Today we really spent the day in Jesus footsteps. We spent the day around the Sea of Galilee. Which, is in fact a lake rather than a sea, but it is huge! It is 21km from north to south and its deepest point is 150ft. It also apparently has 26 different types of fish living in it!
The day was made more special by the fact that the first stop was completely non commercial and was our guide assured us, almost exactly as it would have been at the time of Jesus.
We first had Mass outdoors at the Primacy of Peter beside the Sea of Galilee. The site is said to be where Jesus appeared after the resurrection and where he asked Peter three times 'do you love me?'
Fr John Hemer explained the significance of Christ's question. Many Pilgrims commented that they found his explanation helpful and so I have reproduced as much of it as possible below:
The homily
Fr John said: After the crucifixion most of the disciples came back to Galilee. If we view Peter from a worldly perspective he has a bit of a cheek running towards Christ after he let Him down so badly. Thankfully, the Gospels help us to see Peter in a divine way; the way Christ sees him."
"At the Last Supper, Peter was very brave and said he wold never leave Christ. This was clearly bravado as now, here in this spot, after everything that has happened Peter wouldn't say anything so brave."
"The scene with Christ on the shore takes place around a charcoal fire. The last time Peter saw a charcoal fire was at Caiaphas House where he denied Jesus three times."
"If Peter had kept his promise that he made at the Last Supper the Church would be a community of heroes. there would be no room for failures or the afraid. The Church is actually built on people who let Christ down, but are forgiven. The Church is built on people like us."
"In asking the question 'do you love me' Jesus knows that Peter loves him, but he wants Peter to be able to say it with a clear conscience. Peter, having failed so badly could spend his life in guilt, trying to expiate his mistake. Sometimes people mistake feeling guilty with being virtuous. they think that by feeling bad that is enough. Imagine what a dreadful effect that would have had on the Church if the first Pope had been motivated by guilt."
"There is not the slightest hint of Jesus reproaching Peter. he doesn't say 'where were you when I needed you?'. Once Peter can say 'I love you with a clear conscience' then Jesus says 'feed my sheep'."
"Motivation for ministry must be motivated by love for Christ. In the end it is the only way priesthood makes sense."
"At Caesarea Philippi when Jesus asks 'Who do people say I am' Peter gives the right answer. But this is not enough in itself. It is possible to be convinced Jesus is God, but have no love for God or for others."
"The thing that enables us to be sincere Christians is love. For many people Christianity is an ideology, a set of good ideas. It is in fact a loving relationship."
Pilgrims then took the opportunity to paddle in the Sea or reflect in the nearby Church which has the rock where Christ cooked breakfast for the disciples after the resurrection.
We then went on to visit Capernaum, Jesus' town where he lived during his ministry. After that we visited the site of the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes before taking a trip on a boat to sail on the Sea of Galilee.
