I take it as a natural reaction to overload of stress/emotion/pain. Being able to cry is physiologically beneficial (you get rid of cortisol) and psychologically it can help you process the things you're going through more quickly. Trying to appear though by not crying seems counterproductive to me, but I understand in some cultures it is not socially acceptable to cry, especially for men.
To me, if you're crying you're admitting that something is stronger than you, that you're powerless, and i still find it useless, i guess that i just have a bad image of it(, it can be beautiful though, like tears of joy, or of an emotion which isn't defeat). But i clearly(, and subconsciously,) don't treat men, women, or children, in the same point of view in regard to crying, i'd never think of saying "man up" to a woman hurt to the point of tears, yet i find it admirable when a man swallow his pain, and straighten his profile in order to act after whatever happened, that's the common thinking, i'm not the weird one here(, even if my descriptions are very imperfect), but since modernity changed so many things they may end up suppressing the differences between men and women, or not, w/e.
If I suppressed my emotions, I would still be influenced by them, but I would have no conscious control over them, which would again result in limiting my rationality
On the contrary, suppressing your emotions helps to act rationally without being overwhelmed by them, and i.m.o. there's no real difference between emotions and reason, since our feelings can be explained rationally, we're often saying that "reason ignore the heart's own reasons", but that's not true, we are indeed influenced by subconscious feelings that we would be unable to analyse, but that's a minor side and i don't make a distinction between the cold reasoning and the hot emotions, i'm deciding with both a'd i think almost everyone does the same.
I find the terms inner strength and beauty to be also very vague.
100%, i realized it when i was writing the examples, and the example you gave me is another very good one, you can indeed find effeminate/weak persons who are "tough motherf*ckers", i didn't give enough thought behind what "internally strong" may mean, and it also depends on the situation, it's not because you're weak or ugly internally at one time of the time that you can't act beautifully or strongly at another time.
I agree with you that it's reductive to stop on two adjectives.
Well, it doesn't come from me and i have a story and some good memories from it. But in a few words, i asked someone special(, ~9 years ago,) if he had a motto, and he told me that the masonic triangle is "Strength · Beauty · Wisdom", i still haven't checked if it's true(, but discovered a few years later that it's in the Kabbalah). It stayed in my mind and i naturally decided to apply it to men and women and divide it in internally//externally. Just to say that somewhere.
While reductive, i think it has a lot of truth in it.
I don't see any reason to propagate just one way for men and one way for women.
Men have testosterone, have sexual fantasy when they touch women, and read comics when they imagine themselves fighting.
Women have estrogens, in their fantasy they imagine themselves being touched, and read romantic novels when they're preparing themselves for the unavoidable desire they'll attract.
Yeah, i'll need to edit this message, if you're reading this line give me 30-40mn i want to do something first.
Not that i care but i'm sure that your comment made sense in your mind, would you mind sharing it with me ?
Do you interpret relieving your emotions by crying as being weak ?
Yeah, obviously, would you say that it's a sign of strength ?
Or perhaps feeling emotions as being weak ?
"Emotion" is a vague term. Some emotions like bravery(, often a borderline foolishness,) are assimilated with strength. Some emotions like the feeling of defeat, self-pity, the lack of resilience, the fear of authority/punishment that makes you betray others/ideals, that's weak. Always interesting to see how Chelsea Manning is stronger than a lot of men in this regard. Men love to fight, so kinda appreciate to be hurt in a way, and are proud of their scars.
Some emotions are beautiful, such as the one expressed in poetry, others are ugly and you don't need examples to get what i mean.
It's easier to exclude men from external beauty and women from external strength than it is to exclude them from internal beauty and strength, respectively.
And do you find women more flawed, because they're physically weaker than men ?
We have our qualities and flaws, some women are stronger than some men and some men are more beautiful( inside&outside) than women, and it's reductive to stop at these two adjectives, as well as obviously erroneous to draw conclusion on an individual from generalities.
Here's what i answered to a previous comment if you're interested :
Admittedly, beauty is more useful in times of peace than strength, if i count the benefits(, women can give birth and that's the most important thing in Nature), women have more of them than men, but if we can keep some of our qualities i won't say no.
Why would it be better if there were no distinction between men and women ? Or between countries, or citizens ?
What's the use of showing your vulnerability, is that something that others like to see ? And it's not difficult, what's difficult is to take upon yourself and desire the struggle.
We're men, alike rocks, people/life hit us and we don't move, this has advantages and inconvenients, we generally appreciate women's sensibility, and i suppose that most of them appreciate to be able to rely on men when they're needed.
Admittedly, beauty is more useful in times of peace than strength, if i count the benefits(, women can give birth and that's the most important thing in Nature), women have more of them than men, but if we can keep some of our qualities i won't say 'no'.
That's how things are in general.
Diversity is good, but cry if you want to, i won't support weakness on my part, and i will keep being annoyed if i encounter a weak man(, just as women may be annoyed by "ugly" women, i.d.k.).
Lol no, you can be both, and both can be wise/smart, etc.
But in general, women are more beautiful than men and men are stronger than women, perhaps that people nowadays see egality as uniformity, i.d.k.
But weakness(, inside and outside,) is a flaw/defect, as is (internal&external )ugliness, and other flaws.
As a general "rule" : women are beautiful(inside&outside), while men are strong(inside&outside).
Promoting weak men is a mistake in my opinion.
Well, this support comes from ignorance/manipulation, i disagree.
Furthermore, the so-called "brakes upon lybian civil liberties" should never be discussed without the attacks from the west that Lybia was suffering for decades before the invasion, they famously even renounced to nuclear weapons, but to no avail.
It took 41 years for Muammar Gaddafi to retrieve Gamal Abdel Nasser, it's a sad story. We sanctioned Lybia during the 90s under the guise of protecting the population, it makes no sense, please don't claim that our population knows and support our actions, i've discussed with other people and they don't know much about all this.
I've watched our news and they can talk for weeks about a random murder, or will give a summary that misses things, and it's not really their fault(, more of their capitalist owners who selected them), but i'm regretting this lack of diversity in our medias, we have in France a very narrow expression of opinions(, except on the Internet fortunately), and our citizens believe that it's encompassing every possible&acceptable opinions, and that some of them are even extreme, that's far from the case as this community exemplifies. Imagine a 24/7 anti-imperialist channel news, most of our citizens would be surprised by the existence of that point of view. And our lack of diversity goes beyond that i.m.o.
Probably not worth making a post for this(, yet ?), so i'm dumping these pictures here :
And as others have already said :
A new book on neo-colonialism just came out, analysing 6.100 IMF loans from these last 40 years. They're doing the opposite of what IMF co-funder J.M.Keynes advocated.
Here's the thread.
Oxfam reminds us that the IMF is mostly about austerity measures.
It also contains these two maps, note how there's never any conditions for rich countries, i didn't know that the IMF was solely for nonwestern countries(, yet controlled&financed by the west) : ! ! The second map aims to show that « half of developing country govts will be spending less in 2024 than in the 2010s.», (and adds that « Austerity measures are a key feature of the post-pandemic world »). « But this image neglects that for many developing countries austerity has been 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 over the past few decades. »
Here's a list of countries by their percentage of social welfare spending. Cause or consequence ? !
I'm not saying that the solution is simple or obvious though, but the contrast with keynesian economics is striking, and i mostly wanted to share the graph in the thumbnail of this post. !
Gospel of the day ♪
General Audience : In our path of catechesis on apostolic zeal – we are reflecting on apostolic zeal — today we will let ourselves be inspired by the witness of Saint Josephine Bakhita, a Sudanese saint. Unfortunately, for months Sudan has been torn by a terrible armed conflict, of which little is spoken today ; let us pray for the Sudanese people, so they might live in peace ! [Pardon me, but what is the solution then, if negotiations, and referendums, and a union in diversity are excluded ? I.m.h.o., if people want to live a certain way, then they should be allowed to, let them split the country if that's the problem, and let them unite with countries closer to their belief if they're interested in power, i'm oversimplifying by ignoring details i know nothing about] (...) In 1869, she was abducted from her family at the age of seven, and made a slave. Her abductors called her “Bakhita”, which means “fortunate”. She passed through eight masters – each one sold her on to the next. The physical and moral suffering she suffered as a child left her with no identity. She suffered cruelty and violence : on her body she bore more than a hundred scars.
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I'd like to start with something very important, probably the most important i've ever said regarding religions and our relation with God, but i don't know how to express it. Talking about gratefulness isn't enough, nor an attention to signs, or a search for ../Light/Goodness/God. It's an overall feeling/'way of being' occuring naturally, encompassing a lot of things that ought to be felt at each moment, but perfectible/'not final'. I think that i was closer to it in 2013, most of the time. Searching for God isn't a good enough synonym, here's the most important quote i found in the Way of the Pilgrim :
I found in part three, page 48, the treatise of Peter the Damascene, and began to read : “One must call upon the Name of God even more often than one takes a breath, at all times, in all places in any kind of work. The Apostle says: ‘Pray incessantly,’ that is, he teaches men to remember God always, everywhere and in all situations. Whatever you do, keep in your mind the Maker of all things. When you behold light, remember who gives it to you ; when you see heaven and earth and sea and all that they contain, be in awe and give praise to their Creator. When you put on your clothes, remember whose gift they are and give thanks to Him who takes care of your needs. In a word, remember and praise God in all your actions, and then you will be praying incessantly, and your soul will be filled with gladness.”
Did you understand ? You probably have to need it first in order to be receptive. I don't know how to convey the importance of this sensation, it changed me and that's the most important thing i could say about my relation with God.
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I ended the Way of a pilgrim yesterday :
Her words reminded me of the following saying of Nikitas Stethatos in the Philokalia : “The nature of things is measured by the interior disposition of the soul ; that is, the kind of person one is will determine what he thinks of others.” He goes on to say : “He who has attained to genuine prayer and love no longer puts things into categories. He does not separate the righteous from the sinners, but loves all equally and does not judge them, just as God gives the sun to shine and the rain to fall both on the just and the unjust.” ! General Audience : « Truly, to pity means both to suffer with the victims of the great inhumanity in the world, and also to pity those who commit errors and injustices, not justifying, but humanizing. » « [This is ]the work that Saint Bakhita teaches us : to humanize, to humanize ourselves and to humanize others. » « Saint Bakhita, who became Christian, was transformed by the words of Christ she meditated on every day : “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34). And so, she said : “If Judas had asked Jesus for forgiveness, he too would have found mercy”. We can say that St Bakhita’s life became an existential parable of forgiveness. » « Brothers and sisters, forgiveness is the wellspring of a zeal that becomes mercy and calls us to a humble and joyful holiness, like that of Saint Bakhita. »
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From the book of the prophet Jonah (Jon 4:1-11) Jonah was greatly displeased, and became angry that God did not carry out the evil, he threatened against Nineveh. He prayed, "I beseech you, LORD, is not this what I said while I was still in my own country ? This is why I fled at first to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger, rich in clemency, loath to punish. And now, LORD, please take my life from me ; for it is better for me to die than to live." But the LORD asked, "Have you reason to be angry ?"
Jonah then left the city for a place to the east of it, where he built himself a hut and waited under it in the shade, to see what would happen to the city. And when the LORD God provided a gourd plant that grew up over Jonah's head, giving shade that relieved him of any discomfort, Jonah was very happy over the plant. But the next morning at dawn God sent a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. And when the sun arose, God sent a burning east wind ; and the sun beat upon Jonah's head till he became faint. Then Jonah asked for death, saying, "I would be better off dead than alive." [Quick note on this : As long as you say that what is happening to you, while tragic, is still better than your own death, then you should be grateful to God, the reason for your existence(, and our existence, so even if that's not the case, you/we could still be grateful that other things exist even if you'd prefer to be dead). So, when someone in the Bible says "i'd prefer to be dead", i personally interpret it as "i've crossed the line where i can stop having to be grateful to you(, if i'm not grateful for the existence of what isn't me)", "i don't owe you", in a way.]
But God said to Jonah, "Have you reason to be angry over the plant ?" "I have reason to be angry," Jonah answered, "angry enough to die". Then the LORD said, "You are concerned over the plant which cost you no labor and which you did not raise ; it came up in one night and in one night it perished. And should I not be concerned over Nineveh, the great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left, not to mention the many cattle ?"
(since it may continue, i'll try to fill the gaps tomorrow with any relevant extracts)
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From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 11:1-4) Jesus was praying in a certain place and, when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples". He said to them, "When you pray, say :
Father, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins.
For we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."
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Quran 9:18-27 : The mosques of Allah should only be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, establish prayer, pay alms-tax, and fear none but Allah. It is right to hope that they will be among the ˹truly˺ guided. Do you ˹pagans˺ consider providing the pilgrims with water and maintaining the Sacred Mosque as equal to believing in Allah and the Last Day and struggling in the cause of Allah ? They are not equal in Allah’s sight. And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. [Which is why scientists&others receiving ideas are usually interesting, and virtuous, always surprised me, Voltaire isn't the surprising exception people said he was] Those who have believed, emigrated, and strived in the cause of Allah with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank in the sight of Allah. It is they who will triumph. (...) O believers ! Do not take your parents and siblings as trusted allies if they choose disbelief over belief. And whoever of you does so, they are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers. Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If your parents and children and siblings and spouses and extended family and the wealth you have acquired and the trade you fear will decline and the homes you cherish—˹if all these˺ are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and struggling in His Way, then wait until Allah brings about His Will. Allah does not guide the rebellious people.” Indeed, Allah has given you ˹believers˺ victory on many battlefields, even at the Battle of Ḥunain when you took pride in your great numbers, but they proved of no advantage to you. The earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on you, then you turned back in retreat. Then Allah sent down His reassurance upon His Messenger and the believers, and sent down forces you could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such was the reward of the disbelievers. Then afterwards Allah will turn in grace to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
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Saints of the day : St. Philip, Deacon St. Alexander Sauli, Bishop of Pavia St. John XXIII, Pope
haha, he was asking if i meant that only one side uses (atrocity/war/.. )propagaganda
If i meant that only one side uses (atrocity/war/.. )propagaganda. It was admittedly a very poor choice of words on my part.
I possibly misformulated the title, what i mean is that we'll always hear from the atrocities of one side(, even if we have to invent them), it's so stupid ! Just show our population Ukraine bombing civilians and we'll be pro-russians, or for any other situation, is that their argument, to only show the exactions of the other side ? That's the most lazy propaganda i could think of.
We(sterners) claim to have arguments, but i've seen our reporting, it's systematically "cinematic" images of exactions done by the same side, and almost no debate because it would be "justifying the unjustifiable", or other accepted excuses to brainwash their population in the laziest way possible.
We don't only see that for international conflicts, but also sometimes for internal conflicts, when they only show on some pro-capitalist channels "cinematic" images of violence from the protesters without giving their point of view(, images of violence being enough for an argument, and violence should always be condemned, except when it's done in Hong-Kong or other countries in order to liberate themselves, but not in Palestine, etc., you know, the rules-based order not inscribed anywhere).
We're just being lied to, continuously, and are so oblivious to our own conditionnement that we sincerely believe that the other side(, who kinda know our point of view at least,) is the one who is brainwashed and should be "liberated" in order to join the "free world". We don't know or care about the sanctions and our covert actions, nor do we think that the other side is worth having a voice, that's our world and i hope it'll change soon because i'm ashamed of it, it's not even hard to see beyond the appearances(, perhaps thanks to Internet, so that will change).
You're a litteralist, like all atheists, you don't see the double reading. Tolkien mostly doesn't speak about real things contrary to the Bible, nor does it have that much teachings, but he engraved modern mythological representations.
Tell me what you didn't understand and i'll try to explain. I don't think that an entire kindgom literally believed Jonah(, yet wouldn't be that much surprised if it did happen, it's not the point, old history books from that time are also unreliable like that, and even more for mythological books, i think that people from that time knew that it needed interpretations, compared to nowadays), but if you think that it doesn't teach us anything(, in this case mostly about the atheist's accusations of a vengeful/cruel God of the old testament), then you're mistaken, the goal here, as always, is to make the kingdom/city of God comes unto Earth(, «Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. May your kingdom come.»), fearing God is one way to walk towards it(, laws are corruptible and police(wo)men can't be everywhere, nor can they police our thoughts/intentions).
tu penses qu'elle devrait être encore plus étoffée
Étant donné qu'il y aurait un ajout/semaine à faire en période creuse(, près d'un ajout/jour en temps normal,) et que cela dure depuis des décennies, alors oui.
Je réitère que les israélien.ne.s ne sont pas non plus dans une situation confortable, mais c'était à souligner en raison de l'accusation unilatérale de terrorisme.
Imaginons que je reçoive un contre-argument :
Mais tu peux pas dire ça !
Vers une dissolution de Human Rights Watch ? https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/27/threshold-crossed/israeli-authorities-and-crimes-apartheid-and-persecution#8565
Pas sûr de comprendre pourquoi cette page wikipedia est vide : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegations_of_war_crimes_against_Israel, mais vous aurez compris l'idée.
Pas sûr non plus qu'il était nécessaire d'imaginer un commentaire pour y répondre, et oui je comprends que la situation d'Israël est précaire et qu'ils sont en position de survie, mais si l'on offre aucune autre alternative aux palestinien.ne.s que d'accepter leur perte sans rien avoir d'équivalent en échange, et si l'on continue de mentir en prétendant favoriser une solution à deux états(, très clairement pas le choix d'Israël, probablement pas celui des palestinien.ne.s non plus), alors arrêtez de croire que la paix est désirable puisqu'elle ne favorisera que l'oppresseur. Il faut offrir quelque chose d'équivalent aux palestinien.ne.s, ça commence par là, et ce nouveau territoire palestinien ne peux venir que de l'ouest agresseur, pas des pays arabes défenseurs.
Encore une preuve que le terme "terrorisme" ne veut rien dire, s'ils pensent objectif de l'attribuer aux palestinien.ne.s plutôt qu'aux israëlien.ne.s.
Dernières nouvelles du "monde libre" :
À l'Assemblée nationale, Jean-Noël Barrot a adressé un message à Elon Musk. Le ministre délégué chargé du numérique lui rappelle ses obligations dans le cadre du DSA, sous peine d'un bannissement en Europe.
It doesn't(, or only indirectly), it's just the Gospel of the day, because there is much to learn. Such readings can be personal or shared with others if they're interested.
I've also continued my book about this anonymous pilgrim :
[One day, he's agressed by brigands who steal his Bible and Philokalia, the only things he had. He spends the next days thinking that it may be for the best since he's learning to detach himself from worldly possessions, but can't stop bitterly regretting not to have had the time to read this Philokalia. Then, one day, he finds his agressors again, while stumbling upon a convoy, for they were deserters. He begged them to reveal to him where they put his books, but they asked for money, and he had none. He told them that he would find a rouble even if he had to beg for it, but since they didn't care for such promises, he even offered them to take his passport in the meantime(, quite a crazy proposal since he would almost certainly not recover it and be in a lot of troubles afterwards, probably jailed for vagrancy), since it was the only thing he had left. They hesitated, and simply told him instead that his books were among the confiscated goods, and that he just has to ask the captain for them. After showing his passport to the captain and retrieving them, he spent the evening with this officer and his family, learned his story, and had yet another interesting discussion. Afterwards :]
When the Captain rose, I went to bid him farewell and to thank him for his kindness. He treated me to tea, gave me a ruble, and said good-bye.
Joyfully, I started on my way.
I had gone scarcely a verst, when I recalled that I had promised to give the soldiers a ruble which had come into my possession in an unexpected way.
At first, I wondered whether I should give it to them or not. After all, they had beaten me and robbed me ; besides, money would be of no use to them since they were under arrest.
Then, another thought coursed through my mind. I remembered what the Bible says : “If thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat.” And Jesus Christ bade us “to love our enemies” ; and “if any man will take away thy coat let him have thy cloak also.” Thus, the question was settled in my mind.
[That's extreme...]
Three other quotes :
The Holy Fathers tell us that those who seek salvation from the mere fear of Hell are regarded as slaves, and those who perform glorious deeds in order to be rewarded with the Kingdom of Heaven are simply mercenary.
God wills us to come to him in the manner of sons.
He wishes us to lead honorable lives for the love of Him, and from the eagerness to serve Him. He wishes us to seek felicity in uniting ourselves to Him, in mind and heart.
[This Philokalia] was meant for those who are versed in theology.
Those who are not thus instructed but wish to learn inner prayer, should read the Philocalia in the following order :
(1) the book of Nicephorus the Monk(, part two must be read first of all) ;
(2) then take the entire book of Gregory of Sinai, leaving out the short chapters ;
(3) read the Three Forms of Prayer by Simeon the New Theologian and his sermon on Faith ;
(4) then comes the book of Callistus and Ignatius.
These Fathers give full guidance and instruction in the inner prayer of the heart, couched in words accessible to everyone.
If you desire a still clearer understanding of prayer, open part four and read of the way of prayer as it was summarized by the most holy Callistus, Patriarch of Constantinople.
The priest did not wish to let me go. He tried to change my mind :
“What hinders you from praying here ? Apart from staying in the chapel, your work amounts to nothing, and you have your daily bread. You may say your prayers day and night if you wish, but stay here and live with God, brother. You are of great help to me. You do not go for foolish talk with visitors, you are scrupulous with the collection money, and are a source of profit to the House of God. This is worth more than your solitary prayer. Why do you wish to be always alone ? Community prayers are pleasanter. God did not create men to live only to themselves, but to help each other and lead each other on the path of salvation. Think of the saints and the Church Fathers. Day and night they worked hard, cared for the needs of the Church and preached in many places. They didn’t sit down in solitude, hiding themselves from people.” [Good arguments, i intended to stop here but it'd be dishonest not to give the pilgrim's answer]
“God gives everyone a special gift, Father,” I said. “There have been many preachers, but also many hermits. Each has done what he could in his own way, and in faith that God Himself was showing him the path of salvation. How do you explain the fact that many of the saints gave up their work as bishops, priests or abbots and retired into the desert to get away from the confusion which comes from living with other people ? Thus, Isaac the Syrian, who was a bishop, left his flock. The venerable Athanasius of Athos abandoned his large monastery ; and just because their places became a source of temptation to them. For they firmly believed in our Lord’s saying : ‘What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul ?’ ”
Gospel of the day
From the book of the prophet Jonah (Jon 3:1-10) : The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time : "Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you". So Jonah made ready, and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD's bidding. Now, Nineveh was an enormously large city ; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk announcing, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed", when the people of Nineveh believed God ; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then, he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles : "Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything ; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God ; every man shall turn from his evil way, and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish". When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them ; he did not carry it out.
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From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 10:38-42) : Jesus entered a village, where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary, who sat beside the Lord at his feet, listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving ? Tell her to help me". The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her".
Words of the Holy Father : (...) Jesus’ word is the good portion, that which Mary had chosen. Therefore, she gives it first place: she stops and listens. The rest will come after. This does not detract from the value of practical effort, but it must not precede, but rather flow from listening to the word of Jesus. It must be enlivened by his Spirit. (Angelus, 17 July 2022).
(1 Peter 4:7-11) The end of everything has come. Therefore, be self-controlled and clearheaded so you can pray. Above all, show sincere love to each other, because love brings about the forgiveness of many sins. Open your homes to each other without complaining. And serve each other according to the gift each person has received, as good managers of God’s diverse gifts. Whoever speaks should do so as those who speak God’s word. Whoever serves should do so from the strength that God furnishes. Do this so that in everything God may be honored through Jesus Christ. To him be honor and power forever and always. Amen.
---------------------------------------------------- Surah Al-Anam(, "The Cattle"), (6:95-104) : Indeed, Allah is the One Who causes seeds and fruit stones to sprout. He brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living. That is Allah ! How can you then be deluded from the truth ? He causes the dawn to break, and has made the night for rest and made the sun and the moon to travel with precision. That is the design of the Almighty, All-Knowing. And He is the One Who has made the stars as your guide through the darkness of land and sea. We have already made the signs clear for people who know. And He is the One Who originated you all from a single soul, then assigned you a place to live and another to be laid to rest. We have already made the signs clear for people who comprehend. And He is the One Who sends down rain from the sky—causing all kinds of plants to grow—producing green stalks from which We bring forth clustered grain. And from palm trees come clusters of dates hanging within reach. There are also gardens of grapevines, olives, and pomegranates, similar in shape but dissimilar in taste. Look at their fruit as it yields and ripens ! Indeed, in these are signs for people who believe. Yet they associate the jinn with Allah in worship, even though He created them, and they falsely attribute to Him sons and daughters out of ignorance. Glorified and Exalted is He above what they claim ! He is the Originator of the heavens and earth. How could He have children when He has no mate ? He created all things and has perfect knowledge of everything. No vision can encompass Him, but He encompasses all vision. For He is the Most Subtle, All-Aware. Indeed, there have come to you insights from your Lord. So whoever chooses to see, it is for their own good. But whoever chooses to be blind, it is to their own loss. And I am not a keeper over you.
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Saints of the day : St. Paulinus, Bishop of York, Disciple of St. Gregory the Great. Sts. Daniel, Samuel and Companions, first Franciscan Martyrs.
Reminder that a few weeks ago, during the United Nations General Assembly, B.Netanyahu showed a map of « The new Middle-East », but "erroneously" without Palestine and Gaza.
> Netanyahu used the maps in an attempt to illustrate the increasing number of Arab countries normalizing relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords
> Earlier this year, Netanyahu's finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, spoke from a podium adorned with a map that also included Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria as part of Greater Israel.
Original article, discussed here.
I haven't watched the 25mn long video, but quickly skipping through it only shows two maps in total(, from the tenth to the twelfth minute), and the first one "forgot" Palestine as well : !
It's always the same argument with atheists, can't you say something different for once ?
There were many answers along the centuries, but my favorite one these last years is that you're effectively wishing for an already perfect world. Now i agree that it's the goal, but once you reach perfection you can't progress further, isn't it good to be able to progress ?
Furthermore, shouldn't we be grateful that our current reality isn't worse ? To take your example, children are naturally less susceptible to cancers and generally heal quicker.
The overwhelming majority of the bad things you can think about is done by other humans, not by the natural laws.
Also :
Earthquakes are the sign of a healthy planet. Most parasites found a way to feed themselves without killing. Cancers are a byproduct of our cell's abilities to evolve. Things aren't perfect, but we can understand their causes and keep the good while rejecting the imperfections, and it's a(n other) gift of God to have given us this opportunity for perfection/maximum(, in addition to the gift of existence, of 'His presence'/'the Presence', and all the rest).
Good people act like the samaritan, countries should do likewise and help each other, because ours is not the story of an ideology but of humanity(, with all their ideologies, helping each other despite their disagreements), our strength should be the strength of humanity, not of our nation/tribe, does this shift of mentality not seem a bit more close to what's good/desirable ?
I'm already off-topic so i'll continue. We're currently eating by killing, seems natural, so we imagine the world with the human as the "apex" ; however, this representation isn't the only one, and would seem stupid/false in an other community living out of fruits from trees and vegetables, and chickens, that they aim to maintain in life as long as possible, especially if they're in admiration/reliance/gratefulness towards their providers, instead of the superiority of the hunter towards its prey, it'd be weird to talk about being the apex predator, it'd be more about cooperation.
The first slaves were non-humans, then more&more humans(, power->responsibility, it should be exerted usefully, we're privileged), and afraid of what would happen if we lose our power in a world where everyone tries to dominate each other, everything is well as long as we impose our will(, at least for us), we're mistaken/imperfect, it's possible to have&help friends without any possible betrayal under the correct conditions/rules/counter-measures.
Now that i've started( again), i'd like to add that i'm thinking about such things as :
- Giving a part of ~Lousiana to palestinians in exchange for Israel(, with other details such as giving 1% of the incomes of every country for a year to the palestinians, ...) ;
- Stopping our own growth and helping other countries to reach the same standard of living as us(, ending definitively (neo-)colonialism by making them as powerful(, per inhabitant,) as us) ;
- Enacting efficient laws to put an end to the too numerous "external negativities" ;
- ... ;
- And at the same time making sure that our good will won't ever be possibly betrayed if we thought of enough possibilities(, it won't be easy and would need to be tested as extensively as possible, but that's an important part obviously, otherwise we'll just give our place to someone else and it'd be the rule of the strongest once again).
Gospel of the day
More than 2,000 people were killed in a devastating 6.3-magnitude earthquake and several strong aftershocks that struck northwest Afghanistan on Sunday. The UN humanitarian coordinator has approved a US$5 million emergency reserve allocation from the Afghanistan Humanitarian Fund (AHF). Pakistan, Iran and China have also reportedly pledged to send food, blankets, medicines, tents and funds, according to Reuters news agency.
[This comes after Lybia and Morocco last month...]
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From the book of the prophet Jonah (jon 1:1) (2:1.11) This is the word of the LORD that came to Jonah, son of Amittai*[, "my truth" in hebrew, Jonah was swallowed by the whale, and the tenth chapter of the Quran is named after him]* : "Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it ; their wickedness has come up before me."
But Jonah made ready to flee to Tarshish away from the LORD. He went down to Joppa, found a ship going to Tarshish, paid the fare, and went aboard to journey with them to Tarshish, away from the LORD. [smiles in the audience, i.m.h.o.]
The LORD, however, hurled a violent wind upon the sea, and in the furious tempest that arose the ship was on the point of breaking up. Then, the mariners became frightened and each one cried to his god. To lighten the ship for themselves, they threw its cargo into the sea.
Meanwhile, Jonah had gone down into the hold of the ship, and lay there fast asleep. The captain came to him and said, "What are you doing asleep ? Rise up, call upon your God ! Perhaps God will be mindful of us so that we may not perish."
Then, they said to one another, "Come, let us cast lots to find out on whose account we have met with this misfortune." So they cast lots, and thus singled out Jonah. [Ancient Greece was also among the civilizations believing that randomness was God's choice, it's at the very least Destiny/Fate's choice, yet interpretation of God's will is 'more difficult'/impossible] "Tell us", they said, "what is your business ? Where do you come from ? What is your country, and to what people do you belong ?" Jonah answered them, "I am a Hebrew, I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land."
Now, the men were seized with great fear and said to him, "How could you do such a thing ! — They knew that he was fleeing from the LORD, because he had told them — They asked, "What shall we do with you, that the sea may quiet down for us ?" For the sea was growing more and more turbulent. Jonah said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea, that it may quiet down for you ; since I know it is because of me that this violent storm has come upon you."
Still, the men rowed hard to regain the land, but they could not, for the sea grew ever more turbulent. Then they cried to the LORD : "We beseech you, O LORD, let us not perish for taking this man's life ; do not charge us with shedding innocent blood, for you, LORD, have done as you saw fit." Then they took Jonah and threw him into the sea, and the sea's raging abated. Struck with great fear of the LORD, the men offered sacrifice and made vows to him.
But the LORD sent a large fish, that swallowed Jonah ; and Jonah remained in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. From the belly of the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD, his God. Then the LORD commanded the fish to spew Jonah upon the shore.
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From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 10:25-37) : There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life ?" Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law ? How do you read it ?" He said in reply, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your being, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." He replied to him, "You have answered correctly ; do this and you will live."
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor ?" Jesus replied, "A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off, leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise, a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds, and bandaged them. Then, he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn, and cared for him. The next day, he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, 'Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.'
Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers' victim ?" He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy". Jesus said to him, "Go, and do likewise."
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Al-Baqara(, "The Cow"), 2:243 : Have you, O Prophet, not seen those who fled their homes in the thousands for fear of death ? Allah said to them, “Die !”, then He gave them life. Surely, Allah is ever Bountiful to humanity, but most people are ungrateful. Fight in the cause of Allah, and know that Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. Who will lend to Allah a good loan which Allah will multiply many times over? It is Allah ˹alone˺ who decreases and increases ˹wealth˺. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned. [It's obvious once you understand how everything was/is/'will always be' connected to God, my/our/Our/the Lord, not praising H..er.im is irrational/'for lost people'] [The rest goes on to remind us how David vanquished Goliath by God's Will. Hoping is good i guess...]
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Saint of the day : St. John Henry Newman.
One post and zero comment from criitz.
Ideally a fusion of Reddit and Lemmy's content was what your bot is aiming to do, first thought it'd be illegal, but since we don't have human reposters i'm glad there's at least a bot instead.
Then cite a sentence that you found nonsensical if you're interested in this topic, and if not, thanks for the chat anyway.
Gospel of the day
The Pope recalled the “urgent need to find a lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in this land”. The Patriarchate’s statement concluded with the prayer that God might “inspire world leaders in their intervention for the implementation of peace and concord so that Jerusalem may be a house of prayer for all peoples”.
Of course, it won't happen, not that solutions don't exist but we would prefer not to give anything of equal value for taking the heart of the three monotheist religions. Not that pacific demonstrations would change anything either. Except a change of leaders, i don't know how we could ever agree to exchange a part of our own territory for Israel.
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First Reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah (Is 5,1-7)(, because parables certainly didn't started with the New Testament) :
Let me now sing of my friend, my friend's song concerning his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard, on a fertile hillside ; he spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines ; within it, he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press. Then, he looked for the crop of grapes, but what it yielded was wild grapes.
Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard : What more was there to do for my vineyard that I had not done ? Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes ? Now, I will let you know what I mean to do with my vineyard : take away its hedge, give it to grazing, break through its wall, let it be trampled ! Yes, I will make it a ruin : it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers ; I will command the clouds not to send rain upon it. The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah are his cherished plant ; he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed ! for justice, but hark, the outcry !
Second Reading from the letter of St Paul the Apostle to the Philippians (Phil 4:6-9)
Brothers and sisters : Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you.
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From the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 21:33-43) :
Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people : "Hear another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey. When vintage time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat, another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones, but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking, 'They will respect my son'. But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance'. They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes ?"
They answered him, "He will put those wretched men to a wretched death and lease his vineyard to other tenants who will give him the produce at the proper times".
Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures : The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone ; by the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes ? Therefore, I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit."
---------------------------------------------------- Surah Al Imran(, i've talked about Joshua/Jesus yesterday, Imran is Joachim) (3:134-135) : [The believers] are those who donate in prosperity and adversity, control their anger, and pardon others. And Allah loves the good-doers. They are those who, upon committing an evil deed or wronging themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives sins except Allah ?—and they do not knowingly persist in wrongdoing.
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Saint of the day : St. Pelagia, Virgin and Martyr of Antioch
A new book by Pope Francis ! (And the Gospel of the day)
The Vatican Publishing House, Libreria Editrice Vaticana releases Pope Francis' new book “Holy, not Worldly. God's Grace Saves Us from Interior Corruption” ! Here's the preface :
Christian life is a battle, an interior combat to overcome the temptation of closing ourselves, and to let the love of our Father who desires our happiness to dwell within us. It is a beautiful battle, because when we let the Lord be victorious in us, our heart exults fully and our existence is illuminated by a ray of the infinite. The battle we carry out as followers of Jesus is first of all a battle against spiritual worldliness, which is a form of paganism in ecclesiastical clothing. Though it be camouflaged with the appearance of the sacred, it ends up being idolatrous, because it does not recognize the presence of God as Lord, and liberator of our lives and of the history of the world. It leaves us prey to our capricious desires.
Therefore, we must fight. But our battle is not vain, nor without hope, because this battle has already been won by Jesus, who overcame the strength of sin in his death. With his resurrection, he has made it possible for us to become new persons.
Of course, the victory of Jesus has a name, the cross, which at first repels us and pushes us away. But it is the sign of a limitless love, humble and tenacious. Jesus loved us to the point of the ignominious death on a cross in order that we no longer be able to doubt that his arms will remain open, even for the last of the sinners. This eternal love calls and orients the life of Christians, and of the Church herself. The cross of Jesus becomes the criterion of every choice of faith.
Blessed Pierre Claverie, the bishop of Oran, affirmed this in one of his beautiful homilies that I would like to quote here : « I believe that the Church dies if it is not sufficiently close to the cross of her Lord. Though it may seem paradoxical, strength, vitality, hope, Christian fruitfulness, the fruitfulness of the Church come from here. Not from elsewhere. All the rest is but smoke in our eyes, worldly illusion. The Church betrays herself, and betrays the world, when it stands like a power among powers, or like an organization, even a humanitarian one, or like an evangelical movement capable of making a splash. It may even shine, but it does not burn with the fire of the love of God, ‘strong as death’ – as the Song of Songs puts it. »
This is why I wanted to collect in this short volume two essays which were published at different times : one, written in 1991 when I was the archbishop of Buenos Aires, dedicated to corruption and sin ; and the other, a Letter to the priests of Rome. They are united by the concern, which I feel to be a loud call from God to the entire Church, to remain vigilant and to fight with the strength of prayer against every concession to spiritual worldliness.
This battle has a name : it is called holiness. Holiness is not a state of beatitude which one has reached once and for all. It is instead the incessant, tireless desire to remain attached to the cross of Jesus, letting ourselves be shaped by the logic that comes from the gift of self, and from resisting the enemy who flatters us by convincing us that we are self-sufficient. It would do us well to remember what Jesus said : “Without me you can do nothing”(Jn 15:5). Holiness is therefore remaining open to the “more” that God asks of us and that is manifested in our adherence to our daily lives. Father Alfred Delp wrote : “God embraces us through reality”. Our daily lives are the place in which we make room for the Lord, who saves us from self-sufficiency, and which requires of us that magis which Saint Ignatius of Loyola spoke about : that “more” that urges us toward a happiness which is not ephemeral, but full and serene.
I offer these texts to the reader as an opportunity to reflect on his life and on the life of the Church, with the conviction that God asks us to be open to His newness, he asks us to be unquiet and never satisfied, searching and never stuck in comfortable opacity, not defended within the walls of false certainties, but walking on the road of holiness.
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Philippians 2:1-5 : Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.
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On a personal note : I've began reading a text( chosen randomly) yesterday, it's from an anonymous pilgrim of the XIXth century, and starts with : « By the grace of God, i am a christian ; by my deeds, a great sinner ; and, by calling, a homeless rover of the lowest status in life. My possessions comprise but some rusk in a knapsack on my back, and the Holy Bible on my bosom. »
I'm only on chapter 5 out of 40, but it begins slowly, searching for a way to pray perpetually. Progressively explaining through his journey why it's important, and why it seems harder than at first thought(, or even impossible, such as during our sleep). This long research doesn't come to fruition only at the end though, but as soon as the fifth chapter : « The elder found the teaching of Nicephorus the monk, and began to read : “If after some efforts you do not succeed in reaching the region of the heart in the manner you have been told, do what I am about to tell you, and with the help of God you will find what you are seeking. The faculty of speech is located in the larynx, as you know. Drive back all other thoughts—you can do it if you wish—and use that faculty in saying constantly the following words : ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ Make yourself do so at all times. If you persist in it for a while, your heart by this means will be open to prayer without doubt. This is known from experience.” “Here, you have the teaching of Holy Fathers dealing with these cases,” said the elder. “Therefore, you must accept it with confidence, and repeat the oral Jesus Prayer as often as possible. Take this rosary. Use it in saying three thousand prayers every day in the beginning. Whether you sit or stand, walk or lie down, constantly repeat : ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ »
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The Pope points to path for an inclusive and caring economy(, i didn't managed to quickly find the original speech) : « Pope Francis sends a message to young economists taking part in the annual “Economy of Francesco” meeting. In a world where disparities are growing, this [concept of "coincidentia oppositorum"] calls for balance, cooperation, and a recognition that both sides can coexist for the common good. Urging young economists to expand their perspectives and make room for diverse voices, particularly those that have long been excluded, the Holy Father emphasizes the importance of valuing the viewpoints of women and the marginalized. Their unique insights, he notes, can shift our focus from material possessions to meaningful relationships, from wealth accumulation to equitable distribution, and from abstraction to tangible realities. Just as a pilgrim's journey is marked by challenges and dust, the Pope says it is necessary to get one’s hands dirty in the pursuit of the common good. [If there's a reader here, would s.he mind giving below their interpretation of this sentence ?] A pilgrim’s journey, he adds, is also an encouragement to be peacemakers and advocates for justice within the economic realm. It is clear, the Pope concludes, that change takes time and requires resourcefulness. It may not be possible to immediately integrate new economic approaches into existing systems, but this should not deter us. We must have the patience to let our efforts evolve gradually and nurture the determination to establish enduring connections. As we strive for a more just and inclusive economic world, persistence and resilience are essential virtues. »
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From the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:12-14) : After Jesus had been taken up into heaven, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they entered the city, they went to the upper room where they were staying, but Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
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From the Gospel according to Luke (Lk 1:26-38) : The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace ! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." [note : The house of Jacob is comprised of the houses/kindgoms of Ephraim/Israel and Judah. Judah was the son of Jacob b.t.w., as all patriarchs of Ephraim/Israel(, 10 tribes : Reuben, Simon, Zebulun, Gad, Issaskar, Dan, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, and Ephraim, the last two being the sole exception as they are not sons of Jacob but of his twelfth child : Joseph. That's a lot of "J", as in Jew, Judah, Jesus, John the Baptist, Jerusalem, ... Mark&Matthew would then correspond to Joseph's eldest son Manasseh ?), and of Judah(, sometimes included in the word Israel, but never in Ephraim)(, 3 tribes : Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, but the tribe of Levi didn't have any land), they were separated in two after Solomon's reign. Jacob's name was changed by the Lord to Isra’el(, meaning to strive&overcome with El/God). Joshua (Yehoshua/Yahshuah/Yeshua in hebrew, Jesus in latin, ~"God save"), whose father's name is very similar to Nun and means "fish" in aramaic, was of the tribe of Ephraim, and the one who lead the children of Israel into Canaan after Moses' death. Jeroboam the first was also an Ephraimite who lead the ten tribes(,slightly alternative map,) into the north to establish the Northern Kingdom of Ephraim/Israel, which included Samaria and Galilee, while Judah&Benjamin stayed loyal to Solomon's son Rehoboam.] But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren ; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
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Holy Quran, Surah 5(« The Table( Spread with Food) »), ayat 109-119(, absolutely zero reason to feel insulted) :
The Day when Allah will gather together the Messengers and say : 'What answer were you given ?' They will reply : 'We have no real knowledge of it. You alone fully know all that lies beyond the reach of human perception.
Imagine, then, when Allah will say : 'Jesus, son of Mary, recall My favour upon you and your mother, and when I strengthened you with the spirit of holiness, so that you talked to men in the cradle, and also when you became of age [as all of us, we're all indebted] ; and when I taught you the Book and Wisdom, and the Torah and the Gospel ; and when, by My leave, you fashioned from clay the likeness of a bird and you breathed into it, and by My leave it became a bird ; you healed, by My leave, the blind from birth, and the leprous ; and when, by My leave, you caused the dead to come to life. And recall when I restrained the Israelites from you, when you came to them with clear proofs whereupon those of them who disbelieved said : "This is nothing but clear magic." And recall when I revealed to the disciples to believe in Me, and in My Messenger, they said : "We do believe, and we bear witness that we indeed are the ones who submit to Allah" Also recall when the disciples asked Jesus, son of Mary : 'Jesus, son of Mary, has your Lord the power to send down to us a repast from the heaven ?'. Thereupon, Jesus said : 'Fear Allah if you do indeed have faith.' Jesus, son of Mary, then prayed: 'O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a repast from the heavens that shall be a festival for the first of us and for the last of us, and a sign from You. And provide us with sustenance, for You are the best Provider of sustenance.' Allah said : 'I shall indeed send it down to you ; then, I shall afflict whoever among you who disbelieves with a chastisement, wherewith I will afflict none in the worlds.'
And imagine when thereafter Allah will say : 'Jesus, son of Mary, did you say to people : "Take me and my mother for gods beside Allah ?"' And he will answer : "Glory to You ! It was not for me to say what I had no right to. Had I said so, You would surely have known it. You know all that is within my mind, whereas I do not know what is within Yours. You, indeed You, know fully all that is beyond the reach of human perception. I said to them nothing except what You commanded me, that is : 'Serve Allah, my Lord and your Lord'. I watched over them as long as I remained among them ; and when You did recall me, then You Yourself became the Watcher over them. Indeed, You are Witness over everything. If You chastise them, they are Your servants ; and if You forgive them, You are the All-Mighty, the All-Wise". Thereupon Allah will say : 'This day truthfulness shall profit the truthful.
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Saints of today : St. Mark, Pope Sts. Sergius e Bacchus, Martyrs of Syria
Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war.
If at the very least we(sterners) offered an alternative territory for palestinians(, with a lot of money, promises to lift sanctions, stop interfering in the Middle-East, etc.), then we could start negotiations, but we're not offering them anything, they simply have to accept their unilateral loss, that's not just.
edit : !
Gospel of the day
From the book of the prophet Baruch Bar 1:15-22
During the Babylonian captivity, the exiles prayed : "Justice is with the Lord, our God ; and we today are flushed with shame, we men of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem, that we, with our kings and rulers and priests and prophets, and with our ancestors, have sinned in the Lord's sight and disobeyed Him. We have neither heeded the voice of the Lord, our God, nor followed the precepts which the Lord set before us. [Are we, now ?] From the time the Lord led our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until the present day, we have been disobedient to the Lord, our God, and only too ready to disregard His voice. (...) each one of us went off after the devices of his own wicked heart, served other gods, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, our God."
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From the Gospel according to Luke Lk 10:13-16
Jesus said to them, "Woe to you, Chorazin ! Woe to you, Bethsaida ! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.
And as for you, Capernaum, 'Will you be exalted to heaven ? You will go down to the netherworld.'
Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." [Since the Christ is almost solely talking about honoring God and being virtuous, i.d.k. how we could both reject his message and avoid heading towards the fate of Sodom, Gomorrah, and all of the other decadences brought by a lack of virtue, empathy, etc.]
Words of the Holy Pope : « (...) we try to take control of our relationship with Jesus. [We tell Him] “Yes, I go to Mass, but afterwards You stay in the Church while I go home.” (…) Today can be a day for us to make an examination of conscience, (...) when this kind of Christian hypocrisy is lived, what we end up doing is casting Jesus from our hearts. We pretend to have Him, but we have cast him out. “We are Christians,” [we say.] “We are proud to be Christians.” But we live like pagans. (Santa Marta, 5 October 2018)» [I'm quite obviously a sinner as well b.t.w., everything is perfectible and that gives purpose]
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Saints of the day : St. Bruno of Calabria, priest, Founder of Certosini St. Mary Francis of the Five Wounds, Virgin, Franciscan
Gospel of the day.
There's a new Apostolic Exhortation ! Laudate Deum, on the climate crisis. Video(3mn) (associated tweet) : « “Praise God” is the title of this letter. For when human beings pretend to take God’s place, they become their own worst enemies. » This comes after the excellent Encyclical Letter 'Laudato si', promulgated on the Solemnity of Pentecost 2015. !
The Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum, addressed to all people of goodwill, is composed of six Chapters : In the first, "The Global Climate Crisis," Pope Francis warns that climate change is undeniable, and its effects are becoming increasingly evident "despite some attempts to minimize or ridicule them" (LD 6). He further regrets that the main cause of this problem is human activity and adds that, while we cannot correct such damage, we can still take steps to prevent even more serious damage in the future. In the second Chapter, the Holy Father addresses the "technocratic paradigm" and stresses that nature is not a resource to be exploited without end and urges us to recognize that unbridled ambition is not ethically sustainable (LD 28). In the third Chapter, Francis refers to "the weakness of international politics" and stresses the urgent need for global cooperation through new multilateral agreements between States because current and past approaches are insufficient (LD 43). In the fourth Chapter, the Pope reflects on "climate conferences: progress and failures" and encourages to overcome the selfish positions of countries for the benefit of the global common good (LD 44, 52) and in the fifth Chapter to reflect on "what is expected from COP28 in Dubai?" if we do not want to doom humanity. In the last chapter, "Spiritual Motivations," the Holy Father calls upon people of all religious confessions to respond. He also reminds Catholics that in the light of faith there is a responsibility to care for God's creation and that this implies respect for the laws of nature and recognition of the beauty and richness of God's creation. Finally, Pope Francis invites us to walk in communion, together, synodically, and to commit ourselves to "reconciliation with the world that shelters us" (LD 69). A longer tl;dr can be found here
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(Here's a thought i had yesterday, thought i may share :) (I'm young, )I've taken all my life without ever giving back.
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From the book of Nehemiah Ne 8:1-4a.5-6.7b-12 : The whole people gathered as one in the open space before the Water Gate, and they called upon Ezra the scribe to bring forth the book of the law of Moses which the LORD prescribed for Israel. On the first day of the seventh month, therefore, Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, which consisted of men, women, and those children old enough to understand. Standing at one end of the open place that was before the Water Gate, he read out of the book from daybreak until midday (...) He opened the scroll so that all the people might see it(, for he was standing higher up than any of the people) ; [Is that one of the explanations for why we stand up during mass ?] Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people, their hands raised high, answered, "Amen, amen !" Then they bowed down and prostrated themselves before the LORD, their faces to the ground. [Something most christians don't do anymore...] As the people remained in their places, Ezra read plainly from the book of the law of God, interpreting it, so that all could understand what was read (...)[, and then said] : "Today is holy to the LORD your God. Do not be sad, and do not weep"– for all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. He said further: "Go, eat rich foods and drink sweet drinks, and allot portions to those who had nothing prepared ; for today is holy to our LORD. Do not be saddened this day, for rejoicing in the LORD must be your strength !" And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, "Hush, for today is holy, and you must not be saddened." Then all the people went to eat and drink, to distribute portions, and to celebrate with great joy, for they understood the words that had been expounded to them. [Am i overthinking that they understood more than simply "do not be saddened", is this an allusion to "don't take the law too literally but instead understand its meaning" ? Or something more exact, i.d.k...]
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« Dear friends, Francis was a great Saint and a joyful man. His simplicity, his humility, his faith, his love for Christ, brought him gladness. Looking at the testimony of St Francis, we understand that this is the secret of true happiness : to become saints, close to God ! » (from the twitter account of pope Benedict XVI)
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From the Gospel according to Luke Lk 10:1-12 Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few ; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way ; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals ; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.' If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him ; but if not, it will return to you. [Interesting formulation ! This peace can't be lost once 'you found God'/'God found you'] Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.' [They were advising to cure the sick, apparently convinced that any faithful servant of God can do it, if that's not interesting i don't know what is, shamans appeared in all cultures and still do healing sessions to this day b.t.w.] Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.' Yet know this : the Kingdom of God is at hand. [a.k.a., the Paradise on Earth, this is the most important sentence i.m.h.o. !!] I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town." [It doesn't work on people who don't fear God, and are probably not virtuous, being a missionary has ~always been dangerous]
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Surah 4 An-Nisa(The Women), Ayat 17-18 (And remember that) Allah's acceptance of repentance is only for those who commit evil out of ignorance and then soon repent. It is towards such persons that Allah turns graciously. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. But of no avail is repentance of those who do evil until death approaches any one of them and then he says: 'Now I repent.' Nor is the repentance of those who die in the state of unbelief of any avail to them.
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Saints of the day : Sts. Placidus and Maurus, disciples of St. Benedict. As well as St. Faustina Kowalska
Gospel of the day
Holy Mass(1h40mn) : Opening of the XVI General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops « Let us start from the gaze of Jesus, which is a blessing and welcoming gaze. » « Despite facing rejection, the Christ does not allow Himself “to be imprisoned by disappointment,” but instead looks to the Father, remaining “serene even in the storm,” the Pope said. He explained that Jesus invites us to be a Church that contemplates God’s action and discern the present ; “a Church that does not face today’s challenges and problems with a divisive and contentious spirit but, on the contrary, turns its eyes to God who is communion and, with awe and humility, blesses and adores Him, recognizing Him as its only Lord.” »
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(personal thought, perhaps that :) We could all technically say that our words are words of God, yet only the perfect words are truly God's words. We could all technically say that we're daughters/sons of God, yet only perfect beings are the true daughters/sons of God.
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Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 137:1-6 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept at the memory of Zion. On the poplars there we had hung up our harps. For there our gaolers had asked us to sing them a song, our captors to make merry, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.' How could we sing a song of Yahweh on alien soil? If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand wither! May my tongue remain stuck to my palate if I do not keep you in mind, if I do not count Jerusalem the greatest of my joys.
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Gospel, Luke 9:57-62 As they travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' Jesus answered, 'Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.' Another to whom he said, 'Follow me,' replied, 'Let me go and bury my father first.' But he answered, 'Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.' Another said, 'I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say good -- bye to my people at home.' Jesus said to him, 'Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.'
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The surah of the day being even more interesting than the gospel of the day, and since we're praising the same Creator : Qur'an, An-Nur("The Light"), Surah 24:41-44 Do you not see that Allah is glorified by all those in the heavens and the earth, even the birds as they soar ? Each instinctively knows their manner of prayer and glorification. And Allah has perfect knowledge of all they do. To Allah alone belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And to Allah is the final return. Do you not see that Allah gently drives the clouds, then joins them together, piling them up into masses, from which you see raindrops come forth ? And He sends down from the sky mountains of clouds loaded with hail, pouring it on whoever He wills and averting it from whoever He wills. The flash of the clouds’ lightning nearly takes away eyesight. Allah alternates the day and night. Surely in this is a lesson for people of insight.
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Saint of the day : St. Francis of Assisi, Founder of the Franciscan Order, Patron of Italy
Gospel of the day
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has published Pope Francis' response to "dubia" (questions; literally "doubts") presented by five Cardinals. The questions concerning the interpretation of Divine Revelation, the blessing of same-sex unions, synodality as a constitutive dimension of the Church, the priestly ordination of women, and repentance as a necessary condition for sacramental absolution. Here are the answers
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Saint of the day : St Candida, Martyr on the via Portuense : One of the many roman martyrs. No particulars have survived.
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Qur'an, Al-Hajj(, the Pilgrimage), Surah 22:34-41 For every nation, We have appointed a rite so that they might mention Allah’s Name over the livestock He has provided them. Your God is the One God, so submit to Him. And give good news to the humble — those whose hearts tremble with awe when Allah is mentioned, and who are patient through whatever visits them, and who maintain the prayer and spend out of what We have provided them. We have appointed for you the [sacrificial] camels as part of Allah’s sacraments. There is good for you in them. So mention the Name of Allah over them as they stand. And when they have fallen on their flanks, eat from them, and feed the self-contained needy and the mendicant. (...) It is not their flesh or blood that reaches Allah; rather, it is your piety that reaches Him. Thus has He disposed them for your benefit so that you may magnify Allah for His guiding you. And give good news to the virtuous. (...) Those who, if We granted them power in the land, will maintain the prayer, give the zakat, bid what is right and forbid what is wrong.
Found on /c/[email protected]
It's not that much linked to communism, but i like lemmit.online and there's one or two interesting information. I especially liked the clear link between the dates and the geographical position. It's a bit too western-centered though.
Gospel of the day
From the Gospel according to Matthew Mt 18:1-5.10
The disciples approached Jesus and said, "Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?" He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.
"See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father."
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General audience, 18 March 2015
We are all sons and daughters. And this always brings us back to the fact that we did not give ourselves life but that we received it. The great gift of life is the first gift that we received. (...) simply by their presence, [children] remind us that each and every one of us is a son or daughter.
But there are so many gifts, so many riches that children bring to humanity. I shall mention only a few.
They bring their way of seeing reality, with a trusting and pure gaze. A child has spontaneous trust in his father and mother; he has spontaneous trust in God, in Jesus, in Our Lady. At the same time, his interior gaze is pure, not yet tainted by malice, by duplicity, by the “incrustations” of life which harden the heart. We know that children are also marked by original sin, that they are selfish, but they preserve purity, and interior simplicity. But children are not diplomats : they say what they feel, say what they see, directly. (…) Children — in their interior simplicity — bring with them the capacity to receive and give tenderness. Tenderness is having a heart “of flesh” and not “of stone”, as the Bible says (cf. Ezekiel 36:26). Tenderness is also poetry : it is “feeling” things and events, not treating them as mere objects, only to use them, because they are useful. (...)
For all these reasons, Jesus invited his disciples to “become like children”, because “the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like them” (cf. Mt 18:3 ; Mk 10:14).
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Saint of the day : Sts Guardian Angels.