Today's Wisdom

Those who do not pass from the experience of the cross to the truth of the resurrection condemn themselves to despair! For we cannot encounter God without first crucifying our narrow notions of a god who reflects only our own understanding of omnipotence and power
Pope Francis

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Is there any Peace with the New Kings of the Earth ?

Christ is the light of nations."In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men" (John 1:4)

On Sunday December 1, Msgr. Robert Nusca pastor of Holy Rosary parish gave a sermon on the importance of following Christ who will appear at the end of the age found in the Book of Revelation as the elect sing "Amen. Come Lord Jesus" (here). The Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad spoke here about being attentive and always watch around. The Second Vatican Council invites us to discern the signs of the times. We need to watch what is taking place in the political world around us ...But we are not attentive to everything outside us and inside us. We are distracted to events and things that are not essential to our lives, by means of the Internet and the media accessible with our little smart phones, and at the same time, we can naturally live what we understand. It is life that matters. Where is going to ? We lack the inner experience in life...What matters is action - "let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy - let us conduct ourselves properly as in the day, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and lust, not in rivalry and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh." (Romans, 13:11-14). Words are not enough. "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?" (James2:14).  Other active priests in Egypt are Fr. Rafic Greiche pastor of St. Cyril's parish in Heliopolis, Egypt whose care of the parishioners and families earned him the admiration and participation of many in his outstanding formation of generations in the Byzantine tradition within  the Catholic Church. In recent weeks, the administrative skills of the Franciscan  priest and friend Fr. Pio Edmond Farah were sought to assist in Bishop George Bakar at the Greek Melkite Catholic Patriarchate in Egypt. The above reminds me of the renowned Homsy choir that started many year ago in Egypt (see this video here) and continues in Toronto under the leadership today of Pierrot Homsy (see this video here at the Byzantine Cathedral of the Transfiguration).  Basing his talk on Advent about the Prophet Isaiah, Bishop Robert Barron spoke here about the highest mountain."Jesus came and will come at the end of the age - He wants to come and stay at your house as he did with Zacchaeus two thousand years ago." he said. He asked "What is the highest mountain or the highest value in your life". These are important questions for our generations...On Advent 2015, Fr. Daniel Callam gave a powerful homily where he compares Scriptures and Tradition in so many cultures, forms and times. It is found here. On December 4, 2019, Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. spoke about making Advent a meaningful joy for everyone, a peaceful event, and a new internal life to reflect the beauty of Christ. Listen to him here. I recall also the great lecture by Fr. Georges Farah, MSP at the celebration of the "Exaltation of the Cross" in September 2008. There Fr. Farah showed the sarcasm of Pilate when he asked Jesus "Are you king?" - Who is our king today? Is it money, pleasure, fame or something else? See the lecture here...
And I had a dream of the beautiful creation of God in all things - "For in [Christ] all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him." (Colossians 1:16). The sacred cosmosand all that lives in it, are guided by the Spirit of God who inspires the visionary in the Book of Revelation to him who is "the Alpha and the Omega" - the Eternal One. There is much recent activity reported in the Solar system that I wish to share. See them here, here, and here. In his eschatological vision, the French Jesuit priest and scientist Teilhard de Chardin wrote his Mass of the Cosmos (see it here). Teilhard was a friend of the giant Jesuit Henri de Lubac whose "ressourcement" or "nouvelle théologiegave rise to renewal in the Second Vatican Council and beyond it.  Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) praised Teilhard in his remarkable book "Introduction to Christianity". In July 2009, Pope Benedict XVI cited Teilhard's vision of the cosmos as a "living host" (reported by NCR here). Henri de Lubac continues to be a reference for his thought. In a recent discussion with scholars about the significance of the Biblical story of "The Tower of Babel", Msgr. Robert Nusca advised me to read Henri de Lubac's book "The Drama of Atheist Humanism, and comments on the Tower of Babel on pg. 320 and following. I found this section full of knowledgeable answers to today's questions raised by neo-liberalism in most democracies, and taken for-granted in dictatorial regimes.

The above-mentioned scholars opened much-needed political discussions and reports...In view of the light thrown by the late Christian philosopher René Girard about the mechanisms of mimetic desire, and the scapegoat, the political situation and strategies of today's conflicts can be analyzed - See what Bishop Barron said recently about Girard here. See too how Girard critiqued Freud in his psychoanalysis found in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy here. Girard, who was appointed  a member of the renowned Académie française, was discussed in many conferences (here for example) and his books include the much-discussed Things Hidden since the Foundation of the World (1978) and I See Satan Fall Like Lightning (2001)...
Is there any Peace with the New Kings of the Earth ? The question is asked frequently in the wake of a few reports. First, see here a recent episode on October 7, 2019 of Uncommon Knowledge, where Peter Robinson was joined by author and columnist Douglas Murray to discuss his new book The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity. Murray examines the most divisive issues today, including sexuality, gender, and technology, and how new culture wars are playing out everywhere in the name of social justice, identity politics, and intersectionality. Is European culture and society in a death spiral caused by immigration and assimilation? Robinson and Murray also discuss the roles that Brexit and the rise of populism in European politics play in writing immigration laws across the European Union. Second, CNBC published this report on December 4 regarding the new bold move by Russia and China to face up to the threat of the West and contain it. Russia will supply China with Natural Gas while China will pass its new technology to Russia...In their challenge to the military and economic supremacy of America, Russia, and China are also making themselves "the new Gods" or kings of the Earth...It is now important to see who do we really worship! Do we worship Christ?

Today's Quote

"Behold I make all things new." (Revelation 21:5)







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