Sick

Yesterday evening I was called out to Sts. Simeon and Anna - out in the New City - where someone needed help and the community thought I was the only one who could. As it was Simhat Torah, the main thoroughfare was ghostly quiet. Did my best to help the person and then walked back home in the silent dark streets. Decided to stop by the chinese restaurant to buy some dinner (am having major problems with the food issue back home). It was only one of two restaurants opened because no work is allowed on this feastday. And sitting outside on the pedestrian walkway were the 3 arab waiters smoking their cigarettes. We usually don't speak in the streets as it's a Jewish neighbourhood (we speak arabic to each other), and if in the restaurant we keep chatting to a minimum because the waiters are not allowed to chitchat with customers. So since the street was empty, those crazy guys began shouting out to me, laughing and joking. It was good fun. But the waiter who worked the longest (and lives in Damascus Gate area) kept saying what happened? I've grown so thin. Well I just laughed it off. In fact, we were laughing so much and chatting that I forgot to pay for my dinner (veggies)! Only realised it when I got home!

Today our cook decided to cook me a steak as my appetite has been down to zero this week. It was a lovely piece of work - medium rare, with 4 mushrooms. Khalil is a very good cook. However not having eaten a proper meal for some time now, my stomach probably has shrivelled and is not accustomed to heavy food. So I started throwing up. Got real dizzy in the head. Yucks. Am feeling really sick now.

Feast of St Jerome

End of September. Another month passes and the year draws closer to its end. Today is the feastday of St Jerome the bible translator who died in 420 AD. He lived most of his life here in Bethlehem near the cave of Christ's nativity. He's also the patron saint for Bible scholars and students. So .... happy feastday to you all!

As the Middle East Peace talks stagger to a halt (again) and Israeli bulldozers (actually driven by Palestinians) start building on settlements in the West Bank, everyone is shaking their heads - it's that deja vu feeling every year. Been there, didn't do that. Talks fail. Here's a powerful article by an Israeli columnist on this topic. http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/a-special-place-in-hell/a-special-place-in-hell-confessions-of-an-israeli-anti-settler-bigot-1.316325 

And hit-and-run murders continue in the coastal cities. Makes you wonder if it's safe to go to a coffee shop at all. http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=189710 

Simhat Torah

It's Simhat Torah. Here in Jerusalem the Jews celebrate it together with another feast Shimini Atzeret  (The 8th Day of Assembly) - as is written in the Book of Numbers 29:35 "On the 8th day you shall hold a solemn assembly; you shall do no work." That's when the Jews also pray for rain in the Tefilat Geshem prayer. No work is done on this day so the city is very quiet - no public transport, shops closed, general calm. That's probably because the Jews have sung and danced and drank so much in joyful celebration they're probably sleeping in. They say the joy of Shimini Atzeret/Simhat Torah is greater than Sukkot.

The weather has changed dramatically in the nights; with winds that are very cold. But unfortunately the winds do not blow through the house so the nights are still stuffy and hot indoors. The days are still pretty oppressive.

Yesterday a large demonstration of women drew near the Ultra-orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Mea Shearim. Police had to to come in to prevent violence. The ultra-orthodox Jews of that neighbourhood have put into effect a segregation of the street - men and women walk on opposite sides of the road. The Courts have declared this to be illegal and the women's rights group have demonstrated against this discrimination. But as we all expect, the ultra-orthodox will hold the day. They do not recognise the legitimacy of the State nor the govt (only the messiah may restore the state of Israel) so none of those rulings will affect them. Segregated buses are also in practice here in this area.

Sr. Justyna wrote from Poland to say she remembers with nostalgia the Holyland. She sent this photo of herself and her sister (living in Germany) who paid her a visit recently. The photo was taken in Płock in Old City near the convent Sr Justyna lives.

Eve of Simhat Torah

It's Simhat Torah tonight - that's the last and most important day of Sukkot. Literally it's the Feast of the Torah. That's when the Jews celebrate the gift of the Torah by God to Moses. It's a very happy feast and pagans are allowed to join in. Helicopters have been flying overhead since morning and security is extremely tight. All the City gates have been closed, as all the roads near the Old City. They estimate 10,000 Jews will congregate at the Wailing Wall this evening. I would love to go and join them but the crowd and the security has dampen my enthusiasm.

I wonder why we christians don't have a feast to celebrate God's Word. Well yes we have Bible Sunday which should be the 1st Sunday of Advent; but frankly hardly any diocese celebrates it at all. And of course you can always say that Christmas is our feast of God's Word coming among us. But it's coming as man, not as a book - something which Ecclesiastes and Baruch had prophesied. So how about it? Start celebrating the gift of the Bible with a group of friends, ask your parish priest to start something, or your prayer group.

Below is the Priestly Blessing at the Wailing Wall on Sunday morning. The priests are those standing closest to the Wall, covered by their prayer shawls, with hands extended and moving side to side in blessing. The cantor sings word by word and the priests repeat after him. The video is pretty jerking - taken from the buildings up across the Wailing Wall. There's also a shot of the security blimp that's always floating above whenever there's a problem with security. At 0.48 see if you can spot me down below in the crowds!!!!



Here's another shorter video clip taken from below. Between 0.10 and 0.13 maybe you can spot me ... directly below the huge black speaker/scaffolding.

Chol Hamoed

This morning I had to rush off to the Rosary Sisters' convent to send off Sr Laura and friend. Had to make sure they left safe and sound on the right shurut (minibus shuttle to the airport). Rushed home because Jadallah wanted to bring me to Mishor Adummim to buy bookshelves. That's the Jewish settlement in the middle of the desert just before you reach Jericho. It's amazing to find a huge city surrounded by miles of desert mountains. No ... they didn't have the bookshelves I wanted, but I found out (actually I saw) that the ancient ruins of St Euthymius's monastery are right next to this shopping mall. It was one of the largest desert monasteries in the 5th century, founded by St Euthymius and his tomb is right in the middle of the complex. Very impressive. Of course all that remains today are foundations and parts of walls. And further down the road is the ruin of St Martyrius' Monastery ... an even bigger cenobitic complex of the Byzantine era. The monks who lived out here in the desert must have been very brave - not just living a penitential life, eating only bread, dates and water; but also to suffer the constant arab raids on their monasteries.

As I walked home down our lane, shop-keepers called me over to tell me the dreadful news that the guy who sold freshly-squeezed orange juice in front of the Lutheran Church (near the Holy Sepulchre) was found dead yesterday. His body was mutilated and thrown some 6 kms away near the Kalandia checkpoint that leads to Ramallah. Everyone was very shocked by this. I went home to tell the rest of our guys and they too were shocked. Violence, reprisals, dangerous gossip always lead to a death. Yesterday night two muslim families behind our place also got into an argument. We think someone will die as a result. It almost always does. Honour killing, they call it.

Thousands of Jews continue to flock into the Old City during this period known as Chol HaMoed - the intermediate days between the 1st and 8th Day of Sukkot. They bring their 4 species (citron, myrtle, palm and willow branches) to the Wailing Wall to pray. Then they join guided tours led by yeshiva students to visit the muslim and christian quarters. Arab shop-owners try to get out of trouble by closing their shops early. Soldiers and police every 5 meters apart!

And after umpteen years living here, the shop attendant who sells fruit at the corner of Damascus Gate finally smiled at me and asked "How are you?" this evening as I passed by to bring medicine and stuff to Motehr Theresa's sisters. You can imagine I've been passing by that shop everyday, buying fruit there every other week, and there is no smile, no how are yous. It's always "5 shekels one kilo". Slap, bang in a plastic bag, payup and get lost. Hmmmm things are changing I see. A little customer service to pep up the sales.

Priestly Blessing

This morning immediately after Mass, Matteo and I ran off to the Wailing Wall for the Priestly Blessing - that is the blessing of Aaron the first High Priest. Unfortunately the piazza was already emptying out - it had just finished. What a disappointment. The two Grand Rabbis and lots of govt. people had come for the blessing by the descendents of the Jewish priesthood - those whose surname is "Cohen".

But I knew there would be a 2nd blessing at 9am so I went back, this time with Massimo Luca. The prayer started 5 minutes after 9. It was very emotional, profound and humbling. It was like being transported back 2000 years to the time when the Temple still stood and the high priest would have made the blessing. The Chazzan (cantor) sang each word and all the priests present repeated it. They were covered by their prayer shawls (tallit) with both arms extended in blessing. I remembered all of you and prayed that God's blessing through the ancient tribe of priests would rest on you for the rest of the year. It was a very very beautiful experience.

From there I went out to the supermarket to buy some veggies, then some toiletries before getting home for lunch. I'm eating whole-grain pasta now - which is good for me. I bought them from the supermarket. It's a bit steep, but since I get to eat something wholesome for a meal twice a week, why not? Met my former student Lorenzo in the lovely new shopping mall in front of the Sisters of St Vincent de Paul Convent. The sisters just celebrated 400 years of founding of their congregation by St. Vincent de Paul. I forgot to wish the sisters (whom some of you have been sponsoring - the orphanage on Bethpage) a happy feastday. Anyway Lorenzo looked good and happy - he put on some weight which is a good sign. He was terribly underweight and depressed because of studies but I think he's picked up his confidence now.

After lunch I went out with Jadallah our janitor to look for an indoor aircon unit. Last night the humidity and heatwave was so bad I slept on the open terrace for 4 hours. The dean told me this morning that I have to get the aircon otherwise I'll get sick sleeping outdoors every night. Well just my luck. All sold out - in ALL of Jerusalem!!! That's how hot it is!!! Got home but stopped to buy some tangerines (kalamantin in arabic) to quench my thirst this week.

In the afternoon Benedetto, another student came to see me. We had a nice chat - actually refreshing his memory on some things he learnt last week. He also helped put some semblance of order to my room - I was filing all my notes so researching would be easier.

This morning's reading was very interesting and Fr Lino preached a nice sermon. He reminded us that Dives, the rich man in the Gospel parable, was not in hell because he was rich but because he did not share his riches. Being rich is ok. Sharing is the key to heaven. Sharing expresses love of neighbour. So have you been sharing lately? Sharing your time, talents, an ear, a shoulder to lean on, a hug to comfort, and yes even your money to the poor?

Introducing our sisters

So you've met our two resident nuns: Sr Aquila and Sr. Vicenta. They care for the chapels and kitchen. Sr. Aquila will soon be leaving us as she was sent here only as a temporary substitute. They belong to the Our Lady of Mercy Congregation, better known today as St. Faustina's congregation.

That's Sr. Vicenta on the left and Sr. Aquila on the right preparing dinner for us.

Still preparing dinner .....


If Srs. Justyna, Philippa and Hieronyma are watching this, I hope these photos bring back some nice memories of the Flagellation!