Prayed for you

Procession around the Empty Tomb

Last night I did go to the Lenten Vigil after all. Thanks to the chinese sisters who wanted to participate. I had to accompany them from their hotel and back because it was very late and East jerusalem is dangerous especially for women walking in the dark unpoliced streets.

The vigil began at 11.40pm with the entrance of the Custos with the retinue of friars. It started with 2 psalms and then a Scripture reading followed by a sermon by Pope St. Leo. Then 3 more canticles were sung before everyone made a procession around the Empty Tomb recalling the Resurrection (It's the vigil of Sunday and every Sunday in the Holy Sepulchre it's the celebration of the Resurrection). The Gospel was carried by the Custos and incensed by 2 deacons. It was brought inside the Tomb and a prayer was said inside before the Custos brought it out again. Then everyone went back to the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament for the intercessions and blessing.

Prayer before the
Empty Tomb

It was well attended last night. The Benedictine abbot and some of his monks from the Dormition Abbey came, the Dominican superior came and most religious congregations had representatives. The franciscan sacristan was very kind when he was informed that a group of chinese sisters were coming so he reserved 2 benches inside the chapel for them. Anyway when every ended it was already 1.30am. I then had to accompany the sisters back to their hotel in East Jerusalem which is over 1 km away. When we reached the hotel it was already 2am. Then I had to walk home which is another km away. But just as I rounded the corner to the main road ... the empty road came a lone car that stopped next to me. It was my neighbour. He was going out to buy cigarettes and offered to drive me home. Wow ... saved me a long walk in the dark lifeless street. But first we went to buy his cigarettes and I bought bread for breakfast. He dropped me off right in front of my door. Needless to say, I was very happy. I was utterly exhausted and hungry. Ate the bread with some leftover sausages I found in our fridge, and went to sleep. I got up at 5am to prepare for Mass ... which means I slept only one and a half hour. So in 3 days I slept a total of about 5 hours. I am utterly drained ... but this prednisone is really destroying my life.

Sitting at any place
available to pray

Anyway I prayed for you all during the Vigil ... all the living and dead. It is such a privileged experience to make this Vigil.

Yesterday when the Sabbath ended, some 20,000 protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to protest the forced deportation of asylum seekers. I'm not sure how this struggle will go as the govt. is adamant to deport all illegal foreigners who may be suffering persecution in their own countries. Of course there are also economic refugees among them.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/over-10-000-israelis-protests-deportation-of-african-asylum-seekers-1.5846472

The ultra-orthodox jews yesterday had to face a crisis. Their leader and mentor, an elderly rabbi died. He was the leading rabbi to call for the protests and fight against compulsory military draft which had led the country into standstills and strikes and even violence. Now everyone is anxiously waiting to see who the successor will be.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/shmuel-auerbach-leader-of-anti-draft-ultra-orthodox-group-dies-aged-86/

And here's an interesting read from an interview of 2 isreali doctors who studied abroad and returned. They noted that they found Israelis hate more and have become more isolated.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/holylandings/.premium-israelis-have-changed-they-hate-more-and-are-more-insular-1.5843275