Madaba and Mt. Nebo

Well, after around 30 hours of travelling and a "welcome to Jordan" buffet, it was a blessed relief to finally hit the pillow last night/this morning.  We awoke in Amman to foggy and rainy weather.  It was really beautiful (to me anyway).  We all hopped aboard our bus and made our way to Madaba.

Madaba is known for its Byzantine mosaics, which are located in several archaeological sites around the city.  In fact, Madaba is known as "The City of Mosaics."  We only had time to visit one, but it was breathtaking nonetheless.  We visited the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George.

 












This beautiful basilica church is known, in particular, for one very special mosaic: The Map of Madaba.

A map of the Map

The map is what remains of a mosaic on the floor of the church, and dates back to the 6th century.  It is believed to be the oldest map of the Middle East.  If I remember the tour correctly, the present church was built specifically on the site of the map to protect it.  It has incredible detail, which unfortunately my camera wasn't really able to capture.

It never ceases to amaze me what humans can do when they choose to create beauty, rather than destroy.  These mosaics are a testament to that.

In addition, there were many mosaic icons all over the church walls.  Unfortunately they came out somewhat blurry, but I think you can still appreciate their beauty.

After leaving Madaba, we went to Mt. Nebo which is traditionally considered the place where Moses was given a view of the promised land before he died.  On top of the mountain, there is a basilica dedicated to the memory of Moses.  It is being renovated, and so unfortunately we were unable to enter it.  However, we did stand on the mountain and survey the Jordan River Valley, which would probably have been the view Moses had as he looked out on the Promised Land.

From The Book of Deuteronomy 32.48-52: 48 And the Lord said to Moses that very day, 49 “Ascend this mountain of the Ab′arim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, opposite Jericho; and view the land of Canaan, which I give to the people of Israel for a possession; 50 and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother died in Mount Hor and was gathered to his people; 51 because you broke faith with me in the midst of the people of Israel at the waters of Mer′i-bath-ka′desh, in the wilderness of Zin; because you did not revere me as holy in the midst of the people of Israel. 52 For you shall see the land before you; but you shall not go there, into the land which I give to the people of Israel.”

The Jordan River Valley looking toward Jerusalem, which is on the other side of the horizon.

The dark spot center-off right is Jericho

If you look somewhat in the center, you can see a line of trees.  That is the River Jordan.

The shores of the Dead Sea (in the center)

Even now, as I look at these pictures and upload them, it hasn't really hit me what I am seeing and experiencing.  I stood where Moses stood (according to Scripture).  I saw the mountains and sea and land that he saw.  I am beholding the very land where the Bible happened.  I don't even know what to say as I ponder that...

After all this we celebrated Mass in a small chapel on the hill, behind the basilica.  It was quite beautiful.

    

And now we are in Petra, and will begin our tour of this place tomorrow.  Two reflections come to my mind.  The first is something the tour guide said.  He said to us "You know, Moses did actually get to enter the Promised Land.  Does anyone know when?"  When there was silence, he replied "in the Transfiguration! So don't give up; things may work out in the end."  I had never thought of that; that in the Transfiguration (and we will visit Mt. Tabor where tradition holds that took place) Moses did finally enter the Promised Land.  The Spiritual Life is not merely about an end; it is about the journey as well.  How we experience God in our everyday lives.  My Spiritual Director. Fr. Chuck, often says to me "God writes straight in crooked lines."  In other words, things may not make sense to us, but to the One who knows all and sees all, everything is ordered.  Moses may not have entered the Promised Land in his time and way, but he got there nonetheless.  

Which leads me to my second reflection.  During my Pastoral Year, my prayer life suffered a great deal.  The prayer life in the seminary is very regimented, and being in a parish where there is no regimen of prayer, I never really adapted to it.  As I have re-entered formation, I have been trying to get "back on track" and rebuild a prayer life.  I have been very frustrated with myself, because I seem to not really find my prayer life all that important.  Instead of committing myself to take time and prayer each day (outside of communal prayer) I find other things to do.  Today as we were pulling up to our hotel in Petra, we passed a Muslim man on the sidewalk who was praying on his mat.  Just on the sidewalk.  We also passed a barbershop, where the barber was doing the same on the floor of his shop.  It struck me: prayer for these men is not something apart from their everyday lives; it is part of it, just as work and walking are.  I feel truly inspired by these men to rediscover the longing of my heart...and just pray...and just be...with God.

Tomorrow, Petra.

Peace!