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mphistophls · 1 year

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Season 3 Good Omens theory

I'm going to need all your attention because this theory is difficult to explain since I'm going to have to analyze the Bible and the book of Revelation to make it understandable. I'm going to make some huge shortcuts otherwise we'll never get to the end of this, and I'm too lazy to make a thread about it on Tumblr.

As we realized in the Season 2 finale, the next plan from paradise is the second coming… it's no secret that believers think about the return of Christ, it's even in the apostles' profession of faith.

"1. I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord

who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, (and) (who) was born of the Virgin Mary;

(He) suffered under Pontius Pilate, (He) was crucified, (He) died, (He) was buried, (He) descended into hell;

on the third day, (He) rose from the dead;

ascended into heaven, (He) is seated (variant: He sits) at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;

from where He will come (variant: He will come from there) (to) judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit (variant: in the Holy Spirit)

in the Holy Catholic Church (Protestant version3,4: I believe in the Holy Universal Church), (in) the communion of saints,

the remission of sins,

the resurrection of the flesh

eternal life.

amen.

Yes, you read that right: descended into hell. So he spent 3 days in hell? Why would he do that? His sacrifice should have been enough to save humanity. So if he did spend a vacation in hell, he had to suffer three more days to atone for the sins of mankind. Three days in hell… he must not have liked it. Because it wasn't supposed to happen in the first place, his last words at the time of his sacrifice were: "It is finished. (John 19:30) Jesus' last words express the end of his suffering and the fulfillment of all the work his Father had entrusted to him: preaching the Gospel, performing miracles and obtaining eternal salvation for his people. The ransom for sin had been paid. So why did he go to hell ?

And then you think, why the fuck are you talking about this? And I answer you: wait and read. You subtly noticed in the series that God loves the number 7. And you have no idea how true that is.

And did you know that Jesus was a goat? More precisely, a goat with 7 horns and 7 eyes. No, I'm not on drugs, it's actually in the Bible. Revelation 5:6: "Then I saw, in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders, a lamb standing as if offered as a sacrifice. It had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth." John (jean) sees a lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes.

If you knew that, then you probably know that one of the major themes of the book of Revelation is the book of the seven seals. A book that can only be opened by ….. JESUS. And what happens if JESUS opens the book of the seven seals? The apocalypse.

Isn't the Antichrist supposed to trigger the apocalypse? No, and do you know why? Because in the Bible, the antichrist doesn't exist. Well, there is, but not in the form we think. In the Bible, it's a term for atheists. Disappointing, isn't it? (I know that in Islam there's mention of Al-Dajjâl, false messiahs who correspond to the Antichrist of evangelical Protestants. But I'm going to concentrate on Christianity because I'm afraid of making a mistake).

So why in good omens is Adam the antichrist? Because it takes two goats for a sacrifice. One to be sacrificed and the other to be released into the wild, the scapegoat, the one who takes on the sins. And now you're thinking, the scapegoat is Jesus. Except that Jesus was sacrificed. Adam is the scapegoat.

Huge misunderstanding that will be repeated: Saint John relates a vision in which he sees, in the right hand of the One who sits on the throne, a rolled-up book, written on the front and back, which is sealed with seven seals. Rev 5:1. Then he sees as it were a slain Lamb, who came and took the book from the right hand of Him who sits on the throne. Rev 5:6-7. And remember, Jesus is the lamb. Jesus will have to be sacrificed again to trigger the apocalypse. And let's imagine Jesus realizes he's been lied to and that he wasn't the scapegoat. I don't think he'd be too happy about that, so he's either not going to trigger the apocalypse, or he'll become the antichrist, destroy God, heaven and hell, and decide to rule the world. ( All for freedom and for pleasure Nothing ever last forever Everybody wants to rule the world So glad we've almost made it So sad they had to fade it Ev'rybody wants to rule the world).

You think this is the end ? Absolutely not mouhahahaha. Everything repeats itself, if Jesus becomes the scapegoat, someone has to die as a result. No happy ending in my book. Sorry.

Anyway, it was fun coming up with this theory. Now all I have to do is wait and see if I got it right on at least one point.

@neil-gaiman I hope the strikers win their case, because if they don't, it'll be the end of the magnificent projects that have kept us dreaming until the very end.

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apenitentialprayer · 3 months

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Credo of the People of God

This Creed was promulgated by Pope Saint Paul VI, on the 30th of June, 1968. This Creed, "without being strictly speaking a dogmatic definition," was meant to repeat "in substance . . . the creed of Nicaea" while also elaborating upon the dogmas of the Church "to a high degree complete and explicit" (§3, 7). Pronounced at the end of the Year of Faith, it was meant as a gift to "all those in the world, to whatever spiritual family they belong, who are in search of the Truth" (§7). Bolded emphases are added to better separate the articles of the Creed for convenience of reading.

We believe in one only God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Creator of things visible such as this world in which our transient life passes, of things invisible such as the pure spirits which are also called angels, and Creator of each man of his spiritual and immortal soul.

We believe that this only God is absolutely One in His infinitely holy essence as also in all His perfections, in His omnipotence, His infinite knowledge, His providence, His will, and His love. He is He who is, as He revealed to Moses; and He is love, as the Apostle John teaches us: so that these two names, being and love, express ineffably the same divine Reality of Him who has wished to make Himself known to us, and who, "dwelling in light inaccessible," is in Himself above every name, above every thing, and above every created intellect. God alone can give us right and full knowledge of this Reality by revealing Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in whose eternal life we are by grace called to share, here below in the obscurity of faith and after death in eternal light. The mutual bonds which eternally constitute the Three Persons, who are each one and the same divine Being, are the blessed inmost life of God thrice-holy, infinitely beyond all that we can conceive in human measure. We give thanks, however, to the divine goodness that very many believers can testify with us before men to the unity of God, even though they know not the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

We believe then in the Father who eternally begets the Son; in the Son, the Word of God, who is eternally begotten; in the Holy Spirit, the uncreated Person who proceeds from the Father and the Son as their eternal love. Thus in the Three Divine Persons, coaeternae sibi et coaeuales, the life and beatitude of God perfectly superabound and are consummated in the supreme excellence and glory proper to uncreated Being, and always "there should be venerated unity in the Trinity and Trinity in the unity."

We believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God. He is the Eternal Word, born of the Father before time began, and one in substance with the Father, homoousios to Patri, and through Him all things were made. He was incarnate of the Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, and was made Man: equal therefore to the Father according to His divinity, and inferior to the Father according to His humanity; and Himself one, not by some impossible confusion of His natures, but by the unity of His Person.

He dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. He proclaimed and established the Kingdom of God and made us know in Himself the Father. He gave us His new commandment to love one another as He loved us. He taught us the way of the beatitudes of the Gospel: poverty in spirit, meekness, suffering borne with patience, thirst after justice, mercy, purity of heart, will for peace, persecution suffered for justice sake. Under Pontius Pilate He suffered — the Lamb of God bearing on Himself the sins of the world, and He died for us on the cross, saving us by His redeeming Blood. He was buried, and, of His own power, rose on the third day, raising us by His Resurrection to that sharing in the divine life which is the life of grace. He ascended to heaven, and He will come again, this time in glory, to judge the living and the dead, each according to his merits — those who have responded to love and piety of God going to eternal life, those who have refused them to the end going to the fire that is not extinguished.

And His Kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, who is the Lord and Giver of life, who is adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son. He spoke to us by the prophets; He was sent by Christ after His Resurrection and His Ascension to the Father; He illuminates, vivifies, protects, and guides the Church; He purifies the Church's members if they do not shun His grace. His action, which penetrates to the inmost of the soul, enables man to respond to the call of Jesus; "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect." We believe that Mary is the Mother, who remained ever a Virgin, of the Incarnate Word, our God and Savior Jesus Christ, and that by reason of this singular election, she was, in consideration of the merits of her Son, redeemed in a more eminent manner, preserved from all stain of Original Sin, and filled with the grace more than all other creatures. Joined by a close and indissoluble bond to the mysteries of the Incarnation and Redemption, the Blessed Virgin, the Immaculate, was at the end of her earthly life raised body and soul to heavenly glory and likened to her risen Son in anticipation of the future lot of all the just; and we believe that the Blessed Mother of God, the New Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven her maternal role with regard to Christ's members, cooperating with the birth and growth of divine life in the souls of the redeemed.

We believe that in Adam all have sinned, which means that the original offense committed by him caused human nature, common to all men, to fall to a state in which it bears the consequences of that offense, and which is not the state in which it was at first in our first parents — established as they were in holiness and justice, and in which man knew neither evil nor death. It is human nature so fallen, stripped of the grace that clothed it, injured in its own natural powers and subjected to the dominion of death, that is transmitted to all men, and it is in this sense that every man is born in sin. We therefore hold, with the Council of Trent, that original sin is transmitted with human nature, "not by imitation, but by propagation," and that it is thus "proper to everyone."

We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ, by the sacrifice of the Cross, redeemed us from Original Sin and all the personal sins committed by each one of us, so that, in accordance with the word of the Apostle, "where sin abounded, grace did more abound."

We believe in one Baptism instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Baptism should be administered even to little children who have not yet been able to be guilty of any personal sin, in order that, though born deprived of supernatural grace, they may be reborn "of water and the Holy Spirit" to the divine life in Christ Jesus.

We believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, built by Jesus Christ on that rock which is Peter. She is the Mystical Body of Christ; at the same time a visible society instituted with hierarchical organs, and a spiritual community; the Church on earth, the pilgrim people of God here below, and the Church filled with heavenly blessings; the germ and the first fruits of the Kingdom of God, through which the work and the sufferings of Redemption are continued throughout human history, and which looks for its perfect accomplishment beyond time in glory. In the course of time, the Lord Jesus forms His Church by means of the sacraments emanating from His plenitude. By these She makes Her members participants in the Mystery of the Death and Resurrection of Christ, in the grace of the Holy Spirit who gives Her life and movement. She therefore is holy, though She has sinners in Her bosom, because She Herself has no other life but that of grace: it is by living by Her life that Her members are sanctified; it is by removing themselves from Her life that they fall into sins and disorders that prevent the radiation of Her sanctity. This is why She suffers and does penance for these offenses, of which She has the power to heal Her children through the Blood of Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Heiress of the divine promises and daughter of Abraham according to the Spirit, through that Israel whose Scriptures She lovingly guards, and whose patriarchs and prophets She venerates; founded upon the Apostles and handing on from century to century their ever-living word and their powers as pastors in the successor of Peter and the bishops in communion with him; perpetually assisted by the Holy Spirit she has the charge of guarding, teaching, explaining, and spreading the Truth which God revealed in a then-veiled manner by the prophets, and fully by the Lord Jesus. We believe all that is contained in the word of God written or handed down, and that the Church proposes for belief as divinely revealed, whether by solemn judgment or by the ordinary and universal Magisterium. We believe in the infallibility enjoyed by the successor of Peter when he teaches ex cathedra as pastor and teacher of all the faithful, and which is assured also to the episcopal body when it exercises with him the supreme Magisterium.

We believe that the Church founded by Jesus Christ and for which He prayed is indefectibly one in faith, worship, and the bond of hierarchical communion. In the bosom of this Church, the rich variety of liturgical rites and the legitimate diversity of theological and spiritual heritages and special disciplines, far from injuring Her unity, make it more manifest.

Recognizing also the existence, outside the organism of the Church of Christ, of numerous elements of truth and sanctification which belong to Her as Her own and tend to Catholic unity, and believing in the action of the Holy Spirit who stirs up in the heart of the disciples of Christ love for this unity, we entertain the hope that the Christians who are not yet in full communion of the one only Church will one day be reunited in one flock with one only Shepherd.

We believe that the Church is necessary for salvation, because Christ, who is the sole Mediator and way of salvation, renders Himself present for us in His Body which is the Church. But the divine design of salvation embraces all men; and those who without fault on their part do not know the Gospel of Christ and His Church, but seek God sincerely, and under the influence of grace endeavor to do His will as recognized through the promptings of their conscience, they, in number known only to God, can obtain salvation.

We believe that the Mass, celebrated by the priest representing the Person of Christ by virtue of the power received through the sacrament of Orders, and offered by him in the Name of Christ and the members of His Mystical Body, is the sacrifice of Calvary rendered sacramentally present on our altars. We believe that as the bread and wine consecrated by the Lord at the Last Supper were changed into His Body and His Blood which were to be offered for us on the Cross, likewise the bread and wine consecrated by the priest are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ enthroned gloriously in heaven, and we believe that the mysterious Presence of the Lord, under what continues to appear to our senses as before, is true, real, and substantial Presence.

Christ cannot thus be present in this sacrament except by the change into His Body of the reality itself of the bread and the change into His Blood of the reality itself of the wine, leaving unchanged only the properties of the bread and wine which our senses perceive. This mysterious change is very appropriately called by the Church transubstantiation. Every theological explanation which seeks some understanding of thus mystery must, in order to be in accord with the Catholic faith, maintain that in the reality itself, independently of our mind, the bread and wine have ceased to exist after the Consecration, so that it is the adorable Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus that from then on are really before us under the sacramental species of bread and wine, as the Lord willed it, in order to give Himself to us as food and to associate us with the unity of His Mystical Body.

The unique and indivisible existence of the Lord, glorious in heaven, is not multiplied, but is rendered present by the sacrament in the many places on earth where Mass is celebrated. And this existence remains present, after the sacrifice, in the Blessed Sacrament which is, in the tabernacle, the living heart of each of our churches. And it is our very sweet duty to honor and adore in the blessed Host which our eyes see, the Incarnate Word whom they cannot see, and who, without leaving heaven, is made present before us.

We confess that the Kingdom of God begun here below in the Church of Christ is not of this world whose form is passing, and that its proper growth cannot be confounded with the progress of civilization, of science, or of human technology, but that it consists in an ever more profound knowledge of the unfathomable riches of Christ, an ever stronger hope in eternal blessings, an ever more ardent response to the love of God, and an ever more generous bestowal of grace and holiness among men. But it is this same love which induces the Church to concern Herself constantly about the true temporal welfare of men. Without ceasing to recall to Her children that they have not here a lasting dwelling, She also urges them to contribute, each according to his vocation and his means, to the welfare of their earthly city, to promote justice, peace, and brotherhood among men, to give their aid freely to their brothers, especially to the poorest and most unfortunate. The deep solicitude of the Church, the Spouse of Christ, for the needs of men, for their joys and hopes, their griefs and efforts, is therefore nothing other than Her great desire to be present to them, in order to illuminate them with the light of Christ and to gather them all in Him, their only Savior. This solicitude can never mean that the Church conform Herself to the things of this world, or that She lessen the ardor of Her expectation of Her Lord and of the eternal Kingdom. We believe in life eternal. We believe that the souls of all those who die in the grace of Christ, whether they must still be purified in purgatory, or whether from the moment they leave their bodies Jesus takes them to paradise as He did for the Good Thief, are the people of God in the eternity beyond death, which will finally be conquered on the day of the Resurrection when these souls will be reunited to their bodies.

We believe that the multitude of those gathered around Jesus and Mary in paradise forms the Church of Heaven where in eternal beatitude they see God as He is, and where they also, in different degrees, are associated with the holy angels in the divine rule exercised by Christ in glory, interceding for us and helping our weakness by their brotherly care.

We believe in the communion of all the faithful of Christ, those who are pilgrims on earth, the dead who are attaining their purification, and the blessed in heaven, all together forming one Church; and we believe that in this communion the merciful love of God and His saints is ever listening to our prayers, as Jesus told us: "Ask, and you will receive." Thus it is with faith and in hope that we look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.

Blessed be God thrice-holy. Amen.

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heresylog · 2 years

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Do you have any simple resources on learning how to pray the rosary? My family are all Catholic but never passed on any knowledge to me and I have not put much effort into learning before. I'd like to learn now. Thank you.

I was going to link you to a how-to but I’d rather just explain it.

I wrote this from mostly memory. For a more in depth explanation I’d recommend researching on your own. There are so many things I left out.

You begin with the crucifix on the bottom and do the sign of the cross “in the name of the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit” and it starts on your forehead for father, your chest for son, and your left shoulder for holy and right shoulder for spirit.

Then you say the Apostle’s Creed: I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

Then you do three Hail Marys for an increase in faith, hope, and charity. I will include the prayers in the end.

You then begin with the first mystery (each set of mysteries corresponds for a day of the week) You will read the passage from the Bible and meditate on the fruit of the mystery. For example, the first sorrowful mystery is about Jesus praying the night before and becoming so stressed that beads of blood formed instead of sweat. The fruit of that mystery is obedience and you are meant to meditate on how that passage and obedience plays a role in your life.

You will pray the Our Father and then you will say 10 Hail Marys (a decade) while meditating on the mystery. Once you reach the tenth you will then pray Glory Be. After that you will pray Fatima’s Prayer (also known as the O My Jesus prayer) and then you will do the same thing with another mystery.

Once you reach the end of the rosary, there’s usually a connecting bead that corresponds. You will pray the Hail Holy Queen. Sometimes people end with a response, sometimes it just ends there. It just depends on you, your situation, or the group you pray in.

Prayers

Hail Mary

Hail Mary full of grace the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Our Father

Our Father who art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.

Glory Be

Glory be to the father and to the son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen.

Fatima

Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sims. Save us from the fires of hell. Lead all souls to heaven especially those in most need of thy mercy.

Hail Holy Queen

Hail holy queen mother of mercy. Our life our sweetness and our hope. To thee do we cry poor banished children of Eve. To thee do we send up our sighs mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then most gracious advocate thine eyes of mercy toward us. Show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, o loving, o sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us O holy mother of God that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

*all text in red indicates that it is meant to be said by everyone in a group setting. When by yourself, obviously you will pray both parts. When in a group, only the leader will say the words in white.

#rosary #long post #how to pray #how to meditate #Catholic #Christianity #religion #prayers #prayer #anonymous

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catholicgurlypastor · 23 days

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🙏I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.🙏

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angeltreasure · 1 year

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When you worship an idol, you do not worship God, but you worship a rock. When you make for the Prophet Jesus or his mother, the Miss Virgin Mary, or any other person or anything and worship him, then that is not God, and your action is the greatest of sins because you worship other than God, and worship is only for God, God is not An idol, God sees and hears everything, God is not formed in the form of a creature, God is not weak, God is not born, does not die, does not sleep, does not eat, God is one, not two or three, only one, and there is nothing like Him, and He is the Mighty, the Merciful

Muslims: Jesus was a great prophet.

Catholics: Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity. He is the Son of God. Jesus is God.

————

Muslims: Acknowledges that Mary is the mother of Jesus with great respect, but not seen as a saint.

Catholics: Mary is not a goddess. She is human and chosen by God. She was born without Original Sin and so filled with the grace of God that she never sinned. She was and is always a virgin. She is the arc of the new covenant, her holy womb being the womb to bare the Son of God Himself, Jesus Christ. She was assumed directly into Heaven because of how holy she is. Hell was never her choice and Purgatory wasn’t needed. She’s our Mother because Jesus gave her to us (and us to her) at His Passion. We don’t worship her but we acknowledge she is the Mother of Jesus and a powerful intercessor.

——-

Muslims: Don’t believe in the Communion of Saints.

Catholics: Believes in the Communion of Saints (no they are not gods and goddesses). Any human who enters Heaven is a saint. We also consider some angels to be saints.

———

Muslims: Worship God alone.

Catholics: Worship God alone.

——-

Muslims: God is omnipresent and omnipotent.

Catholics: God is omnipresent and omnipotent.

———

Muslims: God is God and not formed like a creature.

Catholics: God is God. The Holy Trinity cannot be separated from one another; they existed before the concept of time. The Holy Spirit in one of His forms looks like a dove but the Holy Spirit isn’t a plain dove animal. The Holy Spirit is the expression of love between the Father and the Son.

———

Muslims: God is not weak.

Catholics: God is not weak.

———

Muslims: “God is not born, does not die, does not sleep, does not eat…”

Catholics: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Amen.

——

Muslims: There is nothing like Him.

Catholics: There is nothing like Him.

——-

Muslims: “He is the Mighty, the Merciful”

Catholics: God IS love and mercy itself.

————————————-

Although we have our differences, I know we can find common ground because we believe in one God and it is God alone we worship. Although we have many differences, we can bring peace to each other in this life. So I will extend my hand to you. May you have a peaceful week and may God bless you.

#asks

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frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 1 month

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22nd August >> Fr. Martin's Reflections/Homilies on Today's Mass Readings for:

The Feast of the Queenship of Mary (Inc. Luke 1:39-56)

and

Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time (Inc. Matthew 22:1-14).

Feast of the Queenship of Mary

Gospel (Except USA) Luke 1:26-38 'I am the handmaid of the Lord'.

The angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. He went in and said to her, ‘Rejoice, so highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’ She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean, but the angel said to her, ‘Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God’s favour. Listen! You are to conceive and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David; he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.’ Mary said to the angel, ‘But how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you’ the angel answered ‘and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God. Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month, for nothing is impossible to God.’ ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord,’ said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me.’ And the angel left her.

Gospel (USA) Luke 1:26-38 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Reflections (6)

(i) Feast of the Queenship of Mary

This feast is a relatively recent one in the church. For centuries Mary had been venerated as Queen of the angels and the saints. It is depicted, for example, in some very early mosaic works in the apse of the great Basilicas. Jesus is portrayed as King of heaven and earth, and, alongside him, Mary is portrayed as Queen. In 1955, at the end of the Marian Year, Pope Pius XII gave formal expression to this popular belief of the faithful, by promulgating this feast of the Queenship of Mary. He placed it on this date, 22nd August, to stress the connection with the feast of the Assumption. Like that feast, this feast of the Queenship of Mary proclaims the very special union between herself and her Son in heaven. The church understands this special relationship between Jesus and Mary in heaven as the continuation and deepening of their special relationship on earth. In the gospel reading, Mary consents to be the mother of Jesus, God’s Son. She carried Jesus in her womb for nine months, and, having given birth to him, she nursed him as only a mother could. No other human being had such a deeply personal relationship with Jesus from the first moment of his existence. Before she conceived Jesus in her womb, she conceived him in her heart, through her faith, by surrendering herself to God’s purpose and desire for her life, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord, let what you have said be done to me’. When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, according to Luke’s gospel, Elizabeth declared Mary blessed because of the child she was carrying in her womb, but then went on to declare Mary blessed because of her faith, ‘Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was said to her by the Lord’. Mary inspires us to keep growing in our faith, to keep giving ourselves over to God’s purpose, God’s desire, for our lives, so that Christ can live in us, as he lived in Mary, and so that we become people who bring the Lord to others as she brought the Lord to us. Christ who lives in us in this earthly life will then draw us into a deeper relationship with himself in the life beyond this earthly life.

And/Or

(ii) Feast of the Queenship of Mary

During the Middle Ages Mary was venerated as Queen of the angels and saints. Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Queenship of Mary as a memorial of the universal church at the close of the Marian Year of 1955. The memorial is placed on this date, August 22, to stress its connection with the feast of the Assumption, exactly a week earlier. The gospel reading for today’s feast tells us that if Mary now reigns with her Son in heaven, it is because she gave herself over to God’s purpose for her earthly life, as did Jesus her Son. There are many call stories in the gospels and in the bible as a whole. Today’s gospel reading is the story of the call of Mary. According to the passage, Mary displayed a whole range of responses to God’s approach to her. Initially, she was ‘deeply disturbed’, and then she questioned, ‘How can this come about?’ It was only after an interior journey that she finally surrendered to what God was asking of her, ‘let what you have said be done to me’. The reading suggests that Mary’s response came at the end of a period of struggle. There will always be an element of struggle in our own dealings with the Lord, in our own efforts to respond to the Lord’s call. Mary’s response of total surrender to God’s purpose for her life did not come easy to her and does not come easy to us. However, in our struggle to live in harmony with God’s purpose for our lives, we all have the assurance of Gabriel’s words to Mary, ‘Nothing is impossible to God’. What may seem impossible to us is always possible with God’s help. We can all come to make our own the words of Saint Paul, ‘By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain’ (1 Cor 15:10).

And/Or

(iii) Feast of The Queenship of Mary

Today we celebrate the memorial of the Queenship of Mary. Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Queenship of Mary as a feast of the universal church at the close of the Marian Year of 1955. The feast is placed on this date, August 22, to stress its connection with the feast of the Assumption, exactly a week earlier. We find this link expressed in the joyful mysteries of the rosary, with the fourth mystery being the Assumption and the fifth mystery being the Coronation of Mary as Queen of heaven. Today’s gospel reading, the Annunciation to Mary, is the first joyful mystery. That first joyful mystery in Mary’s life underpins the fifth joyful of her life. If she reigns with her Son in heaven it is because she first shared in his complete surrender to God’s purpose for his life. As Jesus said in the Garden of Gethsemane, ‘not my will but yours be done’, Mary said in Nazareth, ‘let what you have said be done to me’. That surrender to God’s purpose did not come easy to Jesus in the garden; he had first prayed ‘Take this cup from me’. It did not come easy to Mary either. According to today’s gospel reading, she was initially deeply disturbed and full of questions. Today’s feast invites us to share in Mary’s willingness to both seek out God’s purpose for our lives and to surrender to it. This surrender won’t always come easy to us, no more than it came easy to Mary. Our own small purposes can get in the way of God’s greater purpose for our lives. Yet, Mary can help us to be as open and responsive to God’s will for our lives as she was, which is why we need to pray, ‘Mary, pray for us, sinners, now, and at the hour of our death’.

And/Or

(iv) Feast of The Queenship of Mary

During the Middle Ages Mary was venerated as Queen of the angels and saints. Pope Pius XII proclaimed the Queenship of Mary as a memorial of the universal church at the close of the Marian Year of 1955. The memorial is placed on this date, August 22, to stress its connection with the feast of the Assumption, a week earlier. When people of faith gave Mary the title of Queen of heaven and earth, it was their way of saying that Mary is worthy of our veneration and that she deserves our honour. We honour and we venerate Mary. We don’t worship Mary. Only God can be worshipped, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. We honour Mary as Queen because of who she was in her earthly life, because she was a woman of deep faith. Mary’s response to the angel Gabriel conveys the core of her faith, ‘Let what you have said be done to me’. The gospel reading suggests that Mary had her reservations about what God appeared to be asking of her, ‘How can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ The angel Gabriel went on to say to her, ‘Nothing is impossible to God’. Mary came to accept that what she herself could not bring about, God would bring about. She then gave herself over to God’s purpose for her life, trusting that God could bring his purpose to pass. It could be said that Mary allowed God to be God in her life. This is the essence of faith. The person of faith does not try to manage God or to shape God to his or her purposes. Like Mary, we surrender to God’s purpose for our lives and we allow God to be God of our lives. In honouring Mary as Queen, we ask her to intercede for us, to pray for us, so that we can be as open to God’s desire for our lives as she was.

And/Or

(v) Feast of the Queenship of Mary

This memorial of Mary is relatively recent in the history of the church. Pope Pius XII prescribed this feast for the universal church at the close of the Marian Year in 1954. It is placed on this date, 22nd August, exactly a week after the feast of the Assumption, to stress the connection of Mary’s Queenship with the Assumption. Even though the official declaration of the Queenship of Mary as a memorial is relatively recent, the appreciation of Mary as Queen of heaven has a very long tradition in the church. I am reminded of some of the wonderful and very ancient mosaics in the apse of some churches in Rome depicting Jesus as king and Mary as Queen seated beside each other. The beautiful mosaic in the apse of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome comes to mind. Depicting Mary as Queen alongside her son as King was a way of showing honour to Mary for the person she had been in her earthly life. The gospel reading this morning depicts her as saying ‘yes’ to God’s desire for her to be the mother of his Son. Out of all women, she was chosen to give birth to a son who would also be the Son of God, who, in the words of today’s first reading would be a ‘great light’ in the darkness, a Wonder-Counsellor, a Mighty-God, a Prince of Peace. The church came to appreciate from its earliest days just how significant Mary’s ‘yes’ to God’s purpose for her life was for all of humanity. It was because Mary surrendered to God’s purpose for her life that God’s purpose for all our lives could come to pass. It was Mary’s faithful response to God’s word spoken by Gabriel that made it possible for us all to become people of faith. Her ‘yes’ created the opening for God’s Son to be given to us all and for us to respond in faith to this wonderful gift. Mary was pivotal in God’s saving purpose and, so, the church believed from earliest times that she must have a special place in heaven, alongside her Son. Today, we honour Mary as Queen of heaven. We are also reminded that our own ‘yes’ to the Lord’s call, just like Mary’s, can have important consequences for good in the lives of others. Even if in a lesser way than was the case with Mary, the faith of each one of us is instrumental in helping others come to faith and in nurturing the faith of others.

And/Or

(vi) Feast of the Queenship of Mary

During the Middle Ages, Mary was venerated as Queen of the angels and saints. Pope Pius XII prescribed this memorial of the Queenship of Mary for the universal Church at the close of the Marian Year in 1955. It is placed on this date of 22nd August, a week after the feast of the Assumption, to show its close association with that feast. It is a feast that celebrates Mary’s exalted place in heaven. Mary’s exaltation bears out the truth of Jesus’ saying, ‘those who humble themselves will be exalted’. In today’s gospel reading, we find Mary humbling herself. In her conversation with the angel Gabriel, she shows an open, questioning, spirit. She asked herself what Gabriel’s greeting could mean. In response to Gabriel’s extraordinary news, Mary asked, ‘how can this come about, since I am a virgin?’ She didn’t claim to know everything. The kind of questioning, searching, spirit that Mary displays is a sign of humility. It stands over against the attitude of those who claim to know more than they actually do. Mary’s humble spirit is finally and fully revealed in her surrender to God’s purpose for her life, even though she doesn’t understand it fully at this moment, ‘Let what you have said be done to me’. These words reveal Mary’s willingness to allow God to have his way in her life, rather than insisting on her own way. In the beatitudes, Jesus would declare those with such an attitude to be blessed, ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth’. Indeed, Mary could be described as a woman of the beatitudes. She shows us the path we are all to take. If we enter into her humble attitude, allowing God to have his way in our life, we too will be exalted by God. We recognize Mary’s Queenship most fully when, like her, we give ourselves over to God’s gracious purpose for our lives.

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

Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel (Except USA) Matthew 22:1-14 Invite everyone you can to the wedding.

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some more servants. “Tell those who have been invited” he said “that I have my banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.” But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them. The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” So these servants went out on to the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said to him, “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” And the man was silent. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Gospel (USA) Matthew 22:1-14 Invite to the wedding feast whomever you find.

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Reflections (5)

(i) Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

The parable in this morning’s gospel reading is the story of a king who was determined that there would be a full house for the wedding banquet of his son. When two lots of servants got nowhere with those who had already said they would be there, the king sends out his servants a third time to the crossroads of the town to bring total strangers to the banquet of his son’s wedding. We can hear in the story an image of the persistence of God who continues to call even when people seem deaf to his call. The Lord does not give up on us, even when we give him good reasons for doing so. He continues to call out to us. The first reading from the prophet Ezekiel suggests that God not only continues to call us but that God is always at work in our lives. God’s call is not just something external but God works from within. In that reading God promises to cleanse us, to give us a new heart, to put a new spirit within us. God will certainly do his part. The conclusion of the parable in the gospel reading suggests that we also have to do our part. Some of the guests were asked to leave because they were not wearing a wedding garment. In other words, they were casual about the king’s invitation. God is not casual in our regard. He invests heavily in us and he looks to us for an appropriate response. Our lives are to bear fruit worthy of God’s investment.

And/Or

(ii) Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

An invitation is not a command. We receive many invitations in life, either verbally or in writing and we probably ignore or decline a good number of them. We are free to accept an invitation or not. God’s way of relating to us is shaped more by invitation than by command. The parable Jesus speaks in the gospel reading this morning is about God’s invitation to all of us to the banquet of life. In the story, the king who invites chosen guests to his son’s wedding banquet does not cancel the meal when those who were invited all refuse; instead he invites a whole new group. That aspect of the story speaks to us of God’s persistence. When the human response to God’s invitation is not forthcoming, God does not cancel anything; he simply intensifies his invitation. God continues to work to ensure that as many as possible approach the banquet of life. This banquet is in a sense embodied in the person of Christ who is the bread of life. The second part of the parable reminds us that saying ‘yes’ to the God’s invitation is not something we do once and then forget about. We have to say ‘yes’ to God’s invitation everyday day of our lives. In the language of the parable, we have to keep putting on the wedding garment. Having been clothed with Christ at baptism, we have to keep clothing ourselves with Christ and all he stands for, day by day.

And/Or

(iii) Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

In this morning’s parable Jesus speaks of the kingdom of God as a wedding feast to which people are invited. The great feast is a frequent image of the kingdom of God in the gospels. It is an image which suggests God’s gracious and generous hospitality. The Eucharist can be understood as an anticipation of the banquet in the kingdom of heaven. At the Eucharist we not only look back to the Last Supper but we also look forward to the banquet of eternal life. At the Last Supper Jesus said to his disciples, ‘I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom’. In the parable in this morning’s gospel reading, many of those who had been invited to the wedding banquet and who had already agreed to come turned down the invitation at the last minute, just when everything was ready. Even some of those who did respond to the invitation did not take the event seriously as was clear from their inappropriate dress. God invites and he persistently invites, even after many refusals. Yet, it is up to us to respond. Our presence at the Eucharist is a sign that we are responding to the Lord’s invitation. Yet, we have to keep clothing ourselves in the right way, clothing ourselves with Christ, as Paul says. We are send out from the Eucharist to put on Christ, to put on the one whom we have received and who desires to live in and through us.

And/Or

(iv) Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

In the time of Jesus it would have been considered a great honour to be invited to a wedding banquet, especially if the person doing the inviting was a king and if the invitation was to share table with his son, as in the parable in today’s gospel reading. Most people lived simply by today’s standards. Invitations to banquets did not come along every day. When they did come along, they presented an opportunity to eat in a way that was not the norm. Most people who received such an invitation would have jumped at it. However, in the parable Jesus tells the invitation to the wedding banquet of a king’s son was turned down by several people, with violence against the king’s messengers thrown in. This was foolish behaviour by any standards. Why turn down the gift of a great feast, insulting the host in the process? There was everything to be gained and nothing to be lost by saying ‘yes’ to the invitation. Jesus may be reminding us that we can all say ‘no’ to God’s invitation, in spite of the fact that God’s invitation is always with our best interests in view. God calls us through his Son to nourish us in body, mind and spirit. God’s call is always a call to life in its fullness. There is nothing to be lost and everything to be gained by responding positively to this invitation of the Lord. Yet, we can all allow God’s invitation to pass us by. Each day is an opportunity to respond with renewed energy to God’s invitation to sit at table with his Son, to enter into communion with his Son and to allow his Son to cloth us with himself, with his values and attitudes.

And/Or

(v) Thursday, Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time

Perhaps what people missed most during the Covid pandemic was the opportunity to gather around a table and to share a meal with family and friends. Important occasions like birthdays, weddings, significant anniversaries, retirements and so on could not be celebrated at a gathering where food was served. The gathering of family and friends around a table is something we all value. When Jesus spoke about the kingdom of heaven, he frequently drew on this cherished human experienced of the shared meal. He once spoke of the kingdom of heaven as a banquet to which people from north, south, east and west would come. In the parable Jesus speaks in today’s gospel reading, the kingdom of heaven is compared to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding. Many people were invited to this special feast. It would have been a great honour to receive an invitation to a royal banquet. However, in the parable as Jesus tells it, those who had originally said ‘yes’ to the invitation to this royal banquet turn around and say ‘no’ on the day of the banquet itself, just when, in the words of the gospel reading, ‘everything is ready’. It would have shown great disrespect to the host to have a change of mind and heart at the last minute. Understandably, the king was angry. The parable suggests that God can do the inviting, but God cannot force a response to his invitation. We need to be attentive to the God’s call and invitation and respond to it in gratitude, because it is a sign that God values us and honours us. God’s invitation is never in doubt. God keeps inviting. In the parable, when those originally invited said ‘no’ at the last minute, the king sent out an invitation to as many as could be found, so that his wedding hall would be filled. God’s banquet of life will not be cancelled. The only question is whether we will respond to God’s invitation. Each day of our lives we try to respond to God’s call and invitation, by putting on the wedding garment, in the language of the parable, by clothing ourselves with the attitudes and values of the Lord.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

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pastortomsteers · 1 month

Text

The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

August 18, 2024

Pastor Tom Steers

Christ the Saviour Lutheran Church, Toronto

Our Opening Hymn is: “Blessed Jesus at Your Word”

Lutheran Service Book, 904 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w07A9lg3B9A

We begin our service with the Invocation:

In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Confession and Absolution Page 184-185

The Introit –

Psalm 111:1-5, 9; Ps. 111:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever. He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.

He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!

Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning,

is now, and will be forever. Amen.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

The Kyrie (Lord Have Mercy)

Congregation:

Lord have mercy upon us.

Christ have mercy upon us.

Lord have mercy upon us.

The Salutation:

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

Congregation: And with thy spirit.

Our Collect Prayer:

Almighty God, whom to know is everlasting life, grant us to know Your Son, Jesus, to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow His steps in the way that leads to life eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Our Bible readings –

Old Testament – Proverbs 9:1-10

Psalm 34:12-22

Epistle – Ephesians 5:6-21

Gospel – John 6:51-69

The Apostles’ Creed –

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried.

He descended into hell.

The third day he rose again from the dead.

He ascended into heaven

and sits at the right hand of God

the Father almighty.

From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the holy Christian Church,

the communion of saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and the life everlasting. Amen.

Our Hymn of the Day is: “O God My Faithful God”

Lutheran Service Book, 696 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgvef0GdPsU

The Sermon,

“I am the living bread that came down from Heaven”

Brothers & Sisters, peace grace, and mercy be to you through God our Father and Our Lord Jesus Christ.

It’s often been said the heart of the Gospel salvation message is in a single verse, John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

And we can personalize that message in a way that takes it into our hearts and minds, “For God so loved you (each one of us can place our names here) that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The shocking truth we read in the Bible, is that God literally took on human flesh, came into this world ultimately to be beaten and crucified, died a horrible death on the cross for us to save us, and then was raised from the dead by God the Father.

All this was due to God’s grace and love, and because there was absolutely no way any of us could save ourselves.

It’s startling, sobering, even offensive to our sense of independence, self-sufficiency, our confidence.

It runs counter to our pride that God had to take such an extreme step to keep us from being eternally separated from Him.

It’s humbling.

But God’s act of salvation through Christ was necessary because something has divided us from Him -- sin.

When we reflect on the Law of God, we see our sin and know that we’re totally incapable of keeping the Law as God would have us.

It’s like trying our best in school and being told that despite our very best efforts and hard work our grade is an ‘F’ and expulsion.

But the Good News is that in God’s love, in the sacrificial love of Jesus, we see the salvation and solution only God could provide, and we get a pass, not through our own ‘merits,’ but through Christ’s payment for our sins at Calvary.

It’s a shocking message today.

A message that turns off many, turns many away.

It was true 2,000 years ago as well.

Today’s Gospel passage is part of what we call the ‘Bread of Life’ discourse.

We learn in John 6, verse 2, that crowds were following Jesus because they saw the ‘signs’ He was doing in healing the sick.

In John Chapter 6, we read the account of how 5000 men as well as their families were fed with just five barley loaves and two fish.

Our Gospel reading concludes this Sunday with a teaching about bread and flesh that many, then and now, can’t stomach.

The people who ate the miraculous meal that Jesus provided the 5000 plus, surely were hungry again in a number of hours.

They appreciated and benefitted from the earthly physical food produced by a miracle.

But they didn’t appreciate the source of the miracle, they didn’t understand that the person before them, who was both true man and true God, was here on earth to offer them spiritual food that would give them eternal life so they would never hunger again.

Instead, they wanted Jesus as the bread king, a worldly leader, a cafeteria manager with a sign outside that said “free food.”

Isn’t this true today, and even more to the point, is it sometimes true of the people we know, perhaps even of us.

The world chases everything that seems to satisfy, seems to offer comfort, that makes us feel alive in the life, at least momentarily.

It can be many things, many kinds of junk food ‘bread’ that the world chases after, while ignoring and disregarding the real food, Christ, found here in God’s Word correctly preached and taught, and in His Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

In verse 24 of John 6 we have crowds actually getting in boats to chase down Jesus, finding Him back in Capernaum.

Jesus knows their motivation.

They’re not seeking a Saviour, but a bread distributor.

And when Jesus Himself tells them not to work for the food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, the crowd, again thinking in human terms and missing the Messiah for the meal, asks, “What must we do to perform the works of God.

Or in other words what do we do to justify ourselves and get on God’s good side.

Jesus explains plainly, and goes right to the point in verse 29, “This is the work of God (meaning not theirs), believe in Him whom He has sent.’

Christ tells us to believe.

Later on, Jesus explains and reassures that it’s God who will draw them to Him.

But they don’t get it, and neither do many in the world today.

The crowd actually has the audacity to say to Christ, “What signs are you going to give us so that we’ll believe you.”

Well after healing the sick and feeding the 5000 plus you would think they’d seen enough.

But it wasn’t.

They’re back on the worldly bread thing again.

They want worldly proof.

They want another free lunch, and so they bring up the manna that God gave their ancestors.

Again, Christ explains that was food that satisfied the physical body, it wasn’t eternal spiritual food.

Their ancestors still died even with the manna.

And this is one of the essential differences between the Old and New Testaments – God’s Law and the Gospel.

Although a person ate manna in the wilderness, the person still died.

When a person ‘ate’ or lived by the Law and the Legalism of the Old Testament, that person was not feeding on the salvation and love found in the Gospel.

They weren’t eating the food that would come down from heaven in the ‘flesh and blood’ body of Jesus Christ.

Yet, incredibly, even when Christ clearly explains this, the people’s response is –‘we know your family, how can you make such claims.’

Next, in the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus ‘ups’ the theological ante.

Christ now confronts, and brings the matter to a head.

He says to those gathered: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood you have no life in You. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.”

These words begin to reveal the price Jesus will pay in order to secure salvation for us.

Jesus knew He would offer up His body on the cross.

When He speaks of eating His flesh, He’s telling the synagogue crowd He will sacrifice His body for them, and they are to believe what that sacrifice will earn them through faith – resurrection into eternal life on the last day.

When Jesus speaks of eating His flesh and drinking His blood He’s pointing forward to the cross.

Christ isn’t instituting the Lord’s Supper here, His words are foreshadowing that Holy meal.

Now the Jews of that time and in the Capernaum synagogue would have been, and were, offended by Christ offering His flesh and blood to them.

That’s because they only saw Jesus as a man.

In the Book of Leviticus Chapter 17, verse 14, God instructs His followers not to eat the blood of living things.

Pagans did this, and God didn’t want Hid holy people to follow suit.

In order for these words not to be an offense, Jesus would have to be more than a man.

Jesus would have to possess the authority to change an Old Testament rule.

He would have to have the authority of God on earth.

And that’s exactly what Jesus had, because although they didn’t realize it, they were seeing God in human flesh right in front of them.

Christ’s claims were radical.

They ran counter to human knowledge and human reason.

Then and now.

And that’s why Jesus said no one can come to Him except by the Father.

Our own reason fails.

We don’t have the mind of God, even though at times we might be tempted to believe we do.

The Apostle Paul explained this when he wrote in 1st Corinthians 1: 22-23, ‘Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.’

We don’t make a ‘decision’ to choose Christ as Saviour (John 15:16), nor do we ascend to Heaven on a mystical staircase.

The easiest way to understand this better is to say we have a free will about those matters which are directed to things equal to or below us.

We chose to marry a particular woman.

I choose how I will spend my day, etc.

The choices which are directed upward, however, are of another sort altogether.

There, as Martin Luther said, our will is captive.

We cannot of our own free will come Jesus or believe in him, but must be called, gathered, enlightened, and rendered holy by the Holy Spirit of God.

The choice that people make at the beginning of their faith walk is not a choice in a vacuum, and Luther wanted Biblical Christian to remember that.

It was God who awoke within the person the hunger and thirst for Jesus.

It was God who created the appetite which reaches to Christ.

It is the Holy Spirit who lowers the barriers of fear and natural rebellion so that the sinner can lift his eyes and look up to Jesus and say “Yes, Lord.”

True, the credit for the “Yes” does indeed belong to Jesus and His Spirit, but it is still the Christian who speaks it.

I often refer to baptism when I’m explaining this.

We as Lutherans believe that God works in Baptism, He reaches out and touches the sinner, forgiving their sins, creating faith, establishing relationship.

That is why we baptize infants, for the same reason that we hold them, because that touch of water is the way God puts His arms around them and says that He loves them.

God comes to us through His means of grace -- His Word and the Sacraments of Baptism & the Lord’s Supper.

And it is the Holy Spirit that works faith in Christ within us using these means.

As our Lord said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.” (John 6:63)

The body and blood of Jesus are still stumbling blocks for many.

There are those who claim human wisdom as the ultimate knowledge.

There are many who either deny our Triune God, or attempt to make Him justify Himself to them.

All four Gospels tell us that there was a time when Jesus’ followers became fewer and fewer.

As the crucifixion grew closer, Jesus made the cross clearer.

And as the cross became clearer, Jesus’ congregation became smaller.

For the next few minutes, I’d like to focus on two verses in John 6.

In verses 53 and 54 we have a wonderful example of how God’s Word comes to us in the Bible: in Law, and in Gospel, and the correct distinction between the two.

A retired Lutheran Pastor once said to me there was only one benefit in being a Lutheran Christian: we got the Word of God right -- but that that was enough.

You might remember from your confirmation class the term ‘SOS’ – the Law shows us our sins -- the Gospel shows us our Saviour.

In verse 53 of Chapter six, Christ tells us, “Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you have no life in you.”

So much for self-sufficiency, so much for spiritually pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps.

So much for the politically correct view that says all religions are a path to Heaven.

And so much for thinking that we can ultimately and eternally survive and satisfy ourselves on the things of this world: money, power, the worldly flesh.

“This is a hard saying,” they told Jesus, “who can listen to it.”

Do we respond the same way today?

Do we at times fall away or at least turn away?

Verse 53 of John six is directed at non-believers, and those who believe they can save themselves.

It makes us examine ourselves and realize we come up short.

But verse 54 is pure Gospel: “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

What blessed assurance.

What hope even over death!

What mercy, and grace, and love.

Jesus says, whoever the Father draws to me, and who believes in me, takes me into themselves, has been forgiven, and has been redeemed from the curse of the law.

That’s Good News, the best news we can ever hear!

SOS – the Gospel shows our Saviour.

And so how do we respond?

If we don’t turn or walk away, do we sometimes stand on the spiritual sidelines?

When the world says, the Good News of Christ seems like a ‘hard saying,’ do we go silent.

Or do we, in our own way and with the abilities God gives us, spread this Good News to our family, our friends, our neighbours, coworkers or fellow students.

The response of the world, that the Words of Christ are difficult and offensive, confronts us daily.

We hear it in the workplace as we do on TV and other media.

The message and values of this world challenge us relentlessly.

High school and university students are constantly bombarded with atheist propaganda.

And we should pray for them.

Christian parents and students are a light in the secular world’s darkness.

They’re told in academia that all religions are equally valid, that it’s inappropriate to believe otherwise, that it’s philosophically ‘unfashionable’ to talk about our Saviour, or the universal need for forgiveness of sin that comes through His death on the cross.

Two thousand years have passed, and people haven’t changed, but the good news is that neither has the truth of Jesus.

So where do we find our strength as Christians and as a Christian community? --

in His Word, in His sacraments, in each other, the Church, the body of Christ.

Jesus tells us clearly in John 6 and elsewhere that we need to have an abiding relationship with Him.

We cling to, and want to understand His word.

We attend Church services when they’re available, and participate in Bible studies, even if only through Facebook.

We read the Bible on our own, and in our homes.

As we turn to Christ and abide in Him, feasting on Him, we’re strengthened in our faith, and in our lives.

We say with the Apostle Peter, “Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Brothers and Sisters, may the peace that truly passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, our only Saviour.

Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT Page 194

THE LORD’S PRAYER Page 196

THE WORDS OF OUR LORD Page 197

Pax Domini

Pastor: The peace of the Lord be with you always. Congregation: Amen.

THE DISTRIBUTION

Post Communion Collect (Left-hand column) Page 201

Salutation and Benedicamus Page 201-202

The Benediction –

The Lord bless you and keep you.

The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and + give you peace.

Amen.

Our Closing Hymn is: “Lord Jesus Christ, Life-Giving Bread”

Lutheran Service Book, 625 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTE0BvNeTmI

#christian religion #lutheran #christian #faith #jesus #salvation #bible #evangelism #holy spirit

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mybeautifulchristianjourney · 7 months

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The Genealogy of Jesus Christ

1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham:

2 Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers.

3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,

Perez the father of Hezron,

and Hezron the father of Ram.

4 Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

and Nahshon the father of Salmon.

5 Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab,

Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth,

and Obed the father of Jesse.

6 Jesse was the father of David the king.

David the king was the father of Solomon, by her who had been the wife of Uriah.

7 Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah,

and Abijah the father of Asa.

8 Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

and Joram the father of Uzziah.

9 Uzziah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah.

10 Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

and Amon the father of Josiah.

11 Josiah was the father of Jeconiah and his brothers about the time they were exiled to Babylon.

12 And after they were brought to Babylon,

Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel,

and Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel.

13 Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

and Eliakim the father of Azor.

14 Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Akim,

and Akim the father of Eliud.

15 Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

and Matthan the father of Jacob.

16 And Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the exile to Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the exile in Babylon to Christ are fourteen generations.

The Birth of Jesus Christ

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way: After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce her privately.

20 But while he thought on these things, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”

22 Now all this occurred to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying, 23 “A virgin shall be with child, and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is interpreted, “God with us.”

24 Then Joseph, being awakened from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and remained with his wife, 25 and did not know her until she had given birth to her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS. — Matthew 1 | Modern English Version (MEV) The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. Cross References: Genesis 22:18; Genesis 25:19; Deuteronomy 22:23; Deuteronomy 24:1; Ruth 4:18; Ruth 4:20; 1 Samuel 1:20; 2 Samuel 7:12; 2 Samuel 11:27; 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Kings 11:43; 1 Kings 15:24; 2 Kings 24:14; 1 Chronicles 2:12; 1 Chronicles 3:14; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 22:30; Jeremiah 27:20; Haggai 1:1; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 16:20; Matthew 27:17; Luke 1:31; Luke 2:7; Acts 5:19; Romans 1:2

#Jesus #Jesus' genealogy #Jesus' birth #Joseph #Mary #angel of the Lord #Matthew 1 #Gospel of Matthew #New Testament #MEV #Modern English Version Bible #Military Bible Association #Charisma House

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myremnantarmy · 6 months

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𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐆𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

Lk 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

“Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.”

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,

and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,

and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

May it be done to me according to your word.”

Then the angel departed from her.

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orthodoxadventure · 10 months

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St. Proclus, the disciple of St. John Chrysostom, who was then Bishop of Cyzicus and later Archbishop of Constantinople, in the presence of Nestorius gave in church a sermon in which he confessed the Son of God born in the flesh of the Virgin, Who in truth is the Theotokos (Birthgiver of God), for already in the womb of the Most Pure One, at the time of Her conception, the Divinity was united with the Child conceived of the Holy Spirit; and this Child, even though He was born of the Virgin Mary only in His human nature, still was born already true God and true man.

-- Saint John Maximovitch, The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God

#Christianity #Orthodox Christianity #Theotokos #Blessed Virgin Mary #Jesus

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tinyshe · 1 year

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Here is a short guide to a beautiful devotion to Jesus’ Passion called the “Chaplet of the Precious Blood.” It contains powerful prayers that can be prayed using an ordinary rosary.

Make the sign of the cross.

On the first large bead, recite the Apostles’ Creed.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

After that, say the following prayer:

May the Precious Blood that flows out from the Sacred Head of Our Lord Jesus Christ cover us now and forever. Amen.

For each decade of beads, there is a different wound of Jesus to meditate on.

1) The Nailing of the Right Hand of Our Lord Jesus.

Say the following prayer:

By the Precious Wound in Thy Right Hand and through the pain of the nail which pierced Thy Right Hand, may the Precious Blood that pours out from there, convert many souls and save sinners of the whole world. Amen.

Remaining on the same bead, pray an Our Father and Hail Mary.

Then on the small beads pray, “Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Save us and the whole world.“

At the end of each decade pray the “Glory Be.“

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

2) The Nailing of the Left Hand of Our Lord Jesus

Say the following prayer:

By the Precious Wound in Thy Left Hand and through the pain of the nail which pierced Thy Left Hand, may the Precious Blood that pours out from there relieve Souls in Purgatory and protect the dying against the attacks of evil spirits. Amen.

Repeat the same sequence as the first mystery.

3) The Nailing of the Right Foot of Our Lord Jesus

Say the following prayer:

By the Precious Wound in Thy Right Foot and through the pain of the nail which pierced Thy Right Foot, may the Precious Blood that pours out from there cover the foundation of the Catholic Church against the plans of the evil spirit and evil men. Amen.

Repeat the same sequence as the first mystery.

4) The Nailing of the Left Foot of Our Lord Jesus

Say the following prayer:

By the Precious Wound in Thy Left Foot, and through the pain of the nail which pierced Thy Left Foot, may the Precious Blood that pours out from there protect us from the plans and the attacks of evil spirits and their minions. Amen.

Repeat the same sequence as the first mystery.

5) The Piercing of the Sacred Side of Our Lord Jesus.

Say the following prayer:

By the Precious Wound in Thy Sacred Side and through the pain of the lance which pierced Thy Sacred Side, may the Precious Blood and Water that pours out from there cure the sick, bring repentance to the dying, and bring us to eternal happiness with God. Amen.

Repeat the same sequence as the first mystery.

At the end of the Chaplet, pray these prayers.

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of mercy; our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this our exile, show unto us the Blessed Fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, Oh holy Mother of God; That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, we honor, worship and adore Thee Heal the wounds our souls and wash away the sins of the whole world. O Precious Blood, have mercy. Amen.

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Have mercy on us. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Pray for us. St. Joseph, Pray for us. Sts. Peter and Paul, Pray for us. St. John at the foot of the Cross, Pray for us. St. Mary Magdalene, Pray for us. All ye Saints and Angels, Pray for us.

[full article here]

#precious blood #chaplet #rosary #pray #prayer #aleteia

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nonagesiiiimus · 16 days

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eden's tlt reread: chapter 1, significance of three and Gideon's not-so-subtle biblical parallels

okay... so i lied. i have more thoughts to start off this series! sue me. i will probably continue to have billions of thoughts.

one thing i didn't write about but wanted to talk about desperately (and will continue to talk about) is the religious overtones of TLT. it's pretty overt at times, and also snuck in so many places that it requires a couple takes. there's also a lot to be said about the way tamsyn uses philosophy, ancient mythology/history as well, but that's another post. here's my blindingly bright note that I AM NOT A RELIGIOUS SCHOLAR (just a lapsed Catholic lesbian) so if I get things wrong, please feel free to correct me (with kindness!)

i want to preface my whole close reading with the fact that i believe, like many in the fandom, that Gideon is a Jesus figure. there's a lot of ways this is represented throughout the series so far, along with the roles of everyone else, but here's why it makes sense to me.

Gideon's mother, Commander Wake, is a virgin mary figure. Wake is a descendant of the trillionaires, ie the humans that escaped the death of our solar system and Jod: therefore, she was never resurrected. one can argue that because she was never resurrected, she is free of the sin of necromancy, which lines up with mary being born free of original sin in the bible. just as Mary is born without sin by the grace of God, Wake is born free of the sin of necromancy.

just like jesus, Gideon too was born through immaculate conception: in this case, DIY IVF. when wake implants herself with Jod's sample (yuck), she conceives Gideon- the child of God- without carnal sin, just as jesus was placed into mary's womb by the holy spirit. the reason for Gideon's conception and birth was to be used as a sacrifice to others: Jesus was to save humanity, Gideon to open the tomb by undoing its blood wards with her Jod bloodline.

like Jesus, Gideon dies in sacrifice of love for others, to save them from Cytherea, and then is resurrected from the dead (arguably, first in Harrow's mind, and then by Jod as Kiriona- while neither of these is a true complete resurrection, i think we have reason to believe that that it is going to happen in Alecto when Gideon gets the rest of her soul back in her body).

Gideon's death is very crucifixion-y, and similar to the way Jesus is stabbed with a spear in the sides. It also results in stigmata: Jesus has marks on his body from being nailed to the cross, and Gideon has her stab wounds- both sharing the wound to the heart. another similarity is Gideon's forgiveness of Harrow before her death- very Jesus-like in its pure-heartedness and intention to wash away Harrow's guilt.

as i mentioned in my last post, Gideon itself is a biblical name with a story behind it. plagiarizing myself here: Gideon [in its original verb form] means one who cuts down, Hacker or One Who Hewed Down the Enemy. interesting quote from abarim publications: "The verb גדע (gada') means to hew down or cut off, mostly of religious regalia and holy trees and such. Strikingly, there are no nouns formed from this verb, suggesting that whatever was cut off, was no longer discussed and even cut off from speech itself." & in the naming systems section, tamsyn writes: "Gideon is a prophetic name: someone named their own demise in her" (p. 468).

in the story of Gideon, Christ chooses Gideon, a farmer hiding from the Midianites in his fields, to lead the people of Israel away from idolatry and free from the control of the Midianites. Gideon asks for proof from God that it is really Him, and God performs three miracles for Gideon. once he believes it really is God, Gideon is devoted to God and agrees to lead the Israelites to victory. He destroys the town's temple of Baal, a false idol. Gideon then amasses an army of men to go against the Midianites, and... absolutely wrecks them with a team of 300 men. Gideon has become a symbol of military success of a small force facing incredible odds, and for striking down false idols, and is also considered a saint in the Catholic church.

others: Gideon suffers physically for her entire life for the sins of the Ninth house against the 200 murdered children- torture and beatings the like. i'm sure i'm missing many of these parallels, but one of the last ones I want to highlight at the moment from GTN is the beloved pool scene: which serves as a confession chamber for Harrow's "sins", a baptism for them both, and a pledge of devotion to each other. Gideon expresses forgiveness too, despite all odds: when Harrow says"I don't deserve it," and Gideon says, "Maybe not...but that doesn't stop me from forgiving you" (p. 430). there's a question of whether Harrow feels cleansed from her sins, because Gideon does not acknowledge them as such- therefore, no forgiveness can really be had, perhaps, in Harrow's mind, because the crime she feels she has committed is not acknowledged. to be discussed further in that chapter!

why does the threes find significance in the series? three is a super important number in the bible, and comes up often there. three can be a symbol of divinity, of faith, of resurrection and of redemption. threes can signify a complete cycle, and is also used in testing people's faith: trials often come in threes. obviously we have the Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: arguably Jod, Gideon, and Alecto. (Alecto also being one of three Furies in Greek mythology...) In the first scene of GTN, when Gideon is waiting for the shuttle in the dusty landing pad, three people try to tempt her back into the Ninth: Crux, Aiglamene, and Harrow. Jesus too was in the desert, tempted three different times over 40 days, and refused temptation.

these threes are something i definitely want to keep tracking- and if i've missed some in the first chapter of GTN, please shout them out! i'll update this here, and will keep flagging the threes and all biblical references i spot throughout the book, as i believe it's a great tool to uncover more meaning within the text!

UPDATE: after reading this interview, Tamsyn notes that there's like 6 different figures who play christ. i'd like to revisit this with Harrow's perspective in mind as well: with the harrowing of Hell being explicity her namesake, which Jesus carries out, and carrying Gideon's sword through all of HTN like a cross on her back, and her own suffering for the sins of innocents... but i'm getting ahead of myself! would love to see what others think about where Christ comparisons pop up for the other characters: i've been so Gideon focused i've probably missed tons!

#the locked tomb #gideon the ninth #eden's tlt reread #tlt spoilers #tlt

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