Democracy?

We call the U.S. and Canada (where I live) democracies. However I wish to show here that we are still living in dictatorships. Here are a few points for your consideration. Anyone is welcome to refute my points. 1. Who determines the appointments of the Supreme Court? 2. Who appoints the Senate? 3. When there are election campaigns as we have now in Canada for a new Federal government, how do ads of parties in the media portray the opponents? Do they adhere to a minimal ethics code? 4. Why is the U.S. divided between only two camps each trying to destroy the other (Liberals and Conservatives)? Why is Obama (or Sarah Palin) ridiculed out of proportion? 5. Why does each party get sponsored by radical groups or organizations that wish to benefit at the expense of its opponents (e.g. feminists, fundamentalists, large corporate elites)? Let's stick to the moral values if we wish to debate and to respect of human dignity if we wish to oppose others' positions. Is not that the basis for democracy?

Pray for Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI needs our prayers as pastor of the Catholic Church. His responsibilities call all of us to pray that he continues to inspire the Church by his leadership in the 21st century. This pope has influenced the development of faith in many areas notably in his insightful books about Jesus of Nazareth and his encyclicals on charity. The pontificate of Pope Benedict has witnessed a great movement of going forward in the proclamation of the Catholic faith. Many Anglican bishops and pastors along with their parishes have chosen to become Catholic as a response to his call in the past two years. Benedict XVI is considered a great theologian who published recently two books on the Saviour of humanity: Christ.

If you can, say a novena tonight for the Holy Father.

May God bless Pope Benedict XVI.

Abraham - Patriarch of Today's Nations

What is so magnificent about Abraham? Why would God want to create a covenant with Abraham? How does the example of this covenant help us today? Abram lived in Ur of the Chalde'ans (Babylon) about 2000 years before Christ. In Babylon, people worshiped a multitude of gods. As Abram exprienced the One true God, he had to flee for his life for he could not live securely in a place that became strange to him. This happens today too when people migrate to new countries for fear for their lives under regimes that impose restrictions on their freedom. Where there are wars people flee for peace. God educates us through the example of this man. You can flee to another country for your life but there is only one place that will satisfy your heart - the place/state chosen for you by your Father God. Abram followed God... God changed his name from Abram to Abraham when he called him out of Ur (See Genesis 11 and 12) – This is the way God deals with his beloved creatures. He named everyone of us because he knows his creatures not like us who know someone by his name or address but like a mother who knows her children affectionately, lovingly and deeply concerned about each of them. We cannot understand how much God loves, but we can only perceive his love as much as his gift/grace and our willful response to his grace allow us. Abraham simply allowed God to penetrate his life and transform him to a great father of many nations. Abraham obeyed God’s voice in his heart and walked with God to the land that God asked him to go to. This can be metaphoric for us as to whether we allow God to guide us in our journey on earth. None of us can be secure by himself/herself. We need a powerful lover. When we were kids we always depended on our parents to secure us psychologically and materially because we perceived and still perceive that they love us . If you read Abraham’s story in Genesis you will be impressed by his actions as a weak human person who is still loved by the Father of all. When Abraham had to go down to Egypt, he knew that his wife Sarah would attract the Egyptian king by her beauty even though she was old so Abraham said to Pharoe that Sarah was his sister. His lie was still forgiven! Dr. Hahn shows that God promised Abraham three things: to make Abraham a great nation (12:1); to give him a great name (12:2); and to make him the source of blessing for all the world (12:3). God later "upgrades" these three promises - turning them into divine covenants. God swears not only to make Abraham a great nation, He makes a covenant in which He promises to deliver Abraham’s descendants from oppression in an alien land and give them a specific territory of land (see Genesis 15:7-21). Not only will his name be great, but God by a covenant oath swears to make Abraham "father of a host of nations," a royal dynasty - "kings shall stem from you" (see Genesis 17:1-21)...God elevates His third promise by swearing to make Abraham’s descendants "as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore." In Abraham’s descendants "All the nations of the earth shall find blessing" (see Genesis 22:16-18). How did Abraham come to be the father of a host of nations? In Genesis, it is written that Sarah was barren yet God's oath made her pregnant from Abraham's seed. The child was named Isaac and grew to be the figure of the Lamb Christ. Isaac was to be sacrificed by his father. This is probably why Christ says that Abraham saw him (see John 8: 50). Abraham saw Christ in his son Isaac who offered himself as a sacrifice in the same way that Christ offered himself as a sacrifice. The meaning of self-sacrifice is love. Today, when we look back at the story of Abraham we ask who are the descendants of Abraham? Those are the great nations of the Middle East and the West. They are Muslims, Jews, and Christians. Yet they are still fighting today even though they come from the same father Abraham. Jerusalem is, for these three monotheist religions, a holy place where everyone of these "cousins" wishes to worship. Jerusalem is the God-given city of peace. The solution to this problem may lie in doing what Abraham did. Walk with God! But this is another huge question, for no one - it seems - is prepared yet to do it. If Christ is the Truth who Abraham foresaw, can we follow him?

The Covenant of God

In our study of the Bible we are using free online resources written by the Biblical scholar Dr. Scott Hahn at http://www.salvationhistory.com/ - We cannot read the Bible verse by verse. In Catholic thought, there are different literary forms used by the Biblical authors who are inspired by God (e.g. legal, historical, apocalyptic, poetic ...etc). Historical events themselves are written in the non-scientific language of their times. You may wish to refer to Ratzinger's lecture on Genesis 1-3 here: http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/p81.htm The entire Bible is the testimony of the revelation given by God of His unconditional love towards creatures, for He created out of love. The Covenant is an expression of that love that in different stages shows increasingly the love of God fulfilled in Christ our redeemer and God. For example Moses is the mediator of the Old Covenant between God and His people. However in time this Covenant is revealed more fully by the New Covenant - Christ himself who saves us by His blood and body. This Covenant mediated by Christ is to the entire human race. All are called to God's eternal kingdom through Christ. Of course, the other side is the curses of the Covenant which express the result of refusing to accept God`s call. When we continue to refuse God`s grace then we become accountable for rejecting God`s call, an attitude which if not reversed, may result in our own damnation. We can see today, as at the time of Christ, that some people show by their love of the other, a Good Samaritan heart, yet some others show contempt of the needy and as a result of God Himself since God lives in the other. A great example of the Covenant curses (which is still unfolding in the Middle East and other areas) is the utter disregard by dictators of the needs of their people. Long-serving dictators drew criticism from many nations for their ruthless violence against their own people (demonstrators) who only want a better condition of life. Yet those leaders condemning ruthless dictators are themselves not an example of men living by the Covenant of God. The U.S. Government is notorious for its treatment of prisoners of war in Guantamo Bay. But because the U.S. enjoys a supreme position in the U.N. it is hardly condemned by the world organization. The hypocricy that underlies much of the world political treaties shows how nations, nominally Christian, bow to others based on common interest but fall short of achieving the call to justice, respect and love that the Covenant calls for. It is not an issue for individuals only but for entire nations! "When the Son of Man comes, will he find justice?" In the end, it is love that counts. The Covenant is a relationship between God and Man which involves giving of oneself to the other. This is why I think many will end up in Purgatory and more may be already in Hell. Keep in mind that God does not will anyone to be damned. We damn ourselves. Christians particularly are accountable for the loss of many souls, because Christians were and are still given the grace to lead the world to the kingdom of God yet they fail!

Blessed be My People Egypt

It is written in Isaiah 19 "Blessed be My People Egypt" for in Egypt the Church lived and lives and the Lord blesses His people. But how are the blessings of the Lord on His people being felt? So many powers wish to possess Egypt, one of the oldest civilizations on earth. The feeling around the globe in the current crisis of Egypt is that of confusion. Whether it is Egyptian President Mubarak at last transferring power to the Supreme Military Council; Egyptian demonstrators against the current regime as well as the more silent Egyptians supporting Mubarak; American President Obama insisting on his intrusion into Egypt's affairs; the media who play to the tunes of the powerful whether local, regional, or global; the stock market with its re-evaluation of the Egyptian currency by the day; Israel who is anxiously waiting for the next steps in Egypt's reform process; Iran whose leader Imam Khamini exhorted the Muslim Brotherhood to take over and transform Egypt into another Islamic republic and who congratulated the demonstrators for "forcing" their president to abdicate; the rest of the Arab world who indeed make up their minds by what happens in Egypt; Britain whose Chancellor voiced worries about Egypt's steps towards democracy; France's president who wishes to see democracy in Egypt; or Egypt's own political and religious parties who want a slice of the pie - the powerful governance in Egypt , it is true that only the prayers of people inside and outside Egypt will be able to rescue Egypt from violence and confusion. Why so? Because only God knows the hearts of people. He will still speak in the hearts that listen to His voice "Today if you hear his voice, hearden NOT your hearts" said the Apostle Paul. No power in the world will be able to suffocate His voice. The confusion will subside if we listen to His voice. The sufferings of so many millions may be lessened, because hope exists in an honest and more accountable government. However, who can secure the outcome of the revolution? Who can answer this question? Everyone needs security in Egypt and everywhere else; everyone needs basic food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and education - Who can guarantee the equitable distribution of global wealth? Egypt is the symbol for all nations - She plays today, as she did in biblical times, a pivotal role for the liberation of the human family from slavery to materialism to true worship of God. Egypt is now at a crossroad. She will either lead other countries to blessed security or she will lead them to Satanic violence. Blessed be My People Egypt!