“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Luke 18:38).
As I write these lines, I ask Jesus Christ our Lord and God to bestow his mercy upon me and the rest of the world. It is a highly-disturbing struggle between global powers in military spending and the political/economic policies to reshape the boundaries of nations. Think of how China managed to become the 2nd global economic power in mere 10 years, and, with cheap labor yet fast learning in technology, was able to impose its presence in much of the world (Newsweek article on December 17, 2019 here). A new pact between Russia and China has emboldened their military and economic powers, not only in Asia, but also with other alliances from India and Pakistan that joined them in facing the West and particularly America (CNN report on December 3, 2019 here).
The TV Mass on Wednesday December 18, 2019 was celebrated by Thomas Cardinal Collins; Archbishop of Toronto here. In his homily one week before Christmas, he reflected upon the coming of the Lord in our world that brings the peace, the serenity, and the justice which is there in the heart of the kingdom. "We remember the first words of our Lord like those of St. John the Baptist the great prophet of advent: Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is near at hand." Cardinal Collins said that there is a harmony in the kingdom of God that is broken in us and is restored in the coming of the Lord. He also mentioned St. Joseph "the righteous and just man" He calls on us to receive the forgiveness of the Lord in the Sacrament of Confession (i.e. Reconciliation) in order to receive the body of Christ, in the state of grace, in the Eucharist.
On Sunday December 15, 2019, the Jesuit missionary, Fr. Henri Boulad gave a formidable homily in which he said that the coming of Christ fills our hearts with hope - In the Gospel, we read "[And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them."]. This hope, said Fr. Boulad, develops in the good news, in the miracles of Jesus Christ, the signs of times - The Seventh Day (Genesis 2:3) - It is still taking place with the certitude of faith that humanity finds in research, hospitals, and the increasing recognition of human dignity - This is Christmas that opens the kingdom of God...
In a talk with one of his students published on December 9, 2019 Bishop Robert Barron spoke about "Five Ways to Draw Young People Back to God" (here). In a meeting of the Bishops of the United States, Bishop Barron made some proposals in order to draw young people back to the Church. The first is to get them involved in social justice issues especially because young adults like to work for the poor and charities; the evangelization about saints admired by young people for their courage to defend the needy - Jesus himself defended the marginalized and demonstrated his love for the outcast; heroes include St. John Chrysostom and St. Jerome; and St. Thomas Aquinas ... and Dorothy Day in contemporary Catholic social work who also highly made prayer, the mystical life and the Eucharist priorities, and social teachings of Popes since Leo XIII up to Francis...; second: Give priority to beauty in the work of evangelization - see the beauty in icons, poems, literature, beautiful music, the great Cathedrals, the liturgy and the Mass...see also websites: Are they only text or do they have any compelling beautiful presence? third: education programs in dioceses and schools need to address questions of intellectual inquiry; fourth: After you have drawn young people to your church, start them on a course that would send them eventually in mission in the secular world; fifth: creatively use the social media...
Christians need to learn much of the above events and hope to prepare well for a really holy Christmas!
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Wednesday, December 11, 2019
Beauty
Beautiful sacred music is available here. I sent it to my son John Paul Farahat who earned a doctorate in the arts of music from the University of Toronto in June this year...He agrees that it is great sacred music. Byzantine chants can be found in this Divine Liturgy (Russian melody) here , and the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Toronto (Homsy choir) here. A most beautiful sermon of St. John Chrysostom on the Resurrection of Christ is sung or read by the choir in the Byzantine Churches every Easter (Listen here).
The beauty of God has been seen in Jesus Christ "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:6).
The greatest beauty in God's creation is found in Mary mother of Christ. On Monday December 9, 2019 the "Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the virgin Mary" was celebrated in many countries of the world - See here the Mass celebrated at the Basilica of National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio representing the Holy Father in Rome.
More lessons on the beauty of God can be found in the story of "The Tower of Babel" as explained in Genesis 11 in just a few verses. I asked a few scholars about it. The renowned Biblical scholar Msgr. Robert Nusca advised me to see Henri de Lubac's The Drama of Atheist Humanism, and comments on the Tower of Babel on pg. 320 and following. In the book, Henri de Lubac critiques the excesses of neo-liberalism and socialism especially during the communist era of the USSR inspired 'by the dictatorship of materialism. It is also found in the philosophy of Nietzsche (1844–1900) claiming the "death of God". In a homily on the meaning of "The Tower of Babel" in 2012, Pope Benedict XVI further said "The narrative of Pentecost in the Acts of the Apostles, which we heard in the First Reading (cf. Acts 2:1-11), contains against the background of one of the great frescoes we find at the beginning of the Old Testament: the ancient history of the construction of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). But what is Babel? It is the description of a kingdom in which men had concentrated so much power that they thought they no longer needed to rely on a distant God and that they were powerful enough to be able to build a way to heaven by themselves in order to open its gates and usurp God’s place." More can be found on the Vatican website here...In a 2018 public conversation between Professor William Lane Craig; an outstanding representative of America's Christian Protestant Tradition, and Bishop Robert Barron on the Catholic side, they both agreed on the priorities that face Christianity today in the fight waged by materialism and consumerism...The work by Jesuit Fr. Robert Spitzer was praised for his knowledge in both philosophy and science. Bishop Barron further showed the beauty of much of Christianity's tradition from the Fathers of the Eastern Churches and the more elaborate Roman Catholic Cathedrals and statues as well as the sacraments of the Church (see the conversation here). On beauty of God's creation see Bishop Barron's speech to crowds here. He spoke about harmony and splendour in St. Thomas Aquinas, Paul Claudel, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and John Henri Newman. For the beauty of God's creation in the dark cosmos, the reader may wish to read me here and here or better yet the summary of the above by Mrs. Maggie Ciskanik, Senior Writer associated with the Jesuit scientist Fr. Robert Spitzer (https://magiscenter.com/) here: Great resources for learning more about quantum theory (and its relationship to a Trinitarian God)
On Sunday December 8, the Jesuit missionary Fr. Henri Boulad spoke about John the Baptist who prepared the way for the light of Christ. The Baptist said to those who came to him ""I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Luke 3:16). In the great Cathedral of Chartres John the Baptist's figure is shown as "fire". He is the fiery one who paid the ultimate sacrifice when he opposed King Herod "For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife." (Matthew 14:3). The beauty of Christ our Lord is here when he submitted himself to be baptized by John the Baptist...And Fr. Boulad concludes "Convert everyday" for it is by your example that you may be able with the grace of God to change the world. There is so much spiritual beauty uttered by great mystics and saints. The reader is invited to read Saint Bernard of Clairvaux on the Four Loves here and to listen to the words of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in an interview on Irish TV in 1974 here.
As Msgr. Nusca and Fr. Henri Boulad are quite active, so are Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB (my spiritual director with whom I am in constant contact) and other highly-active priests too (among whom I appreciate the work of Fr. Rafic Greiche; pastor of St. Cyril's Greek Catholic parish in Heliopolis, Egypt).
May the Lord bless all Christian missionaries, help persecuted ones and revitalize dormant Christians!
The beauty of God has been seen in Jesus Christ "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Phil 2:6).
The greatest beauty in God's creation is found in Mary mother of Christ. On Monday December 9, 2019 the "Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the virgin Mary" was celebrated in many countries of the world - See here the Mass celebrated at the Basilica of National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio representing the Holy Father in Rome.
More lessons on the beauty of God can be found in the story of "The Tower of Babel" as explained in Genesis 11 in just a few verses. I asked a few scholars about it. The renowned Biblical scholar Msgr. Robert Nusca advised me to see Henri de Lubac's The Drama of Atheist Humanism, and comments on the Tower of Babel on pg. 320 and following. In the book, Henri de Lubac critiques the excesses of neo-liberalism and socialism especially during the communist era of the USSR inspired 'by the dictatorship of materialism. It is also found in the philosophy of Nietzsche (1844–1900) claiming the "death of God". In a homily on the meaning of "The Tower of Babel" in 2012, Pope Benedict XVI further said "The narrative of Pentecost in the Acts of the Apostles, which we heard in the First Reading (cf. Acts 2:1-11), contains against the background of one of the great frescoes we find at the beginning of the Old Testament: the ancient history of the construction of the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). But what is Babel? It is the description of a kingdom in which men had concentrated so much power that they thought they no longer needed to rely on a distant God and that they were powerful enough to be able to build a way to heaven by themselves in order to open its gates and usurp God’s place." More can be found on the Vatican website here...In a 2018 public conversation between Professor William Lane Craig; an outstanding representative of America's Christian Protestant Tradition, and Bishop Robert Barron on the Catholic side, they both agreed on the priorities that face Christianity today in the fight waged by materialism and consumerism...The work by Jesuit Fr. Robert Spitzer was praised for his knowledge in both philosophy and science. Bishop Barron further showed the beauty of much of Christianity's tradition from the Fathers of the Eastern Churches and the more elaborate Roman Catholic Cathedrals and statues as well as the sacraments of the Church (see the conversation here). On beauty of God's creation see Bishop Barron's speech to crowds here. He spoke about harmony and splendour in St. Thomas Aquinas, Paul Claudel, Hans Urs von Balthasar, Archbishop Fulton Sheen, and John Henri Newman. For the beauty of God's creation in the dark cosmos, the reader may wish to read me here and here or better yet the summary of the above by Mrs. Maggie Ciskanik, Senior Writer associated with the Jesuit scientist Fr. Robert Spitzer (https://magiscenter.com/) here: Great resources for learning more about quantum theory (and its relationship to a Trinitarian God)
On Sunday December 8, the Jesuit missionary Fr. Henri Boulad spoke about John the Baptist who prepared the way for the light of Christ. The Baptist said to those who came to him ""I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Luke 3:16). In the great Cathedral of Chartres John the Baptist's figure is shown as "fire". He is the fiery one who paid the ultimate sacrifice when he opposed King Herod "For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison, for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife." (Matthew 14:3). The beauty of Christ our Lord is here when he submitted himself to be baptized by John the Baptist...And Fr. Boulad concludes "Convert everyday" for it is by your example that you may be able with the grace of God to change the world. There is so much spiritual beauty uttered by great mystics and saints. The reader is invited to read Saint Bernard of Clairvaux on the Four Loves here and to listen to the words of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in an interview on Irish TV in 1974 here.
As Msgr. Nusca and Fr. Henri Boulad are quite active, so are Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB (my spiritual director with whom I am in constant contact) and other highly-active priests too (among whom I appreciate the work of Fr. Rafic Greiche; pastor of St. Cyril's Greek Catholic parish in Heliopolis, Egypt).
May the Lord bless all Christian missionaries, help persecuted ones and revitalize dormant Christians!
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 cosmos, and 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 théologie" gave 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?
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 cosmos, and 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 théologie" gave 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?
Monday, November 25, 2019
Christ the King
On Friday November 29, I attended the Mass at Holy Rosary parish in Toronto celebrated by Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB. In his homily, Fr. Callam, a Biblical scholar and a Thomist, interprets the first reading from the Book of Daniel (Dn 7:2-14) in terms of Daniel's nightly vision of four several beasts coming out of the sea, and symbolical of the Gentile powers judged in due time by "the Ancient of days". Daniel sees a ram with two horns (the Medes and the Persians) pushing victoriously towards the west, north and south, until it is struck by a he-goat (the Greeks) with a great horn (Alexander) between its eyes. This great horn is soon broken in its turn, and gives place to four others (the Greek kingdoms of Egypt, Syria, Macedonia, and Thrace), from one of which grows out a "little horn", namely Antiochus Epiphanes. "As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man. When he reached the Ancient of Days, and was presented before him, He received dominion, splendor, and kingship; all nations, peoples and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed." This is Christ the King of everlasting dominion which will be in splendor in the New Jerusalem. The Mighty One who is enthroned with the Lamb slain since the foundation of the world says "Behold I make all things new" (Revelation 21:5). It reminds us by René Girard, the late Christian philosopher who wrote the challenging books "Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World" and "I See Satan Fall Like Lightening." Bishop Robert Barron found in him a new Church father for our times (here, and here) - Read Girard here too where he wrote an important article on the truth of the Gospels in First Things. In February 2019, Bishop Barron was interviewed about the scapegoating mechanism that is taking place in social media - He reminded everyone of René Girard and his work on the scapegoat (here). In an article published in the Huff Post, Girard defends Pope Benedict XVI and his stand for the superiority of Christianity over Islam especially that Islam was already making in-roads into Europe when Girard was interviewed in 2005 by Nathan Gardels. The article was updated in 2011 - Read it here. In discussing Pope Benedict XVI, I am reminded by this greatest contemporary theologian's book "Introduction to Christianity" first published in 1968 and republished in 2004. It is the book that influenced the Biblical scholar Dr. Scott Hahn to become Catholic. I notice in the book, of which I have a hard copy, that Pope Benedict XVI praises yet another great visionary, the Jesuit scientist Teilhard de Chadin, for his thought on Man in evolutionary ideas. In my post here, the reader finds a complete chapter about the Jesuit visionary by Joseph Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI commenting on the Truth of the Resurrection of Christ which is incidentally the most important celebration in the Eastern Churches. See too an excerpt from Teilhard's beautiful Mass to God here.
Christ is the definitive Priest, Prophet, and King according to Bishop Robert Barron based on the Biblical data. Readers may wish to watch and share this fascinating talk (here) titled ["Priest, Prophet, King" Sample - Lesson 1"] by Bishop Robert Barron about Christ "The Anointed One" as Priest, Prophet and King. Christianity is not an ideology or a set of rules but a relationship with the One Christ. . Before any word was written in the New Testament, the Apostles and their disciples witnessed to the Risen Christ Jesus of Nazareth. The Gospel writers saw him in the writings of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the "Anointed Ones" were priests, prophets, and kings. In Paris, Chartres Cathedral has two windows: One shows the "Christs" of the Old Testament; while the other has the focus on "Christ Jesus the King" - You interpret the second window in terms of the first window. It is in Biblical history, starting with the story of Adam walking with God in the garden of Eden - Bishop Barron continued that the office of the priest is to unify earth with heaven. In the interpretation of the Fathers of the Church, Adam was acting as a priest (Genesis 2), Bereshit, “in the beginning.” Adam was also The first Temple in Jerusalem was decorated by many precious things that it symbolized the sacred cosmos where the entire creation worship the Eternal God and reflected the beauty and harmony of all creatures together, thus it unifies the three characters of beauty. See too this exceptional lecture to LA Religious Congress in 2018 by Bishop Robert Barron on beauty and harmony based on great teachers such as St. John of Damascus; a man who lived during the Ommayad Caliphate who rose against the Iconoclastics that were influenced by Islam, the beauty found in the Sistine Chapel, and in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris prior to the fire that destroyed one of its towers, the works of Paul Claudel, Thomas Merton, Jean-Marie Lustiger, and Hans Urs von Balthasar, and finally based on von Balthasar voluminous writings on finding the beauty and splendor of God from inside.
Since in the Roman Catholic Church, the celebration of Christ the King mostly refers to the cross on which Jesus was crucified "under Pontius Pilate" (Cf. the Apostles Creed). It read, “Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek." (John 19:19-20). In a lecture by Fr. Georges Farah given in Jesus the King parish at the "Elevation of the Holy Cross" in 2008, he commented on the way Pilate treated the silent Christ - He then challenged his audience "What do we do today? Are not we participants in this injustice for which Christ suffered death ? Are not we like Pilate when we do not care about the little brothers of Christ?" - My readers may wish to read the great lecture here.
In his homily on Sunday November 24, the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad spoke about Christ the King (here in French Le Christ-Roi, Soleil au cœur de l’homme ...). Fr. Boulad said the reign of Christ comes at the end of history...But there is more to it if we look to Christ since his birth...For there, the Gospel tells us of the Magi who came from the East to worship him as his star pointed to the King in the manger of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12). Fr. Boulad continued, the star is not a sign of "the king of the Jews" but a universal sign of that king who reigns in the soul - He is "the true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world." (John 1:9)...It is "every person" and not only the Jews. Christ came to witness to the Truth, which set us free...It is not in the star but in the conscience of everyone who sincerely seeks the Truth. Who will be in the kingdom of Christ? Not the Jews, and not Muslims, and not Christians and not atheists nor agnostics but only those who witness to his Truth...It is not in kings nor emperors nor presidents; for they are all passing...but to Him who is the king of the heart...Everyone who searches for the truth is in the light of Christ, whether scientists, philosophers, or researchers that look for ways to help heal our wounds, bodies and souls whether physically, psychologically, or spiritually. In his encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus pointed to her that worship of the Father is not located in Jerusalem or any other place; for "God is Spirit and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
Since Fr. Boulad spoke about the need to search for the truth that scientist attempt to see, I wish to share a couple of posts here. In October 2017, I wrote about discoveries of the "Quantum Universe" - I personally think that it is possible that the Father has been active in the entire cosmos through His Word and by the power of His Spirit. The Triune God of Christians created the entire existing cosmos or multiverses to reflect the eternal joy of self-giving from the Father to the Son and the Son to the Father bound by the love of the Holy Spirit. Thus the quantum effect in the cosmos continues to be explored in galaxies far away as much as in the sub-atomic particles. See it here...
With all humility I wish to share the following work...Since the end of July 2019, I had correspondence with Mrs. Maggie Ciskanik, the senior writer at the Magis Center (here), founded by Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. retired President of Gonzaga University, Washington. They have been interested in using some of the posts on quantum physics from my blog. On Monday September 3, I received from them a document written by Mrs. Maggie Siskanik titled
Christ is the definitive Priest, Prophet, and King according to Bishop Robert Barron based on the Biblical data. Readers may wish to watch and share this fascinating talk (here) titled ["Priest, Prophet, King" Sample - Lesson 1"] by Bishop Robert Barron about Christ "The Anointed One" as Priest, Prophet and King. Christianity is not an ideology or a set of rules but a relationship with the One Christ. . Before any word was written in the New Testament, the Apostles and their disciples witnessed to the Risen Christ Jesus of Nazareth. The Gospel writers saw him in the writings of the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, the "Anointed Ones" were priests, prophets, and kings. In Paris, Chartres Cathedral has two windows: One shows the "Christs" of the Old Testament; while the other has the focus on "Christ Jesus the King" - You interpret the second window in terms of the first window. It is in Biblical history, starting with the story of Adam walking with God in the garden of Eden - Bishop Barron continued that the office of the priest is to unify earth with heaven. In the interpretation of the Fathers of the Church, Adam was acting as a priest (Genesis 2), Bereshit, “in the beginning.” Adam was also The first Temple in Jerusalem was decorated by many precious things that it symbolized the sacred cosmos where the entire creation worship the Eternal God and reflected the beauty and harmony of all creatures together, thus it unifies the three characters of beauty. See too this exceptional lecture to LA Religious Congress in 2018 by Bishop Robert Barron on beauty and harmony based on great teachers such as St. John of Damascus; a man who lived during the Ommayad Caliphate who rose against the Iconoclastics that were influenced by Islam, the beauty found in the Sistine Chapel, and in the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris prior to the fire that destroyed one of its towers, the works of Paul Claudel, Thomas Merton, Jean-Marie Lustiger, and Hans Urs von Balthasar, and finally based on von Balthasar voluminous writings on finding the beauty and splendor of God from inside.
Since in the Roman Catholic Church, the celebration of Christ the King mostly refers to the cross on which Jesus was crucified "under Pontius Pilate" (Cf. the Apostles Creed). It read, “Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross; it read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek." (John 19:19-20). In a lecture by Fr. Georges Farah given in Jesus the King parish at the "Elevation of the Holy Cross" in 2008, he commented on the way Pilate treated the silent Christ - He then challenged his audience "What do we do today? Are not we participants in this injustice for which Christ suffered death ? Are not we like Pilate when we do not care about the little brothers of Christ?" - My readers may wish to read the great lecture here.
In his homily on Sunday November 24, the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad spoke about Christ the King (here in French Le Christ-Roi, Soleil au cœur de l’homme ...). Fr. Boulad said the reign of Christ comes at the end of history...But there is more to it if we look to Christ since his birth...For there, the Gospel tells us of the Magi who came from the East to worship him as his star pointed to the King in the manger of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12). Fr. Boulad continued, the star is not a sign of "the king of the Jews" but a universal sign of that king who reigns in the soul - He is "the true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world." (John 1:9)...It is "every person" and not only the Jews. Christ came to witness to the Truth, which set us free...It is not in the star but in the conscience of everyone who sincerely seeks the Truth. Who will be in the kingdom of Christ? Not the Jews, and not Muslims, and not Christians and not atheists nor agnostics but only those who witness to his Truth...It is not in kings nor emperors nor presidents; for they are all passing...but to Him who is the king of the heart...Everyone who searches for the truth is in the light of Christ, whether scientists, philosophers, or researchers that look for ways to help heal our wounds, bodies and souls whether physically, psychologically, or spiritually. In his encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus pointed to her that worship of the Father is not located in Jerusalem or any other place; for "God is Spirit and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
Since Fr. Boulad spoke about the need to search for the truth that scientist attempt to see, I wish to share a couple of posts here. In October 2017, I wrote about discoveries of the "Quantum Universe" - I personally think that it is possible that the Father has been active in the entire cosmos through His Word and by the power of His Spirit. The Triune God of Christians created the entire existing cosmos or multiverses to reflect the eternal joy of self-giving from the Father to the Son and the Son to the Father bound by the love of the Holy Spirit. Thus the quantum effect in the cosmos continues to be explored in galaxies far away as much as in the sub-atomic particles. See it here...
With all humility I wish to share the following work...Since the end of July 2019, I had correspondence with Mrs. Maggie Ciskanik, the senior writer at the Magis Center (here), founded by Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D. retired President of Gonzaga University, Washington. They have been interested in using some of the posts on quantum physics from my blog. On Monday September 3, I received from them a document written by Mrs. Maggie Siskanik titled
There is an enormous corpus of talks, articles, commentaries, and youtube presentations focusing on one of the strangest discoveries of the 20th century: quantum mechanics and its startling attendant features, the principles of uncertainty and superposition. When you consult the resources identified in this post by Mr. George Farahat, be prepared to increase your understanding of how quantum mechanics has changed our understanding of reality, and how it relates to theology.
Two phenomenal lectures by two outstanding professors in two countries have enlightened research about the vast cosmos we live in and its quantum fields that penetrate every creature on earth.
The first is a lecture given by Professor Leo Kowenhoven at Delft University in the Netherlands, 2015 (here). In his talk, Professor Kowenhoven shows how nature itself works through quantum processes. He uses the example of a plant leaf which takes the light of the Sun. Through quantum superposition, electrons find a way to efficiently bind to the oxygen molecule, a process essential for human life. He goes on to explain how “qbits” are necessary in building quantum computers and reveals that he and his team have already made these “quantum bits” in the lab. Some of the most interesting ideas come near the end of the talk (starting around the 11th minute) when he lists the big challenges that super quantum computers can help solve, such as: more efficient energy use and storage, better airplane design, optimization for robotics, machine learning, and the use of nanotechnology in healthcare.
The second lecture, “The Real Building Blocks of the Universe” was given by Professor David Tong at Cambridge University in 2017. In a brilliant summary of quantum theory, he reveals that there are 16 “fields” that interact in a “harmonious dance.” Along the way, Tong also discusses Einstein's Theory of General Relativity (space-time flow), J. J. Thomson's discovery of the electron, Ernest Rutherford's model of the atom (a nucleus made of protons and neutrons with the lighter electrons moving around it), Faraday's discovery of electromagnetism, James Clerk Maxwell's work, Schrodinger's Wave-Particle Equation, Heisenberg's Principle of Uncertainty, and the thought-experiments of Albert Einstein, Boris Podolsky, and Nathan Rosen.
Black holes and quantum theory
A great explanation of black holes, by a panel of experts found in this 2015 World Science Festival presentation, was delivered in the presence of the late British physicist and black hole expert, Professor Stephen Hawking. The presentation also explains the relationship between black holes and quantum theory.
Astonishment at quantum behaviour
In 1982, Alain Aspect and his team were able to experimentally prove that two photons emitted from the same atom will still be in contact tens of miles away. The reader may wish to listen to his lecture here, animated by his love for and “astonishment at” quantum behaviour.
Quantum theory and its relationship to a Trinitarian God
In the printed word, much of the material written by Sir John Polkinghorne, retired professor of mathematical physics at Cambridge University, is very informative and insightful. In one of his latest books, “Quantum Physics and Theology” (2008), he comments on how “relationship” is being discovered even at the subnuclear level:
“Quantum theory brought to light a remarkable form of entanglement between subatomic particles that have once interacted with each other (the so-called EPR effect), which implies that they remain effectively a single system however far they may subsequently separate spatially—a counterintuitive togetherness-in-separation that has been abundantly confirmed experimentally as a property of nature. The physical world looks more and more like a universe that would be the fitting creation of the trinitarian God, the One whose deepest reality is relational.” -Sir John Polkinghorne
Dr. Stephen Barr has written extensively on the relationship of quantum physics and theology as well. (See, for example, his article in First Things here).
What can we conclude?
The above resources reveal and help explain the 2 most important observations in quantum physics:
1. The probabilistic nature of particles which yields the Uncertainty Principle
2. The communication between particles at long distances (quantum entanglement)
From 2 above, we can say that everything must be in a relationship. In Christianity, the concept that God is relatedness or relational is found not only in Holy Scriptures (see for example 1 John 4:8; John 10:30; Col 1:15-19; Phil 2: 6-11; John 15), but also in doctors of the Church like St. Thomas Aquinas and, in our days, Bishop of Rome Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.
If this is true, then we can say that the cosmos is signed by the stamp of the Triune God of Christians.
George Farahat holds a Masters degree in Information Systems and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. He is a retired systems analyst who now uses his time to pursue numerous interests which include Biblical theology, anthropology, history of civilizations, and information technology. He regularly shares his insights on his blogspot Today’s Questions. The original post can be found here.
Of course, I can only thank God for having used my writings for the missionaries of Christ today...
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Blessed Teenager Carlo Acutis and The Miracles of The Eucharist
Carlo Acutis; a Brazilian teenager who died of leukemia at age 15 in 2006 was known for his unshaken faith before he died. He was declared venerable in 2018. The beatification of this young “computer geek” is now expected - One of Carlo’s most significant computer ventures was cataloguing all the Eucharistic miracles of the world.
See his catalogue of the Eucharistic Miracles here:
http://www.miracolieucaristici.org/See his catalogue of the Eucharistic Miracles here:
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