Another ordination

We nearly had a full blown war yesterday. Gaza fired some 70 rockets into Israel and Israel pounded Gaza with the fiercest bombardment since 2014. Everyone was apprehensive that a new Gaza war would start but luckily Egypt stepped in and  negotiated a ceasefire. https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-pounds-gaza-in-widest-day-of-strikes-since-2014-war/

But in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the mood was very relaxed. Though obviously apprehensive over Gaza in the far south, life goes on as summer dictates ... lots of events, concerts, weddings, exhibitions and festivals. It really is a wonderful place in summer ... in the whole Middle East region, I'd say. Though things are very expensive, still people enjoy life with the little that they have.

Fr. Matthew with bishop

Matthew, one of my students, was ordained in India yesterday. He's a smart guy and a very good photographer. I'm sure he learned a few things from me in my Social Communications course. Anyway he's Syro-Malabar rite so his vestments are different from the Latin rite. He'll be sent to Damascus in Syria. It's not the easiest mission but the Salesians there have a school and in this war zone they try to care for the youths ... and the priests there are all old. So he's got a big job to do. And he speaks excellent arabic.

We got another warning from the newspapers ... the 3rd time this week ... of the impending giant earthquake. We really must get ready for it ... we've been warned. And when it comes, there'll be no mercy.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-tremors-experts-warn-a-huge-quake-is-the-greatest-threat-facing-israel/

Classes are finally winding down for the summer ... and I've started partial aestivation already. Exhaustion just overcome me and I fall asleep by 6pm. No dinner. No worries. Yesterday afternoon I also managed a 2 hr snooze. All my body wants is to go to sleep. An entire year of work is taking its toll.