part of the city it was like any market scene, rubbish everywhere and no evident respect for the environment.

I eventually found my way to the Via Dolorosa, otherwise known as 'The Way of Suffering' to check out the route that I had been instructed to take on the 9th September. On the way you pass many stations, shops and people selling all manner of things. During the recce I felt the sadness of the old city and remembered the prophecy bestowed in 1996 ‘When the crucifix is removed from earth so will all the suffering be removed from earth’. The soul of Jesus being sold as a commodity of suffering, sorrow and grief. As Jerusalem scholar Jerome Murphy-O'Connor writes, "The Via Dolorosa is defined by faith, not by history." http://www.bibleplaces.com/oldcitygates.htm



An overwhelming sadness came upon me and I could feel the heart of the Lord. Everywhere I looked they were selling the soul of Jesus and it reminded me of why he was so frustrated and upset when he turned over the tables in Jerusalem. We appreciate that people have to make a living and that there are many poor people. However, there has to be another way, the way of love and not the way of sorrow.

The sacred is not for sale, love is not for sale.

The bible tells us that the City of Jerusalem is meant to be for homes for the poor, old and children. We look forward to the day when God's plan is duly implemented on the lands that have great historical and spiritual significance for the world's religions. Most people are not aware that 15 different religions have a base in Israel and it really is a miracle how they have managed to co-exist for so long.