Day before Advent

The drought situation is now so severe, all three religions are uniting to pray for rain.  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/never-ending-summer-sends-rabbis-imams-priests-to-pray-for-rain-1.326893  Yesterday and next Monday are days of fasting for Jews. I think muslims were also praying for rain at the Dome of the Rock yesterday. And soon I'm sure the bishops will issue instructions for christians to fast and pray as well. It's getting really bad, this drought. Maybe we need another Honi the circle-drawer (cf http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honi_HaM'agel )

Meantime we're all puzzled why there're so many fireworks being fired behind our house at all odd hours of the day and night for the past week - it literally rocks our house as the explosives are massive. There can't possibly be a wedding everyday behind our house. Sounds more like intimidation tactics by our neighbours. They're all out to get us, and they don't give up.

Today is the last day of the Liturgical Year - and the reading from the Book of Apocalypse closes it with "Maranatha" - "Come Lord". Yes Lord Jesus, come. We need it.

Scrambled brains

Yesterday Matthew presented his seminar on his research. Pretty complicated topic he chose. And I still am lagging behind. Don't see my seminar coming up for this year. Have been forcing myself to study overtime ... 20 hours everyday and yesterday 24 hours. That must be the reason why I'm so tired and confused. It must be showing because this afternoon I decided to take a walk in the New City and do some shopping (food for the canaries and a jacket that Fr Loffredda wanted - he's too old to walk out and buy them). Three separate people (Eusebio on his way home from the library, the muslim shopkeeper who just came back from Mecca and our doorman Firas) told me the same thing - "You look terrible. Go home and rest."

Anyway I was so confused I went to the grocery and forgot what I wanted to buy. Munir (Abu George officially) the owner laughed and told me to go home and rest. That makes 4 people.

Well it was a nice walk nevertheless. Lovely cool breeze. I needed the fresh air. Ben our volunteer at Ss. Simeon and Anna (the hebrew-speaking parish) wanted to join me so we met at Kikar Zion (Zion Square in front of Ben Yehuda Mall). We went to Supersol our usual supermarket to get veggies for canaries, then the petshop to get birdfood. Ben bought a guinea-pig last week from the same shop. Yucks - I don't like guinea-pigs. A lady was at the shop with a lovely black american cocker - we had lots of fun playing with it.

Anyway the brains are still scrambled ... but I need to complete analyzing another 16 verses.

Apocalypse

More attacks on Iraqi christians - 2 brothers shot in their shop, one old woman strangled at home.  http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/22/iraq.christians.targeted/index.html  In Cairo, one christian dies and 150 arrested  http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/11/24/egypt.christians.clashes/index.html  And in Pakistan, a christian woman is unlikely to escape the blasphemy law.  http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/11/24/pakistan.christian/index.html?hpt=T2 

As we end the liturgical year, the readings for Mass are from the Book of the Apocalypse (Revelation) - a message for persecuted christians to persevere because evil will be vanquished and God will triumph. It sheds some light of hope for us here in the ME; victims of fanaticism and fugitives in modern catacombs. Here, in the cradle of Christianity, the Mother Church is dying ... and the world looks away ... disinterested.

St Andrew Dung Lac

Persecution of Christians again - this time in Cairo. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11828692   It's times like this that today's memorial of Ss. Andrew Dung Lac and companions (Vietnamese) bring strength and consolation.

Haven't seen Yoyo today. Don't know if he was beaten up. For those who ask why "Yoyo"; it's actually "Yuyu" short for "Yusuf". Anyway I left a bag of chocolates with his dad ... Yoyo's going to need energy ... to run or to fight. If you still don't know ... kids fighting in the streets is a daily occurrence and adults have to pull them apart. It's a violent environment that the kids grow up in, and unfortunately there's nothing to turn this culture around.

Yoyo loses his mojo

This morning I had to go out to the courtyard after Mass to speak with Sr. Cecilia. Majed our doorman was sweeping the courtyard and Muhammed his no.4 son (7 yrs old) was helping. Majed called Yoyo his no.3 son (8 yrs old) to come out to greet me ... and Yoyo was all grouchy and down the dumps. Didn't even give me his usually arabic style wham-bam high-five. Usually he's the most fiesty of Majed's 5 sons - the first to get into a fight and the first to start anything. Well today he wasn't. Found out he was being bullied in school. Poor chap. He's really small for his age (poor nutrition) but he's a good chap. He calls me Abu Zenaiba (father of mosquitoes) because I catch mosquito larvae to feed the fish. Hope he settles that problem in school. It's terrible to see him with his head down, dragging his feet and no confidence at all.

I'm still pretty lost mentally. Thought it was Wednesday today and got lots of stuff mixed up as a result. People had to remind me it's Tuesday. Something going around in the head that's making me so confused. Maybe I need to rest. I couldn't even remember the name of our driver ... I just stood at the door of the car trying to recall his name and drew a total blank. Maybe I'm tired. Whatever. Even forgot to take my medication for 2 days. No wonder I'm feeling sick.

Well let's hope tomorrow will be better.

More thanks

Sincere thanks to the parishioners of Vancouver (Canada) for their kindness: Agnes, Dominica Chan, Queenie Chiu, Amy Tam, anonymous #1, Louisa & Brian Tam, anonymous #2, anonymous #3, Fatima Cheung, Dorothy Ma, Magdalena Chan, Maria & Grace Lee, Pauline Chan, Tam Mei Wai, Thomas Wong, Ambrose Wong, Francis Wong, Katherine Leung, Pamela Ho, Mr. & Mrs. David Lem.

Visit http://holylandassist.blogspot.com for your sponsorship.

Thanks

Thanks to all for their help: Bosco & Dorothy, Joyce & Cris, Anonymous, Auntie Mary Chan, Christine & John, Justin&Caitlin&fmly, Helen & fmly.