Dark Matter

I received on February 15, 2015 this picture of martyred Christians in one of Nigeria's churches. The picture, with a message attributed to a Spanish priest named Juan Carlos Martos, could not be independently authenticated but confirms reports by BBC and NBC that the Islamic terrorists Boko Haram have already killed many Christians and are endangering the lives of 200,000 more in Maiduguri in North East Nigeria (see reports here and here).

This follows two deadly attacks Sat.Feb. 14 in Copenhagen, Denmark in which two persons were killed and 5 police officers were wounded. BBC reported here that the head of Danish Intelligence indicated the high possibility that the attack was inspired by the attack on Hebdo in Paris which killed 17 people in January. Of particular significance is the fact that the perpetrator, shot dead by the police when found, targeted the Jewish community and the Danish cartoonist who has been threatened by Muslim fanatics since he first drew a caricature of Islam's founder in the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten in 2005.

On Sunday Feb. 15, the militant Islamic State (ISIS or IS) killed 21 Christian Egyptians in Libya which drew immediate condemnation from governments around the world while Egypt declared a week of mourning and sent its aircraft forces to discipline the Islamists in Libya for their daring challenge. It is significant that the IS speaker vowed to conquer Rome (the See of the papacy and the center of world Catholics) uttering to the "Crusaders" that safety of Christians and the liberal West will be only wishes. The Italian government announced it will participate in the war against Jihadists...How much more patience is there in the hearts of peace-loving people to sustain human injustice?

And finally, the Canadian Supreme Court made news by ruling to give parliament one year in order to strike down any life left in the law of assisting Canadians by health professionals to commit suicide. Many Church leaders found this ruling immoral. In Mass at the Holy Rosary Church, Professor Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB, who taught at the University of St. Thomas in Texas, addressed the issue from the arguments raised by Blessed John Henry Newman (the mind behind the Oxford movement in 19th century England who converted to Catholicism and who influenced Vatican II on the "Development of Doctrine"). Fr. Callam observed the radicalism of subordinating the moral law to human-made law.

On Saturday too I spoke with another great mind, Fr. George Farah, who did study and teach Nietzsche, the father of postmodern atheism, along with other philosophy courses he taught to university students. Fr. Farah predicted the apocalypse of most living humans in the complex raging wars in economic and military confrontations between nations. But then who will triumph?

But above all I was reminded by "Dark Matter" which in scientific definition means matter in the universe that cannot be seen by strong telescopes due to lack of light yet hypothetically accounts for most matter in the universe.  In ancient thought, dark things represented Satan and Satanic influence. In a recent exchange by email with the Jesuit scholar, Fr. Henri Boulad, the deep question of the reality of Satan was raised following his recent homily (in French here). He said in his homily that the ancient translations of the Lord's Prayer plead with the Father to 'deliver us from the Evil One' and not as we now get it translated 'Deliver us from evil'. He continued to show the example of Job in the Old Testament tempted and accused by Satan in the court of Heaven because Job was a man of great righteousness. Henri Boulad found my reply that the Devil exists to be most interesting which may require further discussion (see my reply here). It is the teaching of the Church that the Devil exists. This is supported by violent evil that exceeds human power and intelligence in the modern world. Henri Boulad. S.J.  had said in a May 2013 homily that the "Prince of Darkness" attempted many times to crash Christ into his slavery (homily here in French). In the same homily using Biblical references employed by Teilhard de Chardin, S.J.  Fr. Boulad talked about Jesus the Alpha and Omega whose death and resurrection restored life to man. In the slavery of Satan religion itself could lead to atheism (See Fr. Henri Boulad - whose mission is to change the world to the truth of Christ -interviewed in Toronto here.)

Was Pope Francis predicting a Third World War when he spoke last year about increasing violence and the spread of wars?  Did he mean Satanic influence? How can Christians help him in restoring the hope of peace in Christ our God and Lord? Can we do anything, probably by prayer (e.g the Akathist hymns), meditations and charitable work for the poor in Syria, Iraq and Africa as Lent is here?

Let us think of one Biblical word: St. Paul said to Corinthians "Imitate me as I imitate Christ" (1 Cor 10: 31).Let us pray. Think of Jesus, the Alpha and Omega for he will lead humanity to eternal victory. "He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne" said Christ in Revelation (Revelation 3: 21).