We all arose after our first night's stay at Golan Hotel in the heart of Tiberias in the late morning. Every pilgrim commented on the breathtaking view from the hotel which surveys the Sea of Galilee in anticipation of the events of the day.
We embark on a boat on the Sea and after a rousing flying of the Union Jack and the National Anthem, we are left for a few moment in silence. From the vantage of the boat we were directed to observe the hills, the landscape or typology of discipleship, ‘what you now see, He saw!’, Fr John Farrell OP, spiritual guide for the pilgrimage, told us. From the Feeding of the 5000 and the Sermon on the Mount in calming of the waters, the atmosphere is saturated in the Gospel.
One pilgrim joyfully expressed how apt it is to start our Pilgrimage here: ‘it’s great to start here as it is relatively unchanged since the time of Jesus; it's authentic’.
We continued the day at Capernaum where Jesus taught and preached extensively, cast out demons, performed miracles of healing and even sat down to dinner with Peter and his mother-in-law. Here Cardinal Vincent gave his first reflection on the trip so far:
We meditated on the story of the paralysed man being lowered through the roof by his friends (Mark 2:1-12). We are reminded how Jesus ‘saw their faith’, i.e., the faith of the four men who carried the paralytic, and are invited to, like these men, bring our desires and troubles to Jesus in the same trust and confidence.
After lunch we moved on to the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus proclaimed perhaps his most famous sermon (Matthew 5:48). During Mass Cardinal Vincent gave us his own sermon on the Beatitudes on the very same mount they were first proclaimed.
‘Let us lay a foundation stone’, the Cardinal began as he elegantly painted the image of the trip as he sees it, one of a diocesan family on behalf of many others at home brought together in the life of the Lord. ‘This Mass will be unforgettable’, he explained not because it is any different in substance, but because of the place.
The Beatitudes, we were told, can be seen as a summation of the Christian Faith. ‘The Beatitudes are our mission statement’, the Cardinal emphatically said ‘and it's a wonderful one’.
Tabgha, from the Greek Heptapegon meaning seven springs, is the site of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes and our penultimate visit. The loaves and fishes is the only miracle, beside the Resurrection, that is recorded in all four Gospels. The place is one of striking simplicity and beauty. The Benedictine Monastery bears the famous Mosaic of the multiplication of the loaves, and under the altar is the rock traditionally said to be the place where this miracle occurred. Although a short visit, there was a profound and striking contrast from our other encounters of the day, making it a memorable experience in its own right.
Our final stop on the day was at the Primacy of Peter. When Jesus went to Caesare'a Phillip'pi he announced ‘on this rock I will build my Church’ (Matthew 16:18). After the Resurrection beginning in the 21st Chapter of John, Jesus reveals himself clandestinely. Reminiscent of an earlier account in the Gospels, Simon Peter was fishing on the lake with some of the disciples, when Jesus called out to them to cast their nets for a catch on the right side of the boat catching fish of such quantity they were not able to haul it in' (John 21:6). Jesus then challenges Peter to live up to his own words, since he earlier declared that even if the other disciples should fall away from Christ, his commitment would never falter (Matthew 26:33). 'Feed my lambs': Jesus entrusts to Peter the task of shepherding his entire flock. The Primacy of Peter is affirmed, he is to be 'Chief Shepherd' (1 Peter 5:4).
In the church, the main feature is the 'Mensa Christi' (the Table of the Christ) where Jesus said ‘come and have breakfast’ (John 21:12), the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples. The day ended with a poignant reflection led by Fr John at sunset facing out toward the Sea of Galilee.
At the end of the day, the Cardinal gave his thoughts on the first and very successful day of the pilgrimage:
For more photos of the first day, please click HERE
The Youth Pilgrimage continues to run alongside the main diocesan pilgrimage. To read their updates, please click HERE.
This is an abridged account of the day's events. For a longer and more detailed description of the day, please click HERE.
