#Confronting Iniquity

[mindfulldsliving]

Come Follow Me Book of Mormon Insights: Mosiah 11-17 - "A Light … That Can Never Be Darkened"

This week, we turn our focus to Mosiah chapters 11-17, where the powerful theme "A Light ... That Can Never Be Darkened" resonates strongly.

Abinadi before King Noah. Created by Andrew Bosley. Having embarked on the Come Follow Me Book of Mormon study, you’re probably eager for new insights and deeper understanding. This week, we turn our focus to Mosiah chapters 11-17, where the powerful theme “A Light … That Can Never Be Darkened” resonates strongly. These chapters provide a compelling narrative of faith, resilience, and divine…

[follows-the-bees]

How windows are used to show the growing friendship of Cas and Dean in Free to Be You and Me

I posted my first analysis on the cinematography of 5x03 and this time I want to focus on windows.

I noticed that windows in this episode are used for the lighting and cinematography a lot more than normal episodes.

Rooms without or less prominent windows

First, we have Cas showing up in a mirror with Dean, and while this is done for comedy, mirrors are often used to reflect the true feelings of characters.

Cas asks for Dean's help. As they talk they stand closer to each other. The mirror prominent on one side and a closed curtain window on the other.

The other scene without a window is when the duo are in the "den of iniquity." At this point, they are at odds. Dean thinks he's helping his friend experience something before he dies but Cas is not enjoying this. He is visibly uncomfortable. While their friendship is growing, they are not on the same page, lacking understanding just like lacking windows.

Windows

After driving for who know how long in Baby, Dean and Cas work on the case together. The first time this has been done. They are in an office full of windows and an open door, symbolizing how they are on their way, open to a deepening friendship.

The walls are solid, visceral colors. From the pink tones in the brothel to this greenish blue of the hospital room. Something about these color choices as well.

They continue on their case with confronting Raphael. They stand physically apart but emotionally supportive.

The window blinds are open. Later when Raphael's in his true vessel and confronting Cas and Dean, we see very prominent windows behind them. These windows show the opposing elements: fire inside the building symbolizing Cas and Dean strength over Raphael and the rain/storm happening outside, representing Raphael's strength. When he blows out the windows bringing the elements inside, instead of separating or lessening the duo's power it brings them together physically and emotionally.

Before they confront Raphael, some of my favorite cinematography happens. Cas and Dean are sitting in the abandoned house. A giant window shining the only light into the room is behind them. This is the moment where Dean finds out Cas will probably die during this mission he chooses to try and give Cas a nice time (according to Dean) before this happens. The light through the open curtains shines on them like the budding of their friendship.

Baby

Cas and Dean spend probably what is the longest time so far together in Baby. Dean insists they drive to Maine which would at the very least take a day depending where they are.

At the end of all of this journey, they end up having a heart-to-heart in Baby. While Dean does not believe in Cas' cause, Cas is down trodden, and Dean decides to lift Cas up instead. By this time, the case and everything they go through has strengthened their friendship.

Outside

We have two scenes of Cas and Dean outside. First, when they arrive in Maine for the case, they go to the police department. Dean fixes Cas' tie and puts the fake FBI badge in his pocket, a gesture to make Cas look presentable.

The other outside scene is after Cas and Dean escape the brothel. Dean puts his arm around Cas and laughs and Cas smiles - for only the second time. At this point, these are the highpoints of the growing bond between them.

They are at odds in scenes without windows and grow closer in scenes with open blinds, light streaming through. And are at their closest when outside, free to be themselves.

This episode is not only about Raphael but about the growing bond and friendship between Cas and Dean.

[sheepstiel]

cas is in the empty, dreaming about his regrets and thus, all the times he could have told dean he loved him. (when dean prayed to him in purgatory after their fight. when he left dean at the bunker, telling him it's time to move on. before dean agreed to be possessed by michael. when he grasped at dean's shoulders, after he came back from the empty. when he almost died and vaguely told dean. when he killed billie to save his family. when he let dean walk into his death and offered to go with him. when dean didn't kill him under the influence the mark of cain. in dean's room, when they just saved him from being a demon. when he gave up an army for dean. in front of the gas'n'sip, when dean was about to leave him there again. in that bar, when they were looking for cupid. in purgatory, when dean found him again. when he remembered dean after he was emmanuel. before he walked into that lake. when dean confronted him about his deal with crowley. when he watched dean rake leaves. when dean was kneeling at his feet, asking him if he was god. in that alley, his knuckles red with dean's blood. when he was starving for red meat and affection. in the beautiful room. when he saw dean laughing, after they left behind that den of iniquity. in the light of the vending machine, when they first changed fate. in the hospital, when he told dean that he started the apocalypse. in that motel room, when he told dean about the seals. in that barn, where he first met dean face to face. back in hell, when he raised dean.)

[spacetimesally]

Dr. Fedley's abandoned Rejuvenation Chamber & Health Emporium becomes the makeshift hideout for the Potterson Gang, but as Sally goes in search of the ne'er-do-wells, she finds the healthy-minded hotspot has become a house of horrors in, "Frighten the Devil"

Other Timelines, Other Lifetimes Series…

Other Timelines, Other Lifetimes Series - The Astounding Wonders of Spacetime Sally, envisioned as a 1920s/30s pulp era sci-fi serial, this timeline/lifetime would see Captain Sally Hannigan as the number one ace pilot of Metropolitan Star Command defending and protecting earth’s capitol city, New St. Vivian, a sprawling metropolis and home to earth’s first spaceport.

...

I had ChatGPT-4 recreate the above storyline blurb as an old-timey sci-fi serial radio drama:

Listeners of discernment and aficionados of the astral drama, lend your ears to the unfolding saga of 'Spacetime Sally,' our valiant voyager of the void! In the chilling narrative of this episode, entitled 'Frighten the Devil,' a venue of vanished vitality comes to the fore.

Behold, Dr. Fedley's once-celebrated Rejuvenation Chamber & Health Emporium, a sanctuary for the ailing and the aged, now forsaken and forgotten. Yet within its silent halls lurks a presence most vile—the notorious Potterson Gang, scoundrels of the spacelanes, have claimed this deserted haven as their den of iniquity.

But fear not, for our dauntless Sally, ever the beacon of justice, embarks upon a quest to unearth these malefactors. As she delves deeper into the depths of the emporium, what was once a haven of healing reveals its true nature—a veritable house of horrors!

What unspeakable terrors await our heroine as she confronts the fiends within? Can Sally unveil the mysteries shrouded in the shadows of this ghastly retreat? Join us, dear audience, in 'Frighten the Devil,' where courage confronts the macabre, and the spectral secrets of the emporium await to be laid bare!

Do not miss this harrowing chapter in the adventures of 'Spacetime Sally,' where the eerie and the ethereal intertwine in a tale that will surely chill you to the marrow! Tune in, hold your breath, and prepare to be enthralled by the spectral spectacle!

[lakemojave]

Tonight at 6pm Pacific: The Direct Actors, A Baldur's Gate 3 "Adventure" pt. 14!

It's time to scope out the mausoleum and kick Ketheric Thorm's white ass! Our party's had a nice, healthy talk about their feelings too :3. Come see @radiofreederry play Dhudlei Durite, elf paladin, my friends Nana and April play Leviathan, Dragonborn Dark Urge Monk, @caputvulpinum play Micah Harper, Tiefling Cleric, and me play Delilah "Mama D" Harper, Halfling Bard!

Art by @terrafey, recap under the cut. See y'all then!

THE STORY SO FAR: On the way to a union rally, Delilah "Mama D" Harper and her grandson Micah were abducted and taken aboard an ilithid nautiloid, which they escaped with mysterious dancer Leviathan and self-proclaimed "Champion of Ilmater and Paladin of Good" Dhudlei Durite. Each infected by a mind flayer tadpole, but so far immune from transforming into mind flayers themselves, The Direct Actors, as the party have come to be known, have been pushed to their breaking point in the Shadow-Cursed lands, and now look to break the power of Ketheric Thorm and end the curse once and for all...

LAST TIME: After the harrowing drama at the inn, the Direct Actors took some time to work on fixing Karlach's heart before returning to camp and recuperating. Leviathan rebuffed Micah's attempts to talk to him about the events with Wyll, and the party took a trip to the local tavern, where Mama D tricked Ketheric Thorm's undead son Thisobold into drinking himself to death and revealing that Ketheric's weakness could be found in the Thorm mausoleum.

With Dhudlei disguised as a gnome to avoid identification by Ketheric, the Direct Actors finally arrived at Moonrise Towers, where they met the undying paladin, Dhudlei's onetime best friend, now in command of the Absolute's forces, who also seemed to know Leviathan. Assumed a True Soul by the cultists, Leviathan was given some goblins to punish, and he gave into his Urge by having them choke themselves to death.

The party then infiltrated the castle's prison where, with some help from New Gale's time powers, managed to break out the tieflings and gnomes imprisoned there, before leaving Moonrise to rest up at camp.

Dhudlei confronted Micah about keeping secrets and Micah revealed the truth about what had happened with Isobel before the timeline was reset. Dhudlei and Micah then went on to have a heart to heart in which they both opened their hearts to each other, with Dhudlei feeling Micah's hatred for the iniquities of the world, and Micah experiencing the depth of suffering and pain Dhudlei had experienced in his long life, which had forged him into the paladin he was today.

Meanwhile, Mama D confronted Leviathan, only to be met by a new personality unlike the ones the party had thus far known. This Leviathan alternated between making veiled threats, tearing at Mama D's insecurites, and acting like he wanted to be her friend, which culminated in the third Leviathan assaulting Mama D and beating her near to death. The entire party then confronted Leviathan, which ended in an admission by both regular Leviathans of their insecurites, fears, and desires, although they still rebuffed the party's overtures to help them, resolving only to find their way together to Baldur's Gate. The day ended with the party mostly having knit their bond back together, but with the spectre of the third Leviathan hanging over them, and careless comments by Mama D having once again shaken Micah's faith in her.

Will Dhudlei and Micah have another heart-to-heart? Will the third Leviathan emerge again? Where did Raphael get to anyway? Will Mama D finally just fucking tell her grandson that she loves him? Find out in another exciting instalment of Baldur's Gate 3, starring the Direct Actors!

[woobyo]

Masterlist:

The Solider:

(Sirius&Regulus, Jegulus, Wolfstar)

Sirius Black finds himself in his eleven year old body. With the knowledge of his formerly deceased baby brother fresh in his mind, he knows there is a lot to do to keep the ones he loves safe.

There is nothing Sirius will not do for the people he loves, and there is no one he loves more than his little brother.

Sweet Deception:

(Jegulus)

In Regulus’ experience, the dinner table is where everyone’s dark secrets come to light.

The dinner he organises for Remus’ birthday is no different.

Secrets, lies and betrayal all come out thanks to the intervention of an unknown figure, but who is really to blame for the dishonesty plaguing his family?

Devotion:

(Jegulus)

“Would you lie for me?”

“Yes.”

“Die for me?”

“Yes.”

Regulus licks James’ jaw, “Kill for me?”

“Name them.”

Teeth dig into James’ neck before Regulus whispers a name.

“Sirius.”

And James already knows what he will wear to the funeral.

Iniquity:

(Jegulus)

James wakes up to a warm weight in his lap and a blade against his throat. Somehow, this is the least concerning part of the experience, because for some bizarre reason his beloved is actually upset with him which is simply unthinkable.

This is what James gets for trying to be romantic.

Memories Fall to Ash:

(Sirius&Regulus, Jegulus, Wolfstar)

When Walburga goes too far, it is Regulus who pays the price.

Sirius doesn’t understand why his baby brother is sleeping so deeply, and he doesn’t like it, but he is a good big brother—he will wake him by whatever means necessary and keep him safe.

Because he is a good big brother.

Out of Bounds:

(Jegulus)

When the lights in Regulus’ apartment go out, he assumes he is in for a quiet evening.

Instead, he is confronted by his clingy ex who refuses to let him go.

Luckily for him, Regulus is more inclined to hear him out than he might think.

[resolvedbrunette]

sermon notes 10/13/2024

on breaking familial cycles

Genesis 26

The way you were raised doesn’t necessitate your behavior

“Like mother/father, like daughter” doesn’t need to be true

Isaac began to go down the same (fear-led) path that Abraham did

Egypt a common allegory for the (secular) world

The promised land had famines to test the faith of God’s people

The salvation of His people was unconditional - he would always look after them and keep them alive, at least to some remnant

the blessings were conditional (at times)

Isaac’s fear of what men would do to him made him trust God less

His fear actually put the person he loved (Rebekah) at risk

Isaac worked hard, and this brought him prosperity

God blessed him because of His promise to his family

God blesses us because of His promise to us through Jesus (???)

His promise that we’ll have eternal life

** What about here on earth? Salvation doesn’t apply to daily life

Isaac understood that there was a time to contest and a time to move on

Difference between approaches in father and son:

Abraham was confrontational during well disputes

** find scriptural evidence of this

Isaac was avoidant during well disputes (simply build another)

We need discernment to know which approach to use

Overarching theme: The faithfulness of God and His promises, mercy, and grace to us.

Supplemental scriptures:

*Psalm 27

*Proverbs 29:25

*Psalm 56:11/118:6

II Timothy 1:7

Side notes:

(I feel like) God is not doing great things in my life

(a relationship with) Jesus is like running water from a spring to satisfy the thirst of our soul

A parent can negatively influence a child, committing the same sin - affected by parents’ choices?

Idea of generational curses - Exodus 20:2 should not make carved images, iniquities of father upon son to 3rd and 4th generations to those who hate God - therefore believers are not susceptible.

[proclaimtheword]

God the Sovereign Savior

I will love You, O Lord, my strength.

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.

In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry.

Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet.

And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind.

He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies.

From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire.

He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them.

Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.

He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me.

They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support.

He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me.

For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God.

For all His judgments were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me.

I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity.

Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;

With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks.

For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall.

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?

It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places.

He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great.

You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.

I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.

I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet.

For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me.

You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me.

They cried out, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them.

Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; A people I have not known shall serve me.

As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me.

The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.

The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted.

It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me;

He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man.

Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

Great deliverance He gives to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forevermore.

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭18‬:‭1‬-‭50 ‭NKJV

[profanepurity]

Does lilith have any sister? In kabbalistic text she have three sister

My interpretation of Lilith does not have any sisters, but I believe I know the three you're talking about. Naamah, Agrat, and Eisheth are super interesting to me! WIP Character Bios/ Intros below the cut!

I'll start with a broad summary of all three of their backgrounds. Naamah, Agrat, and Eisheth originated as three Cherubim who guarded the Garden of Eden with Uriel. They were companions to Lilith and Adam during their marriage. When Lilith was banished from Eden, they followed her into the desert while Uriel stayed behind with Adam and Eve. Lilith, Naamah, Agrat, and Eisheth became the first succubi and queens of Hell.

Naamah

Desire plagued Naamah after her fall. It was something that clawed inside of her every day and night like a caged animal, but she had no idea how to quell the torment. She attempted to blame it on her sin, but she had felt this hunger within her even when she was still an angel. The urge haunted her when she looked at Lilith's neck and the veins running in Adam's arms. It was easier to suppress and ignore it back then. Naamah's prerogative to protect Lilith never left her, so harming her was never an option. When her fall from grace amplified it to an unbearable point, Naamah made the decision to isolate herself. She met Belial one night when she was walking through the desert aimlessly, weak and cold, vaguely following the howls of wolves in the distance. His jaws had been latched into the neck of an angel. Innocent blood coated Belial's face, chest, and the body of the slowly dying entity of light. The hunger was excruciating as she witnessed the murder. So when Belial looked at her and moved back from the body, Naamah did not hesitate to plunge her teeth into the already mutilated throat. Finally, her desire had been satiated by blood. Not only that, she found someone who was cursed in the same way that she was. Still, the idea of having to kill to survive troubled Naamah initially. For a while, she only drank when Belial offered his own blood to her. This motivated her to cave to the necessity so that she could afford to offer Belial her blood when he needed it. By the time their daughter Aclima, the first vampire, was born, Naamah no longer hesitated to kill. The Mother of Vampires is like a comforting, de-stimulating blanket of shade. Her presence is shielding from harsh light and intimate in the way two lovers in a dark room together are. But as the Queen of Iniquity, she is also the unforgiving, cold touch of a blade against flesh. A predator must eat; that is nature.

Agrat

Her presence has always been intimidating and intense. Even as a Cherub, Agrat was the first to raise her sword at any sign of a threat. Confrontation and conflict were never things she shied away from, especially if it was in defense of someone close to her. But despite being quick to battle, Agrat is a tactful and deceiving opponent. After her fall, Agrat encountered creatures that tested her in combat. She battled monsters from the deepest pits who made her question her ability to protect the very few people she had in her circle. This only fueled her wrath in battle, which led her closer and closer to Azazel. Azazel was born from the embodiment of Hell and Wrath himself. He rules over the monsters that crawl out of Hell to walk the Earth. Like magnets, Agrat and Azazel were locked in sporadic, counterbalanced battles for Azazel's throne over the beasts of Hell for centuries. When Azazel began to devour the sins that humans cast onto him to cleanse their souls, Agrat was worried their balance of power would be shifted in his favor. But it wasn't until Azazel was chained and buried in the desert by Archangel Raphael that their quarreling was truly disrupted. Displeased with this, Agrat, the daughter of deception, went to Azazel's burial sight and danced to distract the angels who were guarding it so Azazel could escape. They killed the angels together and formed a truce, which led to them agreeing to rule side by side. Along with ruling the beasts of Hell, Agrat and Azazel oversee the Pits where the damned are eternally tortured. On Earth, Agrat will sometimes dance on the rooftops of houses as a distraction from the hoards of Lilim coming to feast on unclean souls. Agrat also created the Daemi, a species of demon who guard the borders of the Pits to keep any of the damned from escaping into the peaceful regions of Hell.

Eisheth

As a Cherub, Eisheth was the most verbally compassionate of the guardians of Eden. She naturally brought comfort to the people around her and knew how to de-escalate situations quickly and peacefully. Even as a succubus, her sweet voice, bubbly personality, and soft appearance could ease even the most bellicose of demons. Much like Naamah, Eisheth hid a dark desire within herself that she only began to explore once she had fallen. Her tongue not only thirsted for blood and violence but also the flavor of souls, leading her to become the most intemperate of the four queens. She often partners with Baalzebub and Belphegor when tempting men to sin and feast on their tainted spirits. Eisheth targets those who glut on money, food, and flesh. In some cases, she favors them and offers them an afterlife of hedonism in hell with her. Others are not so lucky, but it depends on the severity of their transgression in life. For those who have committed the most egregious of sins, Eisheth will ensure their descent into Hell is excruciating. Despite the twisted nature of her hunts, Eisheth still holds warmth for the people who are close to her. Her own desires of the flesh can be mellowed and soft when she is with people she loves. Her marriage to Belphegor is a fulfilling one. She is more than happy to take up certain tasks for him to help him relax more or get more work done. She's always been fascinated by his experiments, especially the ones that involve torturing the damned. When his test subjects are too broken to be of any use to him, Belphegor will give the broken versions of their souls to her to eat.

[orthodoxadventure]

Psalm 18 (NKJV)

I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, And devouring fire from His mouth; Coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down With darkness under His feet. And He rode upon a cherub, and flew; He flew upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire.

The Lord thundered from heaven, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. He sent out His arrows and scattered the foe, Lightnings in abundance, and He vanquished them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, The foundations of the world were uncovered At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. I was also blameless before Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His sight.

With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, But will bring down haughty looks.

For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.

For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God? It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your right hand has held me up, Your gentleness has made me great. You enlarged my path under me, So my feet did not slip.

I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. I have wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have subdued under me those who rose up against me. You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me. They cried out, but there was none to save; Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. Then I beat them as fine as the dust before the wind; I cast them out like dirt in the streets.

You have delivered me from the strivings of the people; You have made me the head of the nations; A people I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me they obey me; The foreigners submit to me. The foreigners fade away, And come frightened from their hideouts.

The Lord lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God who avenges me, And subdues the peoples under me; He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.

Great deliverance He gives to His king, And shows mercy to His anointed, To David and his descendants forevermore.

[ongolecharles]

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Sat July 20th, 2024 ... Saturday of The Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year B

Reading 1

---------

Mi 2:1-5

Woe to those who plan iniquity,

and work out evil on their couches;

In the morning light they accomplish it

when it lies within their power.

They covet fields, and seize them;

houses, and they take them;

They cheat an owner of his house,

a man of his inheritance.

Therefore thus says the LORD:

Behold, I am planning against this race an evil

from which you shall not withdraw your necks;

Nor shall you walk with head high,

for it will be a time of evil.

On that day a satire shall be sung over you,

and there shall be a plaintive chant:

"Our ruin is complete,

our fields are portioned out among our captors,

The fields of my people are measured out,

and no one can get them back!"

Thus you shall have no one

to mark out boundaries by lot

in the assembly of the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm

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

Ps 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14

R. (12b) Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

Why, O LORD, do you stand aloof?

Why hide in times of distress?

Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted,

who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived.

R. Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

For the wicked man glories in his greed,

and the covetous blasphemes, sets the LORD at nought.

The wicked man boasts, "He will not avenge it";

"There is no God," sums up his thoughts.

R. Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit;

under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

He lurks in ambush near the villages;

in hiding he murders the innocent;

his eyes spy upon the unfortunate.

R. Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow,

taking them in your hands.

On you the unfortunate man depends;

of the fatherless you are the helper.

R. Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

Alleluia

----------

2 Cor 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,

and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

-----------

Mt 12:14-21

The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus

to put him to death.

When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.

Many people followed him, and he cured them all,

but he warned them not to make him known.

This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved in whom I delight;

I shall place my Spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

He will not contend or cry out,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break,

a smoldering wick he will not quench,

until he brings justice to victory.

And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

As I sit here on my couch writing this reflection, my mind keeps coming back to a couple of questions:  Which one am I?  Am I a wicked one who sits on his couch, scheming how to get ahead at someone else’s expense (as in Micah); and then boasts proudly as he “glories in” accumulated riches (as in today’s Psalm)?   Or am I a gentle, Spirit-following soul who seeks to bring justice to all?  The reality lies somewhere in the middle of those two extremes, even though I hope like it is more to the justice-seeking side. 

If the choice is between (a) cheating, stealing, murder and blasphemy (evil traits described in Micah and the Psalm) or (b) caring, loving, and bringing justice, most of us would emphatically declare “B”!  However, we rarely find ourselves called to decide between such extreme options.  Instead, we find ourselves confronted with a series of smaller choices each day, and we may not recognize how our choices direct our paths.  Too often time is spent on the couch, binge-watching a show, considering potential vacation destinations, or thinking about home enhancements or a new car, when it should be spent off the couch actively seeking to do God’s will.

Christians are called, as I John 2:6 reminds us, to live as Christ lived.   I marvel at those individuals who emulate Christ as they interact lovingly and compassionately with co-workers, grocery store clerks, restaurant workers, crotchety neighbors, difficult family members – in short, with everyone in just about every situation.  Their actions appear effortless and natural, and perhaps it seems so because I know how effortful and unnatural those actions seem when I try them.  A useful parallel can be found in music.  When a great pianist plays a beautiful piece, the music almost flows from their fingers.  My musician friends tell me how much they dislike it when someone attempts to compliment them by saying “I wish I could play like you” because they are tempted to respond: “No, you don’t, or you would work really hard to do so.”  The less informed may think that the beautiful music is just because of talent, a gift from God; but the musicians know that, in addition to talent, many, many, many hours were spent practicing scales, eliminating wrong notes, and developing intimacy with their instrument so that playing becomes second nature.  Even then, they keep practicing so that their artistry continues to seem effortless.

If I really mean it when I claim that “I wish I could live a Christlike life” like the people at whom I marvel, then I need to put in the necessary work so that it becomes second nature.  I must practice showing love, extending forgiveness, and seeking justice on a regular basis.  Fortunately, God provides ample opportunities to practice each day with multiple small situations that allow me to work on the basics (practice the scales, if you will) and to eliminate the mistakes (and there will be mistakes).  My planning time on the couch (to revisit the Micah metaphor) should be focused on developing intimacy with the Holy Spirit who will work with me and through me to bring justice.  As I demonstrate trustworthiness in a few small things, Matthew 25:21 indicates that I will be trusted with more and bigger chances.  Even more exciting, many of the small things – that is to say, things that seemed small to you – will turn out to be really big things for someone else.  

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

Saint Apollinaris

(d. c. 79)

Saint Apollinaris’ Story

According to tradition, Saint Peter sent Apollinaris to Ravenna, Italy, as its first bishop. His preaching of the Good News was so successful that the pagans there beat him and drove him from the city. He returned, however, and was exiled a second time. After preaching in the area surrounding Ravenna, he entered the city again. After being cruelly tortured, he was put on a ship heading to Greece. Pagans there caused him to be expelled to Italy, where he went to Ravenna for a fourth time. He died from wounds received during a savage beating at Classis, a suburb of Ravenna. A beautiful basilica honoring him was built there in the sixth century.

Reflection

---------

Following Jesus involves risks—sometimes the supreme risk of life itself. Martyrs are people who would rather accept the risk of death than deny the cornerstone of their whole life: faith in Jesus Christ. Everyone will die eventually—the persecutors and those persecuted. The question is what kind of a conscience people will bring before the Lord for judgment. Remembering the witness of past and present martyrs can help us make the often small sacrifices that following Jesus today may require.

***

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[kevinharrispastor]

God is Holy

By Kevin is pastor of Illawarra Community Baptist Church, a suburb of Wollongong, NSW.

God is holy.

Habakkuk 1:13 says,‘Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity...”

Ezekiel 18:4 states, ‘. . . the soul that sinneth, it shall die.’ Why? Because God is absolutely holy!

Exodus 34:7 declares that God ‘. . . will by no means clear the guilty...’ There is only one reason God does not overlook our sin – He is holy!

Zechariah 8:17 says, ‘And let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath: for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.’ Hatred against sin is part of what it is to be holy.

Do you know that God is holy?Psalm 113:5-6 asks,‘Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,  Whohumbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!’

God is incredibly holy!

Many of God’s choice servants were confronted with a holy God at the beginning of their ministries.    

Moses encountered a holy God when he came across a burning bush one day.  God said in Exodus 3:5 ‘. . . Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.’

One day, the Lord Jesus performed a miracle that astounded Peter so much that we read in Luke 5:8,‘When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’

And in Isaiah chapter six, Isaiah stands before a thrice-holy God and trembles. 

God’s holiness is the one characteristic above all of God’s other attributes that the angels of heaven choose to exclaim over!  He’s holy!

God is so holy that when Nadab and Abihu, Aaron’s sons, offered strange fire, God immediately struck them dead.

He is so holy that when the Israelites murmured and complained, God wouldn’t overlook it. Thousands were destroyed in judgment from the Lord.

He is so holy that in the book of Joshuawhen Achan disobeyed God and stole, he was stoned to death.

He is so holy that when Ananias and Sapphira lied in Acts chapter 5, God struck them dead.

I believe we need a fresh picture of the holiness of God in our city of Wollongong and in the nation of Australia.  If we could just get a good understanding of God’s holiness, it would dramatically reduce the pleasure we find in wickedness.

God said in Psalm 50:21,‘These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.’

When I see that God is not sinful like me, but that He hates sin, and when I realise that I will stand before Him someday in judgment for my sin, I’ll be careful how I live. 

You see, sin will not go unpunished.

Let me illustrate it with Australia’s justice system.  It is the responsibility of our nation’s courts to pursue justice, not to be merciful.

Have you ever heard anyone say, ‘I could never live in a country that would build places to punish people — some for the rest of their lives — just because they raped a girl and murdered her’?  Not very likely!  It is obvious that a government is within its bounds when it dispenses justice.  ‘You do the crime, you do the time,’ is a saying almost everyone agrees with.

What many people do not understand, however, is that God is perfectly just in sending those who break His laws to a place of punishment.  Yet a popular argument for those who deny the God of the Bible is that a loving God would never punish anyone in hell.   God has a system of justice too, and it is of the purest form.  He has a set of guidelines that must be obeyed.  If they aren’t followed exactly, punishment eventually results.  And since none of us is perfect, we all deserve that punishment.

But God is not a God of justice only.  We can be pardoned from our sin because Christ paid our debt when He died on the cross.  By receiving Him as our Saviour, we escape eternal punishment because Christ has already been punished for us. 

God’s holiness demands justice, but He also offers mercy.  That’s a loving God in action.

Let’s bow before Him, worshipping Him for being both holy and merciful.

Kevin is pastor of the Illawarra Community Baptist Church in Dapto, located approximately 15 minutes south of Wollongong, NSW.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

SAINT OF THE DAY (May 25)

On May 25, the Catholic Church celebrates Pope St. Gregory VII, who sought to reform the Church and secure its freedom against the intrusion of civil rulers during his 11th-century pontificate.

Born in the Italian region of Tuscany sometime between 1020 and 1025, the future Pope Gregory VII was originally named Hildebrand.

His father Bonzio is thought to have been a carpenter or peasant farmer, while his mother's name is unknown. His uncle Laurentius was abbot of a monastery in Rome.

Sent to the school run by his uncle's monastery, Hildebrand entered a world of discipline and fervent devotion.

After his primary education, he entered religious life as a monk.

Hildebrand served as chaplain to his mentor John Gratian who had a brief and turbulent reign as Pope Gregory VI.

In 1046, Hildebrand left Rome for Cologne along with Gratian, who was forced to leave Rome and resign from the Papacy.

After the former Pope's death in 1047, Hildebrand left for France and spent more than a year in the monastery at Cluny.

During 1049, he made the acquaintance of Bruno of Toul, who would soon become Pope Leo IX.

Under his reign, Hildebrand was put in charge of a historic monastery, which he rescued from structural and administrative ruin through a series of reforms.

Hildebrand served Leo IX as an adviser and legate until the Pope's death in 1054.

While others considered him a possible successor to Leo, Hildebrand did not wish to be elected, though he continued his work as an influential and respected cardinal during several subsequent pontificates.

In April 1073, Hildebrand was finally elected as Pope Gregory VII.

Though he still did not want the office, his electors praised him as “a devout man … mighty in human and divine knowledge, a distinguished lover of equity and justice, a man firm in adversity and temperate in prosperity.”

Overwhelming challenges confronted the new Pope – including scandalous corruption among the clergy, a hardening schism between the churches of Rome and Constantinople, and a struggle against civil rulers who claimed a right to choose the Church's clergy and control its properties.

In March 1074, Gregory promulgated a sweeping set of reforming decrees. These met with widespread opposition, but the Pope stood his ground.

The resulting standoff pitted him against the German Emperor Henry IV, who sought to depose the Pope when threatened with excommunication.

The Pope carried out his threat and declared that the emperor's subjects were no longer bound to obey him as their ruler.

In 1077, the emperor was forced to come before the Pope as a penitent, spending three days waiting in the snow before he was received and given the conditions of his reconciliation.

Though temporarily reconciled, Henry was excommunicated for later attacks, which included supporting a rival pope and invading Rome.

Gregory never gave up his pontificate but was forced to flee the city in 1084.

“I have loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile,” he proclaimed, just before his death in Salerno on 25 May 1085.

Remembered as a champion of the Church's freedom against state intrusion, Gregory VII was beatified by Pope Gregory XIII in 1584. He was canonized by Pope Benedict XIII on 24 May 1728.

[queerfables]

#yes yes yes #another excellent one fable #the 'ah hah' moment never felt right to me either #but a 'oh fuck' survival instinct kicking into gear? #perfect sense for him and his character and his behavior for the rest of the following episodes #Crowley is stressed for most of this season yes but think about his interactions with Jim before and after this moment #he goes from patiently asking questions to trying to eliminate a threat #even the way he growls in Jimbriel's face is different before and after this moment #he's in full 'oh fuck we're going to get caught' mode and instinct takes over from there #and that tension sticks with him even after he figures out that Jim is not currently a threat #we go from lazily wandering around the shop before to stalking around the shop after #from excitedly trying to get nina and maggie together to full 'we have bigger problems' mode #especially when unlike Aziraphale we don't really see Crowley get accused of their relationship outside of this right like #we don't get his version of a boyfriend in the dark glasses comment #or his version of everyone thought you were an item #this is a brand new kind of threat for him #and the kind of threat that goes against every instinct he's learned in the past millennia #the only way to be safe is to be unnoticed #and if Nina can clock what he's feeling after seeing them just a few times in passing #instantly makes the former archangel literally living with them an immediately bigger threat #im sorry i keep rambling in your tags asdfas (@halemerry)

Omg friend don't you dare be sorry about this!! As usual your insights are spot on. You are so right that this conversation marks a turning point in Crowley's tension throughout the season. And the fact that Crowley has never been confronted with other people's perceptions of them this way before feels significant to me as well.

This is kind of an aside but I think the reason Aziraphale has had this conversation several times before Crowley faces it even once has to do with the difference between angels and demons. In season 1, Uriel referring to Crowley as "your boyfriend in the dark glasses" always felt to me like a parallel with Hastur's scathing "you and your best friend Aziraphale". I think that based on the images they're expected to uphold, if you want to insult an angel, you accuse them of sex, and if you want to insult a demon, you accuse them of caring. I'd speculate demons consider "friend" a more sordid accusation than "boyfriend," which at least can be excused by claiming a foundation in lust and iniquity.

This maybe ties back to the way that Crowley and Aziraphale are always so much more afraid for each other than themselves. Crowley made peace with considering Aziraphale a friend, despite the risk, long before Aziraphale could bring himself to say it. And now Crowley finds his relationship with Aziraphale being seen as something other than friendship, and he's the one freaking out. Despite what he says to Aziraphale about smiting, his first concern is not what Gabriel might do to him. His behaviour towards Gabriel in the next scene proves it. Really, he's most worried about what Gabriel and the rest of Heaven could do to Aziraphale.

I've been weighing this for a while and I've finally settled on a reading of Crowley's big revelation in 2x05 that makes sense to me. It's my best guess at what's going on in his head, accounting for the conversation that leads up to this moment, and the conversations that follow.

Full disclosure, I don't have much evidence to discount the possibility that this is Crowley realising how he feels about Aziraphale, except that I think the overarching narrative of Good Omens holds together better if he already knew. I do think my interpretation is stronger in context, though.

Let's review, then: Crowley and Nina have a conversation in which Nina assumes Crowley and Aziraphale are a couple, Crowley denies it, and Nina refuses to believe him. She pries into the reasons he might be lying and finishes up by saying, "Other people's love lives always seem so much more straightforward than our own." Crowley walks off looking like he's been hit by a truck.

In his next scene, Crowley is getting day drunk at the French restaurant across from the bookshop. He invites Aziraphale to drink with him, which Aziraphale declines. Crowley quickly starts brooding about the archangel they're hiding in the bookshop. "I spent last night worrying if he's going to wake up. What if he remembers who he is? What if he's faking it?"

I think there's a clear and direct line from conversation A to conversation B. Crowley realises that everyone can see he and Aziraphale are in love. Crowley panics about Gabriel regaining his memories. Rather than a revelation of feelings, I think this was a revelation of danger. Crowley and Aziraphale have survived through secrecy and deception, and it's hitting Crowley that their performance is slipping, under what could be the most intense scrutiny they've ever faced.

This could be a factor in Crowley's subsequent confrontation of Gabriel. I agree with @baggvinshield that pushing Gabriel to jump out the window was a test, but I also think that behind the calculating strategy is scared animal instinct. Gabriel is a threat that it would be safest to just eliminate. Crowley needs to be really fucking sure about him.

It makes sense if the conversation with Nina is what triggers Crowley's fears to resurface, because Crowley's just spent almost a full day alone with Gabriel and he wasn't on high alert the whole time. He let his guard down a little when discussing gravity and while summoning the rainstorm for Maggie and Nina. He was pretty keen to get out of there when Aziraphale got back, but he also sounded fairly relaxed when asked about Gabriel. I think in that moment he's more unsettled by Shax lurking around and the consequences of harbouring a fugitive than afraid of Gabriel himself.

I think Crowley's revelation reads like a romantic "oh" because that's what we're primed to expect. It's a common trope, right? Someone accuses the romantic leads of acting like a couple and they realise it's true. But I think that Crowley's jump to fretting about Gabriel makes more sense if he's realising how obvious their feelings are than if he's only just realising what they mean.

[fogaminghub]

🚀 What secrets lie within the shadows of Compson's Stead? Join us in our newest blog post as we explore the side quest The Iniquities of History from Red Dead Redemption 2! Help Jeremiah uncover his lost possessions and confront his dark past. 🌌

[awesomephd]

Watching Through My Collection: Day 39/67

Hellraiser: Deader (2005)

Day 38 / Day 40

Say what you will about so many of the Hellraiser sequels originating as unrelated scripts, it definitely makes me feel less bad for watching them out of order.

This one was pretty egregious still for what a tiny role the cenobites played and how it decided to resolve their involvement in the final act.

CW: Hellraiser-typical gore, body horror, and sexual themes. Child abuse and CSA

Maybe I've just got a soft spot for the grimy 2000's city thriller aesthetic, but I actually did like the non-cenobite focused scenes in crowded slums and subways. The dedicated train car of iniquity full of drugs and naked people was especially fun because it also had the best character in the ensemble.

It's a supernatural psychological thriller that could've been pretty decent if they hadn't decided to shove in everything to do with the puzzle box and cenobites.

The cenobites have no power with the cult for... reasons. Reasons that make the only one who can stop the cult the protagonist, Amy, but stopping the cult still only amounted to throwing down the configuration and letting Pinhead swing in to obliterate everyone in the room. The other cenobites you do see either barely move or are just simply boring to look at, and then their final confrontation with Amy after Pinhead takes out the cult resolves in her killing herself (because that definitely stops the cenobites from taking your soul) and then the place exploding.

There's also a random subplot/aspect where- because a cult ritual made her incapable of dying- Amy gets stabbed in the back and goes through the rest of the movie with a gash in her abdomen. The whole sequence of her discovering the blood first as it pours off her back, flailing to pull the knife out, and patching herself up with a rolled up towel held in place by duct tape is played so straight yet with no pain that makes it almost comedic.

Ultimately, not the absolute worst Hellraiser movie I've seen so far, but will probably not make it onto any marathon lists. If you like the Wishmaster series, this might even be enjoyable to you.