The sun sets at 5pm, it is now 5:30. We are done for the day, and I am sitting on a stone step, with my back resting against a rock wall still warm from the day's bright sun. From here I can see the moon, which is but a sliver of amber shining between the trees. The lights shine from the massive stone guest house where we are staying, across my silhouette, and faintly illuminate the front of the Church of the Beatitudes. The building is dark gray stone, with arches bordered with light gray. The closed iron work doors form a delicate cross, and the shining light reflects off the brass lettering in a mound toward the bottom of the gates. They say, “Mons. Beatitudinum”
I hear the sound of crickets, the dropping of nuts on a roof, and see the lights in the distance of towns on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I am at the top of the hill where Jesus taught, above the area where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish, near the shore where Jesus called his first disciples. From this hill top I can see Cappernium where Peter lived, and the homebase for Jesus after being run out of his home town of Nazareth. Today, we walked where Jesus walked, learned where Jesus taught, marveled where Jesus healed. Let me tell you about the start of this day...
We are spending 4 nights here at this Christian guest house, retreat center and holy site. Last night we arrived after dark. This morning after a brief introduction to where we are, we were encouraged to go, find a place on the grounds (there are gardens and quiet places with benches throughout) to read the Sermon on the Mount – and to read it out loud. It starts in Matthew 5 (with the Beatitudes) and is three chapters packed with Jesus' teachings. I found a stone bench at the edge of the facility, overlooking the Sea of Galilee – and started to read the sermon on the mount. Though they were coming from my mouth, I could hear the words of Jesus, feel the breeze, listen to the birds. Then at 7:55am everything changed. The first tour bus pulls in! Before I'm done reading the teaching of Jesus 5 buses have arrived, pulling into the parking lot directly behind me. The coffee shop starts its business, the gift store doors open, and the people start to make their way to the church to see the church commemorating this site. The large tour buses have their diesel engines rumbling, the people are chatting, the guides are leading, in 10 minutes I was hearing the words of Jesus in a very different world.
My thought – hearing Jesus can be disrupted by the noise of this world. I could still hear Jesus, but I had to concentrate more. I had to ignore the world, and listen for Jesus' voice. Jesus was not just for the people of the few towns here surrounding the lake, he was and is for all the world. But the world is noisy and distracted. People must concentrate, we must listen, Jesus is still speaking.
More on Monday
We started on the Mount of the Beatitudes, then hiked down to the Church of Multiplication. On the way, we walked through they areas where Jesus would have walked, talked, and taught crowds. At one point two of us stayed up the hill, and the remaining group went down 300 feet (est). They stood by a road with occasional passing cars, and Vicky read from Matthew 5. She was projecting her voice, but straining or yelling at all. With her voice only slightly above conversation level, they could hear every word below. There was room for thousands – yes, in the right places on these hills, one man can teach thousands...
The Church of Multiplication is not some the result of some church growth strategy, but commemorating Jesus multiplying the loaves and fish – this is the area where that happened. We received some great teaching here. Then we were off to climb Mt. Ardel – Rabbi mountain.
It looks to be the highest point in this area, and it was a serious climb! Some parts required steel hand holds put into the rock. On this ridge there were many small caves, places of shelter for shepherds, and retreat for rabbis over the millennium. It is likely this was an area Jesus escaped to when he needed time away from the crowds. All but a large handful of our group made the hike to the top (those who were unable to road the bus to the top). For many it was a mental challenge (heights & falling), and some a physical challenge, but together the whole group made the climb.
After lunch (meats in pitas, no McDonalds) we visited the site which commemorates Peter's reconciliation with Jesus. During Jesus' arrest, passionate Peter denied Jesus three times. Then, after the resurrection, here by the shore of the Galilee Peter came to Jesus, and three times asked Peter if he loved him. Peter replied, “Lord, you know that I do.” “Peter, feed my sheep.” was Jesus' reply. This happened just down the shore from Cappernium, Peter's town which was our final destination today. Seeing the Synagogue where Jesus taught (actually it is the remains of the one build 400 years later, on the foundation of the one where Jesus actually taught). Then, 150' away, maybe less, are walls from Peter's house – the site of probably the first church. There have been many churches there since, but today the church is build above the ground, So you can see the ancient stone walls from Peter's house! While some sites are just guesses (which hill of many did Jesus teach from, or multiply food upon) this site is the real deal. They can truly say “Jesus slept here” it is real.
With darkness we returned to our rooms, and I still sit on the steps leading down to the Church of the Beatitudes. It is probably 70 degrees, (so the warm rock feels nice) and there is a slight breeze.
Good Night...
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