Lukisan Barbara Jung, O Jerusalem
Luke 19:41-44
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand wither
Jerusalem. Its name echoes until the end of the earth. It is one of the most fabulous cities in the world. Its magnitude is caused that this city is colored with an abundance sense of meanings: culture, history; civilization, geography, faith, etc. No other city in this world such as has an abundance sense of meaning as Jerusalem. It is not a wonder that many nations compete with one other for the claim to Jerusalem. It can be seen from a historical point that it has been occupied and conquered by many nations such as Philistine, Babylon, Macedonia, Roman, Turkey, British.
One abundant sense of meaning existing in Jerusalem is a city for three great religions: Jewish, Christianity, Islam. These three religions assume the Jerusalem as the holy city. In Jerusalem, cross, star of David and crescent-star were born. The acclamation of those religions to call the infinite: Allah, Yahweh, Father, resounds in every corner of Jerusalem. This is the greatest abundance sense and faith, which Jerusalem has, and what makes it as the chosen and blessed city.
A religion exists to lead its follower to God through its teaching. The teaching itself is God’s revelation. The followers of a religion internalize the teaching so that they can experience, feel, and in the final unite in God. In this sense, according to Wittgenstein, religion is the way of life (Weltanschauung). The way of life-based on the teaching of religion finds its peak in peace. Peace should be the result of the internalization of the way of life itself. The reason is quite simple that is God is peace. The manifestation of peace is the followers of these three religions holding each other a hand and sitting together praising God’s glory. For sure, God bestows His grace on them; God hears their acclamation and this is the will of God. Therefore, from Jerusalem the peace flows until the end of the earth; from Jerusalem, the message of peace is posted and addressed to all the nations. “If you in your turn had only understood on this day the message of peace” then it is a kingdom of heaven: the place of these three religions unites each other. Jerusalem as the kingdom of heaven is the greatest abundance of sense of meaning, faith, of peace.
Ironically, it is hidden from their eyes. They do not realize that Jerusalem as the city of three religions has an abundance sense of meaning, of faith and of peace. They do not recognize this grace when God bestowed it. On the contrary, they value it as a defect that there must be only one religion. The follower of the three religions tries to destroy each other for Jerusalem. Swords have been raised for many centuries; the sound of heavy footsteps is coming to perish. In the name of religion, the Jewish, the Christian, and the Moslem take the war machine. Now Israel’s target actually is neither Gaza nor Ramallah but Jerusalem. Jerusalem is to be alert for Israel’s aggression. When that happens, Jerusalem will not be a city that posts peace messages to all the nations but a war message. There will be the bloody city. “Yes a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortification all around you when they will dash you and the children inside your wall to the ground; they will leave you not one stone standing on another within you”. It is no longer kingdom of heaven but the kingdom of hell. And it is always like that. That is why Jesus is weeping for this.
Oh Jerusalem, oh Jerusalem!!
The prayer from Psalm 122:
For the peace of Jerusalem, pray:
“Peace to your homes! May peace reign in your walls,
In your palaces, peace!”
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