Bethlehem

The Manger

 This morning I went to Bethlehem. The Basilica of the Nativity was empty. Not a single soul except for 3 german sisters from Jerusalem praying down in the grotto of the Nativity. They're my neighours, living only 200m down our road at St. Anne's Church. They came to make a day of retreat and it was very fit, because there's a silence I've never experience before. No tourists, no locals, no one. I prayed at the spot of the Nativity, and also at the manger; for all the living and dead. It was a wonderful experience. I spent an hour in the empty holy place, knowing soon the crowds will come for the festivities and the peace will be broken.

Grotto of the Nativity

News just in. Israel bombed Syria again early this morning, at a military post killing a soldier. We're not sure if Syria will respond. But I dread to think if a war should break out during this winter. Syria is but a proxy to Iran, which is the greatest threat to Israel right now. So these bombings are warnings to Iran rather than Syria.

Right now a storm is brewing locally because it came to light that the govt is allowing jewish tour groups to enter the country despite enforcing a total ban on all foreign visitors. Christians cry discrimination because no christian visitor is allowed to enter the country to celebrate Christmas, but jewish youths from overseas, in an all expenses paid trip by the Israeli govt, are allowed to enter the country. Well it's their tourist guides who will suffer in the end when christian groups don't come.