On Christ, Christianity, Saints and Souls

Today is the commemoration of "All Souls" in the Church. It follows the great day of the "Solemnity of All Saints" on November 1st, and "Halloween"on October 31st which developed in the West since the early Renaissance. In October, 2014, I wrote a post on "Halloween"and its Christian significance especially today with the invasion of the West by radical Islam, which can be read here.  Today, many Christians in the West have forgotten their Christian roots and, under the influence of materialism and two World Wars with existential philosophies since The Enlightenment, became atheists or at least fell away from their Christian baptism. However, I recall with devotion the souls of persons I know that departed to God especially my mother of blessed memory and my mother-in-law of blessed memory. They both suffered for me since my heart problems started in 1986. I thank God for their care and the care given to me by great persons including physicians, bishops, priests (here and here) and, above all, God's own blessings through His Son Jesus Christ who merits by His continuing love, cross, and Resurrection the eternal joy given to saints. In the Book of Revelation Christ says "Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me" (Rev. 3: 20). In the Last Judgment, Christ will judge everyone according to what that person did to those in need (Matt. 25: 31-46). In the 20th century, Hans Urs von Balthasar wrote with the same spirit his book "Dare we hope that all men be saved?" in which he and many Christians pray that the merciful love of God may save every one in His judgment of mankind. The selfless loving God who created every person in His image is "Our Father" who runs after the "Prodigal Son" and meets him (see here and here).
The Solemnity of All Saints is an opportunity for Christians to think of saints and, above all, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God who is the 'Woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet" in Revelation (12: 1-18) - See also "The Queen Spouse and The Dragon" here as this post refers to interpretations of the Blessed Virgin in salvation and eternal joy by great theologians. Of particular importance is this talk by Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen on Mary "The Woman I love" here. She always points us to Christ - See also "Who Will Triumph" here. After the humble and pure Virgin Mary, come many saints since ancient times - St. George the Great is my patron saint too (see his story here) and so are St. Rita of Cascia (see here) and the Little Flower of Lisieux St. Thérèse of the Infant Jesus proclaimed the greatest saint in modern times by Pope Pius XI in her canonization in 1925. Other beloved saints include the Curé of Ars, St. Jean Vianney, St. Athanasius the Great who dared to challenge the Arian heresy in the 4th century (see here) and the first humanist St. Francis of Assisi called the Alter Christus (see here).
May the Lord help each and every one to discover His love and attempt to do as much as he can with deeds of love towards those in need and become a Christian in following Christ who is the only way to heaven. 

Human Angels

In today's homily at the 10 am Mass in Holy Rosary parish in Toronto, Fr. Professor Daniel Callam spoke about Bartimaeus the Blind whose eyes were opened by Jesus (Mark 10: 46-52) Fr. Callam said that we all need the power of Jesus who is "all and in all" (Colossians 3: 11).
I have sensed this power of Christ through the suffering of many people especially my mother of blessed memory, my mother in-law of blessed memory and my wife since my heart problems that started in 1986. The angels of the Lord worked in the great doctors that treated me with much care. I gave one case in my post here - This is where I was introduced to reading the Bible by a human  angel - a nurse who opened my eyes to the wonders of God. She also accompanied me to the Mass in the chapel celebrated by a Catholic priest even when she was a Protestant. She helped me be seated at the front and receive the holy Eucharist. I wrote too about my longer experience that with the help of many physicians, the Lord extended my life (For more see here). Since May 2018 I have also been examined by my new cardiologist Professor Dr. Antonio Rocca, a devoted Christian who regularly attends the Mass, who will see me on November 1st at the Polyclinic. I have also been followed closely by Dr. Michael Vecchio, a Christian missionary whose clinic is full of great pro-life pictures including St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and statues of great saints such as St. Francis of Assisi. Dr. Vecchio is the one who referred me to Dr. Rocca.
Other human angels include a lady who has a doctorate in French literature from the University of Toronto - Yet she calls me every day as a caring friend of us.
This post would be missing the most important events in my life if I do not add my experience in the spiritual-humanitarian realm. I recall with much love the late saintly Archbishop Paul Antaki who was Patriarchal Vicar of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church over the See of Alexandria (see here and here). He trained me and others too in much of Biblical studies and the Apostolic Movements while in Egypt, and visited  me here in Toronto. He was a true shepherd for his sheep...I am also indebted to God for having the presence of the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad and the other equally-Jesuit scholar Fr. Samir Khalil Samir in my life. They pray for me, and give me much knowledge in homilies, lectures, and retreats that I listen to -  (see my post here as an example on the thoughts of Fr. Boulad, here on his mission to change the world, and here on his homily "The Scandal of the Incarnation"). I have found two great scholars who became my confessors at Holy Rosary parish in Toronto: Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB; a professor with a PhD. from Oxford who has regularly taught at St. Thomas University in Houston (see here his lecture on the Creed and the Sacrament of Baptism), Texas and Msgr. Robert Nusca; a Biblical scholar with a PhD since 1998 and professor at the Augustinian Seminary in Toronto. I am also indebted to God for having known many excellent Melkite Catholic  priests in Toronto and particularly for having known Fr. Georges Farah whose credentials include a doctorate in philosophy and another in theology from the Sorbonne University in Paris - He taught at the Paulist Seminary in Lebanon and oversaw the purchase of the first Greek Melkite Catholic parish in Toronto through his efforts and others too. His homilies and lectures were distinguished by a deep understanding of philosophy and theology. He entrusted me with giving lectures to adults from 2004 until 2011 when he retired. Here is one of Fr. Farah's lectures on the joy of Christmas (here) and another on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (here).
God is the true desire of our hearts. "We will not rest until we find him" says St. Augustine. St. Thomas Aquinas reiterates the above reality. God is the cause and object of all created persons and of the creation order (see Thomism here).
The above tells us that we are all related to each other - Technology may have helped facilitate these relations but what is important is the beauty of the heart (post here).
Need we say more? I would rather sing this beautiful hymn with the congregation at St. Anne's in Belfast...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw5ZCZeS32M

Love one another as I have loved you

This past Sunday October 21, 2018 was a memorable Jerusalem Students Mass at St. Justin Martyr Church. The entire initiative goes back to 2011 when Mr. Hikmat Dandan, a member of Jesus the King Council of the Knights of Columbus was inspired by the call of then visiting Archbishop Joseph Jules Zerey to Toronto, and initiated the Jerusalem Students project with the purpose of of sponsoring needy Christian students in the Holy Land to help them get a decent education through the Melkite Catholic Patriarchal School under Archbishop Zerey at the time, go to university, graduate and ultimately form successful families thus strengthening the Christian presence in the area and reversing their diminishing trend. In its fraternal year 2012-2013, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus awarded the International Youth Service Award to Jesus the King Council received duly by Hikmat Dandan in San Antonio, Texas on August 7, 2013 (see http://jerusalemstudents.org and http://jerusalemstudents.org/award.html) 

This year Hikmat Dandan is again, by election, the Grand Knight of Jesus the King Council, the first Arab Council of the Knights of Columbus in the world. Dandan's motto is taken from the Epistle by St. James where it is written "faith without works is dead" (James 2: 26)

In the Mass, presided over by the charismatic Rev. Monsignor Vid Vlasic, Honor Guard from St. John Paul II Assembly, Chinese Martyr Assembly and Bishop Grecco Assembly was very impressive. Why?? Because all of the Sir Knights love the Holy Land. Rev. Monsignor Vid Vlasic praised the sponsors and the Knights of Columbus for supporting these needy Christian students in the Holy Land. Then he blessed all and sprinkled them with Holy Water. Sir Knight Randy gave a short speech about the project and the student "Ramez", sponsored for several years by St. Justin Martyr Council who graduated this year, was present too. He said the members of the Council felt they were all his "Uncles" in Canada. At the end, Rev. Monsignor Vlasic asked all the Honor Guard to come and stand in front of the altar, blessed them and asked all the parishioners to give them a big hand for being the right arm of the Catholic Church. The clapping continued for a few minutes. The attending sponsors were around 25. Thanks to all the valued sponsors and the Sir Knights (Gold Sponsor Toronto Council: 6 Students, Silver Sponsor Jeannette & Michael Elliot: 4 Students). More than 70 needy Christian students have been sponsored. Sixteen already graduated under sponsorship; five of them this year.

The above reminds us that we can love others by good deeds even if they ate hundreds of thousands miles away. Our Lord Jesus Christ said to his disciples "I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another" (John 13: 34).

The Truth About Social Decadence And Life

In the Gospel according to Saint John the Apostle, our Lord Jesus Christ, The Good Shepherd,  in reference to his sheep, says "A thief comes only to steal, and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it abundantly" (John 10: 10).
Prostitution is an old occupation in which women expose their bodies to men seeking sexual pleasure in return for money. Wars, however, are marked by increased violation of hostage women. In the 20th century, women gained economic value as they started to work along with men in offices and banks. This value strengthened feminism which became more radical as women demanded now their equality with men in all fields of learning and work. But it also meant that women regarded their bodies when pregnant as only their own thus denying the reality of babies in the wombs.
In view of  widespread Atheism since the beginning of the 20th century,  a strengthened Radical Feminism after two World Wars and "The Sexual Revolution" that started in the 1950s and the 1960s in contemporary times, the Church saw the need to re-emphasize the words of the Gospel.
In his Encyclical published in 1995 and titled "Evangelium Vitae" ("The Gospel of Life"), Pope Saint John Paul II identified the incomparable worth of the human person giving the example of the birth of Jesus Christ that brought joy to the world (see the full text here). He insisted on the Christian tradition of respecting the life of every person from the moment of conception until natural death. In one of his harshest criticisms of  abortion during his general weekly address to crowds on October 10, 2018, Pope Francis condemned it saying that "a contradictory approach to life allows the suppression of human life in the mother's womb in order to safeguard other values" (see report here). Another Pope (Paul VI), who will be canonized on October 16, 2018, had issued his Encyclical "Humanae Vitae" in 1968 defending natural procreation and love in marriage and insisting on the beauty of every new life (full text here). In an interview by British TV with Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1974, she also showed the beauty and necessity of carrying the child to full term in pregnancy since this is a gift from God (see it on YouTube here) and showed how she contacted many homes that wished to adopt little children and raise them since those parents were not able to have their own.
Today's young adults need to learn from the above lessons. Every life is beautiful. Since the times of the Sexual Revolution, many families have been broken by divorce and legalizing abortion in the West. Individualism and liberalism crept into society. Premarital sex became widespread and the so-called LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans-sexual) relationships gained official recognition especially in Scandinavia and much of the "civilized" world. In Ontario, Canada, as in other parts of the world, sex-education in schools was promoted by the Liberal government of Ontario under Kathleen Wynne (2013-2018) which saw the peer pressure of students and their use of iphones/smartphones as signals of economic changes. Supporting single mothers and divorced ones became a social priority although the break-up of the family contradicted Christian social and moral values. The new government of Ontario is Conservative which may be able to stop sex education in schools. However, there has been some resistance from teachers unions that are generally liberal-oriented. Of particular concern is the adoption of "Assisted Suicide" by the Liberal government of Justin Trudeau in Canada since 2016. The Archbishop of Toronto, Cardinal Thomas Collins as well as Archbishops of other major cities, appealed to the legislators and distributed their appeal in all parishes in order to reverse "Assisted Suicide" and respect the conscience of Christian physicians and other health-care providers whom the government requires to provide lethal injection to patients or refer them to other health-care providers that will carry out the government "Euthanasia" program (here). However, in its issue published on October 7, 2018, The Catholic Register reported about plans for minors' assisted suicide at Sick Children Hospital in Toronto whereby children are not required to inform their parents if they wish to terminate their own lives due to sickness or distress (here). Christian physicians who are committed to Christ's teachings would not cooperate with such anti-life programs; for they are, in effect, crimes against humanity. I personally admire my family physician Dr. Michael Vecchio who continues his Christian missionary work and sees his patients with much patience. I equally admire my cardiologist Dr. Antonio Rocca for his devotion to Christ and the Church. Those physicians, I must say, are among the committed Christian physicians who refuse to administer assisted-suicide "Euthanasia" which the government imposes on consciences. There is no freedom in Justin Trudeau's pro-abortion Liberal government which refuses to fund pro-life agencies in Canada, and yet accommodates Islamists including terrorists for political reasons.
While we are at it, it is important to note the violent character of radical Islam represented by the so-called "Islamic State" (IS). Canadian members of the IS who spread their radical Islam in much of Europe, are operating in Canada and other major cities in North America. They were found in North Syria but will come back to Canada (see here and here).
May Our Lord, the "Good Shepherd", inspire people to seek Him and reverse their violence and violations against Him.

Without me you can do nothing

Our Lord Jesus Christ said "Without me you can do nothing" (John 15: 5). In the atheist world, especially with progress in science and technology and continuing research in the academia, this statement is ignored if not outright contradicted. When I wrote my post "What sets humans apart from other creatures", a number of readers responded with different opinions. Their responses helped me to continue my research in today's technology, psychology, and the Christian understanding of the ineffable God. One of my lectures in 2009 addressed the fact that while sentient life is found in plants, consciousness exists in animals but only the human mind is capable of relating things and building advanced civilizations. I gave some examples from the work of NASA's complex projects; the work of Marc Hauser, past professor of psychology and evolutionary biology at Harvard University that shows the uniqueness of the human mind; and the entanglement between subatomic particles that "once interacted with each other remain 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.”- See it here.
If anyone thinks that the above contradicts the words of Jesus "Without me you can do nothing", I would rather reply that everything in the cosmos reflects the same words of Jesus, The Word of God,  "through whom all things were made" (John 1:3). The entire scientific findings are made possible in development of thought and action through Christian minds going back to St. Thomas Aquinas with his development of "Natural Theology" in the 13th century (See Thomism here) and more recently to Blessed John Henri Newman's "Development of Christian Doctrines". Fr. Georges Lemaitre was a Belgian Catholic priest and a professor of physics at the Catholic University of Leuven when he proposed the Big Bang Theory and that the universe is expanding since the Big Bang - It was not a coincidence that Einstein's work on his Theory of General Relativity was experimentally confirmed together with that of Georges Lemaitre by Edwin Hubble and it was Georges Lemaitre who was the first to estimate what became known as The Hubble Constant in physics.
In April 2018, a report aired on CBS showed innovations and advances in technology made in the MIT Lab in the so-called "The Future Factory" here.
When I sent the report to my readers in September 2018, Professor Dr. Michael Sole, who was my cardiologist since 1986 until his retirement from medical practice in 2014, responded that it reminded him by the years that he spent at MIT. He wrote:

"I saw the episode. I was at MIT 1972-74 where I was sent by my supervisors at Harvard to develop my ideas on the neurochemistry of heart failure. At MIT I came into contact with experts on nutritional control of neurotransmitter synthesis and also experts looking at the dark hormone, melatonin. Twenty five years later that knowledge rose into my consciousness stimulating my interests in nutrional treatments for heart failure and the role of circadian rhythms in heart health and disease. I actually wrote a grant to prevent iron overload heart disease (Thalassemia etc) last fall. It has been fully funded - we enroll our first patient in November. It was a great place to work and learn. They let me develop my own ideas and gave me the money to do it. My work from MIT won the Research Award of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society in 1974 and was recognized for as one of the best papers published in basic cardiovascular science that year."

Professor Dr. Sole continues his research with grants from MIT. After I had my stroke in July 2007, we asked him to see me. In my visit to his clinic he spent an extraordinary time to reassure me that the stroke did not cause heart failure but on the contrary it has corrected my blood pressure. He said "You fell on the right side...God is smiling on you." See my lecture in July 2008 here. In Early November 2018, I will be seen by my current cardiologist Professor Dr. Antonio Rocca, a devout Christian who teaches too at the University of Toronto and has worked with Dr. Sole. I was referred to Dr. Rocca by my current physician Dr. Michael Vecchio who continues his Christian missionary work and sees his patients with much patience. His clinic is decorated by images and statues of saints who loved to care for the dying and distressed persons including the contemporary Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Dr. Vecchio saved my life when in January 2017 he found low oxygen in my blood and asked me to seek hospitalization immediately. Since then, doctors at Toronto General Hospital found that my aortic aneurysm was getting larger and caused my difficulty in breathing. I have been helped by Dr. Ryan who observed me at the hospital and in January 2018 ordered a BiPap machine to be installed at home for my daily use - The BiPap machine not only helps me sleep well with much oxygen going to my lungs but also clears Carbon Dioxide from my system. When I was seen by her in early July 2018, the blood test showed a better picture of my over-all breathing system.

Back to "The Future Factory" Report (here) the advances in research at MIT may lead to the point that humanity will one day be controlled by artificial intelligent machines. The generations of our species need to get trained on how to use these machines properly for two reasons:
1. avoid hackers from taking control of machines and using them to dictate ideologies that contradict human freedom...
2. learn how to cooperate with fast machines in the high tech future in order to maintain human freedom...
Let us ask our Lord Jesus Christ to help every one with his merciful love; for without him we can do nothing good REALLY!