Before the beginning of the virtual pilgrimage of healing, Father Juan, Mary Claire, Rocío (Magdala volunteers) and I hiked up mount Arbel. When we arrived at the height of the mountain, we were overwhelmed by the remarkable beauty of God’s creation. The sun had just risen leaving a blanket of pink and blue in the…
My first December in the Holy Land, I was returning from Nazareth to Magdala with a carload of decorations to prepare the newly inaugurated Guest House for Christmas. Slowly driving along the curvy and empty two-lane highway at night, I navigated the hills and turns of the unlit road through the obscure Galilean countryside. Fear…
In the early 4th century Christianity ceased to be an illicit religion, and a river of people began to flow into the Holy Land. These early pilgrims were eager to find and venerate the places related to the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. Even the mother of Emperor Constantine, Saint Helena, commanded to build…
Dear Magdala Family, I wish to send you an affectionate greeting and our best wishes for a Blessed Christmas. I ask that Jesus Christ, Our Lord, be born again in our hearts and fills them with his peace and love. I also want to explain the reason for my silence in the past few weeks.…
Dear Magdala Family, Summer is passing us by… we hope you have enjoyed some rest and family life despite the difficulties of the present moment. In the Holy Land we are preparing for you our third virtual pilgrimage which is fast approaching. This edition which we have titled, “Traveling through the Holy Land with Mary…
Jewish sources speak of two rabbis from Magdala that lived in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD: Isaac and Yudan. Isaac of Magdala lived in the 3rd century AD. In an ancient commentary of Genesis (Genesis Rabbah) there appears a discussion about Gn 3:17, when God cursed the earth because of the original sin. Some…
My name is Mary Clare, and I’m the new Magdala volunteer! I first visited Magdala in 2017 with a group from my university. I remember being awestruck, thinking, “My Lord Jesus likely stood here?” I’ve always connected deeply with Jesus’ ministry in the Galilee, where Jesus used familiar subjects of nature and basic livelihood for…
The warm rose-colored sunrise over the silent Sea of Galilee captivates anyone spirited enough to venture out over the waters before dawn. Last week just before sunrise, I paddled toward the center of the lake from the Duc In Altum shoreline. At this distance, the only sound was water lightly lapping the edge of my…
Dearest Magdala Family, We are in the final stretch of preparation for the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene celebrated on the 22nd of this month. A few years ago, Pope Francis elevated this liturgical memory to the rank of “feast.” With this, the Pope wanted to underline the importance of Mary Magdalene in the life…
In his youth, Rabbi Shimon Ben Lakish (3rd century C.E.) was a gladiator, leading a vicious life. However, after a chance encounter with Rabbi Johanan, he changed his life and would in turn become one of the wisest and sharpest rabbis that ever existed. One day, Ben Lakish had a bitter dispute with Rabbi Judah…
