brick or stone?

The Orthodox Easter passed without incident yesterday in the Holy Sepulchre. The streets are packed with Orthodox pilgrims expecially from Russia - they can come to Israel without visas now. Also the Jewish Passover came to an end yesterday. So festivities everywhere. The bells of the Holy Sepulchre are ringing throughout the day.

Today I'm trying to get more texts analysed. Not easy as I get lost in the maze of grammatical jargon. Am also feeling unwell - most of my fingers are swollen at the joints and hurt alot - like arthritis but don't know where that came from. I usually get this after a course of oral steroids for my asthma but I never took them at all. Maybe its a side-effect of the blood pressure pills. Well it's hurting very much and I can't sleep last night because of the pain. Wrapped them in medicated plaster but no difference. Then this morning I had several bouts of diarrhea - hope I didn't catch the virus from the rest of the guys. The people working in the library have caught it. Everything happening at once. I'll go see a Dr. John Ben-Daniel who's just opened shop at our French Hospital near the New Gate. Consultation fee is about US$70 + VAT but that's cheaper than travelling to Nazareth 200 kms away for my checkup and wasting the whole day travelling. Maybe he can change my medication as it's causing spasms in my bronchus and I can't breathe and choke. It's a terrible side-effect many people told me will happen and I have to change my medication immdeiately. We'll see.

Regis is very sick. Hasn't eaten for 3 days now and they have resorted to force-feeding him by syringe but he throws everything up. He doesn't have the will to live anymore.

Today's 1st reading recalls Paul first entering Philippi, his first journey into Europe. There he gathered outside the city by a river "which was a traditional place of prayer". Those of you who came with me to Greece will remember that spot by the river. But it seems strange that the Jews didn't have a synagogue to gather and pray in Philippi. Anyway it made me think about this morning's video-conferencing class about the Church. The Church is not a building but a living presence of those who believe in Jesus as Lord. But just before you get too self-confident that you are a living brick of the Church - check yourself to see if you're worthy. There're some presumptious people who think they're way above the rest of us and make judgemental statements like "God wants you priests/nuns to do this and that". And I read just that in a final letter by a retiring Indian Archbishop to his diocese, when laity make unreasonable demands and uncharitable remarks and the pain it caused him. There was no unity in faith - only a demand for service. So, we are Church and we can gather in faith to worship and witness to the things God has done for us. But it is always good to check oneself and see if we are living bricks or stumbling stones.