Holy Tuesday

Black petunias for
Holy Week

On Holy Tuesday, according to Mark's Gospel, Jesus faced off the Pharisees, Scribes and Chief Priests in the Temple. It was pretty heated ... and that determined his death. Read Mark 12 and 13. We have no special liturgies today in Jerusalem ... but we're all waiting for Holy Thursday when the Triduum begins. It will be chaotic in the Holy Sepulcher because the Orthodox Churches also celebrate Holy Thursday. The Basilica will be packed. But the Armenian Orthodox had a solemn liturgy in the courtyard of the Holy Sepulcher. I saw a video of it just now.

Yesterday's trip to Nablus exhausted me and I rested for most of the evening. Simply have no energy to work anymore. I missed the evening Palm procession from Notre Dame to the New Gate. It's organized by Christians of the Old City and the procession goes around the Christian Quarter.

By the way, National Geographic will be broadcasting the repairs and opening of the Tomb of Christ today. I guess if you have satellite TV you can watch it on Nat Geo channel. Here we'll have to wait till it's on Youtube.

Pitcher plants for sale

Several days back I passed through the Zahara neighborhood which is outside Herod's Gate. At a flower / pet shop, I saw a pot of black petunias. It's the first time I've ever seen one. Thought it was appropriate for Good Friday. The shop also had South-East Asian pitcher plants. I wonder how long they'll survive because they need humid atmosphere. The dry summers here will kill them.

The weather has been hot ... like typical summer. In the afternoons it goes up to 22 degrees. But locals still wear hoodies and jackets because in just a few minutes the weather can change drastically and the cold hits you. I'm trying to stay safe so I carry a thick jacket in my backpack always.

The ISIS threat in the Sinai Peninsula and Cairo is so great, Israel yesterday c;osed it's borders with Egypt. And Egypt called all Israelis and christian tourists in Egypt to leave the country as soon as possible as there is a real and imminent threat to their lives. Christian in the Middle East live and carry the Cross. Holy Week is not a devotional exercise but a fact that leads to death.

Holy Monday

Mass at the 5th Station of the Cross

As is tradition, Holy Monday sees the opening of the 5th Station of the Cross for Masses. It's the only day in the week when Mass is allowed in there. Every half hour from 6am to 8am, Masses are celebrated by the friars from the Flagellation Monastery. The 1st Mass was in German, the 2nd was in Malayalam, the 3rd was in spanish. I joined the Malayalam Mass as I needed to finish Mass early. There were, besides 8 Malayalam catholics, arab sisters, german sisters and a western couple. It's very nice Frs. Biru and Paul allowed me to join them. They're very dedicated to serving the Indian community here in the Holy Land while busy writing their doctoral theses. Anyway I prayed for you all there.

As soon as Mass ended, I had to go to Nablus in Samaria. It's far ... it takes one and a half hours by car to reach the city. Because it's in the Palestinian Territories, you need to pass the checkpoint and there's nothing certain about passing by there because the traffic jam could be awful and in times of tension, there would be riots as well. This evening the Jewish Passover begins and all checkpoints will be closed and I don't want to be stuck inside the Territories for one week so I had to return to Jerusalem as soon as I could. I had to go to the convent of M. Teresa's sisters for Mass, confessions and a Bible talk.

Samaritan sacrifical pits and wood

After the talk and Mass, I went to Mt. Gerizim to see the preparations of the Samaritan Passover, which coincides with the Jewish Passover this year. Lots of Samaritans living in Holon near Tel Aviv had returned for the celebrations. The streets were filled with Samaritans in festive clothes but the older generation of men were in traditional cloaks and hats. The sacrificial area was ready with wood for burning to cook the lambs, the pits were cleaned out and chairs were ready to be placed for the crowds. Unfortunately I couldn't wait for the sacrifice which takes place at 7pm because the checkpoints would have closed. I came home as soon as I could.

Palm Sunday

Archbishop Pizzaballa leading the
prelates into Jerusalem

The Palm Procession just ended and I managed to take many photos to show you. But before that we must denounce strongly at the murder of Coptic christians in 2 churches in Egypt this morning. Those cowardly islamist extremists try to destroy christianity in its cradle but they forget the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Faith. The Cross will triumph. It has and it will.

Fr. Agustin with his little franciscans

The crowds participating in the Palm Procession from Bethfage into Jerusalem were a lot larger than previous years. Many protestants joined in. And Coptic christians outnumbered Greek Orthodox and Ethiopic Orthodox in joining our procession. It started at 2pm and ended past 6pm ... a 4 hour walk over 2 kms.

Large crowds this year

The christians were loud and proud ... It is one day when they can openly celebrate their Faith. The statement was clear. This year Jewish extremists were kept away by the police ... in the previous year jews disrupted the procession and cursed and spat at christians. This year several muslim boys sitter above the entrance into Lions Gate were shouting Hosanna and the christians walking passed below shouted back Hosanna.

Dragomans in traditional costume
lead the procession

But lest all this joy is overwhelming ... we must remember that it only leads to Mt. Calvary, the Cross and Death. Christians in Syria, Iraq and Egypt continue to suffer persecution ... They live the Way of the Cross. They pay with their lives. Between Hosanna and Alleluia there is the Cross. Don't forget the christians in the Middle East while you're celebrating Holy Week in the comfort of your church.

Ethiopic christian
wearing a palm cross

Lazarus Saturday

Fr. Carlos presiding Mass in the Tomb

According to Orthodox Christian tradition, today is the day when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life. The faithful are all gathering in Bethany ... the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus and his tomb called the "Lazarion" to celebrate the event. In fact the arabic name of Bethany is "El Lazariya". Tomorrow all the Churches - catholic, orthodox and protestant - will make the Palm procession from Bethfage down to the Old City through Lions Gate. Police have already made arrangements for the closure of roads and city quarters. I can't imagine the chaos that will result.

This morning I had the monthly Mass inside the Empty Tomb with the Block Rosary Group form Jaffa. However since the superior of Jaffa, Fr. Carlos, had come along, I asked him to preside instead. It's not always that he comes to Jerusalem, much less celebrate Mass inside the Empty Tomb. I remembered you all a Mass there.

Yesterday some extremist Jews slaughtered a lamb very near the Wailing Wall as a "practice" if in case the Jewish Temple be rebuilt in the near future. Very provocative because it's prohibited by normative Judaism ... the Courts have prohibited it and the muslims are certainly not happy with it.   http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.782280

Ultra-Orthodox jews on the other hand are continuing their countrywide protest against compulsory military service. They will extend the protest to the airport. That will disrupt the Jewish Passover travellers. The police lately have staked out undercover agents dressed as soldiers into the ultra-orthodox neighbourhoods where aggressive trouble-makers attacked the agents and other police swopped in to arrest them.   http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4946360,00.html

Banners in the
Christian Quarter

Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and as the Catholic and Orthodox calendars coincide, the route of the Palm procession will be packed with people. I certainly don't have the energy to walk the distance. And with the crowds ... I think I'll just stay at home. The streets in the Christian Quarter are now festooned with buntings and banners. Flower shops are selling beautifully plaited palm branches. A large branch would cost US$40 or more. I won't buy one as I won't be at the procession. Yesterday the son of one of our parishioners met me on my way to work and he gave me a leave from his branch ... he was going home with his parents and his father had bought a very large palm ... over a meter and a half tall.

Marathon work

Strong desert storm

I can definitely say yesterday was my record workday ... being a full 48 hours of non-stop work. Never again. People keep coming with emergency requests (actually no one really dies if the work is not done) but I had to run (metaphorically speaking as I can't run) some 5 kms up and down the Old and New Cities.

There was a chinese guide book that "had to" be edited in 24 hours ... and believe the mistakes were titanic in proportion. I worked through 3 drafts and had to go to the Salesian House for the final draft correction. Then there were groups to attend to. Then there were last minute theses to correct because some students wait to the last 24 hours before dateline to start writing it. I corrected a thesis till 2am last night ... horrendous english ... I practically had to rewrite the entire thesis. Between 2am to 5am I had to write a homily for a solemn mass at 8am (I ghost write homilies) but my brain was so dead by then I came up with nothing and had to apologies to the prelate at 5.30am. Hope he had some emergency homily available. Then there were confessions to hear, talks to present etc...

So today I am beyond hope ... I am utterly utterly exhausted. It's just as well that I stay home today because there's a sandstorm blowing since yesterday. Sand everywhere. Not good for my heath. But that doesn't mean I have no work. I still have library and correction work but on a smaller scale. The staff told me to go take the weekend off but that's impossible.

Surprise from M. Teresa's sisters

However in the midst of the most hectic 2 days ever, there was a nice surprise. The Sisters of M. Teresa prepared a little surprise for me: a board celebrating my birthday, singing songs and prayers. No food ... it's Lent. The sisters fast everyday.

The 2nd chemical attack in Syria has crossed every warped conscience in this world. How can it possibly happen ... and how can the rest of the world do nothing about it? Locally the jews say it can and it has ... when Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Now Israelis are at the forefront in this war with medical aid. They know what it is to be persecuted.

Half day off

The gas attack in Syria yesterday has left us all appalled and outraged. How in this modern age can these dastardly acts continue without impunity ... or the world community can stand by offering lip-service? I tell you what I know ... I know that the victims have lost all hope in the world community, in world morality, in world conscience. They are on their own to survive.

Toffee sponge cake

The videos and news reports have dampened a lot my birthday yesterday. Not that there was a celebration or anything ... but it weighed very heavily on the heart. No one here remembered my birthday ... except for the staff in my library. The janitor lady Magdulin bought a toffee sponge cake to celebrate with the other 2 staff. It was a nice gesture but the cake was too big. I brought the remaining half to the sisters of M. Teresa.

Char Kway Teow

In the afternoon both library staffs told me to take the afternoon off and they will care for its running. They thought I needed a halfday break ... which I did. I wanted to go take a walk by the sea in Jaffa but the traffic was bad. I reached there only at 3.30pm ... so there was not much time for the "rest of the afternoon". After an hour's walk, I reached Thai House ... the best Thai restaurant in the country. I have not been there for over 2 years ... as the manager reminded me. I had my favorite dishes for an early dinner: tom yam soup and char kway teow. It was so good. And for the record, I paid for it with the money I earned teaching english.

After that I walked the whole 4 kms along the beach back to our monastery in Jaffa, said hi to the community, then came back home. Luckily there was no traffic jam.

Stromata

Funny poster for
patient husbands

With my failing memory, I went to school yesterday afternoon only to find out there was no class because exams have started. My memory is appalling. Anyway that gave me the chance to go to the bank ... another branch 1km away ... that I was directed by the head office earlier that morning. Waited my turn for almost an hour, then was told I had to go to another department. Luckily that department had no one and the kind american lady helped me through the whole process. She was very patient as there were lots of papers to check. In all some 40 mins was required.

On the way home I passed by a Judaica shop in the Mall. it had a very funny poster on its window: free wifi for patient husbands while their wives shopped. That really helped lighten the mood.

The ultra-orthodox have continued their protests in the streets, blocking major traffic ways. They still demand no compulsory military service for their male followers.  http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4944689,00.html

The ultra-orthodox hatred for military service was expressed in their neighborhood several days ago when a soldier went into one of their shops. He was surrounded and attacked by the ultra-orthodox and had to be saved by police.  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.780989

The leftwing newspaper carried an article on the jewish settlement program inside Palestine ... "occupation" as they call it ... It offers a different viewpoint.  http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.781093

Extremist jews have been carrying out the slaughter of a lamb near the Temple Mount (Al Aqsa Mosque) for the past several years as a practice run for the day when they build the 3rd Temple (after destroying the Mosque of course). This year the police have banned them as it has become too provocative.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/court-blocks-activists-from-sacrificing-sheep-near-temple-mount/

Warm nights

The weather is warming up ... and it feels nice like summer. I noticed many of the Spring vegetables are no longer on sale in the markets ... like chives and mint. Now the herbs of summer are on sale especially zatar (oregano) and artichokes. We're expecting a very hot and dry summer ... and the drought will be bad. And we're also expecting trouble from Lebanon and Gaza. Well militarily the country is prepared for the latter. But the drought ... that is beyond anyone's control. We'll just have to save on water and use less electricity. But that's difficult because the hotter it gets, the more people want to use air-conditioners ... and that uses up a lot of electricity and produces more heat in the atmosphere. What a disaster.