Psalm 122
I was glad when they said to me,
‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’
Our feet are standingwithin your gates, O Jerusalem.Jerusalem—built as a city
that is bound firmly together.To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the Lord.For there the thrones for judgement were set up,
the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:
‘May they prosper who love you.Peace be within your walls,and security within your towers.’
For the sake of my relatives and friends
I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
I will seek your good.Prayer:
God of our joy and gladness,
as we prepare to enter the city of Jerusalem
help us to take to our hearts its modern bustle, busy traffic, bright lights and at the same time to remember its divisions and ancient ways, its centres of faith for Jew and Muslim,
and all that it means to us and to all Christian people.
Protect all who live here from everything that makes for violence and hatred and keep all who visit from prejudice and self-centredness.
Bless us, who come to this holy place as pilgrims on a journey of faith.
In your mercy and love, inspire us by your Holy Spirit and speak to us through your Son, as we follow his steps to the cross and place of resurrection.
Give us joy in our hearts, keep us praising!
- and in your mercy hear our prayer –
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
The Benedictine Monastery was our next port of call, an awesome place of tranquility, peace and worship. As we sat in that place our first singing as a group took place ... Father, we adore you, lay our lives before you, how we love you ... Jesus ... Spirit. 
As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.’
Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ,
Today we share your tears for the cities of the world;
Still we have not loved the things that make for peace.
We weep for the divided cities;
where brother fights with brother,
where anger feeds on hatred,
where prejudice blinds the eyes of compassion,
and even religion divides,
where children are taught to hate,
and old men relish ancient wrongs.
We weep for cities of oppression:
where iron law imprisons freedom,
where thought is curbed and conscience stifled,
where the questioning spirit is called a traitor,
where art and civilising truth grow barren,
and each must think in manner as his neighbour.
We weep for cities of poverty:
where children live, but die too soon,
where eager hands can find no work,
where hunger rules and aid is short,
where mothers clutch uncomprehending young,
and where the little we could do, we fail to do.
We weep for our cities and for ourselves;
we have not learned the things that make for peace.
Lord,
turn tears to love, and love to work.
Turn work to justice,
and all that makes for peace. Amen.
(Donald Hilton)
As we progress into the Valley, we encounter the Garden of GethsemaneMark 14: 32-41
They went to a place called Gethsemane; and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be distressed and agitated. And he said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.’ And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
He said, ‘Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.’ He came and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep awake one hour? Keep awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. And once more he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to say to him. He came a third time and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! The hour has come; the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.’
Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Then they laid hands on him and arrested him
In the power of the Spirit let us pray to the Father
through Christ the Saviour of the world.
Father, in this place you Son was betrayed,
earlier that evening he had washed his disciples’ feet.
We commit ourselves to follow his example of love and service.
Lord, hear us
and humble us.
At the Last Supper, he prayed for his disciples to be one.
We pray for the unity of the Church
Lord, hear us
and unite us.
On that same day he prayed here for the cup to pass from him.His disciples slept, but his mission was fulfilled.
We pray for courage
Lord, hear us
and renew our zeal.
In this place your Son Jesus Christ accepted the cup of death
and looked forward to the new wine of the Kingdom.
We remember those persecuted for their faith and for all who have died in the peace of Christ.
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Being in this Garden, a filled with grief, burden and failure, turmoil and struggle, not a happy or plesent place to be but a place where we do find ourselves sometimes.
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And this is just the morning of the first day in Jerusalem.
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