The birds and butterflies of the air...

After sailing on the Sea of Galilee and seeing the ancient boat, we went to the site where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7.

There's a beautiful Catholic church built on the location, but what really struck me were the gardens all around. There were flowers everywhere, with butterflies fluttering about. Birdsong filled the air, and I was struck in wonder at the beauty all around me.

It gave new meaning to me to the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:27-34:

"26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

What was it like for Jesus and the disciples to sail on the Sea of Galilee?

The Sea of Galilee is 17 miles long and 7 miles wide. It's said that when the wind comes from a certain direction, the waves pick up and act like an ocean in a storm.

The morning we sailed along it was calm, thankfully, but my tour guide told us a story of getting caught in such a storm years ago. He said he really thought he was going to die.

This is the same lake where the disciples fished with their fathers. This is where Jesus fed the 5000. Nazareth is nearby, as are Capernaum, the mount where Jesus gave His famous sermon, and many other important cities.

1n 1986, there was a big drought in the Galilee area. The water level receded to a new level, and suddenly, the ruins of a boat were visible. It is 27 feet long and 7.5 feet wide, and has been tested to be from 2000 years ago. It's likely this was the style of boat Jesus and the disciples sailed in!

The Roman Aqueduct

One of the many marvels of Roman invention is the aqueduct. These aqueducts, on the way to Caesarea in Israel still stand.

Nazareth: Jesus' hometown

Nazareth, the childhood hometown of Jesus, sits high up on a mountain. In ancient times, it was very difficult to get in and out of Nazareth, because of its inaccessibility. The town itself backs up to a cliff over the Sea of Galilee- the same cliff the townspeople wanted to through Jesus over in Luke 4.

That's why they said, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"—because it was so isolated.

Today, it's filled with Arab inhabitants. On top of the house where it is believed Jesus lived sits a church. Behind the altar are a set of stairs leading up into what was believed to be Joseph's workshop.

The church itself is simple, in a Byzantine style. Where the original walls end, newer walls were added on top, and adorned throughout are works of art donated from Catholic churches from around the world.