Will you listen to His voice?

Today was a much simpler day and a very peaceful day. Our morning reflection today reflected on Jesus being the fulfilment of Moses...

The Beatitudes is perhaps the most well known passage of the Gospels, but this is just part of his Sermon on the Mount where Jesus becomes the interpreter of the Law. While Moses received the Ten Commandments Jesus interprets them and reveals a deeper spiritual level to them

When we think of the Commandments they start off with those relating to our relationship to God, then we are told to honour our mother and father who as parents are images of God who give us life and love. Then we have the prohibition of actions, not killing, committing adultery or stealing, for each of these actions destroy life, relationships and dignity. And then the Commandments end with our thoughts, don't covet or lust after your neighbours spouse or goods. Looking at them going backwards they are suggesting get your thoughts right, then your actions will be right, and then your relationships will be right.

But it is Jesus who takes the Commandments - You have heard how it was said, but I say this to you... Go deeper, to the spirit of the Commandment...

Jesus said to his disciples: 'Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish them but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the one who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the one who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

'For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

'You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with brother or sister will answer for it before the court; if anyone calls their brother or sister "Fool" they will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if anyone calls them "Renegade" they will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother or sister first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny…

'You have learnt how it was said: You must love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say this to you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; in this way you will be sons of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on bad men as well as good, and his rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike. For if you love those who love you, what right have you to claim any credit? Even the tax collectors do as much, do they not? And if you save your greetings for your brothers, are you doing anything exceptional? Even the pagans do as much, do they not? You must therefore be perfect just as your heavenly Father is perfect.'

Matthew 5:17-26, 43-48

And so Jesus becomes the new Moses who speaks with his own authority as the Son of God... but the weakness of his authority is that he doesn't force us to listen. He doesn't take away our freedom of choice.

We then arrived at the beautiful Mount of the Beatitudes where he gave his teaching that is known as the Sermon on the Mount...

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them: 

Blessed are the poor in spirit;
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are the gentle:
they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Blessed are those who mourn:
they shall be comforted.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right:
they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful;
they shall have mercy shown them.
Blessed are the pure in heart:
they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers:
they shall be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right:
theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

'Blessed are you when people abuse and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.'
Matthew 5:1-12

Who is your teacher? 

Our world teaches us, Blessed are those who lust after wealth, but they shall never be satisfied
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Our world teaches us, Blessed are those they walk over people to get what they want, they will never be respected.
Instead Jesus says to you, Blessed are the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Our world teaches us, Blessed are those who are indifferent to the sanctity of life and love, they will be become bitter and sad.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are those who mourn:they shall be comforted.

Our world says, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is good for them and what they think is right: they shall live in the isolation of their self-centredness with cynicism and bitterness.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.

Our world says, Blessed are those who judge, point the finger and accuse, they will live within the walls of the divisions they create.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the merciful; they shall have mercy shown them.

Our world says, Blessed are those who enjoy pornography and promiscuity, there hearts will be broken and hardened.
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the pure in heart: they shall see God.

Our world says, Blessed are the warmongers, they shall maime, bring misery and kill, like in Ukraine 
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are the peacemakers: they shall be called children of God.

Our world says, Blessed are those who are indifferent to the those who cry out in the world, they will create a sadder world. 
Instead, Jesus says to you, Blessed are those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Our world says, Blessed are those who use the name of Jesus Christ as swear words and mock those who believe, they silence his voice and deaden consciences
Instead, Jesus says to you, 'Blessed are you when people abuse and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.'

Who is your teacher? 

The one who teaches the Beatitudes is the one who reveals that attitudes that should be in our hearts.

Will you listen to his voice?

The saddest sign at the Mount of the Beatitudes... that people would carry guns here?

Our next stop was to beautiful Greek Orthodox church at Capernaum with its stunning icons. It was a beautiful place of reflection and contemplation to enter into the spirit of this place and the very mystery of God.

"It is the Lord" - John 21:1-8

'Come and have breakfast' - John :21-9-19

'From now on it is people you will catch' - Luke 5:1-11

'Seeing their faith' - Luke 5:17-26

We then visited a local museum to see a first century fishing boat found in the Sea of Galilee in 1986 by brothers Moshe and Yuval Lufan, fishermen from Kibbutz Ginnosar. The brothers were keen amateur archaeologists with an interest in discovering artifacts from Israel's past. It had always been their hope to one day discover a boat in the Sea of Galilee, where they and generations of their family had fished. When drought reduced the water-level of the lake the first found some old nails and then the wood of the boat. 

The brothers reported their discovery to the authorities who sent out a team of archaeologists to investigate. The team realised that the remains of the boat were of tremendous historical importance.  Excavating the boat from the mud without damaging it, quickly enough to extract it before the water rose again, was a difficult process which lasted 12 days and nights. The ancient wood was extremely fragile when exposed to the atmosphere and the boat had to be rescued from the place it was found by wrapping it in a mantle of fiberglass and insulating foam, which helped with both keeping it together, and floating it to its new location. It was then submerged in a wax bath for 12 years, which protected the boat before it could be displayed at the Yigal Allon Galilee Boat Museum in Kibbutz Ginosar.

We then set sail in our own boat, the Noah, for Mass, a Miha Māori on the Sea of Galilee

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was a formless void, there was darkness over the deep, and God's spirit hovered over the water. God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that light was good, and God divided light from darkness. God called light 'day', and darkness 'night'. Evening came and morning came: the first day.

God said, 'Let there be a vault in the waters to divide the waters in two.' And so it was. God made the vault, and it divided the water above the vault from the waters under the vault. God called the vault 'heaven'. Evening came: the second day.

God said, 'Let the waters under heaven come together into a single mass, and let dry land appear.' And so it was. God called the dry land 'earth' and the mass of waters 'seas', and God saw that it was good.

God said, 'Let the earth produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees bearing fruit with their seed inside, on the earth.' And so it was. The earth produced vegetation:  plants bearing seed in their several kinds, and trees bearing fruit with their see inside in their several kinds. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came: the third day.

Genesis 1:1-13

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, 'Let us cross over to the other side.'  And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.  Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.  But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.  They woke him and said to him, 'Master, do you not care?  We are going down!'  And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now!  Be calm!'  And the wind dropped, and all was calm again.  Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened?  How is it that you have no faith?'  They were filled with awe and said to one another, 'Who can this be?  Even the wind and the sea obey him.'

Mark 4:35-41

"Who can this? Even the wind and the sea obey him." Moses parted the sea, but Jesus walked on water. God spoke over the dark waters and there was light. Jesus spoke and the sea was calmed. For the Jews the sea was the great symbol of chaos. That is the image of the Genesis account, darkness, waves, wind, and then God spoke and creation came forth. It's know wonder the disciples were filled with awe. Not only today did we have Jesus presenting himself as the fulfilment of Moses. He is presenting himself as God.

In the storms of our lives it might often seem Jesus is asleep and indifferent to our fears. Our challenge is not to buy into the fears... not to lose faith... That even if also seems lost we will pull through in some way. For Jesus the storm he face was crucifixion. He had to confront his fears and sense of abandonment by the Father but in it all he kept his eyes on the one he called Abba Father. And from the drakness of death he heard the call Let there be life! And he rose.

Will you listen to his voice?

After a fish lunch of St Peter's fish some of us braved the cool waters of the Sea of Galilee. Each of our days ends with a reflection time on the day.

The concluding prayer today is the hymn I have chosen to be the recessional hymn at my funeral... 

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on your side;

bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

leave to your God to order and provide;

in ev'ry change he faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul; your best, your heav’nly friend

through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; your God will undertake

to guide the future as he has the past;

your hope, your confidence, let nothing shake;

all now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know

his voice who ruled them while he lived below.

Be still, my soul; when dearest friends depart

and all is darkened in the vale of tears,

then you will better know his love, his heart,

who comes to soothe your sorrows and your fears.

Be still, my soul; your Jesus can repay

from his own fullness all he takes away.

Be still, my soul; the hour is hast'ning on

when we shall be forever with the Lord,

when disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,

sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.

Be still my soul; when change and tears are past,

all safe and blessed we shall meet at last.