Day 2 – Galilee

We begin a full day today traveling up to Caesarea Phillip (another Caesarea – this one is not by the sea but up in the mountains; not built by Herod the Great but by his son, Herod Philip). Amidst temple to other gods, this is where Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do people say I am…Who do you say I am?” Returning to the Sea of Galilee we traveled along the Golan Heights.

From there we visit the ruins of Capernaum. This was a small fishing village on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee where Peter and Andrew, James and John were all from. Jesus made this his home during his three years of ministry in Galilee. Here there is a church built on stilts with a glass floor over the remains of a house that has Christian markings on it from early centuries – many believe this may have been the house/room where Jesus (or perhaps Peter) lived.

Down the shoreline we visited the churches of The Multiplication of Loaves and The Primacy of St Peter. One claims to be the place where Jesus fed the multitudes, the other where Jesus broke bread with Peter after the great catch of fish. At the Primacy Church there is a tradition of throwing a rock into the water with the intent of giving your sin to Jesus who has drowned them in baptism and you are raised to new life – freed and forgiven. I’m always interested to see who throws the biggest rocks, or the most. I won’t name names.

We had a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee – always a highlight. It was hot! Over 100 degrees. It started out calm. We heard the story of Jesus calming the storm. Then it started to become very windy. Ironic.

And finally we went to the Jordan River at the south end of the Sea of Galilee where we had a remembrance of baptism, and one who got baptized. We all dressed in white robes – prayed together, arm in arm – then went down into the water one by one and were dunked in the water hearing words of remembrance of the great promise we received once for all time when we were baptized once upon a time. However, for Susan Bolles, she received her baptism today in these waters at the age of 74! We gathered around her, laid hands upon her and prayed for her, and baptized her. What a moving experience and highlight. Powerful!

We do not re-baptize because our belief is that baptism is not about our coming to Christ, but that in baptism God (the Holy Spirit) comes to us. Our faith is in this promise that God has made, and that God will be faithful. To each person remembering their baptism I said: “Long ago, when you were baptized God made a promise to you that is everlasting and unbinding; you were baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ – you are a new creation – that is forever, and no one can take that away from you. As you are dunked into these waters of the Jordan River remember your baptism and that you bear the name of Christ – that you are a Christian.” Then Shane, my co-host, and I dunked them saying: “Remember you are baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are a beloved Child of God.”