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| Valley of the Good Samaritan |
Now as he approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David,* have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.
Luke 18: 35-43
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| Walkway at Masada |
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| Cave where last Dead Sea Scrolls were found |
Masada National Park, one of Herod's palaces that is the site of the last bastion of Jewish freedom fighters against the Romans. Such a sad story amongst such beauty. The beauty man created on the backs of other men was nothing compared to the beauty God created out of Love around us.
We visited Qumran which was the home of the Essenes, who lived and studied here for two centuries, and left in the surrounding caves a magnificent legacy that we now call the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Next we celebrated a beautiful Mass at Good Shepherd Church in Jericho. Before heading off the to Dead Sea.
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| Deacon Tom and Fr Ed celebrating Mass |
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| The beauty of the Dead Sea. |
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| Paul & Glenda enjoying the Dead Sea |
Prayer intentions: For becoming more like the Good Samaritan, for prisoners, the oppressed, all those suffering from mental illness and depression, for us to take better care of God's beautiful creation, the blind and vision impaired, for us to die to sin and live for God and for all of the prayer intentions we bring with us. Amen.