War looming?

Jaffa parishioners at Mass in the
Holy Sepulchre

This morning was a very early start to work. 5.30am I was at the Missionaries of Charity convent for Mass. one of the sisters is celebrating her patron saint's feast day and also the community has to go early to Tel Aviv where they care for the drug addicts, homeless and prostitutes. These people appreciate the sisters' visit once a week. Anyway after Mass I had to rush to the Holy Sepulchre for another Mass at 7am in the Empty Tomb. It's the monthly Mass when the parishioners from our Jaffa Parish come. After Mass I teach them some Bible lessons before they go to visit some other shrines.

Now I'm back home to clean my room for the Chinese New Year ... a lot of Spring cleaning. If I have time I might make some small changes in my room. But not today because I have 2 hours to work before I start another class at 4pm. I work throughout the weekends as well so you see, I have no days off. It's 7 days a week. Merciless schedule. I am utterly exhausted and there is no one 24 hrs when I can recuperate. Maybe I should just go on strike.

Tensions are rising at our northern border with Syria. Missiles misfired from Syria into Israel has occurred many times and Isrel usually fires warning shots to remind the shooters (not sure if they're rebels, government or ISIS) that Israel is on the alert ... but this morning it was direct encounter. A syrian drone flew into Israeli airspace and Israeli fighter jets shot it down ... then sent the jets into Syria to bomb Iranian bases there on a very large scale. The Syrians responded by firing anti-aircraft missiles ... downing one helicopter at least. The pilots ejected and were rescued by Israeli ground troops. Remember that Damascus is only 60 mins away from our border. Tensions are rising and this afternoon we'll see if things get worse. http://www.jerusalemonline.com/news/middle-east/israel-and-the-middle-east/syria-fires-at-israeli-fighter-jets-after-israel-downs-iranian-drone-34500

While external war is looming in the north, the internal war among jews continue. This time we hear of the ultra-orthodox jews who are so absolute in sex segregation they would erase women standing among men in their newspaper photos. They did that with politicians and now we hear they erased even the women Holocaust survivors who stood among men to have their photo taken. These survivors are venerated in Israeli society but the ultra-orthodox do not think so. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/haredi-newspaper-censors-photos-of-women-holocaust-survivors-1.5770715

What a Sabbath .... so much tensions and uncertainties. There is no rest ... not for the mind and heart.