Over the last few weeks I have been sharing with our teachers at Holy Family some of my experiences of the Holy Land and how profoundly ‘walking in the footsteps of Jesus’ has influenced my view of the world in which we live.

This week, I recounted my visit to the Mount of Olives, which offers a panoramic view of the Old City of Jerusalem. The significance of its name, "city of peace," adds a deeper layer to the experience.

(The view of Jerusalem from Dominus Flevit)

It was here on the Mount of Olives that I reflected on the Gospel of Luke, (19: 28-40) which tells of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, in what we call Palm Sunday. Here He was welcomed by the people.

‘They proclaimed:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” (Luke 19:38).

This was a time that should have been pure joy as the people welcomed Jesus as King, as it fulfilled the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9

“Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!

Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and victorious,

lowly and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

To hear our guide Rami connect Old Testament Scripture to New Testament Scripture on the very ground that Jesus walked was an experience that I will carry with me all the days of my life.

Dominus Flevit,  with 4 jars one at each corner to capture the tears of Jesus)

But then the bible tells us that “As He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it.” (Luke 19:40).

It was here at the Dominus Flevit, a church with a dome shaped like a teardrop that I wondered about Jesus and His deep love for us, despite the fact that we often turn away from Him.

I look at the terrible events of the world today and pray that Jerusalem will one day see peace. But one can often feel helpless being so far removed. I like to think that peace begins with my conscious actions to live Jesus' message. As Father Henry reminded us at the weekend’s Confirmation Masses, Jesus gave us just one commandment.

(John 13: 34-35)“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

It is as simple as this! I like to think that we can live this message by showing compassion to those who are different, in suffering or in pain. We can live this by demonstrating patience when things don't go smoothly (as many of our teachers have done here at Holy Family as I learn to juggle new rosters and ‘where important things are kept).

I pray for peace in our troubled world and live in hope that all children of God, regardless of race or Creed can experience a world where we live in harmony.