Friday rain

Flowers and sufganiot for Ambra

Rain was forecast for today and the rest of the weekend. The sky was dark and cloudy but no rain fell ... until this evening at 9pm. A shower broke and just as quickly it stopped. Not very satisfying. We're all hoping it'll rain heavily later tonight.

Next Saturday - feast of the Immaculate Conception - our former library assistant Ambra will make her perpetual profession to her community of St. John the Baptist. She was a great help to both our libraries as she holds a degree in library science. So yesterday while on my way home from the hospital, I stopped at the florist and bought a bunch of flowers, and a box of sufganiot (ponschski) as a gift from the staff of both libraries. When I reached her office - she now works in our Curia office - she wasn't in. Her parents had come to celebrate her profession a week ahead so she's out with them. Her colleagues took photos of the gifts and sent it to her ... but we decided to eat the sufganiot as it won't last till 10 days after.

The famous Clock Tower of
Jaffa in the rain

Well on the international level we read that the US govt is scrambling to undo (at least in part) the US  abolition of aid to the Palestinians. Trump shot his mouth when he frivolously made that decision without thinking ... now his govt realised that intelligence sharing and co-ordination with Israel will also be cut ... and that is a grave danger since terrorists will be able to work without hindrance. So the US govt is now trying to salvage this abolition by granting exemptions to the Palestinians. Typical of Trump to frivolously make decisions without thinking of the consequences.

Today's leftwing paper Haaretz just publicly expressed what I've been saying all along ... Israel's greatest enemy is from within ... the infighting and implosion of Judaism.  https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-iran-and-hamas-threaten-israel-s-security-so-do-the-leaders-of-ultra-orthodoxy-1.6699505?fbclid=IwAR2wAINf_lgpPw473vBLkZfPRlDRPQAhDR0yeqGNqDylKGhd5t4g167yorE

All Saints Franciscan

Tel Aviv at 5.30am

It's All Saints Day for the Franciscan Order today ... we commemorate all the saints of our 1st, 2nd and 3rd Orders collectively on this date. It's a nice practice as we have so many holy men and women who are not officially canonised. I was at our Jaffa house for the Mass this morning ... I had left Jerusalem at 4.30am and reached Jaffa at 5.30am. Being so early ... as I usually am on Thursdays when I gave to go to Tel Aviv for my medical checkup ... I hoped prepare the altar for Mass and lauds. This morning the chapel was crowded. The community made up of 3 Oriental Rite priests and 2 Latin Rite priests were all present with another guest priest and myself. Then the laity included 2 indians, a spanish couple, an american, a nigerian and another of unknown origin. But it was nice to have a crowd ... it felt like a feast day.

Sufganiot on sale

Checkup took an hour in Tel Aviv then I decided to rush back home. The taxi driver that would have taken me to the Central Bus Station suggested that he drove me to Jerusalem instead for a reasonable price. I was by then sleepy and exhausted so I said yes. Reached Jerusalem City Centre within 50 minutes. I decided to buy some sufganiot for my library workers. Hanukkah falls on Sunday evening and the traditional sufganiot (polish ponschski) is sold everywhere .... some very bizarre versions too. I bought 10 and was given 2 more for free. I shared them with our library workers and secretaries at our Curia office. Eating sufganiot today made our All Franciscan Saints feast much more fun and festive.

A storm stirring in the teacup regarding the measles outbreak in Jerusalem. The ultra-orthodox rabbi serving as deputy Minister of Health has blamed arabs for spreading the measles. An uproar was stirred even among jewish circles ... because the arab population is the highest in vaccination and the ultra-orthodox jewish community has the lowest and now they are hit hard by this outbreak. But typically of them, they would blame non-jews for their own shortcomings. If it were the other way round, it would be called anti-semitism. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-s-deputy-health-minister-makes-baseless-claim-on-arabs-spreading-measles-1.6695408?fbclid=IwAR1OO0lmcswnc5XK-IETVK8nDii83rw_zdgIT_Ztz8tI2Q45_1saWUt2BpA

Meantime the Israeli military had occupied several dunams of private land along the Jordan River owned by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. One dunam equals one thousand sq. meters. Well we're not sure of the circumstances but it certainly is worrying that the govt. is now confiscating church property without warning or compensation.  https://www.lpj.org/il-patriarcato-latino-si-oppone-allappropriazione-delle-sue-terre-nella-valle-del-giordano-settentrionale-parte-autorita-militari-israeliane/?lang=it&fbclid=IwAR2FGL6hN48fVKEACu9dPB0AJjEdQaUSPsbiqQOfuROjz0I6h17GDX9V48M

Another day

Sunrise today

It's midweek and I've felt so exhausted this morning I could not go to work. In fact I woke up late ... because I woke up at midnight with a coughing spasm. It was cold and the heater was on so the air was dry and made my throat itchy. Didn't sleep till 4am when the coughing stopped ... I actually have to drink a cup of warm water to calm the throat. The rest of the morning was spent with a little gardening and clearing up some backlog work in my home office before resting for another couple of hours. Then it was class in the afternoon and helping Sr. Clara in the kitchen. The other 2 sisters were out on excursion so Clara had to work in the kitchen and sacristy at the same time. Well we managed to get dinner prepared.

The weather continues to stay cool and cloudy ... which is very pleasant because this Sunday is the jewish feast of Hanukkah and there'll be lots of activities. If I have enough energy I'll see if I'll go out and see what's happening. But today I'm staying in and sleeping early.

Congress

Congress of commissaries

The International Congress of Franciscan Commissariates started yesterday. Representatives from all over the world are here with the Cardinal Prefect of Oriental Churches to discuss the role of the commissaries and the importance of supporting the churches in the Holy Land. Their main job is to collect the Good Friday Collection, the organizing and promoting of pilgrim groupsI had hoped to join in the conferences and talks but yesterday I was occupied with work. And this morning I had to cancel my participation as well because it was again meetings with lawyers and the bank ... just to pay a 15 euro subscription for the library. 2 hours were lost. It's a nightmare here.

The weather continues to be cool and cloudy though no drizzle has fallen. Last night it went down to 9 degrees. Everyone is wearing thick clothes even though at times it gets quite hot during the day.

There has been a series of horrid murders these past 24 hrs. 2 teenage girls, one a christian in the village of Jish where St. Paul's parents came from, and another in Tel Aviv, were found dead. Violence against women is taking prominence and women in Israel have been marching for the past month for the govt. to act. Being a patriarchal society, women in this region have little protection and their rights are seldom upheld in favor of tradition.   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5414698,00.html

And in Jerusalem there's a measles outbreak with over 2000 cases reported. The youngest is a 3 month old baby who ctracted the disease from the mother. Apparently it's most widespread in the ultra-orthodox community who reject vaccination.  https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5414385,00.html

And the bill proposed by the rightwing Culture minister to stop funding to artistes not loyal to the State has been shot down. The Culture minister who said it's not a right to get govt. funding is right, and I agree. It's a privilege. No one has a right to public money if the public does not say so. However to coerce artistes to perform and create works only to support the State smells a little off. To be fair, it must be said that the works of art and performances themselves are not banned ... just that they get no public funding. Well the truth of this world is whoever pays the piper calls the tune ... so artistes have to wise up and accept the facts of life.   https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Regev-demands-culture-loyalty-bill-go-to-a-vote-attacks-Liberman-Kahlon-572841

Christ the King

Tabernacle of the
Flagellation church

Yesterday was the Solemnity of Christ the King. The previous days I was very busy preparing the chapel of the Flagellation (and the Crowning of Thorns) for the feast. Our chapel which is the 2nd Station of the Cross is the center of this feast because it was here that Jesus was crowned with thorns and mocked as a king and where ... as in yesterday's Gospel reading ... Pilate questioned Jesus if he were a king and Jesus answered "yes". Unfortunately the rest of the Church has forgotten our little chapel that lies in the midst of aggressive muslim neighbors and anti-christian jews who pass by and spit at our door every single day. Christ the King continues to be derided and suffers.

On the tabernacle door of our chapel is the suffering face of Jesus wearing the Crown of Thorns. But above is a glorious jeweled Crown. In between is written in latin "Rex Cordium" ... King of Hearts. A very touching reminder for us all.

After Mass I cleaned my room for the coming Advent and in the afternoon I went to the park looking for pine cones for Advent decorations. The first park just had its grass cut and cleanly swept so not a single pine cone could be found. The second park was almost just as empty. I only managed to get a dozen or so of old broken cones. The 3rd park was equally empty. What a disappointment.  I'll have to tell our sisters that I can't find any. They were hoping to use it as decorations in the church.

Flagellation/Crown of Thorns chapel
on Christ the King solemnity

Wow so a small queue of overseas dignitaries have been making their way to our country. It looked like a little background support for the PM who only last week had to face the resignation of 1 minister and threats of other resignations and the collapse of his coalition govt. after he agreed to a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza. Anyway a regime change here would spell disaster as the surrounding region is in flames .... so no one wants that. On the other hand, a ceasefire in Gaza only prolongs the death throes of a crippled and helpless population due to the blocked of food and medicines, When a population is convinced that death is a relief from such an existence, then they fear nothing and that becomes Israel's greatest adversary. Your greatest enemy is the one who does not fear death.

Meantime jewish hate-crimes have been on the rise in arab villages. And the jewish extremist who burnt down the 5 loaves and 2 fish church in Tiberias issued an act of remorse and asking to lessen his sentence of 5.5 years in jail. Newspapers touted that he was repentant and should be granted early release. But I read the entire statement and nowhere did he ever said he regretted burning the church. NOWHERE. You read it in the link below. It's another great example of how these anti-christian culprits get away from justice, with the help of rightwing media.     https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/anti-arab-slogans-scrawled-in-palestinian-village-in-latest-act-of-vandalism-1.6680935?fbclid=IwAR3aHci5IJNBxPDSH0uM1EsNiQ8w8KWhEHIeOVXvffgpVX2xHlnADjcKDNA
and
https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5413692,00.html?fbclid=IwAR3I88O_LenXh1ymHcLBP21OmIk8uJUnkyy4NBKsdIWnTstar8q6fn0ld3o

Foggy and cold

City in fog

It rained all night and temperatures dropped to below 10 degrees. The sky all night was red and very cloudy. I said it rained ... but it's not like showers that you are used to ... it's heavier than drizzle but lighter than a tropical shower. I've been trying to find a word for it ... a rainzle or a drizain .... But the several hours of it is still welcome and the dry hard ground is absorbing every drop of it. It actually feels like winter again from times past. In fact there was an electric blackout at 3am ... a frequent occurrence 25 years back when rains were heavy. I was up because I felt very cold despite the heater turned on. Anyway the electricity came back an hour later.

Dome of the Rock mosque in the mist

At 4am I went down to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and then went out to our terrace. The whole City and the Mt. of Olives were enveloped in a thick fog. The Dome of the Rock mosque appeared and disappeared from the wafting mist. It was an incredible sight. Yes it definitely felt like winter from previous decades.

It would have been ideal to sleep through the morning but I had to go preach a retreat in the morning. I had to wear 2 sweaters and a thick hoodie to walk to the venue. In the afternoon I had to proofread an article and then arranged the flowers for our chapel for tomorrow's feast of Christ the King. Working with water in the 12 degree sacristy is no fun. But I finished my work and though its not very pretty, I'm happy with it.

There was an unsettling news that Israel voted down a UN resolution to call the persecution of the minority Yezidi people in Syria a genocide. Obviously it was made to please some foreign power in the region.

Several thousand Gazans protested at the border yesterday ... not that the rains did not prevent them but most probably they were forced by their govt. Well thank goodness for the rain, they couldn't burn tires and fly incendiary balloons. Mother Nature still holds sway.

Heavy rain at last

Rain

The last 2 days have been so hectic I had no time to update my blog. Like every Thursday for the past 3 months, I had to go back to the doctor's for my checkup. I have to start walking out of my house at 4.30am and arrive at our Jaffa house by 6am for Mass. That way I avoid the dreadful traffic jam that starts at 7am and can lasts for an hour. Then it's off to Tel Aviv to see the doc and this lasts till 11.30am. Then it's journey back to Jerusalem and 1km walk so I reach home at about 1,30pm. Immediately back home, I start class till 4.15pm. Then it's a mad rush down to the MC convent where I have the weekly confessions, eucharistic adoration and bible conference. This lasts till 7pm. So all in all I'm running about 16 hours. When I reach home I fall straight to sleep.

Rain

Rain was forecast for the last 2 days but Wednesday saw only cloudy days and cold humid winds. Yesterday rain fell in the coastal cities and plain but up in the mountains like Jerusalem there's been nothing ... not even a drizzle. But this morning the rains fell. By local standards it was heavy ... by your standards it was just a normal shower. I had to rush off to Ben Yehuda Mall to buy flowers for the feast of Christ the King. Our sisters have no time as our chapels are fully booked with masses and the sisters have to prepare the altars every hour. It was raining so I got very wet. And running on the slippery stone pavements is hazardous. But I had class at 10.30am so I had to make the 2 km journey as quickly as I could. In the afternoon I'll arrange the flowers. But all I can think about is to sleep now ... it's so rare to have rain and to sleep with the rain beating down .... it's like back home again.

I've lost track with what's happening nationally because of my busy schedule these 2 days. Suffice to say there's been no war in the south and north ... as far as I know so things aren't that bad.

Tourist boom

Bedouin women carrying their
veggies into Jerusalem for sale

Yesterday I was so busy ... I worked for 18 and a half hours non-stop. When I reached home to eat my "dinner" at 10.30pm I almost fainted from exhaustion and hunger. I hate Mondays. Why can't we have Sunday and then Tuesday?

The weather has warmed up a little but still locals wear hoodies and jackets. It's the tourists who wear t-shirts and shorts ... and then fall ill.

There are so many pilgrims and tourist groups there are no more hotel rooms available in Israel and groups have been putting up in hotels in Palestine. That actually costs cheaper and there are some very fine hotels there. Well at least tourist money is flowing into the arab sector so they can earn something. Almost every evening now I've to go to different hotels to speak to groups who request for me. Usually it's an hour's conference but with questions and answers, it stretches to 2 hrs. It's tiring but it's always great to meet with people from all over the world. This month is a record-breaking month for tourist arrivals ... an all-time record high. And this year saw the highest number of tourists in a decade or so.

This morning was another challenge. Class at 8am which meant I had to walk to school by 7am ... but this morning I had to meet a pilgrim group coming to my house to make the Way of the Cross. After class it was a series of waiting and running from one dept. to another for documents, signatures, phone calls etc... because some packages of books arrived from Europe. The whole bureaucratic machine has to be cranked up so we can receive the books without paying extra taxes and charges, and more importantly it's not returned back to Europe.

Well I'm so exhausted today I fell asleep in my office. Couldn't get 5 mins sleep because people kept knocking on my door ... at least 3 times. This is my experience of torture ... sleep deprivation.

Tourist deluge

Sunrise

Sunday passed relatively quiet. The rain has stopped and the sun was up. Temperatures rose to 18 degrees but once the sun set at 4.30pm the cold returned. I didn't go out to buy the weekly necessities ... my jaw was hurting too much because I didn't want to take painkillers. In the end I had to take one otherwise the pain would be took much to bear.

The fine weather is just right for the thousands of tourists coming into Jerusalem this week. Hotels are fully booked and many groups have to stay in Bethlehem and even Ramallah. Fights have broken up in the Holy Sepulchre when groups wait for 2 hours to enter the Empty Tomb. The situation is crazy ... it's totally out of control and the tourist police are not doing anything.

Some bad news as 40 arab families will be evicted under court orders so jewish settlers can take over their homes. This slow encroachment to occupy east Jerusalem is frightening to say the least. This will only provoke more violence.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/ruling-on-e-j-lem-house-expected-to-lead-to-evictions-of-many-arab-families-1.6659084?fbclid=IwAR2iQ17FrpuAp_wcKXorexc5gEs7XO2jTNezyywWS9RIum6rtJdSHxkxtuA

Feast of St. Elisabeth

Chapel of the Elisabettine sisters

And it continued to rain all night .... which is wonderful. Everyone is happy despite the cold. It's winter at last. Thick woolen jackets and hoodies are out. No one wears sandals anymore. And lots of scarves.

Today is the feast day of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the patron saint of the Secular Franciscans. She was a queen who lived simply as a franciscan and was renown for her charity work. Our Franciscan Sisters of St. Elisabeth who care for our volunteer hostel organized a Mass with the Custos presiding this evening. I was invited but I did not concelebrate as I have 2 other appointments half hour after the Mass starts. And it was just as well because the chapel was too small and there were very many friars, sisters and laity who came. Like several others I decided to leave early and gave my seat to the elderly. Well so much for doctor's orders to rest for 3 days. I've been teaching in the morning as well as working in the library. My post-op wound still hurts and today I forgot to take my painkillers so the pain is quite bad.

Courtyard of
St. Francis

Anyway the walk back to my office from the chapel fo the Elisabettine sisters was cold and quiet. I see the streets have been prepared for Christmas .... round basket lights are hung all along across the Christian Quarter. Looks exciting ... a little life and hope is coming back to the Quarter. Anyway I had to pass through our Courtyard of St. Francis ... with a huge statue of St. Francis in the middle. It was very beautifully lit in the night. I liked it very much.

There was a stabbing attack the day before ... a rather daring one with an arab stabbing several policemen before he was neutralized. Well that's one exception to a rather quiet winter. Let's hope it's also the last.

More rain

Heavy rain clouds
darken the sky

It rained this afternoon .... not heavily but hard enough to keep most people indoors and shops closed. And it's cold as well. It's 12 degrees now at 4pm and tonight it'll get even lower. The rain clouds are so heavy it darkened the sky and it looks like 9pm already. The Way of the Cross went ahead but few people showed up in the rain. At least the rain helped to lighten the tension because though being Friday, less muslims are coming into the City due to the rain ... and similarly less Jews going to the Wailing Wall. The next days will be cloudy but rainless till Friday when rain is expected again. This is good news for us. Hopefully regular rain like this will move us out of the drought situation.

Election ahead. That's the news flashing right now. Rightwing hardline coalition leader wanted the Defense portfolio but other ultra-orthodox coalition members refuse to accept him obviously because he's not in favour of privileges granted to the ultra-orthodox especially regarding exception from military service. It'll be interesting to see how the snap election ends.

Veggie curry and rice

Our Bro. Leo is so kind. He cooked rice and curry for me today, knowing that I was ill for a few days. Being Friday, he cooked potatoes and lentils (!!!!!!) but I enjoyed it. It's nice to eat hot food on a cold rainy day like today. There's enough for dinner as well so I really appreciate his kindness. He has this plastic rice cooker that you put in the microwave and in 10 minutes the rice is cooked. That's really neat!!! First time I ever saw that. I have a craving for curries lately and our indian sisters and Leo always leave me something when they cook. Very grateful to them.

Though the doc has ordered 3 days of rest, I worked a little in the morning in the library and then stayed in my room ... to clean it. My superior is not at all happy and has threatened to report me to the Custos to order me to rest. Well I just can't do nothing. It was rather big cleanup ... I'm preparing for Advent and the Christmas wreath. That's exciting and so I was pumped up to do major cleaning. It has tired me our though. I'll have to sleep early ... after taking my painkillers.

One great news ... Israel has come up with an oral insulin pill for diabetes. No more injections. That's a turning point in medical history.

And another first ... the govt. has appointed the first christian arab ambassador. And he will be sent to Azerbaijan ... a muslim country. I guess it's a lot safer than sending a jewish ambassador to a muslim country.

Winter

Rain at Jaffa street

It finally feels like winter ... 10 degree weather with rain. The coastal and lowland areas have received a lot of rain and forecast is even heavier rain tomorrow. No one carried umbrellas ... everyone had hoodies and thick jackets. It looked like back 20 years ago ... when winter was really winter.

i had a better night of sleep last night. The fever was gone but the joints still ached and I still had nausea. My head was also still hurting and dizzy. But I had class today and it was too late to cancel. I went ahead with the class but cut it short by half an hour. Then I canceled confessions and adoration wit the MC nuns as I just couldn't continue. My superior met me at the door coming home and told me not to push myself too far. I guess I've finally reached the end of my strength. Went to see the doc and he wrote a medical note that I must rest from all work for 3 days. Well I guess I'll at least take tonight and tomorrow from work. Doc said I should just take a walk or listen to music or do something that I really like ... to calm my mind and body as it's burned out. And even as he was writing the medical note, 2 messages came saying I must solve some bank problems of the library. That's life for me.

Colourful autumn
leaves

Our sisters in the kitchen were very nice. Knowing my stomach problems and loss of appetite, they boiled apples and pears and refrigerated them so I could eat something cool and light. I liked that and ate some. I also bought a tub of ice cream so I could eat and cool off the internal heat.

News of the only person killed by Gaza missile fire was sadly ironical ... an arab man from Hebron who believed in aran-jewish peace. He was working in Ashkelon, an Israeli city when the missile killed him. What a horrible thing to happen.

The govt is in a bit of a crisis now that the Defense Minister has resigned. Half the country sided with him against the PM for accepting a ceasefire with Gaza. Now rightwing hardliners are fighting for that position and promising the people a war which they want. A snap election is the last thing the PM wants if his coalition breaks up over this ceasefire.

Rain

Sleeping cosy cat at a shop entrance

It rained all night ands very cold. 10 degrees at most. I was terribly sick with a very high fever, aching joints, stomach cramps, dizziness and nausea. Despite the fever I was shivering so hard I had to wear many layers of clothes to keep warm ... till 1.30am when the fever and shivering subsided. Then I went down to the refectory to drink a cup of hot coffee. I felt better but the aching joints would not stop so I did not sleep till now ... a good 30 hours. It was terrible and I have not been so sick for a long time. Today I feel better but very tired and sleepy. But I still have class so I'll have to walk another 1km to the university to teach. I'm substituting a prof. who cannot make it for his class. Tomorrow I'll have to go back to hospital to check if my bone graft is still growing or rejected.

The sky is still very dark and drizzling but still lots of muslims continue to come into the Old City to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque. Shop-keepers are keeping a close eye on the rain ... but also on municipality officers who catch illegal hawkers. This morning I saw a young arab staying on a ladder watching for police and occifers while illegal hawkers sold their wares quickly before the rain comes.

Lookout on a ladder for police

It was a rough night for the country as the PM chose to accept a ceasefire with Gaza after heavy fighting for 2 days. Israelis who had been bombed were not happy with this apparent surrender and rioted in the southern cities. Today they plan to march in Tel Aviv. The Defense Minister resigned in protest at the soft approach to Gaza because he advocated a massive attack. The country is right now torn in two. Hamas in Gaza has fired over 400 missiles and has probably depleted it's cache of weapons ... it cannot retaliate so a ceasefire is its only option.

A pro-ultra-orthodox mayor has been elected for Jerusalem in yesterday's runoff. Doesn't sound good for us though he has promised to be a mayor for everyone. That usually means giving in to the ultra-orthodox demands and minority rights will again be squashed. Jews will still get away with vandalizing, attacking and spitting at christians and there will be no investigations and arrests. But even worse the implosion within judaism will worsen because the secular and non-ultra-orthodox communities will also be attacked and excluded by the ultra-orthodox who will impose their practices on all other jews living in Jerusalem.

No war

Sunset at Tsahal Square

The barrage of missiles fired from Gaza into Israel continue today. A total of 400 missiles had been fired, one israeli died and several injured. Israel sent more weapons and manpower to the border. Everyone is waiting for a war ... while the Israeli cabinet met to discuss the matter. Now surprisingly we receive news that the cabinet will soon declare a ceasefire. Well it's not the first time a ceasefire has been agreed and broken .... we'll have to see what happens in the next 24 hours. Israelis living in the border cities of Ashkelon, Ashdod etc... that have been bombed are not at all happy with a ceasefire. They want retribution.

Our wall of blooming plunbargo

I've been feeling very sick today. Many of our guys in the house are coughing with fever. Today at noon I began to have a high fever, joint pains, nausea and dizziness. I came home still feeling sick but couldn't rest or sleep. The whole body aches. I sure hope I'm not catching the virus. It's horrible. The weather is partly to blame I guess. It's humid and cold. But it seems good for the plants ... the roses and other flowers are blooming suddenly.

The school has added another class for me on Tuesdays ... teaching english to the seminarians from our Philosophate (house for philosophy students). And tomorrow the Salesian University asked me to go substitute a prof. who can't make it for class. It'll be a busy day tomorrow ... hope I'll get well by then.

War?

Seen at 5th Station

What a barrage of missiles today! Yesterday Gaza fired 17 rockets and today 80. Israel is not bombarding Hamas positions inside Gaza. Yesterday the Israeli army made a secret raid inside Gaza but were beaten back by Hamas. One high-ranking officer was killed. Emboldened by their success, Hamas today launched 80 rockets into southern Israel. Despite the pledges to a truce ... it seems no one is keeping to their part of the bargain. Only a war can solve this tension.

Yesterday after our long walk up and down the Mt. of Olives to celebrate our feast day, Leo and I went to Arab Fried Chicken to buy 2 pieces of chicken to eat. It was a takeaway so I didn't know what was in the box except what we had ordered. Back home we opened the box and found 4 pieces of chicken instead of 2 and an extra box of french fries. Well we ate it anyway but I went back today to pay for the extra pieces. After work I walked down to East Jerusalem ... it was dark at 4.30pm and quite cold. When Explained to the same guy who took my order what happened and placed the 15 shekels on the cashier counter but he refused. He said I'm a regular customer and a friend so he won't take the money. I felt bad but also grateful that there are good people still. I know and have seen with my own eyes several times when poor school children or poor widows stop by AFC and ask for a drink or some bread, and the workers give them chicken as well as money.

A section of the only road running along the Dead Sea collapsed when rain waters washed the foundations of a section of the road. It just collapsed and flowed into the Dead Sea. It's very dangerous now to travel in the desert as rain water flowing down from the cities uphill carry boulders and sand.

Well all this is little comfort when 150km away from that road, a war might be starting in Gaza.

11/11 at 11.11

Sunset over Mt. of Olives

It was a lovely Sunday. I had the Armenian Mass at the 3rd Station and the armenian twins came to help me. They are our seminarians and everyone is very proud of them. Identical twins who speak and read armenian. But they don't know the armenian liturgy so I have to teach them the hymns and Creed. But they are rally a great help because they can respond during the Liturgy and help sing the hymns and prayers while I can get on with the priestly parts. The armenian Catholic laity were very delighted to have young armenian vocations and chatted with them for a long time after Mass.

The desert toward Jericho

Then at 1pm I went for a long walk away from Jerusalem ... specially up the Mt. of Olives. It was a very cloudy day ... at times it almost looked as if it would rain but didn't. The walk was therefore not as difficult given the weather. It included a walk down the Kidron Valley then up the Mt. of Olives to the Lutheran Augusta Victoria hospital. A total of about 3 km. From the back of the hospital, you can see the entire Jordan Valley and the desert stretching from the Herodion (King Herod's palace where he died) in the south to the mountains of the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan (ancient Moab) in the east and Jericho desert to the north-east.. It's amazing.

Mt. of Olives looking southwards

I went there with Bro. Leo ... we wanted to celebrate our feast day in quiet reflection away from the noisy City. And the hospital was the perfect place. Leo and I talked about the Gospel of Mark for 2 hours while overlooking the immense desert. Then we walked back to the City, passion by the Nunciature. We went through the Rockefeller Museum into East Jerusalem as we bought some necessities for the week. Then Leo came to play with Buddy and Chilli while our Indian sisters pampered him with indian food and goodies. And so our feast day celebration ended.

Today is 11/11. I watched for a few minutes the remembrance celebrations of the end of the First World War. Though Israel didn't exist back then, our PM was at the Paris Peace Forum with other heads of State for this event. A divided world killing each other out of fear and unfounded hatred ... nothing was learned. 20 years after the WW1 there was the WW2 and the horror of Nazism and the Holocaust, and the Japanese atrocities in the East. Will humanity ever learn?

Onomastico

One floral arrangement

The morning started early with Mass at the Empty Tomb at 6am. The filipino group from Jaffa that booked it came late so I started the Mass with the 15 filipino priests whoa re here on pilgrimage with the 4 chinese sisters. During the sermon the Jaffa group came ... and they were so many the Tomb was packed and several had to stand outside. Giving out communion was a challenge. Anyway I offered the Mass for your intentions and prayed for you all.

2nd floral design

Then I had to give a recollection to the same filipino community. It was a good talk. 40 minutes. Then   I rushed home to pick flowers from our garden to make 2 floral arrangements for our dining table.  The plumbago bush and Salvia bushes are all blooming like crazy so I picked lots of flowers. And the color scheme is perfect ... pastel blue on indigo. It's my feast day today ... Pope St. Leo the Great ... so there's a lunch celebration. The cooks made 2 cakes for me ... one black forest and one blueberry cheesecake. Both my favorites. The cook also made beef shawarma for the main dish and tagliatelle for starters. All in all it was nice. We use the greek term "onomastico" to refer to our patron saint's day. It's usually celebrated in place of birthdays.

There's a viral video on the flash floods in Petra, the ancient Nabatean city in Jordan. A major tourist spot, everything came to a halt when waves of water and sand and stone flowed down into the archeological park. 8 were killed and many injured. I guess there'll be lots of repair work to do and the site will be closed to tourists for some time.  https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Three-Israelis-lost-communication-in-Jordan-floods-571520?fbclid=IwAR0BgdVWVLIzPosW8UGxPWxga0YseatHTRvFcP27kQE9nz9VRRknGSeIyzQ
and
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-middle-east-46162772/deadly-flash-floods-hit-jordan-s-iconic-city-of-petra?fbclid=IwAR0KB8cqOSDmXsnj1fIvZKtU22IwEwjeS4NzlLfUEk9O90kbPEQZtBIOb_U

Here we are hoping for more rain but Jerusalem is not getting it's share of it. Let's hope the coming months will be more promising to us.

Only a drizzle

Sunrise over the Mt. of Olives

It looked like raining today with cloudy skies again but the sun came back up by noon. Then when we thought it would be warm (20 degrees maximum), it started to drizzle. Typica; autumn I guess .... very unpredictable weather. Nevertheless I'm enjoying it ... the unpredictability is winter.

The whole morning was filled with chores and favors for others .... buying 10 bags of small hosts for our Jaffa Church, buying an asperges for a deacon, correcting a student's thesis, meeting with him and discussing the mistakes and corrections, then bringing the chines sisters to meet our Archbishop. Meantime I also cooked some seafood curry and Leo the seminarian cooked rice so we could eat lunch together. But stupid me ... I forgot he's allergic to prawns so he couldn't eat any. We wanted to celebrate our feast day together ... tomorrow is the feast of St. Leo the Great, both his and my patron saint. Well we'll do something else together on Sunday to celebrate then .... tomorrow he has a school excursion and I have class.

Bread and cheese
picnic 

Last Sunday we went for a walk to the hill opposite Jerusalem's Old City. I was my dream since 1990 to come here and see the walls of the City, enjoying the quiet nature and eating bread and cheese. Well after 28 years it finally came true. We had bread and cheese and we watched the City walls and the people who also came to see the panorama. We read Khalil Gibran's The Prophet aloud. It was very fun and relaxing .... far from the madding crowd. Well not totally. A gang of crows were hopping around waiting for crumbs and a cat was meowing for some food as well. 

Friday passed rather quietly here ... despite the crowds there was no tension in the Old City. But in the center of the country, someone placed a pig's head on a synagogue door. This has raised alot of ire throughout the country and you can be sure there will be revenge attacks on arabs, muslims and christians. 

Dies Academicus

Packed hall

Today we celebrated the Dies Academicus with a series of speeches, the keynote speaker being the emeritus cardinal Grocholewsky. It's an annual event held jointly by our university faculty and the dominican Ecole Biblique. Students and staff from both universities filled the Immaculate Hall to standing room only. No other catholic institute in the Holy Land can boast that.

In conjunction with this academic event is our library's exhibition on the traditions and translations of the Bible .... many rare and ancient bibles conserved from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. That's where my part comes in ... me and my team of volunteers form the Catholic University of Milan who helped organise the exhibition. We worked so hard for the past 8 months to get this exhibition off ... and while the volunteers go back to their hostel to sleep after a hard day's work ... I stay awake worrying and planning for many other responsibilities. Last night I slept only 3 hours.

Well tomorrow it's going to be another busy day so I'm sleeping early.

Exhibition Day 2

Reduced fountain at Palm Plaza

From the news, we know that Tel Aviv and the central cities had an enormous storm last night ... but we got nothing of it today except for some thunder. The sky continued to be dark and cloudy but nothing significant in terms of rain. What a disappointment.

The Bible exhibition continued today but fewer people came. It's a working day after all. But tomorrow we're expecting a large academic crowd because in the next hall the Ecole Biblique and Studium Biblicum will jointly hold their Dies Academicus. The former president of the Commission of Chritsian Education, a cardinal, will be giving the keynote address. The Archbishop, nuncio and other dignitaries will also be present with the full faculties of both universities. During the break, they will come to view the exhibition.

Sunset

I had a busy day with the exhibition in the morning and meetings with lawyers and finance dept., then class in the afternoon. Tomorrow I will be doubly busy. Hope to have a good sleep and get reinvigorated for tomorrow. Last night I slept badly because it was cold and I was bothered with all the paper work yet to be done.  

Saudi Arabia has banned one million muslims including those from Israel to make the Haj in Mecca. This is the largest yet banned imposed by Saudi Arabia. I wonder what the rest of the muslim countries will do.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-over-one-million-israeli-muslims-to-be-barred-from-making-hajj-to-mecca-1.6632099?fbclid=IwAR25g_K01fFyG6Wn2QuiDyqso4w9KbhOGHEFyXjuV8flID_8hj0cqP_Bdo8

For once an israeli soldier was charged for assaulting an incapacitated arab. It's justice ... but we'll see if he'll be pardoned or punishment mitigated.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-idf-charges-soldier-with-beating-blindfolded-handcuffed-palestinian-1.6627238?fbclid=IwAR1rCcN9EXjUj1LjuC6isNcUg9UgDwxofVFLOuzlfQYlgmNTCF7OKNZdlC0

Exhibition

Rain clouds today

The sky is dreadfully grey and cloudy ... but the rain has not come. It's probably raining all over the rest of the country now. Jerusalem seems to be the last place to rain. The orthodox rabbis say it's a punishment from God. Makes no difference to me whatsoever how you explain it .... we just want it to rain.

Exhibition before the inauguration

This morning we held the inauguration of our annual exhibition. The theme was on the Bible, it's traditions and translations. Some rare and precious old bibles are exhibited and will last for 3 days. Some interesting bibles include the copy used by Blessed Manuel Ruiz, franciscan martyr in Damascus 200 years ago. There are illuminated manuscripts from the Medieval period and some early printed versions from the 15th century. My only fear is bringing these books back and forth from the library to the exhibition center when it starts to rain. Fingers crossed. I'm always tense whenever we have these exhibitions. Should anything happen to these books I'll be responsible and the axe is on my neck. On the 3rd and last day of the exhibition, the emeritus cardinal of commission for christian education will be coming together with the nuncio and the rest of our university. It's going to be quite a pressure to guide them around the exhibits.

Visitors to the exhibition

Yesterday there was a stabbing attack and today another ... I didn't quite expect that as the cold and rain usually deter people from going out to cause trouble. But then again all that thick clothing can be used to hide weapons. You never know. I really wish that those attackers realize it's a futile attempt to solve problems with violence. Nobody wins, least of all their families who survive them.

Storm at last

Storm clouds over Damascus Gate

What an almighty storm we had last night. The wild crocuses I saw in the fields yesterday blooming usually forecast rain in 24 hours ... and they were not wrong. I woke up at 2am to the sound of loud thunder and flashing lightening and heavy rain. And it was cold. The rains continued till about 5am when it stopped. The highest temp today was only 17 degrees. But later in the morning and afternoon the rains returned. Tomorrow's forecast is even heavier rain. I'd look forward to another storm tonight ... I miss these rains since they stopped falling in winter some 15 years ago. Children below the age of 15 have never experienced a thunder storm like we had last night. Storm clouds continue to gather over Jerusalem and the sky is red and threatening. Feels like winter at last.

Cold and wet day

It's been a very tiring day starting at 3am for class and then work in both libraries and class in the afternoon and then meeting a group of pilgrims in the evening. Ended at 8pm ... which made my working day a full 17 hours with no rest or food. Professors from Milan arrived to prepare for an exhibition to be inaugurated tomorrow morning. I have to write an inaugural speech but right now my mind is numb. Will write it tomorrow morning before the inauguration.

As winter has started, the last olives trees must be harvested soon as the olives are ripe and black ... another week and they will start to rot. However like every year jewish settlers vandalise the arab olive groves, chopping down the trees that takes 60 years to grow, raking and destroying the olives.... and these culprits are never caught or arrested or charged.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-tree-terror-settlers-attack-palestinian-farmers-produce-israel-doesn-t-care-1.6618391?fbclid=IwAR2H0_w3edOcY0kypE5xKTujB-qwbid7ACRYdaoAnPp02ZhjoQdiStPfEFk

Meantime arab students are skipping school because the govt will not subsidise their bus fares, claiming the distance is not far enough to warrant a subsidy. Most of these arab families are extremely poor and cannot afford the transport fee so their children will not be able to go to school.  https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1-500-israeli-arab-students-stay-home-from-school-protesting-bus-cuts-1.6618595?fbclid=IwAR2356St_KV7gd5Of217fHg2L8cyc0Py4Pitw2nYuaNkxMhdnqEf-nwoXbY

But jews are not just attacking arabs ... the implosion of jews attacking other jews have blown out into the open during last weekends election of mayors of all the cities. In the ultra-orthodox controlled city of Bet Shemesh, a woman won the election and the obviously sore ultra-orthodox community was not only angry and vindictive, the rabbi actually cursed all those who voted a woman to be mayor to be damned to hell's toilets. So much for loving your neighbour as yourself. Last night's storm is nothing compared to ultra-orthodox wrath.   https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Leading-Shas-rabbi-Voters-of-non-haredi-destined-for-toilet-in-afterlife-571042?fbclid=IwAR13ALaPwjYPYy1A18W101KqWEkDU-_NKK0WPvps-2r6IG5SV8imKcxtIns

31st Sunday

Pruning palm tree at St. Louis
hospital

We're almost at the end of the liturgical year ... the Mass readings are more intense and evoke the coming of the Kingdom. It's great because it gives a sense of great expectation leading to Advent. I rather like it. The weather continues to get colder, the skies alot cloudier and the nights longer. Winter is surely here. One activity which we cannot miss witnessing is the cropping and pruning of trees to prevent collapses when the rains and snow begin to fall. Municipality workers are everywhere pruning large trees in the parks and along the streets while private houses hire private companies to prune their trees.

Morning market
near the bank

This morning I had to accomplish one final act in the bank - close the account. I celebrated Mass at 4am so I could be free to go to the bank at 8am. It's dreadfully stressful but I must do it as we're losing lots of money from this library account. There is a monthly charge to maintain this account, then a quarterly charge for something else and then taxes. Then there are charges and taxes for every transaction. And the Municipality takes money from the account for payment for other reasons that have nothing to do with the library. It was a nightmare that e had to end. Well I'll miss all the workers at the bank whom I've become friends. They are really nice and helpful. But this nightmare had to end.

I decided this afternoon to take a break from all the stress by walking in the park. Brought some cheese, bread and chicken wings which the cook prepared for me for my late lunch in the outdoors. My feast day will be in 5 days and Leo our Indian seminarian, who celebrates the same feast day as I, suggested I should just take an afternoon for myself. And I will.

Nov. 3

The 2 major feasts of November are over ... now we're waiting for Advent. The following weeks will be rather quiet except for a couple of Master's and Doctoral defenses. Not my problem. I just have to prepare the students for exams in January ... but that's after Christmas.

Meeting in progress

This morning I presided over my last Mass as hebdom. There were only 4 priests and 6 sisters so I decided not to recite Morning Prayer but celebrated only the Mass. Then I had to rush to our provincial house for a meeting of sacristans and heads of pilgrim shrines and pilgrim guides. The Custos and his Vicar gave some input and updates on service to the pilgrims. It ended at noon and I had to prepare for class. It's going to be a long day. But at least I'll be free this evening so I get to clean my room and get some important documents prepared for tomorrow.

Yesterday we heard the terribly news of ISIS in Egypt killing 7 and injuring 18 coptic christians during a pilgrimage. Why can't we just wipe out this plague and curse once and for all?  https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/egypt/7-killed-19-wounded-in-egypt-after-isis-ambushes-buses-carrying-christian-pilgrims-1.6615917?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&fbclid=IwAR3g9apOFt6N0HQ9kcFdiF1WkBkWLNBOk-YUCT8UQetS3BGN4F1qPmTJZc8

The Gaza border continues to be relatively quiet. Thank God for that. The forecast rain for Monday and Tuesday will definitely enforce some peace as no one will want to go out and throw stones in the freezing rain. Mother Nature wins.

All Souls Day

Chinese Mass at Last Supper Room

All Souls Day began early with me presiding the community Mass at 6.30am. Then I went off to our Catholic cemetery on Mt. Zion on the southern side of Jerusalem about 2 km away. Prayed at a few tombs of people I knew and laid flowers. Many arab families had also come to lay flowers on the tombs of their relatives. Some waited for the procession of Franciscans to the cemetery where prayers were said and tombs were blessed with holy water.

Catholic cemetery on Mt. Zion

Then at 10.30am the chinese-speaking priests and nuns in Jerusalem gathered at the Franciscan Last Supper Room to celebrate Mass for the souls of family, friends and benefactors. It was a good occasion to remember those gone before us marked with the sign of faith. Not all the religious were able to come as some had work while another had to prepare for his doctoral defense. After that we had lunch at Mandarin restaurant to celebrate Sr. Teresa's graduation from the Salesian University, and the arrival of Sr. Clara to join the Jerusalem community of chinese sisters.

Our chinese friend
buried on Mt. Zion

Then I had to go to M. Teresa's convent to preach a weekly conference, hear confessions and Eucharistic adoration with the MC nuns till 7pm. Then it was a quick rush back because the 3rd Mass in our community started at 7.15pm followed by Vespers at 7.45pm. As hebdomedarius this week, I have to be present to lead all the prayers. Now I'm totally exhausted and want to sleep early.

The weather forecast for next Monday and Tuesday is rain. Temperatures will fall to 12 degrees. Finally a feel of winter ... nice.

The Friday clashes have largely reduced today ... as promised by muslim factions in Gaza. Now that's a good sign. Perhaps this weekend will be quiet and peaceful. Well if not, Mother Nature has a way to save that ... the forecast rain on Monday and Tuesday will definitely send people indoors and stop all the violence.