Monday, July 7, 2008
Hosea's promise
Yesterday I managed to get down and do some work. I realised I have to go out and walk; it's necessary for my health. But the thought of walking up the hill at this 37 degree heat just turns me down. Fought the idea the day before and again yesterday. Luckily the only other student left here, Marco the Mexican (sounds like a circus act) kept badgering me to go out and walk. So after lunch I decided to go out - but not without a terrible struggle to stay inside my room where it is cool and quiet. Practically forced myself out.
The heat of the sun was so relentless but there was a lovely cool wind to offset it. It really must have been hot because all the vendors at Damascus Gate are gone; only the soldiers and the Turkish coffee vendor in his costume and enormous bronze jug are out and about. People huddle under the shade of trees, sleeping or chatting. Water and ice-cream vendors are doing brisk business.
I walked out from Damascus Gate to Jaffa Road where two days back the deadly attack took place. Soldiers are everywhere. They stop every arab passing by - pretty harassing; and a group of arab youths got into an argument with the two lady soldiers. It is very demeaning to be stopped at the crossroads and have your identity checked, but I can also understand why the Israelis do it, after the attack that left 3 dead and scores wounded. It's such a vicious cycle.
I went up to Ben Yehuda - the pedastrian mall of the New City to the pet shop. It's my only relaxing spot in the City - to see fish swimming, birds singing, rabbits hopping ... all in a tiny shop. I bought bird-seed for the canaries. Then I turned downhill to walk home (2 kms). Along the way I met Bro. Andrew our Nigerian Sacristan of the Holy Sepulchre - a very important person. Passed by a Thai fastfood place and thought of buying some fried noodles for dinner, but thinking of the salt, cholesterol and nothing nutritious in it, I kept on walking home.
Decided to enter the Old City through New Gate, and went to the muslim supermarket (yikes!) in the Christian Quarter. Bought some muesli and yoghurt and some apple-buns. I'm no longer buying the buns from the 8th Station because there it costs US$1.30 each - exorbitant! Reached the monastery gate and our porter Mahjed was there with his son Amir (I think he's 7 yrs old). Mahjed immediately took the 3 bags and brought them up to my room. Since my hospitalisation, the workers here have been very caring and concern, helping me in many things so I don't have to exert myself.
Today's first reading is from the prophet Hosea. God says he'll lure Israel into the desert and "speak into her heart". The desert has always been the place where Israel's relationship with God was at its best (cf the Exodus story). Perhaps this is the desert experience we have to go through in life. It may seem a good idea at that time but God knows what's best. And as I look around at the tension between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the pain and hardship here, maybe this is the desert we are going through right now. Later in the reading of Hosea, God says "I will betroth [Israel] with integrity and justice, tenderness and love". This is oh so much what we need right now. This is so spot on. Give us integrity and justice .... but we must go through the desert first.
The heat of the sun was so relentless but there was a lovely cool wind to offset it. It really must have been hot because all the vendors at Damascus Gate are gone; only the soldiers and the Turkish coffee vendor in his costume and enormous bronze jug are out and about. People huddle under the shade of trees, sleeping or chatting. Water and ice-cream vendors are doing brisk business.
I walked out from Damascus Gate to Jaffa Road where two days back the deadly attack took place. Soldiers are everywhere. They stop every arab passing by - pretty harassing; and a group of arab youths got into an argument with the two lady soldiers. It is very demeaning to be stopped at the crossroads and have your identity checked, but I can also understand why the Israelis do it, after the attack that left 3 dead and scores wounded. It's such a vicious cycle.
I went up to Ben Yehuda - the pedastrian mall of the New City to the pet shop. It's my only relaxing spot in the City - to see fish swimming, birds singing, rabbits hopping ... all in a tiny shop. I bought bird-seed for the canaries. Then I turned downhill to walk home (2 kms). Along the way I met Bro. Andrew our Nigerian Sacristan of the Holy Sepulchre - a very important person. Passed by a Thai fastfood place and thought of buying some fried noodles for dinner, but thinking of the salt, cholesterol and nothing nutritious in it, I kept on walking home.
Decided to enter the Old City through New Gate, and went to the muslim supermarket (yikes!) in the Christian Quarter. Bought some muesli and yoghurt and some apple-buns. I'm no longer buying the buns from the 8th Station because there it costs US$1.30 each - exorbitant! Reached the monastery gate and our porter Mahjed was there with his son Amir (I think he's 7 yrs old). Mahjed immediately took the 3 bags and brought them up to my room. Since my hospitalisation, the workers here have been very caring and concern, helping me in many things so I don't have to exert myself.
Today's first reading is from the prophet Hosea. God says he'll lure Israel into the desert and "speak into her heart". The desert has always been the place where Israel's relationship with God was at its best (cf the Exodus story). Perhaps this is the desert experience we have to go through in life. It may seem a good idea at that time but God knows what's best. And as I look around at the tension between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the pain and hardship here, maybe this is the desert we are going through right now. Later in the reading of Hosea, God says "I will betroth [Israel] with integrity and justice, tenderness and love". This is oh so much what we need right now. This is so spot on. Give us integrity and justice .... but we must go through the desert first.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
William the breakdancer!
Missed yesterday's blog. It was a pretty miserable day. Everyone has gone for their holidays. There're less than 10 of us now in the house - including us two students. It's terribly quiet. Mass this morning (I presided but Fr Lino preached the sermon) was concelebrated by 3 others only. Well that's summer.
Fr Niccacci living next door to me isn't feeling well. Was in Hadassah hospital for checkup. He's become very thin and pale. I think he's overworked. He'll go back to Italy this Friday.
I heard from Osvalda that William is a great breakdancer! Apparently he was dancing away, wowing everyone at the party held on the 29th for the ordination of several of our seminarians. Well William was a streetwise kid in Lebanon before he joined us. Haven't heard from Ziad and Jihad yet. Miss those guys.
So I haven't had an asthma attack all this week either. Good news. But I also learnt that what I had 2 months back was instable angina pectoris with characteristics (occurring near midnight while resting, heavy snoring a week before [but now its all gone after medication - strange! I didn't know snoring could be a warning sign but it was terribly unusual for me to snore heavily because I usually never snore at all.] It might recur anytime again if not kept under medication and hopefully wouldn't lead on to a heart attack. One important advise to me was I have to be calm and not be anxious or worried .... yeah like how? Just look back at the last 2 months and all the unhappy things bombarding me. And my BP since Tanzania has been over 80. Wonder what's wrong.
Anyway am feeling a little miserable. The baby canaries died - even Jughead died. When I was in Tanzania, nobody fed them. Trying to work on my paper too. But today I'll go out for a walk in the New City. I'm feeling tired and overwhelmed. I need some fresh air.
Fr Niccacci living next door to me isn't feeling well. Was in Hadassah hospital for checkup. He's become very thin and pale. I think he's overworked. He'll go back to Italy this Friday.
I heard from Osvalda that William is a great breakdancer! Apparently he was dancing away, wowing everyone at the party held on the 29th for the ordination of several of our seminarians. Well William was a streetwise kid in Lebanon before he joined us. Haven't heard from Ziad and Jihad yet. Miss those guys.
So I haven't had an asthma attack all this week either. Good news. But I also learnt that what I had 2 months back was instable angina pectoris with characteristics (occurring near midnight while resting, heavy snoring a week before [but now its all gone after medication - strange! I didn't know snoring could be a warning sign but it was terribly unusual for me to snore heavily because I usually never snore at all.] It might recur anytime again if not kept under medication and hopefully wouldn't lead on to a heart attack. One important advise to me was I have to be calm and not be anxious or worried .... yeah like how? Just look back at the last 2 months and all the unhappy things bombarding me. And my BP since Tanzania has been over 80. Wonder what's wrong.
Anyway am feeling a little miserable. The baby canaries died - even Jughead died. When I was in Tanzania, nobody fed them. Trying to work on my paper too. But today I'll go out for a walk in the New City. I'm feeling tired and overwhelmed. I need some fresh air.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Two deaths, two lessons
Whatever is happening to human conscience? Medical workers walk by while a woman dies in the hospital corridor. What would Christ have done? How can they ever return to church on Sunday and praise the Lord after this terrible incident? Has religion and daily life parted ways? Has Christianity become a nice singalong show once a week and no longer carries the social message that Jesus preached 2000 years ago? Can it even be called Christianity anymore?
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/03/hospital.woman.death/index.html
And meanwhile Bozo the Clown died. The antics of this clown carried a moral message served with laughter. Don't underestimated this character .... the fact that the word 'bozo" has entered daily language and the dictionary shows the influence of the clown on countless generations around the world. But obviously his moral lessons never got to the hospital where Esmin Green died.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/03/hospital.woman.death/index.html
And meanwhile Bozo the Clown died. The antics of this clown carried a moral message served with laughter. Don't underestimated this character .... the fact that the word 'bozo" has entered daily language and the dictionary shows the influence of the clown on countless generations around the world. But obviously his moral lessons never got to the hospital where Esmin Green died.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Back again
Got back this morning to Jerusalem after a 20 hour tiring journey from Dar es Salaam to Tel Aviv. I had a lot of extra luggage to carry (books and gifts from other delegates) but luckily Fr Kamil of Egypt was on the same flight with me to Addis Ababa so he helped me carry my stuff. He's really very nice and very intelligent - professor of Old Testament. The Missionaries of Charity (Mother Theresa's sisters) in Dars came to see me on the 2nd day of the Assembly. When I got back to Jerusalem this morning I called the sisters here - they have been praying very hard everyday that nothing happens to me healthwise - to say that I'm ok and I didn't have any asthma attacks except that my BP was pretty high over 80 each day. Anyway Fr Kamil said we can say "no" to other congregations but never to Mother Theresa's sisters because they undertake the most unpleasant work and show great courage and perseverance. So I brought 3 large packs of cashew nuts back to them in Jerualem - gifts from the sisters in Dars.
There's so much to share with you but I need to rest now. WIll fill you guys up with snippets later. Anyway it was a very educative trip to Dar es Salaam and we delegates worked hard during the Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. The conpanionship was great. Thanks to
1. Jeannie, Tim and Nick (Catholic Bible Movement youth) for the great fun and late night chats
2. Stan & Richard (Tanzanian seminarians)
3. The Masai boys (Novatus, Amadeus, "Masai", sacristan boy, Christina & the gang of TEC)
4. The Upanga group (password "masai masai!")
5. The Korean delegates (real fun especially Fr Michael)
6. Msgr Daniel, Femi and the African delegation
7. The Magdalene of Canossa and Jude Thaddeus groups for their hospitality
8. Anna and the reception gang at John Paul II Centre
9. The hardworking team of CBF (Dorothee, Andrea, Bettina, Sister, Bartholomew etc...)
And many many others who made Dar es Salaam such a wonderful and eye-opening session.
There's so much to share with you but I need to rest now. WIll fill you guys up with snippets later. Anyway it was a very educative trip to Dar es Salaam and we delegates worked hard during the Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. The conpanionship was great. Thanks to
1. Jeannie, Tim and Nick (Catholic Bible Movement youth) for the great fun and late night chats
2. Stan & Richard (Tanzanian seminarians)
3. The Masai boys (Novatus, Amadeus, "Masai", sacristan boy, Christina & the gang of TEC)
4. The Upanga group (password "masai masai!")
5. The Korean delegates (real fun especially Fr Michael)
6. Msgr Daniel, Femi and the African delegation
7. The Magdalene of Canossa and Jude Thaddeus groups for their hospitality
8. Anna and the reception gang at John Paul II Centre
9. The hardworking team of CBF (Dorothee, Andrea, Bettina, Sister, Bartholomew etc...)
And many many others who made Dar es Salaam such a wonderful and eye-opening session.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
End of the Assembly
This evening's Mass was organised by our host the African delegation. It was incredible! Absolutely fabulous! There was the Wawata Choir with children dancing throughout the Mass; it was so lively and happy. Yes the people were so unlike our region where Mass is sombre; here they know how to celebrate! They have great rhythm!
And we completed our task of electing the new Executive Committee and tomorrow leaves us with only the approval for the final draft of our Statement of this Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. It has been very tiring - for all 240 of us; but we all enjoyed it!
And so far I haven't had an attack of asthma. So Tanzania is a good place for me - hhmmm maybe I'll ask to be transfered here. Then I get to see the Masai everyday!!!! I can't upload the photos of the Masai here with this computer, but I'll do it when I return to Israel tomorrow.
Heard that Archbishop Gregory Yong of Singapore died. Will say a prayer for him.
And we completed our task of electing the new Executive Committee and tomorrow leaves us with only the approval for the final draft of our Statement of this Plenary Assembly of the Catholic Biblical Federation. It has been very tiring - for all 240 of us; but we all enjoyed it!
And so far I haven't had an attack of asthma. So Tanzania is a good place for me - hhmmm maybe I'll ask to be transfered here. Then I get to see the Masai everyday!!!! I can't upload the photos of the Masai here with this computer, but I'll do it when I return to Israel tomorrow.
Heard that Archbishop Gregory Yong of Singapore died. Will say a prayer for him.
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