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 

"Great resources for learning more about quantum theory"

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...

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/

Reflections

In the Gospel' reading on Sunday November 3, 2019, it is written "At that time, Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, 'Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.' And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying,
'He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.' But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord,
"Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost.'" (Luke 19:1-10).
In his homily, the Jesuit scholar Fr. Henri Boulad referred to Zacchaeus the tax collector considered a thief and said in French "My friends, let us not go to Jesus dressed up in the best wardrobe but as we are . He loves me as I am" (here in French: Aller vers Lui tel que nous sommes ...). He continued "To the Prodigal Son, his father rushed to meet him and embraced him as he was coming back. He did not wait for this son to change himself or wear better clothes nor did he refuse this dirty son."  It reminded me by the homily given by Fr. Georges Farah, MSP on the Parable of the Prodigal Son (here). He said "The above Parable may well be named after the Generous Father. He is our Father whose heaven has come down to us since the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ and his promise to the disciples (with his mother; the Mother of God) that they would receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Every time, we receive the Eucharist in the state of grace, we are enriched by the Real Presence of Christ; His body and soul united to his Divinity by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Again, the Generous Father pictured in the Parable is real... He let his younger son take his portion of the property and travel to a far country where he wasted his fortune in pleasures. When a famine struck him, he had no choice but to survive by eating from the farm of a man and feeding pigs - a sign of uncleanness in Jewish tradition/symbolism. He would have enjoyed the husks that the swine ate but none was ready to give them to him. His state of hunger was taking a toll on his life so he asked himself  the existential question: How can I survive? I will go back to my father's home and ask him to make me one of his servants! The old man was looking out everyday for his younger son - He missed his younger son .When the old man saw his younger son, he ran to meet him and did not bother with the dignity of the old persons. His force to run came back to him. He threw himself upon his son, and embraced him not waiting for his lost son to complete his apology. He immediately called his servants and said to them "Bring out the best robe, and clothe him in it; put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.23 Then bring out the calf that has been fattened, and kill it; let us eat, and make merry; 24 for my son here was dead, and has come to life again, was lost, and is found." The rest of the story is also a good lesson for us when we are jealous of others whom we think do not deserve the Lord's care - But the Lord himself said that he came to call sinners and the outcast to repent, and to heal the sick!".

On Friday November 8, I received a link to part of the Byzantine Divine Liturgy in France (in French here) from a friend of Fr. Boulad in France.

Another great homily was said by Fr. Cedric Pisegna, C.P. in the October 7 Mass provided by EWTN here. 

As we pray for persecuted Christians and Christian missionaries, we must do more for them - My readers may therefore wish to listen to the charismatic Catholic Venerable Fulton Sheen here titled: Revelation, Authority, and Miracles, then act with responsibility and yet another one by Venerable Fulton Sheen on the true meaning of Easter here  - And above all, listen to Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta in an interview with her on Irish Television, 1974 here. You may wish to listen to Bishop Robert Barron in his address in England about Sainthood, sanctity and what makes us holy given in September 2018 here. 
The above examples show what is probably the most beautiful way of gaining converts to Christ since the 20th century. We have here what it takes to help persecuted Christians - especially when they are mandated to help persecuted Christians in the Middle East (particularly The Knights of Columbus that the Archbishop of Toronto, Cardinal Thomas Collins, calls the right strong hand of the Church), and what it takes to help Christian missionaries including the Sisters of Charity founded by St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta who work in most countries of the world including Canada, Egypt, and most other countries in Africa, Asia, and other underdeveloped areas as they continue caring for the dying and the 'poor of the poor' and providing them with means of hospitalization. For the needy, and the poor everyone can help them through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in virtually every country, CNEWA that care for the needy in the Near East, and Christian organizations and persons that help persecuted Christians. In all cases the needy would best be served if they are presented with the Messianic message that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and, if possible, offer them to receive the sacraments of the Church...More on Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta "The Third Teresa - a Woman for all Seasons" can be found here. Listen to her great words in an Irish TV interview in 1974 here.

In recent events, the Turkish Islamic Sunni military attacked North Syria and killed Kurds and Christians that many had to flee to Iraq. America's Trump who depended on the Kurds for eliminating the Islamic State seemed hesitant in giving the green light for the Turkish attack. Christian Bishops in Northern Syria pleaded with the United Nations and world powers to make every effort in order to stop the killing of Christians in such areas as the one where Jesus followers were first called Christians (Antioch) as Turkish Islamist President Erdogan continues to slaughter Christian minorities in southern Turkey. Protesters in Lebanon have been complaining about corruption in the government and parliament that, for many decades, were divided along religious lines.  Islamic Shiite Hizbullah under its leader Sheikh Nasr-Allah fought back with weapons targeting protesters while they received orders from their masters the Mullahs in Iran to crush every protest that could diminish Iran's virtual power in directing Lebanon's future! It seems that American CIA did infiltrate Lebanon  adding more effect to the sanctions imposed by Trump on Iran that crippled Iran's economy. The situation of Christians in Iraq is not better. Since April 2019, news show that Christians of Iraq were increasingly persecuted and targeted, In an April 12 op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus wrote that "Christian towns in Iraq increasingly look neither Christian nor Iraqi — but Iranian." "The public identifies the threat against Christians in Iraq and Syria as emanating from Islamic State," wrote Carl Anderson. "After a hard-fought war, ISIS is no longer a territorial power. But the religious minorities persecuted under the caliphate remain in peril, thanks to the Iraqi government's tolerance of Iranian influence." In the continuing struggle for regional power between Islamic states, in 2018, thanks to Turkey's Erdogan, Saudi Arabia had lost its huge influence in the West due to the massacre of American journalist and member of the International Muslim Brotherhood Khashoggi by allegedly Saudi forces that, on order of Saudi's Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), entered the Saudi embassy in Turkey and tortured and killed Khashoggi. At The G20 Summit in Buenos Aires, November 2018, no leader shook hands with MBS except for the Russian Fox Vladimir Putin. Referred to as the Petroleum Superpowers, Russia and Saudi Arabia found much common economic interests that could change the balance of powers in the world. In October 2017 Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud paid a visit to Russia which was hailed by Saudi's Foreign Minister as historical. Intending to isolate the United States from the Middle East powers, Putin has continued to provide weapons to Iran and yet concluded a greater investment with Saudi Arabia when he visited the Kingdom in October 2019.

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Such is the situation of Christians in the Middle East today. Non-military action is needed to help them stay there.

I asked my spiritual mentor the Jesuit Fr. Henri Boulad about recent events in which Pope Francis and a number of his assistants have been involved (see this link of a discussion by Raymond Arroyo at EWTN with Most. Reverend Athanasius Schneider Auxiliary Bishop of Astana, Kazakhstan recorder on November 7, 2019). The initial answer by Fr. Boulad by email was full of solace:
Yes, George, I feel also uncomfortable about The Abu-Dhabi Declaration and the possible pagan implications of these Amazon rites. Francis' desire of openness at all costs is misleading for many people, who are mixed up. My humble opinion is that Pope Francis should clarify his position on both issues. People are waiting for such a clarification.

Fr. Boulad has always amazed me with his tremendous knowledge yet utter humility. See this post referring to his book "All is Grace" here.

About the historical development of Christianity, you may wish to read this slightly-long post here.

I wish to add one personal note: Since I was in the womb of my mother, I have been blessed by God in a special way (see this post here). Since 1986, I developed health issues related to my heart, brain and kidney. Yet God in his mercy gave me life and extended it through the work of great physicians (The reader may wish to read my posts here and here). 
I was seen by Professor Dr. Victor Hoffstein on Wednesday November 6 at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. He examined my chest, and dictated the results of the CT scan that was taken of my lungs this past Friday at the same hospital. All in all, Dr. Hoffstein said that there is no change nor deterrioration in my health status. I am still God's "Living Miracle". In God's eyes everyone is unique. With Fr. Boulad, I can say "He loves me as I am"! Pope Saint John Paul II wrote extensively about the incomparable worth of the human person (see his Encyclical EVANGELIUM VITAE here.
For this, I thank the Sacred Heart of Jesus my Lord, God, and Savior who continues to give me life and grant me blessings through the prayers of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God, my guardian angel, as well as my patron saints: 
Saint George the Great; Saint Rita of Cascia; and Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and many other saintly persons including the late saintly Bishop Paul Antaki the Great as well as many other persons around us whether in the family, extended families, or friends who continue to pray for me and ask about my health as well as priests and bishops that I have known including Fr. Henri Boulad, S.J.; Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB, D.Phil; Msgr. Robert Nusca, STD; Fr. Rafic Greiche; Archbishop Emeritus Joseph Jules Zerey; Bishop George Bakar; and Cardinal Thomas Collins and continue to be blessed by their prayers particularly the Eucharistic celebrations (a gift granted by God as I receive the Eucharist in the state of grace weekly when I attend Mass at the parish with my wife). On the significance of the Eucharist found in the Lord's Prayer "Give us this day our daily bread" the reader may wish to read this research here.
Let us pray for all the departed ones, all the sick, and all the needy...

The Dangers of Artificial Intelligence and Benefits of Robots

1) The danger of artificial intelligence isn't that it's going to rebel against us, but that it's going to do exactly what we ask it to do, says AI researcher Janelle Shane. Sharing the weird, sometimes alarming antics of AI algorithms as they try to solve human problems -- like creating new ice cream flavors or recognizing cars on the road -- Shane shows why AI doesn't yet measure up to real brains.

To listen, double-click this link:  

https://www.ted.com/talks/janelle_shane_the_danger_of_ai_is_weirder_than_you_think  

2) Robotics engineers unveil ‘Stevie II’ – Ireland’s first socially assistive AI robot

IRELAND'S FIRST 'SOCIALLY assistive' robot made an appearance in the Science Gallery in Dublin today.  

Published May 15, 2019

To listen, double-click this link:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRlVtjhkQ8M

Jesus of the Little Ones

The Lord said "Fear not little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). The Lord also said “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14).
While in Cairo, Egypt, I attended a lecture in 1973 by the late Coptic Orthodox Pope Shenouda III in which he said "Do not think that heaven is for saints. Heaven is for ordinary people." He showed that after thousands had their fills of bread, Jesus asked his disciples to pick up the left-over. The disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.  Fr. Dr. Louis Hazboun, professor of the Catholic Institute/University in Lebanon wrote a commentary in Arabic on the miraculous augmenting of bread that Jesus performed then and saw the Eucharistic banquet in the distributed bread (here).


In the 20th century, quite a few blessings came to us through the apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of God to the children in Fatima in 1917 and subsequently the phenomenon watched by 60,000 persons on October 13th of the same year in Fatima of the Sun dancing and coming closer to them showing miraculously the Blessed Virgin Mary on it...It was a moment for them to kneel and ask God for forgiveness of sins...

In 1925, Pope Pius XI canonized Thérèse; the Little Flower of  Lisieux which I visited in 1982 in France and saw her golden hair that she had cut when she entered the Carmel exceptionally at the age of 15. Saint Thérèse wrote her "Story of a Soul" on order of her superior and sister - a book that was soon translated to more than 15 languages. You may wish to read an excellent book about this child of Jesus online here. On Sunday October 19, 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II made Saint Thérèse a doctor of the Church. He himself promoted the mercy of God which we all need...
He also signed a declaration making the mystical theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar a cardinal of the Church. 
Another mystical theologian who is said to have influenced the Second Vatican Council is the Jesuit French scientist Teilhard de Chardin (read here his Mass of the world). He was a friend of another Jesuit giant: Cardinal Henri de Lubac. Teilhard was praised in Joseph Ratzinger's book "Introduction to Christianity" (Here is one chapter on the Resurrection of Christ from the pen of the great theologian that became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005). One of Teilhard's followers is the Jesuit scholar Henri Boulad, a personal mentor to me, who was interviewed here in August 2014 by Salt+Light. In the interview Fr. Boulad speaks about humanism and atheism. He wrote many books some of which have been translated to 14 languages.
A most beloved person is the late saintly Bishop Paul Antaki who is certainly a child of God (see here this post on my blog and the comments received after he departed to God at the end of 2011).

I am indebted to Fr. Georges Farah as he entrusted me to give lectures to young adults and adults at Jesus the King Melkite Catholic parish in Toronto from 2004 to 2010. See here one of his most impressive talks on the Dormition of the Mother of God.

Another influential Christian philosopher who passed away in November 2014 is René Girard. Bishop Robert Barron commented on his contribution here. He also wrote in First Things an article titled "Are the Gospels Mythical ?" here.

Of the great minds that I have personally met is Fr. Daniel Callam, CSB who is my spiritual director.  We discussed many topics of valuable insight including this one about who can be saved by the late Jesuit theologian and Cardinal Avery Dulles written in First Things and other insights by René Girard (e.g. this interview by Peter Robinson of Stanford University with Girard here).
Another yet active pastor inspired by Paul Antaki the Great is the current pastor of St. Cyril's parish in Heliopolis, Egypt: Fr. Rafic Greiche.

I wish to end this post with a hymn to the Lord: Love Divine sung at St. Anne's Cathedral in Belfast here.