Boyle is second

Wow did you know there're 18 cases of swine flu in Israel? But groups are still coming and people are continuing life as usual. The cases are all people coming from the States and they're quarantined so people don't feel afraid of contracting the flu. And there's only 1 case in Greece!

Swine flu may be sweeping through Israel quietly and not ruffling any feathers, but the recent week's calls by some Israeli MPs certainly are: eg. to ban Nakba Day (Palestinian commemoration of the Jewish occupation of the West Bank 40 years ago) and making it a crime to celebrate it; to enforce everyone wanting citizenship, to swear allegiance to the State of Israel.... and this is just the beginning. Eventually more pro-Zionist and racist laws will be proposed until all we non-Jews will be suffocated out of existance here. Local arabs are vowing retaliaiton today. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346507109&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Even some Zionists are alarmed at these extreme nationalist moves http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346506198&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull Some Israeli prominent people are calling it racist, anti-democratic and against human rights.

But it looks like the MPs are playing on fear of arabs to get the bills passed. There's a nationwide emergency drill today in case of a missile attack from Iran, and reports of fighting in the West Bank; all drumming up fear so that people will support the bill. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346506725&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull and http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346507791&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Anyway by now you know Susan Boyle came in second - not that it matters much since she clearly has had offers to cut albums and do performances, so she'll still be making it big, bigger than Diversity the dance troupe that won. Dance troupes don't last long because the kids will grow up and live their own lives. But if you haven't caught Julian Smith the saxophonist who came in 3rd, go watch youtube the 1st audition and the semi-finals. Fantastic performance although I thought it was a little deja vu aka Kenny Gee. But he had a soul and that came though clearly in his performance, so good for him. As a professional music teacher, I'm sure he'll also cut some albums, do some performances and of course good advertisement for more students.

And this morning i went to the Holy Sepulchre at 4.30am to celebrate Mass. Got home at 6.15 am and cooked bacon and eggs - YES - bought the bacon last week at a non-kosher shop. But I had to go to the school's students' kitchen (next building 3 floors down) to fry the stuff. Brought it back to the monastery refectory and the few guys who got up early for breakfast whacked it all up! Even the superior and the dean got some. Obviously they loved it and made nice comments. After all it's the FIRST time in the history of this house (which is over 100 yrs old) that bacon-and-eggs was served at all! Mind you it's not likely to happen again. I just thought we needed a break from the breakfast that we've been having year in year out. Good to know I brought some smiles aorund the house. Looks like this morning I beat Diversity, Boyle and Smith all at once!

Pentecost vigil

Saturday. It's the eve of our Pentecost, and the student councillors of our faculty have organised a vigil Mass at the Franciscan Last Supper Room. Most of the students and professors are there now for the Mass. Other are joining the annual Marian procession that closes the month of Mary. It's a very popular thing - lots of locals attending. They have a great devotion to Mary, even if they don't go to Mass regularly. The procession begins at St Saviour Monastery and winds its way around the Christian Quarter. The scouts will be out in full force and the youths will do the usual race around the City Walls at the end of the procession.

I'm locking myself in my room - missed lunch and will miss dinner - because I really want to get my paper done by tonight. You must have heard this a million times now .... buthaving to read tonnes of German exegesis is really not easy. And especially today when I had a bad attack of asthma at 2am and have been awake since. I feel very tired and can't concentrate. But I must trudge on.

Tomorrow early morning I'll go to the Holy Sepulchre to say Mass for all of you - the Solemnity of Pentecost. Maybe the Holy SPirit will finish my paper for me.

Pentecost - the jewish feast

Today is Shavuot - the jewish Pentecost. Actually it began yesterday evening at sunset. Synagogues and other places were opened the whole night for Bible studies, since Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt Sinai fifty days (pentecost) after their exodus from Egypt. Hundreds of Jews come and go to the Wailing Wall to pray but especially to read the Torah and listen to rabbinic explanations. I wish Christians could learn from this wonderful example and celebrate at least one day during the year the study of the Bible....like a marathon 24 hour bible study. Wanna try?

Meantime the exams have started here in school - students pacing up and down the hall waiting for their turn at the oral exams (it's mainly oral exams here for us). Got a few moments to speak with some of the 1st year students whom I've never spoken to (imagine 1 whole year!!!) and got to know them. One of the them is Johnny, a priest from Portugal who belongs to the Congregation of Silent Workers. Found out it's a congregation for handicap people, even those who'll eventually be bedridden like muscular dystrophy. They offer their whole lives and sufferings for the sake of the world and pray always while working as much as possible before they become disabled totally. It's a very unique congregation and deserves alot of support. I'll do a documentary on them later this year and you can watch it on Eternal Light Webcast. (Haven't heard of it yet? http://elwebcast.blogspot.com )

Meantime am writing like crazy my paper because I want to consign it to the Secretary tomorrow. Still lots of reading to do and summarising .... in german!!!!! Aaaaaaahhhhh!!!!!

Shavuot

Tonight begins the Jewish feast of Shavuot - Pentecost - which this year is 2 days ahead of our Christian Pentecost. This agricultural feast also commemorates the giving of the Torah to the israelites on Mt. Sinai.

Have been busy finishing the last part of my paper. I want to hand it in before Monday so I can be free to do other things during the summer. But fat hopes. There's still lots of reading and writing to do .... but hopefully I get a breather during the summer, even if it's just a few days. The last lessons for this semester are being taught this week, and some exams have already begun. Everyone is ready for summer holidays. Another school year will soon be over.

The 4 baby canaries are doing fine and I think my another week, they should be able to be transferred to the large cage. Their mums have already started their second clutch, so the babies have been booted out of the nests. The cats are waiting gleefully to eat them.

The mornings here are beautiful - it's cool and breezy, and the birds are chirping as early as 4am when the sun rises. I'm usually up by then, and I love to watch the sun come out over the Mt. of Olives. The muezzin begins singing at 3.45am from the mosque opposite our place.

Elizabeth McNamer

By the way, Elizabeth McNamer is here in Israel digging at Bethsaida now. She'll be popping by Jerusalem where she'll help shoot a second series of reflections on the Book of Proverbs at our studios. If you want to watch her first series, go to Eternal Light Webcast http://elwebcast.blogspot.com where the first 6 reflections will be posted in the next 3 months.

The threat of war is looming over us - there's tension with Lebanon (arrest of Israeli spies; call to bump off Nasrallah etc...) and there's talk of a pre-emptive strike on Iran before it completes its nuclear plans. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1088065.html And next week there'll be a nationwide exercise on war evacuation and safety. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243257906474&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Can't say its fun living here at the moment.

Yesterday I was a total wreck - didn't sleep for over 24 hours. Fr Paul Sun the chinese priest whom many of you sponsored, was leaving in the evening so the whole of Sunday I was with him, trying to tie up the loose ends and get things done. We celebrated Sunday Mass on Mt Calvary at 4.30am then went back to my monastery for breakfast, cleaned up the birdcages, then went off to the New City to buy necessities. Got back at 11.30am to do a little cleaning up of my room while Fr Paul went back to his hostel in Betphage on the Mt of Olives. Had lunch at home - it's getting pretty quiet as exams are on and next week begins summer holidays - many people have already left for their vacation. Did some work after lunch and then had an early dinner and left with Fr Paul for the airport at 8pm. Got home at 2am after sending him off - cool, dark, silent streets at that time of the morning. I was flat tired but - no sleep - becauseI had VC lessons at 4am. Then after that, went straight for mass at 6am, cleaned out the birdcages at 7am, had to go to St Saviour's monastery at 9am, etc..... I only got to sleep at 5pm. So totalling that up, it was over 36 hours without sleep of rest. Total wreck. Anyway I'm up at 1am and doing some work on my computer to catch up with the lost days.

Thanks from Fr Paul Sun

Fr Paul Sun, whom many of you have sponsored to study in Jerusalem, has finished his diploma course. Tonight he flies back home to China. He is very grateful to you for your kindness and generosity. Here are his words of thanks:

Brothers and Sisters in Christ
Eight months have passed so quickly. In the Holyland I have studied much, seen the places where Christ walked. I thank you whole heartedly for your material and spiritual help. I will always remember you all in my prayers. Today I return to my diocese to start my new mission. Let us be united in Christ and pray for each other. Thank you very much.

Fr Paul Sun