today was the most emotional day for me yet, and i think it may be the highlight of this trip for me. we began with the typical breakfast of pita, hummus, fruits and vegetables, olives and cheese with the added bonus of scrambled eggs and pudding! never have scrambled eggs tasted so good!
we journeyed to sepphoris, the home of Joachim and Anna, Mary's parents. the ruins there are incredible, all fairly intact, down to the ruts of the chariots in the roman roads and the mosaic floors in the buildings.
from there we traveled to the sea of galilee and stopped at the mount of the beatitudes, where Jesus preached the sermon on the mount. we brought a bible with us (of course!) and read the sermon on the mount out loud in a small grove, each of us taking turns reading. that was so profound, to read the words that Christ himself spoke from this very spot. i wept as i wandered the grounds and looked out over the beautiful sea of galilee, imagining the call of Jesus to Peter and Andrew, James and John to follow him. I reflected on my own call to come and follow, go and tell as tears ran down my cheeks. it was a beautiful, clear blue sky day with amazing sunshine and about 70 degrees. perfect.
lunch was fresh fish caught in the sea of galilee, cooked to perfection (yes, the head was still on, and yes, i ate it that way!) and served with a wonderful local white wine.
after a stop at tagba, the place where the miracle of the loaves and fishes, the feeding of the 5000 occured, we then went to the shores of the beautiful sea of galilee. we explored the museum that houses the 2000 year old fishing boat that was recovered from the mud on the edge of the sea. it was amazing to view the boat itself, as it was restored and preserved. how profound to wonder whether this was a boat that peter, andrew, james or john had used to making a living before being called to follow the man who stilled the waters and calmed the sea. had this boat been tossed about on a stormy sea as our Lord slept in its bow?
the perfect end to a perfect day was to step onto a boat for a ride out onto the sea of galilee. from the middle of the water, i looked back onto the shore where, somewhere, Jesus cooked a breakfast of fish for his friends after his resurrection and giving the command to feed his lambs and his sheep. when we got to the middle, our captain shut off the boat and we drifted and bobbed gently as we read scripture and reflected on the beauty that surrounded us and all that had happened there. for me, it was the highlight of the trip and something i will always treasure.
may the peace of God, which passes all human understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
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