Catholic Review of: Path of the Messiah

The Path of the Messiah follows the journey of Jesus through the Holy Land.  It is partly a tour guide and partly a meditation on the Gospels.  When I watched the DVD I was instantly captivated and started taking notes.  It even inspired me to write a short trivia quiz about the Holy Land.

As Jeff Cavins and Raymond Arroyo tour the Holy Land they visit the many sites that Our Lord once visited.  Their stops at St. Peter's home, the location of the wedding feast, the synogogue Jesus taught in and the Sea of Galilee help bring the stories of Christ in the Scriptures to life.  In total you get to see over 25 historical sites from Bethlehem to Jerusalem.

Aside from being interesting, this production is also entertaining, though maybe not intentionally.  Jeff Cavins is very genuine as he leads prayer and meditation and talks about the historical significance of where he is.  He has a natural way of speaking and is very easy to relate to.  If you've watched him present the Great Adventure Bible Timeline you know what I'm talking about.  Raymond Arroyo, however, seems a little scripted as he talks to Jeff and at times he seems more like an actor than a tour guide.  The contrast between the two men is striking and caused me to laugh more than once.

This documentary is pretty long and is divided into two parts (on one disc).  My only complaint about the entire DVD is that the resolution is not very good.  The new EWTN productions are all recorded in high-def but many of the older ones are like watching a TV show with grainy reception.  That's the only reason I can't give this movie a Top Pick rating.

I've traveled quite a bit throughout Europe and have never been to the Holy Land, but this DVD makes me feel like I've been there.  Pick up a copy of this DVD and show it to your Bible study or prayer group. It will greatly enhance your understanding of the Gospels.

You can purchase it here.