Today the Gospel reminds us of the call to Peter and Andrew, James and John who, on receiving it, responded immediately to Jesus. These fishermen were working at their trade on The Sea of Galilee and they left it behind.
In our pilgrimage in October last year we spent a wonderful time at Tiberius with a very moving Mass right by the Sea of Galilee. In the tranquillity of that beautiful place you could easily believe it was two thousand years ago. No doubt the area has changed down the centuries but you still get a glimpse of what it must have been like when Jesus walked there and when the future Apostles first heard the call to “follow me”.
Ann and I have visited the Holy Land several times and have enjoyed visiting the various places which form the basis of our faith but nothing has been more moving or more beautiful than the Sea of Galilee.
In our one and only visit to the Holy Land (Christmas 1995) my mother and I also thought that the Galilee was indeed beautiful - and so tranquil. I was reminded of it this morning when the Gospel was read at Mass at St Barnabas.
ReplyDeleteOur second favourite place was Jaffa because it reminded us so much of the Venetian towns we know along the Adriatic coast of Croatia, And a close third comes the Baha'i shrine in Haifa.