St. John of the Cross

Yesterday was the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. All the Latin Americans gathered for a special Mass in the afternoon at St. Saviour's. It ws probably very nice but I'd never know. I was on duty since everyone else wanted to go to the Mass.

Fr Xavier Geiser died 2 days ago. He's an American German in his late 80s. I remember him as very funny and jovial. He was buried yesterday because here all funerals must take place within 24 hours upon death.

Public shootings plagued Leige (Belgium) and Florence (Italy). Many dead and countless wounded due to the rampage of lone gunmen. Whatever triggered them off? We're used to getting these tragedies here in our country but in Europe? Times are changing and terrorist demographics are shifting. Scientists may claim to have discovered the elusive Higgs boson yesterday, but they haven't yet discover the complexities of evil that lay in men's hearts.

The cold weather is doing wonders for herbs - maramia (salvia), mint and zatar (hyssop/oregano) are bountiful in the markets. Since almost everyone is sniffling and sick, these herbs are in great demand. They're boiled and drunk to relieve chest congestion. Doesn't seem to help though as the bug is spreading rapidly.

Meantime the sun still holds out. The early morning sunrise over Tel Aviv is a splendid sight. Even as the sun rises, the moon struggles to set over the Mediterranean Sea, with Andromeda's rock frothing below. You can almost imagine the scene here when Andromeda was chained up on that rock, as the sea monster came to devour her as a punishment for her mother Cassiopoiea's pride. Then Perseus flies into the scene on Pegasus the flying horse. He carries the head of Medusa the Gorgon and petrifies the sea monster to stone, thus saving Andromeda. This magic atmosphere pervades the early morning skies as the sun, moon and sea lock in a timeless struggle.

Today we remember St John of the Cross - the Carmelite reformer in the footsteps of Teresa of Avila. Let's hope that the dark night of every human soul - as he famously described - gets illumined by God's love.