Looks are deceiving

It is raining - very heavily! During dinner I told Fr Alliata (our archaeologist and editor of publications) that it will rain tonight. he said no way - it'll rain probably tomorrow or a day later. But I was right. It was raining so hard our corridor is flooded! Fr Niccacci's and my rooms are closest to the terrace door and so our two entrances are flooded. During Mass, Fr Lino (our retired Greek professor) as usual prayed for rain - obviously he didn't realise it was pouring cats and dogs outside. Some friars started laughing and Fr Pazzini (our Syriac professor) said "He heard! He heard!" which made us laugh even more. It's good that the rains came. It'll lighten up the atmosphere and give a sense of hope.

And it's significant that it rains today because it's Tu B'Shvat - Arbor day or the birthday of the trees. The rains will push back to life the bare branches of the trees. The almond trees, like i said yesterday, are already in bloom. Cyclamen are everywhere now and soon the anemones will pop up from every conceivable corner of the roads. Spring (Chinese New Year) is upon us! The sense of new life and hope is so much needed here in this troubled land. This ties up so neatly in today's 1st reading. Saul was abandoned by God and the country was in chaos, but God then told Samuel to go look for a new king - david the shepherd boy. There was hope for the people. But remember God's words to Samuel "Do not judge by appearances. God does not see as man sees. Man looks at appearances but God looks at the heart." I wonder if you're prepared to let God look at your heart?