7th Sunday of Easter

The house is very quiet today. Most of the students have gone to the compulsory excursion to Jordan this morning. Now I can study in peace because the Sala Cafe opposite my room will be finally quiet.

The canaries have a total of 19 eggs being incubated by 6 hens. Everyone took some time out this week to come and have a look. They were pretty impressed by the success this year. Fr Dobromir, whose canaries they are, came and had a look yesterday afternoon. He's happy.

Early last week I went to see Dr Ben Daniel who is a middle age GP specialising in family medicine. He has his newly opened clinic at St Louis Hospital run by the Sisters of St Joseph of the Apparition. He changed my medication to one tablet a day because the former one was making me suffocate - it caused spasms in my windpipe and I cannot breathe. And again the warning to avoid alcohol, smoking, salt etc... and I have to exercise one hour a day. Also I either have to maintain my weight or go on a diet because he's worried about my cholesterol - though it wasn't checked yet. Have to go and get it done this week. St Louis Hospital doesn't do these tests because it actually is now a hospice for terminal cases.

Ascension day is over and here in Jerusalem we're preparing for the liturgical celebrations of Pentecost. Today's reading from 1Peter says "he should thank God that he has been called one [i.e. a Christian]" in the context of suffering for one's faith. Well have we thanked God for that? We thank God for our food, our work, our family, health .... but I don't think we ever considered thanking God for calling us to be Christians. The jews everyday say a prayer thanking God for making them Jews and not Gentiles. Our vocation as Christians is a priceless gift and we should not only give thanks for our Catholic faith but also be proud of it. That's what the Holy Spirit in Pentecost did for the Apostles.