The New Jerusalem!

Today we celebrate the First Sunday of Advent in many Christian Churches.  It is wonderful to 'wait' for Jesus at Christmas, for the four Sundays of Advent, while remembering that the Jewish people had to wait centuries for their redeemer to be born.  This passage was in one of the Bible readings:

"I rejoiced because they said to me,
   "We will go up to the house of the Lord."
And now we have set foot
   within your gates, O Jerusalem."

This morning at Mass, I thought of you, and would like to share more photos from Jerusalem.

Ruins inside the Old City, Jerusalem, October, 2013.

Jerusalem, the new city, outside the walls.  Note that all building are constructed of white stone, by law.  October, 2013.

Golden onion dome roofs of the Russian Orthodox Church on the Mount of Olives with the old walled city of Jerusalem in background, October, 2013.

A Muslim minaret, or tower, inside the old walls of Jerusalem.  The mosques are in all cities in Israel.  October, 2013.

We were told that Moslems wanted to build an incredibly large mosque next to one of the largest Catholic basilicas in Israel.  It would have totally dwarfed the Christian site.  Israel denied permission for this building.

Tree through which you can see Jerusalem's old city.  Note the large aloe plant (cactus) at lower left.  There were many very large such plants in Israel. October, 2013.

From the Book of Isaiah, Chapter Two:

"This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come, the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest mountain

   and raised above the hills.

All nations shall stream toward it; many peoples shall come and say:

Come, let us climb the Lord's mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob,

   that he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths."

Happy Advent!  Enjoy getting ready for Christmas!