6 days more

Archbishop & MC sister in Gaza

Our Archbishop (the Apostolic Administrator. We don't have a patriarch) spent 4 days in Gaza celebrating Christmas with the 150 Catholics inside the war torn enclave. It was a great highlight for them as they have been denied entry permissions to Bethlehem or Israel. The MC sisters have 2 homes for elderly abandoned women and handicapped children which the Archbishop visited and stayed for lunch. The visit strengthened the little community and it was a big reminder for the rest of us what Christmas is all about .... the Word becoming a helpless human in a war torn district of the Roman Empire.  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Syao1MVCS?fbclid=IwAR0WFA9-KquGR-1iiYL5PeEfGqOTBuwA-qpIVP0dfmDOhiME--esXWJU8Io

Bethlehem's
Christmas tree

Yesterday's fighter planes and rockets are now explained as we learn the jets bombed and killed an almost successful infiltrator at the Gaza border. There's been tensions down south. Luckily our Archbishop had left Gaza by then.

Some families have been cooking food for me as a christmas gift. I've been helping them through your generosity to pay for their children's school fees and they want to show their gratitude. It's very nice of them and I can't possibly eat so much food so I gave most away to M. Teresa's sisters.

Christmas will probably be very cold as the forecast for this weekend is 3 degrees at the lowest. I'm not sure if I'll enjoy that. But I'll certainly be keeping warm as much as I can while doing my Christmas obligations. I'll have one vigil Mass on the 24th and a morning Mass on the 25th. That'll keep me busy for the feast.

We've begun singing the O antiphons for Vespers. Nice ancient gregorian chants to inject some Christmas feel into the season. It's 6 days more to Christmas.