Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus - 2/3/2023 - 2/5/2023

Our adventure continues as we travel to other locations around the northern/northeastern part of Israel. Words or photos cannot do justice to the country, the history, or remotely explain the feeling of walking where our Lord walked on this earth. The Holy Bible came to life for me and I feel closer to Jesus now more than I've ever felt in my life. 

February 3, 2023

We didn’t have to drive far for our Mass this morning as it was on the grounds of the Mt of Beatitudes Guest House. This outdoor chapel included an amazing view (at least for Fr. Michael and Deacon Ken during Mass) of the Sea of Galilee.

View from the altar

Mass at Mt. of Beatitudes

View of the Sea of Galilee from the church

The church at Mt of Beatitudes was created by Antonio Barluzzi (prolific architect of some of the most beautiful churches in Israel during the 1950's). The Beatitudes are in Latin around the inside of the dome (photo below). The alabaster and onyx altar occupies the center under the dome (photo below).

Front of the Church

Beatitudes in Latin around the dome

The marble line walls

The alabaster and onyx altar

We then drove to the Banias National Park at Caesarea Philippi (northern end of the Golan Heights) to see where statues for pagan gods were once displayed.

Banias National Park at Caesarea Philippi

Father Michael

We heard scripture from Fr. Michael and then drove over the Golan Heights which was the site of the 6-day war in 1967 among other battles throughout the ages. We drove from near the northern border of the Israeli occupied Golan Heights down about ¾ of the way to the south. There are fences with signs still warning of the possibility of land mines. It was green and lush now with nary a sign of the war that once raged there. There is also a UN Disengagement Observer Force maintaining a 103 sq mile buffer zone in between Syria and Israel. We listened to a recording at a historical marker near the buffer zone, in the valley of the Tears (near Kuneitra the deserted city). The Yom Kippur War was fought here as well in 1973.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force compound

We went from 200 ft below sea level to over 3,300 ft above! Some of the roads were barely wide enough for two vehicles – but thankfully we had the best bus driver in all of Israel. He always got us there and back safely. Essam, you are a rock star!

We drove to Valley of the Doves near Magdala where the Jews from Magdala hid from the Romans in the caves of Mt. Arbel during the revolt of the Jews in AD 67. The Romans came down to the caves from the top of the mountain and slayed all of the Jews.

Caves where Jews hid AD 67

Map of the area

Jesus also travelled this route on his way to Capernaum. We spent our last night at Mt. Beatitudes Guest House.

February 4, 2023

We boarded the bus and left the Mt of Beatitudes Guest House in a drizzling rain early this morning so we could drive to Mt. Tabor for a 10:00 am Mass at the Basilica of the Transfiguration. The excitement amount the pilgrims was obvious but when we arrived at the base of the mountain and could see that the top was covered with a thick layer of fog, honestly, we were a bit disappointed. While this was not ideal for observing the spectacular views from the top of Tabor, we were not deterred. We loaded into several smaller vans and were driven (by seasoned veterans of this road) up the mountainside via windy roads with hairpin turns to the very top.  We can only imagine the breathtaking views from there—perhaps on the next trip. However, what we were able to see was nonetheless breathtaking.

This is where Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus. They witnessed Elijah and Moses appearing to them and then Jesus transfiguring before their eyes. The frescos in this church are truly an experience that only be gotten by visiting Mt. Tabor. God said “..listen to him…”

The Basilica of the Transfiguration

Moses Chapel

The Basilica of the Transfiguration (another Antonio Barluzzi creation) contains two chapels—one for Elijah and one for Moses – as well as the main sanctuary which is where we had Mass. The Basilica has amazing acoustics and singing there was a delight. Fr. Michael intoned Angus Dei chant and we all joined in—it was such a beautiful moment and a beautiful Mass.

Deacon Ken (dh) and Father Michael during Mass

The Jordan River was the next stop on our way to Jerusalem – where we renewed our baptismal promises. It was so surreal to realize that Jesus had been baptized in these very waters (“if not here, then near”).

The Jordan River

Then on to the Dead Sea, elevation 1,365 feet below sea level and the most salty sea in the world. That is why nothing grows in or in the immediate area of the Dead Sea. The weather was sunny and rain-free so many enjoyed the benefits of floating in the Dead Sea or wiping the mineral rich sludge from the bottom of the sea on their bodies. Ken & I did not partake in any of these “beneficial” activities; although we did walk a bit, which felt amazing, and soaked up the sun. The Dead Sea is extremely commercialized, but it is a significant site and I am glad we stopped.

From our vantage point

Camel at the Dead Sea

(photo credit Theresa Barnaby)

The Dead Sea

(photo credit Theresa Barnaby)

The Dead Sea

(photo credit Theresa Barnaby)

On to Jerusalem. The initial view of this historically and spiritually significant city was one of wonder and awe. The old buildings, the valley, everything looked so familiar, yet I had never been to Jerusalem, ever. Unfortunately, our hotel (Dan Jerusalem) had no power. CTC came through in record time and we spent our first night in Jerusalem at the Dan Panorama Jerusalem hotel. It was clean, warm, and served great food – so who’s to complain.

City lights - Jerusalem

(photo credit Theresa Barnaby [because our view was of a back alley])

February 5, 2023

The bulk of this day was spent in Palestine-held Bethlehem (literally means House of Bread). We visited an olive wood carving business—lovely pieces of art. Essam drove us to the Shephard's Field (at Beit Sahour) and Fr. Michael and Deacon Ken celebrated Mass for us at a grotto. We also visited the church there. Antonio Barluzzi (this name should be becoming familiar by now) was the architect for the Shepards Fields church which is in the shape of shepherd’s tent. Inside are angels, light from the dome, frescos of the Nativity and the shepherds.

Olive wood carving business

Some hand carved, others machine carved, and still others using both methods

Mass at a grotto at Shepherd's Field

Shepherd's Field Church

Inside of Shepherd's Field Church

Inside of Shepherd's Field Church

Inside of Shepherd's Field ChurchI

After lunch at Casa Nova restaurant in Bethlehem, we walked next door to Manager Square and entered the Church of the Nativity (via the Humility door) which was built approximately 1,400 years ago by St. Helena, Mother of Constantine. The Humility door was initially installed at this height so people on horseback could not attack the church by riding horses through the door. One can also look at it as a symbol of how Jesus humiliated himself by being born man.

Humility Door (from inside the church)

Humility door (from outside the church)

Waiting in line for quite some time - absolutely worth the wait to see where Jesus was born (photos were taken individually—thank you Bernie) under the current church (the Nativity grotto). Such a powerful holy site.

Waiting in line to see the Manager where Jesus was born

The place where Jesus was born - Ken

And me

The Church includes 11^th century mosaics recently uncovered on the walls. The church is held by the Greek Orthodox (main), the Armenians, and the Jesuits. The Greek Orthodox section contains “iconostasis” that holds many icons depicting many iterations of the Holy Family.

Greek Orthodox side of church

Mosaics recently discovered

Mosaics recently discovered

The Jesuits portion of this church is the St. Katherine of Alexandar church.

St. Jerome lived here during his life while he was translating the Bible. It also serves as the Bethlehem Catholic parish church. It is beautifully peaceful and serene.

Our hotel for the remainder of our trip was the Dan Jerusalem. A very large, aging hotel with amazing staff and food! Ken & I had an amazing room on the 7^th floor with a beautiful view of the city plus some wine (which we shared on the last night) and fruit basket. 

View from our 7th floor room at the Dan Jerusalem

Main lobby area of Dan Jerusalem

I hope you are enjoying the journey so far. The next installment will be done sometime in the future (as time permits). I do have some photos to add here but will publish this without them for the time being. Photo credits are given when I made note of who took the photo. We all happily shared our photos so if you see one that you took and I did not give you credit for it, my humblest apologies. Until next time - may God bless you with all you need.

Walking in the Footsteps of Jesus - 1/30/2023 - 2/2/2023

It is difficult for me to express on paper how absolutely and utterly life-changing this experience was for me. I hope you enjoy part 1 of this series outlining our pilgrimage to the Holy Land in February 2023. I took over 700 photographs during this pilgrimage and will not add a tenth of those to these blog posts. I hope you get excited about a trip to the Holy Land and to make your own memories.

January 30 - 31, 2023

Our travel “day” started with a 4-hour delay at SeaTac as our plane to San Francisco required emergency repairs/maintenance. We walked miles as they changed our departure gate at least 5 times, which is when I stopped counting. But at 3:00 pm local time, we were on our way to San Francisco. We left San Francisco at our appointed 7:30 pm departure for a very long 14-hour flight to Tel Aviv, Israel.

We arrived in Tel Aviv at approximately 7:35pm (local time) on January 31^st (14-hour flight + 10 hours ahead of us) and were greeted by a gigantic storm containing thunder, lightning, and more rain than Israel had saw the entire month of January.

This unsettled weather would be the common thread throughout most of our time in country. The CTC (our travel agency) representative met us at the gate; walked us through the entire visa/passport process so we could all enter Israel. There was one minor glitch but it was soon resolved and our group proceeded to gather our luggage.  

We met our tour guide, Hussam, near the ground transportation and he greeted us with a warm “Welcome Home”. After a hike through parking lots, down drenched sidewalks, and other paved “roads” we eventually arrived at our (large and luxurious) tour bus. Our driver, Essam, helped Hussam load our luggage, and we were off to Netanya where our first hotel, the Leonardo Plaza Hotel, was located. Ken and I had a beautiful room on the 7^th floor with a gorgeous terrace overlooking the Mediterranean. Unfortunately, it stormed throughout the entire night and the next morning so we could not enjoy the terrace, however, we “slept like baby Jesus”.

View from Netanya hotel terrace facing the Mediterranean.

February 1, 2023

We woke to a soaked Israel with continued thunder and lightning storms as well as sporadic torrential downpours. This did not, however, dampen our spirits.

We ate breakfast which included much local fare at the hotel “cafeteria”. Fresh food was the norm, not just for the day, but for the entire trip - cheeses, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, bananas, yogurt and so much more! Beautiful to behold and delicious to taste!

We soon boarded our bus and Essam drove us to Nazareth so we could have Mass at the Basilica of the Annunciation/Upper Basilica before lunch. We enjoyed daily Mass every day while we were in Israel with Father Michael. This was quite a treat for me as I usually cannot attend daily Mass because of my job.

Before Mass we visited St. Joseph’s Memorial Church situated behind the Basilica where it is said Joseph worked as a carpenter. It was a humble structure (made of stone, of course) and filled with stained glass, artwork, and reverence.

Returning to the Basilica we climbed the sweeping spiral stone staircase which led to the Upper Basilica. Seeing Father Michael and Deacon Ken on the altar in this holy place was surreal, comforting, and sacred. These amazing locations surrounded by our fellow travellers and our parish priest (and deacon) - how could it get better than that!

Mass at Basilica of the Annunciation - Upper Basilica

 The Basilica is the site commemorating Mary, mother of God, saying yes to the angel, Gabriel. The current church, the largest Christian church in the Middle East, was built in 1969 over the ruins of two previous churches.

Basilica of the Annunciation near Memorial Church of St. Joseph

After a lovely lunch with a large number of other pilgrims, we drove to the site of the Wedding at Cana. Mary advocates for us as she did for the couple in Cana when she asked her son to help the newlyweds and he turned water into wine. The married couples of our group stood together on the altar to renew their wedding vows. It was a beautiful ceremony, chapel, area, and many memories made.

We arrived at our new home in the afternoon – the Mount of Beatitudes Guest House which provides an extraordinary view of the Sea of Galilee and surrounding area. We were blessed with this quiet, out of the way, and thoroughly spiritual venue for our first days in Israel. The rooms were small but clean; the food was fresh and abundant. Ken & I were exhausted and went to bed well before 9:00 pm.

The Guest House at the Mt of Beatitudes

View from the Guest House

Sunset from the Mt of Beatitudes

View of the Sea of Galilee - Mt of Beatitudes

February 2, 2023

We left the Mt. of Beatitudes Guest House the next morning to explore many sites near the Sea of Galilee including Capernaum, a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, a kibbutz where we saw the “Jesus Boat” (recently discovered fishing boat from around the time of Jesus) among so much more.

Capernaum was full of ancient architecture and ruins, stories of Peter and Jesus and the disciples including Peter being the rock that would be the foundation for the Church.  We had Mass with Father Michael and Deacon Ken at St. Peter’s Memorial Church – an octagonal structure built over the site of Peter’s home. A place where Jesus spent about 3 years in public ministry.

St. Peter's Memorial Church, Capernaum

Statue of St. Peter with the key to the kingdom

Mass in St. Peter's Memorial Church, Capernaum

Ruins of Peter's home - the church was built over the top of them

Jewish temple ruins

Stones from Jewish temple

We visited a kibbutz (a communal settlement, usually a farm) near the Mt. of Beatitudes, where we watched a video of how the “Jesus boat” was found and brought out of the water (sounds easier than it was). The boat is on display although it had to be “fortified” to keep the wood from instantly turning to dust once it dried out. If you are interested in more information about the kibbutz or the "Jesus boat" please click the hyperlink: Jesus Boat.

The highlight of our day was definitely the boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. Ken (as a former member of the U.S. Navy) hoisted the US flag to the Star-Spangled Banner. We danced and sang and bought a few trinkets to commemorate the time on the Sea of Galilee. 

A boat exactly like the one we sailed on.

History, scripture, song, and dance were enjoyed by all.

Shoreline - calm sea

Father Michael enjoying the sun, sea, and song

More shoreline and calm sea

Tabgha Churches

Altar over the venerated rock in the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

The floor tells the story in the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes

The Primacy of St. Peter Entrance

The church of Peter's Primacy

Looking out to the Sea of Galilee

Jerusalem cross at Peter's Primacy

Appetizer at dinner in Magdala

We visited the church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes (we all know those stories, right?) at Tabgha and then Peter’s Primacy where Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep” & made him the first Pope; before resting for a bit back in our rooms on Mt. of Beatitudes. We travelled to nearby Magdala and dined at the beautiful Magdalena Restaurant. Amazing local cuisine and such a great atmosphere. The chef there wrote a book (that many took home with them) which included recipes of the foods we ate that night. Ken especially enjoyed the roasted cauliflower appetizer – I have aspirations of recreating it one day. I ate the seafood pasta (fresh and seasoned perfectly); Ken had the ribeye steak (also perfectly cooked), and Theresa had the fish (whole and beautiful fish caught daily). The best part about this meal, aside from the fabulous food, was the experience itself. We talked, laughed, drank some wine or beer, listened to stories, and learned so much about the people at our table. It was truly an experience. This is the biggest difference between Israel and America - meals are not rushed, they are eaten slowly, thoughtfully; and people truly enjoy the company of those dining with them. No TVs in the restaurant, no devices (except for the occasional picture for those back home), and lots of love and laughter. 

The weather today was better than we expected. We did not have any rain until the afternoon and then it was just a few sprinkles. There was some wind especially on the Sea but all in all, it was a perfect day for taking photos and exploring this fabulous region of Israel. Fr. Michael read scriptures at each location and truly brought the Bible to life – at least for me.

We learned to call Fr. Michael 'Aboonah' (Abuna) which means father.

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We were in Israel until February 9th and I will be adding another post to include a few more days of travel and photos. Until next time....may God bless you abundantly.

Easter Vigil

We are an Easter people! So it has been said of Catholics! We are! Easter revitalizes our faith, hope, love, and kindness. It reminds us that Jesus Christ, God made flesh, died for our sins - all of us - whether we believe or not. He was resurrected and still lives today. He was both human and divine. He saved us from our sinfulness. 

My faith in humans was restored last night at Easter Vigil Mass (btw, my favorite Mass of the year). Our church was filled, although not completely full, of family and friends of those coming into the Church but also faith-filled parishioners who were there because it was where they wanted to be. My heart was full seeing our Church filled with so much love for Jesus as well as for each other. 

Father Michael preached a beautiful homily directed, in part, to the soon-to-be neophytes. He introduced us to the term "militant joy" which means having joy in the moment, not because it is a happy or joyful moment, but because you know Jesus will help you through it and all will be well. Finding joy even when we are not joyfilled - "militant joy". I love the phrase and I will be using this to help myself appreciate the graces that our Lord has given me and continue to give me - I am thankful for every one of them. 

Until next time - may God bless you with all that you need and/or ask for. Enjoy a very happy Easter season!!

Three Years of Fear?

It has been 3 years since my aunt passed away. It was as we travelled to her funeral that we heard our illustrious governor lockdown everything in the state (schools, restaurants, spas, all non-essential businesses). We were told we shouldn't hug each other at my aunt's funeral, as if!! The government also told us that wearing masks would not keep us from getting sick (actually afraid PPE for Healthcare workers would become scarce) but staying away from other people would.

I am thankful that I was and am working in Healthcare and we were deemed essential workers. Our office environment looked differently and some worked from home but we were able to work.

Fast forward 3 years, several doses of Covid vaccinations later, lots of lost PTO due to low census, many variations of mask designs and costs, a great deal of fake news, live streaming masses (the good and not so good outcomes), and so many closed businesses worldwide. What did the worldwide lockdown really achieve? 

Fear. We have all become afraid of everything. If we hear a co-worker sneeze more than once, fear; if we hear the words covid positive, fear; if the media mentions a new virus, fear. What are we afraid of? Getting sick? Dying? Losing an elderly relative? Living? These are not new fears. They are as old as time itself. But these fears have been intensified by the government, the mainstream media, and social media. I, for one, am tired of living in fear. I will not be silenced. I will not be told where I can and cannot go and I will not be kept from my parish community ever again. 

If you haven't come back to your community, do it now!  Wear a mask of you need or want to. Do it on your terms. But just do it. We miss you!

God did not create us for fear, he created us for love. Love is a physical emotion that includes touch. Hug your family and your friends. Shake hands during the sign of peace. Be the physical person God intended you to be. 

We all must die, fact. When it is our time, we will die, fact. God is in control so.....

Be not afraid!

When Darkness Strikes...

When things are going perfectly, life seems to be filled with much light. But when darkness falls in whatever form, the light seems to fade. I happen to be going through a dark phase currently. This was frightful until I realised that it was simply a brief interlude and all that I needed to do was to ask God to get me through it.  Yes, brick walls often have to fall on my head for a realization to actually come to light.

It is quite easy to be a kind, loving Christian Catholic when life is going along smoothly. It is an entirely different matter when the weight of the world seems to be on your shoulders and nothing seems to be going your way. These are the times when we must depend on God to get us through. God is the answer.....to almost any question you might have.

While it may not be an instant fix, God is the long-term solution to the darkness this life can bring. He can bring light to pitch blackness, happiness to dispair, and love back to this loveless and unkind world. I have learned, yet again, that asking for God to take my free will and do with it what He wills is the ultimate cure for my darkness.

Ramblings

 Not at all sure what I am going to write about tonight; however, I made a promise to myself to write - no matter what. With moderate arthritis in both hands and wrists, my writing is going to have come in the form of typing on the computer. I love to write with a pen and paper; however, it is less satisfying especially with the additional pain that is often involved. Getting old is definitely not for the faint of heart!

I have often been asked: What is it to be a Deacon's wife? I would love to hear from other wives of deacons (in the Roman Catholic Church) and see what their answers are. But for me, the answer is first, you have to be willing to share your husband. If you must be the center of his universe, talk him out of wanting to be a deacon. The wives of deacons, while not "officially" being "called" to the deaconate, we are unofficially called to be supportive, loving, social (grimace), and pastoral to the parish that employs your husband. BTW, I use the word "employ" rather loosely - it does not usually mean an 8-5, paid position with church. It actually means 24-7, unpaid volunteer position that has high expectations including the occasional mind reading.

The wife of a deacon is not expected to be all the things I've mentioned; however, it does make the parish life and that of your husband much easier. If you don't want to attend the same parish where your deacon husband is assigned, you don't have to. However, it gives exactly the wrong message to the parishioners. They could think that you feel you are too good to associate with them. Or perhaps that you simply do not like them. You have to consider the repercussions of your actions - think ardently before making such an important decision.

I am not the most social person; however, I do make a point of trying. I allow my husband to accept dinner invitations on our behalf - as long as he consults our electronic calendar - as my initial response is actually "sorry, we can't make it". The other ministries that we are called to are relatively easy - at east in my case.

We walked into our current parish as complete strangers; however, we walked out as a welcomed addition to the parish community family. This entire group of people have become fast and loving, faith-filled friends. We have never regretted joining this parish.

So the best advice I can give to others who are considering or already in deaconate formation is this: be open to God's call to you both; communicate with one another and pray together about this huge decision; and above all - take time to be together in every way - don't forget that you were married to each other first - give it the time, energy, attention, and love it requires and deserves. 

God's blessings to each of you and until next time - kindness is cool!