Mount of Beatitudes (my story from Israel)

One of my favorite spots on my trip to Israel was visiting the area of Galilee.  The Sea of Galilee was an amazing site to see.  The most breath taking site of the Sea of Galilee was visiting the Mount of Beatitudes.  Seeing all the beauty that the chapel portrayed as well as the sun glistening off the waters was something that made you really want to thank God for creating something so beautiful.

Yet, there is so much more than just the beauty of this place that lives in this area.  As you begin to walk through the garden area, you begin to really appreciate the beauty of it all.  I wonder if the place looked just as beautiful during the time of Jesus as he got up on the mountainside to preach (Matt. 5:1).

The chapel that stand in the middle of the garden reflects such a bright picture of the land.  This church was built by a Catholic architect who designed buildings to resemble a meaning behind it.  Before the construction of the church, the church to commemorate the site was an old Byzantine church (that still stands).  This church, to me, portrays the beauty of Jesus' message as he brought grace and peace to our lost and broken world.

Inside the church is an altar with such beautiful marble decorations that portray the beauty of the moment of Jesus' message.  The architect did such a wonderful job at demonstrating the life that Jesus brings by coming and bringing our world a message of hope.

I hope you enjoyed these few pictures from my journey to Israel.  Hopefully this may give you a picture to what the world of Israel looks like and how they portray the beauty of the life of Christ.

The Beatitudes

5 When Jesus^[a] saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ² Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
⁵ “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
⁷ “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
⁸ “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
⁹ “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
¹¹ “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely^[b] on my account. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.