Sick

So I think I caught the flu ... or it may simply be pure exhaustion manifesting itself. I was in Bethlehem and visited a "pet shop" - definitely a euphemism in the Territories. The birds were in poor condition and many were sickly and hanging on to life. I might have caught a bug from them. Then again it could have been that awful person sitting in front of me in the bus, coughing non-stop without using a mask or even hand to cover the mouth. Hope he didn't have swine flu as the epidemic in the Territories is widespread and more than 7 people have already died. I came home with a sore throat, fever and painful breathing. Immediately started on a course of Tamiflu.

Procession around the Empty Tomb

But back on Saturday night, I managed to keep the full Lenten rigours. Didn't sleep the whole night till the following night. Was at the Holy Sepulchre by 11.30pm (Saturday) for Vigils and procession around the Empty Tomb. Finished at 1.30am but since the Masses were fully booked on Mt. Calvary, I decided to go home and waited till 4am when I returned to the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Mass. It was exhausting but managed to spend the entire night praying for you all.

Racism is so big time now here in Israel ... or rather anti-arabism, it is unbelievable the rest of the world is not saying anything. An arab woman at a train station was attacked by a jewish woman simply because she was arab. Then a new busline has been launched which only serves arabs because some israeli jews refuse to sit in the same bus with an arab.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/as-israel-s-separate-bus-lines-start-rolling-some-palestinians-don-t-seem-to-mind.premium-1.507114  and  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/jewish-teen-detained-over-assault-of-palestinian-woman-in-jerusalem.premium-1.506985  And pictures reveal soldiers abetting extremist Jewish settlers who attack arab shepherds inside Palestine  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israeli-security-forces-stand-by-while-settlers-harass-palestinian-shepherds-witnesses-say.premium-1.506949   All I can say is, just another event like this again, just another provocation and attack, and the whole situation will explode.