Solemn mass for Duns Scotus

This morning I was up at 3.30am to prepare to go to the Holy Sepulchre by 4.30am. But being sluggish and cold, I only managed to arrive there at 4.50am. Nevertheless I celebrated Mass in the Crusaders' chapel and then prayed the Divine Office at the Altar of Mary Magdalene.

Before I left the Basilica, the Missionary of Charity superior of Gaza stopped to chat - she was out for 3 days for prayer (if only you know how stressful living in Gaza is). The few sisters from the Jerusalem community were also there ... so the chat became a little longer. Anyway got home at 6.30am to clean the birdcage.

During dinner last night, someone said that the temp. would drop to 8 degrees! So I prepared my room for that! Turned out it wasn't as cold as expected - 15 degrees or so.

At 8.30am I left for the Basilica of the Agony (Garden of Gethsemani) which is down the valley on our east - a 15 minute walk from my house. Our Minister General and all the friars were gathering there for the closing of the 700th anniversary celebrations of Blessed John Duns Scotus. It was a solemn Mass with about 100 friars present. Add religious from other congregations, lay people etc... and the basilica was pretty crowded. The homily of the General was a reminder to all the friars that we should learn form the example of Scotus - otherwise we'd be experts and teachers of the Word of God but not living testimonies. I thought it was pretty good. As the Mass ended and the procession passed by me, the General stopped to shake my hands and said that we'll meet again. People around said it was a special stop because he didn't do it during the rest of the procession. Hhhhmmmmm...... Anyway I thanked him for sending me to the Holyland and his concern for my studies. On my way out of the Basilica, as the crowds were going out and the pilgrims were squeezing in, I bumped into him again and he shook my hands again and smiled as if to say "You know what I want to say" so again I thanked him and quickly moved on. Believe me .... there's going to be changes.

Yesterday morning I got out of bed thinking that it is going to be a watershed day. It's a turning point day. I thought that when I come home from my meeting with the Sec. Gen. I'll no longer be the same Lionel that left the house earlier. And I wasn't all wrong. Things are going to change.... like weather and the seasons, things move forward, things change.