Reflection by: Ben Liow
Chronicles of a pilgrim – Day 4 – Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Sea of Galilee
#sequelachristi2022
Day 4 of our trip began with a visit to the Mount of Beatitudes, the site of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus gave us the Beatitudes (Matt 5:1-11). Father JP celebrated Mass for us at one of the altars in the landscaped garden of the Mount, and as he celebrated Mass, I was reminded of how Jesus, being the first priest, also taught and instructed the crowds that followed Him. I was struck with wonder and imagined being one of the followers in the crowd; what joy and excitement must have been in the hearts of these Galilean villagers as they heard that Jesus was coming to preach! I imagined them talking excitedly to one another and pulling other villagers along with them to come and see Jesus speak. And truly, as Father JP reminded us in his homily, the message that Christ preached was one that challenged His listeners; it challenged them to live for more than themselves, but to live for others. After Mass, we visited the Church of the Beatitudes which was an elegant octagonal building. It was built in 1938 for a Franciscan order of nuns, to a design by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi. We stayed there for a short while to pray, as our tour guide Josef played us a rendition of “Gloria in Excelsis Deo”.
After leaving the Mount of Beatitudes, we headed down to the town of Capernaum where, according to the gospels, Jesus lived during the period of preaching and activity in Galilee. Capernaum was at that time a fish market and frontier post beside the Sea of Galilee. Besides being Jesus’ hometown and the scene of many of his miracles, it was also the home of the first disciples Jesus called — the fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and the tax collector Matthew. We first saw the remains of St. Peter’s house, which archaeologists believe was a first-century Christian home church where believers would gather to celebrate the Eucharist after listening to scripture in the synagogue. I was very struck by how we as Catholics are part of this amazing tradition, that there is concrete proof that our early Christian brothers and sisters worshipped in substantially the same manner as we do even now. I felt extremely blessed and grateful that God has allowed us to bring history into the reinforcement and concretization of our belief in Him and in the Catholic Church!
Before we knew it, it was time for lunch!! We hungrily devoured a special meal that was prepared for us – fish caught from the sea of Galilee! The very same fish that the disciple fishermen would have been trying to catch. The fish was tasty but bony as well!
After a quick lunch, we headed for a short visit to Tabgha, where we entered the Church of the Multiplication. This marks the site where Jesus fed a crowd of five thousand with five loaves and two fish. The Church is currently overseen and maintained by the Benedictine Order. The highlight of the church is the Byzantine floor mosaic which survived after the original church’s destruction in 685. The mosaic near the altar shows two fish on either side of a basket of loaves. Beneath the altar of the Church of the Multiplication is a large rock where it is thought that Jesus placed the fish and loaves as he blessed them. Reflecting on this miracle, it was really brought home to me that in our feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness in serving God, we are called to place our full trust in Him; to believe that He who is all-powerful can multiply what little we offer Him to feed the many who hunger and thirst. It was a reminder that God wants us to come to Him in our weakness and lowliness, for it is in these weaknesses that God can work through us and it is where His glory and majesty are mostly keenly shown.
The final highlight of the day was also the most amazing; we took a boat ride out to the sea of Galilee! Traversing the waters, I was struck by how calm the lake was; I could picture Jesus Christ walking towards the boat on the flat waters, reaching out His hand, and calling us down to walk on the water with Him. The biblical significance of the sea of Galilee was overwhelming; it was here that Jesus calmed the storm, it was here that Jesus asked Peter to put out his nets again for a catch, it was here that Jesus walked on water. I could not believe how blessed I was to be able to sail on these exact same waters where these miracles happened. Before I knew it, we were sailing back into the jetty and the ride was over all too soon.
The day was very blessed, and it was yet another day where we were able to walk in the footsteps of Christ, tracing his path and being able to reimagine His amazing works done in Galilee. As I write this reflection, I am overwhelmed again with so much gratitude; that God would come down to us in this lowly human form, that He loves us so much that He would be willing to share the Good News with us in this most tangible way, and that we have been made privy to this Good News, that we are able to have a personal relationship with our Lord and God. All praise be to you Lord Jesus Christ!!
Tabgha
Itinerary description: This morning, we visit Tabgha. This is where Jesus performed the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, shown in the famous Byzantine mosaic that decorates the floor of the Church of Multiplication of Fishes and Loaves. Not far from this church, the Primacy of Peter is the Franciscan sanctuary that commemorates the moment when Jesus conferred the primacy on Peter.
Background: Tabgha (Arabic: الطابغة, al-Tabigha; Hebrew: עין שבע, Ein Sheva which means “spring of seven”) is an area situated on the north-western shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. It is traditionally accepted as the place of the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes (Mark 6:30-46) and the fourth resurrection appearance of Jesus (John 21:1-24) after his Crucifixion.
Church of the Multiplication
The Church of the Multiplication marks the site where Jesus fed a crowd of five thousand with five loaves and two fish. The Church is currently overseen and maintained by the Benedictine Order.
History: Was first marked as the site of the multiplication in the 4th century by Christians, who built a church over the site. Extended in the 5th. But destroyed in the year AD 614 by Persians. Only rediscovered in the 19th century, and reconstructed in the 20th century.
Look out for: The highlight of the church is the Byzantine floor mosaic which survived after the original church’s destruction in 685. The mosaic near the altar shows two fish on either side of a basket of loaves. Other features of the mosaic are vines, lotus flowers, oleanders, and animals including ducks, geese, doves, peacocks, cranes, herons, a swan, and a flamingo. In the church’s 5th-century floor mosaic, there seems to be a reference to the three original Byzantine water towers that once stood here.
Interesting fact: Beneath the altar of the Church of the Multiplication is a large rock where it is thought that Jesus placed the fish and loaves as he blessed them. There is a glass panel on the floor through which you can see the foundations of the original church. In the church courtyard, you can see an excavated basalt stone font and oil presses.
Mark 6:30-46, Feeding the Five Thousand
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things. 35 When it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now very late; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy something for themselves to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “Are we to go and buy two hundred denarii[i] worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and of the fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And all ate and were filled; 43 and they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 Those who had eaten the loaves numbered five thousand men.
Church of the Primacy of Peter
In the 5th century, the Church of St. Peter’s Primacy was built in Tabgha where Jesus gave Peter leadership over the apostles and where Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection. The church was later destroyed and rebuilt in 1934.
Interesting fact: The rock incorporated in the church floor is traditionally believed to be the place where Jesus prepared breakfast. It was known to medieval pilgrims as Mensa Christ (the table of Christ).
John 21:1-24
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he showed himself in this way. 2 Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin,[a] Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. 5 Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” 6 He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. 7 That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. 8 But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards[b] off.
9 When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. 10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
Jesus and Peter
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him for the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” 19 (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this, he said to him, “Follow me.”
Capernaum
ID: Next, is the “city of Jesus, Capernaum”. According to the gospels, this is where Jesus lived during the period of preaching and activity in Galilee.
A fish market and frontier post beside the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum became Jesus’ hometown and the scene of many of his miracles.
It was also the home of the first disciples Jesus called — the fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and the tax collector Matthew (who as Levi collected taxes in the customs office).
In this town:
• Jesus worshipped and taught in the synagogue — where his teaching made a deep impression on the local people because, unlike the scribes, he taught with authority. (Mark 1:21-22)
• In the same synagogue, Jesus promised the Eucharist in his “I am the bread of life” discourse: “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:22-59)
• Jesus and healed many people of illness or possession by the devil, including Peter’s mother-in-law and the daughter of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue.
• Jesus pronounced a curse on the town, along with Bethsaida and Chorazin, because so many of its inhabitants refused to believe in him.
Mount of Beatitudes
ID: We continue with a drive up to the Mount of Beatitudes, Mass @ the site of the Sermon on the Mount, Mt Beatitudes
Believed to be where Jesus gave the sermon on the Mount.
Geography: Overlooking the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, it offers an enchanting vista of the northern part of the lake and across to the cliffs of the Golan Heights on the other side.
Within sight are the scenes of many of the events of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, including the town of Capernaum 3km away
Church of the Beatitudes: The Church of the Beatitudes, an elegant octagonal building with colonnaded cloisters, blends into the slope rather than dominating it. It was built in 1938 for a Franciscan order of nuns, to a design by Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi — and partly financed by the Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini.
The eight sides of the light and airy church represent the eight beatitudes, and these are also shown in Latin in the upper windows.
The centrally placed altar is surmounted by a slender arch of alabaster and onyx. Around it, the seven virtues (justice, charity, prudence, faith, fortitude, hope, and temperance) are depicted by symbols on the mosaic floor.
In the landscaped garden, three altars are provided for group worship.
Matt 5:1 – 7:28 (the Beatitudes, love your enemies)
Sea of Galilee
ID: End the day with a Boat Ride around the Sea of Galilee.
A picturesque, heart-shaped lake set among hills in northern Israel, it is one of the lowest-lying bodies of water on earth (some 210 meters below sea level). This freshwater “sea” is 21km long and 13km across at its widest point, with a maximum depth of 43 meters. Its other names include the Sea of Tiberias, the Lake of Gennesaret, and (in Hebrew) Lake Chinnereth or Kinneret. Fed mainly by the Jordan River and drained by it, the lake has served as Israel’s chief water reservoir, but its usefulness has been limited by a falling water level.
In modern times tourism has become the major local industry. In Jesus’ time, it was fishing, with 230 boats regularly working the lake and their catch dried and exported all over the Roman world.
Jesus made the fishing town of Capernaum the center of his itinerant ministry in Galilee, using the lake, its boats, and its shores to spread his Good News. He calmed a storm, walked on the water, and probably even swam in the lake.
Because it lies low in the Great Rift Valley, surrounded by hills, the Sea of Galilee is prone to sudden turbulence. Storms of the kind that Jesus calmed (Mark 4:35-41) are a well-known hazard for Galilee fishermen.
With little warning, mighty squalls can sweep down the wadis (valleys) around the lake, whipping its tranquil surface into treacherous waves.
Gospel passages: Mark 4:35-41 (Jesus calming the storm), Matt 14:22-33 (Jesus walking on water)