Introduction

The Jordan River, which begins at an underground spring near the ancient city of Dan, flows southward into the Sea of Galilee. This sea, which is really a lake, is set like a great bowl among the high mountains that surround it. The sea itself sits some seven hundred feet below sea level, so any trip to the shore is always a trip downward.

It was here, along the shores of the Sea of Galilee, that the ministry of Jesus was accomplished. It was here that He fed the five thousand with the five little loaves and two little fish. It was here that He healed the demon possessed man by driving the demons into a herd of pigs that were then drowned in the Sea. And it was here that Jesus walked upon the waters to His disciples who were in the midst of a frightening storm.

The ministry of Jesus started and ended with one person in particular. That man's name was Peter. It was while walking along the shores of the Sea, observing the various fishing boats and their crews hard at work mending the nets, that Jesus issued His invitation to Peter to come and join Him in becoming a fisher of men. The Bible records the fact that Peter and his brother Andrew left their nets and followed Him (Mark 1:16-18).

A lot happened to Peter beside the Sea. You might remember that it was Peter who attempted to walk on the water out to Jesus on that night of the storm. It was Peter who, when fishing, caught a fish with a coin in its mouth, just as Jesus had said. It was Peter who protested loudest when Jesus washed his feet.

And, the final event of Jesus' ministry here on earth occurred along the shores of this beautiful Sea. It was after His resurrection. The disciples had gone back to Galilee and had resumed their careers in fishing. But then, Jesus appeared and excitement filled their hearts - well, all but one - that of Peter. While the others ate breakfast with Him, John records that Peter was off counting the dead fish. Jesus came to him and asked him three times if Peter loved Him. This was, if you will, Peter's commissioning service (John 21:15-17).

As we walk along the shores of the Sea these stories suddenly come alive. The Sea and its surrounding hillsides had not changed much since the time of Jesus. If one is silent, one can almost hear His footsteps there along the shore.

The GALILEE Retreat is a one-day meditation on the life, ministry and message of Jesus in Galilee. Unlike a day of recollection at a retreat centre, the GALILEE Retreat is a practical experience and makes good use of our imaginations.

Our students walk around the lake ? in the footsteps of Jesus ? and imagine themselves in several scenes from Jesus' life in Galilee:

- the calling of the first disciples,
- the calming of the storm,
- the washing of his feet,
- the example of prayer.

Using their imaginations and actually walking from town to town, [Capernaum, Bethsaida, Tiberius & Gennesaret,] our boys are encouraged to ponder deeper issues in their own lives:

- Called As I Am
~ I am loved unconditionally by God.

- Called, But Not Alone
~ God is always with me, no matter what happens in my life.

- Called To Serve
~ I am part of a community and I am called to be generous; to be a man for others.

- Called To Pray
~ I need to be a reflective person; to think about my daily actions and to discover the hand of God in my life.

Goals

1. To offer retreatants the GALILEE experience of being called.
2. To give retreatants the opportunity to reflect on their knowledge, love and acceptance of self, and
3. To allow them to recognise the Christ-like people in their lives.
4. To allow the boys to reflect on the call of Christ to serve Him by serving others.

Our Logo

At the centre of the Galilee Retreat is the Jesus Story. Our logo represents Jesus with his first two disciples, Peter and Andrew, after He called them to follow Him. (Mark 1:16-18). The hills that surround the Lake are in the background, and the rainbow is God's sign and covenant of hope!

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ,
Keep all young people in your love.
Let us hear your voice and believe
what you say, for
You alone have the words of life.
Teach us how to profess our faith,
Bestow our love,
And impart our hope to others.
Make us convincing witnesses to your Gospel
In a world so much in need of your saving grace.
Make us the new people of the Beatitudes,
That we may be
The salt of the earth and the light of the world
At the beginning of the third Christian Millennium!
Mary, Mother of the Church,
Protect and guide us.
Keep us all close to your maternal heart.
Amen.

T