“Benedicta tu en mulieribus” - Day 2

    Day 2: Nazareth and Mount Tabor :

   Mary’s  cousin Elizabeth said…“ Blessed are you among women” ! 

    Before that, the angel Gabriel said to Mary, “That you would conceive a Son  by the power of the Holy Spirit”. This happened in Nazareth.

   At exactly 8 AM, our bus was on its way to the Galilean city of Nazareth. Tania was our tour guide this morning and our driver’s name was Issa. Issa in Arabic means Jesus. Imagine that … The signs are definitely there. Jesus takes the wheel back to his home town of Nazareth. At present time this city is now 100% Arab. 90% of that are Arabs of Muslim faith and 10%  are Christians. The Basilica of the Annunciation stood out on a hill in the middle of Nazareth. The dome of the church is in the shape of an inverted Lily. It’s a true symbol of purity. . The mass started at exactly 10 AM at the Church of Saint Joseph, which is adjacent to the main Basilica. The mass was dedicated to both Joseph, and Mary who were both obedient to the Lord. The Eucharistic celebration was so solemn that the presence of the Holy Spirit was felt. It  finished with the whole group singing “Salve Regina”. We then walked to the main basilica  to check out all the portraits of the Madonna that covered the walls of the cathedral   The portraits were  gifts from different countries of the world. Each country depicted its culture and how the people perceived Mary as the Mother of God or “ the God bearer” in Greek. Italians donated the most portraits inside the church and outside by the courtyard  of the Basilica. Other countries, such as Spain, Portugal, France, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cameroon, Chile, Mexico, etc..have also donated , portraits, statues  and mosaics of Mary. It was a picture of their devotion and perception and how they  practiced their faith in their respective countries as Catholics around the world.

A gift from the USA ( portrait of the Virgin Mary)

Mary’s obedience to the Lord was the ultimate example of love of God by a human  being. Her courage of taking the task, the most important task any human can do have set an example for what we as humans can only dare to do. Her faith in God and the purity of her soul, enabled her to accept God’s grace. She truly believed that nothing is impossible with God.. her own blessedness was her power. She indeed is full of grace.

I am nothing compared to our heavenly mother. All I can truly do on my own is to consecrate myself to her devotion and intercession to God. It’s a question and I struggle every day as I go through life thinking if I even have enough faith to believe that God‘s love and mercy endure forever, and nothing is impossible with God. 

To Jesus through Mary.

Despite of the hustle and bustle of modern day Nazareth, finding peace from within, at the site where Mary’s humility, purity, and love of God existed was more than a gift. It was God’s way of reminding me by giving me the opportunity to examine my conscience until I fully  trust in Him. 

Here are some images from the church of the annunciation in the church of the transfiguration at Mount Tabor

Basilica of the Annunciation 

The lily dome

Outside the church of St Joseph 

Pilgrims outside the church of the Annunciation

Prayer candles inside the church

Portrait of Mary's Annunciation from the Philippines 

Preparing for the Angelus ( noon hour ) in the courtyard of the Church of the Annunciation

Walking around Nazareth 

Schwarma for lunch in Nazareth 

the Church of the Transfiguration in Mount Tabir

View from Mt Tabor

The 2 altars inside the church of the Transfiguration which symbolized the humanity and the divinity of GOD.

Olive tree on Mount Tabor

   

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