Please pray for the mission in Israel

Rev. Michael Jenkins
MWJenk@familyfed.org
Sunday, May 18, 2003

Dear Family,

On Friday we visited to the church of St. Peter in Gallicantu. It is built over the foundation of the house of Caiaphas the Chief Priest of Israel. This is where Jesus was led to be scourged and directly questioned by Caiaphas. (This was the place where Caiaphas' house was located - the dungeon and torture chamber were located under his house. We went down into the dungeon in which Jesus was held and questioned for the last time. Bishop Stallings led our prayer. People are weeping and crying out at the suffering of our Lord. To look at the dungeon in which Jesus was held and questioned, it was unbelievable. Then we walked on the same stone steps from 2000 years ago where Jesus walked the night before he was crucified. It was recorded in Luke 22:61-63 that Peter followed him to this place and waited while he was beaten and questioned inside, it was there that Peter denied three times that he knew him. Jesus somehow turned and saw him after he had done this as it is recorded in Luke.

Luke 22:61-63: And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

Luke 22:64 - Luke 23:1: And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth. And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.

The Clergy are having a most profound experience in the Holy Land. God prepared these pastors by having them follow True Parents since the inception of the American Clergy Leadership Conference in May of 2000. This three year journey since then has prepared the clergy for this moment. Now, they are ready to embrace the first Israel.

On Saturday we went to the sea of Galilee and read the scriptures of the times when Jesus was there. We had fellowship on the boat ride across the sea and the clergy could feel the love of God and the presence of Jesus. Then at Capernaum we saw the house of Peter and the foundation of the very temple in which Jesus preached the gospel. Then on to the Mount of Beatitudes and there we read the sermon on the Mount that Jesus gave there.

Upon our return that night we felt the presence of God. Still everyone also felt serious about the mission before us. Though the clergy were exhausted, I gave the parallels of history and Rev. Schanker gave a very powerful Mission of Jesus. We went until 11 pm. The clergy were soaked in the word and continually guided to be like Jacob toward Esau, humble and sacrificial and bowing before him to win his elder brother's heart.

Now we go before the representatives of the first Israel to reconcile and become one.

We sincerely and humbly ask the worldwide Family Federation to earnestly pray to God that this mission will be fulfilled and the victory multiplied to all religions, races and nations.

Thank you True Parents.

Thank you God.

MWJ