No AI

No AI is used or has ever been used on any posts on this blog.

An article on antisemitism

Every other form of bigotry follows a recognizable logic: the majority fears or despises a minority that is different, foreign, threatening. Racism, xenophobia, sectarianism -- they're ugly, but they're legible. They target the stranger, the outsider, the group that doesn't fit.

Antisemitism operates on entirely different rules. Jews get blamed for contradictory things simultaneously, in every era, in every country, across the full spectrum of politics. In pre-war Europe, the left called Jews capitalists. The right called them communists. Today in America, the far right blames Jews for opening the borders. The far left says Jews invented apartheid policing. When Jews were poor, their poverty was a crime. When they became wealthy, their wealth was a conspiracy. When they had no homeland, they were rootless parasites. Now that they have one, they're colonialists.

 

The foregoing extract is from an article on aish. The article explores antisemitism in very thorough way, perhaps addressing area scholars often avoid. Read the full article at the link below.

Dinesh D’Souza On the Underlying Reason for Antisemitism | Aish

Reference:

https://aish.com/dinesh-dsouza-on-the-underlying-reason-for-antisemitism/

Luke 12 excerpt

13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14 But he said to him, “Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?” 15 And he said to them, “Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.” 16 Then he told them a parable: “The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ 18 Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.’ 20 But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich toward God.”

Source:

Luke 12:13-21, NRSVUE 

Ecumenism recent article

Pope Leo used his greeting at the Divine Liturgy to confirm that, "in continuity with the teaching of the Second Vatican Council and my predecessors," the pursuit of full communion among Christians "is one of the priorities of the Catholic Church. In particular, it is one of the priorities of my ministry as Bishop of Rome, whose specific role in the universal Church is to be at the service of all, building and safeguarding communion and unity."

 

The foregoing excerpt is from an article by Cindy Wooden published on United States Council of Catholic Bishops on November 30, 2025. Read it fully at the following link.

Ecumenism is not 'absorption or domination,' but sharing gifts, pope says | USCCB

 

Reference:

https://www.usccb.org/news/2025/ecumenism-not-absorption-or-domination-sharing-gifts-pope-says

Happy New Year

Happy 2026 to all!

Merry Christmas!

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place in the guest room.

Source:

Luke 2:1-7, NRSVUE 

Happy Hanukkah!

52 Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred forty-eighth year, 53 they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering that they had built. 54 At the very season and on the very day that the nations had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. 55 All the people fell on their faces and worshiped and blessed heaven, who had prospered them. 56 So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days and joyfully offered burnt offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving offering. 57 They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests and fitted them with doors. 58 There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the nations was removed.

59 Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.


Source:

1 Maccabees 4:52-59, NRSVUE