Walking the shoreline

It was another amazing day in the region of Galilee. The morning began with a hike to the top of Mount Arbel which holds an incredible panoramic view of where Jesus spent the majority of his life and ministry. From here, you can clearly see the cities of Magdala and Capernaum where we would later visit. We came down off the mountain to the town of Magdala on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. Magdala is also the hometown of Mary Magdalene. It’s amazing to think that Magdala is most certainly a spot Jesus would have visited due to its close proximity to his hometown of Capernaum.

From Magdala, we went to St. Peter’s fish restaurant where we ate as the disciples would have with fish caught straight out of the waters next to us. It was a great food spread and a needed recharge after the morning.

After lunch, we travelled to 2 sites controlled, not by Israel, but by the Vatican. These sites were called Capernaum and Tabgha. In Capernaum we had the opportunity to witness the synagogue where Jesus taught as well as Peter’s mother-in-laws house where Jesus would have stayed while in this town. Capernaum was also a home base for Jesus’s public ministry in the Galilee region.

In Tabgha, we had the opportunity to sit on the shores where Jesus appeared to his disciples (post-resurrection) telling them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. Of course they catch a ton and Peter jumps out of the boat to swim 100 yards inland when he realizes it is His risen Lord and friend. It is in this place Jesus reconciles with Peter by asking, “do you love me” to which Peter replies yes Lord… then feed my sheep, Jesus says. We spent some time walking the shoreline as we talked and prayed.

Many of us ended the day by taking a swim in the waves in the Sea of Galilee. The weather outside could not be more perfect and to watch the sun set over the hills to our west was like nothing else. Can’t wait to see what is in store for tomorrow. God bless.