Lent 5, Gospel of John

John 12.1-8

Bethany is one of the Arab villages on the outskirts of East Jerusalem in the West Bank. The Arabic name is Al-Azariya (pronounce it quickly and you can hear then name of its namesake, from our story today—Lazareth). Its name comes from the Greek “Lazarion,” or “place of Lazarus.” Some mosaic pavement, the remains of a fourth century Byzantine church, can be seen there today outside the Franciscan Church of Saint Lazarus. The journal of Egeria tells us that pilgrims have been coming here since at least 384. She writes, “so many people have collected that they fill not only the Lazarium itself, but all the fields around.”

Today’s pilgrims drive to Al-Azariya in tour buses and make the short but difficult walk down the uneven steps to the Tomb of Lazarus, a small burial chamber with an anteroom. They might also visit the two churches and the mosque that mark this site. Muslims also venerate the raising of Lazarus, and by the fourteenth century the church built over his tomb had become a mosque.

Jesus came here for supper with his good friends shortly before his journey into Jerusalem, much like we gathered around these verses of John’s gospel the week before we celebrate that journey with hosannas and palms.

Before Israel’s security wall was built, Bethany was a stop on the main road between Jericho and Jerusalem. As you can see on the map, today it is isolated from neighboring Arab communities by the security wall, which snakes its way through East Jerusalem, carving out an easy passage between West Jerusalem and the Israeli settlements built in the West Bank.

On the map, the name for Bethany is spelled Al-Eizariya. The green line is the unofficial border between Israel and the West Bank; Israel’s security barrier is shown by the red and purple lines. Brown areas are Arab towns and lands.blue areas are Israeli settlements and lands claimed by them. Click on the map to see it larger.

This is why so many Arab towns have been protesting the building of the wall in the past couple of weeks—the wall has carved up their communities, dividing farmers from their fields, families from their grandparents; cutting off commerce between Jericho, these Arab villages and Jerusalem. Jericho is east of Bethany—off the map to the right.

Last week in Beit Jala, protesters marched with banners of Rachel Corrie, a young woman from California who died seven years ago on March 21, as she stood in front of a bulldozer, hoping to prevent it from destroying the home of her friends in Gaza. Beit Jala is south of Al-Azariya on the map.

They also marched in Al-Ma’sara (at the bottom of the map, just south of Bethlehem), where Omar Alaaeddin (see photo), a 25 year-old community organizer lives. This week he spent six days in Israeli six different Israeli prisons before being released on bond, without charges. During this time he was beaten and interrogated. One of the soldiers told him "do you think the international solidarity will protect you?" You can read his story and see pictures of his injuries online: http://www.flickr.com/photos/activestills/ and http://www.imemc.org/index.php?obj_id=53&story_id=58264

In the coming Holy Week as we contemplate the suffering of Jesus, and his death at the hands of the Roman Empire and the church officials who chose to cooperate with that system, I will be remembering the suffering of those today who organize for justice and peace, those who are punished, beaten and bruised, for their protest against the injustices they suffer every day. I will also remember the members of the Lutheran congregations in Beit Sahour and the Bethlehem region who will be gathering around the same stories and remembering their own suffering and losses—the family members imprisoned, the businesses ruined, the olive groves on the other side of the wall, the family members in far-away countries who have left for a safer, more peaceful life. I will also be thinking of their faithful witness, as they speak out for reconciliation and peace in their weekly non-violent protests.

O God, you have given us life abundant and, in Mary’s anointing adoration, you have shown us your way of faithful discipleship. Embolden us to anoint the feet of those for whom suffering and death is a daily threat. Help us become your prophets of peace and reconciliation, standing against the forces that use terror and intimidation to silence those who proclaim justice and freedom. Amen.