Presentation Day

Super blue moon over Damascus Gate

It's the feast of the Presentation ... that means one month after the birth of Jesus - a period of purification - Joseph and Mary brought the child to the Temple to be dedicated to God in accordance with jewish Law. The Church dedicates this day also to all consecrated peoples. There was a solemn Mass at the patriarchate and many religious went to participate. I couldn't go because I was overloaded with work.

Goodies from Gloria

In fact I could not even concelebrate our community's Mass as there was too much to do. I celebrated alone at 5am. Then it was a rush to get documents which higher superior wanted ... while in the meantime trying to call the spanish sisters (they never answer the phone) frantically because the parish in Jaffa needed hosts for Mass and I had to get them there in the morning and the car was waiting. Rushing between 2 offices and the shop that the sisters work in, I finally manage to catch Sr. Regina who was carrying a bag of hosts. I took it from her and she shouted that it's for Gethsemane. Well mine was an emergency and the car was waiting so she gave them to me and I rushed off to Jaffa which is 60 km away. Being the weekend there was no traffic and once there I got to meet my friends Mair, Rudy and Shlomi who are vendors in front of the church. It was very good to meet up with each other again. Then it was doing some chores and handing the hosts in the sacristy before going home. I had to return before 12pm before there are no workers in the library today and I have to get back and man the reception.

One nice surprise at Jaffa was a visit from a filipina, Gloria, who leads the migrant community in Jaffa. She had returned to the Philippines and on her way back to Israel, she transitted at Bangkok and bought me some goodies. It was very nice of her. Freeze-dried durians and Tom Yam shrimps.

The weather has warmed up a lot. Jerusalem was 15 degrees and Tel Aviv was 19 degrees. Lots of locals wearing T-shirts already. I miss summer ... I hope it comes soon.