Egypt Journal #9

JOURNAL: November 25, 2006 - Saturday - 7:15 p.m.

We just returned from our day at Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery, which sits at the base of it. It was yet another great highlight in what has been a tremendous pilgramage for me. St. Catherine's is Greek Orthodox, and it is quite different from all the Coptic monasteries we have visited. There was no guided tour by a monk, so people were free to wander around. Many groups had brought guides with them. And the number of the nationalities & languages I heard around me was fascinating. In fact, it was a little bit like going to Machu Picchu and seeing a veritable United Nations smorgasboard on the top. St. Catherine's has been a pilgramage destination for centuries upon centuries (unlike the Coptic monasteries, which have been opened relatively recently to the public), and the monks appear to be resigned to their fate. No peace. No solitude. No quiet.

The main church of the monastery was beautiful in a very Othodox way. It was decorated almost to the point of seeming a little bit gaudy. There were heavy chandeliers hanging low, with hanging ostrich eggs interspersed everywhere. And of course, icons lined the walls. Some of it - much of it - was tailored to handle the tourist crush.

There was a modern bush planted in the courtyard that is the traditional site of the burning bush. It was hanging down from a ledge, and the branches that were within reach were picked clean for leafy souvenirs. I couldn't help but think of the Singing Bush scene from "Three Amigos." I would have given anything if that bush had broken out into song.

The most famous icons - three dating from the sixth century and including Christos Pantocrator - were kept in a sort of museum area, along with many impressive liturgical pieces and ancient texts. So the history was as impressive as any we've seen, while the spiritual heaviness of the Coptic monasteries was almost completely absent. It is as if the monks have simply bowed to the pressure of relentless busloads of tourists, eager to see Mt. Sinai and the iconography.

St. Catherine's is, supposedly, the oldest continuously inhabited monastery in the world, by the way. Its icons were saved during the medieval iconoclasm controversy, because the monastery was in Muslim territory and was thereby protected (ironically enough).

We are staying at the Plaza Hotel in the grown-up area near the monastery. Like other hotels where we've stayed, it is interesting to say the least. I am in the lobby as I write this, and the shortcomings of Egyptian hotels are constantly present and very annoying. Service and amenities are a world away from Western standards. One of the guys on our trip made the remark, "They try so hard, but they try so wrong." Well put.

The journey up Mt. Sinai this afternoon was incredible. Most of us chose to take the more difficult, ancient path called the "Steps of Repentance." It was as steep and difficult a climb as I have made in a long time. But the 1 hr. 45 min. trip was worth every step. We had an incredible view from the top, and the spiritual connection with biblical tradition was palpable. I have no doubt that Moses and the Hebrews were in this area of the Sinai (and probably at this very mountain), regardless of the mountain's tenuous historical claim. [Note of explanation: the current Mt. Sinai was dubbed as such by Christians some 1500 years or more after the time of Moses. I believe it was around the time of the Emperor Constantine, in the fourth century A.D.]

We prayed, worshipped, and sang on the summit. Around that circle of brothers and sisters, I felt I was catching a glimpse of the kingdom. Dr. Smith read 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, a fitting passage for the moment. Afterwards, many were in tears.

Our trip down was by the camel's path, the longer but easier path used to ferry people up the mountain by camel. I took it mostly alone, and the solitude was good. It was a good day and a good finale to the trip.

The cold of the desert this evening reminds me how much I long for the comforts and conveniences of home. I especially want to see Emily, and the $4 U.S./per minute international rate at this hotel makes calling her prohibitive. It has been a wonderful experience for most all of us. Even so, there is much back home that is calling my attention, and truthfully, I will enjoy getting back to my work. I only hope that when this is finally over, and the wonderful experiences are translated into wonderful memories, I can integrate what I have seen and done into my discipleship. Ascetic renunciation; silence; an approach to faith that embodies the practices of my hands and feet and tongue as well as of my mind - these are not abstract ideas fit only for a seminar discussion or a term paper. They are a vital part of the church's tradition, and I want them to be a vital part of my faith.