During a recent trip in the Holy Land we were worshipping in a small outdoor chapel, just on the north side of the Sea of Galilee when something extraordinary happened.
I was leading worship with my back facing the lake, the rest of us singing while facing the beach and beyond. and worshipping the Lord. It was a powerful time of praise.
Afterwards, one of the guests shared that she had seen Jesus walking towards us on the water.
“While we were singing,” she added.
"Is that so." I nodded politely. “How wonderful is that.”
She was delighted. Tears filled her eyes and I could sense it had been a deeply meaningful experience for her.
As I was packing my guitar in my case, I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was another guest.
“Excuse me, Father Bill,” she said tentatively. “I’m sorry to bother you but I wanted to share something that happened to me during the service. It was while you were leading us in worship.”
“In worship?” That peaked my curiosity. I turned and gave her my full attention. “Sure, what was going on?”
“I know this seems very unusual,” she looked away, almost embarrassed by what was to follow.
“No, not at all,” I assured her. “Go on. What did you see?”
Through sobs, alligator tears, all the while fiercely wiping her face with a kleenex, she had told me that she had seen Jesus walking on the water towards us as we were worshipping.
That's odd. I thought. Both people saw Jesus walking on the water?
“Have you talked to her - the other person?” I pointed to the other guest who had seen the same thing.
"Why, no ..."
“Perhaps you ought to,” I smiled.
Deep within me I sensed a certain validity in the dual witness. I closed my guitar case and stood on the edge of the patio, scanning east and west across the Sea of Galilee. I tried to see him. I even scrunched my eyes to try to imagine him there.
It didn't work. (Perhaps I should have been worshipping.)
Yet, the buzz of two individuals, each seeing Jesus on the water, independently of on another -- and the joy each had in sharing the same event -- boosted everyone’s faith and has left me all the more open to see him, regardless of what it looks and sounds like. After all, our Jesus is, well... mysterious.
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