By tour leader Ingrid Reichard
Today was a surreal day. We walked on the ground that Jesus walked on – the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. We started by setting a contemplative mood, and by 8:30 am read the whole Sermon, and we read it on the Mount.
Our little group reading the words of Jesus spoken here and worshipping him.
The beautiful church of the Beatitudes.
We stopped at the place where Jesus multiplied the bread and fish to feed thousands and where he asks Peter three times about his love.
At the place where Jesus cooks the fish breakfast and reinstates Peter – contemplating the grace that covers all our failures.
We dipped our feet in the Sea of Galilee.
We spent time in Capernaum, the centre of Christ’s ministry, the home of Peter and Andrew and the location of so many of the miracles recorded in the gospels. Capernaum however did not believe and Jesus pronounce a “woe” over it…and indeed is a dead city, though at one time it was a thriving centre.
The synagogue in Capernaum.
Our group in the Capernaum Synagogue.
Right after a lunch of St. Peter’s fish we stopped at Magdala – the home of Mary Magdalene, the place of the healing of the woman with hemorrhage and the raising of Talitha, a very new site, discovered accidentally (during a hotel construction) just about 10 years ago.
In the chapel at Magdala – a very personally meaningful moment for me.
It was a hot, mid-afternoon when we made it to Kursi, in the region of the Gerasenes – just east of the Jordan river between the Jewish and the Gentile territory. Some of us decided to sit out the climb up to the Chapel of Demoniac. This is the place that marks the casting out of legions into the swine. We read the long version of this account from Mark 5. We saw the steep bank near-by and marvelled at the saving and restoring power of Christ over anything that might oppress us.
There isn’t much left besides the mosaic floor of the tiny chapel up in the hill, but it is a powerful spot nevertheless.
There are not-so-secret hopes being shared among the group that Brian will be the first to owe the whole bus ice cream.
It is hard to choose the highlight today, the boat ride was certainly a strong contender. We started with a moving rendition of O Canada, a less than perfect rendition of Put your Hand in the Hand, then great worship, and we wrapped it up with an amazing good attempt at dancing the whole of Hava Nagila.
Hoisting up the Canadian flag.
On the Sea of Galilee – the winds have really picked up for us!
Ok, it really has been a long day and boat rides are very lulling.
Tomorrow we head north to the border with Lebanon and Syria, Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi…and more.
Did you get your ice cream? Hahahaha. This looks absolutely wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing…maybe Brian will give his staff some ice cream. 🙂 Amazing pictures….