Feast of Duns Scotus

Joe Frazier - who knocked out Muhammad Ali - has died of liver cancer. Such is the power of tiny rogue cells in the body - it can finish off one of the world's greatest heavyweight champions.

Jewish Walking Tours in Jaffa Street

The weather is still cold and everyone is wrapped up to avoid the chills. Eid il Adhar, the feast of the Sacrifice of Ishmael is still going on in the streets since it started on Sunday. Very festive. Crowds everywhere ... On Sabbath, there's a noticeable rise of local Jewish tour groups visiting the Old City and New City ... learning about its history.

And the talk of war (Israel bombing Iran) is still floating around the newspapers and streets. It's causing alot of fear and tension. But so far, groups are still swarming the land ... all hotels are 100% occupancy this week.

Today we remember John Duns Scotus - the Scottish Franciscan who became a leading philosopher and theologian in the 14th century, championing the dogma of the Immaculate Conception and authority of the pope. He taught in the universities of Cambridge, Oxford, Paris and finally dying in exile in Cologne where he is buried at the age of 43. Exactly a year today, Fr Lino died in my arms. We remembered him in a minutes silence during the Inauguration of our School Year this morning. We're sure Scotus and Lino are both enjoying heaven now.

Jews spit at Christians

And ultra-orthodox Jews continue to spit at Christians, especially christian clergy ... and they get away with it. No prosecutions ... all are released. Is that religious tolerance? Is that what God taught the Jews in the Torah? It's abominable and beyond any rationalisation. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/ultra-orthodox-spitting-attacks-on-old-city-clergymen-becoming-daily-1.393669#article_comments  and  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/armenian-clergy-subjected-to-haredi-spitting-attacks-1.393912

If a christian spat at a Jew, it would be anti-semitism and criminal. But it seems it's ok the other way round, the way things are going on here in this country. So the extremist and fanatics are taking over the country ... they even managed to get rid of a councilwoman from the Jerusalem Municipality because she opposed segregation of men and women during Sukkot  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/ousted-jerusalem-councilwoman-israel-surrendering-to-extremists-1.393938

Feast of the Sacrifice

Another cold, drizzly day. Last night it went down to 9 degrees. It really feels like winter at last! The streets are very slippery and people walk cautiously to avoid falling.

Sheep herded into Damascus Gate

The streets in the Muslim Quarter are packed with stalls and people tonight. The Muslim feast of the Sacrifice (Abraham sacrificing Ishmail, not Isaac) starts tonight and it's a big feast lasting 2 days. From the crush of goods and people at the Damascus Gate, flocks of sheep were herded into the Old City for the ritual slaughter. Children found it very funny but most people made way for the sheep mainly because they stink to high heaven.

This afternoon had lunch with the chinese students studying here in Jerusalem. It was a good occasion to meet up, get to know each other and update on news. Later in the evening I brought some Indian friends to visit the Old City. They cooked lemon rice - spicy - which we ate under the palm trees at Damascus Gate. That was when we saw the sheep being herded into the City. The rice was very very good! I think next week they'll cook something else. Looking forward to it.

Thunderstorm

Crest Hill at 6am: drizzling but clear

Yesterday we had a lovely thunderstorm - lightening, thunder, strong cold wind and lots of rain. The forecast was right! Traffic jams everywhere as a result. This morning it continued to drizzle but the sun came back up. It's still chilly though.

Now it's 18 degrees and will continue to drop to 11 degrees tonight. We can finally say winter is here. If only the rains can continue for another few weeks ... that would be perfect.

And as is the season, the sun sets by 5pm and darkness and cold envelopes the City. People hurry home to eat a warm meal and watch TV. It's the weather that's our hope - too cold and wet to hold protests or fight.

In the meantime, remedial exams are being conducted in school these 2 days. Students who have to take them are slogging late into the nights.

Well November has set in ... and soon it'll be Advent. I wonder what Christmas will bring us this year?

Thanks

Thanks for the generosity of the following persons: Justina Lau (Hidrimariam's sponsorship), Margarita and Henry (Hidrimariam's sponsorship), Fiona Chan (St Vincent de Paul Orphanage), Vincent & Glenda (St Vincent de Paul Orphanage), Agnes Chiu Lee (Medical expense), Mabel Shek (medical expense), Keith Lee, Remaina Yau, Angela Leung, Rose Chiu, Vincent/Glenda/Eva and Mass intentions (Anne Lee, Se Yuk Ying, Catherine Pang, Agnes Chiu Lee, Irene Wu)

Details can be found at http://holylandassist.blogspot.com

War drums

While the skies turned brilliantly bright and hot again, a political cloud is glooming over the country: extensive talk about Israel attacking Iran. Iran is trading warnings to Israel http://www.jpost.com/IranianThreat/News/Article.aspx?id=244083  and Israel launches a test missile in the desert http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/idf-test-fires-ballistic-missile-in-central-israel-1.393306 and starts war drill http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-air-force-conducts-drills-for-long-range-attacks-1.393325

Ilie (foreground) and Max at the back

Ilie, one of our Romanian students, is back for a month to finish off his final papers. He got married last month and last night a group of us classmates went out for dinner to celebrate his new life. It was very nice to see people moving on in their lives, new starts, new hopes.

Another classmate Vasile, also Romanian, married a week later to Ilie's sister. Small world. Vasile will come back to finish off his final papers in December.

So a little sunshine on an otherwise gloomy tense day.

Today is All Souls Day. During Mass I remembered all those marked with the faith; relatives, friends and all those whom I've known or not known. It was an intense moment.

All Saints

All Saints began with a sunny, humid morning. The streets were strangely quiet and surveillance helicopters were flying overhead. Tourists continue to fill the City.

Heart-shaped droplets from hanging fountain

More fountains

Crowds at Zion Square

The new shopping mall opened today at Zion Square ... there was a street party to inaugurate it. Synchronised fountains forming fantastic shapes showered the Square and lots of people crowded around to watch the spectacle ... actually more people outside than inside the mall!!  

For some reason, shops were closing early today. Hopefully its not a sign of rising tensions.

As evening draws near, the sky darkens quickly and the cold becomes biting. Even though it's 23 degrees, it feels like 15 degrees.

Tomorrow is All Souls Day. Will be praying for all your dearly departed.