The highlight of the day turned out to be the first activity–riding across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum on a boat. The Sea of Galilee is 33 miles around by shoreline, and it’s the lowest freshwater lake on earth (200 ft. below sea level). Since it’s Sunday, we had a service filled with singing, Scripture reading by a United Methodist minister on the trip, and a short sermon by Pastor Brad. I have never enjoyed a service as much as this one. Hazy shorelines added to the mystique.

Our lunch consisted of a whole fish along with the side fries and vegetable salads. What a way to remember the Sea of Galilee trip!

We visited four more church sites today–beginning with nearby Capernaum, which became the hometown of Jesus as an adult, and it was also where he called many of his disciples. Jesus taught in the synagogue there, and it’s believed the remnant of this synagogue may be the actual place where Jesus taught and either offended or astonished many. The purported site of Peter’s octagonal-shaped house and church has been protected by a modern church being built by suspension over the ruins.

This town became the center of many recorded miracles–the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, the centurion’s servant, the nobleman’s son, two blind men, and the hemorrhaging woman. We also read of a mute demoniac and a paralyzed man being healed. One of the most amazing miracles stated that Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead.

A few miles away was a recently rebuilt (after being set on fire by fundamentalist Jews) church at Tabgha, which means “seven springs.” It’s been traditionally recognized as the site of the feeding of the 5,000. I was surprised to learn there may have been two mass feedings–another at a spot on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Another church we visited was one attributed to Peter–and had been built on a rock foundation by the lake. The story goes that Peter went back to the work he knew of being a fisherman, but Jesus came and cooked him a meal to see if he would return to follow him. In Jewish tradition, eating a meal together can signify reconciliation.

We ended our excursion today by going to the Byzantine church at the top of the Mount of Beatitudes on the northwestern shore of the Sea. I could hardly believe the height of this mountain with its stunning views of the water far below. An eight-sided church designed by an Italian architect in the 1930s is run by Franciscans and lists each of the eight beatitudes along the walkway up toward the church at the top of the mountain.