#Anathoth

[baroncadaver]

Archangel Anathoth, the fourth and the forgotten of the Archangels.

Lord of his self-named fourth quarter in Heaven, Anathoth was the official Minister of External Affairs and Patron Saint of militant arms in the ‘Imperial’ Quarter IV.

Anathoth resided in Quarter Anathoth’s capital state, District Anathoth. Despite the entourage, which would suggest Anathoth to be a loathe-some and gleeful figure, he had no shortage of hatred and disgust for prideful behaviour. Regardless, he was still charismatic, and zealous where it mattered - instead of the constant egotistical drool that many other of Heaven’s lords, ladies and noblemen were renowned for (namely the lords of the neighbouring districts, such as Mother Courtess and Father Yin’y’tesh).

The population of District Anathoth would follow in his example, donning the emblem of the sacred ‘IV’ (an abbreviation of the rather callous sentiment that Anathoth was ‘The Son of God that Stayed Behind’) embroidered onto tapestry, banners and tunics in gleaming gold stitching, as well as punched into the leathers and steel of the armour worn by the Heaven Imperial. Despite symbolism being held near and dear to the Heaven Imperial’s hearts, there was never a shred of overbearing pride. Anathoth made sure of this himself.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Broken Covenant

1 The word that came to Yirmeyahu from יהוה, saying,

2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Yehuḏah and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim.

3 “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus said יהוה Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,

4 which I commanded your fathers in the day when I brought them out of the land of Mitsrayim, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice,a and you shall do according to all that I command you, and you shall be My people, and I be your Elohim,’

5 in order to establish the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.” ’ ” And I answered and said, “Amĕn, יהוה.”

6 And יהוה said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Yehuḏah and in the streets of Yerushalayim, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them.

7 ‘For I earnestly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Mitsrayim, until this day, rising early and warning, saying, “Obey My voice.”

8 ‘But they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, and they did not do.’ ”

9 And יהוה said to me, “There is a conspiracy among the men of Yehuḏah and among the inhabitants of Yerushalayim.

10 “They have turned back to the crookednesses of their forefathers who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other mighty ones to serve them. The house of Yisra’ĕl and the house of Yehuḏah have broken My covenant I made with their fathers.”

11 Therefore thus said יהוה, “See, I am bringing evil on them which they are unable to escape. Then they shall cry out to Me, but I shall not listen to them.

12 “And the cities of Yehuḏah and the inhabitants of Yerushalayim shall go and cry out to the mighty ones to whom they burn incense, but they shall bring no deliverance to them at all in the time of their evil.

13 “For your mighty ones have become as many as your cities, O Yehuḏah. And you have set up as many altars to shame as there are streets in Yerushalayim – altars to burn incense to Ba‛al.

14 “And you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them, for I do not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their evil.

15 “Why should My beloved be in My house – she has done wickedness with many. And does the set-apart flesh remove your evil from you? Then you rejoice?

16 “יהוה has named you, ‘Green Olive Tree, Fair, of Goodly Fruit.’ With the noise of a great sound He has set it on fire, and its branches shall be broken.

17 “And יהוה of hosts, who planted you, has spoken evil against you for the evil of the house of Yisra’ĕl and of the house of Yehuḏah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me, by burning incense to Ba‛al.”

18 And יהוה made it known to me, and I know it. Then You showed me their deeds.

19 But I was like a gentle lamb brought to the slaughter. And I did not know that they had plotted against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, and let his name be remembered no more.”

20 But, O יהוה of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries kidneys and heart, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for unto You I have revealed my cause.

21 “Therefore thus said יהוה concerning the men of Anathoth who are seeking your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the Name of יהוה, lest you die by our hand’ –

22 therefore thus said יהוה of hosts, ‘See, I am punishing them, the young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by scarcity of food.

23 ‘And there shall be no remnant of them, for I bring evil on the men of Anathoth – the year of their punishment.’ ” — Jeremiah 11 | The Scriptures 1998 (ISR 1998) The Scriptures 1998 Copyright © 1998 Institute for Scripture Research. All Rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 18:25; Exodus 15:26; Exodus 19:5; Exodus 24:3; Leviticus 26:14; 1 Samuel 23:11-12; 2 Kings 22:16; 2 Kings 23:13; 2 Chronicles 36:17; Deuteronomy 9:7; Deuteronomy 32:37-38; Job 28:13; Psalm 60:5; Psalm 80:8; Isaiah 30:10; Jeremiah 10:25; Ezekiel 22:25; Luke 19:44; John 13:17; Romans 11:17; 1 Corinthians 14:16; Galatians 3:10; 1 John 5:16; Revelation 2:23; Revelation 11:4

[theterrornaut]

CHARACTER SKETCH! (Anathoth)

[carltonblaylock]

Anathoth’s Conspiracy Against Jeremiah

Jeremiah 11:18-23 18 Now the Lord gave me knowledge of it, and I know it; for You showed me their doings. 19 But I was like a docile lamb brought to the slaughter; and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.” 20But, O Lord of hosts, You who…

[christian-oc-tournament]

Please vote based on the picture AND the description!

Len Ameiro [Hidden in the Forest @secretariatess]

Len Ameiro is the first to scale building walls, jump out windows, bring in live animals to science class, and test the patience of authoritative figures. Getting under people's skin -especially the skin of a certain someone by the name of Midori- is a specialty and hobby of his. The only exception being his twin sister Liesha, who has long grown used to his antics. Sure he had a dark childhood where most of it was spent on the streets and running from law enforcement until they were picked up by a foster boarding school, but that's not a past he'd rather talk about. It's really none of anyone's business. What matters now is that he and Liesha are safe, and he has an ever growing collection of spiders in the attic that he should probably bring to the cafeteria to feed at some point.

Licia/ Lixiya [@soldierpoetkingcomic]

Licia is 6'9" and has huge muscles. As a child her father trained her for war, and she got tired of being used to fight her father's battles so she ventured west, where she became the hired general of the city of Anathoth. She escaped the city's takeover and retreated into caves with Athaliah, heir to the city, whom she practically raised.

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Wed July 24th, 2024 ... Wednesday of The Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

----------

Jer 1:1, 4-10

The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah,

of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.

The word of the LORD came to me thus:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

before you were born I dedicated you,

a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

“Ah, Lord GOD!” I said,

"I know not how to speak; I am too young.”

But the LORD answered me,

Say not, “I am too young.”

To whomever I send you, you shall go;

whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Have no fear before them,

because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,

See, I place my words in your mouth!

This day I set you

over nations and over kingdoms,

To root up and to tear down,

to destroy and to demolish,

to build and to plant.

Responsorial Psalm

----------------

Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15 and 17

R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;

incline your ear to me, and save me.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge,

a stronghold to give me safety,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord;

my trust, O God, from my youth.

On you I depend from birth;

from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice,

day by day your salvation.

O God, you have taught me from my youth,

and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Alleluia

---------

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;

all who come to him will live for ever.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

--------

Mt 13:1-9

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.

Such large crowds gathered around him

that he got into a boat and sat down,

and the whole crowd stood along the shore.

And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:

“A sower went out to sow.

And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,

and birds came and ate it up.

Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.

It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,

and when the sun rose it was scorched,

and it withered for lack of roots.

Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.

But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,

a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.

Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

Growing up in the Midwest, farming analogies were a common if not ubiquitous part of daily conversation.  Although my urban family did not farm, my mother's family (parents and brothers) did.  Many, many friends at my undergraduate college in central Nebraska were rural kids, and if their parents didn't farm or ranch, they lived in a town where agriculture was the economic engine.  "How 'bout this weather" OR "Sure is dry" OR "We could sure use some rain" were almost expected in the early part of any conversation.  The Missouri River Valley is fertile farm land.  The Platte River feeds irrigation circles throughout the state.  The plains, carved out by glaciers, are flat and well accommodate row crops, and the rolling hills are dry, but suited for cattle grazing.  So, it would have been difficult for me to escape a basic understanding of farming, even if I'd wanted to (which I didn't).  I love being out in the beauty of wide-open spaces, of Midwest agriculture in all it's forms, the symmetry of the rows, the promise of future food or sunflowers.  

I came to understand early that all soil is not created equal, and was taught that there can be "bad seeds" in the world (sometimes a reference to a person who couldn't seem to avoid trouble, but also describing a seed packet for flowers or veggies that just got too old, or too wet).  So, one could plant bad seed in the best soil ever, and it wouldn't thrive.  Or, one could plant great seed in the wrong spot and the same thing would happen.  So, today's Gospel lesson, when I first heard it some 60 years ago, really "stuck".  For a change, the lesson made immediate sense, had context in my world, and could be immediately applied in my family, in our small flower beds.  Jesus wanted us to know that each of us were good seed, and could be - although not guaranteed - blessed with good soil.  Sometimes our environments, or the friends we choose, or the addictions we face, or the difficulties we endure feel like the footpath, the rocky ground, or the patch of thorns where seeds fail.  But make no mistake, every one of us is a gift from God: every one of us is Good Seed.

Every year, when I'm gardening each spring, I spontaneously and without conscious effort begin to hum or sing from the hymn "Lord, let my heart be Good Soil."  It makes me smile every time, because it just effortlessly happens!  The hymn sprung forth again today, when I read this Gospel lesson.  It reminded me to think beyond the obvious lesson that each of us is considered by God to be Good Seed; to also accept that Jesus was inviting us to accept our obligation to each other to create an environment that is Good Soil.  A space of peace and love and acceptance and grace.  If MY heart is open and loving and full of God's light, and I share that light with you, then I've created Good Soil in which you can thrive and grow.  

I was SO blessed to have such a tender gardener, in the person of my Grandmother.  She (along with my grandfather, who died when I was only 5) was both Good Seed and Good Soil.  Grandmother Alice did everything she could to tend her eight children, her 23 little grand-seeds, and every other soul she touched, so we could sprout and thrive.  What a blessing to have had her!  What a blessing to be able to pass on, in small measure, her tender care!  What a grace to accept God's gift of being Good Seed, and to heed God's call to be Good Soil.  Amen.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf

(May 8, 1828 – December 24, 1898)

Saint Sharbel Makhlouf’s Story

Although this saint never traveled far from the Lebanese village of Beka-Kafra where he was born, his influence has spread widely.

Joseph Zaroun Maklouf was raised by an uncle because his father, a mule driver, died when Joseph was only three. At the age of 23, Joseph joined the Monastery of St. Maron at Annaya, Lebanon, and took the name Sharbel in honor of a second-century martyr. He professed his final vows in 1853, and was ordained six years later.

Following the example of the fifth-century Saint Maron, Sharbel lived as a hermit from 1875, until his death. His reputation for holiness prompted people to seek him to receive a blessing and to be remembered in his prayers. He followed a strict fast and was very devoted to the Blessed Sacrament. When his superiors occasionally asked him to administer the sacraments to nearby villages, Sharbel did so gladly.

He died in the late afternoon on Christmas Eve. Christians and non-Christians soon made his tomb a place of pilgrimage and of cures. Pope Paul VI beatified Sharbel in 1965, and canonized him 12 years later.

Reflection

----------

John Paul II often said that the Church has two lungs—East and West—and it must learn to breathe using both of them. Remembering saints like Sharbel helps the Church to appreciate both the diversity and unity present in the Catholic Church. Like all the saints, Sharbel points us to God and invites us to cooperate generously with God’s grace, no matter what our situation in life may be. As our prayer life becomes deeper and more honest, we become more ready to make that generous response.

***

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[twiggy-in-pink]

This is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who wanted me dead. They had said, “We will kill you if you do not stop prophesying in the Lord’s name.” So this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says about them: “I will punish them! Their young men will die in battle, and their boys and girls will starve to death. Not one of these plotters from Anathoth will survive, for I will bring disaster upon them when their time of punishment comes.”

Jeremiah 11:21-23

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

24th July >> Mass Readings (USA)

Wednesday, Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time 

or

Saint Charbel Makhlouf, Priest.

Wednesday, Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II))

First Reading Jeremiah 1:1, 4-10 A prophet to the nations I appointed you.

The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin. The word of the LORD came to me thus:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you. “Ah, Lord GOD!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.”

But the LORD answered me,

Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,

See, I place my words in your mouth! This day I set you over nations and over kingdoms, To root up and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15 and 17

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R/ I will sing of your salvation.

Gospel Acclamation Psalm 118:36,29

Alleluia, alleluia. The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 13:1-9 The seed produced grain a hundredfold.

On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood along the shore. And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

-----------------------------

Saint Charbel Makhlouf, Priest 

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Wednesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Sirach 3:17-24 Humble yourself and you will find favor with God.

My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself in all things, and you will find grace before God. For great is the power of God; by the humble he is glorified. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. What is committed to you, attend to; for it is not necessary for you to see with your eyes those things which are hidden. With what is too much for you meddle not, when shown things beyond human understanding. Their own opinion has misled many, and false reasoning unbalanced their judgment. Where the pupil of the eye is missing, there is no light, and where there is no knowledge, there is no wisdom.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue.

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; By whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD.

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed.

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Matthew 23:9b, 10b

Alleluia, alleluia. You have but one Father in heaven; you have but one master, the Christ! Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Matthew 28:19a, 20bc

Alleluia, alleluia. Go, and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Mark 1:17

Alleluia, alleluia. Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Luke 4:18

Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: John 10:14

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: John 15:5

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord: whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: John 15:15b

Alleluia, alleluia. I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: 2 Corinthians 5:19

Alleluia, alleluia. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 19:27-29 You who have followed me will receive a hundred times more.

Peter said to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you. What will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to you that you who have followed me, in the new age, when the Son of Man is seated on his throne of glory, will yourselves sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Sunday, may 14, 2023

may 14_may 1

5th Sunday  of Pascha: Fifth Sunday of Pascha: 

The Samaritan Woman.

THE HOLY PROPHET JEREMIAH (650 B.C.)

The Holy Prophet Jeremiah, one of the four great Old Testament prophets, was the son of the priest Helkiah from the city of Anathoth near Jerusalem, and he lived 600 years before the Birth of Christ under the Israelite king Josiah and four of his successors. He was called to prophetic service at the age of fifteen when the Lord revealed that the Lord had chosen him to be a prophet even before his birth. Jeremiah refused, citing his youth and lack of skill at speaking, but the Lord promised to be always with him and to watch over him.

He touched the mouth of the chosen one and said, “Behold, I have put My words into your mouth. Behold, I have appointed you this day over nations and kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to rebuild, and to plant” (Jer. 1:9-10). Jeremiah prophesied for twenty-three years, denouncing the Jews for abandoning the true God and worshipping idols, predicting sorrows and devastating wars. He stood by the gates of the city and at the entrance to the Temple, everywhere where the people gathered, and he exhorted them with imprecations and often with tears. The people mocked and abused him and even tried to kill him.

Depicting for the Jews their impending enslavement to the king of Babylon, Jeremiah first placed on his own neck a wooden and then an iron yoke, and thus he went about among the people. Enraged at the dire predictions of the prophet, the Jewish elders threw the Prophet Jeremiah into a pit filled with horrid, slimy creatures, where he almost died. Through the intercession of the God-fearing royal official Habdemelek, the prophet was pulled out of the pit, but he did not cease his prophecies, and for this, he was carted off to prison. Under the Jewish king Zedekiah his prophecy was fulfilled.

Nebuchadnezzar came, slaughtered many people, carried off a remnant into captivity, and Jerusalem was pillaged and destroyed. Nebuchadnezzar released the prophet from prison and permitted him to live where he wanted. The prophet remained at the ruins of Jerusalem and bewailed his nation’s misfortune. According to Tradition, the Prophet Jeremiah took the Ark of the Covenant with the Tablets of the Law and hid it in one of the caves of Mount Nabath (Nebo), so that the Jews could no longer find it (2 Mac. 2). Afterwards, a new Ark of the Covenant was fashioned. Still, it lacked the glory of the first.

Among the Jews remaining in their fatherland there soon arose internecine clashes: Hodoliah, Nebuchadnezzar��s viceroy, was murdered. The Jews, fearing Babylon's wrath, fled into Egypt. The Prophet Jeremiah disagreed with their intention, predicting the punishment they feared would befall them in Egypt. The Jews would not listen to the prophet, however, and taking him along by force, they went into Egypt and settled in the city of Tathnis. There the prophet lived for four years and was respected by the Egyptians because he killed crocodiles and other creatures infesting these parts with his prayers. When Jeremiah prophesied that the King of Babylon would invade Egypt and annihilate the Jews living there, the Jews murdered him. In that very same year, the saint’s prophecy was fulfilled. There is a tradition that 250 years later, Alexander the Great transported the relics of the holy Prophet Jeremiah to Alexandria.

The Prophet Jeremiah wrote his Book of Prophecies and the Book of Lamentations about the desolation of Jerusalem and the Exile. The times in which he lived and prophesied are described in 4/2 Kings (Ch. 23-25) and in the Second Book of Chronicles (36:12) and in 2 Maccabbees (Ch. 2).

In the Gospel of Matthew it is said that the betrayal of Judas was foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah, “And they took thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom the sons of Israel had set a price, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me” (Mt. 27:9-10). Perhaps Jeremiah 32:6-15 is meant.

Even after his death, the Prophet Jeremiah was regarded as a wonderworker. Dust from his tomb was believed to cure snake bites, and many Christians pray to him for this purpose.

ST. TAMARA, QUEEN OF GEORGIA (1213)

In 1166 a daughter, Tamar, was born to King George III (1155-1184) and Queen Burdukhan of Georgia. The king proclaimed that he would share the throne with his daughter when she turned twelve.

The royal court unanimously vowed its allegiance and service to Tamar, and father and daughter ruled the country together for five years. After King George died in 1184, the nobility recognized the young Tamar as the sole ruler of all of Georgia. Queen Tamar was enthroned as ruler of all of Georgia at eighteen. In the Georgian language, she is called “King” because her father had no male heir, so she ruled as a monarch, not a consort.

At the beginning of her reign, Tamar convened a Church council and addressed the clergy with wisdom and humility: “Judge according to righteousness, affirming good and condemning evil,” she advised. “Begin with me--if I sin, I should be censured, for the royal crown is sent down from above as a sign of divine service. Allow neither the nobles' wealth nor the masses' poverty to hinder your work. You by word and I by deed, you by preaching and I by the law, you by upbringing and I by education will care for those souls whom God has entrusted to us, and together we will abide by the law of God, to escape eternal condemnation.... You as priests and I as ruler, you as stewards of good and I as the watchman of that good.”

The Church and the royal court chose a suitor for Tamar: Yuri, the son of Prince Andrei Bogoliubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal (in Georgia, Yuri was known as “George the Russian”). The handsome George Rusi was a valiant soldier, and under his command, the Georgians returned victorious from many battles. However, His marriage to Tamar exposed many of his character's coarser sides. He was often drunk and inclined toward immoral deeds. Ultimately, Tamar’s court sent him away from Georgia to Constantinople, armed with generous recompense. Many Middle Eastern rulers were drawn to Queen Tamar’s beauty and desired to marry her, but she rejected them all. Finally, at her court's insistence, she agreed to wed a second time to ensure the preservation of the dynasty. This time, however, she asked her aunt and nurse Rusudan (the sister of King George III) to find her a suitor. The man she chose, Davit-Soslan Bagrationi, was the son of the Ossetian ruler and a descendant of King George I (1014-1027).

In 1195 a joint Muslim military campaign against Georgia was planned under the leadership of Atabeg (a military commander) Abu Bakr of Persian Azerbaijan. At Queen Tamar’s command, a call to arms was issued. The faithful were instructed by Metropolitan Anton of Chqondidi to celebrate All-night Vigils and Liturgies and to generously distribute alms so that the poor could rest from their labors to pray. In ten days, the army was prepared, and Queen Tamar addressed the Georgian soldiers for the last time before the battle began: “My brothers! Do not allow your hearts to tremble before the multitude of enemies, for God is with us.... Trust God alone, turn your hearts to Him in righteousness, and place your every hope in the Cross of Christ and in the Most Holy Theotokos!”

Having taken off her shoes, Queen Tamar climbed the hill to the Metekhi Church of the Theotokos (in Tbilisi) and knelt before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. She prayed without ceasing until the good news arrived: the battle near Shamkori had ended in the unquestionable victory of the Orthodox Georgian army.

After this initial victory, the Georgian army launched a series of triumphs over the Turks, and neighboring countries began to regard Georgia as the protector of the entire Transcaucasus. By the beginning of the 13th century, Georgia was a commanding political authority recognized by both the Christian West and the Muslim East.

Georgia’s military successes alarmed the Islamic world. Sultan Rukn al-Din was confident that a united Muslim force could definitively decide the issue of power in the region, and he marched on Georgia around the year 1203, commanding an enormous army.

Having encamped near Basiani, Rukn al-Din sent a messenger to Queen Tamar with an audacious demand: to surrender without a fight. In reward for her obedience, the sultan promised to marry her on the condition that she embraces Islam; if Tamar were to cleave to Christianity, he would number her among the other unfortunate concubines in his harem. When the messenger relayed the sultan’s demand, a certain nobleman, Zakaria Mkhargrdzelidze, was so outraged that he slapped him in the face, knocking him unconscious.

At Queen Tamar’s command, the court generously bestowed gifts upon the ambassador and sent him away with a Georgian envoy and a reply letter. “Your proposal takes into consideration your wealth and the vastness of your armies but fails to account for divine judgment,” Tamar wrote, “while I place my trust not in any army or worldly thing but in the right hand of the Almighty God and the infinite aid of the Cross, which you curse. The will of God--and not your own--shall be fulfilled, and the judgment of God--and not your judgment--shall reign!”

The Georgian soldiers were summoned without delay. Queen Tamar prayed for victory before the Vardzia Icon of the Theotokos, then, barefoot, led her army to the gates of the city.

Hoping in the Lord and the fervent prayers of Queen Tamar, the Georgian army marched toward Basiani. The enemy was routed. The victory at Basiani was an enormous event for Georgia and the entire Christian world.

The military victories increased Queen Tamar’s faith. In the daytime, she shone in all her royal finery and wisely administered the affairs of the government; during the night, on bended knees, she beseeched the Lord tearfully to strengthen the Georgian Church. She busied herself with needlework and distributed her embroidery to the poor.

Once exhausted from her prayers and needlework, Tamar dozed off and saw a vision. Entering a luxuriously furnished home, she saw a gold throne studded with jewels, and she turned to approach it, but was suddenly stopped by an old man crowned with a halo. “Who is more worthy than I to receive such a glorious throne?” Queen Tamar asked him.

He answered her, saying, “This throne is intended for your maidservant, who sewed vestments for twelve priests with her hands. You are already the possessor of great treasure in this world.” And he pointed her in a different direction.

Having awakened, Holy Queen Tamar immediately took to her work and, with her own hands, sewed vestments for twelve priests.

History has preserved another poignant episode from Queen Tamar’s life: Once, she was preparing to attend a festal Liturgy in Gelati, and she fastened precious rubies to the belt around her waist. Soon after, she was told that a beggar outside the monastery tower was asking for alms, and she ordered her entourage to wait. After dressing, she went to the tower but found no one there. Terribly distressed, she reproached herself for denying the poor and thus denying Christ Himself. Immediately she removed her belt, the cause of her temptation, and presented it as an offering to the Gelati Icon of the Theotokos.

During Queen Tamar’s reign, a veritable monastic city was carved in the rocks of Vardzia, and the God-fearing Georgian ruler would labor there during the Great Fast. The churches of Pitareti, Kvabtakhevi, Betania, and many others were also built. Holy Queen Tamar generously endowed the churches and monasteries not only on Georgian territory but also outside her borders: in Palestine, Cyprus, Mt. Sinai, the Black Mountains, Greece, Mt. Athos, Petritsoni (Bulgaria), Macedonia, Thrace, Romania, Isauria, and Constantinople. The divinely guided Queen Tamar abolished the death penalty and all forms of bodily torture.

A regular, secret observance of a strict ascetic regime--fasting, a stone bed, and litanies chanted in bare feet--finally took its toll on Queen Tamar’s health. She refrained from speaking to anyone about her condition for a long time, but when the pain became unbearable, she finally sought help. The best physicians of the time could not diagnose her illness, and all of Georgia feared disaster. Everyone from the small to the great prayed fervently for Georgia’s ruler and defender. The people were prepared to offer not only their own lives but even the lives of their children for the sake of their beloved ruler.

God sent Tamar a sign to receive her into His Kingdom when He was ready. Then the pious ruler bade farewell to her court and turned in prayer to an icon of Christ and the Life-giving Cross: “Lord Jesus Christ! Omnipotent Master of Heaven and Earth! To Thee I deliver the nation and people entrusted to my care and purchased by Thy Precious Blood, the children whom Thou didst bestow upon me, and to Thee I surrender my soul, O Lord!”

The burial place of Queen Tamar has remained a mystery to this day. Some sources claim that her tomb is in Gelati, in a branch of burial vaults belonging to the Bagrationi dynasty. In contrast, others argue that her holy relics are preserved in a vault at the Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem.

St. Tamara is commemorated on the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women in addition to her regular commemoration on May 1.

Source: All texts, Orthodoxe Church in America_OCA 

ACTS 11:19-26, 29-30

19 Now, those who were scattered after the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to no one but the Jews only. 20 But some were men from Cyprus and Cyrene, who spoke to the Hellenists, preaching the Lord Jesus when they came to Antioch. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a significant number believed and turned to the Lord. 22 Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. 23 When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart, they should continue with the Lord. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. 25 Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. 26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So they assembled with the church for a year and taught many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. 29 Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. 30 This they also did and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

JOHN 20:1-10 

1 on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been removed. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." 3 Peter, therefore, went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 Yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

[yhwhrulz]

Days of Heaven on Earth Devotional for November 17

“The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them” (Numbers 10:33)

God does give us impressions but not that we should act on them as impressions. If the impression be from God, He will Himself give sufficient evidence to establish it beyond the possibility of a doubt.

How beautifully we read, in the story of Jeremiah, of the impression that came to him respecting the purchase of the field of Anathoth, but Jeremiah did not act upon this impression until after the following day, when his uncle’s son came to him and brought him external evidence by making a proposal for the purchase. Then Jeremiah said: “I knew this was the word of the Lord.”

He waited until God seconded the impression by a providence, and then he acted in full view of the open facts, which could bring conviction unto others as well as himself.

God wants us to act according to His mind.

We are not to ignore the Shepherd’s personal voice, but like Paul and his companions at Troas, we are to listen to all the voices that speak, and “gather” from all the circumstances, as they did, the full mind of the Lord.

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[mattanaministry]

Mattana Ministry 

Welcomes You To : 

Daily Bible Study: 13 November 2024

Theme: Book of Jeremiah (11)

Scripture: Jeremiah 31; Jeremiah 32; Jeremiah 33 & Jeremiah 32:19

Message:

OBEYING THE VOICE OF GOD 

Jeremiah was commanded by God to redeem the field from his cousin in Anathoth. Whereas in Zedekiah's reign, Babylon was threatening Jerusalem to be defeated. Jeremiah had been told by God that Nebuchadnezzar would take Zedekiah and conquer Jerusalem. In a situation like this, it was a real loss to invest in the form of land. Who can guarantee that the land will still be owned? What if the Babylonians plundered the land? But that was the command of God and Jeremiah was obedient.

Jeremiah obeyed the Word of God even though he did not understand its meaning. Even though Jeremiah asked God for the meaning, in Jeremiah's prayer we find out that he understood God's love and justice. Jeremiah's prayer is not born from unbelief, but incomprehension. Even so, Jeremiah continued to trust and rely on God. He chose to obey God’s command.

We learn that obedience to God will have a very positive and eternal impact on our lives. Do not rely on human beings who will not last eternally. Let us remain faithful and obedient to the word of God (for God is the source of eternity), though sometimes we do not understand and even feel God's commandments do not fit our current situation. God is never wrong in His plan. Let us strengthen our faith so we can always obey Him.

Obedience is not done with our strength but with the Holy Spirit who is in us and gives us the ability to be obedient.

MM

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[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Call of Jeremiah

These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah, and through the days of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, until the fifth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah son of Josiah king of Judah, when the people of Jerusalem went into exile.

The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”

But the LORD told me:

“Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ For to everyone I send you, you must go, and all that I command you, you must speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD.

Then the LORD reached out His hand, touched my mouth, and said to me:

“Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have appointed you today over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant.”

And the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “Jeremiah, what do you see?”

“I see a branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

“You have observed correctly,” said the LORD, “for I am watching over My word to accomplish it.”

Again the word of the LORD came to me, asking, “What do you see?”

“I see a boiling pot,” I replied, “and it is tilting toward us from the north.”

Then the LORD said to me, “Disaster from the north will be poured out on all who live in the land. For I am about to summon all the clans and kingdoms of the north,” declares the LORD.

“Their kings will come and set up their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem. They will attack all her surrounding walls and all the other cities of Judah. I will pronounce My judgments against them for all their wickedness, because they have forsaken Me to burn incense to other gods and to worship the works of their own hands.

Get yourself ready. Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not be intimidated by them, or I will terrify you before them. Now behold, this day I have made you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will never overcome you, since I am with you to deliver you,” declares the LORD. — Jeremiah 1 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 30:37; Exodus 3:12; Exodus 4:10,11-12; Exodus 6:12; Numbers 14:9; Numbers 22:20; Deuteronomy 28:20; 1 Kings 3:7; 1 Kings 13:2; 1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 1:15; 2 Kings 21:18; 2 Kings 23:34; 2 Kings 24:17; Psalm 129:2; Isaiah 14:31; Isaiah 22:7; Isaiah 41:25; Jeremiah 4:6; Jeremiah 6:27; Jeremiah 24:3; Jeremiah 31:28; Ezekiel 11:3; Ezekiel 11:7; Matthew 2:17; Matthew 16:14; Mark 7:33; Luke 1:15; John 10:36; Acts 26:17; 2 Corinthians 10:4; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 9:20; Revelation 11:3

[yhwhrulz777]

Days of Heaven on Earth Devotional for October 27

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for Me?”

(Jeremiah 32:27)

Cyrus, the King, was compelled to fulfill the vision of Jeremiah, by making a decree, the instant the prophecy had foretold, declaring that Jehovah had bidden him rebuild Jerusalem and invite her captives to return to their native home. So Jeremiah’s faith was vindicated and Jehovah’s prophecy gloriously fulfilled, as faith ever will be honored. Oh, for the faith, that in the dark present and the darker future, shall dare to subscribe the evidences and seal up the documents if need be, for the time of waiting, and then begin to testify to the certainty of its hope like the prophet of Anathoth!

The word Anathoth has a beautiful meaning, “echoes.” So faith is the “echo” of God and God always gives the “echo” to faith, as He answers it back in glorious fulfillment. Oh, let our faith echo also the brave claim of the ancient prophet and take our full inheritance, with his glorious shout, “Oh, Lord, Thou art the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for the Lord?” and back like an echo will come the heavenly answer to our heart, “I am the God of all flesh, is there anything too hard for Me?”

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain.

[christian-oc-tournament]

Please vote based on the picture AND the description!

Kylin Liadon [Between the Veil and Crown @secretariatess]

Kylin is a half-Elf Ranger of the Veil Forest, sworn to protect the forest from civilians, and civilians from the forest. Usually mild-mannered, he is the youngest of five biological children, with one adopted sister younger than him, who has taken the path of being an accidental felon. The beasts of the forest are what fascinate him the most, though due to past trauma, he pretends it's not the case anymore. In between his duties as a Ranger (which include fighting nightmare induced creatures that have been warped and spending hours on end in the library), he tries to keep his horse named Vicious under control, protect his little sister and prevent her from getting arrested, and pretend his past doesn't haunt.

Licia/ Lixiya [@soldierpoetkingcomic]

Licia is 6'9" and has huge muscles. As a child her father trained her for war, and she got tired of being used to fight her father's battles so she ventured west, where she became the hired general of the city of Anathoth. She escaped the city's takeover and retreated into caves with Athaliah, heir to the city, whom she practically raised.

[f8ithgal]

Bible Reading: October 18, 2024

Jeremiah 1-2; 2 Thessalonians 2 [Jeremiah 1:1-19 KJV] 1 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that [were] in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: 2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the eleventh year of…

[bills-bible-basics]

I WILL BRING EVIL -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List #Scriptures #BibleStudy #BibleVerses Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see more. "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." Isaiah 45:7, KJV "Therefore, behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon the house of Jeroboam, and will cut off from Jeroboam him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel, and will take away the remnant of the house of Jeroboam, as a man taketh away dung, till it be all gone." 1 Kings 14:10, KJV "Behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel," 1 Kings 21:21, KJV "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read:" 2 Kings 22:16, KJV "Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:" 2 Chronicles 34:24, KJV "Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I WILL BRING EVIL from the north, and a great destruction." Jeremiah 4:6, KJV "Hear, O earth: behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." Jeremiah 6:19, KJV "Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them." Jeremiah 11:11, KJV "And there shall be no remnant of them: for I WILL BRING EVIL upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation." Jeremiah 11:23, KJV "And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle." Jeremiah 19:3, KJV "Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I WILL BRING EVIL upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD." Jeremiah 23:12, KJV "And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I WILL BRING EVIL upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest." Jeremiah 45:5, KJV "For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that seek their life: and I WILL BRING EVIL upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the LORD; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them:" Jeremiah 49:37, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/i-will-bring-evil-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=218271&I%20WILL%20BRING%20EVIL%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List