To Israel and Back

I have returned from a wonderful trip to Israel. To make a pilgrimage to Israel with people of faith is always a privilege. The bonds that form on Pilgrimage are really quite incredible - including the visits to the holy sites - but also the social time on the Bus and in the Hotels. Here is a quick summary of our visit this trip:
Tuesday we left in the afternoon on the direct Air Canada Flight to Tel Aviv - 5:00 pm departure - and a 10:30 am Arrival in Israel on Wednesday Morning.
After clearing customs and Immigration, meeting our Guide Jacob, and getting on our Bus we were off to the Mediterranean Coast - to see the site of Cesarea Maritima, and an ancient Roman Aqueduct that is still in great shape!
Then we had Lunch in a village on Mount Carmel - Daliat et Carmel.  Then we made our way to the Galilee area in the North of Israel. We had planned to have an outdoor mass on a cliff overlooking the Sea of Galilee (really a fresh water lake!) but we were unable to access the site because it closed earlier than we expected. 


We checked into our hotel. One of the benefits of this year's Pilgrimage is that we only stay in 2 hotels - one in the Galilee and one in Jerusalem.  In the Galilee it was the Kinar Galilee Hotel on the East side of the Sea of Galilee. 

Thursday we visited Kefar Kedem - a site which transplants us back in time to the life in Israel at the time of Jesus.  We milked a goat - made Cheese from that Milk, then ground flour, and made Pita Bread on an open fire!
Afterwards we enjoyed a Lunch before making our way to Nazareth, and the Basilica of the Annunciation, for Mass, then we went to Cana to renew Marriages.
Friday we went to the Kibbutz which found an ancient Galilee Boat over 30 years ago - and has now been preserved for display. after hearing of the discovery of this 2000 year old boat, we went on our own boat on the sea of Galilee.  Afterwards we visited the city of Caparnaum where much of Jesus's Ministry was located. we celebrated Mass in a church that is suspended over the archaeological dig at St. Peter's House. 

Saturday we Traveled North - to Cesaera Philipi and faced the question - Who do you say that I am. Then we renewed our Baptismal Promises in the Source of the Jordan River (North of the Sea of Galilee) with fresh (cold) water! We saw the tip of Mount Hermon - which is a mountain shared by Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. we also saw an ancient Crusader Fortress from the Middle Ages. Then we enjoyed a Wine Tasting and Lunch at a Winery in the Golan Heights!

Sunday we started with Mass at the Primacy of Peter on the Shores of the Galilee - then we Made our way up to the Mount of Beatitudes.
Then we went North again to Zafed - a centre of Jewish Mysticism and a bit of an artists colony. I like the Candles they make there!

Monday was a Transfer Day - Meaning we loaded up the Coach with our luggage and started south to the Mount of Transfiguration. there we transferred to mini vans for the trip up the mountain and celebrated Mass in the Church of the Transfiguration. Then we continued south to the Jordan Valley and visited the Archaeological Site of Bet Shean, the largest dig in Israel, and the location of the filming of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Continuing south we went around Jericho and started the climb up to Jerusalem. From Mount Scopus we had a beautiful view as the sun was setting. We did the traditional entry into Jerusalem, blessing God for Bread and Wine and then Eating and Drinking the bread and wine. Then we went to our Hotel - Mount Zion Hotel. This hotel on the edge of the old city is built into the hillside - so the Lobby is on the 6th floor - and the rooms are accessed by elevators going down!
Tuesday we were back on the road for a Day trip to the Dead sea area. We first visited Qumran - the site of the finding of the dead sea scrolls 70 years ago. We celebrated a mass in the desert here. Then we went to the Ein Gedi Spa and had the chance to go for a float in the dead sea! We ended the day at Masada - pictured to the Left. This site of Jewish Resistance - to Roman Occupation fell in the year 73 AD - 3 years after the fall of Jerusalem. It is still a very important site - Israeli Defense Forces - after Basic training - come here - climb up the snake path, and at dawn cry "Never Again". Never again will Israel fall to the hands of oppressors.


Wednesday we visited Bethlehem - and even though we had seen huge crowds the entire journey - never were they so evident than they were here - as we waited almost 1.75 hours to see the grotto of the Birth of Jesus. We celebrated Mass in Bethlehem, then after som shopping - to support the Christians of the Holy Land, we went for Lunch and Visited the Shepherd's Fields. 
Then we returned to Jerusalem and walked the Palm Sunday road down from the Mount of Olives and ended in the Garden of Gethsemane. There we placed our burdens at the rock where Jesus prayed before his arrest after the Last Supper.

This is where Deacon Robert and I left the group and Returned to Canada to celebrate with Lucas Sunseri and Emily Norman as they were married on Friday.
On Thursday our Pilgrim group visited the Church of the Last Supper, Dormition Abbey - the site of the "Assumption" of Mary, then The site of the Imprisonment of Jesus and the Denial by Peter (St. Peter In Gallo Cantu), then they walked the Via Crucis - the way of the Cross.
Saturday they visited the Birth Place of John the Baptist - Ein Karem, and Yad Vashem - the holocaust memorial, and the Western Wall and concluded with Mass at the Holy Seplechre - The Tomb of Jesus and the site of the Resurrection.

As Pilgrims we journeyed and allowed the places to slowly pass through us and transform us.  
Tourists pass quickly through places, but the places pass slowly through pilgrims, leaving us forever changed.



The Biblical story is one long pilgrimage:
From the Garden of Eden, paradise lost
to the New and Eternal Jerusalem, paradise found.
Abraham – a wandering Aramean, our father in faith,
who was called to set out for a land unknown.
Moses – leading the people of God out of Egypt
and to the Promised Land.
The Exodus remains the singular most important event for the Jewish people: Release from slavery.

The Gospels often recount stories of Jesus’ journeys,especially his final journey to Jerusalem, and the Cross. Jesus’ Resurrection is our assurance that the pilgrimage we make on earth shall end beyond our death – where we shall enter into His rest.

To walk in Israel is a Holy thing to do!