Saturday, July 9th

The big news for the day so far is that a fire combusted in the plot next to the Jesuit Centre because of the extreme heat and they dry plants. It had moved across the vacant parcel to our property and was stopped by the stone wall. With fire extinguisher in hand, I sought to put out the blaze, and fortunately the fire department was already there. The big damage would have been done to our bees that harvest honey, but they seem active and unaffected. The bees also help to pollinate the fruit trees and flowers in the Jesuit Garden.

Today is part of the Eid (party) that commemorates Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac but spares his son's life when a ram is caught in a thicket. On this day, lambs are slaughtered are are used for the three-day feasts. I want to do a little more research into the Islamic customs around the tradition.

I'm emerging from an awful jet lag. I'm on Day 4 so this will probably be the last day of the great tiredness. It is as if every cell in the body is begging for sleep and cannot get it. I had just lay down for a nap when I had to get the fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.

Morning mass had 18-20 church-goers so it was quite full. There are a number of women religious orders and some faithful Catholics who live fairly nearby. It was good to see mass so full. The readings struck me in a way that I had not heard them before because I read it in the context of being a minority faith. 

I had a light breakfast. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to pouring milk for my cereal out of a box that has been sitting in a pantry closet for a week or so. The bread and vegetables are excellent and the chicken is prepared free of hormones. 

I'm in an international community of Jesuits: an Indian superior, the pastor is German, the treasurer is Lebanese, the Scholastic is Egyptian, and yet we are all Jesuits. 

I'll try to get a nap and then I'll celebrate Mass at St. Mary's Sweifieh in Abdoun later this evening. If God blesses me with a nap, I'll then do a little bit of painting.