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Friday, November 30, 2018

A Globalized God

A Globalized God: Religion is on the rise around the world. If the United States fails to confront the implications of this growth properly the potential for religiously motivated violence across the globe may increase dramatically over the next century.

Why a Populist Rebellion Is Roiling the Catholic Church

Why a Populist Rebellion Is Roiling the Catholic Church: The turmoil in the Catholic Church today reveals yet another front in the populist rebellion against establishment leaders that has roiled the politics of the West.

Why Pope Francis' Opponents Are Changing Their Narrative

Why Pope Francis' Opponents Are Changing Their Narrative: In his Foreign Affairs piece diagnosing the recent divide within the Catholic Church, R. R. Reno reveals a profound shift in the way the minority of U.S. Catholics who oppose Pope Francis portray him and his predecessors.

Why the Catholic Church's Current Crisis Is the Worst Since the Reformation

Why the Catholic Church's Current Crisis Is the Worst Since the Reformation: The Catholic Church’s Biggest Crisis Since the Reformation
Why a New Wave of Sexual Abuse Revelations Has Deepened Preexisting Divisions

The Catholic Church’s Biggest Crisis Since the Reformation


The Catholic Church’s Biggest Crisis Since the Reformation

Why a New Wave of Sexual Abuse Revelations Has Deepened Preexisting Divisions


https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2018-10-11/catholic-churchs-biggest-crisis-reformation?spJobID=1540016938&spMailingID=57907071&spReportId=MTU0MDAxNjkzOAS2&spUserID=NTA0ODY0NjAzNjcS1&sp_mid=57907071&sp_rid=bWljaGVsZXRrZWFybmV5QGdtYWlsLmNvbQS2

Here's Why Trump Just Loves to Hate G-Summits

Here's Why Trump Just Loves to Hate G-Summits

Greenwald Goes Ballistic On Politico "Theory" Guardian's Assange-Manafort Story Was Planted By Russians | Zero Hedge

Greenwald Goes Ballistic On Politico "Theory" Guardian's Assange-Manafort Story Was Planted By Russians | Zero Hedge: POLITICO allowed an ex-CIA officer to use a fake name to publish demonstrable lies and blame Russia for this potentially huge media scandal

What are U.S. Soldiers Dying for in Afghanistan? | The National Interest

What are U.S. Soldiers Dying for in Afghanistan? | The National Interest: What benefit has been accrued to our country as a result of these compounding sorrows, grief and pain borne by such a tiny minority of our fellow citizens?

Marriott reveals data breach affecting 500 million hotel guests | ZDNet

Marriott reveals data breach affecting 500 million hotel guests | ZDNet: Hackers have had access to the Starwood guest reservation database since 2014.

At the G-20, Can Donald Trump Stop Being the Wrecking Ball of the Postwar Global Order? | The New Yorker

At the G-20, Can Donald Trump Stop Being the Wrecking Ball of the Postwar Global Order? | The New Yorker

The China hawk who captured Trump's 'very, very large brain' - POLITICO

The China hawk who captured Trump's 'very, very large brain' - POLITICO

The Triumph of Hindu Majoritarianism

The Triumph of Hindu Majoritarianism: Hindu nationalism has conquered India. The only debate now is over what form it should take.

State Department floats threat of military action against Iran | TheHill

State Department floats threat of military action against Iran | TheHill

Hope for the Future Church | Father Pablo

Hope for the Future Church | Father Pablo: God has blessed our diocese with five new seminarians this academic year. I am reminded of God’s love for His people that He continues to place a desire for the Priesthood in the hearts of young men so that He can manifest Himself through the sacraments of the Church. The prayer and support of so many faithful

Israeli Army Puts Humanitarian Workers at Risk in Gaza – LobeLog

Israeli Army Puts Humanitarian Workers at Risk in Gaza – LobeLog: by Yael Marom Israeli troops impersonated humanitarian workers in order to carry out an intelligence operation deep inside the Gaza Strip, according to details of the botched operation leaked by Ha…

Manafort’s lies won’t hurt Mueller’s investigation.

Manafort’s lies won’t hurt Mueller’s investigation.: The disgraced operative’s latest deceit will only help make the case that the president obstructed justice.

Trump administration approves seismic tests that could harm thousands of Atlantic dolphins and whales - The Washington Post

Trump administration approves seismic tests that could harm thousands of Atlantic dolphins and whales - The Washington Post: Federal officials are expected to grants permits that allow companies to possibly kill marine life as they search for oil and gas deposits.

Government now wants to seize your car for going 5 MPH over the limit

Government now wants to seize your car for going 5 MPH over the limit

Report: 42% of global coal capacity now unprofitable | Utility Dive

Report: 42% of global coal capacity now unprofitable | Utility Dive: Utility industry news, voices and jobs for energy industry professionals. Optimized for your mobile phone.

California regulators announce probe into PG&E corporate structure | Utility Dive

California regulators announce probe into PG&E corporate structure | Utility Dive: Utility industry news, voices and jobs for energy industry professionals. Optimized for your mobile phone.

A Leaven In The World… Bishops: Ban Jesuit Fr. James Martin Now | The Wanderer Newspaper

A Leaven In The World… Bishops: Ban Jesuit Fr. James Martin Now | The Wanderer Newspaper: By FR. KEVIN M. CUSICK N.B.: I do not posit a formal moral cooperation on the part of the bishops but say, rather, that by their silence bishops leave their flocks confused and possibly construing agreement/support of Martin who reaches into every diocese and interferes in each bishop’s proper jurisdiction through media/publishing. This is why I believe a ban is necessary.” The bishops in Baltimore were stymied in their attempt to pass meaningful and effective measures to impose their own sexual morality guidelines on themselves. The Holy Father shot down their planned votes on two measures to police themselves by asking them not to act. Stephen P. White in The Catholic Thing makes the point that the Pope, in effect,...Continue Reading

Chevrolet Sedans Suffer While Toyota and Honda Hang On - Bloomberg

Chevrolet Sedans Suffer While Toyota and Honda Hang On - Bloomberg: The supremacy of Japanese cars has been 40-plus years in the making.

Democrats Taking Key Leadership Jobs Have Pocketed Millions From Pharma | Kaiser Health News

Democrats Taking Key Leadership Jobs Have Pocketed Millions From Pharma | Kaiser Health News: Top House Republican also received more than $1 million from drugmakers since 2007.

Asian ticks have arrived in the United States, and they’ve brought disease with them – BGR

Asian ticks have arrived in the United States, and they’ve brought disease with them – BGR

CRISPR-baby scientist fails to satisfy critics

CRISPR-baby scientist fails to satisfy critics: He Jiankui gives talk about controversial claim of genome editing babies, but ethical questions remain.

Breaking Down What Climate Change Will Do, Region by Region | naked capitalism

Breaking Down What Climate Change Will Do, Region by Region | naked capitalism: A brief recap of the newly-released Federal report on climate change.

American Life Expectancy Continues to Fall: Rise in Suicides, Overdose Deaths the Big Culprit | naked capitalism

American Life Expectancy Continues to Fall: Rise in Suicides, Overdose Deaths the Big Culprit | naked capitalism: America's falling life expectancy is a symptom of rising social distress.

The global responsibility to prepare for intersecting climate and nuclear risks - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

The global responsibility to prepare for intersecting climate and nuclear risks - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: The effects of climate change stand to heighten nuclear risks in various ways, including by direct impacts on nuclear facilities, exacerbation of political and economic disruption, and diminishment of global institutions.

The president said he didn’t “believe” his own government’s climate report. And then his press secretary doubled down with a response that was, how shall I put this, “not based on facts.”

The president said he didn’t “believe” his own government’s climate report. And then his press secretary doubled down with a response that was, how shall I put this, “not based on facts.”: The federal government’s new National Climate Assessment is the latest scientific report to confirm the devastating effects of climate change: extreme hot weather is getting more common, wildfires are becoming more devastating, rising sea levels are forcing people from their homes, and so forth. “Climate change is transforming where and how we live and presents … Continued

The Khashoggi murder raises questions about a Saudi Bomb - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

The Khashoggi murder raises questions about a Saudi Bomb - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: In a story that migrated off the New York Times’ home page far too quickly, David Sanger and William Broad asked a searingly important question that has yet to seize the world imagination: Can Saudi Arabian leaders be trusted with the means to create nuclear weapons?

Can Trump abrogate the INF Treaty without Congress? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

Can Trump abrogate the INF Treaty without Congress? - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: President Trump wants to withdraw the United States from the INF Treaty signed by presidents Reagan and Gorbachev in 1987. But can he do so without Congressional approval?

Why Fact Checkers Need to Accept That They Can Err | RealClearPolitics

Why Fact Checkers Need to Accept That They Can Err | RealClearPolitics

The Migrant Caravan of Diseases

The Migrant Caravan of Diseases: Strange new diseases are appearing in the U.S. around the same time illegal immigration has taken hold.

Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection November 30, 2018

Friday, November 30, 2018
Feast of Saint Andrew
Matthew 4:18-22
Friends, today’s Gospel reports the Lord’s calling of his first disciples. What is it about this scene that is so peaceful and right? Somehow it gets at the very heart of Jesus’ life and work, revealing what he is about. He comes into the world as the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, a representative from the community which is God—and thus his basic purpose is to draw the world into community around him.

“He said to them, ‘Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” There is so much packed into that simple line. Notice the way that God acts. He is direct, in your face; he does the choosing. Jesus is not offering a doctrine, a theology, or a set of beliefs. He is offering himself: become my disciple, apprentice to me.

“And I will make you fishers of men.” This is one of the best one-liners in Scripture. God is the Creator, the one who makes us from nothing. And what he makes us is always a reflection of himself: a fisher of men.

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
Lectionary: 684

Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18

Brothers and sisters:
If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.
For one believes with the heart and so is justified,
and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
The Scripture says,
No one who believes in him will be put to shame.
There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;
the same Lord is Lord of all,
enriching all who call upon him.
For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?
And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone to preach?
And how can people preach unless they are sent?
As it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!
But not everyone has heeded the good news;
for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?
Thus faith comes from what is heard,
and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.
But I ask, did they not hear?
Certainly they did; for

Their voice has gone forth to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the world.

Gospel Mt 4:18-22

As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.

The American Casualties of Trump’s Trade War - The New York Times

The American Casualties of Trump’s Trade War - The New York Times

The Insect Apocalypse Is Here - The New York Times

The Insect Apocalypse Is Here - The New York Times

Not just Ireland: Chilean congress calls for boycott of Israeli settlements - Israel News - Haaretz.com

Not just Ireland: Chilean congress calls for boycott of Israeli settlements - Israel News - Haaretz.com: Resolution passes as Ireland advances bill banning settlement produce ■ Legislation promoted to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Provoking New Crimes Rather than Uncovering Past Crimes: Mueller's Modus Operandi

Provoking New Crimes Rather than Uncovering Past Crimes: Mueller's Modus Operandi: Even if Mueller could prove that members of the Trump team had colluded with Julian Assange to use material that Assange had unlawfully obtained, that, too, would not be a crime. Merely using the product of an already committed theft of information is

Why are we at each others' throats? Healing polarization in our church | National Catholic Reporter

Why are we at each others' throats? Healing polarization in our church | National Catholic Reporter: My in-laws are farmers and live on 200 acres in a quiet part of Northern California. Although there are very few "destinations" near them — olive tasting is a notable exception — I have made the T...

Gmail Smart Replies and the Ever-Growing Pressure to E-mail Like a Machine

Gmail Smart Replies and the Ever-Growing Pressure to E-mail Like a Machine



https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/gmail-smart-replies-and-the-ever-growing-pressure-to-e-mail-like-a-machine?utm_source=MIT+Technology+Review&utm_campaign=e84bfa87c5-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_11_30_11_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_997ed6f472-e84bfa87c5-153856085

Cambridge Analytica Used Fashion Tastes to Identify Right-Wing Voters - The New York Times

Cambridge Analytica Used Fashion Tastes to Identify Right-Wing Voters - The New York Times

Perry calls for energy infrastructure build-out - Houston Chronicle

Perry calls for energy infrastructure build-out - Houston Chronicle

Trump’s Tariffs Haven’t Really Transformed Trade. Yet. - The New York Times

Trump’s Tariffs Haven’t Really Transformed Trade. Yet. - The New York Times

Why Insisting on a North Korean Nuclear Declaration Up Front is a Big Mistake | 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea

Why Insisting on a North Korean Nuclear Declaration Up Front is a Big Mistake | 38 North: Informed Analysis of North Korea: My reply to the frequently asked question if Kim Jong Un will ever give up North Korea’s nuclear weapons is,…

After Microsoft complaints, Indian police arrest tech support scammers at 26 call centers | ZDNet

After Microsoft complaints, Indian police arrest tech support scammers at 26 call centers | ZDNet

Marriott reveals data breach affecting 500 million hotel guests | ZDNet

Marriott reveals data breach affecting 500 million hotel guests | ZDNet: Hackers have had access to the Starwood guest reservation database since 2014.

Watch how this 96-year-old woman is helping to end loneliness among the elderly (VIDEO)

Watch how this 96-year-old woman is helping to end loneliness among the elderly (VIDEO)

These postal workers are helping their elderly customers feel a little less lonely

These postal workers are helping their elderly customers feel a little less lonely: La Poste, the French public postal service, has started the "Watch Over My Parents" program, where for a fee they will check in on your elderly loved ones during their rounds.

Suffering Iraqi Christians tell their stories through American portrait artist--Aleteia

Suffering Iraqi Christians tell their stories through American portrait artist--Aleteia: Portraits of Faith help shed light on persecution in the Middle East

#NightofWitness: America remembers persecuted Christians

#NightofWitness: America remembers persecuted Christians: Illuminated by haunting red light, evocative of the blood of the martyrs, the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington hosted on November 28 the first annual “Nigh…

7 Old Testament prophets who prepared the way for Christmas day --Aleteia

7 Old Testament prophets who prepared the way for Christmas day --Aleteia: Jesus' coming was foretold many years before his birth by these biblical prophets.

What is that frightening sculpture behind the pope?

What is that frightening sculpture behind the pope?: Photos of a little boy interrupting Pope Francis’ weekly audience to tug on the white-gloved hand of a Swiss guard have been all over the internet for the last few days. The images show an amused P…

Essays in Idleness

Essays in Idleness

The Bible and Homosexuality - The Catholic Thing

The Bible and Homosexuality - The Catholic Thing: Providing a basic plan for understanding this entire discussion of homosexuality is the theology of creation we find in Genesis....

“Gay” Priests and Indulgence of Homosexuality - The Catholic Thing

“Gay” Priests and Indulgence of Homosexuality - The Catholic Thing: David Carlin: If we are determined to be “tolerant,” as the secular world wishes us to be tolerant, we'll be enemies of the Church and the Gospel too.

U.S. Life Expectancy Is Falling – And The 2 Biggest Reasons Why Will Absolutely Stun You… – End Of The American Dream

U.S. Life Expectancy Is Falling – And The 2 Biggest Reasons Why Will Absolutely Stun You… – End Of The American Dream: Life expectancy in the United States has been falling in recent years, and we haven't seen a trend like this since the days of World War I. When I was growing up, life expectancy was continually rising, and it was generally believed that it would keep rising for many decades to come. But that hasn't happened. Instead,

I’m a Pediatrician. How Transgender Ideology Has Infiltrated My Field and Produced Large-Scale Child Abuse.

I’m a Pediatrician. How Transgender Ideology Has Infiltrated My Field and Produced Large-Scale Child Abuse.: Transgender ideology is intruding into the lives of the most innocent among us, and with the apparent growing support of the medical community.

Holy See renews appeal to ban killer robots

Holy See renews appeal to ban killer robots

Report Reveals Details of Ongoing Homosexual Network in Several Dioceses

Report Reveals Details of Ongoing Homosexual Network in Several Dioceses: A 2012 investigation at the Connecticut seminary found evidence of a homosexual network that extended into several dioceses, and despite ...

Jesuit university blocks Ben Shapiro event, saying it prompts ‘hateful speech’ from protesters | TheHill

Jesuit university blocks Ben Shapiro event, saying it prompts ‘hateful speech’ from protesters | TheHill: A Jesuit university has blocked a proposed event featuring conservative writer Ben Shapiro, citing the possibility of “hateful speech” by protesters.

Mom Dresses 6-Year-Old Son As Girl, Threatens Dad For Disagreeing

Mom Dresses 6-Year-Old Son As Girl, Threatens Dad For Disagreeing: The diagnosis of gender dysphoria lacks safeguards to prevent misdiagnosing people. A Texas custody case splits a 6-year-old kid’s gender identity in two.

Analysis: How sexual misconduct reforms might begin in U.S. dioceses

Analysis: How sexual misconduct reforms might begin in U.S. dioceses: Some U.S. bishops have told CNA they now realize that if they want to initiate new reforms, they’ll have to do so in their own dioceses, using the ordinary prerogatives of a diocesan bishop.

Santa Fe archdiocese to file for bankruptcy

Santa Fe archdiocese to file for bankruptcy: The Archdiocese of Santa Fe announced Thursday it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization.

China in the Post-American World – Chas W. Freeman, Jr.

China in the Post-American World – Chas W. Freeman, Jr.

Congress and Saudi Arabia


Congress and Saudi Arabia


https://lobelog.com/congress-and-saudi-arabia/#more-46821

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Home Culture CNN fires Marc Lamont Hill after uproar over UN speech attacking Israel

 Marc Lamont Hill after uproar over UN speech attacking Israel



https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/29/marc-lamont-hill-fired-cnn-over-israel-remarks-rep/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

Making Uber and Lyft More Accessible for Older Adults:

Making Uber and Lyft More Accessible for Older Adults: Making Uber and Lyft ride-sharing simpler and safer was the goal of the entrepreneur who created GoGoGrandparent for his grandma

Secret luxury homes: how the ultra-rich hide their properties | Financial Times

Secret luxury homes: how the ultra-rich hide their properties | Financial Times: The discretion of off-market sales appeals to the publicity-shy ultra rich

U.S. life expectancy declines again, a dismal trend not seen since World War I - The Washington Post

U.S. life expectancy declines again, a dismal trend not seen since World War I - The Washington Post: This hasn’t happened since war and a flu pandemic devastated the world’s population from 1915 to 1918.

Health, United States, 2017, With Special Feature on Mortality - hus17.pdf

Health, United States, 2017, With Special Feature on Mortality - hus17.pdf

Silicon Valley’s Chinese Dream | The Baffler

Silicon Valley’s Chinese Dream | The Baffler: China’s rise as a tech powerhouse has dovetailed with Silicon Valley’s growing, and often vividly expressed, distrust toward democracy itself.

What’s Behind the US-Saudi Nuclear Mega-Deal? | Wolf Street

What’s Behind the US-Saudi Nuclear Mega-Deal? | Wolf Street

Senate advances Murphy, Sanders, Lee bill cutting off U.S. support for Saudi war in Yemen.

Senate advances Murphy, Sanders, Lee bill cutting off U.S. support for Saudi war in Yemen.: The killing of Jamal Khashoggi has shifted the debate in Washington.

Fed Financial Stability Report: Risky Corporate Debt Among Top Threats | Fortune

Fed Financial Stability Report: Risky Corporate Debt Among Top Threats | Fortune: The U.S. economy is showing some vulnerabilities as investors increasingly buy up risky corporate debt, the Federal Reserve said

Global Uncertainty Is Rising, and That is a Bad Omen for Growth | naked capitalism

Global Uncertainty Is Rising, and That is a Bad Omen for Growth | naked capitalism: The World Uncertainty Index reveals how uncertainty in the world has evolved over time, whether it is synchronised across countries, and how it compares across income groups and political regimes.

Microsoft Wins $480 Million Army Battlefield Contract - Bloomberg

Microsoft Wins $480 Million Army Battlefield Contract - Bloomberg: The military plans to purchase as many as 100,000 HoloLens augmented reality devices.

China is prepared for all outcomes from Xi-Trump meeting: expert - Global Times

China is prepared for all outcomes from Xi-Trump meeting: expert - Global Times

Trump cancels Putin meeting at G20 citing Ukraine conflict - Axios

Trump cancels Putin meeting at G20 citing Ukraine conflict - Axios: "Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia..."

Pope Warns Against the ‘Paganization’ of Christian Life


Santa Marta: Pope Warns Against the ‘Paganization’ of Christian Life

https://zenit.org/articles/santa-marta-pope-warns-against-the-paganization-of-christian-life/

Shh, Be Quiet, It’s Advent. – Interrupting the Silence:

Shh, Be Quiet, It’s Advent. – Interrupting the Silence: A new liturgical year begins this coming Sunday, December 2, 2018, with the First Sunday of Advent. The Season of Advent consists of the four Sundays before Christmas. The liturgical color for Adve…

All Seven - The Catholic Thing

All Seven - The Catholic Thing: Brad Miner imagines a priest in the confessional hearing a penitent fess up to the same sin for the 491st time. Something is (comedicaly) very wrong here.

What Should America Do With Its Empty Church Buildings? - The Atlantic:

What Should America Do With Its Empty Church Buildings? - The Atlantic: Religious communities often face a choice: Sell off the buildings they can no longer afford, or find a way to fill them with new uses.

“Between 6,000 and 10,000 churches in the U.S. are dying each year” – and that means that over 100 will die this week

“Between 6,000 and 10,000 churches in the U.S. are dying each year” – and that means that over 100 will die this week – End Of The American Dream: America is littered with thousands upon thousands of church buildings that aren't being used anymore. As you will see below, between 6,000 and 10,000 churches are dying in the United States every single year, and that means that more than 100 will die this week alone. And of course thousands of others are on life

The American Casualties of Trump’s Trade War - The New York Times

The American Casualties of Trump’s Trade War - The New York Times: Tariffs on Chinese imports have endangered small business around the United States — a growing nightmare that critics say the president could have avoided.

Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection November 29, 2018

Thursday, November 29, 2018
Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 21:20-28
Friends, in today’s Gospel Jesus uses apocalyptic language from the prophet Daniel: “On earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
   
I realize how strange and distant all of this can sound, but there is a spiritual point of enormous significance behind all of it: we should not trust in any of the powers of the world to give us security and peace. Such peace will come only with the arrival of God’s kingdom.

One of the most enduring convictions of human beings—you can see it up and down the centuries and across the cultures—is that we can make things right if only we find the correct political, economic, or cultural configuration. But you should never put your ultimate faith in any of the kingdoms, social arrangements, or political programs of the world. They are all, in one way or another, attractive, and they are all destined to fall. They all lead to tribulations.

What you should look to is the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. Now, is this meant in an ultimate sense? Yes, the second coming signals the end of the world as we know it. But the Son of Man is coming on the clouds of heaven even now in the life of the Church. Think of the clouds of incense that accompany the manifestations of Christ in the high liturgy. Even now the true king, the successor of David, is in our midst.

Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 506

Reading 1 Rv 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a

I, John, saw another angel coming down from heaven,
having great authority,
and the earth became illumined by his splendor.
He cried out in a mighty voice:

"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.
She has become a haunt for demons.
She is a cage for every unclean spirit,
a cage for every unclean bird,
a cage for every unclean and disgusting beast."

A mighty angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone
and threw it into the sea and said:

"With such force will Babylon the great city be thrown down,
and will never be found again.
No melodies of harpists and musicians,
flutists and trumpeters,
will ever be heard in you again.
No craftsmen in any trade
will ever be found in you again.
No sound of the millstone
will ever be heard in you again.
No light from a lamp
will ever be seen in you again.
No voices of bride and groom
will ever be heard in you again.
Because your merchants were the great ones of the world,
all nations were led astray by your magic potion."

After this I heard what sounded like
the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying:

"Alleluia!
Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God,
for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great harlot
who corrupted the earth with her harlotry.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."

They said a second time:

"Alleluia! Smoke will rise from her forever and ever."

Then the angel said to me, "Write this:
Blessed are those who have been called
to the wedding feast of the Lamb."

Gospel Lk 21:20-28

Jesus said to his disciples:
"When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

"There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand."

What Mohammed bin Salman’s Presence at the G-20 Means? | Asharq AL-awsat

What Mohammed bin Salman’s Presence at the G-20 Means? | Asharq AL-awsat: Middle-East Arab News and Opinion - Asharq Al-Awsat is the world’s premier pan-Arab daily newspaper, printed simultaneously each day on four continents in 14 cities

SKorea to Buy Israeli Radar Systems in $300-Million-Worth Deal | Asharq AL-awsat

SKorea to Buy Israeli Radar Systems in $300-Million-Worth Deal | Asharq AL-awsat

The Coldest And Snowiest November Ever? Here Is Why America’s Freakish Weather Is Only Going To Get Worse… – End Of The American Dream

The Coldest And Snowiest November Ever? Here Is Why America’s Freakish Weather Is Only Going To Get Worse… – End Of The American Dream: Can you remember a November as cold and snowy as this one has been? I certainly cannot. Over the course of this month, the United States has been hit by freakishly cold and snowy weather, and another major winter storm is barreling through the center of the country right now. Of course there are moments of strange

Tomgram: Aviva Chomsky, Making Native Americans Strangers in Their Own Land | TomDispatch

Tomgram: Aviva Chomsky, Making Native Americans Strangers in Their Own Land | TomDispatch: null

Belgium prosecutes euthanasia doctors--Aleteia

Belgium prosecutes euthanasia doctors--Aleteia: A bioethics foundation in Europe welcomed an investigation of three physicians who allegedly carried out a euthanasia on a woman with autism. “This case shows that something is wrong with eut…

The 300-year-old Nativity scene in the White House

The 300-year-old Nativity scene in the White House

The beautiful symbolism of the Advent wreath --Aleteia

The beautiful symbolism of the Advent wreath --Aleteia

6 Royals who chose the Catholic faith over their royal status

6 Royals who chose the Catholic faith over their royal status

PG&E explains decision not to cut power ahead of Camp Fire | Utility Dive

PG&E explains decision not to cut power ahead of Camp Fire | Utility Dive: Utility industry news, voices and jobs for energy industry professionals. Optimized for your mobile phone.

Concentrate on admirable aspects of Catholic Church: Jewish relations, social justice | National Catholic Reporter

Concentrate on admirable aspects of Catholic Church: Jewish relations, social justice | National Catholic Reporter: Since 1968, I have been a professional "Catholic watcher." As the American Jewish Committee's interreligious director and senior interreligious adviser, I have joined with hundreds of priests, nuns, s...

Trump says U.S. should launch state TV network - The Washington Post

Trump says U.S. should launch state TV network - The Washington Post: “Something has to be done, including the possibility of the United States starting our own Worldwide Network to show the World the way we really are, GREAT!” Trump said in a Monday tweet.

In historic move, Sen. Rand Paul places hold on $38 billion to Israel

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https://www.wsj.com/articles/bring-me-tariffshow-trump-and-xi-drove-their-countries-to-the-brink-of-a-trade-war-1543420440?emailToken=debf530b47eb0227b57300060092c7d0oYKzEakMF8W9JHgsxm5kFGn44joJ/OpI5jTPEeXMr9gbYjG0yoelFBfurG0Qa0iLAVO7CTJFZX8PM61A6xrOuh3k2PTVwHlClDrvi1ESNM+YfA86BgdE5Xk8ibf/mCPUYcKrChvAjPJkk0ak6LbZ2Q%3D%3D&reflink=article_email_share

15 Advent traditions from around the world

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Fr. Warren's Week Reflecion Christ the King


Clouds
THIS WEEK'S REFLECTION from Fr. Bob Warren, SA
34th Sunday – Christ the King
11-25-18
In today’s Gospel we have an ironic scene. The irony was lost on most of the bystanders: God himself was standing a prisoner before a representative of the super power of the day. Indeed, we might have to remind ourselves that this Jesus who was born in straw, who worked as a carpenter and walked dusty roads preaching and healing, who was killed as a convict, this Jesus is king of the universe.
Yes, He was born in a stable but the prophet Isaiah announced, a child is born to us, but the scepter of a king is upon His shoulder. He worked as a carpenter, but Daniel would prophesy that God gave Him power and glory and a kingdom, and all peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve Him. Jesus taught and preached in a tiny corner of the world, and yet the psalmists foretold, He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. He died the death of a convict, yet an angel told His mother of His kingdom, there shall be no end.
Jesus is king because He is what He is. Not a mere man, but the God man, God with us, God in human form. And Christ is king because He did what He did: He purchased us at a great price. As St. Peter tells us, you were redeemed not with perishable things, with silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.
Millions will say Jesus is Lord and Christ is their king, but for some, they mean the modern concept of kingship called the Constitutional monarchy. The constitutional monarchy is a figurehead who reads the policy of the government in power, reads it without comment or opinion. Every public statement of the constitutional monarch must meet the prior approval of the elected government.
The constitutional monarch is a person who is head of state, one who puts the people in touch with their past, but has little baring on their daily lives. Too often we try to turn Jesus into one who does our bidding, one who reads to us only the messages that we have approved. It’s okay to do this or that, because Jesus will understand. Yes, He will understand, but will He approve?
Jesus has the right to command, and we have an obligation to obey. Yet Jesus is not like kings of old, He is not a tyrant. This king had pity on His subjects, and so He stepped down from Heaven and put on flesh. He walked, and worked and slept. He learned what hunger and thirst feel like. He was sold for silver, slapped and spat upon, whipped like a dog and nailed to a tree.
This king died that His subjects might live; those who love Him, as well as those who hate Him. This king welcomes you into His kingdom on earth at baptism. He knows that it is not by bread alone that you live and so He feeds you with His flesh, for otherwise you shall not have life, at least not God life. This king unites Himself so intimately with you that He can say, I am the vine, you are the branches.
No, this king is not like the kings of the earth. You are His slave and He treats you like a friend. You were dust and He lifted you a little below the angels. You were homeless, and He gave you His church. Orphans, and He gave you His father and mother. Hungry, and He gave you His body. You were His enemy, and He died for you.
And what does this king demand of us? What tax does He levy? What this king wants most is the only thing you can really refuse Him, the one thing he will never take from you unless you give it, and that is your love. Like any king, He does make demands on His subjects but He does not send legions of angels to see that you keep them. He merely says if anyone love Me, they will keep My word and My father will love them and We will come to them and make Our home with them. He demands that you make yourself one with those around you, that you show love and concern for all because all of them, whether they look like it or not, were redeemed by His blood. His royal command is love one another as I have loved you.
The church continues to proclaim that Jesus is king, and in spite of our attempt to make Him into a constitutional monarch, the Gospel shows us one who would rule our lives by suffering and through service. This is a king who asks that we look after the elderly and the sick. This is a king who asks that we stop and listen to the troubled and the alienated. This is a king who asks that if we are among those who need help, that we turn to Him and knock, and the door will be opened. Seek, and we will find. For He is a king who loves us with an everlasting love, a king who is full of mercy and compassion.
Jesus before Pilate discloses what is of ultimate importance. It is not the state nor the nation. It is not self. It is Christ the King who summons us to truth, to justice, to love, and sometimes to suffering on the cross. Pilate was in a dilemma, and so are we. At some point in our lives we have to make a decision: either to accept and worship this kingly God and all that entails, or like Pilate, to wash our hands of Him.
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A.
Yours in Christ,
Fr. Robert Warren, S.A. Signature
Fr. Bob Warren, SA
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Bill and Hillary kick off their paid speaking tour in CANADA but rows of seats remain EMPTY | Daily Mail Online

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Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflection November 28, 2018

Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Luke 21:12-19
Friends, today’s Gospel passage describes the persecution Christians face before the end of the world. When will the Church stop being persecuted? When the Lord returns, but not before.

From the earliest days until the present, the community of Jesus Christ has been the focus of the world’s violence. The old principle of "killing the messenger" applies here. The Church will announce, until the end of time, that the old world is passing away, that a new world of love, nonviolence, and life is emerging. This announcement always infuriates the world of sin, which explains why the twentieth century was the bloodiest on record—and the one with the most martyrs.

What do we do in the meantime? We maintain a detachment from the world that is passing away, our eyes fixed on the world that will never end. And we speak confidently, boldly, provocatively the message of the Gospel, the dying and rising of the Lord.

Reading 1 Rv 15:1-4

I, John, saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God's fury is accomplished.

Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God's harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb:

"Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."

Gospel Lk 21:12-19

Jesus said to the crowd:
"They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents,
brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."