Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 7 – Petra
Here is part seven of the series of posts James is sharing about his pilgrimage to the Holy Land this summer! You can find the rest here:
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 1 (Days 0-2)
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 5 – Jerusalem (Days 7-8)
Travel day to Jordan. After crossing the Jordan River on the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Crossing, we will drive through the Jordanian desert up the mountains of Moab to Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land before he died (Deut. 34). In Madaba, we’ll visit St. George’s Church to see the oldest extant map of the Holy Land, a 6th century mosaic; and then we’ll visit a modern mosaic workshop to see how mosaics are made in the same tradition. After lunch, we’ll drive through the desert towards Wadi Musa (the Spring of Moses) and Petra. On the way, if there is time, we will see the fortress of Machaerus where St. John the Baptist was imprisoned. Dinner and overnight in Wadi Musa.
All packed up to leave Jerusalem… Next destination, Jordan.
Got up early to see the sunrise over Jerusalem. Was a little sad leaving this beautiful city.
May or may not have teared up when I was on the rooftop watching the sunrise.
The area where Jesus places the story of the Good Samaritan. Jesus uses this area in his story because the person who fell among robbers would have given up all hope of receiving help because no one would travel in this desolate countryside. That’s why it’s so horrible that the priest and the Levite that “by chance” saw the “half dead” man and did absolutely nothing in way of helping this poor man who most likely thought he was going to be saved when he saw the priest and Levite coming down the road. It made me think of the times that I may have walked on the other side and not helped my fellow brother or sister in Christ
“Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'”
Crossing into Jordan
It was an absolute hassle with all the security that we had to go through. I mean it wasn’t horrible, but still it wasn’t fun.
The place where Moses looked over the promised land…
Sure doesn’t look very promising if I’m completely honest. 😜
We also had Mass on top of this mountain which was cool!
This is a church in Madaba, a city that prides itself in their mosaics.
Their famous Madaba Mosaic Map
Thought theses two pictures convey a neat perspective of the streets in the Middle East.
Not much else for the day other than a three hour bus ride to our next hotel.
Day 12: Tuesday, July 19
We will spend the day exploring Petra (Isaias 16:1), once a thriving center of trade and commerce, and the place where the Magi acquired their gold, frankincense and myrrh on their way to adore the Lord. It was the capital of Arabia Petraea, the “Arabia” where St. Paul spent three years after his conversion (Gal. 1:17-18) and began his ministry to the Gentiles. It became a holy place of martyrdom under the persecution of Diocletian at the beginning of the 4th century, hosted numerous Church councils and synods after 343, and eventu- ally converted entirely to Christianity after a miraculous rainfall sent by God in 423 to end a four-year drought, at the prayers of the holy monk Bar Sauma (Son of Fasting) and his forty compan- ions. We will have a chance to learn about the local bedouin culture here, as well as reflect on salvation history, evangelization and the spiritual desert, and the importance of daily conversion. Afterwards we’ll visit Moses’ Spring, where Moses struck the rock and water came forth (Num. 20:1-13), and Mount Hor and the Tomb of the holy Prophet Aaron (Num. 20:22-29). Dinner and last night in Wadi Musa.
This hotel is crazy. Just woke up and took this picture,
I’ll have to share more pics after we get back tonight!
Gonna go spend the day in Petra!
A couple pics of the place we are staying. They took the ruins/layout of an old town and turned them into hotel rooms! They’re obviously not the original stones and stuff but the layout defiantly feels like an old city. Super cool! Definitely going to hit the pool when we get back.
Ready to get this show on the road!
Also… new fit for the desert.
Time for some exploring!
This is the original stone that the Romans put in because of its frequent travel usage due to being out of the heat of the sun.
Indiana Jones soundtrack definitely started playing in my head. 😜😂
It’s so crazy to think that people carved these temples and tombs out of a heckin’ mountain!!!! Insane what can be done with effort and determination.
So many cool caves and carved temples!!
This was an old Greek Orthodox church that was used during the crusades.
Ran into some goats while hiking the surrounding areas.
So many cool sights! Made for some good exploring/hiking.
Was really looking forward to riding a camel but we just ran out of time. Still super cool seeing so many of them all saddled up and being ridden.
Pictured left is me and this incredibly fun lady from our parish who was my hiking buddy. Pictured right is another shot of the street of hotel rooms.
Got my swim in! Felt so good after hiking around for 3 hours in 104 degree weather.
Such a FUN day!!! So sad this trip is almost over. 😢
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 6 – Mount Carmel on the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and David & Goliath
Flower of Carmel, Blossoming Vine,
Splendor of Heaven, Mother divine, None like to thee.
Mother of Our King, Peerless and Fair,
to thy children of Carmel, Favors grant ever, Star of the sea!
Here is part six of the series of posts James is sharing about his pilgrimage to the Holy Land this summer! You can find the rest here:
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 1 (Days 0-2)
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 5 – Jerusalem (Days 7-8)
Day 9: Saturday, July 16 and the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
On our Lady’s holy feast day, we will drive north to Haifa to visit Mount Carmel and the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery, the center of Carmelite spirituality throughout the world. Underneath this church lies the cave where lived the holy Prophet Elias. After lunch at the Monastery, we will drive down the coast to Caesarea Maritima, which was an important center for Christianity connected with the Apostles and Church Fathers: Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Zacchaeus, Philip the Deacon, Cornelius the Centurion, Origen, Eusebius, and even the origins of the Nicene Creed. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
After Mass this morning we went to Stella Maris on Mount Carmel!
It also happened to be the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel!!
Stella Maris • Star of the Sea
Such a beautiful day!
On our way back we stopped at Caesarea Maritima
(Formerly Strato’s Tower, also known as Caesarea Palestinae, was an ancient city in the Sharon plain on the coast of the Mediterranean, now in ruins and included in an Israeli National Park.) This has no significance to Christ and his journey but this is the city where most of the roman soldiers who worked in Israel would retire to because of the beauty of it. Honestly if this place was up and running I wouldn’t mind retiring there myself. Like I said, there really isn’t any connection with Christ to this spot but this would have been a hub for early Christians. Was built around 22 B.C.
Picture on the left is a VERY early sculpture of Jesus the Good Shepard carrying a lamb on his shoulders. Picture on the right is the remaining foot of a huge sculpture of a man. My friend standing next to it gives some comparison.
When the Crusaders came to this area they built a fortress just outside the main city. In the picture above you can see some of the old wall and part of the moat that they built.
Absolutely love the Mediterranean Sea!!! (I just love water in general if you couldn’t tell.)
We didn’t see a whole ton on this day, and the things we did see weren’t super monumental, but it gave us time to relax a little bit. Looking forward to another day!
Day 10: Sunday, July 17
Our last day in Jerusalem. After Holy Mass, we will visit the Israel Museum and see the amazing 22,000 square foot model of the Old City of Jerusalem as it was at the time of our Lord, as well as the Shrine of the Book that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will also visit the Elah Valley where David slew Goliath (1 Kings 17), learn how he did it, and how to sling a stone in the same manner. We’ll then have a free afternoon to rest, re-visit holy sites in Jerusalem, and explore the Old City before we depart for Jordan the next day. Dinner and last night in Jerusalem.
Our last day in Jerusalem. After Holy Mass, we will visit the Israel Museum and see the amazing 22,000 square foot model of the Old City of Jerusalem as it was at the time of our Lord, as well as the Shrine of the Book that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls. We will also visit the Elah Valley where David slew Goliath (1 Kings 17), learn how he did it, and how to sling a stone in the same manner. We’ll then have a free afternoon to rest, re-visit holy sites in Jerusalem, and explore the Old City before we depart for Jordan the next day. Dinner and last night in Jerusalem.
Happy Sunday!
If ya can’t tell it from this pic, I was very tired!
Started the day with Mass. Great way to start the day in my opinion 😉
The stream where David selected 5 stones to use in his fight with Goliath! Couldn’t help but think of the Veggie Tales episode “Dave and the Giant Pickle”. 😂
“Then David took his shepherd’s staff. selected five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in the pocket of his shepherd’s pack, and with his sling in hand approached Goliath.”
The field where David killed Goliath.
(Like I said, I was thinking of Veggie Tales the entire time…)
David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lorddoes not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.”
Before leaving I was given this plant to try and it actually tasted pretty good.
It tasted like licorice.
We then went to the Israel Museum which had this model of the City of Jerusalem.
It’s kind of hard to tell from this picture but there is a wall in the middle splitting the old and new Jerusalem built Herod the great. The scale of the city is 1:50
In the picture above you can see where Jesus was tried by Pilate (the Fortress looking thing). Jesus would have come down those steps and out that gate that can be seen and would have been crucified on that tallish rock to the left of the gate.
This is the Second Temple
We then returned to the hotel for a free evening.
A friend and I went to see The Wailing Wall. Not sure how many sketch alleyways and side streets we walked to get here… Definitely a struggle.
Our last dinner in Jerusalem was
🔥
We actually went back to Bethlehem where we had dinner and a show.
…definitely became more culturally enriched.
Had lamb for dinner with a rice that had nuts and raisins in it 👌
And then said goodbye to our guide because he is unable to travel into Jordan.
Such a great guide. Hopefully I’ll see him again at some point in my life.
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 5 – Jerusalem
Let us enter into His dwelling; let us adore in the place where His feet have stood! – Psalm 131:7
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 1 (Days 0-2)
Day 7: Thursday, July 14
Today we spend the morning in the holy city of Jerusalem, walking in the footsteps of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ. We rise early in the morning to walk the Via Dolorosa and pray the Stations of the Cross, culminating at the holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where we venerate Mount Calvary and the empty Tomb of Our Lord. After a mid-morning rest and lunch, we will visit Bethany and the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, where our Lord was accustomed to staying whenever He visited Jerusalem; we will also see the Tomb of Lazarus (John 11), the last of the miracles related by John before the Crucifixion. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
I was in a rush to get out the door so you don’t get the mirror shot. 😉
(I was in a rush because we had to be out the door promptly at 5AM.)
Started the day by following the same path of the Stations of the Cross!
It was such an amazing experience especially with the quiet streets!
Mount Calvary where Jesus died so that we may be set free from our sins.
I was actually able to touch the very stone where the cross stood! :,)
It was incredibly moving being in very spot where the ultimate sacrifice took place.
The stone slab where Jesus was prepared for the tomb.
I wish I could describe the smell of that stone slab because it was heavenly.
Golgotha, also known as The Place of the Skull, has been traditionally recognized has the place where Adam — the first human — was buried; and when the rock split during the earth quake Christ’s blood flowed down the crack and over the skull of Adam washing him in the blood of Christ cleaning him from his sin.
Below is one of pillars that Jesus was bound to when He was scourged. When our guide mentioned that it was, “one of the pillars” it raised a few questions from our group. Our guide elaborated saying something to the effect that, Jesus would have been scourged when He was held by the Sanhedrin as well as by the Romans twice. The first time was when Pilate found “no reason for death in Him” but wished to please the crowed and the second time was just before Pilate handed Christ over to be crucified. Our guide also went into detail on how Jesus would’ve been scourged saying that on top of using whips with knots or metal ends designed to rip and tear the skin, they would’ve thrown salt on the wounds in order to make sure that Jesus was still feeling the pain of the scourges. Just goes to show how much Christ endured for us out of love.
The place where St. Helen found The True Cross.
The chanting from a different group really set the mood…
Found out later that the group is called Harpa Dei.
We had to leave because we were scheduled for Mass at a different location but we got to go back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre later.
After Mass we made our way to Bethany and to the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
This is a small mustard tree and those tiny black dots are mustard seeds!!!
“He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
This is the church above the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
“Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die… Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go.”
Shawarma over looking Jerusalem
After getting back to the hotel, a group of us went back to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The following pictures are taken from underneath the Via Dolorosa. Instead of me trying to explain I found a video which was really helpful.
At the end of the day we went back to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher and got to go into the tomb where Jesus was buried and rose from!!
This is the cave where Jesus was buried and rose from!!!
Wasn’t allowed to take take pictures inside but it was an incredible experience!
Such an incredibly blessed day full of emotion to say the least!
Day 8: Friday, July 15
We will start the day at the summit of the Mount of Olives to walk the road that our Lord used to take entering Jerusalem from Bethany, the route of Palm Sunday. Visit the Church of Pater Noster, one of the places our Lord taught His disciples to pray (Luke 11:1-4); Dominus Flevit, where our Lord wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44); the Garden of Gethse- mane and the Basilica of the Agony (Luke 22:39-44). After lunch at Ramat Rachel (overlooking Rachel’s Tomb, Gen. 35:19-20), we’ll visit Mt. Sion to see Dormition Abbey, the place where our Lady ended her earthly life before her glorious Assumption into heaven. Nearby is the Holy Cenacle, the Upper Room where our Lord ate His Last Supper (Mt. 26, Mk. 14; Lk. 22; Jn. 13), breathed on the Apostles after His Resurrection (John 20:22), and sent the Holy Ghost at Pentecost (Acts 1-2). From there, we’ll walk the short distance to the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, where our Lord was imprisoned the night before He died and where St. Peter denied Him three times. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
This is the area where Jesus wept over the City of Jerusalem.
You can see the Walls of Jerusalem. Obviously not the same walls that were there during the time of Christ but they’re still very old! (This wall was build in the 16th century.)
It was cool seeing a birds-eye view of the city and where everything was exactly.
This is the type of plant used for the crown of thorns.
Those thorns are about the length of a finger! I can’t imagine how painful that must have been for Our Lord. Our guide was saying that once they penetrate there are barbs that keep the thorn from being pulled out without causing pain. And if that wasn’t enough they also release a poison…
After Mass we walked down the hill on the path that Jesus would have taken on Palm Sunday!
The Garden of Gethsemane
I can see why Jesus would come here to pray!
My godfather made a really neat point, just like how an olive is pressed and oil comes out, Christ too was pressed by the weight of our sins to the point that sweat came out as drops of blood.
This tree is 2,000 years old which means it would’ve been a sapling that Jesus walked past when He was in the garden.
Another shot of the Church built over the rock in the garden of Gethsemane.
“Going a little father, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.””
A truly moving sight…
This is me being vulnerable with y’all but I have had many nights where I had tremendous anxiety/stress so much so that at times thought I couldn’t do it anymore and in those times I throw myself in desperation to the mercy of God and in those moments I remember how our Lord in His humanity underwent intense stress and anxiety in anticipation of the torture and death that He was about to undergo. There is nothing that we experience that God hasn’t experienced and I like to think during that time when Christ was under all the stress that He took upon Himself the stress and anxiety that the world experienced/experiences/experiencing and He sets an example for us in how to handle the stressful things that go on in our lives by turning to God in prayer pleading “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass away from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” We must remember that even though we may be going through a difficult time, so much so that we don’t think we can handle it anymore, we have to ask ourselves in those times what is God’s will. It’s possible that our will and His will are not aligned and it’s in those times that we need to ask for strength to see whatever we may be going through to the end just as Jesus did which led to the greatest moment of salvation history.
Out of the entire pilgrimage this place emotionally moved me the most. Brings tears to my eyes just thinking of it and the love God has for us to have undergone that emotional torment.
The second place where Jesus taught the Our Father…
“Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
It was really cool seeing the “Our Father” written in so many different languages!
This is the church over the place where Mother Mary was taken into Heaven!
We weren’t able to go inside due to major renovations but it was still really special.
Also visited the Upper Room where the Last Supper took place!!
Forgot to take pictures of the inside though… Probably because I was too in awe.
This church is over the spot where Peter denied Christ three times and also where Jesus was tried by the Sanhedrin.
The pic above is us in the pit where our Lord was kept when awaiting trail by the Sanhedrin.
Massive aloe vera plant… I didn’t realize that they could be so big.
The steps Christ would’ve walked on as He was led to His trial before Pilate.
“Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” A little later someone else, on seeing him, said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” Then about an hour later still another kept insisting, “Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”
Yet another GREAT DAY!!!
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 4 – Bethlehem
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 1 (Days 0-2)
Day 6: Wednesday, July 13
In the morning, we will journey to the hill country of Judea surrounding Jerusalem to visit Ein Kerem, where lived Zachary and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist (Luke 1). At the top of the hill stands the Basilica of the Visitation, where Our Lady met Elizabeth and pronounced her “Magnificat”, and at the bottom is the place where Zachary prophesied his “Benedictus”. Then we will journey to Bethlehem to see the fields where the shepherds received the “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2) and visit the Basilica of the Nativity, where our Lord was born. Under that Basilica, an ancient monastery, lies the grotto where St. Jerome lived for 34 years, producing our monumental Vulgate translation of Holy Scripture, as well as numerous scriptural commentaries and theological works. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
In the morning, we will journey to the hill country of Judea surrounding Jerusalem to visit Ein Kerem, where lived Zachary and Elizabeth, the parents of John the Baptist (Luke 1). At the top of the hill stands the Basilica of the Visitation, where Our Lady met Elizabeth and pronounced her “Magnificat”, and at the bottom is the place where Zachary prophesied his “Benedictus”. Then we will journey to Bethlehem to see the fields where the shepherds received the “good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2) and visit the Basilica of the Nativity, where our Lord was born. Under that Basilica, an ancient monastery, lies the grotto where St. Jerome lived for 34 years, producing our monumental Vulgate translation of Holy Scripture, as well as numerous scriptural commentaries and theological works. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
About to go spend the day in the City of David, Bethlehem!
But first a quick pic for 5 of my friends (they are the only ones who are gonna get this)…
“We got milk, MmmHmm… And honey, Oooh-yeaahhh.”
(Shout out to Fr. Theo – Quo Vadis Days – for this amazing line which I will never forget.)
The Walls of Bethlehem
I didn’t even know this was a thing. Sad story…
We stopped at this Christian store for 2 hours!
One guy sang the Our Father in Hebrew for us which was really neat.
These handmade carvings and jewelry were so cool but just too expensive for this broke college kid…
This was on the cheaper side of things!
The Shepherd’s Fields
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”
Can’t see them well in the picture but there are actually sheep in the valley down below.
Also served Mass in one of the Shepherd’s Caves which was incredible.
Below is some of the artwork of the chapel on top of the hill above the caves.
Jesus’ Birth Place – Bethlehem
“Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.”
The spot where the manger was kept!
Very moving to say the least.
This is the cave where the Holy Innocents were buried which is part of the same cave where Christ was born! Below are some of the remains that were found of the Holy Innocents; the first martyrs for Christ.
A relic of the Nativity Manger!
The skulls pictured above are those of monks who passed way while living in the caves near where Jesus was born.
The popemobile used by Pope Francis during his 2013 Bethlehem pilgrimage.
Our last stop was the Carmel in Bethlehem.
Took that rose picture for you, Mom! <3
Saint Mary of Jesus Crucified – I didn’t know anything about here at all till visiting this Carmel but she has a very interesting story.
This is also the place where David was anointed king!
Lots of amazing things happening next so stay tuned for part 5…
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 3 – River Jordan, Jericho & Dead Sea Swimming
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 1 (Days 0-2)
Day 4: Monday, July 11
Today our coach will take us to Zippori National Park to see Sepphoris, which was once an important center of Jewish life in Galilee, and is also the birthplace of our Lady. According to one holy tradition, she and St. Joseph met here while he was working to help build the village. From there we’ll drive to Tel Megiddo National Park to see Armageddon, the ancient place of battle, and the prophesied place of the assembly of kings in the end times (Apocalypse 16). In the afternoon, we will journey to southern end of Mount Carmel to see the Carmelite Monastery at Muhraqa (the place of burning), where the holy Prophet Elias defeated the 450 priests of Baal and 400 prophets of the groves, and the fire of God came down from heaven (3 Kings 18). Dinner and last night in Nazareth.
Today our coach will take us to Zippori National Park to see Sepphoris, which was once an important center of Jewish life in Galilee, and is also the birthplace of our Lady. According to one holy tradition, she and St. Joseph met here while he was working to help build the village. From there we’ll drive to Tel Megiddo National Park to see Armageddon, the ancient place of battle, and the prophesied place of the assembly of kings in the end times (Apocalypse 16). In the afternoon, we will journey to southern end of Mount Carmel to see the Carmelite Monastery at Muhraqa (the place of burning), where the holy Prophet Elias defeated the 450 priests of Baal and 400 prophets of the groves, and the fire of God came down from heaven (3 Kings 18). Dinner and last night in Nazareth.
Prepped for another day of Pilgrimaging!
(Sportin the new Chaco’s – early birthday gift from Dad and Mom along with a couple pairs of convertible pants and a hat for the pilgrimage)
The Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes
The rock underneath the altar is the proposed spot where the miracle happened.
“Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.”
We then stopped at the Primacy of Saint Peter where Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love Me?”
“When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.”
I love the Sea of Galilee.
We went to Zippori which was the birthplace of Mother Mary.
All these mosaics were amazing to see!! Such incredible talent.
The one above is known as “The Mona Lisa of Galilee”
(The structure above ground is not the original building…
However, it is what the original villa would’ve looked like.)
This was a watch tower that was built by the Crusaders.
This was on top of a part of Mount Carmel where the prophet Elias confronted pagan priests.
In all honesty didn’t know much about that story till going there. Pretty cool story to read sometime. Start at 1 Kings v. 18.
Those are the fields of Armageddon below.
I was able to serve Mass again. This sounds a bit cliché but it’s always a blessing being able to serve Mass especially in these Holy places.
Welp this was our last day in Nazareth. Been a blast staying here and visiting Galilee and all the other sites but I’m looking forward to our next stop, Jerusalem!
Day 5: Tuesday, July 12
Travel day to Jerusalem, our home for the next six nights. Departing Nazareth in the morning, we’ll drive south to the wilderness of Judea and visit Qumran National Park to learn about St. John the Baptist and the Essenes (Matt. 3). Then we’ll visit the River Jordan and the place where our Lord was baptized, to renew our baptismal promises to Him and be sprinkled with water from the Jordan as we sing “Asperges”. After visiting Jericho and having a traditional Bedouin lunch, we’ll go down to the Dead Sea for a floating swim at Kalya. Then we’ll drive up the mountains to our hotel in Jerusalem, on the outskirts of the Old City. Dinner and overnight in Jerusalem.
My stay in Nazareth is over but my stay in Jerusalem is about to begin!
The River Jordan – Where John baptized our Lord.
Definitely a lot smaller than I had imagined!
Me with my Godfather near the baptizing waters.
I was also able to renew my baptismal vows there!!!
Such an incredible moment ♥ ♥
The church pictured above is in the city of Jericho.
“The oldest continuously inhabited city in the world is Jericho. This territory belongs to the ancient city of Palestine, was built on the Jordan River and 9,000 years before Christ. In addition to being the oldest, Jericho is the lowest city in the world as it is situated at an altitude of 258 m below sea level.”
The mountain (on the far left is) where Jesus was tempted by the devil.
“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
We next visited where the Dead Sea Scrolls were written and discovered!
The cave in between me and Father is the cave where the first scrolls were found by the shepherds.
Swam in the Dead Sea!
Absolutely would NOT do again but it was cool to check that box 😝
It was EXTREMELY salty!! It’s similar if you get sea water in your mouth . . . just multiply it by nine! Like I said, it was neat to try it out and being effortlessly buoyant, but with trying not to get any more of that nasty water in your mouth while swimming back to shore, then feeling slimy and gross after getting out, and even after a long shower and multiple gargles still tasting salty and feeling salty I am more than happy just doing it the one time.
Our Hotel in Jerusalem – Notre Dame of Jerusalem
Such a COOL hotel!!
And such a cool view from the roof of the old and new city of Jerusalem!
Excited to start exploring Jerusalem, Israel!
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 2 – The Sea of Galilee
Here is part 2 of James’ series of posts all about his pilgrimage to the Holy Land this Summer! You can find part 1 here. He actually left early this morning to make the long drive back to college… He has to be back a week early since he’ll be working as an RA this year. Please say a prayer for his safety!
Day 3: Sunday, July 10
After breakfast, our bus will take us to the Sea of Galilee to visit the Mount of Beatitudes (Matt. 5:1-12) where Our Lord gave His longest and most important sermon—the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5-7). We’ll descend to the shores of Galilee to visit the Church of the Primacy of St. Peter where Our Lord appeared to the disciples after His Resurrection and asked St. Peter three times, “Do you love me?” (John 21), to undo the three times he denied Him and to confirm his faith. Then we’ll drive north to the Golan Heights to visit Caesarea Philippi, where St. Peter proclaimed to our Lord, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, and was given the primacy of the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:13-20). Then we’ll drive further up the mountains for a special lunch in a Druze village. That afternoon, we’ll visit Capernaum, the “home base” of our Lord’s ministry in Galilee (Matt. 4:13ff.; Mark 1:21ff.; Luke 4:31ff.), and see the remains of the house of St. Peter’s mother-in-law (Luke 4:38-39) and the exceptionally large synagogue where our Lord gave His discourse on the Bread of Life (John 6). We will have a chance to reflect on our Lord’s Galilean ministry as we enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, and if there is time on our return, we can visit the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes (Matt. 14; Mark 6; Luke 9) at Tabgha. Dinner and overnight in Nazareth.
Happy Sunday! Up and at it bright and early! Woke up at 5am 😭
The Sea of Galilee
This was on the way to… —>
The Mount of Beatitudes…
… which is where our group had Mass and I was able to serve again.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Our next stop was where Jesus said to Peter, “I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the kets of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
This is one of my dad’s favorite quotes from the Bible and is something he refers to all the time. Was thinking of ya Dad when I was there.
Lots of interesting and gruesome history with this spot which you should look up if you have some free time. Better than me trying to explain it.
(This isn’t perfect but you could start here)
Our next stop…
This is the site of the 4th century synagogue in the town of Capernaum which was built on the top of the ruins of the original synagogue where Jesus was walked and talked.
Here are the ruins of the original synagogue.
Always loved Father Gordon’s insightful additions and comments and connections from the Old and New Testament.
This is an original Roman mile marker.
You can kinda see the some of the Roman Numerals.
Pictured above is the house of Peter.
The Sea of Galilee
Where Jesus not only calmed the seas but also walked on water!
Definitely one of my favorite spots!
This is a 1st century boat that was discovered and excavated in 1986. The discovery was made possible due to the fact that the area had been under a severe drought. Though there isn’t any evidence to conclude that this boat was used by Jesus and the apostles, one can imagine what it was like for all of them to be out on the sea of Galilee.
“Constructed primarily of cedar planks joined together by pegged mortise and tenon joints and nails, the boat is shallow drafted with a flat bottom, allowing it to get very close to the shore while fishing. However, the boat is composed of ten different wood types, suggesting either a wood shortage or that the boat was made of scrap wood and had undergone extensive and repeated fixes. The boat was row-able, with four staggered rowers, and also had a mast allowing the fishermen to sail the boat.” – Source
WE ACTUALLY GOT TO GO OUT ONTO THE WATER FOR A LITTLE BIT!!!
Absolutely love being on the water!!!
Such an AWESOME day!!!
Looking forward to sharing another day of exploring God’s path on earth.
This place has WITHOUT a DOUBT made it on my list of favorite places and considering how much time Jesus spent in Galilee I think it’s safe to say that it was on His list too! ;D
Stay tuned for part three…
Holy Land Pilgrimage Part 1
Hi y’all this is James again!
As promised, I’m here to share my Holy Land pilgrimage experience. 🙂
I just want to start by giving a special thank you to those who helped support me on this pilgrimage whether it be your generous donations or your kind and thoughtful prayers. I am eternally grateful!!! I remembered y’all and your intentions during the masses we had throughout the pilgrimage. <3
A little side note: The reason it has taken me so long to get this post out is the fact that since my return I have been insanely busy working as much as I can, a family trip down to Oregon to see my grandparents (stay tuned cuz mom may be posting about that trip), and spending time with my little brothers before they headed off to summer camp. (Their camp ends a few days after I leave for North Dakota.) But yeah anyway, I’ve been busy but it’s finally here!!!
During the pilgrimage, I posted every night over on my Instagram so I’m going to borrow a few of the pictures and a bit of the text from over there but I’m throwing in new stuff too.
I have decide to break up the pilgrimage into a series of posts because there is a lot to cover!
With that said, without further adieu, here is my pilgrimage experience of the Holy Land.
Enjoy! 😀
Departure Day: Thursday July 7
Today, we depart North America for our overnight flight to Tel Aviv, Israel! Meals on flights.
🎶 Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, oh Constantinople
Why did Constantinople get the works?
That’s nobody’s business but the Turks 🎶
They had a NICE sushi place right next to my next gate
soooooooo naturally I had to get some 🤪😋🍱🍣🥢
Made it to Turkey 🇹🇷
Turkey Sandwich in Turkey 😜😂
Day 1: Friday, July 8
Welcome to the Holy Land! We arrive at Ben Gurion airport in the afternoon and meet our guide there, who will transfer us by private coach to Nazareth, our home for the next four nights. Holy Mass of Arrival of Pilgrims in Holy Land. Welcome dinner and overnight in Nazareth.
Touchdown is Tel Aviv, Israel! 🇮🇱 On the bus to Nazareth
Once we arrived at our hotel we set up for Mass.
Photo credit: Preserve the Latin Mass
Day 2: Saturday, July 9
We will visit the Basilica of the Annunciation, where the Word was made Flesh (Luke 1:26-38). We’ll also visit the church of St. Joseph, built over the house of the Holy Family (Luke 2:39-40, 51-52), and ponder our Lord’s hidden life. We will visit Cana of Galilee, where our Lord performed His first public miracle, changing water into wine for the wedding guests at the request of our Lady (John 2:1-11); here, married couples can renew their nuptial vows. After lunch, we’ll ascend Mount Tabor to visit the Church of the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-9), where St. Peter said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here,” and the voice of the heavenly Father was heard from the shining cloud. Dinner and overnight in Nazareth.
All kitted out 🤪
I tried to take a mirror pic every morning just so I had something that would let me know when a new day started for when I’d go through all my pictures in the future… like what I’m doing now lol 😀
Stared the day by visiting Cana of Galilee, where our Lord performed His first public miracle, changing water into wine for the wedding guests at the request of our Lady.
All the married couples renewed their wedding vows while in one of the chaples which was a very moving moment! It was really special! Like what I had texted my mom later that night “(it) made me wanna be married”.
“Now when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom, and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed Him.”
The rock structure that is pictured above is what would have been the original level where the wedding of Cana took place.
Visited Mount Tabor where the transfiguration happened.
“And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.”” (Matt 17:4)
That’s my uncle/godfather Fr. Dennis Gordon
“While He was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Son, Whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!””
Such a beautiful view 🤩
🇮🇱 Lunch 😋
The food over there was SO good!!!
Our last stop of the day was the Basilica of the Annunciation
The area pictured above is there area where Jesus would have played as a child and the little cave area is the place where the Holy Family lived.
The very cave where God became man because of Mother Mary’s “Yes”
“Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.”
Topped the day off by serving Mass for my uncle in the upstairs section of the Basilica! It was such an incredible experience to receive Our Lord where He first became Man.
To be continued…
Holy Land Pilgrimage Summer ’22
Hey Y’all!
My name is James (or Captain)
This is the first time I’ve ever written something here on the blog and, despite having over fifteen years of my life shared on here by my mom, I thought I would tell you a little bit about myself in my own words!
I’m 21 years old and am the oldest of nine in my family. I grew up in beautiful Southern Oregon for eighteen years but currently live (still with my family) in North Idaho. After attending school at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia for two years, I transferred over to University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, where I just finished up my junior year of college. If everything works out, God willing, I will graduate next spring with a degree in Criminal Justice. I know I won’t be able to solve all of the world’s problems, but I can do my best to make right the injustices within the communities and populations that I will be working with in the future and in that way, I hope to strengthen our communities and leave a lasting positive impact for future generations.
Now that you know a little bit about my background, I thought I’d share a little bit about what I enjoy doing. First off, I absolutely love the outdoors and spending time in nature. Whenever I can, I try to go swimming in the lakes or hiking in the mountains all while admiring God’s beautiful artwork. If I’m not out spending time in nature, I like to stay active and spend my time with my family and friends playing all sorts of sports and board games. I think I would have to say that pickleball has become one of my favorite sports to play with family and friends and for board games it’s still Settlers of Catan. ;D
I also really love road trips and visiting unique sites! My favorite road trip this year was the bus ride with my friends from Bismarck to DC in January for the March for Life. There were many things about that trip that I loved but one of my favorites was visiting the National Archives Museum for the first time and reading for myself the words of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the U.S. Constitution. That moment that I was able to experience was incredible! Not gonna lie, my vision became a little blurry when I was reading those monumental documents. It made everything that I believe and love about this country that much more meaningful. Sure, I have read books on the founding of America and have studied certain aspects of how this country has grown throughout history, but by observing first-hand the documents that formed America, it made everything, in a way, real. It added a new perspective on my Constitutional Law class (that I took this last semester), American History, and the American government system.
This summer, I have been granted the wonderful opportunity to partake in an upcoming pilgrimage traveling to the Holy Land with my godfather, Father Dennis Gordon! During our travels, God willing, we’ll be blessed to visit where Christ was born, where He walked on water, where He prayed on the Mount of Olives, where He was crucified, and where He rose from the dead! These are just a few of the places we’ll be visiting on my pilgrimage. Similar to how seeing the documents on which our country was founded created a more personal understanding of America, I believe that going on this pilgrimage and visiting the holy sites throughout Jerusalem will create a new, real, and reinvigorating understanding of the Faith that I believe in. Yes, I encounter Christ in a very real way every day in the people I interact with, in His beautiful nature that He created, and at Mass in the Holy Sacrament, but by going and literally walking the same streets He walked on will make the Faith that I live out that much more real and meaningful to me. This once-in-a-lifetime experience will make reading the bible that much more vivid, the consecration of the Eucharist that much more impactful, and create in me an even greater zealousness to live out the Christian Faith.
However, I can’t do this on my own. In addition to working (more than) full time this summer and working as an RA during the upcoming school year, I’m trying to fundraise to help offset the pilgrimage costs. Therefore, I humbly ask you (to find it in your heart) to help support me and my trip to the Holy City of Jerusalem. (Not gonna lie, I feel like I am a knight embarking on a crusade and begging for the support of the community to help him go on his holy mission! lol) But in all seriousness, your unselfish generosity would make something that I thought would never even be a possibility a REALITY. Again, I am humbled by and eternally grateful for ANY financial support you can provide. I understand, however, if you are unable to help financially, and I would appreciate the spiritual help in prayers for a safe and fruitful pilgrimage. If you have any intentions that you’d like me to pray for while in the Holy Land, don’t hesitate to send them to me, and I’ll remember them as I visit the holy sites. 🙂
Anywhoooo, I hope you enjoyed hearing a little bit about me and what I like in my own words and if you are able to offer any help either spiritual or financial (or both!) I will be forever grateful!
Take care and God Bless 😀
(Donate at GoFundMe, my Venmo or Mom’s Paypal)
P.S. Here is the tentative itinerary for our trip:
Departure Day
- Leave North America
Day 1
- Meet at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv
- Transfer to Nazareth for Mass and supper at the hotel
Day 2
- Basilica of the Annunciation
- Cana of Galilee
- Mount Tabor & Transfiguration
Day 3
- Mount of the Beatitudes
- Caesarea Philippi & Confession of Saint Peter
- Golan Heights
- Primacy of Saint Peter
- Boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
- Capernaum
- Tabgha Priory & Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes
Day 4
- Zippori National Park: Sepphoris & the birthplace of Our Lady
- Tel Megiddo National Park: Armageddon
- Muhraqa & Carmelite Monastery: Holy Prophet Elias & the priests of Baal
Day 5
- Leave Nazareth and drive south for Jerusalem
- Qumran National Park: Saint John the Baptist & the Essenes
- River Jordan & the Baptism of the Lord
- Jericho
- Dead Sea swimming
Day 6
- Bethlehem & Church of the Nativity
- Shepherds’ Fields
- ‘Ein Kerem & the Visitation of Our Lady
Day 7
- Mount of Olives, Pater noster & Church of Eleona
- Dominus flevit
- Gethsemane
- Mount Sion: Dormition Abbey, Cenaculum
- Saint Peter in Gallicantu
Day 8
- Via Dolorosa
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre
- Bethany & the Tomb of Lazarus
Day 9
- Drive to Haifa to visit Mount Carmel for the Feast Day
- Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery
- Caesarea Maritima (extremely important early Christian centre connected with the Apostles and Church Fathers: Saint Peter, Saint Paul, Zacchaeus, Philip the Deacon, Cornelius the Centurion, Origen, Eusebius, and the Nicene Creed!)
Day 10
- Sunday Mass at a place to be determined (Notre Dame? Latin Patriarchate?)
- The Israel Museum
- The Shine of the Book
- Valley of Elah (where David slew Goliath)
Day 11
- Cross the Jordan River at the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge
- Mount Nebo, where Moses looked out and saw the Promised Land
- Madaba & ancient Christian sites
- Wadi Musa (Spring of Moses)
Day 12
- Petra
Day 13
- Mount Hor & the Tomb of Aaron
- Kerak Castle Crusader Fortress
Day 14
- Queen Alia Airport for travel home
“Then He called the crowd to Him along with His disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the Gospel will save it.” ~ Mark 8: 34-35
Fix It! Grammar
We have been using Fix It! Grammar for many years and really love the program! It’s been an excellent way for our children to learn grammar through editing.
A few months ago Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) offered to send me samples of the brand new updated Fix It! Grammar course to try out with our students.
Our 4th and 6th graders completed Level 1 The Nose Tree in 2020-2021 and had started working through the first ten weeks or so of the old Level 2 Robin Hood this school year. They had been struggling a bit and so we decided to have them restart at the beginning of February with the new Level 2 Town Mouse and Country Mouse. After noticing a trend of the old Robin Hood being a bit difficult for students, even after completing The Nose Tree, they decided to create another level to fit in between the two.
We are so pleased with the new level and all the other updates that have been made to Fix it! Grammar making it even better than ever. The fact that our students completed the whole book (30 weeks) in less than three months without any prompting from me shows just how much they have been enjoying these assignments!
The new full-color Fix It! Grammar Cards are awesome too! I need to order a second pack so they each have their own set.
I asked our 6th grader to share few of her favorite updates and this is what she had to say:
– “I love having one page for each day instead of having the sentences for the week all on one page!”
– “I really like knowing how many of each thing I’m supposed to look for each day to mark or correct.”
– “It’s so nice to be able to rewrite the sentence on the same page and not need a separate book.”
– “I love the addition of Review It! pages. They are so fun!”
Our 4th grader added, “Honestly, I think these books are a lot easier to use than the first one! And a LOT more fun!”
They are both looking forward to moving on to the new Level 3 Robin Hood in the fall.
Note: All links are affiliate links. You can also visit my IEW page listing all our favorites here!
Divine Mercy Montessori Activities
My friend Rachele has been posting YouTube videos over at The Catholic Montessori Way featuring Montessori activities that you can do with your toddlers and preschoolers in your Catholic home! You can also find her over at Instagram as well. Her latest video includes our Divine Mercy Cinnamon Rolls!
Scroll through our past Divine Mercy posts here: Divine Mercy Sunday
“Act in such a way that all those who come in contact with you will go away joyful.
Sow happiness about you because you have received much from God.”
– St. Faustina
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