Up the mountain and up to Jerusalem

Our first stop was Cana where Jesus turned the water into wine...  

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Now standing there were six stone water-jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the jars with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, ‘Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.’ So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.’ Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2)

Cana was a special place to especially remember in prayer all our married family and friends. Alan from the seminary warned us today's Cana wine doesn't taste too flash so we didn't try!

An American pilgrimage party with some renewing their wedding vows.

We continued on to Mount Tabor and were taken by smaller buses up the steep and windy  road to the Church of the Transfiguration.  We kept thinking how fit Jesus must have been to walk to such a place!! On that day Jesus took with him Peter, James and John... maybe the others said "We're not going up there!" The church was simple and yet magnificent. It's two levels truly gave it a sense of transcendence...

Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. Then Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I* will make three dwellings* here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ While he was still speaking, suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud a voice said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved;* with him I am well pleased; listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell to the ground and were overcome by fear. But Jesus came and touched them, saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid.’ And when they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus himself alone. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus ordered them, ‘Tell no one about the vision until after the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.’ – Matthew 17:1-9

Not a tent for Elijah and Moses - the chapel for Elijah above and Moses below

Mount Tabor... not so impressive from this side!

Next stop Nain where Jesus raised a widow's dead son who was being taken out to be buried. It is now a Muslim town and the church is closed as the Muslim family who used to open the church no longer live there. The hope is that there will be a Franciscan community there again soon so the church can one again be opened.
Soon afterwards he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. As he approached the gate of the town, a man who had died was being carried out. He was his mother’s only son, and she was a widow; and with her was a large crowd from the town. When the Lord saw her, he had compassion for her and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’ Then he came forward and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘Young man, I say to you, rise!’ The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus* gave him to his mother. Fear seized all of them; and they glorified God, saying, ‘A great prophet has risen among us!’ and ‘God has looked favourably on his people!’ This word about him spread throughout Judea and all the surrounding country. Luke 7:11-17

Then it was to Nazareth for lunch before heading back to Tantur via the Jordan Valley or Great Rift Valley. Part of the journey was alongside the Jordanian border area. Then, it was taking the road up to Jerusalem passing the incredibly arid and desolate land in which the Bedouin continue to live and graze their sheep.

The Jordanian border

What sort of taxi do you prefer???

At a service centre for an icecream and once again armed soldiers - they are everywhere... this one was not looking for a hat or suitcase!

Bedouin country and camps

Our group... back left to right; Mark, Jim, Michael, Anne, Carol, Ghada (guide), Niall, Insha, John, Adel (driver) Peter, Jeremy, Steve and in the front, Maureen, Roma, Mary, Leona and Jan.