Month: December 2018

Letter from Saint John in Montana, 12/2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters, News on Nationalism and its fear of differences or 18 NGOs having to leave Pakistan as Pakistan is currently tightening its actions against Christian and secular aid agencies. Anti-Semitic Hate Crimes in Canada are up 60% with 360 reported incidents in 2017. All these realities cannot hinder the light to shine. We studied with Anne Catherine the feast of Chanukah and Christmas and learned that the two minor feasts in Judaism are Chanukah and Purim with both speaking about persecution. In the feast of Purim, the exiled Israelites are being treated badly in an effort to eliminate them. This all takes place by means of a degree sent out by the wicked Haman, councilor of King Ahasueru (presumed to be Xerxes I or Artaxerxes I of Persia). Here the goal is to destroy the physical people of Israel. It is then that the persecuted take revenge when the persecutor becomes the persecuted. In the Feast of Chanukah, the Greek wanted to kill the soul of the people of Israel. Here we …

Pilgrimage to Bethlehem in Galilee

Last Sunday, December 16th, we, Juliana, Iula, Erica, Helen and myself, made a pilgrimage to Bethlehem of Galilee. After a deep study on the subject: Is not Bethlehem of Galilee mentioned several times in the Bible?  The town was part of Zebulun region, as described in Joshua:19,15. We wanted to see what happened with this ancient city. Are there any Christian traces which could enable us to perhaps think that it is the Bethlehem where Jesus was born? So we really felt like pioners exploring something very unusual. It was a very real emotion when we approached the place and saw the sign: בית לחם הגלילית. It was not a dream, it has existed until now. When we arrived, we discovered the Israeli Jewish village (a moshav), an agriculture village. No one was around. A house was indicated as office. We entered and a man gave us a history of the moshav and its activities, but nothing on the past. By chance we met an elder woman, Sara and she told us, “My husband (Yaron) knows …

The best gift!

Few days ago, when I saw the schedule for the next week, I was so happy to see that ‘Bethlehem trip’ was written down on the agenda. In my happiness, I forgot to think about a gift. I was going to visit my friends Mary and Joseph and their new baby, Jesus who is also my friend. How could I go to visit them if I did not have a gift to bring? The day arrived when we were to go to Bethlehem. I was so agitated. I left the house with empty hands, thinking what my friends Mary, Joseph and Jesus would say about my negligence. During the journey I was thinking what excuse I could have. At the same time, I hoped that maybe I could find a shop in Bethlehem where I could buy some clothes, toys, sweets or flowers for Mary. No store in Bethlehem had a perfect gift for them. I was so disappointed. When I got to their house, I saw that others had come to see the newborn …

The Horizon Lights

This is my fourth article, I have been in Israel for 92 days and now I am going to celebrate the feast of Hanukkah. Jews celebrate the victory of light over darkness, honesty over dishonesty and a deeper spirituality over materialism. This commemoration marks the struggle of the Jews against their oppressors for the right to practice their religion freely. Sr. Anne Catherine spoke to us about this celebration and its importance for Judaism. It was after this class that I was thinking about the meaning of the candles and the message that each one arouses in us. For myself, each flame has a message for the Jews and for the world. For me the first one tells me about FAITH. By faith the people of Israel stood firm in their fidelity to God. The second candle may be the DEDICATIO. The Maccabees, fought for their religious freedom, reaping an impressive victory against the powerful army in the ancient world. After three years, they reconquered Jerusalem, rededicated the Temple and lit the candlestick with the …

Joy and Community

After a few days of rest on my arrival in Jerusalem, we finally began this adventure of living together in community. We started by spending some time Identifying and assimilating our differences as a group: cultural, generational and those of personality. But at the same time, we thanked God for each of these contrasts for they enrich our community. Then we began to explore the land. Our first excursion was to the house of Marta, Maria and Lázaro in Bethany, where we somehow identified with the feeling of ‘home’ that Jesus must have felt, each time he rested there during his travel A very deep moment was when we were able to enter the tomb of Lazarus. There we had the space to share the Word of God, pray and in silence reflect together. Somehow we felt very close to that man, Jesus’ friend, whom he loved, and who left the grave for a new life. Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”… …