{"id":5224,"date":"2019-01-16T08:00:18","date_gmt":"2019-01-16T00:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5224"},"modified":"2021-10-15T16:47:18","modified_gmt":"2021-10-15T08:47:18","slug":"216-lake-galilee-the-life-of-taking-and-giving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5224","title":{"rendered":"216. Lake Galilee: The Life of Taking and Giving"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"color: #008080;\">6\u00a0After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.<sup>[<a style=\"color: #008080;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=John+6&amp;version=NRSV#fen-NRSV-26248a\">a<\/a>]<\/sup>\u00a0<sup>2\u00a0<\/sup>A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.\u00a0<sup>3\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.\u00a0<sup>4\u00a0<\/sup>Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near.\u00a0<sup>5\u00a0<\/sup>When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, \u201cWhere are we to buy bread for these people to eat?\u201d\u00a0<sup>6\u00a0<\/sup>He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to d<\/span>o.<\/strong> [<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">John 6:1-6, <\/span><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Sea-of-gallee-2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5226\" src=\"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Sea-of-gallee-2-300x212.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"264\" height=\"186\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Sea-of-gallee-1.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5228\" src=\"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Sea-of-gallee-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"293\" height=\"320\" \/><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Sea-of-Galee-6.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-5229\" src=\"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/Sea-of-Galee-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"254\" height=\"190\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Quoting the prophecy in Isaiah 9:1, the Gospel of Matthew says that after the arrest of John the Baptist, Jesus left Nazareth and we<span style=\"color: #000000;\">nt to dwell in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cLand of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles &#8211; the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,\u00a0and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.\u201d (Matthew 4:15-16).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">According to the Gospels, most of Jesus\u2019 three-year public ministry centered around the Sea of Galilee. It was an itinerant ministry along the shore of this lowest fresh water lake on earth. Here, most of his parables were delivered and miracles performed. Early Christians hallowed the lakeside, building churches commemorating the feeding of the five thousand, the Sermon on the Mount, the primacy of Peter, and the house of Peter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The largest freshwater lake in Israel, the Sea of Galilee lies 680 feet below sea level, runs about 13 miles long and 8 miles wide, but only 150 feet deep. Apart from supplying as a primary source of drinking water for Israel, it serves as a popular area for recreation and tourism. It is fed partly by underground springs but mainly by the Jordan River, drains to the south and flows into the Dead Sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The Sea of Galilee went by different names in the New Testament, including the Lake of Gennesaret (<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Luke%205.1\">Luke 5:1<\/a>) and the Sea of Tiberias (<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/John%206.1\">John 6:1<\/a>). Its modern Hebrew name, <em>Kinneret<\/em>, comes from the\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Hebrew_Bible\">Hebrew Bible<\/a>, where it appears as the \u201csea of Kinneret\u201d in <a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0434.htm#11\">Numbers 34:11<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.mechon-mamre.org\/p\/pt\/pt0613.htm#27\">Joshua 13:27<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The differences in climate and elevation between the sea and the eastern mountains cause strong winds. So other than fishing and trade, the Sea of Galilee was also known for sudden, violent storms.\u00a0<em><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tilapia\">Tilapia<\/a>\u00a0zilli<\/em>, a red-belly tilapia nicknamed \u201cSt. Peter&#8217;s fish\u201d, is served in Tiberias restaurants.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee many times, walked on it (<a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"https:\/\/biblia.com\/bible\/esv\/Matt%2014.22%E2%80%9333\">Matthew 14:22\u201333<\/a>) and calmed its storm (Mark 4:35-41).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong><u>Reflection<\/u><\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">During the pilgrimage, we took a boat-ride on the Lake of Galilee. It helps us to reflect on three points.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><u>1. Receiving and Passing On<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Lake Galilee receives water from the River Jordan and delivers water to the Dead Sea.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Fresh water flows in and fresh water flows out.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The lake takes and the lake gives.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a living fresh water lake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Ecology around the lake thrives and fishes breed and live in it.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">But the Dead Sea only receives and it does not give.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is extremely saline.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It is a dead lake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Nothing lives in it or grows around it.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The ecology is just plain dead.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><u>2. Of Givers and Takers<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is reflective of charity in Christian life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In most families, in faith communities and in the larger society, we come across \u201cgivers\u201d and \u201ctakers\u201d, those who are heartily generous towards others and those who heartlessly live off others\u2019 generosity, never mindful of making return-gifts.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In between givers and takers, so we are reminded, lurks a group described as \u201cintermediaries\u201d. These are of two types. One type consists of givers who take the trouble, making arrangements and expending time and energy, and even incurring expenses helping to connect givers (benefactors) with worthy recipients (beneficiaries who are truly in need). One ready example is Oprah Winfrey who created a worthy charitable cause during the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Kathrina in New Orleans. She used her influence to offer the possibility for the able and willing givers to donate millions towards building new houses for those who lost their homes. Making repeated donations to this cause, Bon Jovi asked not to be thanked but, instead, thanked Oprah for making it possible for people like him to donate.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The second type, however, is different and it consists of those who plot and connive with heartless takers to take advantage of the generosity of the givers. Once their plots have become evident, there is no good reason for the generous givers to attend to such evil intermediaries and takers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 15px;\"><u>3. Giving, Charity and Hospital<\/u><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The term \u201ccharity\u201d assumes several<span style=\"color: #000000;\"> meanings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Charity is giving. With generosity and helpfulness, aid is given to those in need or suffering.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Charitable institutions engage in public provision of different kinds for the relief of the needy and the poor. This is benevolent goodwill towards or love of humanity, manifesting a fundamental Christian attitude of solidarity and co-humanity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Charity also finds its way to lenient judgment of others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">It may also simply mean a gift for public benevolent purposes. A lasting example founded by such a gift may sometimes be seen in an institution such as a hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The term \u201chospital\u201d is linked to the concept of philanthropy. In the Middle Ages, it meant \u201cshelter for the needy\u201d, \u201chostel, shelter, lodging\u201d, \u201cguest-house, inn\u201d. From the word <em>hospes<\/em> in Latin, signifying a stranger or foreigner, hence a guest, hospital carries with it \u201cthe duties of hospitality to a guest\u201d. Hospitality is signified by <em>hospitium<\/em>, another noun derived from this,\u00a0and speaks of the relation between guest and shelterer, hospitality, friendliness, and hospitable reception.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Today, we take inspiration from Pope Francis who leads by example and compels the Catholic Church to reorient itself as a \u201cfield hospital\u201d that cleans and heals wounds. He is challenging all of us to rethink ecclesial life so as to give priority to the wounded. The Pope says:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u201cSo many people need their wounds healed! This is the mission of the Church: to heal the wounds of the heart, to open doors, to free people, to say that God is good, God forgives all. God is the Father. God is affectionate. God always waits for us.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This means placing the needs of others before our own. The Church must now stop being \u201cself-referential\u201d, and bravely allow Christ to \u201ccome out\u201d. When the Church keeps Christ to itself and does not let him out, it becomes self-referential, and then gets sick. To avoid this, the Church must go out of itself to the peripheries, to minister to the needy. It must act and work like a \u201cfield hospital\u201d, taking in and caring for the wounded and weary along the journey of life, and offer them rest and peace. The Pope invites us to enter into fresh imagination, and rethink our identity, our mission and our life together as disciples of Christ. We must all learn to be givers, rather than mere takers. Genuine givers are alive in wholesome spiritual health.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Copyright \u00a9 Dr. Jeffrey &amp; Angie Goh, January 2019. All rights reserved.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You are most welcome to respond to this post. Email your comments to <strong><u><a style=\"color: #000000;\" href=\"mailto:jeffangiegoh@gmail.com\">jeffangiegoh@gmail.com<\/a>.<\/u><\/strong> You can also be dialogue partners in this <em>Ephphatha Coffee-Corner Ministry<\/em> by sending us questions for discussion.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>6\u00a0After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.[a]\u00a02\u00a0A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.\u00a03\u00a0Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.\u00a04\u00a0Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=5224\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfsi_plus_gutenberg_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_show_text_before_share":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_type":"","sfsi_plus_gutenberg_icon_alignemt":"","sfsi_plus_gutenburg_max_per_row":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Dr. Jeffrey &amp; Angie Goh","author_link":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?author=1"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?cat=1\" rel=\"category\">From Our Perspective<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"6\u00a0After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias.[a]\u00a02\u00a0A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick.\u00a03\u00a0Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples.\u00a04\u00a0Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5224"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5224"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5224\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6721,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5224\/revisions\/6721"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5224"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5224"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5224"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}