Next Steps - Days 4 & 5 - So Busy, So Beautiful, So Holy

We have been incredibly busy the last two days.

We have been challenged. We have been overwhelmed. We are thankful.

Day 4:
The day began with a return trip to Tabgha and the Church of the Primacy of Peter built on the rock where Jesus fed the disciples and where Jesus restored Peter (John 21).

We then traveled to the Mount of the Beatitudes outside of Capernaum. This beautiful sanctuary is built on the hillside where Jesus is said to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount. We read Matthew 5:1-16; 6:1-15; 6:25-34; 7:7-12).

We got on the bus for the long journey to the Jordan River. We drove into the West Bank and had an amazing conversation with George, our tour guide, about religion, politics, and conflict.

We stopped at the traditional site of Jesus’ baptism. We went to the water and celebrated a renewal of our baptisms together. We read the story of Jesus’ baptism from Matthew 3:13-17. What a moving experience for us all. “You are the beloved child of God, in whom God is well pleased.”

Then it was on to Jericho. We first saw the tree of Zacchaeus, and we read Luke 19:1-10. We visited the Mount of Temptation where tradition says that Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil or adversary (Luke 4:1-13). Following our visit, some students were able to make a new four legged friend that spits. Hurray for camel rides! 

Then we arrived in the city of peace and got our first view. After a brief overview, we headed to the Garden of Gethsemane. What a beautiful and mysterious holy place (Matthew 26:36-46).

End of Day Four.

Day 5:

This day began with an incredible conversation with the amazing Dr. Mustafa Abu Sway, who holds the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Al-Ghazali’s Work at Al-Masjid Al-Aqua and at Al-Quds University. The students asked incredible questions and received thoughtful responses from this gracious man. What an honor.

We then left the hotel for the Old City, where we began our tour with a visit to the Church of St. Anne, mother of Mary the mother of Jesus (we even got to hear Sarah sing!). We also visited the Pools of Bethesda where Jesus healed a man who had been ill for 38 years (John 5:1-13).

This was followed with a journey down the Via Dolorosa. We visited all of the stops. The highlights were the Church of the Condemnation and Imposition of the Cross, the Church of the Flagellation, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where we saw Golgotha, the tomb of Jesus, the tomb said to have belonged to Joseph of Arimathea, and the location where tradition says St. Helena discovered the real cross.

Then we visited the Western Wall where we joined the crowds from around the world as we prayed for you, for us, and for the world. May we find a better way together.

Our final stop of the day was Bethlehem. That’s right. In a single day, we got to visit two of the most holy sites for Christians around the world. We went in to the Church of the Nativity and touched the place where Jesus was born. Then we visited Nativity Square and the Mosque of Omar. A beautiful sunset greeted us as we prepared to depart for our hotel.

So, that is all for now. What an amazing day. On to bed to rest for another adventure tomorrow. 

Thank you for your prayers, and Happy New Year from Jerusalem!

Next Steps - Day 3 - Moving, Complex, Complicated, and Beautiful

This was a long, moving, complex, complicated, beautiful, difficult day.

We started with a museum visit where we saw the boat discovered by our friend Yuvi Lufan. It is stunning and really puts things in perspective.

Then we walked to the dock, where we boarded “Matthew” to travel across the Sea of Galilee (also known as Lake Gennesaret, Lake Tiberias, or Kinneret). This was an emotional voyage as we read about the calling of the disciples and the resurrected Jesus sharing a meal with the disciples along these shores (Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:1-14). It was an honor to be together for such a holy journey. 

Following this incredible voyage, we visited two small towns, Capernaum and Tabgha. Capernaum is the town in which Jesus spent much of his ministry. Peter’s mother in-law’s house is there, as are the streets Jesus walked and the ruins of a synagogue built on the foundation of the synagogue in which Jesus taught and prayed. Tabgha is the town that is the traditional site of the miracle of the loaves and  fishes (Mark 6:30-44). 

On our way out of Tabgha, we picked up Emad Aljowlany, our Druze tour guide for the afternoon. He took us to several Druze villages the were bombed out and the people displaced in 1967. There were 150 Druze communities before 1967 and only 5 remain. We ate lunch at a local restaurant in someone’s home in Majdal Shams. The food and the conversation were incredible. Emad then accompanied us on our bus to the border with Syria (We were never close to any danger. It’s a long border). There we saw the shouting hill where families who were separated following the war, some in Syria, others in Palestine, would shout news to one another across the valley. This brought up a lot of good conversation and difficult things to consider. We capped off our visit with locally made Knafeh and a quick visit to Caesarea Philippi where Peter made the proclamation, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Matthew16:13-20).

What and amazing day! We are tired and full in so many ways.

Thank you for your prayers. Another adventure awaits us tomorrow.

Next Steps - Israel and Palestine - Days 1 & 2

Okay. So apologies are in order. Our first two full days on the ground in Israel and Palestine have been so full that we haven’t had a moment to blog, even briefly, until now.

So, here goes . . . briefly:
What have we done?
Landed safely.
Caesarea by the Sea - a palace and harbor built by Herod the Great. Yes, that Herod. First place that the gospel was proclaimed to gentiles. Check out Acts 10 for the details.
Remains of an aqueduct - used to be ten miles in length.
Nazareth arrival.
The Church of the Annunciation - built above the site where Mary is believed to have been visited by a holy visitor named Gabriel. That sure changed things. “Lady, have I got some news for you.” It houses the cave and magnificent artwork from around the world representing Mary. Matthew 17:1-12
Two Malkite sanctuaries - discover more about the Malkites. It’s worth Googling.
Tel Megiddo - the most important military stronghold along the way of the sea..evidence of 25 civilizations, each building upon the one before it, have been discovered here. The oldest dating back to 5000 BCE. This was the site of Solomon and Ahab’s stables and one of Solomon’s palaces.
Mount Carmel - the site of Elija’s battle with the prophets of Baal. Check out 1 Kings 18. It is now home to a Carmelite monastery and beautiful views of the Jezreel Valley.
Mount Tabor - the traditional site of Jesus’ transfiguration. It is now home to a magnificent church managed by the Franciscans, gorgeous gardens, and stunning views.
Arrived at our hotel at the Ginosar kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee. We heard from an amazing resident who discovered a first century fishing vessel likely similar to the one used by Jesus and the disciples. What an honor it was to meet and talk to Yuvi Lufan. We will get to see the vessel tomorrow at the museum.

What an amazing couple of days. Thank you for your prayers.

Footsteps of Faith - And We Walked

Walking in the footsteps
     of those who went before us;
standing on the shoulders
     of the ones who set the standard;
following in the pathway
     of the people who left their mark
we discovered worlds;
we grew closer together;
we met the divine.
And we were transformed,
     forever changed
          to change the world in which we live.

Thank you for traveling with us.

Day 9 - A Colossal Day

The final day in Rome started with a visit to the Colosseum. Everyone agreed that you cannot understand it’s scale until you are standing in its long shadow!

The group then walked by the Arch of Constantine and began our descent into the Roman Forum. So much history took place here - the birth of Rome on Palatine Hill, Titus’ Arch, the basilicas, the Temple of Saturn, the Vestal Virgins, Julius Caesar, government buildings, and churches. It was humbling to walk on these ancient roads where so many have once walked.

Our next steps took us to the Mamertine Prison. This is where tradition says both Paul and Peter were both imprisoned before they were martyred for their faith and their preaching. They were seen as a threat to empire because of the way in which their message was giving hope to everyone, not just the powerful and wealthy. The presence in this small space was tangible and overwhelming.

Following lunch, our last stop of the day was the magnificent St. Paul’s Outside the Walls. The Apostle Paul is buried here. The grandiosity and beauty of the space is something few will forget anytime soon. We also had the incredibly unique opportunity to go into the Chapel of St. Benedict to have a service of remembrance of our baptisms. It was a moving experience for everyone.

To close the day, we ate dinner at Alessio and returned to the hotel for our final time of reflection together. You need to know that our tour guide, Helene, was impressed by the sense of community in this group as well as the depth of their questions. This group has been incredible. They have stood out to everyone they have met. They are indeed a group of which we all should be proud.

Thank you for your prayers. See you soon.