#(we follow the old calendar at my church)

[butterflies-and-bumble-bees]

Merry Christmas Y'all!!!

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

I discovered my best friend is following ARO on Instagram. When I confronted her over this horrific betrayal, she said, “I think I like her now!” My devastation knows no bounds.

I was discussing this with my boss, a fellow royal watcher, and we decided I need to make a PowerPoint presentation, complete with citations (we are lawyers, after all), “shining a light” on MM’s numerous atrocities and proven lies over the years. I thought you would be invaluable in such a venture. Any suggestions to include would be very much appreciated!

Old ask from March 18th

Ok, so I didn't mean to sit on this one for (checks calendar) 6 MONTHS. ohhh, that's worse than I thought. Sorry, anon. Your ask got completely buried.

Anyway. I actually have been keeping a list of Meghan's lies and falsities. I don't remember when I compiled it (I feel like it might've been a 2022 thing) and I forgot I had it for a very long time. We'll probably need to crowd-source some updates to this list.

So buckle up, y'all.

Grew up an only child

Never had relationships with Sam or Tom

Grew up poor eating Sizzler buffets for splurge dinners

Didn't know who Diana was

Didn't know that Diana did Panorama interview

Lied about having a SAG card to be cast in Suits

That she was being written off Suits because she was marrying Harry

Doesn't have any family except Doria

Paid for college herself with student loans

International relations and theatre degrees from Northwestern

Merch tour of Aussie with Jess

Didn't want to serve Archie on a silver platter

Couldn't do a photo call at the hospital after Archie's birth

Wasn't in contact with Oprah

Wasn't working with UK Vogue

Lilac blazers

Couldn't wear the same color as anyone else

Could only wear neutral clothes

Wasn't dressing her child like a Victorian ghost doll

Going to get her UK citizenship

Gave up her Hollywood team

Spectacle wedding for the public

Eloped three days before with the Archbishop of Canterbury

Loves her engagement ring

Received permission from Queen to name her Lilibet

Loves Africa

Loves charity work and philanthropy

Red carpet for wedding

No tabloids in the US

All Americans have a 5am work ethic

Paparazzi chases

Plagiarism

Korean spas as a kid

Collaboration with Scobie on FF

People letter

Archewell donations and income

Family she never had

Gave up everything

IVF twins

Pregnancy announcement not at Eugenie's wedding

Loves kids

Dog too old to fly

Dog hit by car

Couldn't decorate with royal collection

Kate made Meghan cry

Warm friendly relationship with Queen

Best boss ever

She made her own banana bread

Suicidal thoughts night of Cirque du Soleil

Advised by Obamas

Children refused titles because of racism

She refuses children's titles

Pen pals with Hillary Clinton

Witnessed the LA riots

Independent grassroots journalism

Hit the ground running

5'5

worked at the embassy when she only attended a study program

Didn't know she had to curtsy to the Queen

Didn't know how to curtsy

BRF took her passport, car keys

Not allowed to go out unless just for work

Climate change/private jets

Evicted from Frogmore

Royal Family refused to help Meghan with her mental health

That Meghan was silenced

Privacy in LA

Archie was denied 24/7 protection because he wasn't a prince

Family gossip about Archie's skin color

Palace forced Meghan to take her name off Archie's birth certificate

Egg in wedding food

Not allowed to have scents in church

Meghan said the palace was locking up the birth certificate

Angela refused hair trials

Bond girl

Fire in Archie's nursery

Linked, not ranked

Archie too young to fly (summer after his birth)

Lied about her age (to work in Hollywood, narrative since corrected since marrying in)

Belly padding

Bot farms on social media

Miscarriage

Zoom calls with Cambridges during lockdown

Zoom calls with the Queen during lockdown

Flowers on Philip's casket at funeral were from Sussexes

Sussexes were invited to the Beckham wedding

Royal christening for Lili

Lili baptized

Invited to the diplomatic reception before The Queen's funeral

BFF/dog-walking buddies with Jennifer Aniston

Photoshops the children's appearances

Jimmy Fallon interview in Dec 2022

Time 100th Anniversary coverage

Bodyguard 2

she’d have 40 photographers taking pictures when she did Archie’s school run.

Sussexes declined invitation to Westminster wedding

She made the strawberry jam herself

50 jars of jam

"The Bench" was a bestseller

Visiting/staying with Oprah (Oprah was across the country at her father's bedside)

All the times she said she'd be a secret presenter at Hollywood award shows

Uvalde

Can't tailor her clothes to fit because they're from small brands/labels.

[jollyreginaldrancher]

Realistic Yellowjackets X reader hcs

• Natalie would Dutch oven you

• Van would make you sit through really shitty movies

• Taissa would eat your fucking dog

• Jackie would steal all your goddamn hoodies

• Misty would be chill but your shit would occasionally go missing and she'd always be the one to find them. Which like, okay, get your validation but don't make me late for my grandma's birthday party, she's turning so so old and doesn't have the time to wait around for me to find my keys.

• Nat would have rank breath from all the smoking and the alchohol.

• Van would also have bad breath unfortunately, because her diet mostly consists of funyuns and Cheeto puffs. Her mom doesn't cook and nobody taught her so she mostly gets junk food to fill in the gaps in her meals. She practically sweats McNuggies.

• Lottie would spend so much time using her gentle giant powers for the good of womankind that she would constantly flake on you. "Babe, you missed our wedding" "I had to get this kitten off this tree"

• Natalie would also have a sadistic streak with certain things that don't really matter. Not like consent or anything fucked up like that, but she would tickle you until you cried and maybe even pissed yourself a little. And she would have no boundaries. Like she would follow you to the bathroom like a cat from the first date and she wouldn't take the hint that you need privacy to change your tampon. You'd be trying to hint that you want her out by saying "I need to change tampons" and she would start rooting through her pockets for one because she'd think that's your way of asking for one. Bless her, she's a himbo.

• Laura Lee would drag you to so many church events -as a friend- and unintentionally tease you constantly and be so damn innocent in public that you'd think you're going crazy.

• Shauna wouldn't let you out of her sight. She would be so possessive and suspicious for the drama. She would broach the subject of three ways or opening the relationship and you would think she's asking because she has feelings for her best friend but it's a trap.

• Mari thinks she's funny but her jokes just come off as mean. She's even more vicious when stressed. You'd take her ice skating and her skates would snag and she would curse your mother.

• Natalie also smells but less like funyuns and more like cheap booze and cigarettes. She also doesn't wash her face and while you're not materialistic her beauty is a fluke. She'd be walking around all winter with chapped lips, trying to kiss you and scratching the shit out of your thighs with them.

• Taissa constantly trying to beat you at shit would get really fucking annoying. She would turn random shit into a game too just to get an extra W on you. She'd be like "race you to the curb" while crossing roads and making you sweat and you would say you don't care but she's lowkey just trying to get you to be rougher with her in a roundabout way. She'd be so indirect it would piss you off.

Like "what do you want for dinner babe?" And she would tell you to pick and just shoot down all your suggestions before just settling on the same thing she always picks.

• Jackie would fill your social calendar to the brim. You'd call her, asking her to *1996 equivalent of Netflix and chill* and she'd be like "you mean you're not coming to the party? And you would have to check your calendar only to find out it was an impromptu thing that she didn't even ask you to, because she just assumed you were coming.

• Shauna would complain about other people constantly but still act friendly with them for the most part giving you mixed signals. Like, "babe, do we hate them or not?". It's complicated though. It's always complicated because she lives for the drama tbh.

• Misty's autistic hyperfixations would take over her life and sometimes she would simply stop existing for all intents and purposes. You'd run into her at the grocery store as you're about to hang up missing posters and she'd be sporting the biggest eye-bags and when you'd ask her where she's been she'd go into detail about niche fandom info. Like how fucked up the Hiro episode of Thomas the tank engine is.

• You would be exhausted all the time from all the self defence classes you would need to take to fight off Lottie's other suitors.

• Taissa would definitely bully you like she's not the biggest nerd on the team. She would pick on you for your lunch box meanwhile she studies religiously before every test and one time she stressed so bad before a test that she threw up.

[fixomnia-scribble]

Please would you share a snippet of 'My Fortress Be' with us for WIP Wednesday? It would make my evening!

Happy to oblige!

Under cut for anyone who doesn't want to be spoiled...though this *is* from a twelve year old episode!

“Hello, Reverend.”

“Good afternoon, Doctor! To what do I owe this visit? I hope nobody among us is poorly enough to need my presence?"

“No, thankfully. I’m calling on you to ask - what is the soonest date I could engage you for a wedding?” Patrick rattled off, all in a breath.

The Reverend blinked, remembered to whom he was speaking, and replied cautiously: “You know I am at your disposal, and there is generally a two to three month wait to book the Sanctuary, but this isn’t the busy season. Come with me and let’s consult the calendar.”

Clearly the good Reverend thought that Patrick was hoping to arrange a hasty wedding for a couple in trouble, and was prepared to ask a minimum of questions. Patrick followed him into the vestry office and stood in front of the desk, holding the brim of his hat in his hand rather like a schoolboy unsure of his reception in the Headmaster’s office. 

The Reverend sat and pulled a ledger towards him. “Mrs. Cooley has not mentioned any new bookings, so I believe this is up to date. Please, sit down, Doctor, you make me anxious. I feel I’m about to be given bad news.”

Patrick sat in one of the leather-backed guest chairs, with a nervous chuckle. The Reverend glanced up.

��Why, man, you’re the anxious one. It can’t be for yourself you’re wanting a speedy wedding?”

“It is, Reverend,” he said. “Not for any other reason than we’d like a very simple wedding, and soon. The two of us and our witnesses, and Timothy.” He leaned forward in his chair. “We’re not a young couple. I’ve been married and widowed. My fiancee - she’s been independent for years, and is eager to start her new life. There’s my boy - our boy - to think of. Making the change with little fuss will be better for him.”

“I see. And while you are in good standing in this congregation - regardless of your attendance - and welcome to marry here, what of your betrothed? Is there some difficulty with her church? Her family? Is that part of your haste?”

“Her family are supportive but uninvolved, really. And she’s been a highly esteemed member of your flock for over ten years. Though you may have missed her recently. I know I did.”

The Reverend blinked again. Then his brow cleared. “Dr. Turner, I admit that I’ve heard idle stories, but are you telling me there is truth to them? That Sister Bernadette’s decision to leave the Order was connected with yourself? And this is the result?”

Patrick felt his heart thumping as if he was guilty somehow. He wished Shelagh was here with him, not wanting to speak for her in her absence. But he knew their story, as deeply as anyone could, and that let him look the Reverend straight in the face and explain.

“It certainly didn't begin that way. Shelagh was - she’d been struggling with her vocation for some time. We’d worked together for many years. We began speaking more freely, becoming friendly, and that was all. It wasn’t until this past summer that we realized we’d fallen in love. We couldn't speak of it. I believe we were at an impasse. I don’t know what might have happened. And then she contracted tuberculosis and was sent off for treatment. But now she’s home, and our future is together.”

“And it was while she was away that she came to her decision,” the Reverend intuited, sitting back. “Yes, I see. Such an intimation of mortality to have come through. But let me ask you this, Doctor: don’t you think your marriage ought to be celebrated with others? You are not without friends, and support, either of you. You are doing nothing wrong.”

“She’s keen to have a small, quiet wedding. Tongues will wag anyway - they always do in Poplar. Unkind things have already been said about her. But she doesn't want to upset the Sisters, either, with a public display.”

“She never did like to be at the center of attention,” the Reverend agreed. “And I do see it would not be good for her to linger in an unknown status for long.”

Patrick let out a breath. “Yes. That’s the kernel of it.”

The Reverend removed his folded hands from the ledger and opened it up. Scanning down the page with a finger, he nodded. “It’s unusual, but since it’s to be a small ceremony, what would you say to slipping it in between the Christmas Eve services? The halls will be decked and garlanded for the holiday. You’ll even hear the choir keeping their voices warmed up.”

“Reverend! I’d never have thought of it. She’d love that. It wouldn’t be a terrible imposition, on a night like that?”

“Not at all. I’ll be walking around trying to keep warmed up between services, too. Absent any frills and fripperies, the whole ceremony runs about twenty minutes. I do have one suggestion, but it is only that.”

“Yes?”

“In the normal course of things, I strongly recommend that all engaged couples come for the usual pre-marriage discussions with myself and other married couples from the church. Given Sister - I beg your pardon, Doctor, but what shall I call her now? I am not privy to the worldly names of the Sisters."

"Her name is Shelagh Mannion. For the present."

They shared a smile, and Patrick felt excitement taking over from trepidation. This was real. And the Reverend was on their side, whatever the shrewish gossips of Poplar had to say.

"How lovely. Given Miss Mannion’s history here, I would understand if she’d rather not take part in these discussions. And you yourself have years of experience with a happy marriage and family. But please tell Miss Mannion that I don’t consider her a stranger or a lost sheep, and that I am here to offer what counsel I can, as any other bride preparing for marriage, in the days until then.”

“Sixteen days,” Patrick said, rather dazed.

The Reverend stood and turned about to unlock the tall cabinet behind and to the side of the desk. He pulled out a familiar bottle and two small glasses, and turned back. He looked at Patrick and raised an eyebrow.

"You look as if you could use it."

"Thank you, Reverend. Yes, I believe I could."

[totallyroxanne]

Easter shenanigans

You might think that I’m very late with this. In fact, I’m not. For reference I was raised eastern orthodox christian and am still forced to go to church to keep the peace with my parents and my choir director. Today (uh, overnight from May 4th to 5th) was Easter, because we hate conformism and use the old calendar instead.

Anyways, it’s 3 am, I’ve been awake for 21 hours, and am waiting in the car for everyone, so here, in chronological (ish) order, for the few people that’ll see/posterity:

Me waking up at 6 to take (and fail) my statics final from 8-10am

Almost hurling in a Target

Almost crying because my phone kept refusing to talk to my laptop

Speed eating as much as I can before 6 cause communion

Getting to church at 11pm 🤪

No one follows the parking lot guys’ instructions. Someone almost hits a tree

Family friend (?) tries and succeeds in convincing me that I need a dirt bike

Choir’s shitty timing for the whole night (but good execution if I say so myself ahaha)

One of the readers stealing one of the 3 music stands we have with no warning

Same reader proceeding to wildly fuck up the order of stuff that needs to be done

Cross procession somehow goes fine, except there’s too many people so we have to wait for everyone to leave

Shit happens. It is 1 am. We only just now start the usual Sunday service, which is done at the end of the Easter/Pascha one

The priest hotboxed us with fuckin. Frankincense or some shit. It was foggy in there

At this point I’m resisting the urge to frog blink at the choir director

The youngest girl pops a squat. We all pop a squat. All of us are in pain (none of us have eaten since 6 and in this denomination we stand for the whole service)

We somehow make it to the Creed. Mid Creed we are brutally informed that yes, god is now drowning us (super bright lightning and near immediate thunder that makes quite literally everyone pause)

One of the well meaning older ladies in the choir touches the security hub, which thus triggers the choir director to panic cause if she doesn’t disarm this shit the alarm will go off (she manages to disarm it)

My immaculate power of prophecy saves us all (several years ago I made scans of the different versions of “Christ is risen” that we sing and the choir director forgot the copies so I sent my scan to my sister and we used that between the several of us)

I have to direct the choir for all of one minute because everyone disappears off to communion

I am extracted to the car but it is POURING and now I’m sitting here, salty like a surfing cat

Anyways ask me anything for clarification. I’m off to eat cheese for the first time in months

[seirosu]

h.c. nabatean aging | seiros's/rhea's timeline

i went totally insane and decided to try and calculate rhea's human and nabatean ages using some sort of aging system based on HC and known timeline of events... and let me just tell you that flayn really overcomplicated things when i was trying to make any sense of my own timeline but... i eventually got there. i suppose if we theoretically accept that when nabateans hibernate, aging slows... i've very roughly calculated rhea's age during key parts of her life using an approximation.

please don't check my math, i have issues with numbers .

i've had to set an aging rule for my math (again, im not a math person) to work. following tales of series elven aging logic, i've run with the idea of aging being much quicker in childhood and drastically slowed down once puberty sets on:

pre-puberty: 1 biological year = 20 human years post puberty onset: 1 biological year = approx. 130 human years

using these rules as a scale... i've roughly set rhea at about 2430 years old at the start of the game, or roughly 28 years old physically (which lines up with her placeholder data). for this r.p. blog, this would place her at 1250-ish years, or physically 20 years old, which isn't very far off from what i originally h.c. her at as seiros. nabatean lifespans would work out to be around 10,000 years long. of course, appearing 20 while being 1000+ years old... she can be picked up by a perceptive person as being far "older" than her appearance would give off. she carries herself as someone who has lived a lot of life. but in many ways... she's still young .

if you care to see the timeline i created, check under the cut. it extends from a hypothetical birth decade to the game's start, since 5 years is nothing for someone with a lifespan like hers.

also note that this timeline is not all inclusive because my initial intent was just to test whether the majority of events fit logically into the aging pattern. i'm missing a lot of major events and whatnot. there is also some h.c. too, so not every event listed is canon.

-1250 : rhea is created in zanado by sothis as a sky dragon (0 biologically)

-1200 : sothis, who had previously waged battle against humanity an unspecified amount of years before, finishes restoring the land and enters hibernation where she sleeps on and off for the next 450+ years (2 biologically)

-1000 : rhea begins to come of age as a nabatean and undergoes several rites, trials, and trainings under nabatean tradition (12 biologically)

-750 : zanado is attacked and blown up by nemesis + slithers and falls. the nabateans are genocided by nemesis and rhea retreats to seiros's underground bunker/chamber (14 biologically)

-250 : seiros (rhea) emerges from zanado as a "prophet" (18 biologically)

-41 : seiros is first recorded in enbarr and conducts healing miracles (19 biologically)

0 : empire is founded (20 biologically) ; calendar of fodlan begins here

32 : war of heroes starts, and seiros serves as a warrior in the goddess's name alongside wilhelm (20 biologically)

91 : nemesis is killed by seiros (20 biologically)

98 : war of heros ends and seiros is granted official title of archbishop of the church of seiros (20 biologically)

185 : garreg mach is completed after nearly 100 years of construction (21 biologically)

721 : first mach war occurs (25 biologically)

881 : crescent moon war occurs (26 biologically)

1138 : sitri is created by rhea after several failed attempts to create life (28 biologically)

1180 : game starts (28 biologically)

[sapphosremains]

hi! i saw that you use the BCP and i was wondering if you had any resources for it. i recently became episcopal and i've been doing both morning and evening prayer (and sometimes compline) every day using an app, however i would like to learn to use a physical book or even just learn to compile all the readings myself. i've found a couple of tutorials but none of them have really worked for me so i wanted to see if you had any! i'd also love to hear about any faith resources you enjoy in general

god bless you!

hi anon!

super cool that you'd like to move on to a physical bcp - it's definitely a nice reminder you can carry around etc, and there's always something special about using a physical book.

a normal lectionary can be super confusing, so if you want to use the bcp but aren't ready to find the readings from the lectionary, i'd recommmend 'almanac' which compiles all the readings etc for you for both traditional and contemporary services. this is for cofe. this is one for the episcopal church but it seems to only cover sundays and feasts. as far as i can see they're the same so far, so i think you'd be good to use almanac on weekdays. (btw, you can add almanac to whatever digital calendar you use!)

as for the other way round, braving the lectionary! as we've gathered that cofe and episcopal seem the same, and i can't find an episcopal lectionary (although there might be one in your bcp...), i'll use the cofe lectionary as an example. you'll need these two links:

lectionary

lectionary table 2020-2045

it shouldn't be too different a process for a different lectionary, even if the readings etc end up being different.

so, first we go to the second link. let's do it for today, wednesday 21st of august. therefore, 2023-2024 (because this is advent-advent), so for the daily eucharistic lectionary we are picking 2. then let's say we're doing morning prayer in ordinary time, so we're picking OT1 and NT1. we are currently in trinity 12 (you figure this out from easter and then just add one each week, so next monday will be trinity 13), go to the lectionary link, scroll down to trinity 12, find wednesday, OT1, and your old testament reading will be 2 sam 15.1-12, which we can check with our almanac... correct!

we find the NT reading a similar way. scroll to the next page. the weeks aren't labelled here, but we can remember that trinity 12 was the first on the page, and wednesday was the third reading down, we want NT1, which is Acts 9.19b–31, which is also correct!

next, psalm. gets a bit tricky here. my daily prayer app gives me 105 in the morning, while the almanac gives me 110, 111, 112. you can choose whether you follow the psalms based on the lectionary, or the days of the month. both are fine, both can be found in the cofe lectionary, and the lectionary for psalms works slightly differently, as there is a different way it works for ordinary time. how to do this is explained in table 4 of the lectionary pdf, and the alternate psalms based on day of the month (so you're cycling through all the psalms every month) is table 5.

finally, collect. we're nearly there! collects for ordinary time can be found on this link. scroll down to trinity 12 and you've got it!

now, everything changes on a sunday, but it's easier, i promise!

scroll down to trinity 12 on this link, and then find year b (you can find which year it is in the second link above), and there you are! everything is there, much easier. collect is the same for the whole of each week.

once you've done the first one, it gets easier as you can just follow down. maybe if you printed them out, you could cross out each week as you did it, as an easy way to keep track. if you get lost, you can figure it out from easter again, or think back to sunday when they would have said in church what week it was!

important things to remember with the bcp is that it is used by priests, so there will be things in there you're not meant to do or say! it's not a massive deal in private, and He knows what you meant obviously, so don't stress if you read through accidentally, but the idea is that you cannot pronounce things like the absolution, sacraments obviously etc, different blessings for things you do not have authority over (married people can bless each other and their children) with that intent, if that makes sense. different churches have different views on this, so find out what the episcopal church allows laity to say and do. it will also be fairly obvious, saying things like 'the priest will say', and might give alternate things (such as asking God to give blessings, as opposed to giving a blessing like a priest could).

as for other resources, the cofe website is great in general, and i'm sure the episcopal church has similar resources online. i'm afraid no other resources are springing to mind rn, but anything new i find will go on my blog as per, and i'll update this if i think of anything more.

i hope this was helpful, and do let me know if you have any questions.

God bless you and be with you

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

[The hagiography is from Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2022, p. 360: Jonathan Myrick Daniels :: Martyr, 1965]

Today on the Church Calendar is the Feast of Jonathan Myrick Daniels, Saint and Martyr. The Collect of the Day is from Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2022, p. 361:

O God of justice and compassion, who puts down the proud and mighty from their place, and lifts up the poor and the afflicted: We give you thanks for your faithful witness Jonathan Myrick Daniels, who, in the midst of injustice and violence, risked and gave his life for another; and we pray that we, following his example, may make no peace with oppression; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

+

Jonathan Myrick Daniels was born in Keene, New Hampshire, in 1939. Like many young adults, from high school in Keene to graduate school at Harvard, Jonathan wrestled with vocation. Attracted to medicine, ordained ministry, law, and writing, he found himself close to a loss of faith until his discernment was clarified by a profound conversion on Easter Day 1962 at the Church of the Advent in Boston. Jonathan then entered the Episcopal Theological School in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In March 1965, the televised appeal of Martin Luther King, Jr., to come to Selma to secure for all citizens the right to vote touched Jonathan’s passions for the well-being of others, the Christian witness of the church, and political justice. His conviction was deepened at Evening Prayer during the singing of the Magnificat: “He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things.” He wrote: “I knew that I must go to Selma. The Virgin’s song was to grow more and more dear to me in the weeks ahead.”

In Selma he found himself in the midst of a time and place where the nation’s racism and the Episcopal Church’s share in that inheritance were exposed. Greatly moved by what he saw and experienced, he returned to seminary, asked leave to work in Selma while continuing his studies, and returned there under the sponsorship of the Episcopal Society for Cultural and Racial Unity.

After a brief return to Cambridge in May to complete his exams, he returned to Alabama to resume his efforts assisting those engaged in the integration struggle. Jailed on August 14 for joining a picket line, Jonathan and his companions resolved to remain together until bail could be posted for all of them, as it was six days later. Released and aware that they were in danger, four of them walked to a small store. As sixteen-year-old Ruby Sales reached the top step of the entrance, a man with a shotgun appeared, cursing her. Jonathan pulled her to one side to shield her from the unexpected threats and was killed instantly by the 12-gauge blast.

Jonathan’s letters and papers bear eloquent witness to the profound effect that Selma had upon him. He writes, “The doctrine of the creeds, the enacted faith of the sacraments, were the essential preconditions of the experience itself. The faith with which I went to Selma has not changed: it has grown . . . I began to know in my bones and sinews that I had been truly baptized into the Lord’s death and resurrection . . . with them, the black men and white men, with all life, in him whose Name is above all the names that the races and nations shout . . . We are indelibly and unspeakably one.”

[Robert Scott Horton]

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Wednesday, August 23, 2013

august 10_august 23

BLESSED LAWRENCE, FOOL-FOR-CHRIST AND KALUZHSK WONDERWORKER ( 1515)

Blessed Laurence, the Fool-for-Christ and Wonderworker of Kaluga, lived at the beginning of the XVI century at a distance of half a verst from old Kaluga, near a forest church dedicated to the Nativity of Christ, set upon a high hill.

There was a long underground entrance from his dwelling place to the church, where he attended services. He also lived at the home of the Kaluga Prince Simeon. It is thought that Blessed Laurence was descended from the noble Khitrov family, since his name is at the head of their memorial at the Peremyshl’sk Liutykov Monastery in the Kaluga diocese.

Blessed Laurence went barefoot both winter and summer, dressed in a shirt and sheepskin coat. By his ascetical struggles he had risen to such heights of virtue that during his lifetime, he was glorified by gifts of grace. He healed many diseases of the eyes through his prayers.

When the Crimean Tatars attacked Kaluga in May 1512, Blessed Laurence, then in the Prince's home, suddenly shouted in a loud voice: “Give me my sharp axe, for the curs are attacking Prince Simeon and I must defend him!” Saying this, he grabbed the axe and left. Suddenly, he was on board a ship next to the Prince. The Holy Fool Laurence inspired and encouraged the soldiers, and at that very hour they defeated the enemy.

Sometimes, he is depicted on icons with an axe in his right hand, set upon a long handle. It is certain that Prince Simeon (+ 1518), who owed his life to Blessed Laurence, built a monastery on the site of the Saint’s ascetical struggles and dedicated it to him.

Blessed Laurence reposed on August 10, 1515, on his Name Day. The Saint is also commemorated on July 8, perhaps in remembrance of his first posthumous miracle in Kaluga in 1621.1

In that year, the paralyzed boyar Lev Andreevich Kologrivov, who could not move his hands and legs, and was unable to speak, was placed near the tomb of Saint Laurence. During a Moleben, as the Gospel was read, the paralyzed man spoke and began to believe. Raising his right hand, he made the Sign of the Cross; then he stood up, went to the tomb and attached himself to it. By the end of the Moleben, he was able to speak normally, and became perfectly healthy.

Blessed Laurence seems to have been glorified in the second half of the XVI century. Tsar Ivan the Terrible wrote the following on a deed granting land to the monastery in 1565: “To the Monastery of the Nativity of Christ, where Laurence, the Fool-for-Christ lies."

During the Napoleonic invasion of Russia, the intercession of Blessed Lawrence for his native land was shown in a vivid manner. Kaluga became "the limit of the (French) offensive and the beginning of the enemy's retreat and destruction," according to an inscription on the Maloyaroslavets monument commemorating the battle on October 12, 1812.

In August 2018, some of Saint Laurence's relics were discovered in a storeroom of the Moscow Central Museum of the Armed Forces. On August 10/23, a portion of the holy relics was given to the Monastery in Kaluga where the body of Saint Laurence was once buried.

1 The latter commemoration does not seem to be listed on the Calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church.

2 CORINTHIANS 6:11-16

11 O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. 14 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."

MARK 1:23-28

23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are Holy One of God!" 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!" 26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. 27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

[nightsidewrestling]

D.U.D.E Part 14 - Sunday Morning (set in 2020)

Note: This is set in a universe where Men VS Women / Intergender matches can happen.

Chapter 1: here Chapter 2: here Chapter 3: here Chapter 4: here Chapter 5: here Chapter 6: here Chapter 7: here Chapter 8: here Chapter 9: here Chapter 10: here Chapter 11: here Chapter 12: here Chapter 13: here

Tags: @piratewithvigor @tantamount-treason @thedollmaker16 @janetreader

Around 2000 Words. 18+ in places (those chapters will be marked as 'Mature / sexual content' just to be safe). Please inform me if you wish to be tagged or untagged from posts. If the text is in italics and orange it's Kirby's inner monologue. If the text is coloured but not in italics, it's either dialogue or a P.O.V change (P.O.V changes will be in bold and translated dialogue will appear in square [ ] brackets), Key below. Quick note on Geia's text colour: Yes I do know that as Greed she should be in yellow but I decided to colour the men's dialogue yellow so Geia was changed to be pink like the other women in the story outside of the main 8.

The Main 8: Damo - Bio. Vi - Bio. Billie - Bio. Geia - Bio. Kirby - Bio. Honey - Bio. Eli - Bio. Sara - Bio.

Kirby's P.O.V:

It had been a month, almost three, since she had told Eddie everything.

He hadn't taken it well at first and she got scared, leaving before Eddie could stop her.

Well done idiot, now we're on our fuckin' own again.

Kirby had taken time away from everything in her life.

Wrestling... her other work... her family... friends... Eddie.

A fresh start, that's what we need.

She had begun attending church every Sunday, part of her hoping to bump into him every time.

Kirby had driven out to Orangeburg, South Carolina and spent the remainder of September there, gathering most of her stuff from Asheville in October and Yonkers in November and moving into a rented apartment in Arlington, Virginia.

She had cut off her ponytail and started dressing more formally. Suits, shirts and slacks. Switching between dark makeup and no makeup. She had even taken up a part-time job in an office to pay for her rent and other expenses. She had even gone to the extent of buying a new phone, keeping the old one purely for the memories.

Kirby's alarm clock starts ringing at'05:00', She gets up and checks the calendar, Tuesday 1st December. Almost three months since starting fresh. Just a few more days and people will stop searching for us.

Her old phone goes off and she answers without thinking, her brain kicks into gear a few seconds later and she doesn't talk, holding the phone next to her ear.

"Kirby, is that you?" Renee's voice asks, followed by Mox and Eddie telling her to put it on speakerphone.

Don't answer the question. Do not speak.

"Kirby, if you're there, answer us... please." Renee requests softly.

Stay silent, they'll hang up soon.

"C'mon, Ma, no more silent treatment," Eddie takes a deep breath, "Tell me how to find ya... tell me where my fuckin' wife is."

"Eddie, don't growl like that." Moxley warns.

Kirby hangs up and leaves the phone on her nightstand, walking into the kitchen and making her morning coffee as she goes through her call log.

Eddie spent all night trying to call us, text after text begging me to pick up the phone.

She reads a couple of his texts out loud, "'Ma please pick up', 'Kirby, I love you, call me', 'tell me where I can find you'... Holy fuck, I gotta call off from work today and sort this out... I can't have Eddie trying to track me down."

Kirby dials her boss and hopes he doesn't pick up on anything, explaining the situation by calling Eddie 'an old friend turned stalker' and praying her boss believes the lie. He does, or at the least seems to, believe what Kirby tells him and lets her have the day off to sort it out. Eddie phones right after she ends the call to her boss, Kirby goes against her gut and answers it.

"Hey Wifey," God, I can see his stupid grin in my head, "Mind telling me where the fuck you are? Or if it's even you I'm talkin' to, Ma?"

Kirby stays silent for a moment, trying to think of what to say.

"You're the one who picked up, the least ya could do is say 'hi'." Eddie grumbles.

Kirby can't help but giggle nervously, "I'll give you that one, Eddie, the least I could do is say hi." She murmurs her thoughts out loud.

"I fuckin' knew you were still alive," Eddie chuckles heartily, "Now ya gotta tell me where you went, our home feels empty without ya. Before ya say it, I know 'technically, Edward, it's just your home'," Eddie does an impression of Kirby before clearing his throat, already choking up slightly, "It's our home, I know ya gave me back the engagement ring, I found it and the note, saying to forget you, but you're still my fiancée... Kirby, please" Eddie sobs, "I'm beggin' ya, sweetheart, come back ta me."

"I'm in Arlington, Virginia." She blurts out before her brain can stop her mouth, "I have an apartment, and a job, and I haven't even spoken to my parents since I left."

"Ya haven't... but what about ya folks, ya family, ya 'obligations to the C.R.C'?"

A wave of emotions hit Kirby all at once, rage, sadness, fear, and all she can muster up as an answer to Eddie... a man she loves so much and hates to hurt, is the most brutally honest thing she's ever said, "I wasn't expecting to be alive for this long after running away... but every time I think of harming myself, I think of you and I can't do it... I know we never got married, but I can't stand the idea of making you a widower."

"I'm gettin' the next flight out there."

"Eddie, don't." She pleads.

"Don't? Ya just told me you've thought of endin' ya life... the life of the most beautiful woman in the world... my Celtic warrior queen, my better half, my angel of death-matches... my bride just fuckin' told me she'd thought of goin' to the grave instead of walkin' down the aisle." Eddie nearly yells down the phone, his emotions getting the better of him.

Kirby sits on her bed and sobs, unable to speak anymore.

"I'm flyin' to Arlington and makin' sure you're okay." Eddie tells her before hanging up.

Kirby texts him her address and apartment number, telling him how to get into the building. She walks to her bathroom and turns the shower on, getting undressed and grabbing a towel, she sits in the bathtub in the path of the water and cries silently.

After what feels like a century she moves, getting out and slowly drying herself off, she's in her underwear when there's a knock at the door... more of a pounding on the door than a knocking.

"Give me a second to get dressed." She calls, her voice weak.

The pounding gets louder and Kirby rushes to open the door, still just in her underwear.

"I fuckin' hate planes, but I didn't wanna drive ten hours to see ya." Eddie mutters, thrusting a bouquet of roses at Kirby.

She steps back and Eddie walks in whilst she inspects the roses.

"Are these-" Kirby goes to ask him why the flowers are covered with plastic and foil.

"I couldn't choose between flowers or chocolates, so I got you chocolate roses, I know, big dumb Eddie Kingston can't decide bet-" Eddie gets cut off by Kirby pulling him into a deep kiss.

It's as if they never parted, Eddie wrapping his arms around her waist, and resting his hands on her ass, Kirby wraps her arms around his shoulders, and chucks his baseball cap at the couch. He smirks against her lips, biting her bottom lip and roughening up the kiss, smacking her ass which makes her moan against his lips, just enough room for him to slip his tongue in her mouth. Kirby pulls away when air becomes a need and not an excuse.

"Ya like them?" Eddie asks softly.

"Like isn't the right word, this is so fuckin' genius of ya, I fuckin' knew you were smarter than how you act."

"Genius of me? Ya not mad I got you chocolates and not flowers?"

"Flowers die and you can't eat them when you feel down, chocolates don't and they make me happy... chocolate roses," Kirby beams, "well, they're... they're fuckin' genius, ya don't have all the packaging of a stupid box, with stupid little info cards, ya don't have ta throw them out because they're wilting... they're..." Kirby trails off, unable to come up with the right word.

"They're you," Eddie whispers, "Beautiful and pretty, and they taste so damn good, especially when you shouldn't be eatin' them 'cause ya know you'll get caught." He smirks.

"Does it always come back to sex with you, Eddie?" She teases, shaking her head softly.

"Not always, but when I think of you, my mind tends to go visual." He winks.

"Eddie, ya haven't seen nor heard from me in almost three months and all-"

He cuts Kirby off by kissing her, lifting her so her groin is level with his, carrying her to her dining table and putting her down on top of it. He weaves one hand into her hair and the other into her boxer shorts, caressing her inner thigh.

"Do I have ya consent, my bride-to-be?" He teases.

"Yes, Eddie... I missed how filling you can be." She whispers.

It takes Eddie all of five seconds to strip them both, carrying Kirby to the bed over his shoulder. He stands above her for a moment, taking in the changes she's made to herself. Not many, but a few noticeable differences, like the fresh bruises on Kirby's knees and shins, the cuts, scabs and scrapes on her arms, and her much shorter hair.

He takes his time, kissing from her fingertips to her neck, first on her right side then her left, smirking as he kisses from her neck down to her crotch. Eddie teases her with his tongue, moaning at the return of her taste to his lips.

"How did my lady get hurt?" He whispers as he moves to make out with her as he makes love to her.

"I may have had a couple trips and accidents recently, none I am happy to talk about." Kirby murmurs, moaning when Eddie starts thrusting.

"Ya can tell me, Ma, it's why we're a couple. So you have someone who'll listen to ya problems."

"I fell down the stairs twice in the last month, once by tripping over my own feet, and once by a stray cat, running in front of me when I was jogging up the stairs after work."

"And ya arms?"

"I got in a scuffle with someone at a bar, scratched up my left arm in the process. The next week I was jogging, with headphones in, and someone tried to grab me. They went to stab me, I used my right arm as a shield."

"And now ya husband's home, so nobody can fuck wit' ya ever again." Eddie smirks.

"I don't have the ring anymore, back to square one on the whole marriage thing." Kirby shrugs.

Eddie doubles his pace, groaning as he tries not to cum early, "Kirby, would ya be my girlfriend?"

Kirby moans out the words, "Yes Eddie." as she cums.

Eddie smirks as he follows her over the edge... literally, groaning in pain as he lands on his back on the floor, all 250 pounds of Kirby landing on top of him.

"Holy fuck, Eddie, are you okay, Papi?" Kirby asks, checking the fall hasn't given him a concussion.

"I'm fine Kir-" Eddie goes silent as Kirby picks him up in a bridal carry and places him on the bed.

"Sorry, I got concerned..." She whispers sheepishly.

"Shh, shh," Eddie puts his hand over her mouth, "ya could've fuckin' been carryin' me over ya shoulder every time we've had sex... you can carry me?"

"Well, you're not actually that heavy, I have picked up and carried men double your size, Eddie... would you, uhm, would you like a coffee?" She murmurs, sitting next to him on the bed.

"Marry me." Eddie blurts out.

"What did you just say?" She asks, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Marry me, at the nearest fuckin' chapel we can find, marry me."

"Eddie, I can't just drop everything to be in that world again, no."

"Kirby, I know I sound like I've lost my fuckin' mind, but... I need you in my life. I need my smart, sexy, strong, unafraid to tell her own father when he's crossin' a line, badass babe in my life. I can't be me anymore, not without you... Tony noticed that after ya left I got cruel, I started actually wantin' to hurt whoever I was facin'."

"I can't just drop everything all over again." She gets up, heading to the bathroom.

Eddie follows her, "Kirby, you are my calm. You are beautiful. Your blonde hair is like a sandy beach, your blue eyes are like the ocean, your scars show you've lived a story worth telling, those little beauty marks and freckles are like stars and ya pale skin... like paper, marked with ink, or snow, fragile but beautiful."

[cking330]

CHAPTER 3: Proof 2, The Christ Angle

Most people have never heard of the Christ Angle in the Great Pyramid. The best film I have seen on the Great Pyramid; “The Revelations of the Pyramids” talks about the unbelievable precision at which the Pyramid's tunnels were made and many other astonishing facts but does not reveal the link to our messenger; the Christ Angle. Whether by fault or design, this fact has been unadvertised and rarely mentioned anywhere. See Appendix 3 for the messages I exchanged with the main producer of this film: Mr. Pouillard about the Christ Angle and his decision not to include it in the film.

The Great Pyramid has two major tunnels, which are bored with a precision that astounds modern engineers, these tunnels point to the most influential man who ever lived. Jesus H. Christ. Both tunnels are inclined at an angle of 26.3 degrees compared to the ground. This angle is known as the Christ Angle. The reason for this is that if you draw a horizontal line parallel to the equator through Giza representing the x-axis and a line at 26.3 degrees from Giza going North East, the line perfectly dissects the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, Jesus H. Christ’s birthplace. The Pyramid built thousands of years before Christ’s birth pointed to him. This would mean that the designer of the structure would have the ability to master time, distance, and space. In essence, God.

If the angle was different, say of 0.1 degrees, the angle would not dissect the Church of Nativity, I concluded that the chances that Jesus H. Christ was NOT a messenger of God was 1/600. Since 26.2 would not dissect his birthplace and neither would a 26.4-degree angle and an angle over 60 degrees would make the tunnel unpractical.

Hence the Great Pyramid of Giza is not only our oldest known monument of unknown origin, but it contains Maths present in all life forms (the Golden Number and Pi), the speed of light, as represented in our most famous equation (E = MC2) and points to the most influential man that ever lived. A man whose birthday most of us use to base our calendar on. So our most famous monument, our most famous equation and our most famous man all linked by the Great Pyramid Giza. Astonishing yes, planned yes, and pointing to someone else? Yes. Me. Read on.

On the discovery of the Christ Angle by the Edgar Brothers (Note: They realized its significance straight away):

The Edgar Brothers found that rotating the pyramid diagram and laying it on a map shows the pyramid passageway angle of 26.3 degrees pointing to Bethlehem. An onscreen protractor also verifies this accuracy.

Footnote five, In Great Pyramid Passages, page 238, (Letter XII), relays the attitudes of those involved in this finding:

We are indebted to Captain John Mackeague, Ex.M. T for kindly acceding to our request to verify the above result; and also to Captain William Orr Warden, Ex.M., for further proving the calculations.

Concerning this matter, Captain Mackeague wrote: “When I saw the figures shaping themselves so as to bring out the result sought, I was more than astonished, and could hardly finish the problem for joy that the Lord had, at last, revealed the true significance of this angle, as an addition to all he has so kindly shown us since we have come into the truth.”These results were communicated to C. T. Russell, author of Scripture Studies. The following appreciation was received in reply: “Your application of the angle of the passages in the Great Pyramid, is a new thought, and as it points out so exactly the city of Bethlehem, we regard it with favor, and are inclined to accept it as a proper application and further verification of the testimony of the Pyramid. — Yours in the love and service of our Redeemer and King, C. T. Russell.”

Note my calculations using Google Earth of the distance Apex of the Great Pyramid of Giza to the apex of the Church of Nativity is 434.02 km which I am assuming would be more accurate than this map of old.

[annekewrites]

Okay I'm just gonna babble here a little bit because it made me think of a few different things in my life.

Re: following the old ladies - a lot of the old ladies (and old gentlemen) are really happy when you want to not let a tradition die. My husband got a whole lot of enthusiastic Elder Mentors in his life because as a teenager he...learned to play bridge, and got reasonably good at it. But that also helped him mesh a little better with my friend group who played Spades absolutely nonstop for years.

My mom still has a lot of Feelings about being pushed away from her (Polish-American) culture because her own parents were tired of being perceived as stupid etc. while at the same time being looked down on and denied opportunities like study-abroad because well, we don't want to send the daughter of a steel worker high school dropout who has the weird Polish last name, right? So she and one of her cousins have been really big on keeping certain traditions alive or rediscovering them. She finally got to go to Poland this year (with that cousin) and it's so wonderful to learn about everything she got to see and do there!

On the larger "this is your culture, this is your tradition, yes unironically" issue. I sort of ran with my mom's side of that for a while, and then I started really looking at and leaning into the other side of the family - yeah, we're Slavic (Polish/Ukranian/Slovakian) descendants from mostly Ellis Island arrivals who settled down in New York and New England and went from Eastern Orthodox to observant Catholic to rather lapsed Catholic to Congregationalist/UCC over the generations.

What are some of our traditions that we consider important?

Thanksgiving dinner served as we hit Play on "Alice's Restaurant"!

Something Friendsgiving-like has recently become tradition for us as well, and we expect that to continue in one form or another.

Swedish meatballs for Christmas dinner. I have no idea why this originally became a thing in my family growing up, but I've enjoyed reinstituting that one with my husband and kids.

Reading books. Gifting books to each other. Talking about books. Reading out loud to little kids.

VOTING. Taking the kids with us when they were younger and talking about how important voting is. Oldest one got to vote for the first time for himself this year.

That One Restaurant we do our birthday (and often other celebration) dinners at. As old favorites have gone out of business, or we have moved, or have different dietary restrictions, the specific restaurant has changed. But we always have one.

Our church's particular way of doing Christmas Eve services.

My mom always sends the kids Advent calendars.

There is generally a semi-ceremonial First Snowball Thrown in the winter.

Maple Weekend! Going out to the maple farms and doing the things associated with that.

This one is oddly specific and silly and comes from the early days of my husband's and my relationship, when we were young and broke and wanted to have something special for us. We used to buy the $5 pizzas from the Little Ceaser's in Kmart and then go home and watch a hockey game on TV. "Pizza and Hockey" is still a regular thing for us (even though it turns out I need gluten-free pizza) and sometimes we'll just look at the schedule and say "so what game is pizza-worthy?"

The random folk music and musical cast albums that was the background soundtrack of my childhood, and newer ones that were often that for my kids.

Yeah, we're semi-preppy, left-of-center, stereotypical New Englanders (even though we're in upstate NY) and that's not as generic as it used to feel (she types as she sits around in plaid LL Bean pajamas).

'White Americans don't have any culture, they're just [normal/boring/generic/empty]. 'Culture' is when you're quaint and exotic and have interesting ethnic foods and holidays." is such a grating bit of nonsense to have somehow become progressive commonsense in a lot of places.

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

12/15/2023 DAB Chronological Transcription

Colossians 1-4

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological. Today is the 15th day of December, exactly 10 days away from Christmas. Not to bring anybody panic there, just a little bit of perspective of where we're at in the calendar year. Today we're beginning a brand new book of the Bible, Colossians chapter 1 through 4. This week we're reading The Voice translation. So let's jump in, Colossians chapter 4. 

Commentary:

We started the book of Colossians today and we ended the book of Colossians today. And you may have noticed that some of the wording feels very similar to some of the other letters that we have read from Paul to some of the other churches. Maybe we can gather from these letters how sideways the message of the Gospel that was new like very much in its infancy state got to be. And so the letters of correction that Paul is sending out is like wait, hold up just a second, that is not what was taught. And the importance of correction that anything that is not the pure gospel could be labeled heresy. The problem that we may have today is that the actual gospel sometimes gets labeled heresy and a different variation is taught, sold and retold. But this is not a new thing for us, this has always been just as we're reading in the Bible the translated manuscript of the beginning of Jesus and the church that Paul was establishing. And so we hold onto that understanding today that while we may see, or may not see this happening. Today this has always been. This is why throughout the whole entire Bible from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see the phrase give us eyes to see and ears to hear cuz we can be looking right at something and totally miss it. We can hear the truth and retranslate it completely different with that understanding. 

Prayer:

Jesus thank you for being with us here today. Very simple again today, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, hearts to receive all that you would do, say and speak to us. Transform us from the inside out. I pray in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Announcements: 

Daily Audio Bible. That's home base guys. Check it out, take a look around. There is a store there. If you have never encountered the store, lots of resources designed to enhance your journey through the Bible, or you can give mobile device- look for the give icon at the website. If you need prayer, if you'd like to pray for someone that's previously called in, several different ways for you to do so 800-583-2164 or once again utilizing that app hit the red circle button up at the top right hand corner, hit chronological and we'll get off to the right place. Love one another. 

Community Prayer Line:

...Ohio and this morning I would just like to reach out to the DABC family and give you some names of people that I believe the Lord wants us to pray for who have recently either accepted Jesus as their savior, or the seeds of his salvation. Rachel says and allow the saints to pray for these people as they begin their journeys with Jesus. The names are Jessica, Dave, Destiny, Keith, Danielle, Rick, Jalen, Ariel, Amber, Megan, Amanda, Barb, Mike, Hayden, Anthony, William, Travis, Danny, Virginia and Junior. And I just pray right now Lord Jesus for each individual mentioned, that their faith and the seeds of your salvation would just be started as their journey with you begins. And we lift them up to you Lord. And I also want to lift up Andrea who I met at a Christmas event who has got two children of her own, but she also takes care of four of her sister's children. And her sister committed suicide 9 years ago and she had a very happy heart that day so I pray for Andrea and ask that you pray for her, too. I love you guys all so very much and I'm so thankful for each of you. 

Hi DABC it's Emmy from Illinois calling in with a praise report- my daughter had her follow-up appointment with the Pediatric Cardiologist and he let us know that what she has is so minimal that under normal circumstances there never would have been anything that would have triggered a health scare or anything for us to have needed to discover this except for the fact that she has what's called the silent murmur which is just an innocent noise. And while young kids so all that combined she's good to go. Her heart is functioning at completely normal capacity and we're just going to do a follow-up in 2 to 3 years just as a precaution. But he said he if he were a betting man he would he would bet that it'll be closed up because that's that's just what we- because we already know it's there it's better to just follow up but most likely her heart will grow and close it which is what this spot is designed to do- is to close as it grows as opposed to getting bigger so we should be all set and we don't have to do anything else with her for two or three years. And even then if it doesn't happen it's not a big deal. If you could just continue to pray for my marriage just so we can figure things out. I haven't brought anything up so I don't know what to do if you could just continue. I see what I should do. I would appreciate it. Thank you. 

...from Pennsylvania yet calling in with a prayer request for my mother. She had a biopsy and the diagnosis at this point is angiosarcoma which is a rare form of cancer which tends to be pretty aggressive. They have sent the biopsy and tissue for further examination at the Mayo Clinic but that will take a few weeks to hear. So  just prayers for peace moving forward and for healing whatever she is facing. Again this is Unashamed from Pennsylvania. Just asking for healing for my mother's breast cancer. Thanks so much and Merry Christmas to you.

[adventism-atheism-orthodoxy-me]

Seventh-Day Fetishism

I have been forced to revisit my thoughts regarding core Seventh-Day Adventist beliefs again in light of some online discussion and in talking with my family.  I made the mistake of making an off hand remark that was not received too graciously in my home.

So, I will follow with my thoughts here, as is usual.

It helps that I continue to partake of Orthodox Christian Media.  The Lord of Spirits Podcast recently touched on the subject of Christian Idolatry in a Two-Part Series which I think touches on this subject (1, 2).  Fr. Stephen Freeman has also touched on aspects that I think are pertinent to the topic (1, 2).

Seventh-Day Adventists take an almost smug superiority over all other Christians for their advanced - superior even - understanding of the Bible, and of God’s plans.  Everything is dialed in, from Daniel to Revelation, and at the end of time those who keep the Old Testament Sabbath will have a leg up on all those unwashed heathens who failed to read, “the Bible’s Plain teachings”, regarding this sacred day.  The torment will, I suppose, be especially harsh for those unfortunates who happened to be, “led astray”, “into novel new (i.e. Catholic) teachings”....

**********************************************************************

I used to watch a show put on by a well known photographer on PBS.  In one episode, he was in Benin or Mali, I think, and he visited a “Fetish Doctor”.  This doctor would prescribe rituals to be performed with various things, mostly animal, but not exclusively, in order to prevent disease, misfortune, or to cure illness.

Christians fetishize a lot of stuff. 

The “Solae” types fetishize a book among other things.  The Sabbatarians and militant Anti-Sabbatarians both fetishize a day.  Penal Substitution fetishizes “Justice”, or maybe just a formula - they may be, and probably are - the same group as the “Solae”.   Many Christians fetishize the Ten Commandments.  Even “Salvation”, as a goal, becomes a fetish.  It’s easy to fall into the trap of making something that is supposed to draw you closer, or to help you better understand God, and make it the point of your devotion.

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. – Colossians 2:16

Now maybe God doesn’t want us to judge the observance of New Moons or Sabbaths because he wants to do it himself - “Smite the Sunday keepers”!  But I don’t think so.  I watch both sides of the Sabbath issue go back and forth over its validity, but in the end, I think its usefulness needs to be contextualized or discarded.

He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. And he broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it (it was called Nehushtan). – 2 Kings 18:4

The Serpent had served its function, and had become a focal point of idolatry. What had been good, had changed, and needed to be discarded.

Given that I believe Salvation is found in true communion with the Trinity, I think that the idea of a single day, all by itself, isolated, outside of any other liturgical reality is just lame.  It’s empty ritual.  People are doing it because some book somewhere said so.  Really?  Because a book said so?

And we wonder why Atheists don’t take us seriously. Most Protestants come across as morons, to be perfectly honest.

The Sabbath, as part of a body of celebrations found first within the Israelite Jubilee cycles, became contextualized later within Orthodox Christianity as part of a greater whole.  It is the day memorializing the Old Covenant and the Old Testament Saints. 

Yes, you read that correctly - Old Testament Saints. 

The God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, is celebrated within the Orthodox Church.  Formally in the monasteries where liturgies are performed, but definitely part of the fabric of communal worship found within the Orthodox Calendar universally.  Once a year as part of the Holy Week Cycle, Great and Holy Sabbath is celebrated, and these words are spoken -

“The great Moses mystically foreshadowed this day when he said: God blessed the seventh day. This is the blessed Sabbath This is the day of rest, on which the only-begotten Son of God rested from all His works....” – Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday

and

"Foreseeing Your Divine self-emptying on the Cross, Habakkuk cried out in amazement: “You cut off the power of the mighty, O Good One, speaking to those in Hades, as the Almighty.” Glory to You, our God, glory to You. You have sanctified the seventh day, which You blessed before You rested from Your labors; for You create everything, and You renew them, observing the Sabbath, and restoring Yourself." – Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday

This is Sabbath in its context, not just a fetish, but the day as deliverance, as the culmination of Christ’s work on Earth.

Can Christians worship on Sabbath? 

If there were liturgies, I would attend. 

You will never hear me argue against it, all the better if it’s integrated into a larger liturgical calendar.  But you will never hear me argue for it exclusively; bartered in preference at the expense of another day for worship.  The Christian life is best understood as a communal experience, formalized perhaps, in a desire to do honor to our God and to each other, both those living with us, and those dearly departed; and in the end traditions give us the days we come together.

Sunday has been that day for a very long time now.

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Some time ago, it may have been in a book, or at the table of a Priest, I was told that there were services going on continually at the height of Hagia Sophia’s glory.  24/7/365 - How many modern Sabbatarians would be willing to devote that much time in a year to true Sabbath Rest?

Now that’s the question.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy upon me, A Sinner

[astridstorm]

Handing it All to God: A Sermon for the Feast of the Presentation

For an audio version of this sermon, click here.

Happy Feast of the Presentation, also known as Candlemas. I believe this is meant to be held on its fixed date of February 2 (which would have been last Thursday) rather than the Sunday following. But I don’t see any other clergy (or God forbid, bishops) out there who’d notice. 

I break the rules on most years just on this one occasion--not because it’s such an important event in the church calendar (it isn’t), but because it’s such a lovely one. And this year, for me, it’s also profound in a way I hadn’t considered before. But I’ll come to that shortly. 

The Presentation comes from Luke’s Gospel, the source of so many special events in our church year that it’s hard to imagine Christianity looking anything like it does without this Gospel. That’s not an exaggeration. And it’s particularly noticeable this time of the year. Luke is the sole source of many of our Christmas stories, like the census at Bethlehem, and the angels’ appearance to the shepherds, and the inn, and the stable, and the manger. In a couple months on March 25 we’ll observe the Annunciation of Gabriel to Mary, also only told in Luke’s account of Jesus’ life. Luke lifts our spirits in the deep of winter, and then sets us gladly on the doorstep of spring. 

Between these two, Christmas and the Annunciation, in early February, is Jesus’ Presentation at the Temple. (The name Candlemas is from the tradition of having a midwinter candlelit procession at the beginning of the service.) The story is in today’s Gospel reading, from Luke.

Joseph and Mary take their forty day-old baby to the temple in Jerusalem to be presented to the priest. Really, it was a handing over. You would give your child to the priest, and the priest would give your child back for a ransom. Because they were poor, the ransom for Joseph and Mary was two pigeons. Families who could afford it might offer a lamb. But it was, a ritual, the meaning of which was partially, but probably not fully grasped, and that’s a good thing. Rituals provide a safe way of engaging with scary and all too real possibilities: loss, death, transformation, the surrendering of the self. With rituals we can acknowledge but then keep those things at a slight remove, maybe pretend we have some control over them.

Just look at our baptism service; we had a big baptism last Sunday. How many times does it refer to death, the grave, dying with Christ, surrendering the self? And yet even as we hear all that, we smile, and coo and clap. 

It was probably like that for Mary and Joseph at the Presentation, showing up for their obligatory and even fun ritual redemption (or ransoming) of their infant. Maybe they dressed up for it, had lunch afterward. I wonder if Jesus cried, or laughed or did something cute. Again, I think of last Sunday and those three four month-old babies, all rosy cheeks and wide curious eyes. The silver baptism shell that I scoop the water out with is my trick, by the way. They see that shining and get distracted and all their trepidation vanishes--until that first splash of water hits their heads. Then I move fast! 

Of course these are different rituals, Christian baptism and the Presentation in the Temple. But they’re connected as rites of passage for our children, and by their acknowledgement of things deeper and more serious than many of us bother or desire to consider in the moment. 

Because within this lovely ritual at the Temple is a fact of life that most of us can’t begin to face head on: that God can ask for everything back at any time. Because it all belongs to God in the first place. Even our children. 

I don’t suppose it's a mystery what drew me to this story this year. Thankfully our daughter’s prognosis is good, though the path getting there will be a hard one. But those early days when we had no idea, for weeks, whether she’d live or die, it felt (I don’t know how else to put this) Biblical. 

And I remember thinking, Oh my god, this is what we say behind our neatly constructed rituals--she’s yours, he’s yours. I’m yours. Everything and everyone we hold dear, is not ours at all; it’s God’s.

Our life is a continuous handing over to God--or I should say, God handing over to us; the church helps us practice that. It’s a wonder we don’t give constant thanks for all the years when we can indulge the illusion that things are in our grasp, that the people in our lives are ours. 

Everything we have is God’s. What’s amazing is that God gives so much to us to hold as if our own. At least for this day, may we look at the people and things in our lives with wonder. May we be truly grateful. Amen.

[seekfirst-community]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2022. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.net

Meditation: God gives signs to show what he is about to do. John the Baptist is one such sign, who pointed to Jesus and prepared the way for his coming. John fulfilled the essential task of all the prophets: to be fingers pointing to Jesus Christ. John is the last and greatest prophet of the old kingdom, the old covenant. The Jews expected that when the Messiah would come, Elijah would appear to announce his presence. John fills the role of Elijah and prepares the way for the coming of Jesus Christ by preaching a baptism of repentance and renewal.

As watchful servants, we, too must prepare for the Lord's coming again by turning away from sin and from everything that would keep us from pursuing his will. Are you eager to do God's will and are you prepared to meet the Lord Jesus when he returns in glory?

"Lord Jesus, stir my zeal for your righteousness and for your kingdom. Free me from complacency and from compromising with the ways of sin and worldliness that I may be wholeheartedly devoted to you and to your kingdom."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2022.

u r e. & j.

“Elijah is indeed coming, and he will restore everything.” —Matthew 17:11

Jesus said that Elijah would restore everything. What a statement! Everything? How could someone restore everything? Jesus said that the restoration of everything was begun by St. John the Baptizer (Mt 17:13), who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Lk 1:17; cf Mt 11:13-14). The Power for this universal restoration is the Holy Spirit. Consequently, John was “filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb” (Lk 1:15). John began the restoration of everything by turning “the hearts of fathers to their children” (Lk 1:17).

This universal restoration is still in process. When we complete it, the world will end and Jesus will come back. Until then, “Jesus must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration which God spoke of long ago through His holy prophets” (Acts 3:21). So Jesus is patiently waiting for us to finish the job (see 2 Pt 3:15). We may feel overwhelmed at this responsibility, since universal restoration seems no less monumental now than at Jesus’ time, despite all the Lord has been doing in the meantime. However, all we have to do is what Elijah and John did — be filled with the Spirit, obey the Lord, and focus on turning “the hearts of fathers to their children” (Lk 1:17). If we do this much, we will do our part to bring about universal restoration and hasten Jesus�� final coming (2 Pt 3:12). YoU aRe another Elijah and John. Work and live accordingly.

Prayer:  Father, may this Advent and my life’s work follow in the tradition of Elijah and John.

Promise:  “You are destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to wrath before the day of the Lord.” —Sir 48:10

Praise:  In 2019, Pope Francis added the feast of Our Lady of Loreto to the Church’s liturgical calendar. He called Loreto a “place where young people can come in search of their vocation.”

Reference:  

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from December 1,2022 through January 31,2023. Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio April 12, 2022"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements