#Croatian New Testament Bible

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Druga poslanica Korinćanima 8:12 Ako ste doista spremni darivati druge, nije važno koliko možete dati. Bog očekuje da date ono što imate, a ne ono što nemate.

For if there is a ready mind, a man will have God's approval in the measure of what he has, and not of what he has not. — 2 Corinthians 8:12 | Knijga O Kristu (CRO) and The Bible in Basic English (BBE) Knijga O Kristu (Croatian New Testament) Copyright © 1982, 1992, 2000 by Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide and the Bible in Basic English is in the public domain. Cross References: Exodus 25:2; Mark 12:43; Luke 21:3-4; 2 Corinthians 8:11; 2 Corinthians 8:13; 2 Corinthians 8:19

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What does 2 Corinthians 8:12 mean?

[cincinnatusvirtue]

Countries that are no more: Republic of Venice (697AD-1797AD)

The first in a series I hope to feature on providing high level overviews of countries that existed and were influential to history or obscure and lost to most memory in time. The first up is the Republic of Venice.

Name: Serenisma Republega de Venesia (Venetian). In English this translates to the state's official name The Most Serene Republic of Venice. Also referred to as the Venetian Republic, Republic of Venice or just Venice.

Language: The official languages were the Romance languages of Latin, Venetian & later Italian. The regional dialect of Vulgar Latin in Northeastern Italy known as Veneto was the original language of Venice. This evolved in Venetian which was attested to as a distinct language as early as the 13th century AD. Venetian became the official language and lingua franca of the everyday Venetians and across parts of the Mediterranean although Latin would still be used in official documents and religious functions. Overtime, modern Italian was spoken in Venice though the Venetian language remains technically a separate language in Italy's Veneto region and the surrounding areas to this day.

Minority languages across the republic's territory included various Romance languages such as Lombard, Friulian, Ladin, Dalmatian and non-romance languages such as Albanian, Greek & Serbo-Croatian.

Territory: The republic was centered on the city of Venice founded in the Venetian lagoon on the north end of the Adriatic Sea to the northeast coast of the Italian peninsula. It also included the surrounding regions of mainland northeast Italy in the regions of Veneto and Friuli and parts of Lombardy. This became known as the terraferma or the mainland holdings of the republic. It also possessed overseas holdings in modern day Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece & Cyprus.

Symbols & Mottos: The main symbol of Venice was its flag which had the famed Winged Lion of St. Mark. This represented the republic's patron saint, St. Mark. Mark the Evangelist after whom the Gospel of Mark in the New Testament in the Bible is named. Mark's body and holy relics were taken by Venice and said to be housed in the Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark's Basilica) in Venice itself. Variations of this flag differed during times of peace & war. During peace the winged lion is seen holding an open book and during war flags depicted the lion with its paw upon a bible and an upright sword held in another paw.

The republic's motto in Latin was "Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus" or in English "Peace be to you Mark, my evangelist."

Religion: Roman Catholicism was the official religion of the state but Venice did have minorities of Eastern Orthodox & Protestant (usually foreign) Christian denominations at times in its territory and it also had small populations of Jews and Muslims to be found in Greek and Albanian territories during the wars with the Ottoman Empire.

Currency: Venetian ducat and later the Venetian lira.

Population: Though population varied overtime for the republic due to a variety of factors such as war & changing territory and disease & its subsequent effects. There was rough population recorded of 2.3 million people across all of its holdings in the mid sixteenth century (circa 1550-1560). The vast majority of its population was found in the terraferma of northern Italy and the city of Venice itself with its concentrated population on the islands within the Venetian Lagoon. The Greek island of Crete and the island of (Greek speaking) Cyprus were the most populous overseas possessions of the republic's territory. The rest of the population was found its various holdings in the Balkans mostly along the Adriatic coastline.

Government: The republic followed a complex mixed model of government. Essentially it could be characterized as a mixed parliamentary constitutional republic with a mercantile oligarchy ruling over it in practice. It had no formal written constitution, and this led to a degree of evolution without exactly defined roles often in reaction to happenings in its history. The resulting government became more complex overtime as institutions became increasingly fragmented in their size, scope and duties, some almost obsolete but still retained and others not fully defined. Yet, the republic managed to function quite well for most of its history. It incorporated elements of oligarchy, monarchy & limited democracy.

It's head of state and government was known as the Doge which is akin to the term of Duke. Though this similarity of name ends there. The Doge was neither similar to a duke in the modern sense nor was it meant as a hereditary position. The doge was rather a lifetime appointment much like the Pope for the Roman Catholic Church. Furthermore, doges were elected by the ruling elite of Venice, namely its wealthy oligarchy merchant class. The doge didn't have well defined & precise powers throughout the republic's 1,100-year history. It varied from great autocracy in the early parts of the republic to increasing regulation and restriction by the late 13th century onward. Though the doge always maintained a symbolic and ceremonial role throughout the republic's history. Some doges were forcibly removed from power and post-1268 until a new doge could be elected, the republic's rule transferred to the most senior ducal counsellor with the style of "vicedoge". After a doge's death following a commission was formed to study the doge's life and review it for moral and ethical transgressions and placed judgment upon him posthumously. If the commission found the deceased doge to have transgressed, his estate could be found liable and subject to fines. The doge was given plenty of ceremonial roles such as heading the symbolic marriage of Venice to the sea by casting a marriage ring into the sea from the doge's barge (similar to a royal yacht). Additionally, the doge was treated in foreign relations akin to a prince. It's titles and styles include "My Lord the Doge", "Most Serene Prince" and "His Serenity". The doge resided in the ducal palace (Palazzo Ducale) or Doge's Palace on the lagoonfront in Venice next St. Mark's Basilica and St. Mark's Square.

While the doge remained the symbolic and nominal head of the government, the oligarchy remained supreme overall. The supreme political organ was the 480-member Great Council. This assembly elected many of the office holders within the republic (including the doge) and the various senior councils tasked with administration, passing laws and judicial oversight. The Great Council's membership post 1297 was restricted to an inheritance by members of the patrician elite of the city of Venice's most noble families recorded in the famed Golden Book. This was divided between the old houses of the republic's earliest days and newer mercantile families if their fortunes should attain them property ownership and wealth. These families usually ranged between 20-30 total. They were socially forbidden from marrying outside their class & usually intermarried for political and economic reasons. Their economic concerns were chief to the whole of the republic and most centered on Eurasian & African trade throughout the Mediterranean Sea's basin. Members of these families served in the military and eventually rose to prominent positions of administration throughout the republic.

The Great Council overtime circumscribed the doge's power by creating councils devoted to oversight of the doge or executive and administrative functions (similar to modern executive cabinets or departments) whereas the doge became more and more a ceremonial role. The also created a senate which handled daily legislation. They also created a Council of Ten set to have authority over all government action. Other bodies were formed from this Great Council and others overtime. This resulted in intricate and overlapping yet separate bodies which found themselves subject to limitations with various checks on virtually each other's power. Essentially running as committees or sub-committees with checks on another committee's powers. These bodies weren't always completely defined in their scope and overtime their complexity led to battles to limit other's power (with limited success) along with gradual obsolescence and sometimes slow grinding administration.

Military: The military of Venice consisted of a relatively small army and a powerful navy. The famed Venetian Arsenal in Venice proper was essentially a complex of armories and shipyards to build and arm Venice's navy. The arsenal in Venice has the capacity to mass produce ships and weapons in the Middle Ages, centuries before the Industrial Revolution allowed for modern mass production in economic and military applications. Venice's military was designed towards protecting it possessions both in Italy and its overseas territories. The primary concern was to secure Venice's trade routes to the rest of Europe as well as Asia & Africa. It faced opponents' overtime ranging from the Franks, the Byzantine Empire, Bulgarians to other Italian city-states, France, Austria, the Ottoman Empire and Barbary Corsairs along with European pirates in the Adriatic and Mediterranean. It played key roles as a naval transport in other powers including throughout the Crusades. It also played a key role in the infamous Fourth Crusade which culminated in the Sack of Constantinople in 1204 AD, an event which fractured the Byzantine Empire into a half-century of civil war between successor states before a weakened revival in the mid 13th century. The Byzantine Empire would linger until the 15th century when the Ottoman Empire finally conquered its last remaining portions. Many attribute this loss to in part to its weakness still resulting from that 1204 sack lead by Venice. The Venetian military would exist until the republic's end when The French Republic's Army of Italy under Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the republic, a conquest in which the Venetians surrendered without a proper fight.

Economy: Venice's economy was based largely in trade. Namely control over the salt trade. Venice was to control salt (preservative of food) production and trade throughout the Mediterranean. It also traded in commodities associated with the salt trade routes to Eurasia and Africa. These commodities could include other foodstuffs (grains, meats & cheeses), textiles & glassware among other items.

Lifespan: 697AD-1797AD. Though the exact founding of Venice itself hasn't been determined. It is traditionally said to have taken place in the year 421 AD. At a time when Roman citizens in northeast Italy were escaping waves of Germanic & Hunnic barbarian invasions that contributed to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. The going theory is that these Romans evaded barbarian attacks by building their homes in the Venetian Lagoon by hammering wood stakes to form a foundation which sunk into the muddy shallows and petrified. Upon which they built their homes and created a cityscape marked by streets and canals interlaced. Venice remained a community of fishermen and merchants and was nominally under the control of the surviving Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire). It avoided barbarians overrunning the land but also was removed enough from Constantinople that it was relatively autonomous and became strategically important as a port. Other islands in the lagoon also banded together with Venice in a loose confederation of sorts by the 6th and 7th centuries which increased economic productivity and security for the city. The first doge was said to have been elected in 697 AD under the name Paolo Lucio Anafesto, though there is dispute about his historicity. Anafesto supposedly ruled until 717 AD. This is traditionally regarded as the foundation of the Republic of Venice.

Venice's third doge was Orso Ipato who reigned from 726-737 and he is the first undisputed historically recorded doge whose existence was confirmed. Orso also known as Ursus was known to strengthen the city's navy and army to protect it from the Lombard Germanic invaders who had overrun and ruled Italy by that time. Though nominally part of the Byzantine Empire, by 803, the Byzantine Emperors are said to have recognized Venice's de-facto independence. Though this view is disputed somewhat, it nevertheless remained virtually independent until its collapse in 1797.

Venice also partook in the slave trade of non-Christian European populations from Eastern Europe and transferred them to North Africa, selling them to the Arab and Berber (Moors) of the Islamic world.

As the 9th century progressed, the Venetian navy secured the Adriatic and various trade routes by defeating Slavic and Muslim pirates in the region. The Venetians also went onto battle the Normans who settled in southern Italy and Sicily in the 11th century.

Venice provided naval transports for Crusaders from Western Europe starting with the successful First Crusade.

The High Middle Ages (1000AD-1350AD) saw the wealth and expansion Venice increase dramatically. However, over this period Venice gradually came into mixed relations with its former ruler the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantine Empire endured corruption, civil war and foreign invasion which saw it alternate between periods of waning power and restored power. Venice provided the Byzantines with an increased naval force when needed and many trading commodities. In exchange for this, Venice was granted trading rights within Byzantine territory and a place within the "Latin Quarter" for Western Europeans in Constantinople. The Byzantine populace though calling themselves "Romans" having taken on the political & cultural institutions of the Roman Empire which lived on in the East long after the Western half's collapse, were in fact mostly Greek by ethnicity, language and culture. Their religion was the Eastern Orthodox or Greek Orthodox branch of Christianity which was often at odds with Roman Catholics of Western Europe. Resentment at the religious and cultural differences along with the economic displacement the Venetians and other Italian merchants from Genoa & Pisa had caused in Constantinople's maritime & financial sectors contributed to the 1182 "Massacre of the Latins" in which the Byzantine Greek majority of the city rioted and slaughtered much of the 60,000 mostly Italian Catholics living within the city. Thousands were also sold into slavery to the Anatolian Seljuk Turks.

This event lingered in Venice's memory as its trade in the city was reduced for awhile. Though trade resumed between the Byzantines and the West again shortly thereafter, the event soured the perception of the Greeks to Western Europeans. This along with a subsequent power struggle for the throne of the Eastern Roman Emperor fell into Venice & Western Crusader's hands in 1202. Looking to originally ferry Western Crusaders to the Levant against the Islamic Ayyubid Sultanate of Egypt & Syria. Events transpired that devolved into Venice conspiring under its doge Enrico Dandalo along with other Western leaders and a Byzantine claimant to the throne that resulted in the first successful sacking of Constantinople in 1204. The city was ransacked, some Greek citizens murdered by the Crusaders & classical works of art destroyed or looted (most famously the four bronze horses of St. Marks in Venice) and politically, the Byzantine Empire would be temporarily fractured between competing Greek dynasties while the Crusaders along with Venice created the short-lived Latin Empire, which controlled Constantinople and its environs while Venice also acquired Greek territories which it was to hold for centuries. Venice also came into conflict with the Second Bulgarian Empire at this time as its support of the Latin Empire of Constantinople encroached on the Bulgarian's land. Eventually by the mid 13th century the Latin Empire (never fully stable) collapsed, and the Byzantine Empire was restored until the mid-15th century but forever weakened as a result of the 1204 sacking of its capital.

Venice reached trade deals with the Mongol Empire in 1221. As the century wore on, it also engaged its rival in Western Italy Genoa in some warfare.

The 14th century is generally regarded as Venice at its peak as it faced down Genoa in a number of battles and came to be the most dominant trading power in the Mediterranean, though it was impacted by the Black Death plague. Nevertheless, into the 15th and even 16th centuries, it partook in a number of wars which saw it gain territory on the Italian mainland, establishing its terraferma domain.

By the 16th late 15th and into the 16th century new threats had emerged such as the Turkish Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453 is seen as the end of the Middle Ages as the last political vestiges of the Roman Empire vanished from the world stage. However, a number of Byzantine Greeks escaped on Italian ships during the conquest of the city and others escaped Greece in subsequent years. These refugees brought with them artistic and cultural heritages that reemphasized the classical forms of Ancient Greece and Rome and lead to the Italian Rennaisance in art & other forms of culture. Ideas which emphasized humanism and spread to elsewhere in Europe overtime.

While there was a cultural flourishing in Venice and elsewhere due to the Rennaisance. There was also the first signs of economic and political decline as well from the 16th century onwards. The Ottoman dominance in the Eastern Mediterranean meant the traditional trade routes to the East were cut off by an often-hostile Muslim power. Additionally, other maritime powers in the West namely Spain & Portugal had recently begun exploring the continents of South & North America and in time France, England & the Netherlands would join in them. This decline in Eastern trade and the newfound trade routes dominated by other European states in the Americas and Asia (by way of rounding Africa) would render trade with Venice gradually obsolete. Venice would still maintain what trade it could in the Mediterranean, but it also focused on production and placed increasing importance on its Italian mainland possessions rather than just its declining position overseas in Greek territories, including the loss of Cyprus to the Ottomans in 1571. Though the Venetian navy with other Christian powers won the notable naval victory against the Ottomans in 1570 at Lepanto.

It was also involved in the Italian Wars between various rival city states and the power struggle between the Papacy, France and the Hapsburg realms of the Holy Roman Empire and Spain.

Other factors that impacted the declining trade in the 17th century included an inability to keep up in the textile trade elsewhere in Europe, closure of the spice trade to all but the Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, French and English and the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) which impacted Venice's trade partners.

Ongoing wars including a 21-year siege of Crete by the Ottomans saw further losses. Although Venice partook in the Holy League headed by the Holy Roman Empire (under Hapsburg Austria) which saw some minor temporary gains from the Ottomans in southern Greece before losing them again in the early 18th century.

War and loss of overseas territories along with a stagnant economy was slightly offset by a somewhat strong position in northern Italy. Nevertheless, its maritime fleet was reduced to a mere shadow of its former glory and it found itself sandwiched still between Austria and France. Over the rest of the 18th century, economic stagnation and social stratification remained prevalent while Venice remained in a quiet peace. However, the French Revolution reignited war in Italy and while Venice remained neutral, it would soon get caught up in events.

The Austrians and the Piedmontese (Italian) allies were beaten by the French Republic's Army of Italy headed by an up-and-coming general named Napoleon Bonaparte. Bonaparte and the French army crossed the borders of northern Italy into Venetian neutral territory to pursue the Austrians. Eventually half of Venice's territory was occupied by France and the remainder of the mainland was occupied by Austria. By secret treaty the French and Austrians were to divide the territory between themselves (Venice was consulted in the matter). Bonaparte gave orders to Venetian doge Ludovico Manin to surrender the city to French occupation to which he abdicated his power. The republic's Major Council met one last time to officially declare an end to republic on May 12th, 1797, after 1,100 years. Venice was placed under a provisional government and ironically the French looted Venice stripping it of artworks to grace the Louvre Museum in Paris along with the Arc d'Triomphe, taking the famed four bronze horses of St. Mark's to adorn the triumphal arch in Paris, the very same horses Venice had confiscated from Constantinople in 1204. It was a symbolic end to the republic, the irony of which did not escape commentators at the time. Following Napoleonic France's final defeat in 1815 the horses were returned to Venice and St. Mark's where they remain today. Venice itself was given over to the Austrian Empire.

The Republic of Venice has a historical legacy in terms of its economic accomplishments through control of trade and its innovative mass production of ships, armaments & trade commodities. It also holds a political legacy worthy of study given it was a unique and enduring polity for 1,100 years. One that maintained a complex and at times chaotic form of government that still managed to function and endure for centuries.

[praemoniitus]

CHARACTER INFO SHEET

NAME

Rachel Finch

NAME MEANING

Rachael ;; is another English spelling of the Hebrew Rachel (probably inspired by Micheal). The name Rachel is borne from the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament; coming from a Hebrew word meaning “ewe” or "little lamb". Finch ;; English: nickname from Middle English finch fink ‘finch’ (Old English finc) for a small lively cheerful person. Americanized form (translation into English) of German Jewish (Ashkenazic) Czech Slovenian and Croatian Fink ‘finch’ or of some of the corresponding Slavic surnames e.g. Czech (Moravian) Pěnka (see Penka ).

ALIAS(ES)

Zed , Charlotte Johnson. The later is trying to make a new identity for herself. As well as keep herself hidden from The Fears

ONE PICTURE YOU LIKE OF YOUR CHARACTER

TWO HEADCANONS YOU NEVER TOLD ANYONE

𝐈 How Zed really survives the fears is though fainting. Thats it fainting. Well that and the copper bracelet she was gifted by a friend. Whom she can't remember who it was. Was it that goth kid in her class. Or was it someone else. 𝐈𝐈 Zed has P.T.S.D. , from dealing with The Stranger. Though the others did leave a mark. It was that one that did her in. It taunted her, with the voice and face of her deceased mother. It took a lot longer, then she's admit, to recover from said event. Also which lead her to being "banished" to another world, a world destined to be doomed. To be a stranger herself.

THREE THINGS YOUR CHARACTER LIKES DOING IN THEIR FREE TIME

𝐈 nothing, Zed likes to relax or mediate. Those moments when she can relax and not have an episode. 𝐈𝐈 reading ,ironic really 𝐈𝐈𝐈 visiting witch/occult shops, old bookshops, and antique shops.

TWO PEOPLE YOUR CHARACTER LOVES

𝐈 Her great-Aunt Chrysanthemum Finch. A women who was head strong ,independent, and kind. 𝐈𝐈 Her mother Jane Finch, who was taken from Zed's life. When Zed was only 10. Not knowing it was a fear, one of the Strangers avatars'. Since her mother used the right kind of camera.

TWO THINGS YOUR CHARACTER REGRETS

𝐈 ,ever meeting a fear. Zed wishes she could live in complete ignorant bliss. But fate had other plans 𝐈𝐈 , learning more about the Fears, and trying to comprehend them. When it ,itself, is something you can't explain or figure out.

ONE PHOBIA YOUR CHARACTER HAS

being killed, or worse by any of The Fears or their avatars'. Also the dark, not being in complete darkness. But that dark areas that light can' reach

TAGGED BY: @dreameasel TAGGING: @bewitchingbaker ; and anyone who wishes to do this

[thewahookid]

Public

The 5 Main Messages from The

Queen Of Peace

The message of Medjugorje is a call to Conversion, conversion back to God. Our Lady gives us five Stones or Weapons, which we can use to overcome the power and influence of evil and sin in our lives. This is the "Message of Medjugorje". Our Lady's purpose for coming to earth is to guide each one of us back to her Son Jesus. She does this by leading us step by step toward a life of holiness through the hundreds of messages she has given to the world through the visionaries in Medjugorje. The time for decision is NOW!!. Our Lady's call is URGENT!!. We must open our hearts and begin to change our lives starting today, starting now.

Prayer | Fasting | Reading the Bible | Confession | Eucharist

Prayer

Prayer is the center of Our Lady's plan and is the most frequent message in Medjugorje.

"Today also I am calling you to prayer. You know, dear children, that God grants special graces in prayer... I call you, dear children, to prayer with the heart." (April 25, 1987)

To pray with the heart is to pray with love, trust, abandonment, and concentration. Prayer heals human souls. Prayer heals the history of sin. Without prayer, we cannot have an experience of God.

"Without unceasing prayer, you cannot experience the beauty and greatness of the grace which God is offering you." (February 25, 1989)

Our Lady's recommended prayers:

In the beginning, following an old Croatian tradition, Our Lady asked for the daily praying of: The Creed, followed by Seven Our Fathers, Hail Mary's, and Glory Be's.

Later, Our Lady recommended praying the Rosary. First Our Lady asked us to pray 5 decades, then 10, and finally Our Lady wishes us to pray daily, together or individually, the entire 15 Mysteries of the Rosary (Joyful, Sorrowful, and Glorious Mysteries).

See How to Pray the Rosary .

Everybody should pray. Our Lady says: "May prayer reign in the whole world." (August 25, 1989) Through prayer, we will defeat satan's power, and obtain peace and salvation for our souls.

"You know that I love you and am coming here out of love, so I could show you the path of peace and salvation for your souls. I want you to listen to me and not permit Satan to seduce you. Dear children, Satan is strong enough! Therefore, I ask you to dedicate your prayers so that those who are under his influence may be saved. Give witness by your life, sacrifice your lives for the salvation of the world... Therefore, little children, do not be afraid. If you pray, Satan cannot injure you, not even a little, because you are God's children and He is watching over you. Pray, and let the Rosary always be in your hands as a sign to Satan that you belong to me." (February 25, 1989)

The power of satan is destroyed by prayer and he cannot harm us if we pray. No Christian should be afraid of the future unless he does not pray. If he does not pray, is he a Christian? If we do not pray, we are naturally blind to many things and cannot tell right from wrong. We lose our center and our balance.

Fasting

In the Old Testament and in the New Testament, there are many examples of fasting. Jesus fasted frequently. According to Tradition, fasting is encouraged especially in times of great temptation or severe trials. Certain devils, "can be cast out in no other way except by prayer and fasting", said Jesus. (Mark 9:29)

Fasting is essential in order to achieve spiritual freedom. Through fasting, one is better able to listen to God and man and to perceive them more clearly. If, through fasting, we achieve that freedom, we will be more aware of many things. Once we are aware that we can enjoy the necessities of life without struggle, then many fears and worries fade away. We become more open to our families and to the people with whom we live and work. Our Lady recommends fasting twice a week: "Fast strictly on Wednesdays and Fridays." (August 14, 1984)

She asks us to accept this difficult message "....with a firm will." She asks us to "Persevere in ... fasting." (June 25, 1982)

"The best fast is on bread and water. Through fasting and prayer one can stop wars, one can suspend the natural laws of nature. Works of charity cannot replace fasting... Everyone except the sick, has to fast." (July 21, 1982)

We have to realize the power of fasting. Fasting means to make a sacrifice to God, to offer not only our prayers, but also to make our whole being participate in sacrifice. We should fast with love, for a special intention, and to purify ourselves and the world. We should fast because we love God and want to be soldiers that offer our bodies in the battle against evil.

Daily Reading of the Bible

Usually Our Lady comes to the visionaries happy and joyful. On one occasion, while talking about the Bible, She was crying. Our Lady said: "You have forgotten the Bible."

The Bible is a book different from any other book on earth. Vatican II says that all the canonical books of the Bible were, "..written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author." (Dogmatic Constitution on Devine Revelation) This means that no other book can be compared to this book. That is why Our Lady asks us to separate THE BOOK from the other human books on the shelves. There is no writing even from a saint or inspired that can be compared to the Bible. That is why we are asked to place the Bible in a visible place in our homes.

"Dear children, today I call you to read the Bible everyday in your homes and let it be in a visible place so as always to encourage you to read it and pray." (October 18, 1984)

It is very rare to hear Our Lady say, "you must". She "desires", "calls", etc., but on one occasion, She used a very strong Croatian verb that means "must".

"Every family must pray family prayers and read the Bible." (February 14, 1985)

Confession

Our Lady asks for monthly confession. From the very first days of the apparitions, Our Lady spoke about confession:

"Make your peace with God and among yourselves. For that, it is necessary to believe, to pray, to fast, and to go to confession." (June 26, 1981)

"Pray, pray! It is necessary to believe firmly, to go to confession regularly, and, likewise, to receive Holy Communion. It is the only salvation." (February 10, 1982)

"Whoever has done very much evil during his life can go straight to Heaven if he confesses, is sorry for what he has done, and receives Communion at the end of his life." (July 24, 1982)

The Western Church (United States) has disregarded confession and its importance. Our Lady said:

"Monthly confession will be a remedy for the Church in the West. One must convey this message to the West." (August 6, 1982)

Pilgrims who come to Medjugorje are always impressed by the number of people waiting for confession and the number of priests hearing confession. Many priests have had extraordinary experiences during confessions in Medjugorje. About a particular feast day, Our Lady said:

"The priests who will hear confessions will have great joy on that day! (August, 1984)

Confession should not be a habit that would "make sinning easy". Vicka says to every group of pilgrims, "Confession is something that has to make a new human being out of you. Our Lady does not want you to think that confession will free you from sin and allow you to continue the same life after that. No, confession is a call to transformation. You must become a new person!" Our Lady explained the same idea to Jelena:

"Do not go to confession through habit, to remain the same after that. No, it is not good. Confession should give an impulse to your faith. It should stimulate you and bring you closer to Jesus. If confession does not mean anything for you, really, you will be converted with great difficulty." (November 7, 1983)

The Eucharist

Our Lady recommends Sunday Mass, and when possible, daily Mass. It has been reported by the visionaries that Our Lady has cried when speaking of the Eucharist and the Mass. She said:

"You do not celebrate the Eucharist as you should. If you would know what grace and what gifts you receive, you would prepare yourselves for it each day for an hour at least." (1985)

The evening Mass in Medjugorje is the most important moment of the day because Our Lady is present and She gives us Her Son in a special way. The Mass is more important than any of Our Lady's apparitions. Marija said that if she had to choose between the Eucharist and the apparition, she would choose the Eucharist. Our Lady said:

"The evening Mass must be kept permanently." (October 6, 1981)

She also asked that the prayer to the Holy Spirit always be said before Mass. Our Lady wants to see the Holy Mass as "the highest form of prayer" and "the center of our lives" (according to Marija). Vicka also says that the Blessed Mother sees the Mass as "the most important and the most holy moment in our lives. We have to be prepared and pure to receive Jesus with a great respect. The Mass should be the center of our lives" Our Lady is crying because people do not have enough respect toward the Eucharist. The Mother of God wants us to realize the extreme beauty of the mystery of the Mass. She has said:

"There are many of you who have sensed the beauty of the Holy Mass... Jesus gives you His graces in the Mass." (April 3, 1986)

"Let the Holy Mass be your life." (April 25, 1988)

This means that the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ must become our life, together with the hope of His second coming. During Mass, we receive the Living Christ and in Him we receive the whole mystery of our salvation that must transform and transfigure us. The Holy Mass is the perfect expression of the mystery of Christ in which we can fully participate in His life. Our Lady has said:

"Mass is the greatest prayer of God. You will never be able to understand its greatness. That is why you must be perfect and humble at Mass, and you should prepare yoursleves for it." (1983)

Our Lady wants us to be full of joy and hope during Mass and to make an effort so that this moment will "be an experience of God". Surrender to Jesus and the Holy Spirit is a very important part of the messages because it is the only path to holiness. To be open to the Holy Spirit in the Sacraments is the way we are going to be sanctified. In this way, Our Lady will obtain for us, the grace to become Her witnesses in the world to fulfill the plan of God and Her plan. Our Lady has said:

"Open your hearts to the Holy Spirit. Especially during these days the Holy Spirit is working through you. Open your hearts and surrender your life to Jesus so that He works through your hearts." (May 23, 1985)

[anzu00]

Black color - associations

Black  is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness, while white represents light.

Black is commonly associated with secrecy. For example: A black project is a secret military project, such as Enigma Decryption during World War II, or a secret counter-narcotics or police sting operation. Black ops are covert operations carried out by a government, government agency or military.

Black and white have often been used to describe opposites; particularly truth and ignorance, good and evil, the Dark Ages versus Age of Enlightenment. Since the Middle Ages, black has been the symbolic color of solemnity and authority, and for this reason is still commonly worn by judges and magistrates.

In the Roman Empire, it became the color of mourning, and over the centuries it was frequently associated with death, evil, witches and magic. According to surveys in Europe and North America, it is the color most commonly associated with mourning, the end, secrets, magic, force, violence, evil, and elegance.

In the Book of Revelation, the last book in the New Testament of the Bible, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are supposed to announce the Apocalypse before the Last Judgment. The horseman representing famine rides a black horse.

In the 20th century, black was the color of Italian and German fascism. The Blackshirts (Italian: camicie nere, 'CCNN) were Fascist paramilitary groups in Italy during the period immediately following World War I and until the end of World War II. The Blackshirts were officially known as the Voluntary Militia for National Security (Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, or MVSN).

Anarchism is a political philosophy, most popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, which holds that governments and capitalism are harmful and undesirable. The symbols of anarchism was usually either a black flag or a black letter A. More recently it is usually represented with a bisected red and black flag, to emphasise the movement's socialist roots in the First International. 

The Black Army was a collection of anarchist military units which fought in the Russian Civil War, sometimes on the side of the Bolshevik Red Army, and sometimes for the opposing White Army. It was officially known as the Revolutionary Insurrectionary Army of Ukraine, and it was under the command of the famous anarchist Nestor Makhno.

Black became the color of the uniform of the SS, the Schutzstaffel or "defense corps", the paramilitary wing of the Nazi Party, and was worn by SS officers from 1932 until the end of World War II.

Military

Black has been a traditional color of cavalry and armoured or mechanized troops. German armoured troops (Panzerwaffe) traditionally wore black uniforms, and even in others, a black beret is common. In Finland, black is the symbolic color for both armoured troops and combat engineers, and military units of these specialities have black flags and unit insignia.

The black beret and the color black is also a symbol of special forces in many countries. Soviet and Russian OMON special police and Russian naval infantry wear a black beret. A black beret is also worn by military police in the Canadian, Czech, Croatian, Portuguese, Spanish and Serbian armies.

Black color in Japan

Black is a popular color in Japan for electronics and clothing. It mainly denotes non-being, mystery, night and anger. Calligraphy is usually done in black ink on white paper. As stated above, black and white are both colors of mourning in Japan. Wooden condolence gifts are often tied in envelopes stringed in black and white. Black in Japanese culture also denotes the hair and eyes. Many phrases consist of the Japanese word for black such as “clarifying between right and wrong “or “rolling one’s eyes in surprise, fright or anguish” etc. Black also denotes evil-hearted person.

The Japanese character for black (kuro in Japanese), can, depending upon the context, also mean dark or evil.

In Japan, black is associated with mystery, the night, the unknown, the supernatural, the invisible and death. Combined with white, it can symbolize intuition.

In Japan black can also symbolize experience, as opposed to white, which symbolizes naiveté. The black belt in martial arts symbolizes experience, while a white belt is worn by novices. Japanese men traditionally wear a black kimono with some white decoration on their wedding day.

Black and white

Black and white have often been used to describe opposites; particularly light and darkness and good and evil. In Medieval literature, the white knight usually represented virtue, the black knight something mysterious and sinister. In American westerns, the hero often wore a white hat, the villain a black hat.

In the original game of chess invented in Persia or India, the colors of the two sides were varied; a 12th-century Iranian chess set in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, has red and green pieces. But when the game was imported into Europe, the colors, corresponding to European culture, usually became black and white.

Studies have shown that something printed in black letters on white has more authority with readers than any other color of printing.

In philosophy and arguments, the issue is often described as black-and-white, meaning that the issue at hand is dichotomized (having two clear, opposing sides with no middle ground).

Characters in Danganronpa V3 associated with this color: Monokuma (half black), Oma (checkered scarf, coat in promotional art), Himiko (black clothes), Kirumi (black clothes), Ryoma (black clothes), Shuichi (black clothes), Maki a little (black skirt)

Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black

www.color-meanings.com/color-meanings-japan/

[whatisonthemoonarchive]

There is more to the story than just the Jesuits:

According to end time prophecy, a one-world religion that will offer the promise of world peace is going help establish a one-world government; a system referred to in the bible as Mystery Babylon. In order for a one-world religion to establish a one world government, all religions must come together in an ecumenical plan. Today, we can see this taking place as the Protestant church is being drawn seductively into the Roman Catholic church.

The Roman Catholic Church, the Papacy, and its rituals and practices, are mirror images of the religion of ancient Babylon. But there is another religious system that has definite connections to ancient Babylon and its satanic traditions. That system is Judaism and the culture of World Jewry. Contrary to what most people think to be the case,  Judaism is not the religion of the Old Testament and the prophets. Instead, Judaism comes from the same perverted spiritual fountain as does the Roman Catholic Church: Babylon. Judaism’s most holy book is the Babylonian Talmud, and the inner teachings of Judaism—an unscriptural, satanic religion embraced by its elders and high priests—is pure Babylonianism.

According to a recent book by Edward Hendrie, called 'Solving the Mystery of Babylon the Great', Mystery Babylon is both of Zionism and of Rome. 'The evidence', says Hendrie, leads to the inevitable conclusion 'that the Roman Catholic Church was established by crypto Jews as a false 'Christian' front for a Judaic/Babylonian religion.' Moreover, 'that religion is the nucleus of a world conspiracy against man and God.'

Philip Schaff (1819-1893) in his History of the Christian Church explains that from the beginning the Christian church was in a spiritual struggle against Judaism. Judaism could not win a head to head spiritual contest against Christianity. It was necessary, therefore, for the Jews to throw their efforts behind undermining the Christian church by injecting it with a Judaic contagion. Their long-term strategy was to change the Christian church from the inside out to align more closely with the Judaic/Babylonian theosophy. These Jewish infiltrators sought to wrest away the true Christian faith from the teachings and principles of the Apostles and the New Testament. The goal of these Jews was to remold the Christian Church into a weakened version of Pharisaism, itself based on dogma and practices the Jews had brought back to Jerusalem following their long Babylonian captivity. The attempt to penetrate the true spiritual church of Christ was futile. However, what this Judaizing strategy did accomplish was the creation of a new false 'Christian' church, which grew into what we know today as the Roman Catholic Church.

Since its foundation, the Catholic papacy has been zealous and often brutal in its endeavor to establish an empire of the Pope  This determination was witnessed during the Inquisition where countless thousands died cruelly for resisting Rome. By the 1520s, Martin Luther's ideas crystallized opposition to the abuses and totalitarian control of the  Church.  This widespread theological revolt, called the  Protestant Reformation, severely weakened the influence of the Catholic Church. In response, the Catholic Church founded the counter-reformation in order to destroy Protestantism.

This Counter Reformation was largely built by Ignatius Loyola, who founded the Jesuit* Order in 1545 and launched an all-out attack against those who dared stand against the papacy and Rome. Loyola had been a member of a Secret Mystery Babylonian religious sect called Los Alumbrados (Illuminati) in which initiated members claimed to be in possession of an 'Inner Light'.   Loyola was also a crypto-Jew as were many Alumbrados. A crypto-Jew is a Jew who converts to another religion to escape persecution and outwardly embraces the new religion, while secretly maintaining Jewish practices  The Alumbrados believe that when a person´s soul reaches this state of 'Perfection' and 'Union with God' they can commit any criminal, immoral or sinful act without guilt. This Babylonian Mystery religion teaches that Lucifer is the one that makes us realize the 'God within us' and evolve into our full potential without the need to repent.  Although the Jesuit order has gentile priests as members, it was founded by Jews and today has close secret ties with other clandestine Jewish organizations. Benjamin Disraeli, a Jew and former Prime Minister of England, revealed that the first Jesuits were Jews. Ignatius Loyola’s secretary, Polanco, was of Jewish descent and was the only person present at Loyola’s deathbed.

From the inception of Christianity, the major enemy of God’s Church and the number one polluter and destroyer of Christendom has been Pharisaic Judaism. Moreover, Jewry, a culture which is controlled and directed by rabbinical zealots, has historically been hostile to the Christian Church and to this day does everything in its considerable power to undermine and poison the roots of Biblical Christianity. Jesus told us that the Jews’ religion is not of God but was constructed of man-made traditions. He bluntly accused the Pharisees (The Encyclopedia Judaica says that Pharisaism is today’s Orthodox Jewry): 'You are of your father the devil.'  

Edward Hendrie proves from the Scriptures and from his own thorough investigation that the two-pronged Babylonian enemy of the Zionists and Rome are jointly involved in a despicable end time conspiracy against God’s Word and His saints. Together, they form the corrupt and ominous Mystery Babylon world system of evil pictured so poignantly in the book of Revelation.

________________________

*Jesuit notes:

'The Jesuit Order as a Synagogue of Jews' by Dr. Robert Aleksander Maryks, Boston College February 24, 2010.  On the early Jewish Jesuits Ignatius of Loyola and his secretary Juan Alfonso de Polanco, who was also secretary to Loyola's successors Diego Lainez (another "converso") and Francis Borgia. https://youtu.be/ARnyywK_sCA

Jesuit Vatican Department of Homeland Security      https://youtu.be/9cSHxeap4jc

Roman Catholic Leaders Confess: Jesuits Run The CIA    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds32xuI_AZI

The CIA (E. Howard Hunt) Admits The Jesuits are The Worlds Greatest Intelligence Network  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9docQDipes

Nazi Germany - A Creation of the Vatican and Jesuits   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9zBX4gt0eo&list=PLkTnAPqhvS3rnF6pO-IvIsE1eSMDc0oDZ&index=20&bpctr=1558328154

Loyola styled the Jesuits as a military order with the stated purpose of overthrowing the Protestant Reformation  and restoring the political and religious dominion of the Vatican over the world which if accomplished would bring about a return to the Dark Ages.  Loyola's operative principle was that 'the end justifies the means'. Thus any means of restoring Vatican dominion was to be acceptable.  Protestants and all other non-Catholics must be converted or eliminated. The saying among the Jesuits was that 'it is not a sin to kill a heretic'. 

 They went about their work with fanatical zeal.  Through education, they aimed to control the future leaders of society. They particularly sought to gain control of the education of the children of political leaders and other influential people in the upper classes. Through their leniency in the confessional they slithered into the affections of the wealthy and powerful. Through foreign missions, they sought to convert the world to Roman Catholicism. Through preaching, they championed papal authority and other Roman Catholic doctrines, thereby strengthening the Papacy at a time when it was reeling from the devastating effects of the Reformation.

Step by step, their influence grew in the nations of the world. By 1556, they were actively involved in fighting Protestantism in France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy, and England; and were also to be found, hard at work, in India, China, Japan, and the New World. In working to stamp out Protestantism, the Jesuits used two primary tactics. Politically, once they were able to exercise influence over the ruler, or rulers, of a country, they would drive the ruler to persecute the Protestants; and religiously, they actually infiltrated the Protestant churches and denominations, and worked to undermine them from within.  A great loathing of the Order had developed almost universally. The sins of the Jesuits were so great, and so well known, that even Roman Catholic countries sought their destruction. By the middle of the eighteenth century, they had been expelled from about thirty places; but they always returned.

The Jesuits and the World Wars

What about the twentieth century? In this century, no less than any other since the founding of the Order, the Jesuits have been extremely active, usually secretly, behind the scenes; most notably (although this hideous truth has been extremely well covered up) in both world wars! The pope, counseled by the Jesuits, supported Germany and Austria-Hungary in the First World War, hoping to use these powers to discipline France, destroy the Russian Orthodox institution, and defeat England. Jesuits in Ireland, India, Spain, and Australia worked hard for the downfall of England.

The evidence of Roman Catholic involvement in general, and Jesuit involvement in particular, in World War Two is overwhelming. Once again space does not permit a full treatment here, and the following facts will have to suffice. They are the tip of the iceberg.  In 1939, Hitler placed a Jesuit named Tiso at the head of the Republic of Slovakia. Tiso declared that Romanism and Nazism “work hand in hand at reforming the world.” He did his best to eliminate Protestants and Jews in Slovakia, sending them to concentration camps. In the puppet Nazi state of (Roman Catholic) Croatia, a Jesuit named Stepinac fully supported the Croatian leader in his massacres of hundreds of thousands of Serbs and Jews. And many leaders of the Papist Croatian Ustashis, who carried out the terrible killings, were Jesuit and Franciscan priests!

Hitler himself declared: “I learned much from the Order of the Jesuits.” The Nazi, Walter Schellenberg, stated, “The S.S. organisation had been constituted, by Himmler, according to the principles of the Jesuits’ Order.” And Hitler said of Himmler: “I can see Himmler as our Ignatius of Loyola.” Within the SS Central Security Service, top posts were held by priests, particularly Jesuits.  There can be no doubt that the Jesuit Order has the blood of millions upon its hands.

[iprayunceasingly-blog]

France vs. Croatia: A Catholic World Cup breakdown

New Post has been published on https://pray-unceasingly.com/catholic-living/catholic-news/france-vs-croatia-a-catholic-world-cup-breakdown/

France vs. Croatia: A Catholic World Cup breakdown

Denver, Colo., Jul 12, 2018 / 03:49 pm (CNA).- On Sunday, France and Croatia will square off on the soccer pitch for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Championship. While most U.S. Catholics are only casual soccer fans, many will join more than 3 billion people around the world who are expected to watch the game.

What team will U.S. Catholics root for as two historically Catholic countries face off?

If you’re still undecided, perhaps a comparison of the Catholic life, history, and culture of France and Croatia would be helpful:

Catholic roots

Croatia:

During the time Jesus lived in Palestine, Croatia, along with the rest of the Balkan Peninsula, was a part of the Roman Empire- most of it a part of the Roman province of Dalmatia.

Located along the Adriatic Sea, Dalmatia, which was also sometimes referred to as Illyricum, an older Greek name, was home to Roman subjects and their religions from across the Empire. At the time Jesus lived, there was a Jewish population in the region. Some members of the Jewish community became Christians during the earliest periods of Christian evangelization.

Scripture records that Titus, a disciple of St. Paul, travelled to Dalmatia, and he might have died there. The region is mentioned in St. Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy.

Some old traditions hold that St. Paul might have gone to Dalmatia too, since he wrote in the Letter to the Romans about visiting “Illyricum,” but he probably was referring to a part of Greece close to modern-day Albania.

The Croatian people, who migrated to the Dalmatian region in the 6th century, probably followed tribal religions until natives to the region, along with Byzantine and Benedictine missionaries, some from France, converted them to Catholicism. By the 9th century, Croats could be considered a Christian people, and, by the end of that century, Croatian nobility had begun pledging their allegiance to the pope.

France:

France is often referred to as the “eldest daughter of the Church,” because of the long and faithful history of the Catholic Church there.

There are many early legends that connect France and New Testament figures. One such legend says that Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were exiled from Israel and travelled by boat to France’s Mediterranean coast. Still another says that Lazarus was the first bishop of Marseille, and that he is buried in Burgundy. Some such legends say that Mary Magdalene is the sister of Lazarus and she made the trip, and then lived for 40 years in a cave in Provence — France’s famous madeleine cookies are sometimes said to be named for Mary Magdalene.

The earliest non-legendary record of the Church in France begins in the 2nd century, when 48 Catholics, included the Bishop of Lugdunum, were martyred in Lyon, which was then part of the Roman province of Gaul.

Most French people consider King Clovis I to be the founder of France. Clovis converted from paganism, and was baptized on Christmas Day in 496 by Saint Remy. Clovis’ baptism is considered to be the foundational moment of western Christendom.

The point:

Croatia is mentioned in the Bible. While France is the Church’s eldest daughter, any place mentioned in Scripture has a strong claim on ancient Christian roots. This point goes to Croatia.

Saints

Croatia:

Croatia’s patron saint is St. Joseph. You can’t do much better than that. Unless your patron saint is the Blessed Virgin Mary. France’s patron saint is the Blessed Virgin Mary, in addition to several other saints.

St. Jerome was born in the region of Dalmatia. So was St. Marko Krizin, a priest of the Counter-reformation, and St Leopold Mandic, a pious Capuchin missionary. St. Nicholas Tavelic was a Croatian Franciscan, who was martyred in 1391 in Jerusalem after refusing to convert to Islam, along with 3 Franciscan companions.

In 2003, Pope St. John Paul II dedicated a church to the Croatian martyrs, soldiers who were slaughtered by invading Ottoman forces in the 15th century. Hundreds of thousands of other Croats have faced martyrdom and persecution, and died holy deaths in discipleship of Jesus Christ.

France:

St. Joan of Arc. St. John Vianney. St. Therese of Lisieux. St. Remy. St. Denis. St. Peter Faber. St. Isaac Jogues. St. Louis IX of France. St. Vincent de Paul. I’m really just getting warmed up. This category is going to France.

The point:

In its long history, Croatia has presumably given the Church many holy men and women, but many of them remain unknown. Over the centuries, the holy people of central European countries have not gained as much attention as those from western Europe. This is unfortunate. But France has a lot of saints. A lot. France gets the point.

Cathedrals

Croatia:

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is stunning. Beautiful. A gothic-style cathedral built in the 1200s, and restored in the 1880s. There are barricades around the cathedral that were built in the 1400s to hold back Ottoman invaders. Those same barricades held back the Ottomans in another invasion attempt 200 years later. Zagreb’s cathedral has also survived an earthquake. It’s a gem for the entire Church.

France:

The cathedral at Chartres is considered to be the highpoint of Gothic art and architecture. Its stained glass is world famous. It has been imitated around the world. Built in the late twelfth century, it has been restored several times. During World War II, an American colonel snuck behind German lines to ensure it was not being occupied by the Germans. His heroism ensured that the building was not bombed by the Allies.

The point:

Chartres is famous. Zagreb’s cathedral should be more famous. One is considered the high-point of European architecture. The other held back hordes of Ottoman invaders. People hate that soccer has ties, but this is a soccer story, and this category is a tie.

  The Score: Croatia 1, France 1.

So what team will Catholics root for? The Church’s "eldest daughter," or the team whose coach loves the rosary?

Game on.

    CNA Daily News – Europe