Advent reflections

Eternal Light Webcast is bringing you Fr Praveen d'Souza in a series of Advent weekday reflections. Fr. Praveen begins each reflection with a reading of a gospel passage followed by a short reflection. Each programme lasts no more than 3 minutes. The 1st reflection begins on Nov. 30th (the 1st Monday of Advent). Check out http://elwebcast.blogspot.com

A perfect spiritual moment in your busy schedule!

Don't forget Christ this Advent ...... He never forgets you.

Thanks

Thanks to

1) Eliz So, Vicky and Letty for sponsoring Raed Sabella's transport to school. He is physically handicapped and is slightly mentally retarded. He needs to go to special school and needs special transport.

2) Rose Chiu

3) The Singapore November Group from Faith Tours for their generous gift to the orphans in Betphage.

Threats

Weekend again and more unrest. Last weekend the Orthodox Jews rioted against Intel because Intel works on the Sabbath. Today the riot got worse. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1258705152117&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull and http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129633.html

Helicopters are flying overhead right now so something must be wrong somewhere.

Anyway yesterday afternoon I decided to make the Way of the Cross with the rest of the friars. It would have been exhausting because my asthma is not letting up. I decided to walk ahead of the procession so I won't get crushed by the crowds. At the 7th Station, I decided to go straight through to the Holy Sepulchre and wait for the procession to arrive. Remembered you all during the walk.

After the procession I joined in the daily procession of the Holy Sepulchre. Some of my students came to join in, and I had to give a good example. That meant kneeling twice, which is very painful for me. I could hardly walk after the long kneel for the benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. And of course I did it all remembering you all the time. What a painful sacrifice!

This morning there were no Masses celebrated on Mt. Calvary. Very strange. The sacristan of the Holy Sepulchre told me to come and fill up the empty space. So I went to Mt. Calvary at 5am to celebrate Mass. On the way, our muslim shopkeeper "neighbour" was waiting by the dark road, yelling at me, accusing me of calling the police to raid his shop yesterday (which isn't true, I didn't call anyone at all; obviously one of his competitors must have done it) and threatening to kill me. So don't be surprised if they slit my throat one of these days.

News

So what's happening in Jerusalem today?

First of all it's cold. No rain. But cold. Somewhere around 10 degrees. A Jewish woman was arrested at the Wailing Wall because she wore the "tallit" (prayer shawl used by men) and wanted to read from a Torah scroll. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129040.html

Then this morning a Jewish boy stabbed an arab man. Security scramble in the Old City as they thought an arab riot would start. Helicopters flying over head, soldiers at every street corner. But no riots. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129330.html

And Israel's go ahead to build 900 more homes in Palestinian land has been condemned by the many countries including China. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129330.html If Israel continues to occupy Palestinian land and building Jewish cities in them, very soon there will be no more Palestine left, and therefore no need to talk about peace or two states or an independent Palestine because there will be no more Palestine. Smart move. And British Jews are incensed that Channel 4 has "exposed" the "power" of the British pro-Israel lobby. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1129102.html

This evening the Swedish Institute commemorated the memory of Fr Piccirillo with two talks. I actually didn't want to go but the dean said I am one of the last students who personally knew Fr Piccillo and I should go to honour him. So I did. Met some friends back from the '90s - Prof. Claudia Dauphine who delivered a magnificent memoriam of Fr Piccirillo's life and work, and Prof. Leah di Segni, paleographist from the Hebrew University, Fr Thomas Meier, now superior of the White Fathers and several others. It was good. But it was emotionally exhausting. Fr Javier was buried today in Spain as well.

And my asthma is killing me despite all the medicine I'm taking. Medicines don't work anymore ... even the prednesone works when I take it but the asthma resumes immediately a day after I stop the course. And I ask myself why didn't I go before Javier? Madeleine Wu noticed that I looked bloated ... and I am. I do feel quite sick. Don't know why. My face is pretty bloated but my tummy is worse. I can't even wear my pants. And I know what you're going to say ... "go see the doctor". Well if only it were that easy. Remember ... I live in Israel!

Thoughts

Yesterday was a dark drizzly day. And it was cold - 10 degrees only. Everyone was wearing woollen clothes .... something we haven't done in 10 years!

I had to walk to work (2 km) carrying some 6 kgs of food to feed the poor. But the thought of walking up the hill on slippery stone roads was terribly depressing. But I had to go all the same. Luckily at the monastery gate, the usual gang of arab vendors had huddled to shade from the rain and cold wind. They kept dissuading me from walking - but I had no choice ... I had to go. So one of them with one leg (his leg was blown off in a bombing 7 years ago) offered to drive me there. Which was pretty decent of him. As a handicap driver, he gets to drive everywhere without impunity, so I finally reached my destination. He refused my offer of a little bakshish (tip) and said he was only doing a favour for a friend. So .... I do have muslim friends. Mind you I've got much more enemies ... waiting at every corner to exact revenge.

These few nights I've been thinking of my friends who have died ... Fr Piccirillo (there's a "in memoriam" lecture at the Swedish Centre tomorrow), Sr. Josephine (carmelite in Nazareth), James Lee my collaborator, Karen, D. Cavero, D. Jeaffreson, all my students like Anita ... and I did not know Fr Javier had died. I was thinking how futile, all those struggles, all those studies, all those diplomas and certificates ..... when you are lying on your deathbed .... where nothing can help you, nothing except faith, hope and love. Now that Fr Javier has died, how mysterious God's plans are .... Javier earned his doctorate only a couple of years ago, began a great teaching career, was director of the Spanish-speaking Bible centre in Jerusalem "Casa San Tiago", and Vicar General of his diocese. And then suddenly he suffered a stroke 5 days ago, brain haemmorrhage, and last night he died.

I'll be deep in thought the whole day.

Fr. Javier Velasco Yeregui RIP

Aweful news this morning. Fr Javier died last night. Perhaps it is a relief. He didn't have to suffer. But for a young robust and active priest and professor, it is a terrible tragedy for his family and his diocese. He was Vicar General. And he was my classmate back in '92-'95 when we studied here in Israel. Let us pray that God reward him for his faithful work to the Church, and console his family. Fr. Javier was 45 yrs old.

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord; and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Amen.

Rain again

Remember back when the Egyptians ordered the killing of Israelite boys (you know ... Moses in a basket in the river) that eventually sparked the exodus? Well I'm sure you don't know that today 2009 there is a rabbi who advocates killing Gentile (non-Jewish) babies in Israel because they are a threat to Jewish society. And he's funded by the govt. http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128767.html

Ah well, history is going around in circles.

The weather is getting colder each day. Yesterday night it was 6 degrees. And right now it's drizzling. Which is good. The canaries are feeling the cold though, and looks like a couple will die from it. Too old and weak. The trees are shedding their leaves, the usual ones changing colour colour to amber and gold.

Yesterday afternoon I paid a visit to my Jewish scribe friend, Eli. He's a real scribe, writing with a quill on parchment. He works in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City and we had a few minutes to chat before he went off to pray. Hope to catch up with him again. When was the last time you caught up with old friends? We're in the last 6 weeks of 2009 ... don't miss the chance.