Brothers+

By the time that we in America had read the news I
posted aobut the Israeli Army allowing Palestinian
Christians special passes to attend liturgy at the
Church of the Nativity, services were over and the
army of occupation had once again cleared the streets
in Bethlehem.

Of course the significance of the occupation is more
than a disruption of religious practices, it is also a
measure to economically depress the area even further
which is impoverished because of 70% unemployment.

I have long since lost the little Hebrew I ever knew,
but something prompted me to check on the meaning of
Bethlehem.  I remembered the "House of Bread"
significance, but was surprised to find that the
Abingdom Bible Dictionary also gave these meanings:
House of Fighting and House of God.

There is a sermon in there somewhere.

Charles+




--------------------------------------------------
--- Charles Scott <crscott@...> wrote:

 Israeli Army Allows Christmas Liturgies in Bethlehem
>  Christians with Special Passes Can Enter the Town
> 
> JERUSALEM, DEC. 24, 2002 (ZENIT.org).- The Israeli
> army pulled back from  Manger Square and other
central parts of Bethlehem  to allow for Christmas 
> celebrations in the town of Jesus' birth.
> 
> With the curfew lifted, Christians piled into the
> streets to greet the  Latin-rite patriarch of
Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah,  who came in procession 
> from Jerusalem.
> 
> In the side streets the religious leader received a
> long applause from the  people, particularly the
Muslims.
> 
> The streets and houses were generally bare of any
> Christmas decorations.  Tourists were rare, and many
shops remained closed.
> 
> Mounted Israeli police escorted the entourage from
> Jerusalem until it reached Palestinian territory at
the Tantur  checkpoint. On entering  Bethlehem, the
procession was escorted by
> Palestinian police.

<snip>
> 


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