Ενταση

Fewer people in the streets

Tensions are high after yesterday's strikes in Lebanon and Iran. Even before that, the City had a significant increase in police presence. This morning on my way to work, there were definitely more police at street corners than usual. There are fewer people in the streets.

With the state of affairs, several priests from overseas who are supposed to come and help with the migrant communities can no longer come. I just had several calls from other migrant chaplains asking me for help. Now I have a minimum of 2 Masses on Saturdays and as many as 5 in 3 different cities on other Saturdays. I am already exhausted just thinking about it. That's 5 Masses in 4 languages: italian, konkani, chinese, english. My brains are scrambled. I need a vacation after this summer vacation.

In the meantime I'm terribly stressed in finishing a piece of work that I am already 2 months past dateline. There's so much to read and digest before putting into writing ... and every time when something is written, something else pops up to contradict it. Research papers are not easy at all to write. I need some fresh air from all these stress.

Hope

A ray of hope

Tragedy struck again yesterday ... 12 druze children and youths were killed when a rocket hit a football field in the north. The war has no limits and people who have nothing to do with its cause: christians and druze ... killed for something they were not involved in. This war has to end. But the rest of the world is disinterested. Rest of the world? Yes because all the bombs, guns and bullets come from the rest of the world. If the supply stops, the war will also stop.

There has been more police presence in the Old City since the attack. Shopkeepers say no tourists entered the Old City; many shops decided to close earlier. There was a noticeable decrease of residents chatting and strolling in our neighbourhood. The mood is sombre and low. Psychologically it is affecting everyone on both sides of the war ... and those in between.

We just hope the rest of summer will not be so violent; that children in their holidays need not be in shelters, fearing for their lives. We need to spread a little hope.

Rexy

Rexy

Today was special. Today my best fuzzy friend came to spend an afternoon with me. Rexy! He's the baby Pomeranian that needs constant playing and chasing and snacks and naps. Typical Pomeranian character ... huge dog inside a small body. The weather has been very hot and my friend who owns Rexy was afraid he'd dehydrate outdoors while my friend's at work ... or stolen. So he brought Rexy over for me to babysit.

It was fun though. Every half hour I get off my seat and computer and chase him around or throw tennis balls for him to fetch. Then he wants to be hugged while I'm working so I have to keep him on my lap. Then he jumps on my table and sniffs my books and computer. Quite a handful. But really fun to have a dog again!

Well it's almost 7pm and my friend will be coming over soon to pick Rexy up. I hope he'll need babysitting again .... I look forward to that!

Heat

I'm not quite good at walking these days. My left ankle is hurting very much from an old injury (twisted it in Bethlehem some 20 yrs ago) and one of my toes may be infected because I cut the nail too deeply. Now I'm hobbling about. And walking 3 km home everyday via Convent of Ivrea for Mass is not joke. And you can add the heatwave to that.

Queueing at the Tomb

There's been an influx of pilgrims despite the war. Last week I met a large group of filipinos (about 50) as well as groups of Brazilians. Then there were the usual small families and friends. There was actually a queue to enter the Empty Tomb. What a surprise. Everyone was pleased that the groups are returning. And in this heatwave too!

I'm once again lost regarding time. I keep thinking today is Wednesday and kept preparing for class, and cancelling meetings and errands ... only to be told several times it's Tuesday. Maybe the heat is frying my brains.

This morning as I walked to work I passed an old american tourist who's always in white and comes every year for several months. He didn't seem himself ... he didn't greet me but had a dazed look on his face. He had stains of blood wiped on his pants. When I reached my work entrance I was told several cars had been damaged. Later I learned that it was this old man who had smashed the windshields and dented the cars. I was told he was arrested. I wonder what made him to do that. He was always soft-spoken and gentle. Reads the Bible, writes notes. I've never known him to be violent. Could be the heat.

Getting heated up

The drone attack at 3am in Tel Aviv last week shocked everyone. The drone flew 2000km from Yemen, and was undetected by local security and military. Unbelievable. One dead twenty injured. I was woken up by a barrage of messages asking what happened. 

Desert outing

Last night we had a minor earthquake with the epicenter at the Dead Sea. 3.7 on the Richter Scale. I didn't feel it ... I was dead asleep from exhaustion. Earlier in the morning I had to make an emergency trip to Tel Aviv to celebrate the filipino Mass because there was no priest available. I was late though because of the dreadful morning traffic.

Yesterday some of our asian sisters went out to the desert for a day's outing ... away from work. It was very hot but they enjoyed the change of environment, away from the tension of war and work. It is a much needed rest and recreation most of these hardworking nuns looked forward to. I think all of them came home sun-burnt.

Yes the temp has risen again ... extremely hot and dry though once in a while a cool breeze might blow. It's what summer should be ... well not as hot as now. A little stronger earthquake might knock out our electricity supply ... and that'll be the end of our air-conditioning so we're praying hard there'll be no more earthquakes.

Crowds

Holy Sepulchre today

I celebrated 3 Masses this morning ... from 6.30am to 11am. Then I had a meeting with the chines community, followed immediately by a birthday celebration of a leader of the filipino community. Then a meeting with the Korean commissary of the Holy Land. I am exhausted. Not sure if I can continue with this schedule for the next 2 months.

This morning 2 Masses that I celebrated were in the Holy Sepulchre. It was a pleasant surprise to find a crowd there ... and a line to enter the Empty Tomb. There was a group of filipinos of about 50 people, a Brazilian group, a neo-catechumenate group and lots of small families and individuals visiting. This despite the tense situation around the country.

The Korean commissary came to see if the country was safe to bring pilgrim groups and he was delighted to see the crowd. He took pictures and videos and will use it to show Korean catholics that it's ok to come to the Holy Land. What a great job! I wish others would do the same and encourage more pilgrims to come back.

Busy

Ethiopic Mass

I've just discussed my Saturday schedule for the Summer with various migrant chaplains. Most will be going on home vacation. That means I'm taking over their jobs for the next 2 and a half months. Every Saturday I'll have the Italian Mass and Ethiopic Mass; and added to that twice a month the Chinese Mass or the Konkani Mass. That means celebrating 2 Masses minimum and 4 Masses maximum each Saturday. I'll have no time for anything else.

Last week I managed to take a photo of the Ethiopic Mass during the "I confess" (confiteor); the Ethiopians kneel and prostrate for this prayer during Mass. It's a gesture that other rites do not have.

Now to think of it, I'm busier during Summer holidays than during the school year. I'll need a vacation from this Summer break! Already I'm feeling overworked and stressed.

I've not seen the 3 bulbuls since I released them 2 weeks ago. I hope they're not caught by humans or cats; and they find food and water in this terrible heat. Nature is stronger than we think, and their natural instincts will preserve them. But secretly every morning as I walk to work, I hope to see them in the park.