Some recent photos from a short trip around the Holy Land

Some recent photos from a short trip around the Holy Land

THE SEA OF GALILEE

I have added this photo of my wife, Sonia, and my little girl, Christine, which was taken from the traditional spot of the Mount of Beatitudes. My dad always felt that the actual spot was perhaps more to the southwest from here and up on a elevated area down near the sea. It is hard to say. Some say it was more nearer to this point.

At this point, we are looking directly south. You can see how the Sea of Galilee is quite large and it sits down in a basin area 212 meters below sea level.

There are fewer lakes more beautiful than the Sea of Galilee, which could aptly be called according to Fr. Hoade (author of the standard volume Guide to the Holy Land) this is the "Lake of Jesus" and to that statement, I could not agree more.

THE SYNAGOGUE IN NAZARETH


I have added this photo to the left. It for me represents one of the most special places in the whole world. It is the location of "the synagogue" mentioned in Luke 4:16, which says:

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the day of the sabbaths and stood up to read."

This day was not just any sabbath (or Saturday). No, this was the day of Pentecost when this passage was read. Read on the next few verses and get the picture of what was said in this place.

This for me is a place which was for our Lord, a central place in His spiritual life. There is so much truth in Luke 4:16 if we are just willing to hear it. Look at it. It says that Jesus had been brought up in Nazareth, not somewhere in India or another place. Note that also in this place, Jesus frequented it regularly. It was His custom to be here on the Sabbath day.

For me this is just one of those special places because my dad took me there maybe 7-8 times growing up and for him it was a real authentic place. From this place, the good news was proclaimed and we all know what were the results: the blind saw, the hungry were fed, the poor received comfort, the sick were healed, and the captives were set free. A special place indeed.