HEBREW MEANING OF PHILISTINES

The פְּלִשְׁתִּים (Pelishtim) “Philistines” were an ancient people group whose name was eventually adapted by the Romans to refer to much of the Land of Israel (as “Palestine”). Modern Palestinians are not the same people as the ancient Philistines, but their name derives from the Biblical term.

The Modern Hebrew word for “Palestinians” is פָּלֶסְטִינִים (Palestinim), a transformed loan word from English (i.e., “Palestinian” with Hebrew plural ending -ים). In the Bible the פְּלִשְׁתִּים (Pelishtim) “Philistines” never ruled the whole Land of Israel, and their name referred to a smaller area. The southwestern coastal area of the territory that would become Israel was called Philistia, while the central highlands constituted Canaan. 

Perspective Comes Before Skills

Before learning, comes perspective. When we align the two, we create a powerful force. Here’s how to create a perspective for learning.

Source: Perspective Comes Before Skills

Coveting wealth and possessions can blind us to the ‘true goods of life,’ Pope Francis says

Pope Francis greets pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square in Rome on July 31, 2022, after sharing his Angelus reflection. | Screenshot from Vatican Media YouTube video

By Shannon Mullen Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jul 31, 2022

A day after returning to Rome from his weeklong trip to Canada, Pope Francis on Sunday reflected on the dangers of coveting wealth and possessions.

In Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus responds to a man who wants his brother to share his inheritance with him. “Take care to guard against all greed,” Jesus tells the crowd, “for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions” (Lk. 12:15).

The Holy Father noted that rather than entering into the details of the man’s situation, he “goes to the root of the divisions caused by the possession of things”: covetousness.

“What is covetousness? It is the unbridled greed for possessions, always desiring to be rich,” the pope said, speaking to pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square before the weekly recitation of the Angelus.

“This is an illness that destroys people, because the hunger for possessions creates an addiction. Above all, those who have a lot are never content, they always want more, and only for themselves. But this way, the person is no longer free: he or she is attached to, a slave, of what paradoxically was meant to serve them so as to live freely and serenely,” Pope Francis warned.

“Rather than being served by money, the person becomes a servant of money.”

The pope identified covetousness as a “dangerous illness for society as well,” pointing to the greed that fuels wars and in particular the “scandal” of the arms trade.

“And so, let us try to ask ourselves: Where am I at with my detachment from possessions, from wealth?” the pope asked. “Do I complain about what I lack, or do I know how to be content with what I have? In the name of money or opportunity, am I tempted to sacrifice relationships and sacrifice time with others? And yet again, does it happen that I sacrifice legality and honesty on the altar of covetousness?”

The pope next shifted to focus on the “richness” of God.

“And so, we might think, so, no one should desire to get rich? Certainly, you can; rather, it is right to want it. It is beautiful to become rich, but rich according to God! God is the richest of anyone,” he said.

This Day in History: August 1

Henry III of France stabbed by assassin

King Henry III of France was stabbed this day in 1589 by Jacques Clément, a Jacobin friar, and died the next day after acknowledging his Bourbon ally, Henry of Navarre (Henry IV), a Huguenot, as his successor.

The 3 Rs for Casting Out Demons

Exorcists Beware

• July 31, 2022  Monsignor Stephen Rossetti

“He turned and said to Peter, ‘Get behind me, Satan!’”

Mt 16:23

After a recent online deliverance session with us, a woman shared her experience:

I’ve been able to attend most of the sessions and have found that with each successive one, I have been increasingly able to gain spiritual healing.  For many years, I have been afflicted with an evil spirit that causes me to hate God and to curse Jesus.  I have sought deliverance for a long time.  I am learning with each session how to better deal with evil attacks from the devil.  I have learned, in particular, that I must do the 3 Rs.  I am able to relate with the Lord Jesus in a loving way, without any sense of the previous hostility, resentment, or anger

These three R’s of casting out demons are: reject, renounce, and rebuke. In our online sessions, as well as our face-to-face solemn exorcisms, we ask afflicted people to identify the evil spirits present and then say the three R’s. So, for example, if an individual identifies the presence of an evil spirit of lust, the person would then say: “In the Holy Name of Jesus, I reject, I renounce, and I rebuke the spirit of lust. In Jesus’ holy name, I cast it out!”

To “reject” is to make an act of the will which says in effect: “I do not want this evil spirit.” To “renounce” is to give back any benefits desired or received in the demonic relationship. To “rebuke” is sharply denouncing the evil spirit. In deliverance work, an important step in the process of liberation is cutting the relationship between the individual and the evil spirit. While a simple rejection would likely suffice, we have found these three R’s to be a bit more thorough and decisive.

After the afflicted person has formally rejected the evil spirit, the Exorcist can then invoke the authority of the Church and more easily cast it out. While the entire process of casting out demons can take some time, this formal process of rejecting the evil spirits, using the three R’s, is an important step along the way.

I have also found these three R’s helpful in overcoming the normal temptations of life, which are often fueled by evil spirits. Whenever we are tempted, we can say: “In the holy name of Jesus, I reject the evil spirits of [name the temptation]. I reject them; I renounce them; I rebuke them. In Jesus’ holy name, I cast them out!” I have personally found it helpful. I suspect others would as well.

Lebanon’s Leaders ‘Out of Touch with Reality’

The Lebanese authorities are accusing Bishop al-Hajj of treason for bringing money to the poor and the sick, at a time when Iran is delivering — through Hezbollah — money and weapons to be used in the next war against Israel. The money and the weapons

Source: Lebanon’s Leaders ‘Out of Touch with Reality’