Holy Land Pilgrimage: Day 2

Tuesday, May 2, 8 p.m. Israel time 

The flight was blessedly uneventful (if long). I slept a little and arrived five hours later than planned but still well ahead of the rest of the group, who arrive about 10 p.m. local time and then drive the two hours to Galilee. Tomorrow will be rough for them.

Reproduction of the Torah stand found
at the site in Magdala.

The hotel is amazing, as was the dinner buffet, everything fresh and so flavorful. Adjacent to the hotel, on the grounds, is an archaeological site featuring the Magdala (or Migdal) synagogue, noteworthy as the first Second Temple-period synagogue found in the Galilee region. We'll tour it in a couple of days, but I strolled through myself as the sun was getting ready to set. You know sites like this are ubiquitous here, but to have this outside your hotel lobby gives a new definition to "scenery."

The courtyard at the Magdala Hotel, leading to the Sea of Galilee. 

Walking out the back of the hotel, you quickly leave the resort atmosphere and find yourself in prayer on the bank of the Sea of Galilee. At dusk, it was quiet enough to hear the birds calling and the water lapping on the shore. It’s not much of a stretch to imagine fishing boats on the lake, or some preacher putting out a bit in one to get some distance from the crowd so he could talk to them. It’s a good reminder that alongside the pilgrimage industry is the reason for all the pilgrims, of course. There's a peace here that surpasses the conflict you know is just around the corner or waiting for you at the next checkpoint. For now, I’ll take the peace. 

The Sea of Galilee at sunset. 

What more to say tonight? I’m so grateful to be here, to be here safely, to begin experiencing all that pilgrimage brings. I think there’s a rather blurry line between mission trips and pilgrimage. Both are about putting yourself into a different context in order to … well, that’s the question, isn’t it? Whether I’m in Haiti or in Israel, at least on my end, I think the primary purpose is to see what God will do with the experience to change me – to bring me one step closer to Jesus’ footsteps, to help me grow a millimeter more into the fullness of the stature of Christ. Choose your metaphor, but I think the point of going into either experience is to allow God to use it for blessing – and transformation.