The other day we went to the Upper Room here in Jerusalem- where the Last Supper took place. They were holding a prayer service there for Christian Unity- it was beautiful to see Christians from all around the world crowding in. Near the end we all prayed the Our Father in our own languages (which were many) and at first I thought it sounded so discordant and messy- (like the Tower of Babel! -see Genesis 11) but as we all ended at about the same time it occurred to me quite powerfully that it sounded something more like Pentecost must have. After the service we climbed some stairs to a small, unheated, unadorned chapel; the Chapel of the H
oly Spirit where the apostles hid for nine days after Jesus rose into heaven. There they heard a rumbling rushing sound which filled the house, fire from heaven came down and rested on them- and they all were given the ability to speak in different languages- so that they could go out and preach to all nations. A crowd gathered outside, wondering what the sound could be, and everyone gathered there heard the apostles speaking in their own language. A tradition holds that the apostles knew where they were being sent to go and evangelize by the language that they were given to speak. St. James went to Spain. St. Thomas went to India. Peter went to Rome. John cared for the Blessed Mother. Philip went to Turkey, Jude to Syria, Andrew to Greece. Simon went to Africa, and maybe Great Britain as well. (all the places had different names then, but of course the Church outlasts countries). Holy Spirit come and fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of thy love!
-Mike
oly Spirit where the apostles hid for nine days after Jesus rose into heaven. There they heard a rumbling rushing sound which filled the house, fire from heaven came down and rested on them- and they all were given the ability to speak in different languages- so that they could go out and preach to all nations. A crowd gathered outside, wondering what the sound could be, and everyone gathered there heard the apostles speaking in their own language. A tradition holds that the apostles knew where they were being sent to go and evangelize by the language that they were given to speak. St. James went to Spain. St. Thomas went to India. Peter went to Rome. John cared for the Blessed Mother. Philip went to Turkey, Jude to Syria, Andrew to Greece. Simon went to Africa, and maybe Great Britain as well. (all the places had different names then, but of course the Church outlasts countries). Holy Spirit come and fill the hearts of thy faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of thy love!-Mike
4 comments:
That is cool that you got to go there and see were the last supper was. I wish i could go there and see it but i dont think i will ever go there.
Menominee Catholic Central, Nicholas Harris
Wow..that must have been really cool. What was it like to sit in the same room as Jesus did 2000 years ago?
Allison from Menominee Catholic Central. :]
You never know Nick! I would have never guessed that I would be able to go to the Upper Room. (John 3:8)
And think of how the SAME sacrifice that was offered during the Last Supper- Christ truly present in the Eucharist- is present at every mass you go to! Even if you never make it to the Upper Room, the Last Supper comes to YOU-!
Allison- it was pretty cool! What was it like? Actually, I was really tired after a long day of classes and tours and such, and I have to tell you that the half hour we stood in the Upper Room waiting for the service to start was the loooooongest half hour of my life! I thought of how the apostles hid and waited there for NINE. DAYS.
It was very powerful to see all the people representing the different nations come back to that room to worship together- from the very spot where the apostles were sent out to preach to all those nations in the first place!
The Upper Room is the place where four of the Church's seven Sacraments were given to us- do you know which ones?
To sit in the same room where Jesus sat makes our faith so concrete- our God came down (to THIS SPOT!) to bring us back up! What's an even wilder thought though is where He's sitting right NOW- beside you Allison.
Mike
WOW! Thats so cool that you got to see the place where Jesus was, how did you feel knowing that he was in that very dame room?
Kelsey from MCC
Post a Comment