What a last day! This journey was filled with mountain tops and I just thought at some point we would have to come down the other side and experience a day with less WOW’s…..but it just was not to happen. Today was really an amazing day of encountering Jesus in a fresh way and gave us a chance to see the landscape of his life.
We began the day with a drive past Magdala (the home of Mary Magdalen) noticing first century graves beside the road unearthed when they upgraded the roads…this place is just bursting with history. We looked up and over to the beautiful old route to Nazareth just the right of the Arabel cliff….en route to another mount…..known as the Mount of the Beattitudes. We were able to sing in the church again , this time Tallis, and it was wonderful. We read the beattitudes….and felt blessed. There was a Indian mass with a group from South India, Russian Orthodox Christians singing prayers in the church and Nigerians arriving….this Holy place really draw people who long to be in the places of Jesus’ life. I noticed Psalm 122.1-2, being read here by teh Sea, but having just come from Jreusalem, it seemed more powerful to me. “I was glad when they said unto me let us go UP to Jerusalem”.
We then ventured to Capernaum to the house of St. Peter. I have loved how our guide has taught us Biblical words…like GARAF…NA….HAM or teh Village of Nahum….meaning place to bring comfort (or something like that). This place was a border between the tribes of Zebulon and Naphtali of Herod’s time (Isaiah 9:1-2) and I had not realized what a trade route this place would have been….Mesopatamian region South to Egypt in the Jordan valley. “The people who have walked in darkness have seen a great light”…..perhaps this was a fore-telling of the presence o Jesus in the village one day.
I had not realized that Peter was originially from Bethsaida but came back to Capernaum to this little house, where he helped care for 
his mother until Jesus came and healed her.
We then journeyd to Taghba to visit the place of loaves and fishes, where Jesus fed the 5000. The floor was marvellous and we celebrated the Eucharist at an outdoor chapel by the shore. I loved the face that the mosaic only shows four loaves insteas of five reminding us of the fifth loaf being our Eucharistic loaf….one theory. One disturbing, and perhaps telling observation was the presence of lots of fighter jets flying around during our communion service. It was a reminder of the problems in Syria just beyond the border in the Golan heights as well as the growing tensions in the straights of Hormuz with Iran. We offered prayers for peace. I loved watching one of our group raising her hands in true praise while we sang….it was special. The Bishop’s sermon about the unfairness of God was great….really made you think, and be thankful.
After communion I befriended a group of Fiji soldiers on pilgrimage….lovely guys. We then went to the place Christ appeared on the shore to his disciples after the resurrection. It was wonderful….a Holy place, like so many before…..and Many of us went down to the water and I decided to go for it, and got in! I splashed the water up. I poured water over another guy in the name of the Trinity…we were wet….it was wonderful. As we were emerging with some sea shells to take to friends, a large group of Romanian gypsies arrived in bright dresses and the men in cowboy hats. The climbed in as well….it was a time of great joy. As I was leaving, they were still having fun, and one of the guides at a neighbouring chapel kept trying to shush them….he could not do it….they were truly worshipping the Lord….it was so beautiful. Words really fail to do it justice. I made a note to myself which read….”What a WOW place!” It really was.
We enjoyed lunch at a place called St. Peter’s and had traditional fish (head included). We were still buzzing from the Glory of our time. After lunch we headed to a place where they have found a 2000 year old boat called the Gallilean boat and we boarded our own vessel to sail back to Tiberius. We sang and danced on the boat and enjoyed our final look at the beautiful mountain vistas. We did stop the engines in the middle of the sea and read a couple of the miracle stories there in the sea…there was a strange calm after we read, “who is this who the wind obeys…” It was a great way to finish a great pilgrimage.
I will digest these experiences in the coming hours and days. El Al will force us to leave the hotel at 4am tomorrow to be at check in 3 hours early. I will return to the UK convinced that an experience of Pilgrimage to the Holy Lands is a good thing for Christians. We have had a marvellous tour which our travel company has planned beautifully. They are offering me the opportunity to lead groups here if I wish, which I would see as a great priviledge. Perhaps you find reading mywords enough of a journey, and perhaps the political situation here will change and make it more difficult to travel here….but perhaps you need a bit of encouragement and a way to touch things that will connect you to our Lord. Perhaps you will want to take a dip into Holy Water and take in some of the most amazing experiences for yourself. If you are interested, do let me know, because I would truly love to share with you what I have found here. Thank you for joining me on this journey which has renewed my faith in Jesus of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem, taught around Galilee, arrived in Jerusalem and was crucified and buried….but I believe the story does not end there. I believe he conquered the grave and appeared to his disciples and many others, and the combination of this truth and the events of his life, created a trail of churches and Holy places which has preserved the roots of Christianity for generations and generations. I leav tomorrow with the words “I BELIEVE” firmly etched in my heart. My prayer is the joy of that reality will touch you as well. Shana Ala….Jeru…Salam (Next year in Jerusalem!)
