JP McGinty
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thedysart.bsky.social
JP McGinty
@thedysart.bsky.social
Disciple of Jesus, priest and preacher, brother, uncle, friend, insister on hope.
In the Bleak Midwinter
open.substack.com/pub/parkerjp...
In the Bleak Midwinter
Learning to see with soft eyes in hard-frozen times...
open.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:00 PM
"In today’s world, justice and human dignity are at an alarming risk amid global power imbalances. How can we live in this time of destabilization and conflict, and free ourselves from evil? We need to encourage and support every spiritual, cultural and political initiative that keeps hope alive."
December 18, 2025 at 8:47 PM
"Unfortunately, it has become increasingly common to drag the language of faith into political battles, to bless nationalism, and to justify violence and armed struggle in the name of religion."
December 18, 2025 at 8:46 PM
"The great spiritual traditions, as well as right reason, teach us to look beyond blood ties or ethnicity, beyond associations that accept only those who are similar and reject those who are different. Today, we see that this cannot be taken for granted."
December 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
"An essential service that religions must render to a suffering humanity is to guard against the growing temptation to weaponize even thoughts and words."
December 18, 2025 at 8:45 PM
"Goodness is disarming. Perhaps this is why God became a child."
December 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
"And yet, 'those who truly love peace also love the enemies of peace.' Saint Augustine thus advised not to burn bridges or persist in reproach, but to prefer listening and, where possible, engaging in discussions with others."
December 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
"The idea of the deterrent power of military might, especially nuclear deterrence, is based on the irrationality of relations between nations, built not on law, justice and trust, but on fear and domination by force."
December 18, 2025 at 8:44 PM
"When we treat peace as a distant ideal, we cease to be scandalized when it is denied, or even when war is waged in its name."
December 18, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"Although many people today have hearts ready for peace, they are often overcome by a great sense of powerlessness before an increasingly uncertain world."
December 18, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"The peace of the risen Jesus is unarmed, because his was an unarmed struggle in the midst of concrete historical, political and social circumstances."
December 18, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"Even in places where only rubble remains, and despair seems inevitable, we still find people who have not forgotten peace."
December 18, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"Dear brothers and sisters, whether we have the gift of faith or feel we lack it, let us open ourselves to peace! Let us welcome it and recognize it, rather than believing it to be impossible and beyond our reach. Peace is more than just a goal; it is a presence and a journey."
December 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
"Peace is a breath of the eternal: while to evil we cry out 'Enough,'to peace we whisper 'Forever.'”
December 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Pope Leo XIV's first message for the annual World Day of Peace (January 1) was released today. Here are some phrases from Leo's call to a 'unarmed and disarming' peace.

"In order to overcome the darkness, it is necessary to see the light and believe in it."
December 18, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Reposted by JP McGinty
Contributor: Rob Reiner reshaped how California understands and invests in children
Contributor: Rob Reiner reshaped how California understands and invests in children
Leading the campaign for and implementation of 1998's Proposition 10, he radically reframed public responsibility for early childhood.
www.latimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Reposted by JP McGinty
Authorities released new photos and video of a person of interest in the mass shooting at Brown University, and an FBI official said the suspected shooter is "armed and dangerous." Follow live updates.
Authorities share new photos, video of person of interest in Brown shooting. Follow live updates. - The Boston Globe
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual.
trib.al
December 15, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by JP McGinty
Man who risked life to disarm alleged Bondi gunman ‘couldn’t bear to see people dying’
Man who risked life to disarm alleged Bondi gunman ‘couldn’t bear to see people dying’
Family say Ahmed al-Ahmed would have done anything to save lives during Sunday’s attack in which 16 people died
www.irishtimes.com
December 15, 2025 at 10:40 PM
Reposted by JP McGinty
Lord,
You are the Light of the world,
outshine the dullness of consumption
and warm our souls with Your love.
Amen.

A blessing for our second week of Advent.
December 6, 2025 at 10:45 AM
“Advent is pondering specific decisions about bringing our daily life into sync with God‘s rule.“
~ ‘Texts for Preaching, Year A,’ p.10
December 3, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Reposted by JP McGinty
A raccoon entered a liquor store the other day and drank his fill: rum, moonshine, even peanut butter whiskey. Then he passed out on the floor of the bathroom. Don’t worry, he’s OK, and was safely released back into the wild.
A Drunk Raccoon Passed Out in the Bathroom of a Virginia Liquor Store
Don’t worry, it’s OK.
nyti.ms
December 3, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by JP McGinty
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com

“There’s a future where manual driving becomes uncommon, perhaps even quaint, like riding horses is today,” Jonathan Slotkin writes. “It’s a future where we no longer accept thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of broken spines as the price of mobility.”
Opinion | The Medical Case for Self-Driving Cars
Compared to human drivers, Waymo cars were involved in 91 percent fewer crashes that resulted in serious injuries.
nyti.ms
December 2, 2025 at 9:50 PM
December 2, 2025 at 10:02 PM