Remembering the Life of Jesus in the Holy Land

At the Church of Annunciation, Nazareth.

God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said. "Greetings, you who are highly favoured. The Lord is with you"

 

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacobs descendants forever. His kingdom will never end". (Luke 1: 26-33).

*********************************************

 

At the Church of the Shepherds, Shepherd's Field, Bethlehem.

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. This will a sign to you. You will find a baby wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests." (Luke 2: 8-14).

 

***********************************************

 

At the Church of the Shepherds, Shepherd's Field, Bethlehem.

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby, who was lying in the manger. (Luke 2:16)

 

*********************************************

 

At the Cana Catholic Wedding Church, current Arab village of El Azarieh, Kafr Kanna, Bethany.

 

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus's mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus's mother said to him, "They have no more wine".

 

"Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water", so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw out and take it to the master of the banquet."

 

They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. he did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink, but you have served the best till now."

 

What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him. (John 2: 1-11).

 

**********************************************

 

At the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountain side and sat down. His disciples came to him and began to teach them. He said:

 

"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." (Matthew 5: 1-12).

********************************************

 

At the Sea of Galilee.

 

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the  lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

 

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

 

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied. "tell me to come to you on the water."

 

"Come." he said.

 

Then Peter got down of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

 

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said. "why did you doubt?"

 

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." (Matthew 14" 25-33)

 

*********************************************

 

At the Church of St. Lazarus, Bethany

 

"But Lord", said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by the time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?". So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

 

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!". The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." (John 11: 1-44).

 

*********************************************

 

At the Church of Transfiguration, Mount. Tabor.

 

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus. (Matthew 17: 1-11).

 

*********************************************

 

At the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, Mount. Zion, Jerusalem.

Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:17-30).

 

**************************************************

 

At the Church of Gethsemane, Mount. Olives, Jerusalem.

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. then he said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."

 

Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will." (Matthew 26: 36-45).

************************************************

 

At the Church of Condemnation, Jerusalem.

Then the governor's solders took Jesus into the Praetorian and gathered the whole company of solders around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. They they led him away to crucify him. (Matthew 27: 27-31).

*********************************************

 

At Station 5 of "The Way of Sorrow".

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.(Mark 15: 21).

*********************************************

At the Rock of Calvary, Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.

 

They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means "the place of the skull"). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. (Mark 15: 22-24).

 

**********************************************

At the Stone of the Anointing, Church of Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem.

It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learnt from the centurion that it was so, he gave the body to Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where he was laid. (Mark 15: 42-47).

**********************************************

At the Garden Tomb, north of old Jerusalem City

 

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on the way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

 

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

 

"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here." (Mark 16: 1-6)