Feed my Sheep—Galilee May 24th 2019

Saturday, May 25, 2019. 5:06 am (from the patio overlooking the Sea of Galilee)

Dear Family and Friends,

Friday was a very powerful day in this pilgrimage in Galilee. Jesus spent most of his ministry in this area in and around the Sea. Many of his disciples were local residents and his fame was spreading throughout the region so that crowds followed him to listen to his message. The Bible has recorded his messages so we can see the power of his words to those early followers and to us today.

As I sit here listening to the sounds of the sea, the birds waking up and lapping of the water on the shore, I feel his presence.

Friday we visited sites that helped me visualize what I’ve read in the Bible. The black basalt stone building along the coast were the homes of merchants, fishermen, tax collectors and Roman soldiers. The newer churches at two sites use this local volcanic stone as building material. On the hillside overlooking the water where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, the stones where the crowds sat are still there remembering his words.

While I will include visual images of the sites, I want you to see what I felt in this place. Each location has small areas set up for groups of Christian Pilgrims to hear their guide tell about the site or to sing or even to have communion served by the priests of the site.

Buses filled with traveling groups of Christians from all over the world were at each site yesterday. One could hear the languages of the world, a few groups were singing and you could understand the power of their faith that brought them from India, China, Korea, Poland, France (just to mention a few that we have met). I pray that they will take this experience back home to share a witness to the power of Christ.

Now to the title of this letter…Feed my Sheep. This was the message Christ gave to Peter after His resurrection when the disciples went fishing and had not caught anything. Jesus told them to fish again and their nets were full. After a meal Jesus said “Peter if you love me, Feed my Sheep!”

We visited the sites where Jesus demonstrated his message as He fed the 5000 and the 4000 physical food. At the Mount of the Beatitudes they received spiritual food as he fed them with a message of encouragement and blessings.

The last stop on our way back to the hotel was a path to the caves of Galilee where Jews hid from the Assyrians, Egyptians, and later the Romans. This path is just off the Roman Road through the mountains. The path through fields of thistle and grain with a small brook and cattle gazing was amazing and felt like being part of the first century experience.

On the bus on our way to Jerusalem. More later

Ellen and Linda