GOLGOTHA: The Place of the Skull

The Place of the Skull

 

THE PLACE OF THE SKULL^[1]

“O death, where is your sting?” 1 Cor 15:55

 

Israel Pilgrimage—1987

 

We gather at the base

of a mountainous rock

into which time has carved

the natural image of a human skull

…hence, its chilling name:

Place of the Skull

 

Above this mound lies Golgotha

where on the most significant day

in the history of the world

Jesus of Nazareth was crucified

between two thieves

 

I stare into the hollow eyes

of this ominous image

and am reminded of Ezekiel

and the dry bones

 

bones that took on flesh

and blood and breath

and came to life

before his very eyes

 

Life.

 

Life is what happens at Golgotha

 

Life that is victorious

over the skull and bones. Victorious

over the ominous face of death

 

Life. Everlasting life—

for all atoned of sin

 

who believe

 

Maude Carolan Pych

---

[1] There are two locations worthy of serious consideration as the place of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial, the traditional site lies within the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the other is Gordon’s Calvary (Golgotha/The Place of the Skull) and the Garden Tomb. Ref. Grace Communion International

 

 

 

The pilgrims from Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, NJ, have returned from walking in the footsteps of Messiah Yeshua/Jesus. The final stop on their itinerary was the Garden Tomb near Golgotha.



Blow a Shofar in Zion

Blowing a shofar in Zion

MARCO SOUNDS THE SHOFAR

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

Marco bought a shofar in Galilee—

a long and spiraled Yemenite shofar

made from the horn

of a kudo antelope

With a deep and steady breath

Marco blasts its harrowing thunder

over the Mount of Olives

the Western Wall

the Jordan River

and just about every site

we visit in holy Zion

trumpeting its long distinctive wail

to jolt us from our complacency—

Wake up!

Warning all hearers:

Prepare! Repent!

Wake up! Oh Sleepers—

Wake up! and follow the Lord!

Anne brought her tambourine

from New Jersey—

It’s shaped like a Star of David

Colorful ribbons stream

from its six points

Like Miriam, Anne lifts it high

and dances with delight

praising Adonai with worshipful women

from all over the world

Their swirling skirts sweep the ground

It’s Shabbat, in Jerusalem

at the Western Wall

and I bought a tallit in Tiberius—

blue and white like the Israeli flag

with knotted fringes in the corners

to remind me God’s promises are true

a traditional prayer shawl

to wrap snuggly around my shoulders

like God’s strong and loving arms

enfolding me

as I pray

Maude Carolan Pych

Four to five hundred pilgrims from Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, NJ, continue to tour the Holy Land with Rabbi Jonathan. I'm sure they'll all be so mightily blessed that they'll never be the same.The above poem was written following my last pilgrimage and is one my series of poems of pilgrimage. If you'd like to read more, go to the Blog Archive on the right and click on September, October and November or scroll to the end for information about ordering my chapbook, "A Pilgrim's Quest".

The Jewel of the Whole Earth

View from Mount Scopus, Jerusalem

MOUNT SCOPUS

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

It’s nighttime—

We arrive at Mount Scopus

overlooking Yerushalayim^[1]

The stars glimmer

in the heavens

and The City is lit up

like the jewel of all the earth

Wishful, I want

there to be fireworks

want the surroundings

to express the excitement

stirring inside of me—

Suddenly, I hear fireworks

boom, boom, booming

somewhere

although I cannot see

their luminous splendors

bursting in the sky

We partake of the fruit

of the vine—

our cup of blessing

as we prepare to enter in

Our rabbi prays

for the peace of Jerusalem

prays the Shema^[2]

prays the Shehekianu^[3]

covers his head

with a magnificent tallit^[4]

embellished with

the Star of David and the Lamb

He lifts his hands and prays

the Aaronic Benediction

Our joy cannot be contained—

This is the City of Our Great King

I watch a tear

trickle down

my rabbi’s face

Maude Carolan Pych

---

[1] Jerusalem

[2] The central prayer in the Jewish prayerbook (Siddur)

[3] A common Jewish prayer to celebrate special occasions

[4] prayer shawl

For details about ordering my little book of poems about pilgrimage, scroll to the end of the blog.

A Virtual Visit to the Springs of Engedi

The Springs of Engedi

AT THE WATER BROOKS

Israel Pilgrimage--2006

We stop briefly

at a verdant oasis

in the wilderness—

the Springs of Engedi

where long ago in a cave nearby

David spared the life of Saul

A crystalline waterfall descends

from high above our heads

into a sparkling pool at our feet

Our rabbi tells us

deer and ibex

hyrax and rock badgers

roam these hills

and that in the shade

of the caves

psalmists of old

likely scrawled

timeless verses

My mind’s eye

envisions a son of Korah

sitting upon a rock

at the mouth of a cave

ministering unto the Lord

on a hot day—

Suddenly a thirsty deer

appears and begins

lapping cool, refreshing water

from the stream—

          hence, Psalm 42

As the deer pants

for the water brooks,

So my soul pants

for You, O God…

We begin to sing the psalm—

our own souls thirsting

for the Living God

of the ages

as our eyes dart about

searching for deer or ibex

or a snippet

of Saul’s garment

shorn by the blade

of David’s swift sword

Maude Carolan Pych


Pastor/Rabbi Jonathan Cahn will be leading a holy land pilgrimage, which will begin this week. I pray that every pilgrim will have a deeply heart moving, even life changing experience in The Land.

I have self-published a chapbook of poems about pilgrimage. It is titled, "A Pilgrim's Quest". Scroll to the bottom of this blog for ordering information.