Day 6: From Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem to His Resurrection in the Empty Tomb in the Old City!

Birthplace, Manger, Baby Jesus, and Christmas Tree from Bethlehem; Calvary and Empty Tomb with Risen Lord Above at Chiurch of the Holy Speulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem (From Lower Left Corner Clockwise)

What an extraordinary day this day was! One of perseverance, determination and in the end everything working out beyond expectations! At the end of the day I spent quiet time with my Lord & Savior in the exact location He was born in the Grotto underneath the altar in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in Palestine and at Calvary where He was crucified and in the Empty Tomb where He was resurrected in the Church of the Nativity in the Old City of Jerusalem. With perfect timing at all three locations there were no lines and I was able to pray for about 15 minutes at each place. Just mind and spirit boggling to say the least; hard to comprehend; and now even a year later still so purifying, cleansing and impactful!

Let me tell you how this all happened to me!

If there is one day I will remember of my 28-day Spiritual Journey to Israel & Palestine it will be this day—Day No. 6. Staying in Jerusalem in Israel for some reason I woke up with the conviction to take a bus to Checkpoint 300 and visit Bethlehem in Palestine. Specifically the place where Jesus was born in the grotto or small cave beneath the altar of the Church of the Nativity. I had done my research. It would be a short 10-minute straight-away bus ride down Route 60 on Bus 324 to the border and then another two miles or so to Nativity Square. Seven shekels and a gut-level calling to go to Palestine to pay my respect and worship that little Baby Jesus that change the world. On a day exactly one week before Christmas!

Wall separating Jerusalem, Israel from Bethlehem, Palestine.

Thank you Facebook for my 40-picture story line. I could not have done it in the previous 30 picture limit. The first cut was 91 pictures. I don’t like to be succinct in anything in life—pictures, words or experiences; especially spiritual experiences like the one I hoped for today. I was traveling as my Splendid Spiritual Self, a result of creating and following the TROML (a dynamic self-realization) process for nearly 20 years now. What would I do along the way, who would I meet, what would happen? No worries as long as I left my Self, Pride and Silly Ego behind and first looked at and first experienced life on a spiritual level. TROML Baby as I would say!

None of us are free unless all of us are free! Freedom through reconciliation of imperfect human justice; then unity, freedom, faith, & abundance!

The bus took me to a gigantic wall. One I could not pass through, over, or under no matter how desperate, angry, or determined I was. Being Andy and an American I unassumingly walked into the new Israeli border building instead of the more direct older one. Attention to details is my strength not always attention to the path normally traveled at border crossings or in life! This was no checkpoint for Americans. I simply walked through. The only interaction was when a guard asked me to stop taking pictures of the tourist murals which I kind of expected in a security area.

I emerged the narrow tunnel-like experience to a sea of taxi cabs and their drivers all eyeing me as their next fare. One, an older man like me, or should I say a more experienced man like me, was rather persistent. From my research I could tell he was lying to me on which way to go and how to get to the Church of the Nativity. As I chose to walk, after all I was on a pilgrimage, I turned my back on him without learning his name although we would meet again on Christmas when I did take his offer and learn his name.

The walk was exhilarating and a bit challenging as it was definitely up to the Church of the Nativity. One cab driver stopped to tell me it was too dangerous to be walking through the area I was walking through. He might have been right but turned out to be wrong. I followed the endless streams of cabs down the side streets they using hydrocarbon power and me using foot power. It wasn’t long before I emerged on what I knew to be Main Street. I knew the right direction—uphill! Isn’t it strange how there are times in life that you know you are in exactly the right place heading in the right direction looking for the right thing and knowing that you will find it?

There were three signs along my journey to Jesus and the Church of the Nativity that morning. Actually four but you can’t count the bakery on a spiritual pilgrimage!

The first sign was hard to miss whether walking or riding along in a taxi cab. I was on the other side of it now. Being an American I know I am blessed with freedom to come and go as I like virtually throughout the world. Some people can’t do that and some have died trying and their names and their stories are on that wall. I have been to Soweto in Johannesburg, South Africa from which Nelson Mandela emerged to be president following a serpentine and serendipitous route in life. What I have seen of Palestine so far is definitely not Soweto but I have yet to tour a settlement camp from 1946. These murals tell a story that the world must hear!

The second sign was a TROML Moment for sure. The road took a turn to the right; there was a grassy field with a view to die for. I didn’t want to die so I stayed a safe distance from the drop-off point and sat down and open my bible to the Gospel of Luke 2:4-7 to read about the birth of Jesus. This is antiquity that I was reliving today that will be as real as real can be in a week’s time. Like acing a math test in middle school I knew I was on the path to the right answer in life once again.

I got up and continued walking through the city of Bethlehem to the place of enormous importance. The third sign appeared to me as I noticed a statue on the other side of the street. Not one of a single man, woman or person or committee (good luck finding one of those) but one of the number ‘2’ and three links of chain extending towards the heavens. Fascinated I crossed the street to have a closer look and to take some pictures. I like when the story of the artwork is clearly displayed to put me in the mind and perspective of the creator. This one had it and it is like you or I wanted the same thing for us and our grandchildren, one of which I now have been blessed with! The links are our three monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—reaching for the third millennium from the second instead of “tumbling down in a clash for the past.”

“Want to evoke a new spiritual course…” TROML Baby! Read the picture; it is only 95 words that could change your life! Thank you God for your wisdom and creative talent expressed through Ottaviano Giannangeli. A hidden angel now made public in the little town of Bethlehem!

I walked through Bethlehem two miles up to Nativity Square and the Church of the Nativity!

I was tired and the hill was turning into a mountain. I made it to the top; to Manger Square; to the Church of the Nativity. But I needed a latte first because my cell phone needed to be charged. To all you international marketers: the best way to attract American customers is to provide readily available electricity to recharge our cell phones!

In the café it was there that I met Mahmoud and we struck up a conversation sharing our life stories. HE growing up in Bethlehem a Muslim learning how to throw rocks at the Israeli occupiers and earning a two-year prison sentence. His father’s faith, he realized, had some substance to it and he turned his life around. Now Mahmoud is a husband, father, and activist in creating places for young kids like he once was to go to find success in life without the prison chapter in the book of their life.

Truly a pleasure, honor, & God-send to meet Mahmoud!

Mahmoud believes in three things: 1) Don’t believe in someone that says they are true and you are not; 2) If you do anything, do it for God; and 3) Respect each other. He believes that the problems in the world are not with God but because of people who think they are God.

After questioning and listening to Mahmoud I had no life story to tell. His part about realizing that his father and his father’s faith was of value to the son certainly rings true to me.

Truly a pleasure, honor, & God-send to meet Lourdes!

Mahmoud led me to Lourdes, a person, not the hospital I was born in on Riverside Drive in Binghamton, New York! More than a person, a beautiful young lady whose beauty emerges from her heart and soul the moment you first connect with her smile! Lourdes would have a profound impact on how I celebrated Christmas but you will have to wait a week to read about that. For now her impact was even bigger when she noted that it was five minutes to noon and pointing to the door urged me to hurry before the church closes at noon. I didn’t understand but I followed her directions.

First in line, pure God-send for Noon Nativity Blessings!

Through the door I went that led from the Casa Nova Franciscan House for Pilgrims to the Churches of St. Catherine and the Nativity. Without really thinking or plotting out a course I found myself at the opening of the grotto or the small cave beneath the Nativity altar where Jesus was born. I went in only to be stopped by a man with a hand that looks like the stop signs in Israel. Wait ten minutes he said as I inched closer down the shaft to Jesus.

I quickly realized that a Noon blessing ceremony was about to take place so I went to the video and captured it timing out my 5-minute timer twice and then shot a third depicting their exit through the tiny door at the end of the cavern that I would wonder about a bit later.

CLICK HERE for Part 1 of 3 of the VIDEO of the Noon Nativity Blessing!

CLICK HERE for Part 2 of 3 of the VIDEO of the Noon Nativity Blessing!

CLICK HERE for Part 3 of 3 of the VIDEO of the Noon Nativity Blessing!

I was first in and all in to the exact spot where Jesus was born over 2,000 years ago. Like my Mom & Dad’s passing’s it was a chilling experience yet with a deep-hearted joy that all is good with all aspects of our God-created lives. This was pure joy and full acceptance and belief that our Savior was born right here and lived to change the world in conjunction with The Holy Spirit as directed by God. The manger area was no more than ten feet away and it too was a spiritual experience to see!

A Prayer of Smiles & Joy at the exact spot where Jesus was born!

After taking more than my fair share of time in the grotto where Jesus was born I emerged to the beautiful altar of the Church of the Nativity. There I lit a candle rejoicing in the Lord’s upcoming birth and found a nook to journal a bit and read my Bible. Then I went back and thanked Lourdes and Mahmoud. Even though they do not know one another they knew me and my Splendid Spiritual Self through their Splendid Spiritual Selves and helped me along in my spiritual journey. I would see them both again on Christmas.

As I enjoyed a meal called the “Palestinian Temptation Platter,” overlooking Nativity Square I recharged my phone but I seemed unable to recharge myself as the Nativity experience was a bit overwhelming. The Alpha and the Omega was a reference my Dad made often in the latter years of his life. I had witnessed the beginning—the Alpha. Little did I know what was still in store for me this very day?

Another Prayer of Smiles & Joy at the Manger, about 10 feet from the spot where Jesus was born in the Nativity Grotto under the altar in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine!

Being adventurous I chose to take the bus back to Jerusalem. Why not a cab back to Checkpoint 300 to reverse my steps I do not know? My ‘intel’ was limited. I found the bus station but the bus to Jerusalem did not use the bus station. I taxi cabbed over to a bus stop where I caught the bus to Jerusalem. It was a nightmare compared to my incoming route. Much longer with heavy traffic and a real checkpoint as we were entering Israel now not leaving Israel.

It took me a while to figure out the bus passing through the border process. Bus stops. Palestinians get off and wait in line to have their credentials checked. Israel soldiers with AK-47s come on board and walk the aisle looking for suspicious people I guess. After being interrogated the Palestinians re-board the same bus and we cross the border in silence as though nothing happened. No judgment here but it seems to me that there are two definitions of ‘country’ when it comes to Palestine and Israel. I believe in the State of Israel, my opinion is that it is biblical. I also believe in the State of Palestine. Every nationality should have their own country with the respect of Mahmoud and the hope of Ottaviano. We are blessed way beyond our nonexistent entitlement in America that is for sure.

Calvary in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Christ died on the Cross for our sins…

Empty Tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Christ was resurrected from the dead. Note the Risen Lord Above! Alleluia!

The bus drops me off near the Damascus Gate of the Old City. After a piece of AFC (Arab Fried Chicken) and some more charge for me and my phone I decided that it is time for me to enter the Old City, I head through the Damascus Gate seeking the Church of the Holy Sepulcher because that is what Christians do. We seek the Alpha and the Omega, the birth and death of Jesus and know that the Omega becomes the Alpha, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ we have new life now and for all of eternity. Glory to God, Jesus, and The Holy Spirit Forever.

I sought and I found the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Moments later I found myself in the tomb with Jesus where he died and was resurrected. No lines, no wait, almost as if it was pre-destined. Though we do not know the hour of our death I imagine it will be something like the day I had today. Only closeness, human and spiritual freedom and completeness forever.

Praying inside the Empty Tomb, for myself, family, friends, & strangers… for peace in our world!

Did you see the picture of the mural on the wall separating Israel and Palestine? What I noticed about it was the graffiti with the words “Someday we will all be free.” Death is our common destiny and so too is eternal life through our own free will to do as we please, maybe think we are God too, or to have the will to be free of our Self, Pride and Silly Ego.

I hope to see you on the other side of the wall… in Bethlehem and Beyond!

TROML Baby, oh what a day! Thank you God!

(Andy Reistetter; Facebook Post with 39 Pics; 1-1-2019)