A City of Gates and Doors

I am fascinated by the gates and doors of Jerusalem--church doors, doors into walled gardens, doorways into the most humble houses and dwellings by the way, and of course the great gates of the Old City--Lion's Gate, Herod's Gate, the Damascus Gate, Jaffa Gate, Zion Gate, the Dung Gate and the Golden Gate, which has been sealed for 2,000 years.

This is a city where many doors and gates are closed and locked--locked by prejudice, by the crushing forces of empire, by suspicion, by violence. In the past few days I have had discussions with Jews, Palestinians and Christians who all feel the oppressive frustration of closed doors in this great city. Because of security threats earlier this week, there were neighborhoods of the city which were literally sealed off.

But for the accident of history, this place would be unremarkable--another Mediterranean or Levantine city which time would forget. Fortunately there are many open doors in this special place. Because of the great confluence of the forces of history upon this place, because it is a city unto which many nations merge together there must be a wise effort to keep as many doors open as possible.

None of us can open all the doors--but we can open our small doors, one by one. I saw this yesterday as we visited in the home of Hefa Khalidi. If enough small doors are opened, it may usher in a time when even the greatest gates will grind open on their rusty hinges, and perhaps we'll all see the day when even the Golden Gate is opened wide to receive a Messiah of peace.