Traditional Thanksgiving dinner, Source Flickr, Author Ms. Jones of California (CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic)
With divisiveness now endemic in the nation, anti-Semitism on the rise in the United States and across the globe, and women’s groups at the UN failing to acknowledge that rape and gender-based violence occurred during the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the following post seems all the more timely [1][2][5].
The first Jews, it should be noted, reached America within 30 years of the Pilgrims [3]. They, too, fought in all the nation’s wars. Of course, Columbus, himself, may have been Jewish [4].
A foundation stone for democracy on this continent, the Mayflower Compact was the first document under which the Plymouth Colony was governed. The agreement, which established an elected authority all would obey, was signed in 1620 as the Mayflower rode at anchor in Cape Cod Harbor.
For the Sake of Freedom and Equality
The Pilgrims were actually comprised of two groups: Separatists and non-Separatists.
The Separatists sought religious liberty, specifically the right to separate from the Church of England. They had initially emigrated to the tolerant Netherlands, but found the Dutch culture at odds with their own.
The non-Separatists — like many to follow them — sought economic and social opportunity, and the chance for a better life in America.
In the broadest terms, all risked their lives for the sake of freedom and equality. Read more…
Actor Raymond Burr as fictional lawyer Perry Mason from cover of Look Magazine (October 1961), Author Cowles Communications Inc., Photographer Robert Vose (PD)
The media generally present a glamorous image of lawyers. LA Law, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, and the rest have shaped that image. But the original Law and Order is probably closer to the truth.
The “day to day” experience by the majority of lawyers is gritty. Rarely, if ever, does it include corner offices, expense accounts, or three hour lunches…let alone trysts with opponents or the judge. Impossible schedules, dictation on planes, staggering caseloads, depositions in airless rooms, traffic and more traffic, missing witnesses, and client meetings in dusty stairwells are more likely.
Add the responsibility for clients’ welfare, the strain of ongoing conflict, worries about money and limited resources, encounters with unethical adversaries, and the real disappointment of loss. Read more…
Mural of the Apocalypse, Osogovo Monastery, Macedonia, Author Edal Anton Lefterov (PD)
Another new word has entered our vocabulary. “Doomscrolling” involves repeatedly checking for negative news stories on a cell phone or computer [1].
Mental Health
Experts warn that doomscrolling can be harmful to mental health [2].
Doomscrolling increases worry, gives rise to fear, and can even cause panic. The habit may become a compulsion. For those reasons, it is likely to worsen existing mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression.
The time spent doomscrolling, also, correlates with increased feelings of helplessness, sleep disturbance, and stress-related physical symptoms.
The Apocalypse
We tend to think worry will ward off the cataclysmic events we so dread.
Unfortunately, doomscrolling will not stop the apocalypse. At some point, this world of ours will come to an end. The stars will be dissolved, the sky rolled up like a scroll, and the nations judged (Isa. 34: 4-6; Rev. 6: 13-17).
The best way for anyone to prepare for that Final Judgment is to accept Christ as Lord and Savior today. He offers peace, security, forgiveness of sin, and life everlasting.
“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21: 28).
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[1] Cambridge Dictionary, “doomscrolling”, https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/doomscrolling.
[2] Caldwell Memorial Hospital/UNC Health, “Doom Scrolling And Its Effect On Your Mental Health”, 5/16/23, https://www.caldwellmemorial.org/wellness/wellbeing-with-caldwell/doom-scrolling-and-its-effect-on-your-mental-health/.
https://avoicereclaimed.com
Miniature of Pope Leo I the Great, Vatican Library, Author Wlbw68
(CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
The once powerful Roman Empire was coming to an end — its culture decadent, its institutions crumbling, its leadership corrupt, its borders breached [1]. Such was the world into which the future Pope Leo the Great was born [2][3][4][5][6].
A Servant of God’s People
Brilliant and well-educated, Pope Leo I was a Roman aristocrat and respected church deacon, unanimously elected to the papacy in 440 AD.
We know from the 143 letters and 96 sermons he left behind that Pope Leo I viewed himself as the servant of God’s people and privileged to fill the shoes of the Apostle Peter.
In the absence of social services, he used the papal treasury to feed the poor and care for the sick. With Roman infrastructure in disrepair, he contributed to the defense of Rome by repairing walls and roads.
A Courageous Leader
When in 452 AD Attila the Hun and his hoards approached Rome intent on pillaging the city, it was Pope Leo I who rode out to meet them unarmed. Without political authority or military support, Pope Leo I made a moral appeal to the barbarian.
Though few details are known, Pope Leo I is thought perhaps to have offered Attila money. An experienced negotiator, he may, also, have pointed out to Attila the nearby areas decimated by malaria or plague.
Legend has it that Attila saw a vision which filled him with fear. In any case, the “scourge of God” turned away from Rome [7]. Read more…
South facade and nave of Notre Dame Cathedral, two years before the fire, Source Flickr, Author Ali Sabbagh
(Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain)
Begun in 1163 on the Ile de la Cite in the heart of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral is an artistic and architectural masterpiece dating from the Gothic period [1]. The fire which occurred there on April 15, 2019 — though it, thankfully, claimed no lives — was a tragedy for the entire world [2][3]. The spire was totally destroyed, along with 2/3 of the roof.
Reconstruction
Reconstruction is underway with a commitment not only to restore the structure, but maintain its original integrity [4A]. This has required extensive research into medieval building methods. Rebuilding in the old style is necessary to assure that the new roof will behave the same way the old one did [4B].
Perfectly Straight
Some 13,000 wooden beams which supported the roof must be replaced. Oaks of the appropriate height and dimension have been sourced throughout France.
Because twisted fibers from damage during growth will weaken a tree, trees are inspected from every angle to identify defects before being harvested. The timber that is cut must be of top quality, and perfectly straight.
Highest Standards
“What I enjoy most is discovering the wood. Each tree is unique.”
-Francois Feillet, French sawmill owner [4C]
The forty five sawmills processing this timber adhere to extremely rigorous rules, the highest standards in carpentry.
The timber is first stripped of its outermost layer. Next, a slabber shreds away the remaining bark. Finally, a high speed bandsaw trims the lumber down to the beam specifications needed.
A House of Worship Defiled
Notre Dame Cathedral is today a house of worship, a symbol of French pride, and a tourist attraction. Its creation was an act of faith on the part of countless craftsmen — carpenters, stonemasons, blacksmiths, glassmakers — and the communities which supported them.
But during the French Revolution the cathedral was defiled and abandoned. Public worship was banned. The cathedral was looted and vandalized, its west facade torn down [5]. A prostitute was installed on the altar as the “goddess of reason” [6]. Read more…
JP Morgan Chase Tower, Author Krzykol (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
“I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (Ps. 16: 8).
Debanking is the closure by a bank of the accounts of an individual or organization based on the perception that the account holder poses increased legal, regulatory, financial, or reputational risk to the bank [1A].
Examples include the enforcement of anti-corruption and anti-money-laundering laws, and the closure of the bank accounts of so called “politically exposed persons”, i.e. those entrusted with a prominent public function and, therefore, potentially at risk for bribery [1B].
At first, all this seems above board. However, the process does not require the disclosure of a reason, and does not generally provide for an appeal [1C]. The practice is, for that reason, considered a threat to freedom of speech. It is now a growing threat to freedom of religion, as well.
JP Morgan Chase
Earlier this year, JP Morgan Chase summarily closed the checking account of the National Committee for Religious Freedom (NCRF), a legal 501(c)(4) non-profit led by former US Ambassador Sam Brownbeck [2A][3].
NCRF exists to defend religious freedom. Its board members include Michael Farris of the Alliance Defending Freedom, Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, New York’s Roman Catholic Cardinal Timothy Nolan, Jewish/Muslim/Hindu religious activists, and former members of Congress [4][5]. Read more…
“St. Luke” by James Tissot (1886-1894), Brooklyn Museum (Accession No. 00.159.207), (PD)
St. Luke is the author of one of the canonical gospels, as well as the Book of Acts [1A]. Many consider Luke’s gospel, which focuses on social justice and the poor, the most poetic of the four.
Background
It is widely accepted that St. Luke was a Gentile convert to Christianity, addressing a Gentile audience [1B]. Christian tradition has it that he wrote his gospel in Greece.
St. Luke is thought to have been unmarried, and to have lived originally in Antioch [1C]. DNA testing on what tradition holds to be St. Luke’s body in the Basilica of Santa Giustina in Padua has revealed that he was of Syrian ancestry [1D][2]. He was martyred in Thebes.
Medicine
A faithful companion to the Apostle Paul, Luke is described by the Epistle to the Colossians as a physician, and believed by many scholars to have practiced medicine.
Art
Medieval tradition held that Luke was, also, an artist — the first icon painter.
A number of paintings of the mother of Christ are popularly attributed to Luke. These include the Black Madonna of Częstochowa and Madonna del Rosario a/k/a Maria Advocata or Advocata Nostra, said to be the first depiction of the Virgin Mary [3][4][5].
“Madonna del Rosario” a/k/a “Maria Advocata” or “Advocata Nostra” (c. 6th Century or earlier), Author Asia (CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
Patron Saint
The Catholic Church and other major Christian denominations venerate St. Luke. His symbol is the winged ox, representing the sacrificial aspect of Christ’s ministry and the spread of the gospel throughout the world.
St. Luke is the viewed as the patron saint of physicians/surgeons, medical students, artists/painters/sculptors, crafts workers, lacemakers, bachelors, and butchers [6].
His feast day is celebrated on October 18.
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[1A and 1B] Wikipedia, “Luke the Evangelist”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_the_Evangelist#As_an_artist.
[2] Britannica, “Where is St. Luke buried?”, https://www.britannica.com/question/Where-is-St-Luke-buried.
[3] Wikipedia, “Black Madonna of Cęstochowa”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna_of_Cz%C4%99stochowa.
[4] Wikipedia, “Maria Advocata (Madonna del Rosario)”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Advocata_(Madonna_del_Rosario).
[5] The Marian Room, “A Hidden Icon of Mary, The Advocata Nostra” by Patrician Enk, 6/9/20, https://themarianroom.com/a-hidden-icon-of-mary-the-advocata-nostra/.
[6] Saint Luke Catholic Church, “Our Patron, Saint Luke”, https://slparish.com/history-of-our-patron-st-luke.
READERS CAN FIND MY VIEWS ON ABUSE AND ABUSE-RELATED ISSUES AT ANNA WALDHERR A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse
https://avoicereclaimed.com
“The Left has decided that Jews who are not victims are not true Jews…”
-Rabbi Dr. Gerald Meister, former advisor to Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs [1A]
There was a time that the political Left supported Jews and the idea of a Jewish homeland [2]. But that has since changed.
While strident antisemitism was always prominent on the communist far Left, it has now spread to the liberal mainstream [3].
Media Bias
Liberal bias is most obvious in the media. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is generally mischaracterized as Western colonialism. Reporting invariably takes a sympathetic view of the Palestinians, a supposedly oppressed people.
This slanted approach not only ignores the true history of the area, but miscasts the current reality.
History
From 1517 to 1917, the West Bank was part of the Ottoman Empire [4]. From 1917 to 1967, the territory was administered first by Britain, then Jordan.
Israel acquired that territory in the defensive Six-Day War the nation fought in 1967 against a coalition of larger Arab states which included Egypt, Syria, and Jordan [5]. Read more…
Carnival in Xiloxochitla, Mexico, Author YLinaresB
(CC BY-SA 4.0 International)
The following is excerpted from an article by Cole Richards, president of The Voice of the Martyrs.
“The persecution of Christians in rural Mexico is severe, widespread and persistent. Rural Mexican Christians face fierce opposition from varied sources, and their stories remain largely untold…
Mexico City is one of the world’s largest and most prosperous cities, and much of Mexico is beautiful, stable and free. Since these are the parts of Mexico experienced by…nearly all outsiders, the stories of rural Christians are unknown…The persecutors, and ultimately our spiritual enemy, work to prevent the larger body of Christ from knowing about their wicked acts. We must never be unaware of Satan’s scheme to divide, isolate and destroy the church (2 Corinthians 2: 11).”
Marxism
“Marxism — atheistic communist ideology — continues to be one source of persecution in Mexico. Many are surprised to learn that today, decades after the fall of the Soviet Union, this ideology is on the rise in Central and South America. But even those who are aware of communism’s growth in places like Venezuela and Bolivia rarely know that Marxist groups have semi-autonomy in parts of southern Mexico and that they severely persecute Christians.”
“The Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem” by Francesco Hayez (1867), Gallerie dell’Accademia (Accession No. 757), Venice, Italy, Author Didier Descouens, (PD)
“Remember, O Lord, what has come upon us;
Look, and behold our reproach!” (Lam. 5: 1).
Tisha B’Av is an annual fast day in the Jewish calendar which commemorates the destruction of the First Temple and other tragedies which have befallen the Jewish people on or near the 9th day of the Hebrew month of Av [1A].
The list of these tragedies is long. According to the Mishnah (the first major collection of Jewish oral tradition), the five which justify fasting are these [1B]:
- Israelite fearful refusal to enter the Promised Land (Deut. 1: 26). The Numbers Rabbah (a collection of rabbinical sermons on the Book of Numbers) quotes God as saying, “You cried before me pointlessly, I will fix for you [this day as a day of] crying for the generations.”
- Destruction of the First Temple by King Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC, and subsequent Babylonian Captivity [2]. According to the Bible, the destruction of Solomon’s Temple began on the 7th day of Av (2 Kings 25:8), and continued until the 10th day (Jer. 52:12). According to the Talmud, destruction actually began on the 9th of Av. The Temple continued to burn through the 10th.
- Destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 AD during the First Jewish Revolt, and subsequent exile of the Jews from the Holy Land.
- Plowing up of the Temple grounds by Roman Commander Terentius Rufus, after the city of Jerusalem was sacked. According to the Jewish historian Josephus, this was done in the hope that buried treasure might be found there [3].
- Killing of 580,000 Jews by the Romans on August 4, 135 AD, during Bar Kokhba rebellion. Those who survived were sold into slavery. The scrolls of the Temple were later ceremonially burned at the pagan complex for the god Jupiter built on the Temple Mount [4].
A Lawyer's Prayers 