Experience in El Salvador by the Postulants Nancy and Andrea

First Christmas in Jerusalem Its our first Christmas in Jerusalem. For our evening mass we went to Shepherd’s field together with the whole community in Jerusalem–Sisters, Brothers, Associates, Volunteers, Friends–and the Central leadership Team (CLT). The mass was beautiful and we also sung some Christmas carols in different languages. After the mass we had our own (Novitiate) Christmas party. The party was filled with fun, games and gifts. Then for Christmas day, we had Mass and Lunch at the Guest House. The lunch was delicious and festive. After Christmas, we invited the CLT for lunch. We had a lovely lunch, Irish Coffee and fruit salad. The meal was very well prepared. We also had a good sharing. We shared about our apostolate in the Guest House and in Kehila (Hebrew speaking catholic community in Israel). Certainly our first Christmas in Jerusalem was beautiful and meaningful. written by Arlyne

The gospel passage starts with the census ordered by Augustus. So, Joseph and Mary, who lived at Nazareth, went to Bethlehem because they have to register during a Roman census. Augustus was the one who pacified the Empire. The birth of Jesus tells us that Jesus brought the real peace. It is good that people came for census so that they will know the savior, Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem in a manger. He was born in an ambiguous and wide-ranging power of the Empire. The angel of the Lord has told the shepherds to go where Jesus was born. This represents that He came for the sinners to save and to offer the world a far greater peace and love transcending all the limitations. The birth of Christ challenges us to reassess our priorities in life as well as our way of living. It is also a time for us to reflect the words of Jesus in the Sacred Scripture. Advent is a time of waiting. We are waiting for the coming of …

Rabbi Sacks THE LIGHT OF WAR AND THE LIGHT OF PEACE There is a law about Chanukah I find moving and profound. Maimonides writes that ‘the command of Chanukah lights is very precious. One who lacks the money to buy lights should sell something, or if necessary borrow, so as to be able to fulfil the mitzvah.’ The question then arises, What if, on Friday afternoon, you find yourself with only one candle? What do you light it as — a Shabbat candle or a Chanukah one? It can’t be both. Logic suggests that you should light it as a Chanukah candle. After all, there is no law that you have to sell or borrow to light lights for Shabbat. Yet the law is that, if faced with such a choice, you light it as a Shabbat light. Why? Listen to Maimonides: ‘The Shabbat light takes priority because it symbolises shalom bayit, domestic peace. And great is peace because the entire Torah was given in order to make peace in the world.’ Consider: Chanukah commemorates …

Hanukkah shares the Messianic spirit where the Light of the Torah shines. Hanukkah is a sign of Creation which began with light and ends when light ends, Isaja 30:26 the light the sign of creation and end of world.

Our house is full of Christmas carols and community activities, baking Christmas cookies, decorating the house inside and outside as we are preparing Our Hearts and the Decorations in Our House. This week we changed our volunteer work so that each of us now is with a different person. It is really a learning experience and a very good one for all of us; we are taking care of the children, which is different from what we have been doing so far in the Novitiate. All of us are busy. We had a very nice dinner at the Guest House, with all of the Sion Sisters in Jerusalem, to celebrate the birthday of Sr. Marge; it was good to see all of the sisters again. Sr. Juliana and Sr. Ivone went to “Rami Levy” to buy food for us and supplies for our Christmas biscuits. We will help Sr. Juliana, who is our Chef, to make them. They bought many things and someone commented, “That’s lot!” They responded, “We have a big family!” We had …