Stephen K. Ray's Blog, page 40

Catholic World Report’s article on Israel and Hamas

I found this article by Dr. André Villeneuve very insightful. He is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Biblical Languages at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit Michigan. His article was published November 27, 2023 in Catholic World Report published by Ignatius Press.

I have only copied the last few paragraphs, following his detailed explanation and defense of his position. You may or may not like or agree with the analogy of Amalek, but I think it is an excellent article.

This war has proved to be a point of much contention and heated argument. Israel is not fighting the Palestinians — they are fighting the terrorist Hamas organization. I have Arab Palestinian Muslim friends who are in the IDF fighting Hamas alongside the Jewish soldiers.

You can read the whole article HERE. Below are the last few paragraphs and the conclusion of the article.

Despite the  in Palestinian society, Israel is waging war against Hamas, not against Palestinian civilians. Israel has enough firepower to annihilate Gaza in one day. It could have carpet bombed Gaza and ended the war on October 8—but it didn’t. Instead, it launched a slow, costly, and dangerous ground invasion, with the aim of releasing all hostages, ending Hamas’ rule over Gaza, and restoring security in the region.

There is no moral equivalence in this conflict: Israel abides by the laws of war; Hamas does not. While Hamas seeks to maximize Israeli civilian casualties, Israel goes above and beyond to minimize them, warning civilians to stay away from military targets and opening humanitarian corridors enabling them to evacuate to safe areas.

Herem warfare—the indiscriminate killing of civilians—is never a acceptable moral option today. The only side that actively engages in it is Hamas (and its jihadist allies)—not Israel. According to the original Hamas Charter, “so-called peaceful solutions… are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement” and “there is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad” (Art. 13). Precisely for this reason, Israel must defeat and destroy Hamas.

Authentic mercy and justice

As Adam Smith has said, “mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.” Allowing Hamas to survive is neither merciful nor just. It is cruel to both Israelis and Palestinians. A premature, long-term ceasefire would only work in Hamas’ favor, enabling it to regroup, prepare new terror attacks, and continue to sow misery and death among all peoples in the Holy Land and beyond its borders.

This does not mean that we should take pleasure in the war. We can simultaneously rejoice over the destruction of evil—‘for the good of all humanity’—and mourn over the loss of innocent lives on both sides.

History has shown that the Bible is right about Amalek. Evil regimes cannot be placated or appeased. They must be defeated. Just as there could be no negotiation or compromise with the Amaleks of the past—the Nazis, Al Qaida, or ISIS—there can be no negotiation or compromise with Hamas today. It must be defeated and destroyed.

Only with the elimination of Hamas can the Middle East take a small step towards the vision of future peace envisioned by the prophet Isaiah:

“Violence (Hebrew hamas) shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.” (Isa 60:18)

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Five Books Podcast interviewed Steve on Genesis and the books used to research the book

This is a very detailed and lively discussion of my new book on “Genesis”. The first half is a summary of the book and details about Genesis. The second topic is the books I found most useful in my research and writing of “Genesis, A Bible Study Guide and Commentary”.

I was interviewed by Fr. Dominic Farrell LC from Rome. Attached is both the audio of the interview and a written transcription with detailed information on the books mentioned in the interview. Click on the audio link below to hear the 1 hour interview.

https://catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Stephen-K-Ray-Genesis-Full-Episode-1.mp3

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Bravo Vatican/Pope Francis – finally!

The Vatican has informed German bishops in writing that the ordination of women and changes in the Church’s teaching on homosexuality cannot be subjects of discussion in the upcoming meetings with delegates of the German Synodal Way in Rome.

Vatican draws line on women’s ordination and homosexuality in new letter to German bishops

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Joachim & Anna: Nativity and Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

November 21 is the Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple in 2023. Joachim and Anna’s story, along with the story of Mary’s presentation is not told in the Bible, but in a 2nd-century document entitled The Protoevangelium of James. In this document we read of the birth and presentation of Mary and her childhood through her marriage to Joseph and the birth of Jesus. This document was known and loved by the first Christians. It is the source for the names of Mary’s parents Joachim and Anna. It is fascinating.

I have only provided the first 1/3 of the document. The second part is about Joseph and Mary’s betrothal. The third about the birth of Jesus.

The Protoevangelium of James 
The Birth of Mary the Holy Mother of God,
and Very Glorious Mother of Jesus Christ

IN THE RECORDS OF THE TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL was Joachim, a man rich exceedingly; and he brought his offerings double, saying: There shall be of my superabundance to all the people, and there shall be the offering for my forgiveness to the Lord for a propitiation for me. For the great day of the Lord was at hand, and the sons of Israel were bringing their offerings. And there stood over against him Rubim, saying: It is not meet for thee first to bring thine offerings, because thou hast not made seed in Israel. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and went away to the registers of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I shall see the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, as to whether I alone have not made seed in Israel. And he searched, and found that all the righteous had raised up seed in Israel. And he called to mind the patriach Abraham, that in the last day God gave him a son Isaac. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and did not come into the presence of his wife; but he retired to the desert, and there pitched his tent, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying in himself: I will not go down either for food or for drink until the Lord my God shall look upon me, and prayer shall be my food and drink.

2. And his wife Anna mourned in two mournings, and lamented in two lamentations, saying: I shall bewail my widowhood; I shall bewail my childlessness. And the great day of the Lord was at hand; and Judith her maid-servant said: How long dost thou humiliate thy soul? Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand, and it is unlawful for thee to mourn. But take this head-band, which the woman that made it gave to me; for it is not proper that I should wear it, because I am a maid-servant, and it has a royal appearance. And Anna said: Depart from me; for I have not done such things, and the Lord has brought me very low. I fear that some wicked person has given it to thee, and thou hast come to make me a sharer in thy sin. And Judith said: Why should I curse thee, seeing that the Lord hath shut thy womb, so as not to give thee fruit in Israel? And Anna was grieved exceedingly, and put off her garments of mourning, and cleaned her head, and put on her wedding garments, and about the ninth hour went down to the garden to walk. And she saw a laurel, and sat under it, and prayed to the Lord, saying: O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer, as Thou didst bless the womb of Sarah, and didst give her a son Isaac.

3. And gazing towards the heaven, she saw a sparrow’s nest in the laurel, and made a lamentation in herself, saying: Alas! who begot me? and what womb produced me? because I have become a curse in the presence of the sons of Israel, and I have been reproached, and they have driven me in derision out of the temple of the Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like the fowls of the heaven, because even the fowls of the heaven are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like the beasts of the earth, because even the beasts of the earth are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like these waters, because even these waters are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like this earth, because even the earth bringeth forth its fruits in season, and blesseth Thee, O Lord.

4. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, saying: Anna, Anna, the Lord hath heard thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive, and shall bring forth; and thy seed shall be spoken of in all the world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the days of its life. And, behold, two angels came, saying to her: Behold, Joachim thy husband is coming with his flocks. For an angel of the Lord went down to him, saying: Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God hath heard thy prayer Go down hence; for, behold, thy wife Anna shall conceive. And Joachim went down and called his shepherds, saying: Bring me hither ten she-lambs without spot or blemish, and they shall be for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve tender calves, and they shall be for the priests and the elders; and a hundred goats for all the people. And, behold, Joachim came with his flocks; and Anna stood by the gate, and saw Joachim coming, and she ran anti hung upon his neck, saying: Now I know that the Lord God hath blessed me exceedingly; for, behold the widow no longer a widow, and I the childless shall conceive. And Joachim rested the first day in his house.

5. And on the following day he brought his offerings, saying in himself: If the Lord God has been rendered gracious to me, the plate on the priest’s forehead will make it manifest to me. And Joachim brought his offerings, and observed attentively the priest’s plate when he went up to the altar of the Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. And Joachim said: Now I know that the Lord has been gracious unto me, and has remitted all my sins. And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and departed to his own house. And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth? and she said: A girl. And said Anna: My soul has been magnified this day. And she laid her down. And the days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the breast to the child, and called her name Mary.

7. And her months were added to the child. And the child was two years old, and Joachim said: Let us take her up to the temple of the Lord, that we may pay the vow that we have vowed, lest perchance the Lord send to us, and our offering be not received. And Anna said: Let us wait for the third year, in order that the child may not seek for father or mother. And Joachim said: So let us wait. And the child was three years old, and Joachim said: Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take each a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, that the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of the Lord. And they did so until they went up into the temple of the Lord. And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying: The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel. And he set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her.

8. And her parents went down marveling, and praising the Lord God, because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the hand of an angel. And when she was twelve years old there was held a council of the priests, saying: Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve years in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, test perchance she defile the sanctuary of the Lord? And they said to the high priest: Thou standest by the altar of the Lord; go in, and pray concerning her; and whatever the Lord shall manifest unto thee, that also will we do. And the high priest went in, taking the robe with the twelve bells into the holy of holies; and he prayed concerning her. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him, saying unto him: Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and assemble the widowers of the people, and let them bring each his rod; and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be. And the heralds went out through all the circuit of Judaea, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and all ran.

Click here for the rest of the document

 

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“Still Mine” – fantastic movie

I think we suggested watching this movie once before. But, Janet and I just watched it again today and it’s exceptional. It is Catholic at its heart, though religion, per se, is not central to this endearing TRUE story

It’s a tear-jerker and is what we stand for and if you haven’t seen it you should.

Free now on Amazon prime.

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“Glad Trad Podcast” and “How to do Apologetics”

I have a great time with Jordan for this hour discussion on Apologetics and how to do it. Enjoy!

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Grandkids are Fun! Squashes and the Rosary

just a simple 4-minute video of an enchanting evening with three of our grandkids. We are practicing sleepovers so they are comfortable staying overnight with us when my daughter soon gives birth to No. 4 — grand-baby No. 20 for us. We’re getting these three ready to stay at our house for a few days and spend the night and be comfortable.

Fun evening tonight! And it proves you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on plastic toys for kids. Sometimes a few dollars for a pumpkin and a few squash or all you need!

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“How Odd of God to Choose the Jew…

How odd of God to choose the Jew…

…but odder still are those who choose the Jewish God but hate the Jew.”

I have never been able to wrap my mind around antisemitism. It seems to me to be a spiritual matter rather than social or cultural.

However, I do think there’s a real possibility it is envy because of their success—-the blessings of God promised to Abraham almost 4000 years ago.

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Four New Pilgrimages added for 2024

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Rome Correspondent Asks “Why?” regarding the injustice to Bishop Strickland

I was going to post my thoughts on Pope Francis’ ouster of Bishop Strickland. But Joan Lewis said what I was gong to say — and ask, so I am just posting her short article along with a lot of good links for those who want to read more.

RESPONDING TO THE REMOVAL OF BISHOP STRICKLAND OF TYLER, TEXAS

An incredible amount of outrage in the Catholic world has surfaced since Pope Francis, on November 11, removed Bishop Strickland of Tyler, Texas. I  posted the announcement on this site that very day and had remarks and questions of my own.

The first question was Why?  No reason was given. We need a reason. So does Bishop Strickland!

I have another ‘why’ question. There are many cases today of bishops (Germany, for one example) whose actions are clearly, openly contrary to papal orders and/or Church teaching. Why are they still active in the episcopacy?

Pope Francis is always talking about mercy and dialogue. Why was there no dialogue with Bishop Strickland (and others the Pope has removed from office)? Why was Strickland not called – should I have said invited’ – directly to Rome to speak with the Pope?

The following are very interesting articles and videos about the Bishop Strickland case:

By the way, here is the bishop’s renamed X (former Twitter) account: @BishStrickland

You might start here with Cardinal Mueller: https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2023/11/cardinal-muller-on-stricklands-sacking.html?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

And this is what you want to see next: Video on Strickland case with Robert Royal and Fr. Gerald Murray, a noted Canon lawyer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFvrAaJ8CXs&t=616s

Strickland talking to USCCB in 2018 – HE REPOSTED THIS TODAY, NOV 13 ON X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HYHA1jPxrU

Video interview with Bishop Strickland by Lifesitenews: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOpCL9d_S1Q&t=1175s

Comments by Bishop Schneider: https://onepeterfive.com/bishop-schneider-responds-to-the-deposition-of-his-brother-bishop-strickland/

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