Christmas Voices from the Holy Land

OF FRIENDS THE HOLY LAND

GIVING HOPE TO VULNERABLE CHRISTIANS

Christmas Voices From theHoly Land A Prayer Resource for Advent and Christmastide Fr Richard Nesbitt and 15 voices from the Holy Land Forewords by Archbishop Bernard Longley and Archbishop Michael Jackson

Christmas

Voices From theHoly Land A Prayer Resource for Advent and Christmastide

Christmas Voices from the Holy Land Copyright © 2021, Fr Richard Nesbitt and Mr Peter Rand (Friends of the Holy Land) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher.

The moral right of Fr Richard Nesbitt and the other contributors of the Holy Land reflections to be identified as authors has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The paintings by James Tissot (1836-1902) used to illustrate each chapter can be found in the Brooklyn Museum and are featured here thanks to their kind permission and a creative commons licence.

This edition first published in the UK by Dr Mark Nash (Archdiocese of Southwark) - aec.rcaos.org.uk Printed in Great Britain by The Graphic Design House

Farmer Ward Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 2DH www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk • Registered Charity Number 1130054 01926 512980 • office@friendsoftheholyland.org.uk friendsoftheholyland

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Dedication To the embattled and persecuted Christian communities of the Holy Land and Middle East, who through their faith, resilience and courage continue to give witness to the living presence of Christ in the land of his birth.

A Word of Thanks To all who have contributed in so many ways to the making of this book. In particular to the contributors from the Holy Land for the words they share and for the witness they continue to give in their daily lives. A huge thanks to all the Friends of the Holy Land family, led by Brendan Metcalfe and Peter Rand – it has been a real privilege and pleasure working together again on this our second book! We are also indebted to Dr Flavia Vanni who has enriched this book so much with her reflections and commentary on James Tissot’s ‘Life of Christ’ paintings which appear in every chapter. Finally, we would like to express our deep gratitude to Dr Mark Nash, editor and designer, who once again has worked so hard to transform our barrage of late night email attachments into this beautiful book. It has been another very Spirit-led project, and we entrust this book to the continuing work of the Holy Spirit.

Contents Foreword by Archbishop Bernard Longley

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Foreword by Archbishop Michael Jackson

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Introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni

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Introduction by Brendan Metcalfe, FHL

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Preface by Fr Richard Nesbitt

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Map of the Holy Land

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How to use Holy Week Voices from the Holy Land

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Section One: 14 Poems and Reflections 1. Annunciation I - Zechariah with Suhela Saba 2.

Annunciation II - Mary with Reem Mansour

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3. Annunciation III - Joseph with Archdeacon Samuel Barhoum

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4. The Visitation with Fr Issa Shomali

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5. A Blessing at Last with Samer Daibes

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6. Growing Pains with Meral Kharoufeh

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7. Bethlehem Bound with Reem Aburdeneh & Nancy Wahhab

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8. Incarnation with Fr Rami Asakrieh

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9. Shepherds’ Song with Majd Issam Qafiti

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10. Adoration of the Magi with Sawsan Aranki-Batato

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11. The Presentation with Sr Bridget Tighe FMDM

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12. Flight into Egypt with Fr Gabriel Romanelli IVE

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13. Massacre of the Innocents with Suhaila Tarazi 14. Home at Last with Seba Salmeh and Malak Dabies

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Section Two: Add Your Voice

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Section Three: Advent Hymns and Christmas Carols

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Including Children’s Christmas Art

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Daily Prayer to St Joseph

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Friends of the Holy Land Prayer

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Photos from the Holy Land

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Foreword

Archbishop Bernard Longley Following on from the very welcome and informative book - Holy Week Voices from the Holy Land, I am pleased to commend this accompanying volume: Christmas Voices from the Holy Land.

Whether we have been to the Holy Land on pilgrimage or have come to know it through what we have seen and read about it, Christmas Voices from the Holy Land enables us to imagine vividly those familiar settings in which we hear the Christmas story unfold.

In the pages of this book we encounter afresh the sights, sounds and experiences of those living in the Holy Land, not only from the voices of those who witnessed that first Christmas, but also through the voices of those who continue to celebrate the Christmas story in our own day.

Through the scriptural passages we hear the Good News proclaimed at the heart of our celebrations – the birth of Jesus Christ as Saviour of the world. In the reflections on those passages, together with the poems written especially for this publication, we are drawn to contemplate more deeply the meaning of this Good News in our own lives. Sharing with us their own experiences and reflections of celebrating Advent and Christmas in the Holy Land today, we are also offered authentic voices expressing an unbroken continuity of faith lived since the beginning of those early Christian communities.

As many will be aware, the Holy Land is often referred to as the ‘Fifth Gospel’ because of those living stones expressing our joyful faith in Jesus Christ. Christmas Voices from the Holy Land invites us to share in this joy of the Good News and to unite ourselves in prayer with all our brothers and sisters, especially those in the Holy Land.

I wish to thank the Friends of the Holy Land for their continued work and the support they offer, both spiritually and practically, and for all those who have contributed to this publication.

With the assurance of my prayers and my kindest wishes for a holy Advent and joyful Christmas.

+ Bernard Longley

Archbishop of Birmingham vi

Foreword

Archbishop Michael Jackson Christmas Voices from the Holy Land takes us right into the places where we want to be, in our preparations during Advent and in our celebrations during Christmas. There is no reason for either Season to be neglected.

It does this through the witness and response of people on the ground in The Holy Land now. The journey is arduous and the joy is infectious at the same time. We travel in spiritual time from The Annunciations to The Return Home after the enforced Flight into Egypt. The voices of Holy Scripture, of poetry and of daily living respond to and flow from God’s pulsating presence in the lives of Christian people who appropriately call themselves The Living Stones. They take us from Nazareth, through Zababdeh, Bethlehem and Jerusalem to Gaza. This mirrors the precious and fragile journey of the Infant Jesus and his parents Mary and Joseph. Christmas Voices … takes up the journey not only in voice and verse but also in painting and in colour through incorporating the delicate refraction of the paintings of James Tissot.

Along with Holy Scripture, poetry and painting, we are given further shafts of colour and light by those who are formally called to religious life, those who are lay adults and those who are young people. Commitment takes many forms. We who are at a distance are enriched by the courage and the compassion of those who cry: Love! in the world shot through by complexity in conflictual politics, natural resources and shared dignity. As with the dramatis personae of The First Christmas, the witness before us is one of commitment, celebration and hope for the future. The voice of light is not suppressed by the terror of darkness, as The Prologue of John confidently heralds.

Life in The Holy Land is very immediate. So is this volume, a companion to Holy Land Voices for Lent and Easter. I commend warmly The Friends of The Holy Land for doing through this generous publication what they describe themselves as doing: giving hope to vulnerable Christians.

We are, indissolubly, one in Christ.

The Most Reverend Michael Jackson

Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough

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Introduction Dr Flavia Vanni

The Paintings from James Tissot’s ‘Life of Christ’ The poems, reflections and testimonies from the Holy Land which this book offers you for your Advent and Christmastide journey are accompanied by powerful images from the ‘Life of Christ’. These are watercolours made by the French painter James Tissot (1836-1902). They were first exhibited as part of a set dedicated to the ‘The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ’ in 1894 at the Salon of Paris and later acquired by the Brooklyn Museum in the USA. These paintings were the fruit of a ten-year project on the Life of Jesus, which represented a dramatic change in Tissot’s career. Tissot had been a successful painter of Parisian society, becoming famous for depicting elegantly dressed women shown in scenes of fashionable life. He was active at the time of the Impressionists and had connections with Edgar Degas and Eduard Manet.

One day he experienced a religious vision during a Mass at the Church of Saint-Sulpice, which changed his life and led him back to his Catholic faith. It was this experience which inspired him to embark on his ten-year project on the ‘Life of Christ’. He travelled in 1886-1887 and 1889 to Egypt, Syria, and Palestine. He sketched monuments, landscapes, and people from these regions to get closer to the land where Jesus lived. He said: “What I sought [...] was to have my emotions acted on directly by the life of Our Lord, by traversing the same districts as He did, by gazing upon the same landscape, and by hunting out the traces of the civilisation, which prevailed during His lifetime.” It is the mixture of personal emotions with actual places and archaeological sites which makes them ‘painted meditations’. As such, we need to take them not as accurate photos of the life of Jesus, but as personal visions of the painter mediated by his faith and set in the Palestine that he visited at the end of the 19th century.

As you will see, in each chapter I have added a short reflection before every painting, which I hope will help to deepen your understanding of viii

some aspect of each particular image. I would strongly recommend that you look at the painting first and see what strikes you most powerfully about it before you read my reflection!

Tissot’s painted meditations draw on a need experienced by every Christian: the desire to feel close to Jesus, to start a pilgrimage to know him better. This pilgrimage can be a physical or a spiritual one. What connects us with Tissot is the same thirst for Jesus, for an authentic vision of Him. Let this Advent and Christmastide be a pilgrimage of deeper discovery and understanding of Him, His Image and His Will in our everyday life… in the Holy Land and everywhere else in the world.

Dr Flavia Vanni

James Tissot - Self-portrait (c. 1898)

PhD in Byzantine Studies University of Birmingham

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Introduction Brendan Metcalfe

The mission of Friends of the Holy Land is to help preserve a Christian presence in the Holy Land. To achieve this mission, we have identified four objectives: to increase awareness of the challenges of the Christian minority in the Holy Land, to encourage prayer on their behalf, to provide practical support for the most vulnerable among them and to promote pilgrimage. We find returning pilgrims are then more aware of the urgency of our mission.

The roots of Friends of the Holy Land go back to 2007 at the time of the first pilgrimage to the Holy Land from the Archdiocese of Birmingham, led by the then Archbishop of Birmingham, now Cardinal Vincent Nichols. This pilgrim group were so greatly impacted by their experiences visiting the Christian communities, that after their return home, the Archbishop led discussions as to what could be done to offer support to the most needy Christians across the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Jordan. From these discussions a grass roots drive was initiated linking Catholics in their parishes in the UK with individuals and families in the Holy Land. Friends of the Holy Land was registered as a charity and launched in November 2009 at two services, one at St Chad’s Cathedral in Birmingham and the other at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Liverpool.

Two years later, following a pilgrimage in the Holy Land led by Archbishop Rowan Williams, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, and discussions with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, it was agreed that Friends of the Holy Land should better reflect the communities of the Holy Land and work ecumenically across the UK to support Christians of any denomination in the Holy Land.

In addition to being proudly ecumenical, Friends of the Holy Land is non-political, ‘pro-Christian’, rather than pro-Israel or pro-Palestine in all its activity. Praying for peace, advocating for the general awareness of the plight of Christians in the Holy Land and pursuing practical action for their relief from the ground up are the focus of activities but Friends of the Holy Land leaves campaigning for an overall political solution to those organisations with a long experience in this challenging field. x

Friends of the Holy Land enjoys the broad support specifically of Anglican and Catholic Bishops and are privileged to have among our Patrons, Cardinal Vincent Nichols and Archbishop Justin Welby. We have a small office in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, 3 full-time equivalent staff and everyone else working towards our mission in the UK is a volunteer.

In the Holy Land, we are one of very few UK charities, perhaps the only one, to have an office and dedicated staff in Bethlehem, working alongside a volunteer Holy Land Committee, with members from the Anglican, Greek Orthodox and Latin (Catholic) community. The success of our mission in the Holy Land is therefore greatly enhanced as we have a dedicated team of individuals on the ground, well known in the community, who can help identify, assess, complete due diligence and monitor our funding and help for the most vulnerable local Christian individuals and families. In most cases we know the names and deal directly with these beneficiaries.

In this work in the Holy Land, it is always difficult to strike a balance between the emergency needs of families and individuals and helping them in a way that gives them tools to thrive and have hope for the future; thus, sustaining the Christian community. Emergency support regularly includes contributing to medical operations, hospital visits, medications, rent, utility bills (to avoid being cut off), emergency house repairs and for the most deprived a regular ‘Family Support’ payment of 500 shekels/month (roughly £113) to ensure food is on the table. The demand for emergency support since March 2020 due to the COVID pandemic has increased immeasurably, when in Bethlehem alone, 80% of people have seen their main source of employment disappear due to their dependence on pilgrimages and tourism, with few alternative sources of income and no government support to see them through.

Sustainable projects are mainly education, vocational training and employment initiatives. Ensuring as many as possible receive good education and training increases their likelihood of future employment and being able to contribute to the wider local community. Again, as the pandemic continues, families on very low income are finding it very challenging to meet the costs of education and training for their children.

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A Personal Message I wish to thank Fr Richard as the author and instigator of this Advent and Christmastide Prayer Resource, written with the same vision as our ‘Holy Week Voices from the Holy Land’ book, and with the same passion and persistence for the authoring process. It has been a great pleasure to have the opportunity to work alongside him on both books. I also wish to thank all of those who have contributed to this publication, many of whom have supported the mission of Friends of the Holy Land for many years.

I joined Friends of the Holy Land as Executive Director in January 2019, when I was very pleased to take on this role and excited by the challenge to lead the organisation forward into its future to build upon the strong foundation of direct support to vulnerable Christians in the Holy Land over its first 10 years.

I had lived in the Gulf for 8 years previously, during which time I had enjoyed working with many Palestinians in the diaspora there and had gained some understanding of the challenges of daily life back home. However, like most Christians around the world, I did not have anywhere near a full comprehension of the full extent of these difficulties.

Even now, following my visits and weekly zoom meetings with our team in Bethlehem and others during the pandemic, it is difficult for me to say I stand in their shoes and fully comprehend these challenges.

Moreover, especially since March 2020 with the impact of the pandemic, it can be difficult to see how any one person can make a difference in the face of so many calls for help.

Then I call to mind how Our Saviour Jesus was born in Bethlehem, a small town on the edges of the Roman Empire, from which the Word of God spread to the ends of the earth. What wonders can be achieved with the help of the Holy Spirit and a steadfast mission. The founding communities of people who followed Jesus and the Apostles, whose lives were centred on Jesus and who were committed to living His way, have been resilient and fruitful for two millennia. I hope this book provides you with some insights into the roots of this resilience and hope, which are the defining characteristics of the Christian xii

communities of the Holy Land, as well as a deeper understanding of the Scriptures surrounding the birth of Jesus from the land where Our Redeemer lived and breathed.

This resilience of the Christian community has often been sorely tested in their history, sadly most frequently in modern times. We all watched the shocking images in the media of the latest outbreak of violence and suffering in May 2021.

I am so grateful for the past generosity of donors to our mission, which meant Friends of the Holy Land was able to transfer US$50,000 from emergency reserves less than two weeks after the ceasefire was called to help repair the homes of the small Christian community in Gaza and provide therapy for trauma relief for their children. We simply cannot provide such support and move so swiftly without the generosity of our benefactors.

Therefore, I also hope reading this book inspires you to join our mission to stand firm with these Christian families and individuals and their stubborn determination to survive. In this way, we can together preserve Christianity in the land where Our Lord was born, ministered, died and was resurrected. I would be delighted to speak to any of you who would like more information.

I wish you and your families a Merry and Holy Christmas!

Brendan Metcalfe Executive Director

brendan.metcalfe@friendsoftheholyland.org.uk

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Preface

Fr Richard Nesbitt In the West we often lack a sense of perspective. As I write these words in early autumn London, a major concern in the British media is whether or not the nations’ current lack of HGV drivers will have a serious impact on the supply of turkeys to supermarkets before Christmas. Definitely a ‘First World problem’!

My hope and prayer is that this humble little book will help us to regain a proper focus and sense of perspective during Advent and Christmastide.

The poems, prayers, paintings and reflections aim to direct our spiritual gaze back to the source and essence of these two powerful seasons – the past, present and future Coming of Christ and the great mystery of how and why God became one of and with us in the manger at Bethlehem. The testimonies from Christians living in the Holy Land today aim to open our eyes to their current suffering, persecution and uncertainty which directly connect us with the experiences of Mary, Joseph and Jesus 2000 years ago.

For too many people Christmas has become a deep distortion of what it is meant to be – rather than a time of spiritual and family/ community renewal the focus is on frantic shopping and excessive eating.

This commercial and consumer orgy, which often leads people into debt they cannot afford and which of course has a terrible environmental impact, too easily takes people away from the spirit and truth of Bethlehem rather than lead us like the shepherds and Wise Men to “love’s pure light” revealed to us in the infant Jesus.

I think a key to rediscovering the essence of Christmas is firstly to rediscover the gift of Advent. It is a season of hope, prayer and expectation – of a tiny light, daring to penetrate the surrounding darkness, which grows and grows towards the glorious radiance of that Bethlehem night. For me the daily readings given us to contemplate during the four xiv

weeks of Advent are the key to unlocking the treasures of this season. We hear the voices of the Old Testament prophets – Isaiah, Jeremiah, Baruch, Zephaniah, Micah – preparing a people plunged in crisis for the advent of God’s saving grace. From the New Testament we hear of the mission of John the Baptist crying out to God’s people, once again enslaved and oppressed, to prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah in fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies. Advent is meant to reignite in us this memory of how God has acted in the past to bless, strengthen, purify and save His people and so inspire us to believe that He will do so again in our own times and at the end of times. These Advent memories and promises call us to a renewed trust in God and openness to His presence in and around us.

How real all this is for the Christian communities in the Holy Land today whose lives continue to be torn apart by violence, injustice and insecurity.

Christians in the Middle East are now a tiny flock, more and more marginalised in ever more impoverished and fragile communities. But what strikes me so powerfully when I read the testimonies in this book from our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land is how, instead of retreating into closed ghettos isolated from the threats of a hostile world, they continue to engage creatively and generously with the wider society around them. From the provision of hospitals and schools to shared Christmas celebrations with their Muslim neighbours, they seek to be a living sign of that hope and love made incarnate in the baby Jesus.

As you will read in their testimonies, they speak a language of profound faith, which also promotes justice, peace, pardon and reconciliation when it would be so easy for them to speak words of resentment, despair and division.

In all of this, these modern day Christian voices lead us back to the experiences and voices of the key players in the drama of the first Christmas. As the poems and reflections in this book try to show, we see how time and again it is the forgotten older generation, such as Zechariah and Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna, who have eyes to see God’s presence and action before them, or the poor and marginalised such as the Bethlehem shepherds or Mary and Joseph themselves, who are most alive to the unimaginable audacity of God in taking on human flesh and blood.

At a time of intense suffering under the brutality of Roman occupation and when their king, Herod the Great, was a tyrant to his own people, it is this tiny group of individuals, insignificant in the eyes of the world, who blaze

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brightly with God’s radiant light. How much we need to rekindle this hope, this light in our own day when the world once again seems to be plunged into a profound sadness and suffering in so many ways.

And so I invite you to set out on this book’s journey through Advent and Christmastide, following chapter by chapter the original pilgrimage of the Holy Family. A pilgrimage is meant to be a journey which changes us. We see this so clearly in the experience of Mary and Joseph – while writing the poems I was powerfully struck by the way the whole landscape of their lives is totally transformed between their initial setting out from Nazareth while Mary is still pregnant and their eventual return possibly several years later after the birth of Jesus and their time of exile in Egypt. Not only their lives are changed of course, but the whole course of history in the wider world around them. And we too are to be touched and transformed by making this pilgrimage with them into the heart of God’s love, made visible and tangible for us in the infant Jesus. Advent and Christmastide invite us to set out afresh on this spiritual quest for a deeper intimacy with God. The earlier book, Holy Week Voices from the Holy Land, to which this is meant to be a companion volume, certainly seemed to help many readers to get under the skin of key moments and characters in the drama of Christ’s Passion, Death and Resurrection. I was able to join with groups around the country meeting together on Zoom to share their own thoughts and responses to the poems and reflections, as well as ‘live’, in-person groups in my own parish. Every time I was struck by just how easily people were able to make deep connections between their own lives and the voices/experiences they found in the book. It was very humbling and also a huge joy to see how the Holy Spirit was so powerfully using the book to bring so many people to this deeper insight and connection.

My hope and prayer is that this companion volume will also help many people, both individually and in groups, to enter deeper into the meaning and mystery of Advent and Christmas.

May God bless, guide and inspire you on this pilgrimage of faith in the footsteps of the Holy Family. And may we be united, in these sacred seasons, with our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land today. A blessed Advent and Christmas to you all!

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Map of the Holy Land

featuring the five towns of our contributors

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How to use Christmas Voices Christmas Voices from the Holy Land comprises a collection of 14 poems and 14 personal stories, as well as Scripture passages and questions for reflection. Each of the chapters takes a look at an aspect of the Christian’s journey through Advent to the Nativity of Jesus.

You are invited to reflect on the richness and variety contained herein as an individual seeking to grow closer to the Lord through meditation on the land of his birth. So too, many people will find great joy in sharing their faith and impressions of Christmas Voices in a group (whether online via videoconference or in-person). A guide to ‘Using Technology for Online Liturgy, Ministry and Formation’ can be found at: aec.rcaos.org.uk/resources

Individual Meditation Starting on the first week of Advent, and reading one chapter each week, you will conclude your reading of Christmas Voices around the Eighth Week of Ordinary Time. It would, therefore, make sense to read three chapters each week to journey through Advent to the great feast of the Nativity.

Group Faith-sharing In many different dioceses, there are groups which meet regularly to share and study aspects of their faith. If you have not had the opportunity to join such a group, please consider doing so as many affirm the value of growing in both understanding and fellowship through these groups.

For groups which tend to meet for six week periods, we suggest that group sharing focusses on the following six chapters which provide a simple arc (though a leader might opt for different chapters):

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10 11

12

13

14

2. Annunciation II - Mary; 4. The Visitation; 7. Bethlehem Bound; 8. Incarnation; 10. Adoration of the Magi; and 11. The Presentation. xviii

We would encourage participants/group members to read though the ‘missed’ chapters in between meetings and be ready to share their impressions at the start of their time together.

The Structure of each Chapter Each chapter starts with a poem 1 , you might also wish to start with a simple prayer, perhaps invoking the Holy Spirit, and/or a hymn. This is followed by a passage from Scripture 2 and some questions to prompt your sharing. The third element 3 is the contemporary ‘voice’ from the Holy Land (with a short biography on the contributor 4 ) and then an introduction to one of a series of paintings created by James Tissot 5 (Brooklyn Museum, NY) followed by the painting itself 6 .

1

2

3

5

6

4

Other Sections In addition to the principal 14 chapters of Christmas Voices, you have the opportunity to add your voice. Section Two invites you to share your meditations, poetry and prayers which will be placed on the FHL website and could feature inside a future FHL Christmas card. Section Three offers a selection of classic, and the odd new, Advent hymns and Christmas Carols for small groups to sing and you all to enjoy.

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Section One

14 Poems and Reflections

Chapter One As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 11:5-25) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 1’s story is offered by Suhela Saba.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Annunciation I - Zechariah Rising from the pool of purification Zechariah dries his soft sagging skin then layer by linen layer puts on the priestly robes venerable vestments reserved for this sacred prayer which by lot has fallen to his reverent care.

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Elizabeth, herself of priestly blood and line, smiles at him with wifely pride as he passes her by a solemn procession haloed in the evening light entering through the carved cedar doors which lead to the Temple’s darkened inner core.

S

T

This has been the shadow of sadness and challenge cast across their long years of marriage a barren womb, no pitter-patter of tiny feet, no meal-time family chatter no heir, no future, no earthly matter.

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Chapter One

She stands alone, no son or daughter, no grandchildren to share this long sought for moment of highest service and honour their diligent and dutiful, faith-filled lives unblessed unlike their village’s other husbands and wives.

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Zechariah leads the way to the Temple’s holy heart his two companions then play their well-rehearsed part the first removes the ashes from the night before the second places burning coals on the golden altar stone then both withdraw leaving him enshrouded, alone.

A

Alone, or stood before the Almighty’s earthly throne?

Is this a mausoleum or the threshold of God’s celestial home?

A god silent, it seems, not only to Zechariah’s years of pleading but indifferent to the whole nation’s suffering and bleeding the Chosen People now slaves in their own land.

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Loyally Zechariah begins the sacred oblation chanting the hymns, intoning the prayers of dedication, then spreading golden grains of incense over the glowing coals which erupt in rising, billowing clouds of fragrant smoke as this faithful priest raises his arms God’s blessing to invoke.

S

Suddenly in the dimly-lit, mist-filled lair radiant beams of brilliant light pour through the smoky air Zechariah shields his eyes as a blazing fiery form descends to the golden altar’s side human in part but with mighty wings magnified.

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Overcome, trembling in fear and awe the panicking priest falls to the Temple floor only to hear his name softly called “Zechariah, do not be afraid or disturbed rejoice, be glad for your prayer has been heard”.

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“Elizabeth will bear you a son and you must name him John he will be great in the sight of heaven and earth filled from his mother’s womb with the Spirit’s power sent to prepare his people for God’s coming hour.”

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B I

But years of disappointment have left their mark on Zechariah’s pounding wounded heart and in the sanctuary light he feels not joy but doubt “But my wife and I have passed the age for bearing a child, for turning the page.”

“I am Gabriel,” the angel replies “sent by the Lord to bless and strengthen you with this life-giving word and yet in this place of faith you doubt in God for this you will be struck deaf and dumb until the day of your son’s birth comes.”

O

Outside the congregation grows restless and tense while the smoke rises, the priest’s delay makes no sense has something happened, some accident or worse?

Then Zechariah staggers out from the carved cedar doors his face paralysed and voice silenced in shock and awe.

T

The inconvenienced unblessed crowd disperse with malicious murmurs of this childless priest’s curse of the village couple not from the city elite.

Left alone Zechariah receives Elizabeth’s loving embrace and tenderly, longingly kisses the tears from her face.

Scripture: Luke 1:5-25 In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron. Both were upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord. But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years.

Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly ministry before God when it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense there.

And at the hour of incense all the people were outside, praying.

3

Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense. The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear. But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear a son and you shall name him John. He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother’s womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, and he will bring back many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.”

Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.” The angel replied, “I am Gabriel, who stand in God’s presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news. Look! Since you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.” Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long.

When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them and remained dumb.

When his time of service came to an end he returned home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept to herself, saying, “The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.”

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem Luke opens his Gospel not with the conception and birth of Jesus himself but that of his cousin, the future John the Baptist. The opening scene takes us to the Jerusalem Temple – the spiritual heartbeat of Jewish life – and to a solemn moment in its daily liturgy. Before every day’s morning sacrifice and again after the evening sacrifice, a priest would enter the inner Temple sanctuary to refresh the fire in the brazier burning on the altar of incense in front of the Holy of Holies and then add new incense. As there were about 20,000 priests in service, no priest could realistically hope to perform this task more than once in his lifetime. There were different levels of priests – the elite ‘chief priests’ who were from Jerusalem and were responsible for the daily running of the Temple, and the ‘ordinary 4

priests’ who came from the provinces and helped out with certain Temple duties when it was their turn to serve. So we have this hidden tension in the Gospel which the poem explores – this moment of greatest honour for Zechariah and Elizabeth but when things do not go according to plan, it exposes the snobbery and prejudice which the Jerusalem elite feel towards this childless provincial couple. John the Baptist’s mission will be to call God’s people to repentance in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. In a particular way his passionate plea for conversion will be addressed to the religious elite who are failing in their role as spiritual guides and mentors to their people. Already in Zechariah and Elizabeth’s experience we catch a glimpse of why there is this need for conversion.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully in the encounter between the Angel Gabriel and Zechariah, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• Reading this Gospel today, we can see examples of the narrowness of thinking/prejudice of its time. A childless marriage – ‘barrenness’ to use the harsh-sounding term of the text – was considered to be not only a humiliation but even a punishment for sin. Then there is the possible snobbery directed towards the couple’s rural background. Do these connect with any experiences of prejudice which you, or others you know, have experienced within the Church today? In what ways do you think the Church in our time needs to be called to conversion?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Zechariah and Elizabeth in this encounter?

A Short Prayer Almighty Father, in Zechariah we see one who was upright and obedient in his faith, and yet, who when put to the test, was found wanting in his trust in you. As we begin this new journey of Advent and Christmastide, help us to see those areas of our life and faith which need growth, repentance and conversion. May this also be a time of cleansing and purification for the Church of today. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

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Obstacles and Challenges Suhela Saba (aged 17) from Nazareth

This is a poem about an older couple in Jerusalem and I am a young teenager in Nazareth! But I can connect with the experiences of Zechariah and Elizabeth because they experience prejudice and injustice in their lives and this is something which has not changed for so many people here in the Holy Land. For example, Christian teenagers, like myself, are facing many challenges in daily life. We feel that we are a minority that does not get equal opportunities compared to other teenagers in this country. Like Zechariah and Elizabeth, we feel we are a kind of “second class citizen”.

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Many of my friends are losing hope and are tempted to emigrate.

However, I want to encounter the challenges and stay.

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As a result, many of my friends are losing hope and feel tempted to emigrate to another country that respects their beliefs and provide them with more opportunities of a better life and work. However, I have a different view of point, I want to encounter all these challenges and stay in the Holy Land. I would like to study at the Technion Institute in Haifa to become a doctor.

Ever since I was a child, I have dreamt of curing people, healing diseases, and giving them hope in life. I know it will take a long time to study medicine and it’s very difficult because it has many obstacles and challenges, but I hope that my dream will come true with hard work and patience. I think Elizabeth is a woman of hope and patience, even if her husband Zechariah needs to learn to hope and trust in God again.

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My vision as a young Christian teenager who lives in the Holy Land is to belong to the place where Jesus Christ grew in wisdom and stature.

Our Christmas in Nazareth reflects the deep meaning of Jesus’ birth which brings with it a humble joy and happiness. Celebrating Christmas in the city of Mary’s Annunciation gives this feast a special spiritual meaning.

Despite this, in Nazareth, the Christmas season is limited to a few events that are organised by Christian non-profit associations. For example, the Christmas Parade and Christmas Market.

Since Christian families today are a minority in Nazareth, less attention is paid for emphasizing this holy and joyful period of the year. When driving in the city, you can see a few Christmas lights and decorations in the streets and shop fronts. However, efforts are made by Christian institutions and families as well to decorate their homes, neighbourhoods, churches, and monasteries in order to spread the Christmas spirit among the city. We have a responsibility, like Zechariah in the Jerusalem Temple, to keep the fire burning! (top left) Suhela is pictured on the right, in the yellow dress, with her family

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We have a responsibility, like Zechariah in the Jerusalem Temple, to keep the fire burning!

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Biographical note: Suhela Saba I was born on April 7th, 2004 in Nazareth. My parents are Wassim and Janan Saba. My father is an Auditor Accounting C.P.A and my mother is a PostDoctoral scholar at the Technion Institute in Nazareth. I have a younger sister named Catherine and a younger brother named Philip. I am the eldest between my siblings and the eldest granddaughter in our family.

I attended Sisters of Saint Joseph School in Nazareth when I was 4 years old.

When I was 11 years old, I won first place in two writing competitions. I have been playing the violin for 7 years and have been training gymnastics since I was 4 years old. In addition, me and my siblings help the priest during the Mass every Sunday.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

James Tissot dwells on many aspects of Zechariah’s act in the Temple in his commentary on this scene. He explains the meaning of the priest’s dress, the number of altars inside the Temple of Jerusalem, the tradition of walking barefoot during the entire ritual. He painted the scene inspired by his reading of the Old Testament, the accounts of Jews living in Palestine at the time of his travels, and the Talmud (a written version of the Jewish oral law with later commentaries).

However, when we look at the painting, we see that a cloud of thick smoke envelops half of the scene. It is the incense Zechariah burnt around the Ark of the Covenant. In the book of Exodus, God says to Moses to burn incense “and place it in front of the Ark of the Covenant law in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you” (Exodus: 30, 36). The incense marks the place where the priest meets God. For this reason, the Ark of the Covenant was always covered by a screen of incense smoke, the smell of which reached even outside the Temple.

Christian liturgy continues to use incense. Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican rites make abundant use of it. Burning incense is still for us a way to mark God’s presence as well as symbolizing the prayers of the faithful, which rise to God. Tissot gives us a snapshot of the end of the encounter of Zechariah with Gabriel emerging from the incense screen. It leads us to think about our own encounters with God, our prayers, and our humanity in his divine presence.

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The Vision of Zacharias (Vision de Zacharie), 1886-1894 Opaque watercolour over graphite on grey wove paper, James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Two As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in four ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 1:26-48) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 2’s story is offered by Reem Mansour

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Annunciation II - Mary In the pregnant stillness of a Nazareth night while others sleep beneath the spring moonlight a young woman keeps vigil in prayer expectant, alerted somehow to the nearness of grace she closes her eyes and feels herself held in God’s embrace.

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A sudden breeze, curtains flap in the wind a luminous, shimmering shape enters in from this cocoon of light wrapped with iridescent wings appears a radiant face with dazzling gaze fixed on the girl so stunned and amazed.

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“Mary, do not be afraid, rejoice and be blessed for on you God’s highest favour rests look, you are to conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, Jesus by name he will be called Son of the Most High, of David’s line and reign.”

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Mary, deeply disturbed by these words, asks herself the meaning of all she has heard and with a child-like innocence replies “But how will all of this take place since I am a virgin, consecrated by God’s grace?”

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The angel draws closer, the deepest secrets to expose “The Holy Spirit, the giver of life, will be your spouse the power of the Most High like a shadow will cover you and so the child will be holy, from heaven above the fruit of your womb will be the Son of God.”

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“And know this too, Elizabeth your cousin and friend has herself conceived a child, a son again and she whom people call barren and cursed is now in her sixth month, flesh and blood for nothing, nothing is impossible for God.”

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Mary is filled not with fear and trepidation but rests in blissful adoration penetrated, held by the fullness of grace she gazes into the angel’s eyes and gives her word “Let it be done unto me. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.”

In the stillness of that Nazareth night while all around sleep in the spring moonlight the powers of heaven hold their breath for the answer of a teenage girl in love through whom the Saviour of the world will take body and blood.

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In Nazareth, this humble unnoticed town of no seeming importance, no earthly renown, the seed is sown on the edge of dawn the dew fall from heaven moistens the expectant earth as in the young woman’s womb the first cells form of this royal birth.

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Scripture: Luke 1:26-48 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, you who enjoy God’s favour! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how will this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow.

And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth, in her old age, has also conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ Mary said, ‘You see before you the Lord’s servant, let it happen to me as you have said.’ And the angel left her.

A Short Reflection on Scripture and the Poem Luke begins his Gospel with these two annunciation appearances of the angel Gabriel, firstly to Zechariah and then to Mary. Note the very striking contrasts between the two. With Zechariah the setting is the most important public building in all of Israel - the Jerusalem Temple - for a very formal public liturgy, whereas with Mary we find ourselves in a very insignificant provincial town (Nazareth is not even mentioned once in the whole Old Testament!) with an intimate, private encounter with a seemingly insignificant young woman. Then Mary’s response to the angel – full of trust and surrender, and perhaps ultimately joy – is so different to Zechariah’s rather sceptical and anxious response. Note also how respectful and sensitive the Angel Gabriel is to Mary – the warmth of his greeting, then calling her by her name and the way he explains everything step by step, as if reading her mind and all the questions naturally filling it.

Then there is the contrast between Mary’s few, carefully chosen words and the excited outpouring of all that the angel Gabriel wants to communicate.

How extraordinary it is that we are allowed to eavesdrop, as it were, on this life-changing/world-changing conversation between the two of them.

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Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully in the encounter/conversation between the Angel Gabriel and Mary, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• Some might say that the Angel Gabriel reacts with much more understanding and patience to Mary’s question than he did to Zechariah’s question. Why was this, do you think – what was different about Mary’s response to the angel’s revelation compared to the response of Zechariah?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Mary in this encounter?

A Short Prayer Lord Jesus, at the very dawn of your earthly life, you humbly sought the unconditional ‘Yes’ of Mary before entering her womb. Your humility and trust is perfectly reflected in the total openness of Mary to God’s will. This Advent, help us to imitate Mary in her joyful surrender to God and, like her, to be fully open to the power of the Holy Spirit working in us. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen

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The Christmas Season Reem Mansour

A friend of the family used to say that before there was a Birth in Bethlehem, Death and Resurrection in Jerusalem, and Ministry at the Lake of Galilee, there was an Annunciation in Nazareth. It is where everything started.

Luke 1:26-27: ‘In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.’

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Before the Birth in Bethlehem, Death and Resurrection in Jerusalem, and Ministry at the Lake of Galilee, there was an Annunciation in Nazareth.

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What a special place to celebrate Christmas in.

Starting at the beginning of December, there is a Tree Lighting ceremony followed by a week full of ‘Baby Jesus Nights’ concerts, celebrations, and food at the Latin Parish Center. People come from all over to celebrate. Unfortunately, this event was cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we hope that it will be back on this year again.

My husband Suheil and I are part of a couple’s group in our parish called the Family of Mary of Nazareth. For the last few years, we have gathered names of needy Christian children in Nazareth, put their first name and age with a special code on a colourful card, and hung the cards on Christmas trees at the Basilica and St Joseph church. After Sunday Masses in the beginning of December, parishioners pick up cards from the trees, buy gifts during the week, and bring them back wrapped, with the cards on each box, to the church the following Sunday.

After Mass, our group gathers all the gifts and 14

distributes them to schools where they can be handed out.

On Christmas Eve Nazareth holds a large Christmas parade in the streets, which lights up the whole Christmas Season. Many scouts and organisations join in with bands and floats.

People come from all over Israel to watch. Our Catenians circle has participated in the last 4 years of the parade with special decorated floats. Last year, due to the Covid cancellation, 6 Catenians cars were decorated and driven in a parade through the neighbourhoods of Nazareth to bring joy to the locals isolated in their homes.

For my own family, Christmas is very special and cheerful time. It begins in the last days of November, where families start a ‘special and unique custom’ of detailed house cleaning in preparation for the Christmas tree and house decorations.

Our family lives in one of two multi-level buildings, where my husband’s five other brothers live with their families too. On 24th December, at 9am, all my sisters-in-laws and I gather to write down the Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch menus. At 2pm, we start food preparations until 6pm. The kids and grandkids of all the brothers attend the Christmas parade. At 6pm, as everyone starts coming back home, we start getting ready for Christmas Eve Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation. Mass starts at 7:30pm and we are home by 9:30pm when all the 15

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On Christmas Eve, Nazareth holds a large Christmas parade in the streets. People come from all over Israel to watch.

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As Arab Christians we are a minority within a minority; though we have a good impact.

brothers and their children and grandchildren gather together for our family Christmas celebration. When my husband’s sisters and their families also join us, we are over 80 people in one place! Every family shares the food they have prepared. You can imagine all the food and fun in our celebration. We start our celebrations with prayers and thanksgiving. By midnight we start cleaning up and preparing the tables for the Christmas Day lunch. Then each family goes back to their house to rest and to open presents.

In my family there is a special meal for Christmas Day lunch, where we roast a whole stuffed lamb.

Although as Arab Christians we are the minority within a minority, we have a good impact on our community.

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Biographical note: Reem Mansour Reem was born in Haifa and lives in Nazareth with her husband Suheil Mansour. Suheil is a member of the Nazareth Circle of the Catenian Association - an international organization of Catholics, founded in Manchester in 1908 and committed to faith, family, and friendship. There are Circles across England, Wales and Scotland plus Australia, Africa, Bangladesh, India, Ireland, and Malta as well as Nazareth. Reem is a mother to three and grandmother to two children. A graduate of the Carmelite Sisters school in Haifa, she holds a B.A. in Biology and B.Ed. in Biology-Science from the Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa, established in 1912, the oldest university in the country, and an M.A. in Environmental Management from Ono Academic College. She now works as a Biology and Chemistry teacher at a public high school in Nazareth.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation James Tissot’s meditation on the event of the Annunciation draws us into the mystery of the dawn of the Incarnation.

We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

While looking at this painting, one aspect is worth noting. Tissot chose to represent the Annunciation’s angel, Gabriel, as a cherub. This is unusual for a nineteenth-century painter since cherubs almost disappear from Western sacred art from the sixteenth century onwards. However, cherubs are mentioned in the Old Testament, sometimes as human figures with six pairs of wings (as in this painting). They are God’s messengers to humanity, and they are the type of angels that Moses commissioned to decorate the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies of the Temple of Jerusalem. The Church Fathers placed the cherubs in one of the highest places in the angels’ hierarchy. But cherubs are also present in Jewish and Islamic tradition and so connect the three monotheistic religions in their visualisation of God’s messengers. Tissot’s choice of representing Gabriel as a cherub reconnects with this ancient tradition, a tradition rooted in and shared by the religious experiences of the Middle East.

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The Annunciation (L’annonciation), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Three As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 11:5-25) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 3’s is offered by Archdeacon Samuel Barhoum.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Annunciation III - Joseph Joseph’s home is the work of his hands modest but each detail lovingly planned a sanctuary for his family-to-be but all this dreamed for bliss now hangs in doubt for Mary is with child and the secret will soon be out.

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In the heart of the night Gabriel enters his sleep awaking his conscience from the dreamy deep and speaks his word of revelation and invitation “Joseph, faithful servant and son, do not be afraid for God says “Let go of the plans you have made”.

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Mary, your betrothed, is with child but she has not been by another man defiled no, this child is the fruit of the Holy Spirit God’s own Son to whom she will give birth and you, Joseph, are to be his guardian on earth.

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Chapter Three

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Like Joseph of old, sent to Egypt his people to redeem here is a man to whom God speaks through dreams constant, loyal, so humble and reverent in faith a man of integrity, honesty, respected by all one for whom fame and fortune have no attraction or call.

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So do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife she will be the faithful companion of your life and you will give to the child the name ‘Jesus’, sheltering, protecting, preparing him for that day when he will show why he is called ‘the one who saves’.”

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Joseph awakes and looks around the familiar room everything is changed by this new life in Mary’s womb but bowing his head he prays for the strength for the mission entrusted to him by the Almighty One to be as a father to His only begotten Son.

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The fragility of stability The nobility of humility

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being an upright man and wanting to spare her disgrace, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.”

Now all this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: Look! The virgin is with child and will give birth to a son whom they will call Immanuel, a name which means ’God-is-with-us’. When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

A Short Reflection on Scripture and the Poem The third ‘panel’ of this annunciation triptych is found in Matthew’s Gospel, which, being addressed to a principally Jewish audience, sees events 20

through Joseph’s eyes rather than Luke’s focus on Mary’s experience.

Matthew throws us straight into Joseph’s dilemma – the total shock which the news of Mary’s pregnancy has brought to his life. Everything had seemed so simple and straightforward before this revelation. We can imagine his confusion and pain on those days immediately following the news – perhaps alone in the house he has so lovingly prepared as a home for them and their future family. He faces a seemingly impossible choice between saving his own precious good name and protecting Mary’s honour. His response to the angel’s message, however, is unconditional - to completely embrace this extraordinary mission entrusted to him by God.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about Joseph’s drama, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• Joseph is sometimes called ‘the quiet man’ of the Gospels as there is not a single word spoken by him recorded anywhere in Scripture, even in this encounter with the angel. Instead this man of profound integrity and humility allows his actions to speak for him. As we journey through Advent, a season of conversion, how well do you think your words and actions match in your life?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Joseph in this decisive moment of his life?

A Short Prayer (from Patris Corde - Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter on St Joseph) Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man.

Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.

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St Joseph – The Present Absentee

Venerable Archdeacon Samuel Barhoum, Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem I chose to write about Joseph as this name is close to my heart. My maternal grandfather’s name, my father’s name, and my son’s name is Joseph, or as we say in Arabic, Yousef. Joseph is a Hebrew name. Yousef means ‘makes an addition,’ and, indeed, he is the one who added a lot to make Jesus and Mary an integrated and natural family, living like other families in society.

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I am sure that Joseph was present in the life of the Holy Family and worked behind the scenes... the wise man enduring a lot to pave the way

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Joseph was present, but he was absent at the same time, as the last time he is mentioned was when the family journeyed to Jerusalem to visit the Temple when Jesus was 12. I don’t know what God’s wisdom is in not mentioning Joseph again in the biblical texts. I don’t understand why divine revelation did not continue with the evangelists in writing about Joseph, as was the case with the Virgin Mary, who is mentioned at the cross and the resurrection and maybe the ascension.

Despite this unfairness in not mentioning Joseph, perhaps the blackout about his life in general and the disconnection from him in the Gospels was to shed light on Jesus Christ (the younger male) in the family and the virgin mother who conceived Him by the Holy Spirit.

However, I am sure that Joseph was present in the life of the Holy Family and worked behind the scenes. Joseph was the carpenter, the wise man who endured a lot in order to pave the way for human salvation.

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As a Palestinian Arab in the Middle East, living in the Land of the Holy One, the ‘Fifth Gospel’, I may read the gospel from a different cultural perspective. I believe that the core of society is not the individual, but the family. God did not want Jesus, the human being, to live with just a mother as a single parent. He wanted Him to be part of a family, but Joseph had to face many challenges, confusion, and hesitation for all of this to happen. He wanted to keep Mary secretly hidden to prevent a scandal. Still, his faith, and the appearance of the angel to him in a dream, as we read in the poem, gave him the courage to hold on to Mary and defy everything so that salvation could become a reality for us. If we look at Joseph, his situation was no better than Mary’s with regard to society; his position was just as scandalous.

Without Joseph, the birth of Jesus would not have happened in Bethlehem; they would not have presented Jesus in the Temple, they would not have been able to find refuge in Egypt or travelled to the Temple when Jesus was 12.

Without Joseph, Mary and Jesus would not have been able to move around freely, as, at that time, travel was not possible without a male escort. Mary may have been condemned to death to save the family from scandal had it not been for Joseph, the father, the educator, and the head of the family.

The Gospel texts tell us that Jesus grew up in Nazareth and worked with Joseph in his carpentry shop. This means that Joseph made an addition in the

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Joseph’s faith gave him courage to hold on to Mary and defy everything so that salvation could come to us.

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We can see that Joseph was present and influenced and added to Jesus’ character...

His impact is significant.

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role of a father in the upbringing and education of Jesus, and like all other good fathers, he protected his son, the human Jesus, and taught him life skills. Indeed, he had a significant influence on the character of Jesus.

Joseph may be absent in the biblical texts, and lights were not shed on this life, but we can see that he was present and influenced and added to Jesus’ character. He had an impact on the Holy Family and its ability to move and live freely and was able to protect the Virgin Mary and preserve her sanctity. Therefore, even if the biblical texts concealed the personality of Joseph, his influence and impact will remain significant in the path of salvation.

Biographical note: Archdeacon Samuel Barhoum Archdeacon Samuel Y. Barhoum was born and raised in Galilee in an Anglican family. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Theology in Cairo, Egypt, in 1991. Then his Master’s degree in Theological Studies at The Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California, USA. After graduation in 1993, he returned to his homeland and the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem. He was ordained and became the priest in charge of Holy Family Anglican Church in Raineh near Nazareth, where he served for twenty years. In 2010, he became the Archdeacon for Israel and Palestine. In 2013, he took a sabbatical and did his post-graduate studies in Organisational Development and Consultation at Haifa University. In 2015, the Diocese asked him to take over Christ Anglican School in Nazareth as President and General Director, where he still serves today. He has served in various positions in the Diocese, including Youth Ministry Coordinator for many years, and established the Christian Formation Department in the Diocese. He worked in interfaith programs and was in charge of the Kids4Peace program in Galilee in partnership with Canada. He also served on the Diocesan Standing Committee for many years and as the Chief Judge of the Ecclesiastical Court for several years. He currently serves on the Diocesan Financial Committee and the Patronage Committee. He is married to Susan and has two children, NellyAnne and Yousef.

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A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

This image is the last of three paintings that Tissot dedicated to the figure of Joseph. The other two are the portrait of St Joseph and ‘The Anxiety of St Joseph’. Tissot was deeply interested in Joseph: he tried to sketch his outline even if the Gospels do not tell us much about him.

In this painting, the angel awakens Joseph. Joseph rises bewildered from his bed. The interplay of light and shadow is highly evocative and leads us to think about whether the darkness represents an actual night or the darkness of the doubt Joseph felt after Mary told him about the Annunciation.

Tissot also added some real-life elements in his painted meditation. The first is the flatbed, which was probably a pallet he saw during his visits to the Holy Land (1886-1887, 1889). The second is the facial features of Joseph. In one of his commentaries, Tissot says he has portrayed Joseph as a Yemenite Jew. Yemenite Jews were a community that started to move to Palestine in 1881, a few years before Tissot’s travels. They were considered one of the Jew communities preserving the genes and the closest religious and cultural traditions of the pre-diaspora Judaism. He thought this was the best way to represent Joseph, a descendant from the household of King David. [for the portrait of Joseph and the other paintings dedicated to him, see J. Tissot, The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Toronto 1899, vol. 1, pp. 1214. Available at https://archive.org/details/lifeofoursaviour01tiss/page/16/ mode/2up]

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The Vision of Saint Joseph (Vision de Saint Joseph), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Four As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 1:39-56) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 4’s is offered by Fr Issa Shomali.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: The Visitation The early spring blossoms and tender sweet grasses stir gently it seems as the couple passes birds greet the new day with soaring song as the night’s cool misty breath retreats at the warming rays of the rising sun’s heat.

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Mary propelled by grace sets the pace on this maiden voyage across time and space Joseph the chaperone constant at her side with every step letting the focus of his life be centred and set on this child, on his wife.

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They keep to the ancient tracks and shepherds’ trails avoiding the more populous paths and ways widened by traders’ carts and soldiers’ boots sheltering beneath trees from the sudden rains finding rest in friendly farms as night mists settle again.

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Chapter Four

They turn to look back at Nazareth beneath their whole life framed at their feet rooves and roads, farmyards and fields the world they know suddenly so fragile and small while new horizons now beckon and call.

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A honeymoon of sorts for these two northern souls heading south sometimes silent sometimes enthralled as they share their angel encounters and deepest desires uncovering connections with prophecies past God’s ancient promises fulfilled perhaps in their paths.

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Then Elizabeth’s village comes into view olive groves and dry stone walls broken and built anew a hug from Joseph and then Mary runs forward singing a pilgrim’s hymn of praise as she calls out to her cousin, her ancient in days.

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Elizabeth rushes out wrapping herself in a shawl stirred, awoken by the young woman’s joyful call holding out her arms in delight before clutching her swollen belly in pain flinching at first but then standing tall smiling again.

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Two mothers-to-be who should not be embrace enraptured by each other’s pregnancy their stomachs touching as Elizabeth exclaims “O highest of honours, for how can this be that the mother of my Lord should visit me?

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The Spirit of the Lord upon me rests for of all women you are the most blessed and blessed is the fruit of your womb look, the moment your greeting reached my ears the baby boy in my womb leapt for joy.

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Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise which from the Lord she received would be fulfilled and take flesh in her and blessed am I for in your embrace my body, my baby are drenched in God’s grace.”

In that moment with her cousin’s words Mary connects everything she has seen and heard the angel’s promise, the prophets’ words and psalms 28

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the child within her is the key, the culmination of God’s whole unfolding plan of salvation.

Raising her radiant face to the skies she cries out in joyful praise, she magnifies “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my saviour who has looked upon my lowliness with favour.

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From now on all generations will call me blessed holy is his name whose faithful love rests on all those who fear him from age to age he pulls down the proud and mighty from their thrones raising up the humble, the people chosen as his own.”

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For three months Mary stays at Elizabeth’s side sharing the daily miracle of the precious gift of life the dawning day of the herald and the saviour the One who comes for the poor and oppressed God’s tender love in these two women made manifest.

Scripture: Luke 1:39-56 Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, “Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant. Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed, for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name, and his faithful love extends from age to age to those who fear him. He has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart. He has pulled 29

down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly. He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty. He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his faithful love – according to the promise he made to our ancestors – of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.”

Mary stayed with her some three months and then went home.

A Short Reflection on Scripture and the Poem There are not many moments in the whole Bible when we find ourselves in the company of women alone by themselves, taking centre stage in the drama. The Visitation is one of these rare moments. It must have been the most joyful moment of affirmation and companionship for these two cousins, united in their miraculous pregnancies. And then we see the action of the Holy Spirit, already working in and through Mary, elevating Elizabeth and the child in her womb to a new state of blessedness. And for Mary too this encounter with Elizabeth is a moment of glorious epiphany, as she connects the different strands of God’s great work of salvation now coming together in her. Allow yourself to be elevated as well by the great outpouring of gratitude and praise which is Mary’s Magnificat.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully in the conversation between Elizabeth and Mary, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• The Visitation shows how lives are touched and transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit allowing them to surrender themselves totally to God. Have you ever had a moment/time in your life like this? As we come close to the birth of Christ at Christmas, what might a deeper oneness with God look like in your life?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Elizabeth and/or Mary in this encounter?

A Short Prayer Holy Spirit, arouse in me an ever deeper desire to be transformed by the power of your love. Help me to learn from Elizabeth and Mary how to recognise your presence and action in my life, and to be filled, like them, with thanksgiving to God. May I, like Elizabeth and Mary, praise God through the faithfulness and fruitfulness of my life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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The Visitation Fr Issa Shomali

Such a special poem to talk about, especially because our beloved parish here in Zababdeh carries this name, a name that marks this holy meeting, between the Virgin Mary and her older cousin.

The journey which took place, to prepare this meeting is well described in the poem - such a long journey for them through the wild nature, this nature that seems alive and proud to witness the Virgin Mary’s pregnancy and then celebrate the first meeting of Jesus and John.

The Feast of the Visitation on May 31st reminds us every year of the great event of this visit of the Virgin Mary to her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation. The Gospel highlights the visit as a very important moment of teaching. The two children in the womb are sent to lead humanity to repentance and to the fullness of our relationship with God. As we hear of the adult John the Baptist: “He admonished the crowds who came out to be baptized by him: “You brood of vipers! Produce good fruits as proof of your repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

For I tell you, God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:7-9).

After the meeting between the two women, the Virgin Mary exalted God with her great Magnificat hymn of praise. These words spoken 31

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The two children in the womb are sent to lead humanity to repentance and to the fullness of our relationship with God.

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by the Virgin Mary are a prediction of the honour that the Church would have for her in all generations, and it is a hymn that is often recited or chanted in various prayers, especially in the Divine Office and after reciting the Rosary.

God sent the Spirit of his Son to our hearts so that we could say “Father” Father!” “Those who accepted him were made the children of God”, a title and a privilege for us as Christians until this day. And from the event of the Visitation we learn a lot. The Virgin Mary is there to help her cousin through her pregnancy. As the first disciple of Christ, Mary went to offer her help, reminding us as children of God of our duty to help each other.

The meeting is so personal and deep between these two cousins and friends, and between the last prophet and the one and only Saviour.

In our community here in Zababdeh, we always try to live in this same spirit of service and friendship within the Church in need just as the Virgin Mary did - we do not wait to be asked. We also love to strengthen the relationship between ourselves and our Saviour.

Thank for your time in reading these words. I pray that this Advent and Christmas you will have a joyful personal meeting with God, as this special event of the Visitation was for Mary and her cousin Elizabeth.

Biographical note: Fr Issa Shomali Latin Parish Priest at the Church of the Visitation in Zababdeh Fr Issa was born in Beit Sahour in 1986. He joined the Latin Patriarchate Minor Seminary in 2004 and was ordained a priest by Patriarch Fouad Twal at St Catherine’s Parish Church in Bethlehem in 2013. He was appointed Assistant Parish Priest in Madaba before becoming Parish Priest at St Elijah in Al Wahadneh, Jordan and then being put in charge of the Catechism Centre there. In 2018, he was appointed Financial Administrator at the Seminary in Beit Jala before moving to Aboud as the Parish Administrator at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Parish. In August 2021 he arrived in Zababdeh as Parish Priest.

Fr Issa loves sports, especially basketball and running and is interested in human development and mental health. He is looking forward to helping those in special need in his parish and especially the children in the parish school. He wants to continue the good work of the scouts and youth groups.

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A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

Tissot’s painted meditation of the Magnificat is one of its kind. His pilgrimage to the Holy Land led him to imagine this moment symbolically and also in really practical terms.

In his commentary, he thinks about the logistics of Mary’s journey (probably accompanied by Joseph) from Nazareth to Elizabeth and Zechariah’s house.

Due to her condition, the journey would have lasted about four days, with the last stop in Jerusalem, as it was along the way. It should have taken about three hours from Jerusalem to Elizabeth’s house, so he imagines that Mary would have arrived tired. Tissot then wonders when the moment of the Magnificat happened: soon after Mary’s arrival, or during a private audience with Elizabeth? He chose the second and, as he writes, “for the setting of the scene fraught with such sacred mystery, the secluded garden of Elizabeth. In the midst of an exchange of their strange and wonderful experiences, Mary was suddenly possessed by the Spirit of God, and, in a kind of prophetic ecstasy, she poured forth her joy at her coming maternity, her humble acceptance of the will of the Almighty, her inspired insight into the grandeur of the Divine plan, all these various feelings merged in her virgin soul, and so pervaded her whole personality, that for the moment her own individual life seemed at it were suspended.” He continues that we must look at the Magnificat as the “quiet, reverent, almost whispered expression of a spirit moved to its very depths; a prayer, so intensely earnest as to be scarcely audible, the effect of which was yet further intensified by the dumbness of Zechariah, and the emotion of Elizabeth.”

This image of Mary is also different to all Tissot’s other depictions of Mary, where she always appears with her head bowed, symbolising her humility.

Here, in contrast, her head is raised and her eyes closed as she thanks God for all that He has done for her. This beautiful image of Mary needs no further explanation, only contemplation, just like the Magnificat.

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The Magnificat (Le magnificat), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Five As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 1:57-79) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 5’s story is offered by Samer Daibes.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: A Blessing At Last The baby’s cry pierces the village night Elizabeth receives her bloodied boy and holds him tight exhaustion, relief, exhilaration from her aged body new life has been born the child of her dreams now so real and so warm.

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The news spreads like heat in the desert air relatives and neighbours pour in to stare and wonder at this unimagined sight a woman well past motherhood’s term suckling and rocking this fleshy little mite.

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“What about the father, what does he think?

Give him a writing slate so he can print his confirmation of our affirmation.”

So Zechariah takes a chalk crayon and to the shock of all writes “His name is John.”

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Chapter Five

“And what will be the name of this miracle child?

Zechariah of course like his father” they all decide “No” Elizabeth declares “his name will be John.”

“You’re tired and confused” they all proclaim “No one in your family has that name.”

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At that instant Zechariah’s throat and tongue soften and loosen and his speech returns first sighs, sounds then words even songs flow forth from his mouth free and fast nine months of silence broken, breached at last.

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Filled with the Spirit, with a prophet’s voice Zechariah rises up to proclaim to rejoice “Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel for he has visited his people to set them free to save us from the hands of our enemies.

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The Lord is faithful to his covenant of old to his servants Abraham and David all told that we might serve him in holiness and truth to be his people, his family on earth honoured with a privilege of priceless worth.

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And you, my little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, Herald of the Lord sent ahead to prepare a way for him to give his people knowledge of salvation by calling to conversion his chosen nation.

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Our child, whose coming has taught me to obey will be as the dawn to this glorious new day which will bring light to those in darkness and in the shadow of death and disease and so guide our feet in the way of peace.

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Blessed be God, blessed be his holy name and blessings on his people called from their shame.”

Silence broken, blessings bestowed Zechariah embraces his wife and his child no longer afraid, now with God reconciled.

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Scripture: Luke 1:57-79 The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when her neighbours and relations hear that the Lord had lavished on her his faithful love, they shared her joy.

Now it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. “No,” she said, “he is to be called John. They said to her, “but no one in your family has that name,” and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. “What will this child turn out to be?” they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited his people and set them free, and he has established for us a saving power in the House of his servant David, just as he proclaimed, by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times, that he would save us from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us, and show faithful love to our ancestors, and so keep in mind his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant us, free from fear, to be delivered from the hands of our enemies, to serve him in holiness and uprightness in his presence, all our days. And you, little child, you shall be called Prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare a way for him, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the faithful love of our God in which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow dark as death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

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A Short Reflection on Scripture and the Poem While the spotlight is naturally on Elizabeth and her baby boy after this miraculous birth which stuns everyone, this is also an incredibly significant moment for Zechariah. We see that he has experienced his own nine months of “spiritual pregnancy” with a radical new understanding of God’s ways and will coming to birth in him. He is the first to experience the conversion of heart which will be the focus of his son’s adult mission. By standing up to the narrow-mindedness of his relatives and neighbours and declaring that his son’s name is indeed ‘John’, he shows that from now on he will live his life in total obedience to God. And so, filled with God’s Spirit, expressed so powerfully and poetically in his Benedictus prayer, Zechariah finally proclaims the blessing which he was unable to give when on duty at the Jerusalem Temple.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully in the experiences of Elizabeth and Zechariah, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• The Benedictus is not only a hymn of thanksgiving for what God has done and is doing but also a prophetic proclamation of what lies ahead in the future. This is the vision of Advent – the call to awaken ourselves to the coming of God in the past, present and future. Elizabeth and Zechariah are brought to this fullness of faith through the birth of their son. Do I also have this awareness and faith in God’s presence in all these stages of my life?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Elizabeth and Zechariah?

A Short Prayer Lord God, may you be blessed for all the gifts and graces of our lives already received and for those still to come. Help us this Advent and Christmastide to be alert to your guiding presence in our lives at this time and to be alive to the promptings of your Holy Spirit in the here and now.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen

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Journey from Doubt to Faith Samer Daibes

What strikes me most in the poem is Zechariah’s journey from doubt to faith – these nine months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy have been like a fresh start for them in their marriage. So his joy and Elizabeth’s joy are now complete – not only do they finally have their longed for baby, but there is a deeper love between them after all these many years of being together. I find this very beautiful and moving.

Christmas is a time of joy and love for me. It is a time to come home. It is a time for family.

I have been studying and working in distant places in recent years but at Christmas I need to be home, just like Elizabeth and Zechariah.

My hometown, called A’Zababdeh, a small town cradled by nature, located just a 2-hour drive away from the birthplace of the Lord Jesus in Bethlehem, is where I spend my Christmas every year. We have a connection with Elizabeth and Zechariah because our parish church is dedicated to The Visitation.

Our Christmas celebrations starts on the day of Christmas Eve. Everyone wakes up early in the morning to prepare for whatever they have planned later that night, after they attend church, some opt to do a barbecue and invite friends over for a small gathering, others opt to keep it tight and prepare a small dinner for their immediate family members to eat and spend time together, and some even choose to pack up and drive straight to Bethlehem to celebrate amongst the sea of people from all over the 39

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The nine months of Elizabeth’s pregnancy have been like a fresh start - not only a longed for baby but a deeper love after many years.

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My parents always made sure to emphasise the humanitarian and giving aspect of Christmas, giving back and paying forward.

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world gathered in front of the Church of the Nativity next to the famous dazzling Christmas tree as the fireworks light up the sky over them.

Perhaps I might be biased but the feeling of community that you feel during this time of year in Zababdeh, Bethlehem, and the Holy Land in general is unlike anywhere else, and I think if anything this has played a really big role in solidifying my love for this holiday growing up.

At midnight you can see all the lights turn on in the homes of Zababdeh’s Christian families, as they gather in their living rooms to exchange Christmas presents around their decorated Christmas tree, everyone from grandkids to grandparents take turns to open their presents.

I was always fascinated by the story behind Christmas and my parents always made sure to emphasise the humanitarian and giving aspect of Christmas like volunteering and giving back to the community. This is why I was adamant to pay it forward by initiating an annual fundraiser called ‘Holiday Smiles’ through which I was able to raise funds, toys, and winter clothing for Palestinian orphans at Christmas in the hope of spreading the holiday spirit.

On Christmas day you wake up to the sounds of the bagpipers marching down the main roads of A’Zababdeh leading a massive crowd behind them all the way to the church where the festivities for Christmas day begin, with the sound of Christmas carols leaking from the stained glass church windows as the choir rehearses for the Christmas church service, and the sounds of kids

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laughing and bells ringing, a magical experience that we get to share as a community every year.

I hope that wherever you read these words, this Christmas will also be a time of joy and love for you and your family, a time perhaps for a fresh start just like Elizabeth and Zechariah. And maybe one day you will join us for our special Zababdeh Christmas!

Biographical note: Samer Daibes Samer Milad Daibes was born in 2000 and is a 4th Year University Student pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Nursing, currently residing in A’Zababdeh in Palestine, where his family originates from. He aspires to become an academic professor and researcher in the field of medicine and health care, and has been granted a certificate from the Harvard-MIT biomedical engineering department for completing a 2-year program. He has done multiple internships and volunteer work including his last internship in 2020 as an International Patient Coordinator in India. He is now completing his senior year of University and looking forward to future endeavours.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

Tissot does not dedicate specific attention to the moment of John the Baptist’s birth or Zechariah’s Benedictus. However, the ‘unconventionality’ of Zechariah’s son, not named after him, can be seen in Tissot’s painting of the childhood of John the Baptist. Tissot imagined that John’s first encounter with the desert happened when his mother escaped with him from the massacre of the Innocents. He then returned there after the death of his mother to prepare for his mission. In this painting, the young John is looking out across the wilderness, with a group of rather anxious-looking deer behind him. His hands are raised up as if he is speaking to someone (as if practising for his prophet’s role later in life), but we see only the desert in front of him. This position echoes a later Tissot painting of John the Baptist, ‘The Voice in the desert’, as the beginning of his prophetic mission.

When we look today at this image of John the Baptist, we could perhaps see it as capturing something of the vision of Zechariah’s Benedictus, with the prayer’s deep understanding of his son’s mission and gratitude to God.

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The Childhood of Saint John the Baptist (L’enfance de saint Jean-Baptiste), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Six As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 1:56) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 6’s story is offered by Meral Kharoufeh.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Growing Pains Brought back home in Joseph’s care Mary seeks silence and calm away from neighbours’ questions and stares to reflect and prepare for her own term but soon the gossip mills begin to turn.

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“Did not we say it was not right for Joseph alone to chaperone his bride on her journey to her cousin’s side this is what comes of tradition breaking a bastard child of their own making.”

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Day by day, night by night the baby’s organs and limbs unite.

The coming of the Son of God bathed not in glorious acclaim but slandered and shadowed in shame.

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Chapter Six

The cruel barbs cut deep into Joseph’s heart his precious good name ripped apart innocent of all charges, chaste and pure he absorbs the toxic bile into his soul to protect Mary and her child from it all.

Scripture: Luke 1:56 Mary stayed with her [Elizabeth] some three months and then went home.

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem This is one of those “reading between the lines” poems and reflections.

Neither Luke nor Matthew give us any insight into Mary and Joseph’s experience of their own pregnancy – it is as if a discreet veil is drawn over the whole thing. But we can perhaps imagine the frosty and damning response to Mary and indeed Joseph once she returns to Nazareth and the news of her pregnancy gets out. After the warmth and support which she had experienced with Elizabeth and Zechariah, this must have been very difficult for Mary. Nazareth is her home town – a community in which she had been well known and respected. And for Joseph too, there is the loss of his cherished good name if he stands up for Mary and accepts responsibility for the child. Their own families as well may have struggled to accept the situation. So a time of very conflicting experiences for the young couple – an ever greater tenderness and intimacy between them as Mary feels the child growing within her, but then very deep hostility and prejudice in the wider community beyond.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully in the experiences of Mary and Joseph, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• We perhaps naturally like to receive the approval and respect of the world around us. But, as we see in Mary and Joseph’s experience, being faithful to God’s will in our lives can sometimes bring us into conflict with this. How do you feel about this?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Mary and Joseph at this time of both growth and test/trial for them?

A short prayer Lord God, give us the courage and faith to always walk in your ways and stand in your truth and light. Help us to witness to our faith to those around us, always with clarity and charity. May we always stand strong with those who are victims of prejudice and injustice. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen 44

Facing Prejudice Meral Kharoufeh

My name is Meral Kharoufeh from Beit Jala, a town near Bethlehem which is just two kilometres away from the grotto of the Nativity.

The poem shows us Mary and Joseph’s experience of prejudice and intolerance from their neighbours in Nazareth. It makes me think about what experiences of prejudice I have had in my life. I was raised in a Latin Patriarchate school where the majority of students were Christians, but we never felt that there was a difference between a Christian and a Muslim child since we both grew up in a place where respect is essential, regardless of religion, gender or colour. Now at university it is a little bit different since most of the population here in Palestine are Muslims and we, the Christians, are only one percent of this population. So, when I went to university, I felt that I was different and it took me a while to adapt since I could not wear or say whatever I wanted. What helped me to get through this was the way my school raised me to deal with any obstacles, to respect all people and have a strong personality to face the challenges. My university experience is one of the challenges that a Christian student must go through in Palestinian universities.

Another challenge for me as a student at university was that it is far from home and so of course this meant experiencing the Israeli occupation and all the check points I had to pass through. This was not a reason to quit and leave because I was taught to cling to my land, and I love it.

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I was raised where we never felt that there was a difference between a Christian and Muslim child; now, at university, it is a bit different, it took me time to adapt.

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Many families have migrated seeking better opportunities while others have chosen to remain in the Holy Land.

My family, despite the challenges, chose to stay.

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One of the biggest challenges today is the migration of many families due to the socioeconomic situation. Unemployment rates are high, and many Christians have lost their jobs because many of them were working in the tourism sector which received the biggest hit. Many families have migrated to foreign countries seeking better opportunities while many others have decided to stay in the Holy Land, the land where they were born. My family is one of the families who decided to stay despite all the previously mentioned challenges.

Christian festivals in the Holy Land are very special. For example, at Christmas the municipalities of every city decorate a huge tree and organise a day to celebrate the lighting of it with hundreds of people, Christians and Muslims, singing Christmas songs, hymns and carols.

Another example is the day before Christmas on 24th December when the Patriarch comes to Bethlehem to preside at the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass in the Church of the Nativity. All the Christian scouts from Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and Jerusalem come to Bethlehem to welcome him with hundreds of children and adults to feel the Christmas spirit at this most beautiful time of the year.

At the end, for me I am willing to stay in this Holy Land. Even if I wanted to continue my education outside Bethlehem, I would definitely come back home, highly educated to benefit and serve my country and people. I want to help build a better country, where we can all live together without prejudice and division.

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Biographical note: Meral Kharoufeh I am 21 years old and was born in Bethlehem, living with my family nearby in Beit Jala. I attended the local Latin Patriarchate school and am now in my 4th year at Al-Quds university, studying dentistry. My hobbies are dancing Dabke, Palestinian folklore dancing, and singing.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

Tissot does not represent the sojourn of Mary at Elizabeth’s house, nor does he wonder about the reaction of Nazareth to the news of her pregnancy.

However, he gives us a powerful image of a previous event: the betrothal ceremony of Mary and Joseph. This ceremony was the moment of the ‘officialisation’ of a couple, the moment in which everyone saw the public testimony of their legitimate union. Tissot collected information on the wedding ceremonies of the past and nineteenth-century Jewish culture and incorporated them as the couple “advanced to the sound of a drum and other instruments of music, beneath a canopy of painted material, from which, in the case of wealthy families, ornaments of gold were suspended. Sometimes the canopy of painted stuff was replaced by a cupola (baldachin) of woven papyrus stems, forming a kind of trellis work”.

This solemn ceremony reminds us of the strong bond between Mary and Joseph and the key role played by tradition and social convention at that time.

However, soon after this moment, God will enter their lives and challenge this tradition. He will not challenge their bond but the rules and values of their society. The Incarnation was an extraordinary event which radically redirected humanity to what is most essential: our experience of God and our response to his presence in our lives.

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The Betrothal of the Holy Virgin and Saint Joseph (Fiançailles de la sainte vierge et de saint Joseph), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Seven As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 1:56) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 7’s is given by Reem Aburdeneh and Nancy Wahhab.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Bethlehem Bound Into the malicious mutterings of small town minds suddenly news breaks of a totally different kind a census of the world by Imperial decree each man to return to his native family home for the gratification and taxation needs of Rome.

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Uproar, chaos, lives turned upside down no thought for hardships caused, the pandemonium highways and byways packed with panicking people pushing and pressing to reach their destination pawns in a Roman game of power and domination.

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And so they set out before the dawn of day Mary on a donkey Joseph this time leading the way anxious for a good start before darkness descends Mary heavy with child near the end of her term sensitive to every jolt, every twist and turn.

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Chapter Seven

Yet for Mary and Joseph this call to registration is one more God-given sign and confirmation that this child is the Shepherd Saviour of his people as the prophet’s promise is for the Anointed One to be born in Joseph’s home town of Bethlehem.

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A perilous journey for them to undertake pirates and parasites preying on the weak ravines, rivers to cross, steep hills to climb forests with wild beasts lying in wait desert wastes and sodden muddy tracks to navigate.

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A five-day journey doubled to ten

by Mary’s state and need for careful attention but at every laboured step Joseph keeps watch growing in his mission to protect and provide a constant vigilant guardian to his wife and her child.

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At last they see the Holy City on the horizon its walls and Temple gleaming in the winter sun rising up from the surrounding plains a river of travellers flowing to its gates migrants in motion by order of the State.

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The couple are not drawn to linger or rest in Jerusalem’s noisy congested streets instead they seek Bethlehem’s Jaffa Gate one last push to make it to the City of David and by night fall find lodgings quiet and secluded.

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Mary cries out to Joseph that the time is near her contractions have begun, the pain is severe but no-one seems to have even a vacant corner to rent the thousands here before them have taken every space like sea birds clinging to a packed cliff face.

At last one kind soul, seeing Mary’s perilous state points to a cave where animals shelter and hibernate dirty and smelly but dry, warm and free not what Joseph had hoped for but better than nowhere for Mary holy ground where she can lie down and prepare.

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As the night-sky and winter chill enshroud the town Bethlehem’s hosts and guests settle down caught up in their own affairs and petty complaints totally unaware that heaven is coming to bless the earth as the waters break of a young mother about to give birth.

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Agony and ecstasy humanity and divinity join together as one.

Scripture: Luke 2:1-5 Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census - the first – took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judaea, to David’s town called Bethlehem, since he was of David’s House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem Luke begins with the big headline – the unprecedented world news of a summons for all to return to their place of birth so as to be registered in Rome’s first empire wide census. It is a sign that the Roman Empire is now at the height of its power under the leadership of Caesar Augustus, himself declared to be of divine status. But then Luke brings us down to the local detail of how this decree impacts on the lives of one seemingly insignificant young couple in a seemingly insignificant corner of the empire. Of course it is Mary who carries the true God within her – a humble and physically very fragile vessel indeed. And yet, rather than being inconvenienced by the need to travel to Bethlehem, Mary and Joseph see in this the hand of God bringing about the fulfilment of ancient prophecy. Indeed, their faith allows them to see the hand of God in everything that happens to them.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully in the experiences of Mary and Joseph, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• At a time when most people would surely have been filled with anxiety even fear at this unexpected Imperial command to travel home with so many other people also on the road, it is striking that Mary and Joseph have such inner strength. We too live in challenging times when many world events seem beyond our control or influence – how much trust do you have in God and His providence?

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• What do you think you personally can learn from Mary and Joseph at this critical time for them?

A short prayer Lord God, as we near the end of our Advent journey, help us to go forward with trust and faith that you are in control no matter what tests and trials are thrown at us. Enkindle in us this Christmastide the desire for a deeper life in you, a deeper intimacy with Christ through the intercession of Mary and Joseph. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Your purchase of Holy Week Voices from the Holy Land is deeply appreciated. The money raised will fund a mixture of sustainable and immediate relief work in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Jordan. A network of lay and clerical professionals, ensures that such support can make the Christian community more resilient in five key areas: Education, Employment, Family support, Health and Housing improvement.

If you came by this book via a friend and have not yet had the chance to offer anything to support this work, please consider making a donation via: https://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/

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The First Christmas

Reem Aburdeneh and Nancy Wahhab In the poem we see Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem after their long and testing journey for what will become the “first Christmas”.

Perhaps even they could have had no idea how this moment would be remembered and celebrated for the rest of human history.

Being a Christian is a blessing and being a Christian living in the Holy Land is a gift.

Imagine waking up in the morning and going to the Church of the Nativity where Jesus was born and starting your day in such a blessed place. Living in Bethlehem and being able to live the Christmas spirit here is a great honour. Christmas in Bethlehem is the most significant place in the world to celebrate Christmas. The bond of Christianity within the community is strengthened at this time.

The city of Bethlehem, the cradle of Christ, completes its preparations to receive pilgrims and visitors, by decorating its streets, neighbourhoods, and homes with special decorations for the occasion. The celebration begins in early December, with the lighting of the tree in Manger Square, attended by officials, religious leaders and the public. Christmas markets sell sweets, food, embroidery, and Christmas items from all over the world.

Especially for children, a Christmas caravan roams the city to spread joy, symbolic Christmas floats invade the streets, representing the story of the birth. The streets and squares are decorated with lights and children dress up as Santa.

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The city of Bethlehem, the cradle of Christ, completes its preparations to receive pilgrims and visitors, by decorating its streets and neighbourhoods.

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Bethlehem is the capital of Christmas, the spirit of love, joy and happiness can be felt in the air, no place can be like this city at this time.

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On Christmas Eve, thousands of Christian pilgrims arrive in Bethlehem as Christmas festivities begin and parades take place. Scout troops march through Bethlehem’s oldest streets pounding on the instruments and playing the bagpipes. They spend months preparing for this occasion. These festivities will continue until midnight Mass, held inside the Church of the Nativity - one of the oldest churches in the world, built by Emperor Constantine at the beginning of the fourth century AD when Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman Empire. It is on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Entering Midnight Mass is only possible with a ticket so not everyone can attend, and those who attend are blessed because they will feel a unique atmosphere and the real spirit of Christmas. In Manger Square outside the church, visitors enjoy choirs reciting hymns, psalms and a performance troupe of Palestinian scouts.

On Christmas morning, most families dress up and attend the 11 o’clock celebration Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the place where he was born.

It is such a pleasure for us, people of the Holy Land, to be able to pray and celebrate in the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Then the celebrations continue with visiting family and eating the traditional butter cookies filled with dates and nuts (Kaek and Maamoul) and Christmas cake that we prepare at home with our children and family.

Christmas brings joy to the whole world, and Bethlehem is the capital of Christmas, the 54

spirit of love, joy, and happiness can be felt in the air, and no place can be like this city at this time. People of all ages from throughout Palestine and beyond gather as one family in Christ. Celebrations are full of joy and peace, the peace from hearing the bells of the Church of the Nativity, making everyone feel safe. Pilgrims and tourists come from all over the world - it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Holy Spirit is alive and we invite you to share it with us, hoping that this year tourists come back and experience the atmosphere in the worldwide capital of Christmas.

Biographical note: Reem Aburdeneh & Nancy Wahhab Reem Aburdeneh is from Bethlehem, married and the mother for four children.

She graduated from Bethlehem University in 2000 with a bachelor degree in Social Science. After graduation she worked in the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation in Crises Programme, and then in 2007 she took up a new role as a social worker at St Joseph school in Bethlehem.

Nancy Wahhab is from Gaza, moving to Bethlehem to study for a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She worked as an accountant in EPHPHETA Bethlehem, and returned to university for a second degree in Reglues studies. Nancy is married with five children and has been an office manager for FHL since 2014.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

Tissot’s painted meditation gives us a snapshot of the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem. Joseph is agitated, searching for lodgings, as he could not find any available place. Mary is the opposite, as she sits on the donkey in quiet resignation. The street is busy and animated by people carrying on with their lives, unaware that they are denying hospitality to the family carrying God’s child. Some are staring at the young couple with no obvious desire to help them while others are completely indifferent to their presence. How must Joseph have felt when denied hospitality in his ancestor’s home town?

Finally, a note on the backdrop of the scene. Tissot’s travels in the Holy Land provided rich source materials for his compositions. For the background of this scene, he used the thick stone walls and labyrinthine alleys of Jaffa (ancient port of Tel-Aviv) of which he had vivid memories.

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Saint Joseph Seeks a Lodging in Bethlehem (Saint Joseph cherche un gîte à Bethléem), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Eight As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 2:6-7) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 8’s story is offered by Fr Rami Asakrieh.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Incarnation Mary feels her whole body torn apart her shallow breathing and pounding heart gradually slowing settling down again as she recovers from pain beyond all pain.

Covered in after-birth and gore Joseph cuts and ties the umbilical chord somehow knowing what to do a father’s instinct breaking through.

The son of God puny and trapped in torn rags tightly wrapped opens wide his mouth and his eyes and screams out loud as if scandalised.

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Chapter Eight

Bloodied, ruddy and raw the baby is wiped clean in the animals’ straw then bound in linen swaddling cloths and laid in a manger, a feeding trough.

Scripture: Luke 2:6-7 Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space.

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem There are differing understandings of how Mary might have experienced her physical birth of Jesus. One school of theological thought is that if Eve’s punishment for disobedience was to give birth in intense pain (Genesis 3:16) then the reward for Mary’s obedience would have been to give birth without pain. This often seems to be the image presented in classical art or film versions of the Nativity. But another school of thought is that Mary was certainly not saved from suffering (remember Simeon’s prophecy at the Presentation – “a sword will pierce your own soul too” - Luke 2:35), and so just as Jesus ended his life in pain and agony on the cross so he could have entered into the world through the pain and agony of a normal human birth. The poem obviously follows the second path!

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about the birth of Jesus, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• Do you find the poem’s imagining of the physical birth of Jesus convincing or not? How do you imagine it all happened? Is this important? Why/why not?

• What do you think you personally can learn from Mary/Joseph/ Jesus in this pivotal moment in human history?

A short prayer Lord Jesus, as we reflect on the reality of that Bethlehem night when you entered into our world in flesh and blood, fill us anew with awe and gratitude for your Incarnation. As you placed yourself in humility in human hands, help us this Christmas to place our lives humbly in your hands. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, Saviour and King. Amen

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Christmas in Bethlehem Fr Rami Asakrieh

Loving Father, help us to remember and venerate the birth of Jesus, so that we may participate in the song of the angels, in the rejoicing of the shepherds, and in the worship of the wise men. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will among all people.

Let kindness come with every gift, and good wishes come with every greeting. Help us to close the door of hate and open the door to love in the whole world, so that we may work to accept the other as they are and forgive those who offend us. In this spirit, may we truly live Christmas, giving thanks to God for the birth of Jesus Christ.

God’s personification in Jesus Christ who came to share with us what we experience and feel, is to remind us that we are all his children, and that he is always there for us and with us. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory as of the only Son from Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 Although Jesus could do anything He wanted according to His divine will, and could make possible our salvation without being subject to all the pain of torture and persecution, yet He incarnated. He sacrificed Himself. He chose to suffer so as to inscribe our human history with His holy blood. As the poem shows, his physical birth was marked with the blood, pain and suffering of any human birth. He was born and died a human (before his resurrection to heaven) to help us relate to Him and so make us feel close to His glorious act of salvation made real for us at Christmas. Moreover, He taught us 59

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His physical birth was marked with the blood, pain and suffering of human birth. He was born and died a human to make us feel close to his glorious act of salvation.

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Jesus brought humanity back to life from our deadly sins. His incarnation brings us back to the purity of a baby.

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to understand that the way to our salvation goes through our ordinary daily human lives. Our everyday lives and choices matter and make a difference in the world. The “Kingdom of Heaven” begins here on earth. So God incarnated to deify our humanity, not to abolish it.

Through His coming into our world, Jesus opens for us the way to our own “incarnation” through the choices we make to express our faith and our hope. So, for example, we are called to be the “incarnation of forgiveness” in our families and communities. Jesus brought humanity back to life from our deadly sins. His incarnation brings us back to the purity of a baby born child full of love and innocence. A child lying in the manger, receiving the care and attention from his loving family. As the Virgin Mary’s only child, Jesus comes among us to plant the seeds of humility, of obedience to God’s will, of reverence for God’s creation, of respect for the dignity of every person and all peoples.

Most importantly he comes to teach us that all material things have their beginning and end; but our life in the Holy Spirit is made eternal through Jesus’ incarnation, death and resurrection.

Bethlehem is what we might call “the capital of the Nativity” for the whole Christian world.

As a priest, living and preaching in Bethlehem, celebrating the Holy Christmas in the Grotto and lighting the candle of hope and peace, I witness Jesus’ birth each time we recite the Christmas hymns and prayers in the Grotto. I give thanks to God daily for the great honour

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to serve in this holy place. Christmas reminds us that after the darkness of each pain we go through, God always lights a candle of new-born hope in us. He never abandons us. For God desires our union with Him in the “incarnation” of our body and soul.

Biographical note: Fr Rami Asakrieh Father Rami Asakrieh was born in Jordan and ordained a priest in 2007.

He currently serves as a parish priest in Bethlehem. He has graduated in Theology and Philosophy, and has a Master’s degree in Psychological and Educational Counselling.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

We don’t know if Tissot thought about Mary’s experience of childbirth. He depicts the Nativity scene in a dark grotto, where Jesus is the radiant source of light, and Mary reflects and expands it with her white garment. Mary contemplates Jesus with her hands in prayer. This is the bond between mother and son, but also between God and his people. We do not see Joseph; perhaps he is with us, just coming back after fetching some water for Mary when he happens to see this beautiful scene.

We also see that this dark room is a grotto with tiny stairs on the right. Tissot describes the system of grottoes in Bethlehem where shepherds find shelter in every season. In one of them, Christ was born, and later in the fourth century AD, a great basilica was built over it by the emperor Constantine and his mother Helena. This basilica has survived until today with several changes made in different historical eras. The grotto beneath which we see today is very similar to the scene depicted by Tissot, so maybe he took inspiration from it.

What does this painting communicate to you? How do you imagine the scene of the Nativity?

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The Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ (La nativité de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Nine As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 2:8-20) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 9’s story is offered by Majd Issam Qafiti.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Shepherds’ Song High on the hills in the raw chill of night silhouetted against the stars and cool moonlight a group of shepherds keeps silent vigilant watch over their precious, obstinate, vulnerable flocks with fire and fence against wolf and fox.

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While the townsfolk below sink into sleep these men listen for any stirring among their sheep but this night their attention is also taken by a sight unseen for countless generations a brilliant night-sky star stellar constellation.

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Then suddenly from this radiant cosmic lamp a spark of light flies towards the shepherds’ camp a ball of fire at first but up close a creature alive and real staring down at them holding them in its gaze the shepherds fall face down afraid and amazed.

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Chapter Nine

The shepherds are not scholars of astronomy but they know these constant guiding stars intimately from their nocturnal vigils beneath the glittering sky and this night there is a star unknown to them a dazzling diamond watching, it seems, over Bethlehem.

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The heavenly body speaks to them, this angel of the Lord “Shepherds of Bethlehem, do not be afraid or over-awed for look, I bring you news to be shared with all glorious news of great momentous joy the birth this night in the city of David of a baby boy.

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He is Christ the Lord, the Saviour of the world who in heaven is by all angels adored.

Go down to the town and this will be for you the sign you will find him wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a lowly manger, a humble feeding trough.”

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Suddenly the night-sky explodes into light as a whole host of heavenly bodies burst into sight jubilant, exultant, singing out their chorus of praise “Glory to God in the highest, Hosanna to the Lord and on earth peace to all people of the world.”

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The shepherds rise to their feet no longer afraid cascade down the hillside without delay singing to each other the angels’ joyful song following the diamond star’s guiding light to a cave on the edge of town lit up in the night.

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Entering in they see the baby king just as the angel had described him resting in the manger’s bed of straw bound from head to toe in linen cloths enshrouded, cocooned like a butterfly or moth.

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On their knees they shuffle across straw and stone shushing each other as they approach the royal throne then forming a ring around the sleeping child they gaze in wonder at his soft, delicate face filling them with heavenly peace and grace.

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Turning to the parents, the chief shepherd explains the song of the angels, its verses and refrain Joseph and Mary, touched by the beauty of it all embrace one another and give thanks to God for this angelic affirmation sent from heaven above.

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The shepherds adore the gently breathing babe transfixed by his presence, sensing his power to save then as one they rise to their feet, bow low and retreat run into Bethlehem’s slumbering squares and streets singing their own song of joy at God’s audacious feat.

Scripture: Luke 2:8-20 In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified, but the angel said, “Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favours.

Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.” So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told.

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Reflection on Scripture and the Poem As if it were not enough that the Son of God should be born in a hovel, it is powerful that those invited to be the first to welcome and adore him are a group of poor shepherds, who would have had something of an outcast status in their own society. While others slept or were caught up in their own business, the shepherds were vigilant and responsive to God’s revelation. They are honoured for their attentiveness and openness by being surrounded by the glory and joy of the angels. “Blessed are the poor in spirit” the adult Jesus will teach in the Beatitudes – this openness of heart and ‘poverty of spirit’ are the gifts which the shepherds bring with them to the manger. And what an indescribable joy it must have been for them to find this Messiah king being born into this same poverty – he is one of them and one with them. He is and will be a king not of power and oppression but of service and humility. A king born in Bethlehem – “the House of Bread” and placed in a feeding trough as a sign that he will be the Bread of Life, freely given and broken for all.

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about the shepherds’ experience, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• ‘Poverty’ can be a confusing idea – on the one hand something unjust, crippling and crushing, not to be romanticised or accepted, while on the other hand in its spiritual sense one of the key paths to intimacy with God, just as it was the poor shepherds who were invited to share in the glory of that Bethlehem night. Christmas is a time when we are called in very real tangible ways to respond to the unjust/tragic poverty around us while also seeking to deepen this spiritual poverty within us. How are you doing with both of these?

• What do you think you personally can learn from the shepherds on this holy night?

A short prayer Lord Jesus, this Christmas grant us that attentive, responsive heart that we see in the shepherds. Help us, like them, to seek you in simplicity and humility of spirit and also to see you and love you in the faces and lives of those around us who are the victims of unjust and dehumanising poverty.

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Confronted by the Mystery Majd Issam Qafiti

In the journey of my life, which is still in its infancy, I would like to tell you about the Christian life in the Holy Land. Living in this country combines a mixture of the heavenly joy with which Jesus came on this earth, and the challenges that we face daily in most aspects of our lives.

Christmas is a very special occasion for me, because the whole family gets together and we have dinner. My family focuses on the importance of attending Christmas Mass, which takes place day and night. I participate in the celebrations held by the churches of my town and volunteer in preparing children’s parties. Bringing joy to the hearts of children is one of my favourite things that makes me most happy.

Although I live in the Holy Land, I have faced many challenges related to my faith and belief. I have a lot of questions. It even started at school, that is, at a young age. And, like the shepherds in the poem, I often felt like an outsider. As soon as I joined a new group at school and they realised I’m Christian, they bombarded me with a bunch of questions, some logical and some weird. For example, once, one of my friends asked “Do you guys worship 3 gods?” When I started university, everyone was surprised that I was a Christian, as I was the only Christian in the English department at this university. This difference was strange for them. Some of them were asking about how much Christians care about modest dress, about drinking alcohol and eating pork. But there are two recurring 67

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I have faced many challenges related to my faith and belief. And, like the shepherds in the poem, I often felt like an outsider.

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Christian life in the Holy Land is not easy but the grace of the Lord surrounds us, just like the glory of the angels surrounded the shepherds on that Bethlehem night.

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questions from most of the people I meet. The first question is about our belief in the Holy Trinity. This point for the society in which I live is a mere disbelief in God. I stressed that it is not easy for a Christian to face the huge and many accusations from society about their faith and beliefs. The second question was about the divinity of Jesus Christ. For society, this point is impossible. The question would be like this: “Since Christ is God, and has come down to earth, who will be able to be in heaven?”

Since I began to confront complex theological questions, I have become more focused on reading the Bible and consulting our priest on matters that need to be explained, and I have attended discussions about strengthening the ability of young Christians living in the Holy Land to answer the questions that are put to them daily. Until last year, I participated in a course aimed at instilling Christian evangelism in our souls. After this course, the desire has been strengthened in me to reflect the image of Christ that exists in my heart and always give the correct image of Him, as Jesus says: “in the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven” Matthew 5: 16.

Overall, I would like to tell you that the Christian life in the Holy Land is a blessing from the Lord for me, and I always strive to preserve it. Yes, it is not that easy, but the grace of the Lord surrounds us from all sides, just like the glory of the angels surrounded the shepherds on that Bethlehem night. I put my energy

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into giving answers to the questions that are asked to me daily about my faith and belief. I direct my message to all Christians of my age, whether in Palestine or abroad: Hold on to your faith, hold on to Christ, be strong in facing the evil and challenges of the world, persist in going to church, do not forget to read the Bible, and finally be disciples of Christ everywhere you go, as he says: He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.”

Mark 15: 16.

My love to you all.

Biographical note: Majd Issam Qafiti

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Hold on to your faith, hold on to Christ, be strong in facing the evil and challenges of the world... be disciples of Christ wherever you go.

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Majd is a 22-year-old Palestinian teacher, who was born in the city of Nablus, towards the north of the West Bank. She comes from a family of five, and has been active in the Church since her childhood, attending Sunday School and Christian youth meetings in later years.

She graduated from university in 2020 with a Bachelor’s degree in English Language, Literature and French. She is now working as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher and studying for a Masters in Comparative Literature.

Your purchase of Christmas Voices from the Holy Land is deeply appreciated. The money raised will fund a mixture of sustainable and immediate relief work in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Jordan. A network of lay and clerical professionals, ensures that such support can make the Christian community more resilient in five key areas: Education, Employment, Family support, Health and Housing improvement.

If you came by this book via a friend and have not yet had the chance to offer anything to support this work, please consider making a donation via: https://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/

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A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

After the quiet image of the Nativity, Tissot shows us the same grotto now filled with a lively crowd who have come to adore Christ. They are the shepherds who have brought him humble gifts such as some hens and eggs.

Look at their faces. Each of them reacts in a different way to the sight of Jesus.

In his commentary on the Adoration of the Shepherds, Tissot explains the local practices for pasturing sheep. He learned them from his travels and by reading the Bible and Classical authors such as Cicero. Shepherds spent the night watching the flock in turns. The night was divided into three watches of three/four hours each. On this basis, he imagined that the angel appeared to the group of the shepherds on watch, probably sitting around their fire.

At this vision, they woke up the others still asleep and went to Bethlehem in search of the Holy Family.

This painting then is the moment when the shepherds have finally found them, when their happiness explodes at seeing in the flesh the good news they had received from the angel and then being able to give their humble offerings to this baby king.

A final note on the grotto. Tissot comments that grotto of the Nativity belongs to a series of small caves used in the past by shepherds for shelter during the night. All these details from so many aspects of everyday life allow us to think about the materiality of the Incarnation. The shepherds found him in a familiar place, whose space, smells, and sounds were so close to their daily experience. God is not afraid of this ordinariness, but he embraces and blesses it by sending his Son there, to be here with us.

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The Adoration of the Shepherds (L’adoration des bergers), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Ten As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Matthew 2:1-12) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 10’s story is offered by Sawsan Aranki-Batato.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Adoration of the Magi Sentinels on the ramparts of Jerusalem spy a caravan nearing the city of David and Solomon exotic travellers from some eastern land sitting high on their stiff-necked camel train men, it seems, of privileged stock and noble strain.

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With both deference and defiance in their asking the city guards question the purpose of the strangers’ passing “We seek the new-born King of the Jews that we might give him homage and adoration whose coming is foretold by cosmic constellations.

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For we have been led on our continent-crossing quest by a star like no other, manifest in motion and at rest visible both by night and by day a portent divine a celestial sign of this royal birth a promise of heavenly revelation coming to earth.

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The star has guided us across mountains and plains valleys and deserts, through sandstorms and rains until yesterday night when it vanished from sight but at the dawn of day we saw this city from the east so now we seek guidance from your scholars and priests.”

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News of the visitors’ message and mission cuts through the city arousing alarm and suspicion until royal spies inform King Herod himself who commands the travellers be brought to his court and his own scribes explain their unsettling report.

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Counsellors of kings in their own distant home the visitors are at ease before Herod’s blood-stained throne as chief priests share the prophets’ words in fear and dread “And you, Bethlehem, of all Judah’s tribes by no means the least for from you shall come a ruler for my people, a Prince of Peace.”

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The old-born king obsessed with his personal survival paranoid psychopathic towards any potential rival with glacial graciousness invites the strangers to a private feast to share the whole story of their epic quest before they set out again, rested and refreshed.

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“Go and find out all about this child with my blessing and let me know if you find him so I too may confess him God’s holy anointed one,” Herod proclaims to his guests who later leave for Bethlehem filled with delight that their dazzling guiding star is once more in sight.

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Bowing low beneath the veined entrance rock the three leaders of the group catch their breath and stop at the sight of the baby king resting in his manger throne haloed in straw with one arm raised up high as if to bless them for their courageous camel ride.

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Chapter Ten

The star seems to stoop down so close to the earth leading these wise men straight to the place of birth not a palace but a hovel in front of a hollowed-out cave illuminated from above with streams of celestial light radiating an incandescent glow in the gloom of night.

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Kneeling down they come forward in silent homage and each present a particular gift brought in their luggage offerings of mystic meaning and prophetic power frankincense for the priest of all priests to offer at the altar manifesting his divine presence with its fragrant odour.

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Gold the most precious of metals for the king of all kings seeking not to be served but to serve his people in all things and lastly the strangest of gifts for a new born-babe myrrh for the sacred anointing of a prophet’s head or balm for a corpse to slow and mask the stench of the dead.

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They kneel entranced for a time beyond counting contemplating in this tiny babe a universal king not the plaything or tyrant or one people or time but the Lord of eternity made real in flesh and blood journey’s end for all who seek the face of God.

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Warned by the Spirit to escape Herod’s hands they set off eastwards by a route different than planned bearing the blessing of the infant divine revealed by them as a king for Jew and Gentile alike in this star-lit epiphany beneath the Bethlehem night.

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Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12 After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod, suddenly some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east asking, “Where is the infant king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage.” When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem. He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “At Bethlehem in Judaea, for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the leaders of Judah, for from you will come a leader who will shepherd my people Israel.”

Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact date on which the star had appeared and sent them on to Bethlehem with the words, “Go and find out all about the child, and when you have found him, let me know, so that I too may go and do him homage.” Having listened to what the king had to say, they set out. And suddenly the star they had seen rising went forward and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were given a warning in a dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem There is such a contrast between the exhilarating freedom of the wise men, who have left the security and comforts of their distant home land and culture on this extraordinary spiritual quest, and the tense, closed and claustrophobic atmosphere they find in Jerusalem. We see that this emanates from King Herod himself, who rules his own people through terror and violence. You can imagine his spies and informers deeply embedded in the life of Jerusalem so that no-one knows who they can trust. Tragically there are so many countries/societies in the world today where this is still the political reality – tyrants, totalitarian/authoritarian regimes and police states. Also what is striking is that it is not the spiritual and political leaders of God’s chosen people who have the faith or 75

curiosity to go and seek this new-born King for themselves, but these Gentile pilgrims from a distant land who have the openness of heart to follow the star and the prophet’s words to the promised Messiah. A sign of things to come…

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about the Wise Men’s and/or King Herod’s experience, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• We see in the contrast between the chief priests/scribes in Jerusalem and the Wise Men that spiritual knowledge by itself is not enough. To be really touched and transformed by God, our understanding/knowledge of him needs to lead to worship and adoration. How will you express your worship/adoration of Christ this Christmas?

• What do you think you personally can learn from the example of the Wise Men/Magi?

A short prayer Almighty Father, in a world still haunted by suspicion and fear give us the courage and freedom of the Wise Men to walk your paths and seek your face wherever you would lead us. We also bring to you all those who are denied religious and political freedom in our world today. May they, like the Wise Men, be sustained by your guiding light. We ask this through Jesus Christ. Amen

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In the Footsteps of the Magi Sawsan Aranki-Batato

As a Christian living and working in Jerusalem today, I see our continued presence here as a testament to the resilience and steadfastness of the Christian community, despite all odds, in the face of many profound challenges. Just as we see in the poem how many obstacles the Magi had to overcome to follow the star and eventually find the baby Jesus, so it is a daunting endeavour to practise one’s Christian faith in Jerusalem today. Pressures abound from different sides and in numerous ways; social, legal, as well as economic conditions and restricted job prospects.

However, just as the Magi found new direction and hope in this ancient city of ours, so every year we draw new strength from our celebration of Christmas. This is a special festive time for Christians as it symbolises the beginning of a new chapter for Palestinian Christians and is a time for families to celebrate Mass and come together, as well as a time for reflection on the meaning of Christ’s message in today’s world. Every year this message invigorates us to continue to be the “living stones” of Jerusalem, proclaiming and reflecting upon His word in our communities as well as practising the teachings and guidance of our church community leaders.

Christmas has always been a very special and meaningful holiday season for Palestinian Christians. In fact, it is almost like a national holiday in which many Muslims also partake, especially in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Ramallah and Nazareth, where most of the Christians and church schools are located. These schools serve 77

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Every year Christmas invigorates us to continue to be the “living stones” of Jerusalem, proclaiming and reflecting upon His word.

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Christmas is a time for Christians to draw a smile on the face of the needy... We follow the footsteps of the Magi, who brought precious gifts to Jesus.

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both communities, so it is not surprising that many of the Muslim students and their families are aware of the festivities of the Christmas holidays and join in decorating traditional Christmas trees, singing carols and exchanging gifts.

While Bethlehem is where Jesus Christ was born, it is Jerusalem that is at the heart of Christianity. We can say that Jerusalem is the spiritual capital of the world since it is physically almost in the centre of the world, and because of its significance to all three faiths - Judaism, Christianity and Islam. This is the reason Palestinian Christians from all over flock to Jerusalem and Bethlehem for Christmas, along with foreign pilgrims. Today, Palestinian Christians assemble in Jerusalem, join in the traditional procession to Bethlehem, following in the footsteps of the Magi, and celebrate the Christmas Eve Vigil Mass and Christmas Day solemn Masses, ceremonies and enjoy the Christmas tree decoration and celebrations in Jerusalem’s Old City Christian Quarter and Bethlehem’s Manger Square.

Christmas is a time for Christians to draw a smile on the faces of the poor and needy. It has always been a tradition for Christian individuals and Christian organisations to tour needy families’ homes, including both Christian and Muslim families distributing gifts, financial aid as well as Christmas sweets. In this we once again follow in the footsteps of the Magi, who brought their precious gifts to the baby Jesus Himself – He who is THE gift to all of us at Christmas time.

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Biographical note: Sawsan Aranki-Batato Sawsan Aranki-Batato is the Programmes Development Officer at the Diocese of Jerusalem office. She has a Master’s degree in Industrial Pharmacy from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Montpellier in France. She has worked in international organisations for more than 20 years with many responsibilities managing various development programmes including Health, Education, Youth and Women Empowerment initiatives.

She possesses both technical knowledge and advanced experience in international public health standards and practices. She has extensive experience in development, curricula, training and fund-raising programmes. Her high educational background and expertise have enabled her to contribute to the development of the National Health Strategy as well as the EU country strategy in Palestine.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

This painting is the last in the series of Tissot’s painting on the Nativity set in the grotto. This time he gives us another perspective of the cave. He seems to include us in the queue of the Magi as they approach Jesus.

Tissot researched the traditions and legends surrounding the Magi; he is aware that there may not have been only three of them, but he chooses to follow the tradition here. However, the human shape on the right leaves us wondering whether this is another of the Magi or simply one of their attendants.

While permeated with a contemplative atmosphere, this painting also contains several contrasts. The first one is the rich Magi’s garments and their gifts against the bare rock where Christ is laid. The second is the gesture of the Magi to bow their head to fit the low entrance. It reminds us of today’s entrance to the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The door is called the ‘Gate of Humility’ because it obliges everyone to bow to pass through it.

Maybe Tissot had this gate in mind when he painted this scene. Allow yourself to take your turn to adore the baby king.

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The Adoration of the Magi (L’adoration des mages), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Eleven As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Luke 2:21-38) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 11’s story is offered by Sr Bridget Tighe FMDM.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: The Presentation On the eighth day of this new creation the rabbi’s razor slices through the baby’s skin blood shed for Abraham’s covenantal sign.

Joseph too publicly professes his paternal role naming the child Jesus as he had been told.

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On the fortieth day of this new exodus the humble couple enter unnoticed the Temple’s monumental walls with two pigeons in hand the offering of the poor for a first-born’s consecration and blood sacrifice for the mother’s purification.

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Crowds of people pilgrims and priests rituals of life from the new born to the deceased a cacophony of sacrifice, petition and trade a den of extortion, bartering and greed woven with pure prayer for every human need.

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Chapter Eleven

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The cleansing of one already made clean the redemption of One who has come to redeem but obedient to all prescribed in the law they offer silent prayer and praise weighed down lifted up by God’s mysterious ways.

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Out of the crowd appears a man advanced in years Simeon, just and devout, approaches them in tears prompted by the Spirit eyes opened by faith he greets the young couple whom others ignore gazing at their child in adoration and awe.

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Taking Jesus in his arms, he sighs as if released “Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace as my eyes have seen the salvation of all nations for the Gentiles a light of revelation and the glory of your people Israel.”

Looking deep into Mary’s eyes, he prophecies “This child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in his native Israel a sign of contradiction that will tear people apart and, know this, a sword will pierce your own heart.”

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An old woman, Anna, joins them in the Temple square her long life given to God in prayer worshipping with fasting day and night a woman of adoration and expectation she now confirms Simeon’s prophetic proclamation:

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“Blessed be God, blessed be His holy name for He has sent the One to deliver us from shame.” and she dances from pilgrim to priest praising God for the gift of this child in whom heaven and earth will be reconciled.

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As the golden evening light bathes Jerusalem Mary and Joseph return to the quiet of Bethlehem carrying in their arms the slumbering Son of God contemplating in silence all they have heard from this aged couple so alive to God’s will and word.

Docility and humility fidelity in longevity long lives lived longingly daily expectantly in the future tense.

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Scripture: Luke 2:21-38 And when the eighth day came and the child was to be circumcised, they gave him the name Jesus, the name the angle had given him before his conception.

And when the day came for them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord – observing what is written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, as you promised; for my eyes have seen the salvation which you have made ready in the sight of the nations; a light of revelation for the gentiles and glory for your people Israel.

As the child’s mother and father were wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Look, he is destined for the fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is opposed – and a sword will pierce your soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.”

There was a prophetess, too, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years, before becoming a widow. She was now eightyfour years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came up just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

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Reflection on Scripture and the Poem Just as with Mary and Elizabeth in the Visitation, so in the Presentation we see the younger and older generations brought together by their profound faith. Both the young Mary and Joseph and the elderly Simeon and Anna are united in their openness to the action of the Holy Spirit and alive to the long-awaited fulfilment of God’s promise in the tiny baby carried in the young couple’s arms. It is so beautiful in all the hustle and bustle of the Temple, with everyone caught up in their own affairs, to see the intimacy between these four kindred spirits, all drawn to the infant Jesus. As well as showing Mary and Joseph’s humble obedience to the Jewish Law, the Presentation is also a celebration of the spiritual fidelity and vitality of this older couple, who alone in the Temple recognise the baby’s importance. Old age can give a deeper perspective, a longer and wider lens on life which we can struggle to find when younger. What is also so special about Simeon and Anna is that they are not focused on the past, as perhaps is natural in older age, but they are people who have spent many years looking forward to all that God is still to do in their lives.

We can learn so much from them!

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about Mary/Joseph’s and Simeon/Anna’s experience, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• This Christmas time how alive do you feel to God’s presence and action in your life? Are you perhaps too caught up in all the activity and busyness of this season, just like all the other people in the Temple on that day of the Presentation, and therefore blind to God’s nearness to you? What helps you to be fully alive in God, like Simeon and Anna?

• What do you think you personally can learn from the example of Simeon and Anna?

A short prayer Almighty Father, in a world where the wisdom and resilience of the older generation is often not appreciated and valued as it should be, help us to be people who have a deep respect for those older than ourselves – the Simeon’s and Anna’s of our own lives. And may this Christmastide be a time when we are united across the generations by an ever greater faith and trust in You. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen 84

The Presentation Sr Bridget Tighe FMDM

Mary and Joseph return to the quiet of Bethlehem carrying in their arms the slumbering Son of God contemplating in silence all they have heard.

I am writing these words in Jerusalem overlooking the site of the ancient Temple where Jesus was presented, where Simeon prophesied that Jesus was destined for the fall and rise of many, a sign of contradiction, and that a sword would pierce Mary’s heart. This is what Mary and Joseph contemplated in silence as they returned to the quiet of Bethlehem carrying in their arms the slumbering Son of God. It was not the first time nor the last that they would encounter the mystery of the infant cradled in their arms. This poem reminds me of other manifestations of Jesus’ divinity and I invite you to join me in contemplative reflection in places where I’ve been privileged to pray, at times experiencing deep peace and joy and at times the darkness of faith.

In the grotto of the Annunciation in Nazareth we contemplate the angel’s message and Mary questioning how such a thing could be, then “Let it be done to me according to your Word” (Lk 1:38) and Joseph’s shock and disappointment yet wanting to protect her, then accepting the unfathomable will of God. In this land where longing for justice and freedom too often ends in suffering, disappointment and struggle to survive, the example of Mary and Joseph brings encouragement and inner peace.

In the Shepherd’s Field we remember that Jesus’ birth was first announced to the shepherds who 85

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In this land where longing for justice too often ends in suffering, the example of Mary and Joseph brings encouragement.

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I love the Judean desert for its silence and barren beauty. Living in the Holy Land, the desert as a metaphor for faith has had a special meaning for me.

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hurried to Bethlehem to adore him. Can we imagine what Mary and Joseph thought, said, wondered? 40 days later they heard Simeon’s prophesy “…a sword will pierce your own heart” (Lk 2:35), and in fear of Herod they fled to Egypt.

It is believed that they travelled through Gaza where I lived for a number of years experiencing the warmth and hospitality of the people despite their poverty, their longing for freedom and justice, especially the youth, and their sadness and near despair knowing that many consider them collectively as terrorists. In Cairo I visited an ancient church lovingly preserved, built over the spot where local Christians believe the Holy Family lived during their stay in Egypt.

An ancient monastery on the Mount of Temptation near the Jordan river commemorates events that herald the public ministry of Jesus: his appearing in the Judean wilderness, baptised in the Jordan by John the Baptist, hearing the Father’s voice, “This is my Son the beloved, my favour rests on him” (Mt 3:17) then driven into the desert where he fasted for forty days and forty nights, tempted by the devil. I love the Judean desert with its silence and barren beauty and over the many years that I’ve lived in the Holy Land the desert as a metaphor for faith has had a special meaning for me. It can also be a metaphor for the experience of the people living under occupation and blockade waiting and longing for a new life of freedom and peace.

Jesus’ public life is centred mainly around Galilee and Jerusalem. Some places are particularly significant for our

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reflection: Banias, ancient Caesarea Philippi, where Jesus asked the disciples “Who do you say that I am?” and Peter’s profession of faith “You are the Christ the Son of the Living God” (Mt 16:16); Gethsemane where Jesus, finding his chosen disciples asleep, says “the hour has come…..get up, let us go” (Mt 26:46) and Calvary with Mary standing at the foot of the cross that evokes Simeon’s words “He is destined …… to be a sign that is opposed and a sword shall pierce your own soul too…” Like the crowds in the temple, may our lives be woven with pure prayer for every human need when at times our faith is tested in the crucible of life.

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Like the crowds in the Temple, may our lives be woven with pure prayer for every human need when our faith is tested.

Our reflection culminates in the Church of the Resurrection and the empty tomb where, with Simeon, we pray “….my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of your people Israel.” (Lk 2:34-35)

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Biographical note: Sr Bridget Tighe FMDM Sr Bridget grew up in County Sligo in the West of Ireland. She is a member of a religious congregation, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood, and has lived in the Holy Land for many years. She is a qualified nurse and midwife with degrees in theology and health economics from the Universities of Cambridge, Christ Church Canterbury and the London School of Economics. Her first mission as a newly professed sister was to Jordan serving Palestinian refugees and other poor in Amman and Zerka. Back in the UK she was Founding Principal of the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge which is a member of the Cambridge Theological Federation.

This was followed by some years as Vice-Rector of Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem and Regional Leader of her congregation in England/Scotland.

Her desire to serve the poor in the Holy Land led her to Gaza in 2014 where she saw the work of Caritas Jerusalem and met the local staff. In January 2015 she returned to Jerusalem as a volunteer with Caritas and was appointed its Executive Director in Gaza. She assumed her current post as Secretary General of Caritas Jerusalem in January 2018.

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A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

To paint this scene, Tissot spent a lot of time collecting information on the Temple of Jerusalem: how many courts there were, which place was used for every ceremony, and when ceremonies happened. According to the writings of Flavius Josephus (a 1st century AD Jewish author), Tissot understood that the Presentation occurred in the morning, that it was performed at the Altar of Burnt Sacrifice. He said that the Altar was at the middle point between the Court of the Women and the Men. Let’s look at the painting. The scene is constructed from the point of view of someone standing on the pavement of the Court of the Women. We are actually there, among the crowd, and we see far away Simeon raising up Jesus while two people are bringing doves as an offering. But in front of us, there is someone who is blocking our sight with her outstretched arms. It is the prophetess Anna who has recognised Christ. At this moment which Tissot captures, most faces in the crowd are turned towards Anna rather than towards Jesus, Mary and Joseph.

In the courtyard, we may look around and see the faces of the people next to us… what is their reaction to Anna’s outburst? Are they aware of the importance of the moment? If you had really been there, how would you have reacted? Do you recognise God’s presence in your everyday life? Are you able to recognise God’s signs?

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The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple (La présentation de Jésus au Temple), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Twelve As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Matthew 2:13-15) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 12’s is offered by Fr Gabriel Romanelli IVE.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Flight to Egypt With shepherds back on track with their sheep star struck guests returning to the east and no more ecstatic angels bursting into song Mary and Joseph give themselves some rest while the baby does what babies do best.

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Chapter Twelve

Sleeping eating cuddling and repeat mother and son deepening their bond feed by feed Joseph providing for their every need even entering God’s own Son on the census sheet like a shepherd counting himself with his sheep.

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A quiet, a calm before the storm a time to refresh and reflect now the baby is born precious days of intimacy, watching and warmth until one night the angel again enters Joseph’s dreams to awaken and alert him to dangers unseen.

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“After these days in Bethlehem’s safe embrace it is time to get up and leave this place.

Take the child and your wife and flee this very night for Herod wants to find and kill the boy so that any threat to him can be destroyed.

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Take the road to Egypt and there find refuge and peace sanctuary for your family until Herod’s reign shall cease I will tell you when the danger has passed do not be afraid because the Lord goes with you all be their true guardian in this time of test and trial.”

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No time to prepare or plan or fuss just hit the road needs must the huddled mother, donkey and swaddled child are led into the night in Joseph’s constant care vigilant to any threat, trap or snare.

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Skirting round Jerusalem’s watchful walls anxious to avoid its guards, spies and patrols they journey south seeking out quieter paths following the ancient spice route from Beersheba on to the crossroad coastal port of Gaza.

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Breathing in the salty air and bracing breeze they hurry along the sandy shore at the silver sea’s edge before heading inland once again leaving behind the sea gulls’ plaintive cries and entering beneath vast open desert skies.

For three days and nights from their Bethlehem nest they journey pressing on with little sleep or rest fleeing for their lives trusting in God’s care before sometime somewhere the border is crossed and Herod’s chance to kill the baby king is lost.

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Egypt ancient enemy and land of slavery becomes now their safe house, their sanctuary refugees finding shelter with other exiles by the Nile Joseph using his hands, wits and carpentry skills to find regular work and pay the bills.

In the shadow of pyramids and the shade of palms Mary sings to Jesus his people’s songs and psalms an ancient tapestry woven in wonder and woe threads of varied textures, colours and dyes reveal their hidden pattern in the boy’s piercing eyes.

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Scripture: Matthew 2:13-15 After they [the Wise Men] had left, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him.” So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, left that night for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt.

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem The joy and celebration of the Nativity is soon followed by darker days of fear and persecution. Once again the impending storm is communicated to Joseph in his dreams and now his mission as guardian of Mary and Jesus begins in earnest. They are no longer an anonymous poor family lost in a crowd, but are targeted and hunted by Herod’s brutal forces. Their escape journey takes them through the coastal town of Gaza – a community which of course still today knows the deep trauma of devastating violence and conflict. In their flight, the Holy Family would have known something of the indignity and insecurity of refugees – again a tragic reality experienced by so many families and individuals in our world today. This Christmas how can we live in greater solidarity with modern day victims of conflict, persecution and discrimination?

Question for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about the Holy Family’s experience, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• What resonances do you see between the Holy Family’s flight to safety and the traumas experienced by so many in the world today? Why do you think God chooses this perilous path for his Son? • What do you think you personally can learn from the Holy Family’s experience?

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A short prayer Almighty Father, we entrust to your compassionate care all who are scarred, emotionally and physically, by conflict, violence and persecution in our world today. We pray also for all migrants and refugees, forced by war, poverty and necessity to flee from their native lands. This Christmas may we be moved as a human family to give shelter to the homeless and sanctuary to those who live in daily fear of their lives. May they also know the protection of St Joseph to whose care you entrusted your own Son. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen

Your purchase of Christmas Voices from the Holy Land is deeply appreciated. The money raised will fund a mixture of sustainable and immediate relief work in the West Bank, Gaza, Israel and Jordan. A network of lay and clerical professionals, ensures that such support can make the Christian community more resilient in five key areas: Education, Employment, Family support, Health and Housing improvement.

If you came by this book via a friend and have not yet had the chance to offer anything to support this work, please consider making a donation via: https://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/

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Trusting in God’s Love Fr Gabriel Romanelli IVE

The situation in Gaza is very difficult and complex but no one can take away the happiness and joy that comes from within.

The joy and faith in the hearts of Gaza’s one thousand Christians have not given way to discouragement and frustration, despite the difficult economic and health conditions in the Strip for a population of over two million. The birth of Christ brings salvation to all humanity.

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Mary and Joseph knew what it meant to flee for their lives, we must pray that we can find strength from their example.

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Our Parish of the Holy Family reflects the two visits of the Holy Family to Gaza on their flight to Egypt and on their return to Nazareth. So many in Gaza today are refugees from other parts of the country, sharing the experience of the Holy Family as they fled from danger. As we read in the poem, Mary and Joseph knew what it meant to flee for their lives, trusting in God’s care for them. Our focus is to pray to that ‘model family’ and to find strength from their example, most of all from the Son of God who became flesh to give Himself for our salvation. We take from the Holy Family the power to give witness to divine providence and to the love of God. The Holy Family provides us with a deep and silent presence throughout the year to take up our cross as they took up their cross in their flight to Egypt over 2000 years ago. They teach us in our tests and trials to trust in God and not to be afraid.

In Gaza, Christmas is Bethlehem just as Easter is Jerusalem. Each year Christians wait to receive permission to leave Gaza to visit the birthplace 94

of Christ and meet up with family members from whom they have been divided. Most years, the majority do not receive permits, so we prepare with a group of about 40-50 children a presentation of the birth of Jesus and the visit of the three Kings in mid-December, when we often receive a visit from the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem. In 2020, during the pandemic, no services were permitted in the church and no permits were issued to visit Bethlehem. So instead, we visited every family in their homes, especially the sick, with the statue of the Child Jesus from the crib, a reproduction of the one at St Catherine’s Nativity Church in Bethlehem.

On Christmas Eve, after prayers, we made a feast by internet with the singing of carols and bingo with many prizes! Then there were visits from many delegations and officials, including from schools and universities, including many Muslims, greeting us as we celebrated the birth of Jesus. It was a very powerful time for us all. This year we pray that the Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa will once again be able to visit Gaza during Advent and more Christians will be able to visit Bethlehem and their extended families.

My pastoral mission in Gaza is firstly to preserve the Blessed Sacrament in the Tabernacle, secondly, to preserve the Christian community by teaching the doctrines of our faith, of the Holy Bible, the Saints and the Holy Father and thirdly, to provide a witness to our faith among the whole community through our

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My pastoral mission in Gaza is to preserve the Blessed Sacrament, to preserve the community and to witness to our Faith.

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It is not easy being a tiny minority...

We try to be a blessing for all people in Gaza, especially those who do not know the love of God.

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charitable activities. It is not easy being such a tiny minority, but we have good relations in our neighbourhood. But people here need freedom, freedom to continue their studies outside Gaza, freedom to leave this tiny Christian community to find a partner to marry.

Jesus Christ chose us to come to Gaza. It is like our Flight to Egypt, a sign and example for us to follow. We try to be a blessing for all people in Gaza, especially those who do not know the love of God, presented to us all in Jesus Christ.

Biographical note: Fr Gabriel Romanelli IVE Fr Gabriel, an Argentinian priest, is a member of the Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE) and the current Parish Priest of the Holy Family parish in Gaza. He was born in Buenos Aires in 1969. In 1988 he entered the seminary in Argentina. On completion he went to Egypt to learn Arabic and about Islam, so as to help the Christian community in the Middle East to know more about the majority population in the region. He completed a Bachelor of Philosophy in Rome and for many years was a teacher of different subjects, including geography, Greek, Latin, anthropology, metaphysics and ethics. He has served for over 25 years in the Middle East including time in Jordan. He was the Provincial Superior of his Institute in the Middle East (including missions in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Iraq). He spent 14 years in Beit Jala and over 3 years in the parish in Gaza, ending in 2008. He returned as parish priest in July 2019 and works with his associate Egyptian priest Fr Yousef Assad, also a member of Institute of the Incarnate Word. The parish with 133 members, is very active, working closely with the Greek Orthodox community. Together they make up the Christian population of around 1,000 persons out of over 2 million in Gaza.

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The parish has 10 groups, including the ‘Oratorio’ for Spiritual Formation, a group for children and young people (170 members), a lady’s group, a men’s group, a scout troop and a school for altar boys (23 members), including those from the Greek Orthodox community. The Catholic community of this parish of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem serves the whole Christian community and the wider Gaza society. Together, the priests of the Incarnate Word, the Religious Sisters of Matara, the Missionary of Charity Sisters of Mother Theresa and the Sisters of the Holy Rosary seek to give witness to the love of Jesus Christ for all.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

The Holy Family is leaving in a moment of great hardship. King Herod felt threatened by the existence of Jesus, so they had to flee for their lives. Tissot read up about the journey from Bethlehem to Egypt, and he concluded that it must have taken around a week or a bit more. He talks about the landscapes they would have encountered: from the coastline of Gaza to the sandy regions of Egypt. However, when we look at this painting, we cannot help but wonder if the desert landscape has a symbolic meaning. This is not a quiet desert but a place of death; it is the death and violence they are fleeing from.

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The Flight into Egypt (La fuite en Égypte), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Thirteen As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Matthew 2:16-18) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 13’s story is offered by Suhaila Tarazi.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: The Massacre of the Innocents

Incensed by the treachery of the travellers from the east he feels his royal star dim while his rivals’ increase like a spider caught in its own web cornered and trapped he plans his greatest crime a massacre to crush any revival of David’s blood line.

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He unleashes the wolves against the lambs as his most hardened men charge off to Bethlehem their thundering horses shattering the peace of night man and beast whipped up to a feverish state charged with a mission of savagery and hate.

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Mothers gently rousing their young ones from sleep suckling their drowsy faces, washing their hands and feet fathers kindling home fires from glowing night-time embers all oblivious to the raging storm about to strike as the soldiers burst into town in the dawning daylight.

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Chapter Thirteen

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Behind Herod’s palace gates, walls and steeples paid for by enslaving and taxing his own people this cruel caricature of kingship knows no rest incarcerated in a prison of paranoia and fear awaiting the day his youthful successor appears.

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Leaping down from saddle and horse the death squads break down doors with brutal force seeking boys of two years or less but in their frenzy seizing any child they find whether son or daughter ripping them from parents’ frantic arms for brutal slaughter.

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Blood-bath and butchery, barbarity obscene swords slash and stab the most innocent of beings mothers fleeing with children dragged back to the scene then as soon as they came the soldiers thunder off again leaving behind a battlefield of agony, torment and pain.

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The soil of Bethlehem soaked in baby’s blood agonised cries of loss and lament at this flash flood of terror, horror and extermination the naked vulnerability of love’s beheaded flower the armed brutality of violence and ruthless power.

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Herod his skin diseased, his stomach ulcered wrestles day and night with the demons of conscience so much food he cannot eat so much sleep he cannot sleep his will be a slow dying in the stifling Jerusalem heat.

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The velocity of atrocity The villainy of tyranny

Scripture: Matthew 2:16-18 Herod was furious on realising that he had been fooled by the wise men, and in Bethlehem and its surrounding district he had all the male children killed who were two years old or less, reckoning by the date he had been careful to ask the wise men. Then were fulfilled the words spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamenting and weeping bitterly: it is Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted because they are no more.

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Reflection on Scripture and the Poem As so often, it is innocent children – perhaps the most vulnerable and defenceless members of our society - who are the first victims of adult violence and brutality. We might prefer not to have the memory of the massacre of the innocents interrupt our Christmas cheer, but we need to be able to reflect on the whole story of Jesus’ coming into the world. There is a tragic irony here that Jesus, who will end his life by dying for others, begins his life with others dying because of him. This is a sign of the “culture of death”, as St John Paul II so powerfully described it, which is capable of almost unimaginable atrocity and depravity in its determination to oppose the goodness and truth of God. Herod is a terrible example of this – his paranoid and merciless character made him quick to execute anyone he perceived to threaten his rule, even his own children and wife. He uses death, in this case infanticide, as a tool of political oppression and survival. What resonances do you see with our world today? How can we commit ourselves to be defenders of the “culture of life”?

Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about the experiences related here, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• There is a contrast in the poem between the sudden and swift death of the children and Herod’s prolonged and tortuous death.

Jesus Christ became one of/with us so as to teach us God’s way of love, justice and mercy. How, do you think, we, as Christians, are to respond to the many dictators and tyrants in our own world today?

• What do you think you personally can learn from the experiences related here?

A short prayer Lord Jesus, from the earliest days of your earthly life, you lived in the shadow of human cruelty and violence. You took on our humanity so as to do battle with the darkness of sin and death. Protect all those who in our world today, at every stage and state of human life, are threatened by the culture of death. And help us to be defenders and champions of the culture of life. We ask this in your Holy Name and through your Precious Blood. Amen 101

Cries of Loss and Lament Suhaila Tarazi

Approaching the birth of the son of God, joy and hope is in our hearts. We rejoice with the angels. Jesus Christ’s birth is for our salvation. We, the Palestinian Christians, are proud that our ancestors were the first followers of Jesus.

Jesus chose to be born in a stable, which has great meaning. By His birth, He taught us a lesson in humility. Greatness lies in meekness, self-giving and tolerance. Christ came to show us that the most powerful weapon in this world is the weapon of love and forgiveness with which we can conquer poverty and hatred.

Jesus has come to teach us that the path towards God passes through humility, sacrifice and reflecting the love of God to our neighbours.

The birth of Jesus made us recognise that “God is with us” on earth – this is the source of our encouragement. With the Lord, nothing is impossible. We can overcome challenges and break away from evil. Jesus came to bring peace on earth and good spirit to all.

Unfortunately, we the people of Gaza still live in siege, oppression, poverty and injustice. We live in brutality and horror of occupation and war. The wailing cries of mothers who lost their beloved children in the most recent war in Gaza earlier this year are unforgettable.

I think of this when I read in the poem about the “agonised cries of loss and lament” of the mothers in Bethlehem 2000 years ago when King Herod ordered the massacre of their 102

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By His birth, Jesus taught us a lesson in humility.

Greatness lies in meekness, self-giving and tolerance. The most powerful weapon is love and forgiveness.

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Bloodshed does not bring peace, nor prisons stability.

Barrier walls, no matter how high they are, don’t give safety.

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children. Those same uncontrollable cries of grief are still heard in Gaza.

We pray that Jesus may defuse violence and hatred from all hearts. Bloodshed does not produce peace, nor prisons bring stability.

Barrier walls, no matter how high they are, don’t give safety.

Christ, the Incarnate Word, your birth is a call to true peace, and that is for all people. We are all the Children of Abraham. Arabs and Jews are thirsting for your peace that surpasses all understanding. You alone give peace, not as the world gives it. Lord, be our peace and comfort all those who mourn the loss of their loved ones through war and violence.

Biographical note: Suhaila Tarazi Suhaila is Director General of the Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza. She was born a Palestinian Christian in Gaza and attended elementary and secondary public schools there before moving to Egypt to complete her bachelor’s degree in business, majoring in accounting in 1970 at the University of Assuit.

Following a course in computer studies, Suhaila completed her Masters in health planning and administration at the University of Leeds in 1985.

She has undertaken many courses in Institutional Development, hospital planning and development, the theory of change and child protection policy.

Suhaila worked in Libya, Egypt, England and the USA before joining the Al Ahli Arab hospital over 30 years ago. Al Ahli is the only Christian hospital in Gaza, welcoming patients of all faiths or none. It receives no government support and is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

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A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

Tissot represents the massacre of the Innocents in a very vivid manner.

He observed that due to the small size of the settlement of Bethlehem, the children under two years old would not have been more than about sixty. Still, it is a huge number for us, but nothing for a dictator like Herod.

Tissot also follows a specific tradition for his painting. Here is his commentary: “All the mothers who had children under two years of age were gathered together, under the pretext of a fete (party) to be held in honour of the birth of one of Herod’s own sons. Not a mother would have liked to miss it, and all the poor women came, bringing their little ones decked out in their best. To avoid a tumult when the broken-hearted mothers gave vent to their shrieks of despair on discovering the cruel deception, the women were made to enter one by one a porch opening into a court. There the child was torn from the mother’s arm and flung into the gloomy court, whilst she was driven out at the other end of the porch or gallery, so that the group of waiting mothers, still in happy ignorance and eager for their own turn to come, had no suspicion of what awaited them”.

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The Massacre of the Innocents (Le massacre des innocents), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Chapter Fourteen As with each chapter in Christmas Voices from the Holy Land, we invite you to reflect in three ways.

1. A poem based on a Scripture passage (this chapter, Matthew 2:16-18) 2. On the Scripture itself with a short reflection and questions 3. You are then invited to hear and reflect on a story from the Holy Land itself. Chapter 14’s comes from Seba Salmeh & Malak Dabies.

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4. Finally, meditate on a painting from James Tissot’s Life of Christ with a short introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni.

Poem: Home at Last Journey’s end is journey’s start as three figures slip through the arteries of Nazareth’s slumbering heart unnoticed in the cool misty breath of night.

Reluctantly the hand carved door of Joseph’s sanctuary to be yields at last to the turn of his key and the three sink into its stillness and peace.

Chapter Fourteen

This is the prayed for Promised Land of this returning from exile pilgrim band shaking out Egypt’s desert sand from their clothes and their hair.

This glorified peasants’ shack with workshop attached and small plot of land at the back will now be the Son of God’s earthly patch.

Here the architect of time and space will become an apprentice with plane and lathe the eternal Word be taught to read and write at the Sabbath school and at Joseph’s side.

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The majestic in the domestic The humility of divinity

Scripture: Matthew 2:16-18 After Herod’s death, suddenly the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.” So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled: He will be called a Nazarene.

Reflection on Scripture and the Poem Historians think that Jesus, Mary and Joseph may have spent up to four years in exile in Egypt, waiting for the sign that it was safe to return home.

This sign finally comes through another one of Joseph’s dreams. But where is home for them now? Perhaps Bethlehem, the home of Joseph’s ancestors… But when Herod died, rather than passing his kingdom over to one son, he divided it into three parts. With Rome’s approval, he gave one part to each of his three surviving sons. Archelaus was given Judea, Samaria and Idumea to rule on behalf of the Roman Empire. He was known to be ruthless and cruel like his father so Joseph would naturally have been reluctant to return to Bethlehem, which came under Archelaus’ rule. So instead, Joseph leads Mary and Jesus back to Nazareth, in Galilee – which was ruled by the more restrained Herod Antipas. Try to imagine Joseph’s feelings when he is finally able to open that door of his own home, work of his hands, and welcome Mary and Jesus inside. Back where it all started. The building may be largely unaltered, but their lives and indeed, through them, the whole world are changed for ever.

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Questions for Reflection as a group or individually • What strikes you most powerfully about the experiences of the Holy Family, in both the poem and in the Scripture?

• After the dramas and traumas of these first few years’ of Jesus’ earthly life, we see how the Holy Family now settle back into their quiet, hidden Nazareth life where Jesus will spend his most formative years under Joseph and Mary’s care. When you think back to your own childhood and upbringing, who/what were the most formative influences on your own spiritual and emotional journey?

• What do you think you personally can learn from the Holy Family’s experiences related here?

A short prayer Lord Jesus, you gave us the example in your own earthly life of the importance of family life. This Christmas, and as we enter the New Year, we ask for your continued blessing upon our families. May our homes be places where you are honoured and where we grow together in both living and building the values of your kingdom here on earth. We make this prayer in Jesus’ name. Amen

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Living in Hope

Seba Salmeh and Malak Dabies Dear readers, we are Seba and Malak, and we are very pleased, proud and thankful to write to you, as Christians in the Holy Land, about our country. We are 16 years old, and students in the 10th grade at the Latin Patriarchate school in Zababdeh. As Christians in the Holy Land, we always feel so grateful to be here. The atmosphere of each festive season is extraordinary, especially at Christmas. We feel very special as Jesus was born in our land, and every year we are born with him in happiness and joy. It is amazing that we live our everyday lives here in the same land, on the same soil as Jesus, Mary and Joseph. As we read in the poem, they also knew times of struggle, but their faith united them in a very deep bond. We feel the same way.

There are a lot of challenges in Palestine at the moment for these are especially testing times for Christians, who are few in number compared to the total population in our country. That’s why proving our existence and survival is becoming more and more difficult. The Israeli occupation is the biggest challenge that we face. Putting up checkpoints, shooting people, destroying homes and taking land which people have owned for many generations, are all scenes that happen every day in Palestine. This occupation claims that our holy lands are its property, which sometimes leads young people in Palestine, especially Christians, to think of emigration, which is another challenge that threatens the existence of Christians in the Holy Land. Despite all this, we always live in hope because Jesus’ spirit is 109

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We know that Mary and Joseph knew times of struggle, but their bond of faith united them in a very deep bond.

We feel the same way.

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To all the young Christians - don’t give in to worry and fear, we’re the next generation who will protect and lead.

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rooted in our souls, and we won’t lose hope no matter what happens. We are always following our dreams to be important people in the society and our priority in life is to help our people and give them all we can because Christ’s first commandment is love. So we feel like Palestine is in good hands and under the full care of God. Our message to you and all the young Christians in the world is – don’t give in to worry and fear, as we are the next generation who will protect and lead our countries to success. And for those who suffer in their lives and feel that the road is too long, Jesus is with you. Never give up and follow your dreams and hopes until you fulfill them.

A note on Tissot’s painted meditation We recommend looking at the painting before reading this note.

The Holy Family walks along a path flanked by olive trees; Jesus is grown up and is chatting with Mary and Joseph. Tissot sets this scene in one of the valleys near Nazareth which were known for their lush vegetation. This painting is the total opposite of the Flight into Egypt. Have a look at the other painting, check the landscape, the body language of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.

What differences do you see?

In ‘The Return from Egypt’, nature tells us about a new beginning, about their coming home. Jesus on the ever-faithful donkey looks relaxed and carefree.

But we do not know how Joseph and Mary felt inside. This was their second beginning. But the painting does not seem to intrude into their inner drama, which definitively existed in the heart of Mary and Joseph, as we can see from their more complex facial expressions. We must imagine for ourselves what their thoughts and feelings might have been as they prepared to reach Nazareth – a place with so many conflicting memories for them.

Nevertheless, the feeling of harmony that this lush Palestinian landscape communicates may indicate the happiness felt by the Holy Family as they return to Nazareth. The joy of an immigrant family coming back to its native place. Their expectations of a better life and their hopes to be welcomed once again by the place where their deepest roots lie.

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The Return from Egypt (Retour d’Égypte), 1886-1894 James Tissot (French, 1836-1902). Brooklyn Museum.

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Section Two Add Your Voice

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An Invitation to Add Your Voice Fr Richard writes: Every year Friends of the Holy Land produce Christmas cards which are sold to our supporters and the net proceeds are used go to support our work helping Christian families in the Holy Land. As a reader of this book, we hope that you will be inspired to write your own short poem or prayer which would relate to some aspect of the Nativity story – the birth of Jesus, the shepherds visited by angels, the arrival of the three wise men... What particular significance does this particular aspect of the story have for you in your life today?

some of this year’s cards

If you can capture that significance in a short poem or prayer and send it to Friends of the Holy Land, they will be shown on a dedicated page of our website as we approach Christmas. Furthermore, Fr Richard Nesbitt and our Management Committee will choose one from these submissions to appear inside one of our Christmas cards that are produced for future Christmas catalogues.

Simply send your poem or prayer as an email attachment to Jen Hill, Office Manager at Friends of the Holy Land, her email address is: jen.hill@friendsoftheholyland.org.uk or post to: Friends of the Holy Land, Farmer Ward Road, Kenilworth CV8 2DH, Warwickshire.

Thank You!

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Section Three Advent Hymns and Christmas Carols

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Advent Hymns & Christmas Carols Popular hymns and carols are one of the great treasures of the Advent and Christmas seasons. Christmas carols can be heard in shops and on the radio in the weeks (sometimes months!) leading up to Christmas and they have been learnt and sung by countless generations of children for school nativity plays and Christmas concerts. Their memorable tunes and poetic words lodge themselves in our minds and memories, so that the most popular ones, such as ‘Silent Night’ or ‘Away in a Manger’, are amongst the few songs which many people can still sing without having to look at the lyrics.

The power of Christmas carols to bring us together really hit home for me personally during Christmas 2020 when, because of the continuing restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic, we were unable to sing any carols in church. Like many parishes, we did our best to adapt with a pre-recorded parish Zoom choir singing a few of the favourites, but even so it still felt like an essential part of our Christmas celebrations had been taken away from us. People could definitely be heard humming away under their breath!

We therefore thought it would be a beautiful addition to this book if we included a section of Advent hymns and Christmas carols so that you would have them all at hand between the same covers as the poems, reflections and paintings. If any of you are using the book in faith-sharing groups, you may like to start or finish each session by singing a hymn or carol together!

We are indebted to Brendan Metcalfe, Director of Friends of the Holy Land, who has put together the selection that follows. He has included many of the best known and loved classics as well as a few less familiar gems. As you will see, he has put them in an order which journeys chronologically through the Christmas story. What strikes me so powerfully as I read through them is, firstly, how you just want to immediately start singing many of them (!) and also, I am moved by the poetry and beauty of so many of the lyrics. In themselves they offer a wonderful source for reflection during these days.

We also include some drawings sent to us by children from the Holy Land.

Enjoy!

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The Annunciation (Gabrielʼs Message) The angel Gabriel from heaven came, his wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame, ‘All hail’, said he, ‘thou lowly maiden Mary, most highly favoured lady.’ Gloria!

‘For know, a blessed Mother thou shalt be, all generations laud and honour thee, thy Son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold; most highly favoured lady, Gloria!

Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head, ‘To me be as it pleaseth God,’ she said.

‘My soul shall laud and magnify his holy Name.’

Most highly favoured lady, Gloria!

Of her, Emmanuel, the Christ was born in Bethlehem, all on a Christmas morn, and Christian folk throughout the world will ever say, ‘most highly favoured lady.’ Gloria!

A Message Came to a Maiden Young A message came to a maiden young; the angel stood beside her in shining robes, and with golden tongue he told what should betide her.

The maid was lost in wonder; her world was rent asunder; Ah! How could she Christ’s mother be

by God’s most high decree!

No greater news could a messenger bring; for ‘twas from the young mother he came, who walked on the earth as a king, and yet to all a brother.

His truth has spread like leaven; ‘twill marry earth to heaven, till all agree in charity to dwell from sea to sea.

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He came, God’s Word to the world here below; and round him there did gather a band who found that this teacher to know was e’en to know the Father.

He healed the sick who sought him, forgave the foes who fought him.

Beside the sea of Galilee he set the nations free.

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And sometimes trumpets from Sion ring out, and tramping comes, and drumming; ‘Thy kingdom come,’ so we cry; and they shout, ‘It comes!’ and still ‘tis coming.

Far, far ahead, to win us, yet with us, nay within us.

Till all shall see that King is he, the Love from Galilee!

Advent (O Come, O Come Emmanuel) O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high, who orders all things mightily; to us the path of knowledge show, and teach us in her ways to go.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height in ancient times, didst give the law in cloud, and majesty, and awe.

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O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free thine own from Satan’s tyranny; from depths of hell Thy people save, and give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here; disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home; make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.

O come, Thou King of nations, bind On one the hearts of humankind; Bid now our sad divisions cease, and be yourself our King of Peace O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

Note: O Come, O Come Emmanuel is based on the Seven Great O Antiphons traditionally used in the Magnificat at vespers during the last seven days of Advent in the Western Christian tradition. Collectively they also suggest Christ’s response to that plea: the seven titles in Latin—Sapientia, Adonai, Radix Jesse, Clavis David, Oriens, Rex Gentium, and Emmanuel—in reverse order form an acrostic ERO CRAS which means “I am coming soon.”

• • • • • • •

17 December: O Sapientia (O Wisdom) 18 December: O Adonai (O Lord) 19 December: O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse) 20 December: O Clavis David (O Key of David) 21 December: O Oriens (O Dayspring) 22 December: O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations) 23 December: O Emmanuel (O God Who is with us)

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The Visitation (Tell Out My Soul, The Greatness of the Lord) Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!

Unnumbered blessings, give my spirit voice; tender to me the promise of his word – in God my Saviour shall my heart rejoice.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his name!

Make known his might, the deeds his arm has done; his mercy sure, from age to age the same – his holy name: the Lord, the Mighty One. Tell out, my soul, the greatness of his might!

Powers and dominions lay their glory by.

Proud hearts and stubborn wills are put to flight, the hungry fed, the humble lifted high.

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Tell out, my soul, the glories of his word!

Firm is his promise, and his mercy sure.

Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord to children’s children and for evermore!

Author: Timothy Dudley-Smith (1961) © 1962, renewal 1990 Hope Publishing Co.

Bethlehem – the Nativity (O Little Town of Bethlehem) O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie!

Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.

O morning stars, together proclaim the holy birth, and praises sing to God the King and peace to all on earth; for Christ is born of Mary; and, gathered all above, while mortals sleep, the angels keep their watch of wondering love.

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How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven.

No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin, where meek souls will receive him still, the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem descend to us, we pray; cast out our sin and enter in be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell: O come to us, abide with us our Lord Emmanuel.

What Child is This?

to the tune of Greensleeves

What child is this, who, laid to rest, on Mary’s lap is sleeping?

Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping?

This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing; Come, greet the infant Lord, the babe, the son of Mary!

Why lies he in such mean estate where ox and ass are feeding?

Good Christians, fear: for sinners here the silent Word is pleading.

Nails, spear shall pierce him through, the Cross be borne for me, for you; hail, hail the Word Made Flesh, the babe, the son of Mary!

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So bring Him incense, gold, and myrrh, come peasants, king, to own Him! The King of Kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him! Raise, raise the song on high, the virgin sings her lullaby; joy! joy! for Christ is born, the babe, the son of Mary!

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the new born King, peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled.

Joyful, all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with th’ angelic host proclaim, Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Hark! the herald angels sing, glory to the new born King!

Christ, by highest heaven adored; Christ, the everlasting Lord; late in time behold him come, offspring of a virgin’s womb!

Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; hail th’ incarnate Deity!

Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus, our Emmanuel.!”

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!

Hail the Son of Righteousness!

Light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings.

Mild he lays his glory by, born that we no more may die, born to raise the sons of earth, born to give us second birth.

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Children’s Christmas Art

from our junior Holy Land contributors

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O Holy Night O holy night! The stars are brightly shining, it is the night of our dear Saviour’s birth.

Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘til He appear’d and the soul felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born; O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming, with glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.

So led by the light of a star sweetly gleaming, here come the wise men from Orient land.

The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger; in all our trials born to be our friend.

Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His gospel is peace.

Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother; and in His name all oppression shall cease.

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we, let all within us praise His holy name.

Born in the Night Born in the night Mary’s child, a long way from your home.

Coming in need, Mary’s child, born in a borrowed room.

Clear shining light, Mary’s child, your face lights up our way.

Light of the world, Mary’s child, dawn on our darkened day.

Truth of our life, Mary’s child, you tell us God is good.

Prove it is true, Mary’s child, go to your cross of wood.

Hope of the world, Mary’s child, you’re coming soon to reign.

King of the earth Mary’s child, walk in our streets again.

Author: Geoffrey Ainger © 1964 Stainer & Bell, Ltd. (admin. Hope Publishing Company)

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Away in a Manger Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay, the little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes but little Lord Jesus no crying he makes.

I love thee, Lord Jesus! Look down from the sky and stay by my side until morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus: I ask thee to stay close by me for ever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care, and fit us for heaven, to live with thee there.

Silent Night Silent night, holy night, all is calm all is bright, round yon virgin mother and child holy infant, so tender and mild, sleep in heavenly peace, (x2) Silent night, holy night, shepherds quake at the sight, glories stream from heaven afar heavenly hosts sing alleluia; Christ, the Saviour is born, (x2) Silent night, holy night, Son of God, love’s pure light, radiant beams from thy holy face, with the dawn of redeeming grace; Jesus, Lord, at thy birth, (x2) While Shepherds Watched While shepherds watched their flocks by night, all seated on the ground, the angel of the Lord came down, and glory shone around.

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‘Fear not,’ said he, (for might dread had seized their troubled minds), ‘Glad tidings of great joy I bring to you and all mankind.’

‘To you in David’s town this day is born of David’s line a Saviour who is Christ the Lord, and this shall be the sign.

‘The heavenly Babe you there shall find to human view displayed, all meanly wrapped in swaddling bands and in a manger laid.’

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Thus spoke the Seraph, and forthwith appeared a shining throng of angels praising God, who thus addressed their joyful song: “All glory be to God on high, and on the earth be peace; goodwill henceforth from heaven to all begin and never cease.’

The Arrival of the Wise Men (We Three Kings of Orient Are) We three kings of Orient are; bearing gifts we traverse afar, field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star O Star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright, westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy Perfect Light.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain, gold I bring to crown Him again King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign.

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Frankincense to offer have I, incense owns a Deity nigh.

Prayer and praising, all are raising worship Him, God most high.

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Myrrh is mine, its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom; sorrowing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

Glorious now behold Him arise, King and God and sacrifice.

‘Alleluia, Alleluia!’ earth to heav’n replies.

The Presentation in the Temple - Candlemas (Song of Simeon / Nunc Dimittis)

Now may your servant, Lord, according to your Word, depart in exultation.

My peace shall be serene, for now my eyes have seen your wonderful salvation.

O Lord, you did prepare for people ev’rywhere a Light for revelation, and radiant glory shall the gloom of death dispel for Israel, your nation.

Faithful Vigil Ended (traditional Anglican) Faithful vigil ended, watching, waiting cease; Master, grant your servant his discharge in peace.

All the Spirit promised, all the Father willed, now these eyes behold it perfectly fulfilled.

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This your great deliverance sets your people free; Christ their light uplifted all the nations see.

Christ, your people’s glory!

Watching, doubting cease: grant to us your servants our discharge in peace.

The Flight into Egypt (The Refugee King) Away from the manger they ran for their lives the crying boy Jesus, a son they must hide.

A dream came to Joseph, they fled in the night and they ran and they ran and they ran Ooh No stars in the sky but the Spirit of God; led down into Egypt from Herod to hide, no place for his parents, no country or tribe and they ran and they ran and they ran Ooh Stay near me LORD Jesus when danger is nigh and keep us from Herods and all of their lies.

I love thee LORD Jesus, the Refugee King and we sing and we sing and we sing x2 Alleluja

Watch - https://youtu.be/ThaVvxuFCP8 From “Away in the Manger” by : LIZ VICE, WEN REAGAN, BRUCE BENEDICT, GREG SCHEER, LESTER RUTH © 2018 Adapted from the Biblical account in Matthew 2:13-14.

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Flight into Egypt Lonely travellers from the stable out beneath the hard blue sky journeying, wandering, hoping, praying for the safety of their child, while our mother Rachel’s weeping fills the streets of Bethlehem.

Kyrie eleison.

Warned by angels moved to save him who was born our kind to save Joseph leads his holy family far from Herod and harm’s way; Mary shielding and consoling Jesus Christ the Son of God. Kyrie eleison.

Fleeing from the land of promise they in Egypt find a home.

Strange the workings of God’s mercy house of bondage now God’s throne but for sons who all were murdered, sorrow breaks the House of Bread.

Kyrie eleison.

True the tale of flight and exile; out of Egypt comes God’s Son. Angels tell of Herod’s dying all is ended, all begun.

Jesus will grow up a Nazarene and the world will all be stunned.

Kyrie eleison.

“Flight into Egypt” (1997) – Words: Vincent Uher | Music: Plainchant mode V, 13th century Words: Copyright © 1997 by Vincent Uher. All rights reserved. With permission.

Permission granted for one time use with inclusion of copyright notice and email notification to Fr Vincent Uher vuher@alumni.rice.edu.

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The Massacre of the Innocents (Coventry Carol) Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child, Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

Lullay, thou little tiny Child, Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

O sisters too, how may we do, for to preserve this day.

This poor youngling for whom we do sing Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

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Herod, the king, in his raging, charged he hath this day his men of might, in his own sight, all children young to slay.

That woe is me, poor Child for Thee!

And ever mourn and sigh, for thy parting neither say nor sing, Bye, bye, lully, lullay.

The Return of the Holy Family to Nazareth (Joseph, be our Guide and Pattern)

Joseph, be our guide and pattern, faithful to your sacred trust; strong protector of the Virgin and the infant, Jesus Christ, Joseph, firm and faithful, guide us, Joseph, walk the way with us.

Faithful to the guiding vision, list’ning to the angel’s word; shielding Mary from all slander, guarding Christ, both Son and Lord, Joseph, true and trusting, guide us, Joseph, walk the way with us.

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in your wise and steadfast faith, Joseph, brave, obedient, guide us, Joseph, walk the way with us.

Joseph, chosen as our patron in this country strong and free, join with us and sing God’s praises for the gifts of land and sea, Joseph, just and holy, guide us, Joseph, walk the way with us.

Joseph Dearest, Joseph Mine ‘Joseph dearest, Joseph mine, help me cradle the child divine; God reward thee and all that’s thine in paradise,’ so prays the Mother Mary.

He came among us at Christmastide, at Christmastide, in Bethlehem; we shall bring Him from far and wide love’s diadem: Jesus, Jesus, lo, He comes, and loves, and saves, and frees us!

‘Gladly, dear one, lady mine, help I cradle this child of thine; God’s own light on us both shall shine in paradise,’ as prays the Mother Mary.

Peace to all that have goodwill!

God, who heaven and earth doth fill, comes to turn us away from ill, and lies so still within the crib of Mary.

All shall come and bow the knee, wise and happy their souls shall be.

Loving such a divinity as all may see in Jesus, Son of Mary.

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Now is born Emmanuel, prophesied once by Ezekiel, promised Mary by Gabriel.

Ah, who can tell Thy praises, Son of Mary.

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Little man, and God indeed, little and poor, thou art all we need; we will follow where thou dost lead, and we will heed our brother, born of Mary.

And finally… (Joy to the World) Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King; let every heart prepare him room, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven and nature sing, and heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns!

Let us our songs employ, while fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy, repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of His righteousness, and wonders of His love, and wonders of His love, and wonders, wonders, of His love.

O Come All Ye Faithful / Adeste Fideles O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant!

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.

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O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

God of God, light of light, Lo, he abhors not the Virgin’s womb; very God, begotten, not created: Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation, sing, all ye citizens of heaven above: Glory to God in the highest: Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to thee be glory given!

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing!

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Icon of St Joseph by Martin Jarvis

A Daily Prayer to St Joseph Man of God, St Joseph, faithful son of the Father, wise guardian of Jesus, the Word made flesh, obedient servant of the Holy Spirit, be to me a father and a friend.

Chaste husband of the Blessed Virgin, help me to honour Mary, to be pure and innocent in mind and body, respectful and loving to every person and to all peoples.

Gentle father of the Holy Family, watch over my home and family; deepen in us a love for prayer and God’s Word, help us to live simply, always open to the needs of others.

Guard me from the evil of these times: from the slavish pursuit of popularity and wealth, from a life of selfish pleasure, lived only for the moment; and guide me in the humble, quiet way of holiness.

Show me how to live and work in imitation of Jesus all the days of my life, and so come to him at the end in a death as peaceful and blessed as your own. Amen St Joseph, pray for us.

Holy Family of Nazareth, pray for us.

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Friends of the Holy Land Prayer Almighty and ever loving Father, we pray for the Christians living in the Holy Land.

Lord, may the light of your love shine down on our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.

In your mercy grant them peace in their land, peace in their homes and peace in their hearts.

We pray for the work of Friends of the Holy Land, that it will bring healing and relief to those most in need.

We ask you to guide Friends of the Holy Land and all who support its work by prayer, action and fund-raising.

Help pilgrims to the Holy Land to see the plight of their Christian brothers and sisters, and touch their hearts with compassion and love.

Lord, remember our fellow Christians in their greatest need, and help us not to forget them.

Amen

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1. Drummers on parade in Manger Square; 2. Tree at St Georges; 3. Neapolitan Crib Scene; 4. Holy Family Parish; 5. Anticipating Christmas; 6. Holy Family Parish with Peter Rand and Bishop Christopher Chessun

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7. Children at a Bethlehem Parade; 8. Manger Square at Night; 9. The School of Joy with Brendan Metcalfe; 10. Santa’s House, Jerusalem; 11. Crib Scene at Beit Jala; 12. The Nativity Grotto, Bethlehem

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Photos © Friends of the Holy Land

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Christmas Voices from the Holy Land brings together 14 poems, written

by Fr Richard Nesbitt, a parish priest in a Catholic inner-city London parish, with reflections written by modern day Christian voices from the Holy Land. In an imaginative way, the poems mirror our journey through Advent to the Nativity of Jesus, while the reflections connect the experiences of Mary and Joseph with those of the Christian minority still witnessing to Christ in the Holy Land today. The voices in this book offer a unique reflection on the ways in which Christ’s living presence has been experienced in these two times of extreme crisis two millennia apart. The book which also features a selection of art reflections by Dr Flavia Vanni (University of Birmingham) can be used as a prayer resource by either individuals or groups and is intended to be a prayerful and practical support to Holy Land Christians through the Friends of the Holy Land (FHL) charity.

Christmas Voices From theHoly Land A Prayer Resource for Advent and Christmastide FHL