Author: Juliana

“In Sion Firmata Sum”

News and greetings, June 23rd, 2019 was the day we sent out the letter of an initiative presented by the Congregational Novitiate Formation Team. and 23 sisters and friends of Sion joined the initiative to make a difference in our daily living. The “pact” we invited to, called us at this point to commit ourselves to live deeply one day a week as a day of “praise and thanksgiving”. This could mean to turn off our gadgets, slow down, notice, listen to the word, enjoy one another, do something creative… Some month’s later the world experienced a lock down in many countries because of the corona virus which interrupted all work, social and interactive daily life. We were forced, to keep physical distance and wear face masks and gloves to protect oneself and others. The Pandemic took hold of our life’s. In looking back over the time I was keeping the pact of “Praise and Thanksgiving“ during this year, which interrupted my lifestyle to some degree, I would like to share what I learned. I …

Lockdown and Easter 2020

In this time of lockdown, the Coronavirus has forced the cancellation of events and this situation calls us to change our life to a greater understanding of life’s reality, maybe to the understanding that we are not made of permanency. And so how do we live this time of uncertainty, of interacting with restrictions? Inside our Convent in Ein Karem we are interacting very little, remembering to keep the two meters distance between us, which is not always easy to remember. Our daily routine of prayer, mass via media streaming, daily duties of cooking, we do little shopping, but when necessary we go for milk, fruit and vegetables. I am the lucky one because my Hebrew lessons continue via Zoom with lots of homework to do. Our daily prayer becomes a zoom opportunity as Ania in Poland and Therese in Ireland, also Rose Theresa and Maureena participate with us in this media way of connecting and praying together. One Friday we celebrated the beginning of Shabbat together with Maureena who came to join us. The …

Hanukkah and Christmas

This reflection can invite us to listen to how these two feasts echo one another. Light… for Hanukkah is celebrated with lights, eight small flames that are lit on each of the feast’s eight days. Already Flavius Josephus called Hanukkah “the lights”, because the victory of the Maccabeans manifested the victory of light over darkness; and St. Jerome takes up this interpretation for his own purposes in his commentary on Jn 10:22, when he says: “the light of freedom”. In rabbinic tradition, it is the victory of the Torah (“a lamp for my steps, a light on my path”) over the darkness of the Greek empire’s paganism, which forbade the Torah. The Temple… for Hanukkah remembers the “dedication” (which is what the word “Hanukkah” means) of the Temple after its desecration by the Greek empire (cf. 1 Macc 4:36-61 and 2 Macc 10:1-6). The Jewish commentaries on this feast strongly emphasize the significance of the Temple as God’s dwelling place in the midst of God’s people, whence the great importance that was given to its …

Serve to be a better servant

Well, in this article I will tell you about the joy I had when I started my volunteer work here in Israel. I hope that one day everyone will be doing some volunteer work in the world. This would have great benefits for humanity: we would be more supportive, charitable to each other and loving to everyone. The actions carried out by the volunteer work, more than solidarity works, are acts of social inclusion and citizen education. Through volunteering, which does not require complex actions or of great repercussion, but simple and efficient acts, any person who makes herself available to others, has the ability to develop a task and can promote social inclusion. In addition to social importance, experience and personal satisfaction, volunteer work also makes us recover values (gratitude) that are sometimes lost in our society. I started working as a volunteer when I was still a 12 year old teenager, my aunt taught catechism in a parish on the suburbs of my city, and had children who had difficulties with writing, so …

Letter from St. John in Montana, 09/2019

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Before us are the High Holidays with Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the New Year, Yom Kippur in recalling the unique day when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holiness and the congregation was ready to receive the pardon of God. Then at the feast of Sukkot the accumulation of joy (Isa: 55:6-7) is celebrated. During these last weeks, Juliana and Erika emphasized the reading and sharing the Story of Sion and the Spirit of openness and commitment to the church through the reading of the books,  Origins of Sion. Erika is taking one day of Volunteer work at the soup kitchen or as it is called here, “The Restaurant”. This is where street people who cannot afford a daily meal are served six days a week a hot and cooked meal sponsored by the different restaurants and hotels in Jerusalem. The food is already prepared by midday and brought to the restaurant for the people in need. Also Erika will begin her apostolic stage in her Formation from December …

Give thanks unto the LORD

“Give thanks unto the LORD; give honour unto his name, speaking of his doings among the people.” (1Chronicles 16:8) I am sheep! I am completing one year here in the Holy Land – and I have much to thank and praise God, who gave me people who contributed to my personal and spiritual growth, so that I could complete this time. Today I praise God! for this achievement, with Psalm 23, that one of my favourites! This text brought to my heart a retrospective of these 365 days, made me look back a year in my history. And to perceive me as a sheep that is going through the shepherd’s care. The Lord is my shepherd; (Psalm 23:1) God you are my King, you know everything about me, when I lie down when you wake me, you are always shepherding me. “My Shepherd is good, and puts all his benefits at my disposal, so that I do not fall, but if I stumble on the stones along the way He will carry me in His …

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 …