No incidents

The muslim feast of the Sacrifice is reaching it's climax. Damascus Gate is filled with people - merchants selling toys, sweets etc..., others going to the mosques. I went to meet the Custos of Singapore, Fr Michael D'Cruz who arrived with a group. We had dinner at the Legacy and chatted on many things. Security was very tight all around the Old City. Only arab men above 45 yrs were allowed to enter the City. Luckily there was no incident.

This morning Michael came to the Flagellation for Mass with his group. I served as altar boy (!) and gave a short talk after Mass to the people. Among the group was the head altarboy of my parish back in Singapore. He knows my nephew Justin who's a junior altarboy there. Couldn't convince the guy to stay back in Jerusalem and be a franciscan.

This morning the muslims were bring goats back to their homes to prepare for the sacrifice that they will celebrate tomorrow. They believe Abraham had tried to offer Ishmail (not Isaac) as a sacrifice but instead God directed Abraham to sacrifice a ram in the boy's place. Hope the celebration will pass without incident.

Thanks to Fr Massimo Luca for his contribution to Gaza to buy water-purification pills. And Angelina Khoo for her offering also.