Morning in Nazareth

I have a quick moment and a hint of wifi, so I thought I would try to post. Just a quick update on our travels yesterday that landed us here in Nazareth. This is as much for me to remember as for you to read.

We started the day heading to the coast and Caesarea Maritima, yet another monument to the incredible genis and diaboloical nature of Herod the Great. Unlike an architect like Frank Lloyd Wright who tried to work with the landscape, Herod's goal was to subdue it. The seaport he built at Caesarea Martitima was a momumental achievement to this end. He used a relatively unknown medium (concrete the hardens underwater) to build his seaport. He brought in something like 400 ships, each loaded with 44 tons of the stuff needed to make the concrete. He had people working for him who would dredge the harbor there by hand. Yes, swim down with containers and and bring up sand to be hauled away. Herod's way of thinking was just so grand. Nothing was out of the realm of possibility. Caesarea is also the place where Peter came to share the gospel with the Gentiles for the first time and where Paul was imprisoned for two years.

We headed back east along Mt. Carmel to a place to overlook the Jezreel Valley, then on to Meggido. Meggido was such an important town in ancient history and although Biblical events are limited on that very spot it was in close proximity to some good ones. Wish I had a bit more time to post, but people are starting to file in for breakfast. :)

Anyway, we ended the day in modern Nazareth (literally thousands of times larger than tiny ancient Nazareth). It's hard to get a feel for ancient Nazareth amid the car horns and blaring techno music, but if you try hard enough, as always, you can get a sense of the place. Small town. VERY small town. A town where one would not want to suddenly be "pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit." Joy was shared by families and from family to family. So was shame.

Mary was a lot braver than I am.

Sorry for the limited post. I'll get you next time when we get to Galilee tonight.Read more