L/El/Ell (91/05/01)
May Day, the first day of May, is celebrated in many Western countries as a springtime flower festival. In some countries it is known as Labor Day and, in the United States, it is designated Loyalty Day and Law Day. Called Lei Day in the state of Hawaii, it is dedicated to the pretty flower necklaces which are Hawaii's traditional sign of friendship. Since these special days begin with the letter L, I will talk about el(l)s today. Do you know what an el(l) is? Of course, first of all, el(l) is the 12th letter of the alphabet; it is also the Roman numeral for 50. But there are other meanings of el(l), which may be spelled e-l or e-l-l. As the Spanish word for "the", it is found at the beginning of names, such as El Dorado and El Salvador. El is also the colloquial term for an elevated railway which runs above city streets. As a child, I often travelled on the els which circle the downtown area of Chicago, called "the Loop". Another kind of el(l) denotes the wing of a building at right angles to the main structure and still another ell is an old English measure, equal to 114 centimeters, used to measure cloth. Finally, El is the Hebrew word for God, which is found in the last verse of the 136th Psalm: "Give thanks to God; his love is eternal." (3564)
A Camembert Cheese (91/05/02)
In the United States, a photographer who is ready to take a picture of a group of people may tell them to say "cheese". If they do so, their faces will have a pleasant, smiling appearance. These days, however, this word does not bring smiles to the faces of certain residents of a French village famous for its cheese. If you enjoy French cuisine you may recognize the name "Camembert", an exquisite cheese produced in the village of that name. Recently a Camembert cheese festival was held celebrating the two-hundred year history of that particular kind of cheese. To produce that cheese, traditional methods must be followed, but purists lament the fact that less than ten percent of the 113,000 tons of cheese produced in 1989 was made in accordance with the traditional formula, which requires that the cheese be made from raw milk. "Raw milk" denotes milk in its natural state, which means it has not been pasteurized to kill harmful germs. Health regulations in many countries these days do not permit the import of cheese made from unpasteurized milk, so the traditional formula has had to be changed. This is another example of how old traditions must change in order to survive in the modern age. (3565)
Japanese Constitution (91/05/03)
Today is Constitution Day in Japan. The word "constitution" may denote the structure or make-up of a person or organization. We may say that a physically and mentally healthy person has a strong constitution. A "constitution" may also denote the document containing the fundamental laws and principles of a government or nation. Even as Christians need to read and study the Bible to grasp its basic message and principles, Japanese citizens should be well acquainted with the underlying tenets of their modern nation. How well do you know the Constitution of Japan? Do you think you are abiding by its principles in your daily life? For example, Article 13 states that "All of the people shall be respected as individuals" and Article 14 affirms that "All of the people are equal under the law and there shall be no discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin." Showing respect for each person as an individual regardless of the person's background is a basic principle in Christian ethics as well as in the Japanese Constitution. Other articles of the Constitution should also be reviewed and conscientious citizens should reflect on the matter of whether they and their elected officials are following the principles enunciated there. (3566)
Davao Priory (91/05/04)
The place where celibate, religious devotees live together and follow a strict discipline is called a "monastery", if the community consists of men, called monks. A 'shūdōin' for women, or nuns, however, is a "convent". The word "priory" may also designate either a monastery or a convent. My lodging during my short visit to the Philippines last October was neither a hotel nor a private home. It was a priory. And it was not a monastery, but a convent. The Benedictine Priory on the outskirts of Davao City was the venue of the training session, whose graduation ceremony I was to attend. Trainees shared dormitory rooms in the priory, but I was privileged to have a room of my own. I was very tired when I went to bed the night of my arrival, having arisen earlier than usual that morning in Nagoya and having spent a very busy day that was an hour longer than normal due to the time change. However, I was awakened even earlier the next day--not by an alarm clock but by the crowing of roosters greeting the dawn. This was followed by the chanting of nuns who had gathered early in the chapel for their morning prayers. These early morning sounds were quite different than the sounds I am accustomed to in Japan. (3567)
121st Psalm (91/05/05)
In many Christian worship services, responsive readings are included in contrast to unison readings when the leader and the congregation read together in unison, in a responsive reading, the leader and the congregation read alternately. The congregation responds to the words of the leader. Many responsive readings are taken from the Old Testament book of Psalms. In ancient days, some of these psalms were sung by Jewish pilgrims on their way to a festival at the temple in Jerusalem. The 121st Psalm is one such psalm. While wending their way through the hills, the leader or one part of the group sang, "I lift up my eyes to the hills, where shall I find help?" The cadenced response from the others was: "Help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth." Subsequent verses make clear that one need not ring a bell to wake up God when one worships because this Guardian never slumbers nor sleeps. The biblical God is always awake and alert to dangers facing his children and their needs. This psalm, assuring us of God's protection and care at all times has been a comfort and encouragement to believers of all times and places. Its final words are: "The Lord will guard your going and your coming now and for evermore." (3568)
'Kodakara' (91/05/06)
Today is so-called "transfer-holiday" which occurs when a regular holiday falls on a Sunday. Of the seven holidays that fall on Monday this year, three are "transfer-holidays" and today is the "transfer-holiday" of Children's Day. In Japanese, there is the word 'kodakara', meaning child-treasure, which comes from a phrase in the 'Heike Monogatari',' ko ni sugitaru takara nashi', no treasure surpasses children. In English, we have the saying that "Children are poor men's riches." In many societies, people who have few possessions have many children which are their treasures. As the standard of living improves, the number of children in the family tends to decrease. Whether the family is rich or poor and whether the number of children is many or few, each child is a priceless gift from God and every child's unique personality should be respected. (3569)
Children/Children's Day (91/05/07)
"Golden Week" this year was more precious than usual because it lasted for more than a week. Since Children's Day fell on Sunday, the following day was also observed as a holiday. The theme suggested for essays this week is Children or Children's Day. What is the purpose of Children's Day? What do you think is the proper way to observe it? How did you observe it? Is there significance in the fact that Tango no sekku, the 5th of May, was chosen as Children's Day rather than Joshi no sekku, the 3rd of March? How do you compare the attitude toward children in Western countries and in Japan? In the Bible, we sometimes find the expression "children of God". What do you think this expression means? If you wish to write an essay in English on Children or Children's Day and send it to me, I will correct it for publication in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. Essays for the 34th issue of the Echoes, which will be available at the "Daily Word" Listeners Meeting on June 30th should be sent by Saturday, May 18th, to: "Daily Word", Post Office Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. I would be happy to receive an essay from listeners who have never written before and from those who have not written for a long time. (3570)
"Japlish" (91/05/08)
Depending upon the mood of the onlooker, the same sight may be both amusing and sad. I am thinking of the words and phrases using Roman letters which are seen on many Japanese products these days which provide amusement to foreigners that is touched with a tinge of sadness when the foreigner is a teacher of English. I purposely did not use the word "English" to describe such writings because often the spelling, grammar and sentence construction is so atrocious that, despite the use of the English alphabet, it would be inappropriate to consider them "English". They are a particularly degenerated form of "Japlish". The Straits Times newspaper published in Singapore has reported that even people in the city-state are worried that the incoherent English found on some trendy Japanese products sold there may have a bad effect on pupils trying to learn the language. Parents have expressed concern that their children may copy the spelling mistakes, fractured grammar and illogical sentence construction found on such items. The manufacturers of products that contain writing in Roman letters may think it adds a certain flavor to their product, but to native speakers of English and to English teachers, the flavor is not a good one. According to Ecclesiastes 10:12, "What a wise man says bring him honour, but a fool is destroyed by his words." (3571)
A Purple Heart (91/05/09)
When the colors red and blue are mixed together the resultant hue is purple. Purple is considered a royal or imperial color, so the phrase "born to the purple" is used of a person born in a royal, high ranking or wealthy family. The rich man in Jesus' parable in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 16, was "dressed in purple". Elaborate and ornate writing may be described as a "purple passage" or "purple prose". A Purple Heart, however, is a United States military decoration which, since 1932, has been awarded to servicemen who were wounded in combat. The first purple hearts were awarded by the man who became the first president of the United States. The award was established by General Washington during the Revolutionary War and 208 years ago today, on May 9, 1783, he presented figures of hearts made of purple cloth with a narrow lace binding to three army sergeants for "singularly meritorious action". These were the only purple hearts awarded until the Order of the Purple hearts was revived during the Second World War. Courageous deeds of military personnel in war may be commendable, but common citizens like you and me may also take "singular meritorious action" for the cause of justice and peace. (3572)
Health Keepers (91/05/10)
According to official statistics, the number of blind or almost blind people in Japan, aged 18 or over, total 370,000. Some 68,000 or 22 percent, of these people have jobs. About 40 percent work as masseurs, moxa treatment specialists and acupuncturists. In this modern, computer age, employees of certain companies suffer from ailments related to the use of computer terminals. Sitting in front of a computer all day long and pressing keys on a keyboard may cause stiff shoulders, lumbago or general fatigue. The Labor Ministry has reported that 27 companies, including banks, department stores and chemical manufacturers, make use of so-called "health keepers" who use traditional remedies to treat such symptoms. Temporary Sunrise Company, a new firm with headquarters in Tokyo, dispatches masseurs and other specialists to corporate customers to bring relief to suffering employees. This arrangement provides benefits to both the receiving company and its customer operators and to the sending company and its visually handicapped employees. Those of us who are reasonably healthy and whose bodies are reasonably sound should be grateful to God for this blessing and show our gratitude by assisting those who are not so fortunate. (3573)
Training Session (91/05/11)
The Benedictine Priory in Davao City was the site of a training session sponsored by the Asian Health Institute and the Davao Medical School Foundation. Such sessions have been held annually since 1983. Social workers related to health care and community development attend to improve their strategies, share their experiences and learn from one another to become more effective promoters of a more wholesome society in their under-developed communities. On the concluding day of the second 2-week session, a special mass was held in the chapel for the participants, officiated by the first priest to attend such a session. Sitting in the rear of the chapel were two rows of nuns in their traditional garb who sang popular-type hymns accompanied by a guitar and a small electronic organ. Following the mass, an informal graduation ceremony was held in the assembly room at which I gave a short talk and handed the diplomas to the graduates as the Asian health Institute representative. Preceding that ceremony, I showed the swollen, painful foot I had injured before leaving Japan to the director, a medical doctor. She gave me the same advice as the doctor I had consulted in Japan: "Keep your foot raised"--which is quite difficult to do while traveling in a foreign land. (3574)
Isaiah (91/05/12)
In the Bible, a prophet is a spokesman for God and Isaiah was one of the great prophets in the Old Testament. His personal account of how he became a prophet is recorded in the sixth chapter of the book of Isaiah. While worshiping in the Jewish temple, Isaiah had an extraordinary vision of the almighty God. He was overwhelmed with a sense of the majesty and holiness of God. In response, he was deeply conscious of his own uncleanness and sin. In the vision, his lips were touched by a burning coal from the altar where incense was burned and he was symbolically cleansed from sin. Then he heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?" And Isaiah answered, "I will go! Send me!" In a sense this account describes what should happen during worship services in Christian churches. In our worship, we should have a consciousness of being in God's presence and sense his greatness and holiness. We should recognize our own sin and find forgiveness. And our worship should end with a rededication of ourselves to be God's representatives in the society in which he has placed us. When God makes us aware of a need for service to him and to others, we should respond as Isaiah did: "I will go! Send me!" (3575)
'Kame no Ko Yori Toshi no Ko' (91/05/13)
In my 'Kan-Wa Jiten', there are 186 Chinese characters pronounced 'kō'. And one of my Japanese-English dictionaries, contains thirty different words with that pronunciation, many of which have more than one meaning. Among the various meanings of the character for "paddy field" with the vertical line extended downward is "turtle shell". Among the various meanings of the character consisting of the characters for artisan and power is "achievement". The Japanese proverb, 'Kame no kō yori toshi no kō,' the achievement of years rather than the shell of a turtle, emphasizes the value of experience. In English, we have such sayings as "Experience is the mother of wisdom" and "The longer that one lives, the more he knows." One must live in Japan for a long time, indeed, before one knows all the characters pronounced 'kō' along with all of their meanings. (3576)
The State of Israel (91/05/14)
From ancient times, the Middle-East has been a troubled area. After the establishment of a Jewish kingdom around 1000 B.C., the "Holy Land" of Palestine was controlled successively by Jews, Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Byzantines and Arabs. Following the First World War, the League of Nations granted Britain a mandate to govern Palestine. Upon the withdrawal of its forces on May 14, 1948, 43 years ago today, the establishment of the State of Israel was proclaimed. The next day the surrounding Arab nations attacked the new state and the first Arab-Israeli War began. Since then, there have been three subsequent wars and constant tension between Israel and its Muslim neighbors. In the center of the Israeli flag is a six-pointed star formed by two intersecting equilateral triangles, called the Shield or Star of David. A star is a source of light and, according to Isaiah 42:6, through Israel, the Lord's servant, God will bring light to the nations. The Jewish people have shed light in the world's moral and religious darkness in the past and we pray Israel will seek to shine the light of justice and peace in the Mideast today. (3577)
Electronic Bird Calls (91/05/15)
A white-beaked, dark brown sea bird native to the coast of Hokkaidō is in danger of becoming extinct. The number of these birds has decreased from 8000 in 1963 to only 57 last year because of human encroachment on their natural habitat and attacks by other birds so the government has granted them a special protected status as an endangered species. Their Japanese name, umi-garasu, may be literally translated as "sea raven", but in English a sea raven is not a bird. Rather, it is a fish. In fact, umi-garasu are not of the raven or crow family of birds at all. Related to auks and puffins, they are called guillemots in English. In order to lure the guillemots to a new and safer nesting area, an interesting experiment is being conducted. An electronic device that uses digital technology has been developed to mimic three different bird calls, each eight seconds long. These devices, along with decoys, will be placed in the new nesting area and timed to periodically emit their bird calls in the hope of attracting the guillemots to that new nesting area where they will be able to breed in safety. The Bible teaches that God cares for the birds [Matthew 6:26], but often he makes use of human beings to accomplish his purpose. (3578)
Sixteen (91/05/16)
Today is the 16th day of the month. Is there anything significant about this number? In Buddhist scriptures, mention is made of 'jūroku rakan', sixteen disciples of the Buddha, and 'jūroku zenjin', sixteen good 'kami'. There are also sixteen 'daibosatsu' pictured on a Buddhist mandala. In some Western countries, sixteen is considered the conventional age of a girl's "bloom of youth", so we have the term "sweet sixteen". Moral and religious corruption in Europe in the 16th century gave rise to the Protestant Reformation. The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution introduced the Federal Income Tax in 1913 and the 16th Article of the Japanese Constitution grants citizens "the right of peaceful petition for the redress of damage, the removal of public officials, for the enactment, repeal or amendment of laws, ordinances or regulations and for other matters". It also states that persons who sponsor such petitions shall not be discriminated against. In a democracy, it is important that the right to peacefully petition for changes be protected. Due to the character of Japanese culture, it is especially important that those who work for change should not become subject to discriminatory action. All Japanese citizens should seek to abide by the word and spirit of this Constitution. (3579)
Eating Crow (91/05/17)
A news article last month reported on Soviet President Gorbachev's offer to resign because of the opposition of Communist Party conservatives. The hardliners were taken by surprise by his unexpected offer, however, and found themselves unable to accept it. Faced with his overture, they realized that his resignation, which they had called for, would cause more harm to the country than his remaining in power. The first sentence of the article ended with the statement that he "made them eat crow." Do you understand the meaning of this expression? Have you ever "eaten crow"? In the West the meat of certain birds is eaten and even considered delicious. Edible fowl include chicken, turkey, duck, goose, pheasant and quail, but crow is not found in that list. Although I have never actually eaten the meat of a crow, I presume it is not very tasty. I think it might be what is called 'kowai' in Japanese. But "eating crow" maybe 'kowai' in another sense as well, for this phrase denotes the humiliation of having to accept defeat, to admit that one was mistaken and, consequently, the person must draw back from a position that he or she had strongly maintained. Sometimes, "eating crow" is similar to "eating one's words" or "eating humble pie," all of which are detestable to proud people. In such cases, the meal is not enjoyable and may cause indigestion. Pride is a basic human sin and Jesus taught, in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verse 15, that genuine humility is a condition for entering the Kingdom of God. (3580)
Grass-Root Effort (91/05/18)
One of the projects supported by the Asian Health Institute, located in Nisshin Cho outside of Nagoya, is the training of workers to effectively stimulate social development in needy areas of Asia. Last October, during my stay in Davao City on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao as the representative of AHI, I visited a poor, undeveloped area called Agdaw. There, a group of 130 housewives has been organized to work for the betterment of their community. Leaders of various districts called "clusters", meet monthly and present problems related to health, sanitation, the economy, moral atmosphere, and so forth in their cluster and then discuss ways of dealing with them. I was impressed with this grass-root effort to work together to effect improvement. On the previous morning, I had gone out for a walk (on my painful foot). About 40 minutes later, I found myself at a Roman Catholic seminary. There, I met an Irish priest, who had happened to be a classmate of an American priest I know who teaches at Nanzan University in Nagoya. He was kind enough to give me a ride back to my lodging and I realized anew how "small" the world is and how universal the providence of God. (3581)
Nahum (91/05/19)
The latter part of the Old Testament consists of writings of various Hebrew prophets. The contents and nature of these writings are quite different, depending upon the TPO, or time, place and occasion, of the prophecies recorded and the character of the prophet himself. Nahum was one of the twelve so-called minor prophets. Although his name means "compassionate", his prophecy does not exhibit much of that quality. His words, dating from the 7th century before Christ, were directed toward Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire which was located in present-day Iraq. He prophecies the terrible, but righteous, judgment of God upon this wicked city and its cruel king. Nahum describes God as an angry ruler who will not permit the guilty to go unpunished. If God, indeed, is such a person, all sinners should fear his judgment. but Nahum also notes the goodness of the Lord toward those who trust in him. In chapter 1, verse 7, he wrote: "The Lord is good; he protects his people in times of trouble; he takes care of those who turn to him." The overall picture of God portrayed in the Old and New Testaments combines the character of a severe and fearful ruler with the merciful compassion of a loving father. (3582)
Consider the Cost (91/05/20)
Traditionally, thriftiness has been a characteristic of the Japanese. They have tended to live frugally. These days, however, some Japanese individuals and companies that have become too extravagant in their life style are facing financial hardship or bankruptcy. There is an English proverb, "Cut your coat according to your cloth," which means that we should adjust our expenditures according to our resources. A tailor who makes a coat must keep in mind the amount and quality of the cloth he has on hand. Even so-called dumb animals seem too instinctively adapt their life style to fit their circumstances, as seen in the Japanese proverb, "kani wa kōra ni nisete ana o horu," the crab digs a hole according to its shell. In the gospel of Luke, chapter 14, Jesus advised people to sit down and consider the cost before building a tower or becoming his disciple. (3583)
Lilies and Roses (91/05/21)
Among the many varieties of popular, beautiful flowers are lilies and roses. Lilies bear trumpet-shaped flowers on smooth, green stems while fragrant roses grow on brown, prickly vines. There are many kinds of lilies and roses, each with its own characteristic form and color. Every year on this 21st day of May at the Tower of London, along the Thames River in London, a traditional ceremony is observed in which lilies and roses are carried by representatives of two of England's oldest and most prestigious schools. The famous Tower of London, an old fortress that was used for centuries as a jail for illustrious prisoners, was the place where King Henry VI died on May 21, 1471. He had been imprisoned there by his rival, King Edward IV, and was probably murdered. Although he was only 49 when he died, he was one of England's longer reigning monarchs, having become king when he was less than nine months old. King Henry VI founded Eton College, the largest and most famous of English public schools in 1440, and King's College at Cambridge in 1441 and representatives of these two schools bring lilies and roses to the annual ceremony commemorating his death. (3584)
Blue (91/05/22)
What do you associate with the color "blue"? Do you consider it a happy or sad color? In fact, in English expressions, blue has a wide range of meanings. It may mean gloomy or depressed, so a "blue day" does not denote fair weather but a dismal, dreary day. Blue may also mean aristocratic, so a person of "blue blood" is of noble lineage. A further meaning is strict or rigorous. Thus a "blue nose" is a puritanical person and "blue laws" aim to enforce strict moral standards. But blue may also mean something indecent or risque, like a "blue joke". The characteristic dress of certain occupations or classes has given rise to other expressions. A "blue-collar" worker is a manual laborer, a "bluejacket" is a sailor; and a "bluestocking" is a scholarly woman. Since the highest honor bestowed by the English monarchy is the blue, silk ribbon of the Order of the Garter, "blue ribbon" indicates first place in some competition and because blue chips are the most valuable counters when playing poker, "blue chip" stocks are considered the best investments. "Once in a blue moon" means very seldom and "out of the blue" means completely unexpected. I hope today's message does not make you feel blue. Rather, I hope you are in the pink. (3585)
Names of Boys (91/05/23)
To my way of thinking, the Chinese character meaning "brave, courageous, or valiant", which is pronounced 'isamashii' or 'yū', consists of a 'katakana ma' over a man or 'otoko'. According to the explanation given in the book, 'Kanji no Gogen', however, actually this character is made up of a character meaning "to gush forth" over the character meaning "power" and the basic meaning is "the gushing forth of energy". Whatever the correct explanation of its origin, that particular character was one of the most popular ones used in the names of boys born last year in Japan according to a survey conducted by the Mataro Dolls Company of Tokyo. For the seventh consecutive year, Yūki was the most popular name for boys, with Yūsuke and Yūta tied for second place. Obviously, parents are hoping that their male children will be "manly". Of the 2,672 names considered, all were written in Chinese characters and 78 percent of them had two characters in the name. The survey also indicated that fewer fathers than last year--52 percent--determined their sons' names by themselves. May this imply that the fathers hope their sons will become more courageous than they are? (3586)
Dairy Farms (91/05/24)
A dairy is a place where milk and milk products are processed or sold. Dairy cattle are cows raised for milk rather than meat. And a dairy farm is a farm for producing milk and milk products. There are about 63,000 dairy farms in Japan, which averages out to about one such farm for every 1900 residents. Many of these "farms," however, are very small and face a questionable future because fewer and fewer children of farmers are staying on the farm. In modern Japanese society, farming is not an attractive occupation for it includes long hours at hard, dirty, smelly work with no vacation time or bonuses. Last year, only 2000 children of all kinds of farmers took up farming after finishing school, compared to 60,000 a year in the 1960s. In 1989, Japan consumed almost five million tons of milk, all of which was produced domestically. Along with rice, the Japanese milk market is strictly controlled and there is foreign pressure that this market also be opened to imports. Without a doubt, dairy farms will be decreasing sharply in the years ahead. This is unfortunate since farming is a necessary and honorable occupation. The ancient Greek poet, Xenephon, called it: "the best of all occupations ... by which men procure the means of living." (3587)
Visitors in Davao (91/05/25)
From the Benedictine Priory in Davao City, I was finally able to complete a telephone call to Metro-Manila and inform my church's representative of my lodging place. After breakfast, on the morning of October 4th, a nun came to my room to tell me I had some visitors. Following her downstairs, I met five area leaders of my church in the Philippines who had come from Davao City and two neighboring provinces. They had been informed by telephone, telegram or radio of my presence there. I spent that day talking and travelling with them, listening to their reports and giving words of encouragement. In a church member's home along the seacoast, we had a time of Bible study and prayer. That was the day that a rebel army leader came down from the hills in northern Mindanao and tried to take over an army camp. The whole area was on the alert and because of the danger of a lone American being kidnapped, all five men accompanied me back to the priory on the outskirts of the city. The next morning, one of the men came back to give me a large box full of green bananas (seven bunches with an average of 14 bananas on a bunch) to take back to Japan. Because I knew that Japanese regulations would not permit me to take them into the country, I presented them to the gracious sisters at the priory instead. (3588)
Amen (91/05/26)
When a person attends a Christian Church service for the first time, he or she may wonder about the meaning of a peculiar word that is often repeated. It is the word "amen" which is usually the concluding word of a prayer or hymn. This word, which comes from Hebrew, has been transliterated into Greek, Latin, English, Japanese and all of the other 1800 languages in which the bible has been translated. The basic meaning of the Hebrew verb is to be firm, true or reliable and those who join in repeating this word at the end of a prayer, whether of one's own or that of another, are affirming their solemn agreement with what has been said. it may be translated as "so be it" or "may it be" as has been said. In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, chapter 8, verse 5, after Ezra, the priest, read from the book of the Law, "All the people raised their arms in the air and answered, 'Amen! Amen!'" In the New Testament, Jesus often began a solemn statement with this word, which, in modern English versions, is translated as "in truth" or "I am telling you the truth." Just as we should carefully read a document before singing it, we should carefully listen to the prayer or words of another before adding our "Amen". (3589)
Might Makes Right (91/05/27)
In a so-called civil war, the stronger faction becomes the official army by virtue of its superior military power and the losing fighters are considered traitors as expressed in the Japanese proverb 'kateba kangun, makereba zokugun.' Many historical examples may be found to illustrate the truth of this saying and its English counterpart that "Might makes right"--at least temporarily. As the French satirist, Voltaire, wrote, "It is said that God is always on the side of the big battalions." But it is our Christian conviction that, ultimately, the morally right will prevail. Abraham Lincoln gave voice to this conviction in a speech he delivered in New York City on February 27, 1860, in which he turned the common saying upside-down, declaring: "Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith let us to the end do our duty as we understand it." (3590)
Exophthalmic Goiter (91/05/28)
Earlier this month, I was concerned when I heard that President Bush had entered a hospital and was being examined to find the cause of his irregular heartbeat. I first learned the result of that examination on NHK Television's "Morning Wide" news program. The announcer said the President had Basedow's disease. A few minutes later, I heard the announcer on a shortwave radio news broadcast of the "Voice of America" say that the President had Grave's disease. Subsequently, articles in Japanese-language newspapers continued to speak of Basedow's disease, while English-language newspapers called it Grave's disease. Upon investigation, I found that Robert J. Graves was an Irish physician who was born in 1796 and died in 1853 and Karl von Basedow was a German doctor who was born three years later and died one year later than Dr. Graves. For some reason, both men's names have been attached to the same condition, also known as exophthalmic goiter. A goiter is an enlargement of the thyroid gland and exophthalmia denotes an abnormal protrusion of the eyeballs which may result from an excessive production of the thyroid hormone. In any case, I was happy to hear that it is not a serious condition and that it can be treated with medication. (3591)
John F. Kennedy (91/05/29)
If you are over forty years old, you probably remember the man identified by the initials JFK. The first Roman Catholic president of the United States, he served in that position from 1961-63. He was the eighth president to die in office and the fourth to be assassinated. His name was John Fitzgerald Kennedy and he was born on May 29, 1917, 74 years ago today. Kennedy became president when he was 43, the second youngest president in history, and brought a kind of youthful exuberance to the White House. He challenged the country with his concept of a "New Frontier" in dealing with problems at home, abroad and in space. One of the legacies of the Kennedy administration is the Peace Corps which was established to assist developing countries. Dedicated recruits who served in this organization not only helped change the countries to which they were sent, they themselves were changed by their experience and continue to work for peace and international understanding after completing their tour of duty. President Kennedy emphasized the need for nations to work together to save the planet. "Save it we can and save it we must," he said, "and then shall we earn the eternal thanks of mankind and, as peacemakers, the eternal blessing of God." (3592)
A Camembert Cheese (91/05/02)
Japanese Constitution (91/05/03)
Davao Priory (91/05/04)
121st Psalm (91/05/05)
'Kodakara' (91/05/06)
Children/Children's Day (91/05/07)
"Japlish" (91/05/08)
A Purple Heart (91/05/09)
Health Keepers (91/05/10)
Training Session (91/05/11)
Isaiah (91/05/12)
'Kame no Ko Yori Toshi no Ko' (91/05/13)
The State of Israel (91/05/14)
Electronic Bird Calls (91/05/15)
Sixteen (91/05/16)
Eating Crow (91/05/17)
Grass-Root Effort (91/05/18)
Nahum (91/05/19)
Consider the Cost (91/05/20)
Lilies and Roses (91/05/21)
Blue (91/05/22)
Names of Boys (91/05/23)
Dairy Farms (91/05/24)
Visitors in Davao (91/05/25)
Amen (91/05/26)
Might Makes Right (91/05/27)
Exophthalmic Goiter (91/05/28)
John F. Kennedy (91/05/29)
Thirty (91/05/30)
A Thousand Paper Cranes (91/05/31)
L/El/Ell (91/05/01)