2010

2010 a new beginning .... the first day of the year .... and the news is "Jews still harass and spit at Christians, priests and nuns". http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1261364555978&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Good bye 2009

Last day of 2009. The weather was a gloomy gray with heavy clouds and drizzle. Thus the year ends.

The Jews in Israel do not celebrate our New Year as they use a Lunar calendar. But the festivity is so catchy they go ahead to celebrate under a different name - "Sylvester" ... named after Pope St. Sylvester whose feast falls on the last day of every year. The streets will be full of youngsters singing and dancing.

We here at home will have an hour's Eucharistic adoration with vespers tonight. Then we sing the "Te Deum" - the traditional thanksgiving before eating dinner - the last meal of 2009.

Later tonight at 10pm I have to preside at the Eucharistic adoration for our sisters in their private chapel upstairs. Then at 11pm I'll celebrate Mass for them.

Give thanks to God for 2009 and pray for a blessed 2010 beginning with Mass of the Mother of God.

Thanks for 2009

The last few hours before 2009 slips into eternity ... never to return .... and all becomes history and we use the past tense to refer to it. And what have we done with it ... 2009?

I think of the poor people I encountered in 2009, the hungry children of Musky asking for help, the handicapped in Bethlehem, the traumatised and mentally ill in Gaza, the Palestinian students who study in the morning but work in the afternoons to pay for their studies; I think of the helplessness that at times was so overwhelming it drew close to despair, the drug addicts on Mt. Tabor and their lonely struggles. 2009 leaves many profound memories - Fr Javier and Fr Johannes died; the Pope's visit in May ... so many things.

And time continues forward, not backward (cf Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet"). We move on.

The ragazzi (rehabilitating drug addicts) of Mt. Tabor (Mt. of Transfiguration) called me several days ago asking me to go up to visit them because they baked me a cake. Well I was there yesterday. It is always so good to be with these guys ... with all their pain and struggles and lonely journey to rehabilitation, these guys can still think of others and serve them. They are one of the most sincere and humble people I have met. And they baked me a cake. A lovely fruit tart actually. I'm sharing it with the community tonight. Everyone is asking why these guys are so close to me ... well I listen to them, I speak with them, and I laugh and cry with them. They know I care and they care for me. I think it was a nice end to 2009, spending it with the Mondo X ragazzi.

And as Christmas draws toward Epiphany, I'm having a horrible past 3 days physically - feet swollen like water melons and my left fingers are enormously swollen. The pain can be excruciating. It wasn't easy going up Mt Tabor like this, but the guys appreciated it.

Thanks to all of you for your lovely gifts which I treasure - from crocodile meat for my asthma to pyjamas, food to toys, medicine galore and of course all your love, prayers and greetings. I shall say a thanksgiving Mass for all of you tomorrow to end 2009 - and we sing the Te Deum as well. Then on Jan. 1st I'll say a Mass of Mary Mother of God to bless your new year.

Thanks for all that you have done for me in 2009.

2009 ending

Christians leaders of the Holyland meet the President for annual Christmas greetings. Don't know how much is gained from all that talk.

Hope it rains today as yesterday was unbearably hot and dry. And for those who missed Pope Benedict's speech in Bethlehem, watch it on Eternal Light webcast.

And as 2009 slips by, what have you been doing? Giving thanks?

Holy Innocents

The murder of Rabbi Chai is a terrible act of senseless terrorism .... it served no purpose but draw a united hatred for Palestinians and the lost of the Palestinian dream. Now it's infighting among the Palestinian refugees.

And 1,000 Orthodox Jews demonstrated again against Intel for opening its factory on the Sabbath here in Jerusalem.

And the difficulties of being a priest in the muslim Middle East is shared by the Nuncio. And a Christian convert shares his experience of persecution.

So that's how we start the feast of the Holy Innocents (Innocence) .....

Holy Family

It was a lovely warm day today. I was up in Nazareth today ... and being the Feast of the Holy Family, I celebrated Mass at the home of the Holy Family. Naturally I remembered you all and your families during Mass there. It was nice to be there for the feast. It's special.

Wow ... the events on American flights these few days are dramatic to say the least. Count me out when it comes to flying!

The Sisters of Mother Theresa thank you all for your generosity and pray for you during this festive season.

St Stephan's day

Nice to know the American Consulate people are treated like the rest of us when it comes to security checkpoints. However they risked being shot for resisting checks - not a very smart move. But at the end of day, I think Israel will come to a compromise and not check future US consulate vehicles .... it's the US after all. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1261364500043&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

It's St. Stephan a day ... a lovely phrase from "Murder in the Cathedral" by T.S. Eliot about Archbishop Thomas Beckett who was killed for not bowing to political pressure. It's my traditional Christmas reading ..... have you read it yet? I introduced Fr Tomislav to read Sense and Sensibility ... and he liked it. Jane Austen rocks!