'An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign shall be given to it except the sign of Jonah.' Jesus said to those who cared to listen to him (Matthew 16: 4). This was a warning to members of our generation that do not listen as they are too preoccupied with their own things. On the micro level we see it in the divided family, in divorce, and in the lack of commitment to Christianity's civilization in most of the world countries. In his homily at Mass this past Sunday July 21, the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad commented on the reception of Jesus by Mary and Martha sisters of Lazarus - Mary was listening to Jesus while Martha was preoccupied with preparing the meal for them (Luke 10: 38-42). Nothing is wrong with work, but Fr. Boulad makes the point that the physical presence with the other opens the channels of love. He warned parents that they are too preoccupied with their work and at home that they leave no time for a real encounter of love and listening to their children who come home from school with stories they wish to share with their parents but find no listening ear. Everyone seems busy with his little iphone at the table while we are supposed to be sharing our joy of being together. God also wishes that we give him some time. Fr. Boulad questions: Is God not so busy with bringing his creation to exist and grow? Sure God is busy but he wishes to listen to you because he loves you. The division that we experience today at the domestic church (home) has its roots. Today most young adults are not ready to take 'the risk' of getting married - Here is a lecture that I gave in 2008 that may help the reader: Why Our Youths Are Not Getting Married Today: https://todayquestions.
On the macro-level, the world is experiencing much military friction and challenges: In Europe, notably in France, radical Islamists are working hard to implement Islamic "Sharia"started in the 7th century AD in the Arabian Peninsula. And some of them are here in Canada! On the other hand, it seems that the American President Donald Trump, in his patriotic defense of America, charged that the so-called "Squad" feminist Senates of the Democratic Party "hate America" and asked them to go back to their countries of origin. Among the "Squad" a leading voice is that of Ilham Omar, a Congress member and Muslim Somali whose "Anti-Semitic" remarks against the Jews, is considered a form of hatred. On Tuesday July 23, President Trump insisted he will add Minnesota to his win column in the 2020 presidential election because voters will side with him against the state’s far-left Democratic Rep. Ilham Omar, one of the four members of the so-called “Squad” he has been feuding with for days. “In 2016 I almost won Minnesota,” the president tweeted. “In 2020, because of America hating anti-Semite Rep. Omar, the fact that Minnesota is having its best economic year ever, I will win the State!”.
The conflict takes sharper shape with the threat of war between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Western Allies. Among the latest reports, The Daily Mail reported: "The Iranian intelligence and security forces released photographs and the names of some of people that are among the 17 on Monday; Their identities have not been verified by any other government; It came as President Trump denied that any CIA agents had been arrested; He accused Iran of lying because the country had become desperate; Iran claims to have arrested the spies sometime before March this year; It says it is only now publicizing their arrests as tensions with the West escalate; All of the 'suspects' are Iranian nationals who were 'lured' by 'US visa traps', the Iranians claim...; U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo retorted that Iran had a 'history of lying'; Middle East tensions have been rising for weeks amid a series of tanker attacks; They have spiraled again in recent days after Iran seized a UK-flagged vessel" (see https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7271681/Iran-claims-arrested-17-CIA-spies.html). A report in The Jerusalem Post noted the following: "Britain’s intelligence services MI6 and GCHQ are checking whether Iran used Russian GPS 'spoofing' technology, which produces incorrect location data, to send the British-flagged Stena mpero off course into Iranian waters. According to British media, the UK’s intelligence services think Iran might have used cyber penetration to send the ship off course into Iranian waters, thus giving the IRGC an excuse to seize it." (see: https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/MI6-fears-Iran-used-Russian-GPS-tech-to-send-UK-tanker-off-course-report-596535)
In its issue published on July 22, The Catholic Register reported that Mobs have killed 70 Christians in recent times accused of blasphemy in Pakistan (here). More on persecution of Christians at the hands of Islamic terrorists in Iraq was reported in the same issue of The Catholic Register here - In it, we learn that The Islamic State terrorist organization demanded Syriac Catholic Mar Behnam Monastery in Khidr monks to convert to Islam if they wish to be spared execution... Terrorists are still followed by the government in Egypt. See this report by Reuters: "We constantly review our security arrangements at all our airports around the world, and have suspended flights to Cairo for seven days as a precaution to allow for further assessment," British Airways said in a statement. Lufthansa later said it had cancelled its flights to Cairo on Saturday from Munich and Frankfurt and will resume its flights on Sunday. British Airways, a unit of IAG, also said that it would never operate an aircraft unless it was safe to do so. When asked for more details about why flights had been suspended and what security arrangements the airline was reviewing, a spokeswoman responded: "We never discuss matters of security." Three Egyptian airport security sources told Reuters that British staff had been checking security at Cairo airport on Wednesday and Thursday. They gave no further details. The British Foreign Office updated its travel advisory on Saturday to add a reference to the British Airways' suspension, advising travelers affected to contact the airline. Egypt's Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement late on Saturday that it had contacted the British Embassy in Cairo which had confirmed that the decision to suspend the flights was not issued by Britain's transport or foreign ministries. The Egyptian ministry added that it will add more flights from Cairo to London starting on Sunday "to facilitate transporting passengers during this period." The British government has long advised against all but essential travel by air to and from the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, where a Russian passenger jet was bombed in 2015, but has not issued similar warnings against air travel to and from Cairo. "There's a heightened risk of terrorism against aviation. Additional security measures are in place for flights departing from Egypt to the U.K.," the British advisory says. Tourism, a key source of foreign revenue for Egypt, has been recovering after tourist numbers dropped in the wake of a 2011 uprising and the 2015 bombing of the Russian jet, which killed all 224 people on board shortly after takeoff. That attack, which was claimed by Islamic State, prompted Russia to halt all flights to Egypt for several years and a number of countries including Britain to cease flights to Sharm el Sheikh, which have yet to resume.
Christians need to help persecuted Christian communities through donations to Christian organizations that can reach out to those persecuted and alleviate their suffering. We also need to help them in prayers as well as in support of Christian missionaries in the world where most people do not know the Gospel. This is true in the East as well as the West...Some organizations include CNEWA (Catholic Near East Welfare Association) and "Church in Need" as well as national Conferences of Catholic Bishops for the training of seminarians and the reach out to non-Christians.
The good news come from Toronto when on Sunday July 21, the Melkite Catholic parish celebrated the noon Divine Liturgy presided over by the former now retired Patriarchal General Vicar on the See of Jerusalem Most Reverend Archbishop Emeritus J. Jules Zerey. In the same Divine Liturgy, sung by the renowned Homsy choir, the parish celebrated the 22nd anniversary of priesthood of Reverend Ibrahim El-Haddad, BSO, Pastor of Jesus the King whose patron is the Prophet Elijah (St. Elias).
The reader may wish to read more about "The Richness of the Divine Liturgy in the Melkite Catholic Church" here https://todayquestions.
In his homily, the Archbishop spoke about our need to thank the Holy Spirit through whom the Blessed Virgin Mary became pregnant and delivered our Lord, Saviour, and God Jesus Christ. He emphasized the beauty of the Spirit of God who unites us in the one Body of Christ, the fellowship of saints received in the most excellent Sacrament of the Eucharist appropriately named the Mystery of Thanksgiving. In the Eucharist, the faithful who are in the state of grace receive the real body and blood of Jesus Christ. In August 2018, I wrote a post titled ["Give us this day our daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer] which reflects the significance of the Eucharist in "Give us this day our daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer. The interpretation is found in the Church Fathers and many Church Doctors as well as contemporary scholars. The reader may wish to read it here: https://todayquestions.
On the beauty of the Spirit of God, the Reader may wish to read mystical experience and writings. Here is one: What Made Rita of Cascia a Saint? https://todayquestions.blogspot.com/2017/05/what-made-rita-of-cascia-saint.html
We need the Holy Spirit today to bestow on us his gifts... Here: https://www.stjmod.com/7-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit.html
We also need the Holy Spirit to help us in achieving Christian Unity in Christ (Cf. John 17).
While we are busy with our little areas of work and interests, science continues to advance at a rapid pace in the era of advanced technology...Much has been achieved in Nano technology used in medicine, Quantum technology used in engineering, and Artificial Intelligence used in all kinds of queries, marketing, and business intelligence.
Here is an important interview with Sean Carroll at Caltech published on 10 Jul 2019.
You may wish to first read the summary below, then double-click the link here:
Sean Carroll is a theoretical physicist at Caltech, specializing in quantum mechanics, gravity, and cosmology. He is the author of several popular books: one on the arrow of time called From Eternity to Here, one on the Higgs boson called 'The Particle at the End of the Universe', and one on science and philosophy called 'The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself'.
Where does the above leave us ? Complex minds ? (the post here compares complex projects made through advanced technology to the human mind and its psychology: https://todayquestions.
Let us also ask the Holy Spirit to help us be fruitful in Christ "the true vine" (John 15); for the fruits of the Spirit are many - see https://aleteia.org/2019/06/06/are-there-9-or-12-fruits-of-the-holy-spirit/
And finally, let us thank the Holy Spirit for all the graces that he bestows on us; for he is the Spirit of God; the lover of mankind!
Where does the above leave us ? Complex minds ? (the post here compares complex projects made through advanced technology to the human mind and its psychology: https://todayquestions.
Let us also ask the Holy Spirit to help us be fruitful in Christ "the true vine" (John 15); for the fruits of the Spirit are many - see https://aleteia.org/2019/06/06/are-there-9-or-12-fruits-of-the-holy-spirit/
And finally, let us thank the Holy Spirit for all the graces that he bestows on us; for he is the Spirit of God; the lover of mankind!
