*Ping!*

The Novena for Christmas started for us on Sunday evening. That means every evening at 7.20 this week we sing vespers and someone will give a sermon. Well it's pretty cold in the chapel at that time, and many of us are covered with thick woolen clothes from head to toe. Not a very comfortable way to pray or sit for 40 minutes listening to a sermon - you know when wool gets a little hot, it starts tickling the skin; so you see many guys twitching and scratching. And of course it's time for the "O" antiphons which we sing in latin. Don't know what that is? Check up the internet!!! And Mass every morning has a sermon preached too. The new superior is really on his toes in perking up this Advent religious exercise.

Have been reading, but yesterday the Dean called me up to say we have to do something for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fr Allegra, the founder of the HK Studium Biblicum. He also taught here in Jerusalem and some of the older fathers here were his students. So several of us were commissioned to write articles (including me) and I also have to translate them into english. Some very interesting stuff showed up - mind you these guys here are serious. When they write an article, they really research! Found out that Fr Allegra was in the Holyland as early as 1940 before he came to China, and after staying here in the Jerusalem Studium Biblicum (where I'm now staying), he got the inspiration to start a similar institute in China.

But I spent the night reading Fr Niccacci's new book on Wisdom. Interesting new insights - would love to challenge some of his views but not just yet .... better read more and pack more ammunition before you face the big gun!

While working on the computer this morning, Matthew my Indian classmate flopped onto my mattress (I have no bed remember?). He was very upset over the progress of his thesis. So I suggested going out for a walk to cool him down. It was a tough decision for me as I really have to complete a tonne of work. But Matthew needed to talk, so we went out. We actually planned to come back for lunch but as things turned out we got stuck out in town and eventually spent 4 hours in the New City. We both had shwarma (lamb roasted on a spit and eaten in a pitta bread - remember that's my favourite dish; besides maashi waara ai'nab which is stuffed vine leaves) out in Ben Yehuda (swanky open air cafe/mall). I think Matthew felt better when we got back. But how we had to struggle down Damascus Gate to get back home. That's the gate where St. Paul would have left to go persecute the Christians in Damascus (read Acts). Apparently it is a muslim feast today and tomorrow and the muslim crowd that went to the Dome of the Rock mosque to pray was incredible. No wonder the muezzins were singing throughout the night - yes, I mean literally singing throughout the night. But this ones turned the volume down, and the chanting was very melodious so I enjoyed it.

One of the penguins left for good - Sr Pieta who looks like old mother Hubbard. The poor thing was constantly sick for the past months, not eating and therefore no strength to work. I helped her a couple of times after dinner to wash the dishes because I saw she just wasn't functioning: she can't take the Jerusalem climate (not just physical but social/political/religious). She was crying when I went to the kitchen to say goodbye. I'm sure she'll be much happier back in Poland. When I got back to my room, I remembered that Jean Paul can make her smile - now this is our private joke because I always say whenever Jean Paul shows up, Sr Pieta goes "ping!" with a smile with flashing stars on her teeth like in advertisements! Jean Paul just cracks up each time I say that - so yesterday I dragged him down to the kitchen to say goodbye to Sr Pieta. *Ping!*

Hmmmm I've been busy making people happy these two days but I've been feeling very down because of Rex and Regis. There's no hope now.