New week

Ceiling of the Visitation chapel

For all the years that I've lived here, I've never celebrated Mass in the Grotto of the Manger in Bethlehem. Today was my first time in 29 years. I told the sacristan this and he remonstrated me ... saying it's a shame and as a punishment, he's letting me stay in the Grotto longer than is usually allowed. So I had Mass down there for some 40 minutes. It was a great experience ... despite the darkness. A sister had to shine her cellphone light on the missal so I could read it. And I remembered all of you at Mass there. Everyone living and dead.

In the afternoon we visited the Visitation Church and the place of John the Baptist's birth. The weather was cold but it didn't rain. In fact in the afternoon the sun was shining brightly. It was rather pleasant to climb the hill of Ein Kerem to get to the Visitation. But the tensions of the region are always not far away .... we were reminded of this when Israeli security helicopters hovered overhead when we were at Shepherds Field. 

We've just been warned that from Jan 23 - 26 the roads of Jerusalem will be closed or congested with traffic jams. That's because World leaders and royalty are coming for the World Holocaust Forum and the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Security will be unprecedented. And tourists will be stick in many places.