Rotten eggs

Jacqueline Woo's dad brought some great herbal plasters from China and am using them every night for my ankle. It's terribly painful and I couldn't walk for 2 afternoons - just stayed in bed. Half the city is down with the flu, like me. Coughing, running nose, fever .... and everyone is blaming the change of weather. It's hot during the day, 30 degrees of so, but a very cold wind is blowing and the nights get as low as 10 degrees.

Threw out 8 eggs from a canary because they were getting mouldy and she refuses to nest. These canaries must be first timers because they don't know how to make nests and have been abandoning eggs. Only a funny looking white one with a tuff of black hair (I call her "Jughead" and thought "she" was a "he" at first) has got it correct - nice fluffy nest with 5 eggs and she sitting on them everyday. Fr Dobromir, our former superior and now treasurer, asked me how they were getting along. The canaries belong to him but as he's living at St. Saviour's Monastery a mile up the hill, I was asked to take care of them. He advised to throw away the 1st batch of eggs as they usually are not fertilised and the young mother canaries are not expereinced. The 2nd batch will be better. So we'll give it a try. Some fo the canaries have already laid their 2nd batch of eggs.

So I went to visit Fr Dobromir this morning. Didn't feel like it, walking up the hill with my painful ankle. But I gave all your donations to the Holyland to him and he thanks you all. Also received the Mass intentions from Vancouver sent to Fr Dobromir. Thanks to Fr Paul Chu. The masses will be celebrated in various shrines here in the Holyland.

Most of the students have returned from their Easter holidays and school started this morning. I'll try and start work again, if I'm feeling up to it.

All gone

Vomited several times last night. Still feel pretty sick today. Heard Rex and Regis are fighting everyday now. Everyone says Regis knows it's the end, and he's instinctively fighting it. My poor boy Regis.

Just had lunch with Sr. Maria Ko, though was feeling sick. She was my professor back in my seminary days in HK and now she teaches/directs the Salesian Sisters Renewal course here in Jerusalem several months a year. Anyway I invited her out to lunch at the Chinese restaurent in the New City as she is leaving for Rome tomorrow - and also to celebrate my birthday (which is not celebrated in our monastery). Fr Thomas Cui who's studying at the Dominican Ecole Biblique also came along. It was good to catch up with Sr Maria and we discussed several projects that we could do here in Jerusalem. Might as well plan long term as there's nothing good left for me in HK.

sad

We're into daylight saving as from 2am this morning. It usually takes place after the Jewish Passover but this year the jewish calendar has an added month so the Jewish Passover is not till sometime on April 19th. The sun is up and bright by 5am (6am daylight saving) and sets after 6pm. And its getting hot again - 30 degrees or so. The amaryllis that I brought from HK is flowering now - reminds me of my beautiful garden back in Jardine's Lookout and my two boys Rex and Regis. Honestly I've slept very little these 3 weeks worrying about Regis as the person who originally wanted to take Regis cannot do so now. The last resort is to put Regis to sleep; which is terrible as he's a healthy, happy and obedient dog. I've been having nightmares every night.

Managed to clear up all the stuff that the group brought over. Discovered lots of birthday cards and presents in bags that I overlooked. Thanks for everything. I've a large supply of tin food now - can start a shop!!!!

With the things cleared up from my floor, I will now vacuum the room and then hopefully by evening I can start with my thesis. The dean asked me after dinner last night if I got started already. Well I was in the library yesterday and today for a short while to check out some books. And the Melbourne group gave me lots of reference books - thanks a million! can't get these books here in Israel.

Ahh and I found out Sr Irmina is only a month younger than I ...... who would have guessed!! And .... the sisters forgot it's daylight saving so they got up late for Mass today ....

ok I'll go for lunch now. Will add a little reflection later.

After Emmaus ....

Pretty uneventful yesterday. Most of the professors and students were at the Bible Conference on St Paul here at our school but I was doing this and that, and falling asleep in between, I never got round to attending it. Still traumatised with cleaning up my room. Aaaaaaaaahhhhh I just want to move to another room so I don't have to unpack all those stuff.

While there's a cool wind blowing now, the sun is up and I think it'll be back to 34 degrees this afternoon. Very dry.

Yesterday I left 3 bags of magazines and other chinese literature at the Christian Information Centre near Jaffa Gate. The sister (I can never remember her name, she's Belgian) is very happy and we hope to create a little Chinese corner there. We already have a corner at our Franciscan Bookshop at the other block near Jaffa Gate as well. Have to look for another opening maybe near New Gate this time. Anyway I hope to take some photos so you can have a look.

On the way back from the Information Centre, I stopped by The Pontifical Missions to say hi to an old classmate, Usama Salman. He was just a 17 yr old kid studying some courses with us some 15 yrs back and now he's one of the big shots working at the Mission. He's married with 2 boys now. We had a good chat and he's always inviting me over to his house for a meal but I'm just too lazy. Well can't push it off now. Might go to his house next week.

Today's gospel is a continuation from yesterday's Emmaus story - Jesus appearing to the disciples in Jerusalem. He tells them that they are not seeing a ghost because he has flesh and bones that they can touch. He also asks for something to eat to prove that he's not a ghost. The last thing Jesus did in his earthly life was to eat a meal with his disciples, and the first thing he does after his resurrection is to eat a meal with them. Eating then is not just a human act to fulfill the biological need to sustain life, but a social and religious act that builds community and affirms this unity. I wonder if instead of saying "I'm going to attend Mass", we can say "I'm going to eat a sacred meal with my fellow Catholics"?

Divine irruption

Yesterday was supposed to be the feast of the Annunciation but because it is octave of Easter, the feast is postponed to next week. And it was also my 16th anniversary of my ordination. Fr Giovanni Loche our youngest archaeologist was hebdom and he said a prayer for me during the intercession at Mass - and some friars were surprised .... like duuuuh .... don't they know I was ordained????? Anyway it was nice to have support and encouragement from my community here - which happens to be very small at the moment because it is still the easter holidays and many students and professors are still away.

So what did I do for my ordination anniversary? I cleaned out the birdcage! It was messy. And with the 4 pairs of canaries separated in different cages, feeding and cleaning takes a lot more time. And those silly canaries don't know how to make nests! They put the cotton all around but lay the eggs on the bare plastic containers - which happens to be quite cold this evening (it's been 36 degrees for the past few days but its getting cold again). So I don't expect any chicks this year. Each canary has laid 3 to 4 eggs.

I'm still unpacking all the stuff the HK group brought me. And the Singapore grp also left me 3 bags of stuff that I had to collect at Knights' Palace where they stayed. Yes it's really a Crusader Knights' Palace within the Old City and today part of it is the residence of the Latin Patriarch. Beautiful ambiance, full of history. The Singapore grp. found out how expensive it is to actually live here in Israel so out of support and charity, they left many stuff that we can use here and save on money.

Oh and today we launched the website of our Duns Scotus Bible Centre. It's http://www.dsbiblecentre.org/ so go check it out. I taught a lesson via video-conferencing today to HK but the group was small.

The Dean asked me to deliver a sermon in italian to the participants of our Bible Conference on St Paul (3 day event) but I was not prepared ..... pretty scared actually. And anyway I really want to get started with my thesis again. Ooops and I have one article to prepare by next week - panic!!!! It's supposed to be in italian too!!!

Sister Maria Ko is now in Jerusalem and I met her at Emmaus the day before. She's professor of patrology in Rome and was my professor in HK 20 yrs back. Hope to have dinner with her next week - my birthday is coming up (hint, hint).

Anyway today's readings at Mass gave me alot to think. The first reading has Peter healing a cripple and the Gospel has Jesus meeting the 2 disciples on the way to Emmaus (love the place - I was substitute parish priest there in 1995. During the Emmaus feast 2 days back I met the gardener Ashraf who was only a 12 yr old boy when I was parish priest there. Now he's getting married and he wants me over to his house to have a meal with his family and meet his future wife - next week. It's good to see these guys growing up despite the difficulties of living in an occupied land). The former story has a man who lost his faculty and physical capacity and the latter has 2 guys who has full faculties but still handicapped - incapable of recognising Jesus. For me it tells of our human condition - we're all handicapped even if we possess all our faculties. We're so limited and flawed, yet the good news is that healing and Jesus himself will come, will irrupt into our lives. Let the irruption begin!!!!!

Happy Easter

The group left last night and exhausted is an understatement for what I'm feeling right now. It was a great trip though; we participated in the Holy Week services here in Jerusalem at the spot where we traditionally commemorate the last week of Christ's life on earth. We walked the road of Palm Sunday, prayed at the Last Supper Room, Spent Good Friday on Mt. Calvary and the Tomb and celebrated the first Mass of Easter morning at the Holy Sepulchre at 1am!

And we also spent 2 nights praying in the Holy Sepulchre and in the Garden of Gethsemani. The group joined in the liturgy with the local church here, with our Patriarch, bishops and Custos of the Holyland. The friars were very nice and always tried to give the group the best seats possible. In fact for the Mass of the last Supper, 3 of the guys were chosen to offer the gifts to the Patriarch - what an honour!

Me? I lost my voice, got bronchitis and my left ankle as usual swelled up. Twisted it 4 times during the trip. Now its all bandaged up.

But it was an unusual Holy Week for the group and me as the liturgy was at times very different from the rest of the world's. There was also another Singaporean grp there. Good mix of people from around the world. And Jerusalem is packed - even more than the year 2000! My superior was very nice and closed off the Flagellation Chapel on Good Friday morning so our group could celebrate the veneration of the Cross without disturbance; then from there we started the Way of the Cross. Fantastic!

So Christ is risen! Alleluia! How does this reminder of new life affect you?

Thanks

Thanks to all of you to sent me stuff via the group that came last week - the medicine, food, stationary, clothes, candles and computer stuff. Also the donations to the Franciscans of the Holyland and the poor children of Musky. Also to May Yu, Susan, Julia Lai, Agnes Lee. Received everything. Will be praying for all of you.

Awesome!

Terrible headache again. Maybe it's not enough water that I'm drinking. Took 2 asprins last night. And I couldn't concentrate on my work yesterday. tried analysing more texts but couldn't, tried reading a couple of books but couldn't either. Real tough.

Matthew wasn't feeling well either - he has stomach pains. So I cooked rice and he provided fish curry that the Missionaries of Charity (Bethlehem community) cooked for him. We ate in his room because it's alot bigger and he has chairs and a large table - I don't. It beats eating pancakes for dinner - YES we had pancakes with jam and fruit salad for dinner; nothing else. Can you imagine a chinese stomach without rice for dinner?

Tonight at 3am the grp is coming from HK to spend Holy Week in Jerusalem. I'll be with them so I might not be on the blog as regularly as usual. It'll be hectic as we have to get up at midnight to join in the liturgies in the Holy Sepulchre for several days.

Anyway today's Gospel reading from John has Jesus saying "Before Abraham was, I AM". Now that is awesome! Jesus was outright claiming to be Yahweh himself. I think we have lost alot of "awe" in our religion. We get awed by the latest technology, awed by this and that, but sometimes we miss the awe-full sunrise, or a flower opening or a bird singing .... all the little things around us that reflect the awe of the Creator. Well next week we should awe at the greatest wonder of all - God coming among us to save us, taking the form of a human, suffering, dying and resurrecting. Awe at the liturgy that unfolds this mystery. Be awe-filled!

Ramblings ....

Yesterday was another day of work. Well you're going to hear this phrase for the next year or so ... and good thing too because that means I'm actually studying instead of wasting my time!

The Dean popped over to my room yesterday evening after the Faculty meeting. I think he wanted to say something but didn't. He also gave me Fr Vincenzo's phone number in Italy because we lost him!!!! We were terribly worried because of his thrombosis of the leg - he was rushed back to Italy from Cairo for medical treatment. before he flew out to Italy, he called to tell me. Then when he arrived at his sister's house in Italy, he skyped me again to say he arrived. But after that it was silence. Well he did say he had gone to the hospital first for lots of tests. So finally we found him. Glad he's resting and recuperating. Anyway back to the dean: I showed him my work on the computer and asked a question that I was stuck with for 3 days .... aaahhhhhh. Then he saw all my computers and video-conferencing stuff - was pretty impressed! Well, I think the ultimate thing was - the dean is completing his term in a couple of months' time. He did a great job all these past 6 years and was an unshaking support for our chinese Studium Biblicum and its projects. We really owe him alot, guys, so say a prayer for him.

Matthew as usual was getting on my nerves as much as I was on his. I think he's done alot of work - isolating himself down in the library and all. Hmmmmm must try out that strategy! Anyway we continue bantering till now some students in the house join in to take sides. Congratulations to me! I think I just started World War 3!!!!!!!

Oh and 2 mornings back as I was washing up, I had a terrible shock! You see, I leave my computer on in the early mornings while I make my bed, bathe and do some stuff before going down for Mass; and that's usually "Smile of a Child" internet TV showing. The timetable was 5am "The Big Garage" (Yuck I dislike it) 5.30am "St Bear's Doll Hospital" and 6am "Friends and Heroes" which I normally miss because I go down to church for mass at that time. But two days back when I came out of the shower, expecting to see Nurse Penny, Dr Teddy, Ms Chamomille the matron, and Pins and Needles (operating room attendents), there was "Bibleman"!!!!! I panicked, thinking I woke up late and it's now 6.30am (that's when "Bibleman" comes on, but I miss that too because Mass would have started). Checked my alarm clock, my computer clocks and my watch but all said it's 5.30am - hhhmmm then I realised America switch to Summer Daylight saving that's why the show was an hour ahead! Scared me silly! Oh and "Bibleman"? - That's the superhero who saves people in trouble but he always has to justify each action with a Bible quote - very protestant. "Bibleman" is a guy transformed by the Word of God (like wow! check it out!) and goes out to fight evil with Bible quotations, light sabres etc..... tacky tacky... And guess who played "Bibleman"in the original series? Willie Aames .... (like who?) you remember back in the 70s "Eight is enough" and the 2nd son called Tommy Bradford? Yup, he's now a born-again Christian and played the original Bibleman till 2004. Now they got some other guy who looks more like a villain than protagonist! I thought I recognsied Willie Aames in the first few series .... (ok confession: I've been following Bibleman for some time now....guilty guilty) Hhhmmm I'll probably tell you guys more about these kiddie shows on "Smile of a Child" and like I said in my previous mail - I recommend it to even Catholic kids - very good with inculcating moral virtues to kids.

So lesson to learn? Be a "Bibleman" - let the Word of God transform you and you'll do things you never thought you could! Come to our Duns Scotus Bible Centre courses to learn more of God's Word and let it transform you!

Repent!!!!!!

The weather is still pretty cool after yesterday's weather change although the sun is up and shining. The Old City remains pretty tense with lots of soldiers everywhere.

I'm polishing up on the few verses that I've analysed because I realised there were some things left out in the work. It's getting tedious ........

But I have to get it done, soooooooo back to work.

Today's readings talk about the bronze serpent (1st reading). The bronze serpent has no power of its own to save people; but each time the people looked at it, it reminded them of their punishment for their sins (ie snakes), and by acknowledging their sinfulness (and hopefully resolute not to sin again!) they might repent and convert. So as we enter into the last week of Lent, repent repent repent!!!!!!!

Weather change

Just a quick note to let you know the temperature just fell 12 degrees in one hour!!! I went out to the Missionaries of Charity at 3pm and it was 24 degrees - warm. When I came back at 4pm it was 12.8 degrees! Fog throughout the Old City. All the shops were closing and everyone rushing home. I hope it rains tonight so it'll clear the air. But the forecast is 11 degrees tonight so I'll have to get my "hot air fan" and blankets out again. It'll be around 11-10 degrees for the next few nights so I hope the group that's coming on Friday is prepared!

Rushing to where?

The hamsin is still dragging its way through Jerusalem. I see many people are already coughing and falling sick. Yucks! Hopefully it'll rain and wash away the hot desert air.

Tried to do some work yesterday evening but was simply too distracted with that horrible headache. Tried to sleep early (had a VC lesson at 4am this morning) but couldn't. Anyway it was only a couple of hours sleep when I did eventually sleep - got up at 2.30am and was awake again.

The Patriarch of Jerusalem for the Latins, Msgr Michel Sabbah, has written his last pastoral letter to everyone because he will retire this Holy Week. He has been Patriarch for the past 20 years. Now Msgr Fouard Twal will take over. Msgr Sabbah was a very gentle person, soft-spoken and could be firm. Everyone here in the Holyland look to him as a father to our small Latin community. We wish him all the best in his retirement.

Today I want to finish some more work but got caught up with some administrative stuff at our school office. Ah well...... got to make up for lost time now.

Meanwhile today's Mass was extra long because the Gospel was the same as yesterday's - the raising of Lazarus. It was very long. Fr Cignelli our hebdom gave a 2 line sermon about Mary rushing to meet Jesus and that we too should rush to Jesus. Which makes you think about our lives in HK and S'pore - rushing here and there because time is money. Maybe we should put our priorities right and start rushing to Jesus, to the Cross, to Easter - not senselessly but rushing out of urgency, need and purpose. Ever notice when the telephone rings, people rush to it - we seldom let it ring for more than 3 times if we can help it. Ever rushed with eagerness to pray? rush with enthusiasm? or do we keep putting it off, or rush THROUGH it to get it over with? Hhhmmmmm something to think about.

Hamsin

5th Sunday of Lent already. Celebrated Mass at 6.30pm but this morning there was a rather "big" crowd - 9 of us when usually its 4 or 5. The common Mass on Sundays is at 8am but its a little too late for some of us. Fr Massimo Pazzini gave a very thoughtful and brief sermon (2 minutes!) - he spoke of today's Gospel of the raising of Lazarus. "He wept" referring to Jesus, is the shortest verse in the entire New Testament. It was the tears of Mary that touched Jesus and caused him to weep - and Pazzini quoted the Fathers of the Church who likened the tears of jesus as rain and the dead Lazarus as the arid ground. Watered by Jesus' tears, Lazarus arose. So too we should cause Jesus to weep - not for our sins but for our repentence, so that watered by his tears, we too may arise like new plants on wet soil.

So that was a nice start to the day. After breakfast I went to feed the birds. The canary that laid 2 eggs threw them out. I sort of knew she would do that. Tried to start on reading a grammatical book but had a terrible headache. Matthew came to my room so we decided to take a walk out in the New City for some fresh air. Walked a huge round, saw several interesting places that we never noticed (little side streets and courtyards with quaint 100 yr old stone houses converted to restaurents and shops). Bought some apple buns and mushroom pastries from an Israeli shop. Matthew wasn't sure if he wanted them, but anyway i shared some with him when I got home.

Tried to sleep of this horrible headache (apparently I'm not the only one who has it). It must be this strange hamsin that's blowing. It's a sirocco type of desert wind that should occur only after Passover but for the past week we've been covered with it. You can't see the sky - it's all a dreary yellow brown, the desert sands block all sunlight. It gets hot and dry. And you have this starnge feeling of headiness - or lightheadedness. I think it's because of dehydration. Anyway I get the feeling a few people will be sick by tomorrow. Me? I'm taking precautions and taking medicine now. And I'm off to sleep now. Got a lesson tomorrow at 4am on VC. You guys should try and come!

Belly buttons?

Had a very frustrating morning. The VC was on a wrong configuration and my important briefing to the HK pilgrims coming next week was an absolute disaster. Don't worry - it has since been corrected and classes will go on as usual on Monday morning. But the panic!!!!!!!

Then we had to separate the canaries because some have already started laying eggs but there was no nest for them so all the eggs were broken on the floor. Spent 2 hrs with Khaled our cook catching 3 pairs and transferring them to nesting cages. But I doubt they'll lay any more eggs after this traumatic experience. I was hoping it would only take half an hour so i could get back to my work. Ruined my whole morning.

As there was not enough time to really get started on my analysis, I decided to vacuum and clean my room; and now am writing this blog just to get my cool back. The muezzin is singing so it must be 12pm now. There's a new muezzin for the 4am call to prayer and this guy is loud! Anyway I've been so eshausted every night I sleep on after being waken by the muezzin. Yes this week I've been getting up pretty late - 5am or so.

Yesterday was terribly subdued here in the Old City after the killing of the teenagers. Police and soldiers everywhere. I didn't go out but those who went for the Way of the Cross said it was very tense and some stations were closed. "Stations" meaning the chapels that commemorate the Way of the Cross.

I spent the whole day doing one sentence of analysis that really tired me out.

Weirdly though, yesterday while I took a short break on the terrace, I was thinking about belly-buttons. I remembered one of my pilgrims who is a doctor answered my question about belly-buttons and said it's a scar left from our umbilical cords - doesn't take too much to know that one!!! But the word "scar" struck me. It always carries a pegorative meaning - of struggles, pain, hurts...but also of survival. The belly-button is a scar - a scar that reminds us that once we were connected to another human being for life and sustenance; a scar that remains forever with us: eyes will go dim when we're old, hearing goes, teeth fall out, so does hair, skin wrinkles, memories lost .... but the scar of the belly button remains. It's such a powerful reminder isn't it, of our helplessness and need for others. And it should also remind us of our absolute need for God. In our moments of need and utter helplessness, we need to connect with God and others - love of God and neighbour - our umbilical cord. And when we cut off this relationship, we're scarred. So that's something for you all to think about before we start the 5th Sunday of Lent.

Peace

Received the sad news that one of my past pilgrims John Kwan died. He was a young man, and he carried his sufferings bravely for the past few years. May he rest in peace.

And the sad news continues. You all read about the killing of 8 Jewish teenagers in a rabbinic school here in Jerusalem. Soldiers have been more than usual here in the Old City for the past week. They knew something was about to happen. And it did. But it was outisde the Old City in the district of Kiryat Moshe. The cycle seems to be unending.

Yesterday worked the whole day on 2 verses. Can't imagine how complicated it can all be. Trudge trudge trudge....... And today my mum has gone for an operation - so pray for her.

Today's 1st reading is from the Book of Wisdom - my thesis book. We read the words of the impious who hate the righteous because his goodness is a constant reminder of their wickedness. They cannot live with their own guilt so they let it out on the innocent. I guess that's what happened to Judas as well - couldn't live with his guilt so he killed himself. There must be a better way out. Like making peace with oneself and with others. That's what we need here in Israel - but tha's what we all need in our own hearts too.

Work work work

Yesterday's 1st reading from the prophet Jeremiah was very interesting. It talks about God bringing peoples from the world over to come to Jerusalem where he will console them. "Some are from afar; others from the north and west, others from the land of Sinim". Some scholars think "Sinim" refers to China (cf "sino - ", though this interpretation is not generally accepted. I remember many years ago when I was living here in jerusalem, I went to visit the Last Supper Room. In there was a Jewish couple and when they saw me, they started singing "halleluia" and I wondered what was all that about. They grabbed my hands and welcomed me - me still in a state of utter confusion. Then the guy opened up Jeremiah 49 and read this passage and said God's word is fulfilled because the Chinese have come to Jerusalem. OK so he was a little carried away - but it does show two things - one, we should really take seriously the prophecies and its fulfilment especially in Jesus Christ; secondly God wills that everyone including far away China be part of his plan of salvation. So that's a consolation for us who live in the Far East - we aren't left out in the cold.

And yesterday was another crazy day (and it wasn't even Friday). Worked non-stop on my analysis of the text. Then the guys came to upgrade my Internet bandwidth to 2/2 (that's the highest we can go here in the Old City - the wires are just too old and incapable of higher bandwidths). But the monthly cost is going to rise like triple! So I'm going to need you guys to help me out if our VC classes are going to continue!

The weather is also warming up alot but I'm locking myself in my room - nothing has to disturb my work now - serious! Not going out for anything! Unless the house burns down! I've put up a print out of Fr Allegra's motto on my wall (in italian of course) "Want little - but want it at all cost". What I want now is to finish my paper.

After dinner I wanted to get back to work but Massimo Carlino caught me at the roof terrace and we chatted till 10pm. Hmmmmm must avoid that in future - not that it's a waste of time - but I must get my priorities right - work first, there'll be time to chat in between.

So here goes .... am working on my paper even as I'm writing this.

Today's Gospel from John says "You place your hopes in Moses and Moses will be your accuser; if you really believe in him, you should believe in me too, since it is I whom he was writing about; if you do not believe in what Moses wrote, how can you believe what i say?" - Jesus was talking to the Judeans (Jews in most translations). Well here is an interesting concept of understanding the Old Testament - interpreting it in the light of Jesus Christ (what we call a Christological exegesis). It was used by most of the early Church Fathers but slowly lost ground when modern historical and literary analyses of the bible became widely used. But I think for our own spiritual growth, it is a good method - reading the Old Testament and understanding it in view of our faith in Jesus Christ. It's a little of what I said at the beginning of this blog - to understand the prophecies as fulfilled in jesus Christ. of course we shouldn't force everything Old Testament passage to fit into the Christ event, but neither should we abandon it totally. After all we are christians, and we should read the bible in the light of our Christian faith. So when you are studying the bible, don't get carried away by too much explanations, that though are interesting but leave out Jesus; if so, there is the risk of the Bible as simply being treated as any other ancient literature book. As a book of faith, we should allow our christian faith to be involved in our understanding of the Sacred Scriptures called the Old Testament. End of lecture. Now start reading the Bible!

Busy as usual

So I missed yesterday's blog. I was extremely busy and had no time for anything. Work is piling up and I want to complete as many as possible. Too bad I only have 2 hands - could do with a few more!

So Holy Week is round the corner. Groups are packing Jerusalem like a sardine can. Yesterday there were over 1,000 Africans and lots and lots of Indonesians. And there was even a small group of Buddhist monks frm Mainland China! Had a short talk with them when they visited our Chapel - couldn't say much becuase a couple of Chinese officials were accompanying them and they were obviously nervous. Gave them our chinese pamphlets explaining our chapels.

Today is our franciscan pilgrimage to our Flagellation Chapel - that means lots of friars and others coming for Solemn Mass at 5pm. It's going to be packed

Will post a brief refleciton for you guys later today. Gotta start work now!

Laugh a little

Yesterday was Sunday......hhmmmmm so what did I do? I was busy as usual with alot of reading and writing .... but didn't seem to getting anywhere. It was pretty frustrating. Anyway trudged through the whole afternoon through the mountain of books till Vespers. Got down to the chapel, sang vespers and then had dinner. Couldn't eat much. Massimo Carlino asked me to take a walk on the terrace after dinner so we went and we talked and talked till like over 10pm! Went back to my room and read a few more pages of a book on Hellenisation and the Jews before falling asleep.

Must have been tired because i couldn't wake up this morning! Missed Mass - the first time ever! Oh ... and Darko is sick. We visited him in his room after dinner and I saw he didn't have enough blankets so I gave him one of mine. He's running a fever.

So now I'm off to the Missionaries of Charity to give them the weekly bible study and then I'll go to the Holy Sepulchre to say Mass.

In the course of my conversation with Carlino, a phrase kept popping up - what else do we need? We have more than sufficient in terms of food, clothing, education... if you look at it, we were never the worse off when we did not have cellphones or computers or tv. Just look back at your life and see how many things crept into your lives that you didn't once have. And they are not technically essential - they help make life alittle more easier to manage but believe me, you won't die without it. So what else do we need? I've been reading about Lydia Sum's death and frankly we all grew up with her. Some papers say she embodied the spirit of Hong Kong. I would rather see her as the spirit BEHIND Hong Kong. When things got bad, people were poor, lining up "under Lion's Rock" for water - she gave HongKongers something to smile about; something to laugh away the pain; she made life more bearable by looking at the funner side of life. The spirit of Hong Kong was flagging but she gave people a reason to wake up everyday, raise your head up high and laugh it all off. The laughter carried Hong Kong through the dark period of the 70s and into the restoration 80s and into the properous 90s.

So what else do we need? A little laughter, a little joy to make the world a little happier.

Shepherd of canaries?!

Yesterday I was busy with so many things (at the computer) - reading, writing, translating... I had no time for my thesis. Found Matthew slogging his qualification paper in the library. He came up to my room and said he had a terrible headache and couldn't study ...... good because i didn't do anything on thesis either! That makes us equal! I suggested going to the Holy Sepulchre and he said maybe at midnight. Though I've been trying to join in the Lenten rigours of Jerusalem, I never got round to it; so last night was my last chance. The midnight Office of Readings, processions and Mass ends before Passion Week begins. Giovanni Loche was egging me to go. So I cooked some rice with lap cheong, ate it at 6.30pm, slept at 8.30pm and woke up at 10.30pm. Went to the Holy Sepulchre with Matthew. Helped prepare the benches and booklets. The crowd of Russian Orthodox pilgrims was incredible. They were everywhere.

Anyway the friars came in procession with the Custos. The bells were ringing - really loud because midnight was so quiet around here. The sound was so beautiful - I couldn't help thinking "That is a Catholic sound!" The Catholic crowd was impressive - lots of young people. Whoever thinks the Church is dying, look again! I was so impressed by these young people from around the world, seriously and silently praying...intensely. They're the John Paul generation of Catholics. That Pope really touched many young lives - he should be a saint. So we sang the entire Office (3 psalms, one Old Testament reading and one reading from St Augustine), then there was Lauds (2 psalms, 1 canticle, a New Testament reading, intercessions and the Benedictus) followed by the fantastic candlelight procession around the Tomb of Christ. When it all ended, The Custos celebrated Mass on Mt Calvary (1.30am) but there were so many priests concelebrating I couldn't join in. Meanwhile Matthew had gone home halfway through the Office because he needed to get up early to go on excursion to Taybe (biblical Ephraim where Jesus hid for some time cf John's Gospel). Our black/white sisters were all present, as were nearly every other nun in Jerusalem! They stayed back for the Custos' Mass. I went home. It was good to see the Custos again, though we couldn't talk to each other. And finally I met William again. haven't seen him for over 3 months. He was back in Lebanon but when he got back, he never came over to say hi.

Got back at 2am, tried to sleep and at 4.30am, got up and went to the Holy Sepulchre again to celebrate Mass. We had to setup the Mary Magdalene altar for solemn Mass at 8am. So practically I had 4 hrs of sleep, 2 hrs before 10.30pm and 2 hrs after 2am. That's how rigorous Lent is for us! It's just prayers and prayers. And why not? All the pomp, all the candlelights and organ music ...... fantastic, one of a kind ..... because it all happened HERE! The Passion, the burial, the Resurrection. Nowhere else in the world can celebrate the Passion like in Jerusalem.

On my way back from Mass (7am), I stopped at the Ethiopic Orthodox Church to hear a bit of their Mass - beautiful, haunting chanting in a very ancient language. Then I stopped to buy some apple buns at the 8th Station - something I hadn't done for almost 3 months. Got back home and some guys were already having breakfast. Chatted, ate, fed the birds (Fr Ravanelli our emeritus professor was announcing "Lionello, the birds are waiting!" - somehow I'm getting the title "shepherd of the canaries"). So now I'm thoroughly exhausted and want to rest a little before I start my work (Matthew's not home today, so I can catch up! Typical Singaporean Kia-su, right?)

And today's readngs all focus on Jesus as the Light. St Paul says in the 2nd reading "Be children of light!" You guys are so lucky never to have blackouts. Try and remember when was the last time you had a blackout in HK or S'pore .... like you can't right? Well here blackouts, like I told you in the last few blogs, occur all the time during winter. And when that happens, light becomes such a precious commodity. You can't possibly imagine what it means to have light until you live in total darkness. Be children of light! Light is clear, transparent, no hidden agendas, no secrets. Try living that kind of life - it's the life of baptism, it's the resurrected life.

Meeting the Custos

The weather is changing to warm now. People are going out in short-sleeves, so I think the cold will not return. That means keeping away the winter stuff. Spring flowers are blooming everywhere along the streets - anemones, cyclamen, mustard. Absolutely beautiful.

Yesterday I had a long day. had to go to Terra Santa College for a meeting; but stopped off at the supermarket first because one of the fathers asked me to help him buy something. After the meeting, I decided to stay back for lunch - the food at Terra Santa College is stupendous, the sisters here are incredibly creative with their cooking. Yesterday we had pasta in tuna but with soya and sesame oil - fusion food!!!!! It really tastes great! Then of course there's a whole range of other dishes for vegetarians or carnivores. And anyone who wants to fast, well just don't come and eat! After lunch I continued with the meeting till about 3pm and then I had to rush off to St. Saviour's Monastery to meet with the Custos Fr Pierbattista. It was a last minute arranged meeting but I needed some information from him. His secretary was a little nervous that I showed up without confirming the appointment, because Pierbattista has another important meeting an hour later and was busy preparing for it. Anyway she went and spoke with him, and returned to tell me to wait for another 15 minutes and he'll see me for 2 minutes. But before she could finish, there was his loud voice behind me saying "Hurry up! My time is precious! Only 2 minutes for you!" He was actually grinning and standing behind me! We had a good conversation and I got my information I wanted. Actually knowing how anxious he was over the coming meeting, I had to make him relax before asking him for the info. So I started with, "hey, we've not met for a long time to chat. I miss the old times when we were great friends and spend lots of time studying and chatting" (that was 12 years ago!) He melted and hugged me and said now that he's the Custos he now has little time for all this. Then of course, I asked for what I wanted and got it! Poor Pierbattista - he has such a difficult job as Custos; his hair and beard is now all white and his eyes are all tired. And he's 3 years younger than I!

Anyway all that walking yesterday (4 km up and down the hills) wore my knees down because once I sat down on my bed I couldn't get up. Both my knees just wouldn't work. They were alittle swollen and couldn't hold up my body. So I stayed in bed for an hour, put anagelsic cream and slept for an hour before going down for Vespers and dinner.

This morning heard the bad news that Osvalda's mother died. Prayed for her.

Today's 1st reading from Hosea is powerful. God says "What I want is love, not sacrifices; knowledge of God, not holocausts!". How much time a day do you spend loving God and neighbour? How much time a day do you spend knowing God - by reading the Bible and praying?