Birds, Boats & Baptisms

Traditional Mt of Beatitudes

Unspoiled way to Mt of Beatitudes

It looks like a full itinerary, but turns out, gloriously, to be Nature Day! Starting at 7:30 am, we breathe, hear, touch, taste, see, smell, think and fall in love with this world God made, and Jesus' engagement with it!

Who knows there's a secret path outside the manicured lawns and ornate gates of the Mount of Beatitudes, leading to "the real Mountain of Beatitudes?"
Yossi does, and takes us there - not just for fun, but because, as an archaeologist, he says, "This is one of the few places I can say, 'Jesus really walked here!'"

Tiny mustard grows big, with sharp taste!

Flowers of the field - here today

As free as schoolchildren on an afternoon outing, we traipse down a rugged path. Birds sing along! All around, everything's alive. We see and exclaim over it, identifying so many things straight from the Bible. I'ts clear, He saw this very same scene and taught about it!

Consider the ants ..

Thorns & thistles choke the earth

Original Roman Road - 63 BC

It is the Roman Road that clinches this place for Yossi - and now for us! This road was the only way between Capernaum and Tabgah - places we know Jesus went. He was part of a tradition of peripatetic schools, shared by Plato and Socrates'  - a safer way to teach when you have angry religious leaders after you in Jerusalem and demanding officials up north. You walk, and teach along the way; others walk with you; you teach, and they join your Way. Incredibly moved, I kneel and bless those stones.

Walking the Way

A great place for a mountain sermon 

Hidden in the tree - Jesus

We get to the place where Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount, and Sharon reads the Sermon to us, on her birthday, in this simple, sacred place where nature and meet beautifully. Blessed indeed are we!

Birthday Girl Sharon reads Matthew 5

Boat on Sea of Galilee

It's  now 9 am. We go on to the Sea of Galilee, and board a boat that takes takes us all the way across! I call the crew "pirates," so it's pirates & pastors in charge! Seems like it's working! 

Enjoying the boat ride

Out on the water we sing, "It is well with my soul." Scott shares that, as Jesus stilled the storm and rescued Peter who tried to walk (on water) and failed, He will always help us through our storms and failures.

Caught anything?

 One of the pirates demonstrates tossing a net, but catches nothing, even when he throws on the other side!

Happy sailors, Brad & Linda!

We go to the museum and see the boat they reclaimed from the beach, built in the time of Jesus! Storms that covered it with sand had preserved it (maybe storms will preserve us too!) The boat is big enough for about 15 people -or maybe 12 disciples and a teacher who's sleeping!

Fishing boat from Jesus' time.
Supported by metal poles.

Black Basalt - St Peter's stone

 Peter the fisherman spent a lot of time in nature! We see "his" stone on our morning walk to the Sermon on the Mount.

Mosaic of Fish & Bread miracle.

We see the church of 5 loaves & 2 fish in the afternoon !



We eat St. Peter's fish for lunch!

St. Peter's fish lunch

Peter's house has been so well preserved that it archaeologists are proud of it! His church is perched above.

Church of St. Peter, over his house

Garden bower at S. Matthew's

In the most wondrous Orthodox church of St. Matthew, we walk through life-giving gardens.

Flowers at St. Matthew's

 Inside are iconostasis of so many Bible stories, including Peter trying to walk on water, and failing.

Iconostasis of Peter & of Last Supper

At the end of the day, we remember that Jesus loves us and walks on this Way with us, always.

Peacock in St. Matthew's garden

The day ends with the ultimate climax to a day spent outside! Thirteen come to the Jordan river to be baptized or reaffirm their baptismal vows, robed in white. Fish bite at our heels as we stand; but nothing disturbs the joy and commitment to walking the Living Way with Jesus.

Thirteen came to the Jordan for baptism

Celebrating Karen's baptism affirmation

Lovely Lynda affirms her baptism!