Lent 1

The reading for the first Sunday o f Lent is taken from Luke 4:1-13,

  Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone.” ’

 Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, ‘To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.’ Jesus answered him, ‘It is written,

“Worship the Lord your God,

   and serve only him.” ’

 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

“He will command his angels concerning you,

   to protect you”,

and

“On their hands they will bear you up,

   so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.” ’

Jesus answered him, ‘It is said, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” ’ When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

As I began my Lenten cycle of fasting and prayer this week, I have already faced the temptation to rely on my own will power and not the power of the Holy Spirit. The first job is to recognize just who the tempter is. 

At least my priest assures me that I don't have to fast on Sundays. 

41 more days until Easter. 

 

 

Meanwhile, en France: Gynecologists must treat men who say they are women

From The Bridgehead which I quote in full, 

A French gynecologist has been suspended from practicing medicine for one month and penalized with an additional five months of probation by the French Medical Council for declining to treat a 26-year-old man who identifies as a woman.

In August 2023, a trans-identifying man and his partner showed up at Dr. Victor Acharian’s office in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques in the Pau region of southwestern France. Acharian, naturally, treats only women, and after several moments, his secretary told the man that Acharian wouldn’t see him. “I told her that I’m not competent, but I can guide you,” Acharian explained. “I can refer you to services that can take better care of you. But after I said that, things went south.”

The prospective patient began to insult the staff, yelling “You’re transphobic!” at Acharian, and stormed out with his partner, who left a Google review stating: “It was my trans partner’s first appointment. He refused to see her, his secretary threw us out coldly. I advise against [visiting]. Never again.”

Acharian responded in an attempt to defend himself:

SIR, I am a gynecologist, and I take care of real women. I have no skills to take care of MEN, even if they have shaved their beards and come to tell my secretary that they [have] become women. My GYNECOLOGICAL examination table is not suitable for examining men. You have specialized and very competent services to take care of men like you. Thank you for informing TRANS people to never come for consultation with me.

The trans-identifying man promptly sent a complaint to Conseil National de l’Ordre des Médecins (CNOM)—the regulatory body that oversees the medical profession in France—and the LGBT activist organization SOS Homophobie released a statement, tagging the French Minister of Equality between Women and Men and the Fight against Discrimination Bérangère Couillard: “We denounce the transphobic and discriminatory remarks of gynaecologist Victor Acharian in Pau. Transphobia is a reality with serious consequences, particularly in access to health. It affects the entire territory.”

The tactic worked. Acharian was summoned to appear before the disciplinary board of the French Medical Council on December 16th, 2024, where he was suspended from practice for the month of March, with an additional five-month probation. He was warned that if he “engaged in transphobia” or similarly denied treatment to a trans-identifying male during that period, he would be further disciplined. Acharian’s insistence that he lacked the expertise to treat such patients was ignored.

Acharian noted that he’d never had a “transgender” patient before and pointed out, with a hint of plaintive defiance, that: “Just because it’s a cavity doesn’t mean it’s a classic vagina.”

Reduxx noted that Acharian had previously responded similarly to a one-star review with the statement: “Dear Sir. I do not know you. You cannot know me, since I am a gynecologist, and I only treat women. As for your political militancy, that does not concern me.”

Acharian, like so many other ordinary citizens targeted by the transgender movement’s attempts to conform society to their ideology and force collective compliance, found out the hard way that trans militancy very much does concern him. Édouard Martial, the lawyer for the spurned trans-identifying man gloated about his suspension: “We are pleased to have confirmation that what happened that day was totally abnormal.” The suspension and probation weren’t enough for SOS Homophobie, which suggested that his actions were “also punishable by criminal sanctions.”

 He/She/it clearly intended to create a scene and get this doctor in trouble. This is similar to the tactics that the LGBTs have used against Christian bakers.

 This patient should have been referred to a psychiatrist. 

The French Medical Council needs a shrink too.

Don't tell it on the mountain

This Sunday's reading from Luke 9:28-43 tells the story of the Transfiguration,

Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, ‘Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah’—not knowing what he said. While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’ When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen.

They told no one.  

On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. Just then a man from the crowd shouted, ‘Teacher, I beg you to look at my son; he is my only child. Suddenly a spirit seizes him, and all at once he shrieks. It throws him into convulsions until he foams at the mouth; it mauls him and will scarcely leave him. I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.’ Jesus answered, ‘You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.’ While he was coming, the demon dashed him to the ground in convulsions. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

The world was not ready to hear about the appearance of Moses and Elijah or the voice from heaven saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!" 

People would not listen to him until after the Resurrection proved him to be the Son of God. 

They still don't want to listen, and because of that they certainly won't tell it on the mountain.