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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

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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

Foreword by Archbishop Michael Jackson

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Introduction by Dr Flavia Vanni

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Introduction by Brendan Metcalfe, FHL

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

4. The Visitation with Fr Issa Shomali

5. A Blessing at Last with Samer Daibes

6. Growing Pains with Meral Kharoufeh

7. Bethlehem Bound with Reem Aburdeneh & Nancy Wahhab

8. Incarnation with Fr Rami Asakrieh

9. Shepherds’ Song with Majd Issam Qafiti

10. Adoration of the Magi with Sawsan Aranki-Batato

11. The Presentation with Sr Bridget Tighe FMDM

12. Flight into Egypt with Fr Gabriel Romanelli IVE

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

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.

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

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):

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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

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.

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.

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.

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. 1

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

“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.”

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.”

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.

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

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.

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.

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