#I want to seek out my followers and give them blessings. I want to curse and ruin the worst kings.

[wawhii]

Religious fictive talk once again.

If you're going to be strange on this post, especially about my source, don't fucking read it.

[necropaint]

My Personal Alastor Headcanons

Not because I'm a simp or anything ahahahah.... All SFW aside from some cursing of course. :)

I am sleep deprived and stupid so some of these maybe shit and have terrible spelling errors. My mind is running at 3% and some of these were spontaneously made up because that's how my mind works. Enjoy.

📻 Viv let us play with Alastor's sexuality and so I hc he is demisexual (totally not me projecting and basing it off my own experiences, nahhhh...) and he rarely falls for anyone, but when he does he falls HARD.

• That being said, the flirtation begins. He is terrible at it... He respects boundaries and is incredibly respectful but he 100% butchers pickup lines because he genuinely thinks our generation likes those.

- "If you were a vegetable you would be a cucumber."

- "Do you have an extra heart? Mine was stolen."

- Can demons have strokes? That's probably what you are saying

- Angel Dust hears and DIES. Surprisingly gives some solid advice.

- "Stop with the pick-up lines. Just be yourself and it'll work, trust me, ya weirdo..."

- So he does. AKA secretly follows you, will randomly spawn to open doors for you or pull out chairs, chivalry isn't dead, dear! Also tells you about his grizzly murders in his lifetime, if anyone disrespects you prepare for your knight in shoulder pads, will be slick and dedicates one of his radio shows to you and plays an old song from his day. Makes you SWOON. Angel is proud.

- Also likes dates to Cannibal Town and introduces you to Rosie. She thinks you are the cutest thing in the world, prepared to be coddled by both.

📻 He likes to play dress up with you if you let him. Picking out your wardrobe is SO fun for him.

📻 Is a top tier cook. Usually prefers meat and will cook that for you, but if he finds out you are a vegan/pescitarian/etc he will do that. Gets excited when you compliment his cooking.

📻 HE HAS A SECRET TAIL HE IS ASHAMED OF AND I WILL NOT HIDE IT. I LOVE WHEN POWERFUL CHARACTERS HAVE A MILD INCONVENIENCE THAT MAKES THEM LESS SCARY.

📻 He learns words and if it's not from Rosie... Be prepared because it gets bad and gets cringe.

- "Ah! Darling, I heard some demons today as I was on a stroll, they were from your era. What is a mee-mee?"

- "I see... I see. They also said the word "gyatt" to a woman, I assume that is a compliment, so my dear, you have a-"

- You stop him right there, explains what that means and he short circuits. He walks over to the corner and just places his head against it. "I would like to be alone for a while..."

- "If mama knew I said this she would beat my ass to next Tuesday..."

📻 I know it says he's not big on touch but I HC he really doesn't care. He never seems to show any recoil from it, but maybe its just if its strangers?

📻 Will educate you on everything he knows on the macabre and morbid.

📻 Will FORCE you to sit down and check out vintage stuff. Watching TV? Not anymore, there is a microphone cane through it. Charlie has bought you like six phones now...

📻 He is overall an attention seeking puppy.

📻 Does things that get him praise. He WANTS his ego boost and knows you'll give it to him.

📻 Gossips with you about everyone and anything, listens to you rant and will give some genuinely good advice unless its like about an ex or something.

- "Simple, dear! Just kill them."

📻 Jokingly (?) tries to get you to sell your soul to him.

- "All in jest, don't worry! I think the look on your face is HILARIOUS!"

📻 If he sees you upset he tries to make you smile.

📻 If you are short he will put things on the top shelf and stifle a laugh as he watches you try to get it. Bless Husk and Angel for getting it for you.

📻 Angel is the only male he doesn't really have a problem with, hence when he hears about Valentino he has a bit of anger, also just because he thinks hes gross and perverse. Someone like that doesn't deserve to be breathing.

📻 Whiskey is his forte. VERY picky with his drinks, he doesn't like the cheap stuff like Husk does. A lot of people say he drinks wine but I imagine he only likes the hard stuff.

📻 He is the type of man to leave the toilet seat up. Vaggie has voiced her opinions on it.

📻 When he got Niffty out of that toilet he probably waited until the bubbles almost stopped. He's a little bit of an asshole.

📻 Actively pranks Husk. Someone save the cat-man...

- Switches his alcohol with non-alcoholic and sees how long it takes him to realize or get drunk even though he's not.

- Plays poker against him but will actively cheat to make sure he wins 100% of the time.

- Puts cucumbers down to scare the shit out of him.

📻 Since he is a deer demon (a Stag at that) he is VERY territorial, especially of the Hotel. This is HIS home. Will never admit it though.

📻 ✨Sweet Southern Boy✨ (Not really a HC I just wanted to say that, nor is he really sweet)

📻 He hides his accent. It will come out though when he is extremely extremely angry or when he is extremely relaxed.

📻 Will wake you up by staring in your face, you may or not have screamed once.

📻 Bullies Sir Pentious. He's still pissed about him ripping his tailcoat and he holds a grudge.

📻 Also not a headcanon but doesn't mind personal space, will come into the bathroom as you shower for conversation and draw on the steamed mirror. If you ask him to stop he will and completely understands.

📻 Sits and stares at a wall sometime.

📻 Gets everyone to taste his coffee, it is mostly coffee grounds.

📻 Has ate a dog demon on more than one occasion. Unapologetically.

📻 You know those compilations of like people getting hurt on youtube? If he used the internet that shit would be the funniest thing in the world to him.

📻 Uses 1920s slang to confuse everyone.

📻 Jealous.

- Plationic: Um... He's your best friend, right? Why are you giving attention to others when he is RIGHT THERE. Oh? They can do that, well he can do it ten times better. Watch what else he can do! Yeah, he's the coolest, right?

- Romantically: Time to butt heads and flex every possible way. Will RUIN the person's confidence, the psychological warfare begins. He is the better one and he must make it known. If they start flirting with you, blood will be spilled.

📻 When people try and lecture him it goes in one ear and out the other.

📻 His hair tufts are his ears, that may actually be canon, not sure.

- If he gets comfortable enough and you scratch behind they he MELTS. It scared him at first but once he first fell asleep it was nice.

📻 Will tell you about his mother constantly. Bases a lot of his morals and being a gentleman off how his mother taught him and treats women like ✨queens✨

📻 I HC one of his biggest problems with Lucifer and why they had tha number was because he was absent in Charlie's life so much and since his dad left him and his mother he believes absent fathers are the worst. He believes you have an obligation AS A FATHER to be the best you can be and raise your child.

- Absent father? Will bully so hard. He hates them to a fault, even if it wasn't their fault. He refuses to take criticism on it and its one of the things he is most stubborn about. Man got some daddy issues he doesn't want to talk about.

📻 His daddy issues lead to abandonment issues.

📻 His mom passing away will make him be extra attentive if someone he cares about is sick.

- Will check in and only really care if it's the girls.

- Will probably tell the guys to suck it up. Rip.

📻 Touch and affection starved and just doesn't show it. I don't care if it's not in character, let me project my issues in peace.

📻 Says the most out of pocket shit just for shock value.

📻 Rosie teaches him things he isn't allowed to say.

📻 His favorite body part to eat is the heart. He thinks it's poetic.

📻 Owns a record player because of course he does.

- If you want him to try modern day music, you best be getting vinyls.

- If you pull up Spotify he will feel betrayed.

- "So... My radio show isn't good enough? You need some... Application to play music for you?"

- Will guilt trip you and not feel bad. You already use phones and social media, like... Will only indulge if you play HIS type of music, and even then he will bitch about how it sounds better on the record player and how he play it on his show instead.

- I clearly know nothing about how radio shows work and I don't care.

⚠️Mildly suggestive depending on who you are:

📻 Likes boobs, he just likes sleeping on them. He was a mama's boy and he probably rested his head on his mother's chest all the time growing up.

[mightymizora]

Blood and Bone, Bone and Blood

It was ever fated thus. 3437 words, The Dark Urge/Ketheric Thorm, background implied The Dark Urge/Enver Gortash. CW violence, sex, and a lot of father issues.

Read on Ao3

His letter had said that he would bring her. That after the correspondence, the time he spent in the libraries and archives, the long conversations about what might be possible, that it was time to make it so. That they had been blessed in their endeavours, these Chosen of the Black Hand and the Lord of Murder, and the crown was theirs.

Their Gods blessed them all. It was time to claim their reward for their devotions. 

She is a little rough around the edges, says Lord Gortash in his careful hand. But you’ll like her. She keeps one sharp.

*

The Lord of Bones is a fair master to him. He came to him in the darkness, and he made an offer of one more chance for the light.

Shar was the absence. The nothing in the long night. The darkest part of the shadow, the last ragged squeeze of the exhale. 

Myrkul is the entropy, the judgement. The eternal proof of what is dead can truly never die.

He came to him in the darkness, as his mind still searched for the light.

Come join me, undying, his Lord told him in his awakening mind as the lid of his tomb was pulled from its resting place. Meet the eternal promise. I can give you what you desire.

*

They arrive on a cold evening, two figures emerging from the bleak fog on foot. The horses had turned at the edges of the curse, they would tell him later, and she had ripped them open as a mercy. Their footmen had turned on the verges, and she had torn them limb from limb.

They arrive in his halls, he draped in dyed bearskin, her in a plain red cloak. There are whispers in the hall as she lowers her hood, as his servants take their belongings.

Gortash bows to him.

The Bhaalspawn does not.

“I would remind you,” he warns her as he sits forward on his throne, “That in my halls, you defer to me.”

“I obey only the blood,” she replies, her voice dark and heady with the kill.

*

She haunts the floors of the towers on their first night.

He has no need for sleep anymore, he has rested long enough. Her voice echoes in the darkness, chased by the sound of screaming, echoing across the staircases and winding up into the sky.

He stalks the sound of her. Tracks her. He can only assume this is what she wants as she leaves great trails of blood along the wall, exsanguinated goblins and other such expendable creatures littering the ground as she paints her trail. He does not try to keep his feet light. She wants to be pursued; a game of hide-and-seek.

He dips his hands in the blood she leaves, feeling for the warmth blooming that will show that she is near. He follows her voice as it becomes clearer.

“My blood sings to their blood.”

He finally finds her, stripped naked with great gloves of blood half way up her arms, a mask of red on her face. “I will kill them, General,” she says with a delight in her eyes. “I will kill them, and you will make sure they return, won’t you? Blood and bone.”

She is like a child playing up for attention, her eyes wide in the torchlight, her body shivering in the cold. Punish me, she challenges, or make it right. He does not answer.

*

They speak through the plan from dawn until dusk, the crown on the table between them. It is strangely unimpressive to look at, this great prize, this key to dominion. Gortash lays out great scrolls of parchment, calls for food and wine, and he is happy to let him drown in the sound of his own voice. The plan is simple, really, beneath the theories and designs. His Lord has told him what he needs to know. 

“There are some last things to capture,” says Gortash. “Scribe Yanthus can take them down. We must ensure no part of this remains undocumented. We change the world, my friends.”

He raises his glass, but he is the only one drinking. The Bhaalspawn plays with the stem of her goblet. There is blood still under her fingernails.

“I will dine with General Thorm tonight,” she says finally. “He can tell me the history of this place, while you are working.”

“Manva-“

“Enver.”

Her name is a prayer, a plea on his tongue. His is a warning on hers. A moment’s annoyance, anger even, is replaced with a tight smile.

“Well, there is much to be done,” says Gortash, draining the last of his cup. 

*

They dine in silence in his rooms. He eats nothing. He needs nothing. He watches as she picks at a plate of dried fruits, of stale hardtack, of salted meat. She watches him in silence for almost an hour, her eyes set on him all the while, before she deigns to speak in a careful, measured, dark enquiry. 

“Your Lord spares you from death. Is that your bargain?”

She looks over him as she speaks through a mouthful of fruit that stains her lip.

“No.”

“It interests me. What you are given, what you ask for. Enver wears his ambitions every day.”

“And you?”

“I am the true blood of Bhaal. I ask for nothing. I only take.”

She spits a stone from the fruit onto the plate and looks at him. “I heard stories of the Great General of a hundred years ago. Leading the great Dark Justiciars across this land. Bringing the ever night. You were a champion. You served with glory.”

In a moment, her cup is knocked to the table as she pulls herself atop of it. She walks across and kneels in front of him, her hands on him so quickly he cannot stop them. 

“Is this what is left?”

He is struck by her tenderness, this child of Blood. She runs her hands so softly over his face, the callouses of her fingertips catching on the soft, hanging flesh.

“Is this what is left after the final breath? Is this what is left behind, after the bleeding stops? After the end? ”

“You fool,” he replies, his mouth by her mouth. “Death is no end at all.”

*

In the crypt, the candles burned out in a matter of days. He replaced them as he sat at the end of her grave over and over again. He bought the incense. He bought the offerings. He prayed.

Shar’s reward was just, he believed that. Shar’s reward was everything he had asked for. It was the moment of waking before one’s mind flooded with the grief of loss. It was the brief pause between the inhale and exhale. It was the moment when you had cried all the tears that your body could hold, and stillness fell.

He had no need for sleep, for food, for water. He had no needs at all, and she knew that. She did not come for him, because he did not ask.

He lived-not-lived in the gaps between for as long as he could, but that is the thing with grief. You can carve it away over and over, take the flesh from your body, bleed it away, but it lives inside your very bones.

*

She sits astride him and tears into his chest. The pain is an echo of what it could have been, his Lord’s great mercy, and her delight. Her strong hands crack his ribcage. It feels almost good. Right.

“Your blood smells wrong,” she says as she buries her face in him. “Oh, but your heart, Ketheric? It is so beautiful.”

She moves on him, and his eyes roll and what passes for his breath chokes him.

*

He holds her after, as his flesh knits back together and she watches like an awed child. He did not expect her to stay. It feels wrong to hold her like this, in the bed he shared for twenty years in love.

Melodia fit into his arms so perfectly. She would bury her nose into his neck, under his ear, tuck herself under his arm and his hand would find her waist. She would settle her hand so delicately on his chest as if any pressure would shatter him into pieces. 

“You did this for love, didn’t you?” she asks quietly. How old must she be, this reckoning in woman? Barely thirty, if that. The freckles across her nose remind him of Isobel as a child. Her strong jaw. Her pale eyes. 

“I did. I do.”

“You buried your wife. And then your daughter. And then yourself, in Shar.”

“I serve my Lord.”

“I think you serve yourself.”

Her fingers trace down the mark she left. 

She is not so delicate as her hands reach into him again.  

*

She explores the towers without his consent. She rifles through his books, asks questions of Balthazar. She feeds the gnolls, she watches the torturers in the dungeons, she runs her hands through the knives in the kitchen. 

“I wish to know you, my ally,” she tells him. “If we are to be bound together, I want to know you.”

“You are a blade,” he tells her. “You do not need to be anything more.”

*

“Tell me.”

“No.”

She has crawled into his bed again. This time, she has only let the blood from his neck in but a trickle, to weave her fingers in, to play with his black blood. When he heals, she pulls the flesh apart again gently.

“Do you want it? Is that why you ask?”

As her fingers move, so he moves in her. She sets the pace slow. He will follow.

“I will be the last being on earth,” she says. “If Bhaal wills me to quicken, then I have failed him.”

“I asked what you wanted.”

Her eyes glaze. She looks beyond him, and then into his eyes with a tenderness.

“Tell me of the day you first held her,” she demands, her lips by his wound. “Isobel. Tell me of the day she first saw the sun. Tell me of when you loved.”

*

When he held her he.

When he held her.

This body cannot recall it, not fully.

For when he held her, something changed in the very weaving of his veins.

When he held her he was flooded by the light she bore, the light that she was born with, ever radiant, his girl.

Every part of him that was good and just and right passed through into her. Every part of Melodia that was gentle and sweet and kind passed through into her.

When Melodia died, all that he loved lived in Isobel.

When Isobel.

When she.

There is a story of a man who sold himself part by part, and he tells himself that story. It is easier to tell it than to feel it again and again and again.

*

There is an affection there. They think he does not see it, but he does. 

Gortash holds the door for her as if he were the page of a highborn lady, and she steps through as if she is. He watches her as she moves through the halls of Moonrise, smiles as she smiles with that bloodthirst on her lips.

She swaps the ink pot as he scrawls without being prompted, and smiles as he writes and writes and writes. She reads his pages later as he sleeps. He knows from the smudges she leaves, but never tells.

It will be easy to take control over them, when the time comes. He barely needs to do a thing. He knows what that kind of love is capable of, that seeping in of gentleness in passion. If they survive placing the crown on the brain they will destroy each other over all these moments, with just the lightest touch, and as they turn to bone and ash he will endure.

He will endure.

*

The power of the brain has torn through his mind and dropped him to his knees twice already. The stone on his chest is being deflected. It buries itself into his armour, bores itself into the flesh. He can hear its voice in his mind, its mocking voice ripping through his mind.

Chosen of many, it whispers to him, Loyal only to one. You are brittle, breaking apart.

Gortash is on his knees, his hand above him not in defiance, but in protection.

He will endure. He will not fall before these children.

“She will be the all mother!” Manva cries, tears mingled with blood from her eyes. Her stone sits in a blade that she holds to her own throat in a rhapsody. “Her children will sweep through the world. They will be her children, and she will love them all.”

The crown flies from them and bonds to the brain, and the scream of it almost tears his mind in two.

*

That night they feast and he watches them. They are giddy, delighted with themselves and each other. She fills his cup. He tucks her hair behind her ear and she does not stop him.

“And now, we can take our rewards. The city will be mine, General,” says Gortash, “And tomorrow, we will help you claim yours.”

“And what does the child of Bhaal claim?” he asks her. 

She smiles in return. “Everything I am, I hand to my Father.”

*

It still smells of the herbs, of incense and of moss, of the strange sweetness of the flesh suspended from rot. It is still sacred, a hundred years later, preserved for all time with the strongest wards that he now dispels with a shaking hand. How many nights did he sit vigil here, and how much longer has it sat unmourned?

Manva moves the lid of the sarcophagus with ease, as Gortash holds the torch over the body.

The body.

His daughter.

His Isobel.

“Oh, but she is beautiful, General,” she swoons. Her hands reach down to her face, those vile instruments of violence.

“You do not touch her.”

The power of his own voice chills him, and she laughs at him, this degenerate, this poison.

“I cannot make her more dead, Ketheric. What are you afraid of?”

“Leave us.”

“But-”

“Leave. This is not for you.”

Gortash hands him the torch and takes her away. They leave him here, with the silence. That silence. And the fear.

“Lord,” he offers, falling to his knees one last time. “Grant me…”

He will be a supplicant. He will crawl in the dirt. He will push himself into the ground again, for this chance, and all the Lord of Bones asks for is his soul. His body. He prays for hours, awaits the hand of God to guide him, and it does.

As his hands touch her, her eyes open wide. She chokes on the cloth that sits down her throat and he pulls it from her as she gags. She tears away the bindings on her hands in dread panic, but her eyes, her eyes, they are bright and they are alive.

“Isobel. Oh, my love, my love, you are here with me!”

“Aylin?”

The sound of that woman, no not a woman, that creature’s name on her lips is a poison all over again. It seeps through him as her eyes come to focus on him fully.

Eyes that are full of dread.

“She is dead, Isobel,” he tells her. His voice sounds cold, so cold. “It’s me. I’m here. Oh, my girl, my beautiful, beautiful girl.”

The colour is starting to return to her cheeks. “Daddy, no.”

“We will be together now, my love.”

“What happened?”

Her hands, trembling, reach to his face, but stop before they can touch him. She buries her face in her hands and howls.

He wishes he could cry. Perhaps that would melt away the fear on her face as he picks her up, as he holds her to him, as he pulls her from the grave. She is still as stiff as a corpse against him, until he starts to pull her away.

“No-”

“It’s time to come home, Isobel.”

“No!”

He is pushed from her, hitting the wall in a flood of radiant light as she glows white, running past him on unsteady legs. Selune, moon-goddess, first love of his life, has borne down her blessing and her scorn.

“Isobel!”

He tries to run after, but the light seeps through his black blood and stills him, holds him, and he can only watch as she falls out of his sight once more.

*

He takes Manva to his bed. It is not up for discussion. 

“Perhaps I will kill you,” he tells her. “Raise you as my servant.”

“Perhaps I will starve you of your dead, Ketheric. Still the blades, if Father wills it.”

There is no satisfaction, at least in the physical, that he can take here. All the edges of his body are dulled. All of the great joys and the great pains stifled in service to his God.

But there something akin to joy in watching her discovery of his body. In watching that wonder that crosses her as she finds new ways to pull his flesh apart, as he hisses with an echo of the pain of it. She is delighted. She sparks. There is a beauty in it, a beauty that does not remind him of the sweet touch of his wife in bliss, but of the look of Isobel the first day she saw a songthrush, the first time she ate honey, the first time she realised she could say I love you to her father and make him laugh with joy.

There is a beauty in it.

In making her undone with ease, and wondering if Gortash can give her this. 

*

“I must return to the city to do what I do best,” she says. Gortash is waiting for her, and they will leave for Baldur’s Gate that morn. “The streets will run red with blood. We will have our victories. We will have our roles to play. And then…”

And then. She will try to kill them all. She will try to find the way. He will wait, as always, only now the world is his crypt.

She stops what she is doing, placing her pack on the table as she looks at him. She comes to him, sits in his lap again as she did that first night, and he does not stop her from taking his face in her hands.

“I wish they could rise again, those I will kill,” she says as she holds him close to her. “I wish they could rise to kiss me with such care.”

“If that is what you think care is, child, then I pity you,” he says, as his arms wrap around her one last time.

*

She stands before him again. Less defiant this time. New scars, new blood on her face. New allies, who look at her with that same dogged devotion young Gortash wore, the poor, misguided fools. It is a farce. It is obscene.

But if there is one thing he knows, it is that death is rarely the end.

As her eyes roam over him, he sees something stir in her. Recognition, for a moment, before a wave of uncertainty. Her lips part, her eyes are wide, and yet she says nothing.

“I am surprised to see you again, True Soul,” he says. “You are here to assist, and not to meddle, I trust?” He sits forward, and cannot help but smile. Oh, she is helpless. “I would remind you that while in my halls, you obey me - just as you would any other chosen.”

She does not take his meaning, his inference. Her eyes look to the others in the room. She is seeking confirmation, a hint, a purchase. She will find nothing. They are loyal to him.

“I’m sure you will enjoy seeing my justice enacted. You have to take what pleasure you can, after all, in your diminished state.”

She is pathetic. Her muscles shrunk to nothing, the fire in her a mere flicker. Her head bowed. Her eyes bloodless. 

“You know me?” she asks, but it is barely the hint of a question. She knows.

“Better than you know yourself.”

Blood and bone, bone and blood

It was ever fated thus

And as they mingle in the dirt

So the world returns to dust

[irisgoesgardening]

Zexal Month, Day 21 + 22: Originality + Powers

@zexalmonth Magical Numbers Hunters AU!! In which Photon Transformation becomes the key to hunting numbers. I have been releasing snippets of the story throughout my art blog. You can find them here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

The story is as follows:

BACKSTORY: Thousands of years ago, the gods battled to determine if chaos or order would prevail. The legendary warrior Astral sacrificed his memories to seal away the god of chaos, Don Thousand. However, Astral World would not be victorious for long. Astral's memories were scattered across the human plane in the form of Number cards, meant to be the gods' blessings upon mankind. With the last of his powers, Don Thousand cursed the Numbers to possess its wielders and manifest their deepest desires. In turn, Eliphas vowed that if there ever was to be a being who could collect all of the Numbers without sullying their soul, they would be able to obtain a wish from the gods and determine the battle between chaos and order, once and for all. Of course the task is impossible. Numbers are too powerful. Those who have tried throughout history were condemned to madness and destruction upon trying to wield the power of the gods.

Until two scientists are determined to end the war, once and for all.

Mitsuko Tenjo and Dr. Faker attempt to build Numbers immunity in humans. Along the way, Mitsuko gives birth to Kaito.

Then, they have a breakthrough—the Numbers are linked to other dimensions.

Thus, Byron enters. He has been researching dimensions and how certain humans have higher "spiritual drift" values than others. Humans with high drift aptitudes are able to wield Numbers for longer than the average human due to their close connection with the home of the gods (the other dimensions). Unfortunately, once Don Thousand's curse sets in, they become an extremely dangerous individual. The three work together for a few years. Due to the stress of the work, Mitsuko finds that she can no longer have children. She falls into despair, deciding to collect all the Numbers to have another child. With all of the progress they have made, Mitsuko decides to set out and become the first Hunter—Hunter Starlight. One day on a hunt, she and Faker encounter the Barians. They offer to grant her wish as long as her future child will fight on behalf of Barian World to destroy Astral World. They accept. Eventually, Haruto arrives, but at that point, Mitsuko's body has deteriorated from collecting Numbers. She dies, leaving Dr. Faker heartbroken. Although she didn't succumb to Don Thousand's curse, her body slowly withered away.

This was the cost of using the power of the gods. Haruto is born weak. Dr. Faker seeks out the Barians to break the contract. They laugh in his face and say after he collects all the Numbers, they'll heal Haruto. For now, if he doesn't want Haruto to end up like his mother, he'll need to find a few replacements. They hint that the most powerful Hunters are born from despair. Kaito is the perfect candidate. Before he begins his experiments on his son, Dr. Faker must be sure though. He turns his eye on Byron and Kazuma Tsukumo's sons. Yuma Tsukumo is randomly picked to see if an average citizen of Heartland could become a Hunter. Cue episode 55's flashback. This time, Faker sacrifices Byron and Kazuma for his experiment but also to buy more time for Haruto. "Take two innocent souls as a token of my goodwill" kinda messed up shit. In turn, the Barians give Haruto powers to destroy Astral World but still refuse to break his contract. Faker proceeds to isolate Christopher and further plunge him into despair. When he is at the end of his rope, Dr. Faker asks if he wishes to become a Hunter. Hunter V is soon born. He is instructed to train Kaito to become a Hunter as well. Faker continues to keep a close eye on Yuma and Kamishiro Rio and Ryoga—twins with abnormally high spiritual drift values. TO BE A HUNTER: Hunters are legends in Heartland City. Their identities are kept secret, but they are hailed as heroes to mankind. To become a Hunter, there are five key determinants: 1. Despair Values (Or, D-levels) 2. Physical Strength 3. Mental Fortitude 4. Spiritual Drift (Or, the individual's ability to communicate with the Numbers/drift between dimensions) 5. Numbers Affinity (Their compatibility with their Number) Episode summary in the reblog!!

[drippingviolets3]

Omfg yall I’ve had this theory boiling up for MONTHS now and I gotta spill-

So first of all for my normal viewers, though it doesn’t say so in my description (yet. That I am aware of.) I’m into a game called Touch Starved and it’s a gothic horror visual novel. The demo is our, it’s free, go play it if you’re cool with the themes.

Now, one of the character’s has caught my eye, and for all the wrong reasons. Leander, the only “human” (or at least, non-cursed human) of the cast. His gang of bloodhounds are both portrayed as saviors, but are also described as being just as bad as the senobium (again for my usual viewers, go play the demo and you’ll learn what that is). This got me suspicious, and as everyone in the fandom has been doing, I started to theorize and….

Bro Leander is totally a cult leader 💀

My reasoning goes as follows:

1• The base of operations for them is a tavern. It’s said that their alcohol is watered down, but it makes people drink more. Alcohol can lead to dumb decisions, but under influence and the right persuasion, it could lead to something drastic.

2• Everyone seems to worship Leander. He’s able to get an entire bar to calm down when the player even mentions the senobium (more on that later), they always want to see his magic in work and receive his gifts, like how cult followers will seek out blessings from their leader

3• The matching cloaks. That alone screams shady, but at the same time screams unity under one cause. If Leander is their leader, they’re following *his* cause.

4• The phrase “as above so below” that they used in their ads. It means that whatever happens in a higher realm or plane of existence, will also correspond with the lower realm. It comes from The Emerald tablet of Hermes, which is a part of Hermeticism. The thing that they worshipped was not to be shown or described as straight up the devil or god, people were meant to come to their own conclusions about him. That could mean that the Bloodhounds are luring in people from various circumstances, and promising them each something they believe in because they’re all meant to have a individual belief on their being of worship.

4• Leander claimed that his flower bouquet he made was for someone in need of good luck. Leander could very well be the person they’re worshiping because they belief he’s creating miracles, and we all know Leander is an attention whore.

5• The bloodhounds are given a place to stay as well as food and water. The member’s entire lives are in control of Leander and the bloodhounds. If Leander decides you aren’t worth his time he could easily give the word and everyone would rip you apart. This could encourage obedience from the members.

Every character in this game has a dark side as edgy as that sounds. No one is truly innocent, including characters like Leander. I’ll be adding to the theory as I go on, but other then what I’ve already written that’s all I have so far.

[taggedmemes]

SENTENCE MEME BALDUR'S GATE 3 / PART THREE

i heard what happened.

thank you for protecting the child.

we can risk violence here or face it for certain on the road.

a low thought, but i'd be lying if i said i hadn't considered it.

i'm not some murderer for hire.

to get these people to safety, there's nothing i won't do.

if your people survived that, they'll survive anything.

it's unusual for them to organize so cleverly.

you're equal to the task.

try not to keel over with the first blade drawn.

might not look it, but we're tough.

there's optimism and then there's stupid.

how are you going to take my gold if you're dead?

just leave the gold on my corpse.

i wish we could at least give them a proper burial.

gold ain't any use if you're too cold to spend it.

you're giving up?

you should leave it, or destroy it.

at best it's worthless. at worst, who knows.

do not trifle with that moon witch or her trinkets.

only trouble will follow.

we've enough troubles and burdens as it is.

perhaps you can sell that for a couple of coins.

i should pluck your eyes out.

a cursed book? how obvious.

this quarrel sours our feast.

be you friend or food?

am i not astonishing?

i am by all accounts a student of higher commerce and extortion.

it's not what it looks like, i swear.

i wasn't going to hurt you.

i can't believe i didn't see it.

i'm not some monster.

why didn't you tell me?

i needed you to trust me.

you can trust me.

do you think you could trust me just a little further?

let's make ourselves comfortable, shall we?

i was just swept up in the moment.

i'm looking forward to seeing you fight.

you're invigorating, but i need something more filling.

this is a gift, you know. i won't forget it.

good morning. how do you feel?

i just feel a little woozy.

i thought you'd be more powerful.

someone, or something, wants me alive.

as for my other quirks — well, we can figure those out in time.

i'm just glad you're being sensible about these revelations.

i was worried people might turn up with torches and pitchforks.

that explains the pallor.

we're each monsters in the making.

i taste absolutely awful.

we need him, like it or not.

we're bound together, no matter what comes.

you say all the right words, but i'm not so sure you mean the right things.

i will respect the decision that was made.

we're all friends again.

there's a long day ahead of us.

what a manner of place is this?

is this a path to redemption or a road to damnation?

your journey is just beginning.

what would suit the occasion?

i am [name], very much at your service.

if you want to threaten me, don't disguise it.

you're paranoid, aren't you.

must be the surroundings.

rather bleak and lonesome, one feels so exposed.

this quaint little scene is decidedly too middle-of-nowhere for me.

enjoy your supper. after all, i might be your last.

are these theatrics leading somewhere?

are you not entertained?

far be it from me to disappoint.

how dear is one's soul?

you're made if you think i'll make a deal with a devil.

what is madness but a denial of reality?

exhaust every possibility until none are left.

when hope has been whittled down to the very marrow of despair, that's when you'll come knocking on my door.

i'll have the last laugh in the end.

one might say you're a paragon of luck.

i've something important to discuss with you.

we've been travelling together for a while now and it's just about time that i shared something with you.

are you telling me you're addicted to magic?

i would not burden anyone other than myself with this were the stakes not so high.

if not out of the simple goodness of your heart, then perhaps your own self-interest might be sufficient motivation.

please, trust me.

your help could be the difference between life and death.

i'm afraid that's not going to work on me.

let us agree on actions first and explanations later.

i didn't come seeking battle.

you're different than the others, i can tell.

i'm afraid proper thanks must wait.

your boldness is a blessing.

it takes more than mere fire to break me.

i must ask again for your aid.

why entrust this to me?

i know him better than most.

i'm not interested in your lineage.

you shouldn't keep secrets like this from me.

he named me friend, and that meant the world.

they're a powerful friend with a keen interest in privacy.

i'm sworn to say no more.

i spent more time dueling than rubbing elbows with lords.

not to say i didn't develop a taste for good win and a talent for courtly dance.

it's been a badger's age since i've twinkled my toes.

a drunk ogre could put on a better show.

we can learn a lot from fairytales, don't you think?

he'll require of you only what you're least ready to part with, and then require more still.

the devil won't take just anything, he'll take everything.

that is a story reserved for lifetime friends and calmer days.

i question the wisdom in that decision but so be it.

there's no way you could have known.

i doubt a fight against them would go your way.

seems you have good survival instincts.

i go my own way — alone.

[the-lights-are-loud]

It’s terrifying. Rumors of relentless assassins and boundless war on the tip of each tongue. It’s not something you would expect a child to be familiar with, let alone fully understand. Nothing was surprising to his ears. Why would it? It had been one of the things he’d known since birth.

Sometimes he would tip-toe around their quarters at night, listening to each room. His parents had hushed whispers, soft arguments, and muffled pacing. His brother was seldom quiet. Impatient flipping of papers, grunts and huffs of arms practice, and frequent escapes to the kitchens. His room was always dark and silent. Tomblike.

There were other whispers. Ones that intrigued his young mind. The whisperings of answers, of hope, of safety. He followed these. The stories of faraway prophecies, curse-breakers, and magical heroes. This was what kept him up at night. 

“Son, you need to focus. These meetings are important.” His father pulled him from a daydream of peaceful uncertainty.

“Sorry, sir. Uh, but if they are so important, wouldn’t it be okay for me to read what the scribes write? That way I can get more out of them?” He immediately shut his mouth, an apologetic expression quickly spreading across his face. It was out of line to speak against him.

His father huffed, “You must learn now that you won’t always have time to review these meetings. You need to be able to make decisions with what you know. So please, pay attention.”

“Yes sir,” he breathed, shaking at the idea of that future. One where he would have to do this. By himself. He suppressed the urge to hide, to panic, to tremble. 

The rest of the meetings crawled by. Each commoner, noble, and guardsman had their two bits to give. He couldn’t help it, his mind wandered, wanting for life, unlike this one. One that was blessed, unkind, and didn’t have the weight of the world. Where he could be free, to choose, to live, to leave, the allure drew him.

“Your Majesties.” The strange tone drew him back to reality, raspy and sour with no fullness to the sound. Standing in front of their dais, directly beneath his hard throne, was a woman. He had never seen someone who looked so young, yet so old. Her hair was a brilliant white, hanging around her shoulders, like thin, fragile crystals. Her eyes were piercing, vivid blue, holding infinite wisdom, and childlike wonder. She had few wrinkles and the ones she did have crinkled at the edges of her eyes and mouth, from years of the practice of smiling. Her robes were nondescript, a simple, rich brown. Her arms were open like she was preparing for an embrace.

“Your Majesties, I bring tidings of hope. All is not lost for you.” She measured her words like they were rehearsed.

“And who are you to proclaim this?” His father interjected. His interest was clearly piqued, but he radiated skepticism. 

“Someone you haven’t heard from in a while.”

“And who might that be?” His mother finally spoke, clearly annoyed with the roundabout exchange. The strange woman smiled.

“I am Lachesis, The Oracle.”

His father shot up, hands balled into fists. “Get you and your black magic out of my home, and out of my kingdom.” 

Terrified of his father’s words, he flinched back. For once, he didn’t understand. She backed away.

“If you seek answers, my library is open, even when I’m gone.” She smirked at him and his brother. “You have made a mistake sending me away before I can save you.”

“Get out of here. Get. Out.” His father’s voice was shaking. He wasn’t the only one. 

“Boys, go upstairs, your tutors are waiting.” His mother ushered them out of their seats. He couldn’t help but try his hardest to stay.

“Young Prince, you will come looking for me soon,” she cackled, those eyes that were once wise, now insane.

“Konrad,” his mother snapped at him. He was rooted in place as he watched Lachesis be dragged from the room. “Konrad, leave.”

His feet walked him out of the room, but his mind was still on his cold throne, watching his father yell, his mother scream, and guards close the hall's doors. He could still hear the maniacal laughter ringing in his ears.

[misqnon]

one piece x inuyasha au bc I'm insane and wrote this during my break today

luffy is a human kid* sent to the great demon era (I'm great at naming <3) where demons rule the lands after he falls through a cursed well in the forest where he and sabo and Ace grew up. he seeks to collect all the pieces of the shikon jewel and put them back together into....one piece. (loud booing) listen,

in this era, the wielder of the shikon jewel becomes the most powerful demon that rules over all the others. luffy does not care that he's human. he wants that damn jewel

zoro is still a swordsman. not much changes. people think he's a demon, but he's actually just a really strong human who can use techniques like asura. he was a demon hunter for spare change after he got lost leaving his home village. not much changes there, either

nami is a petty thief and navigator who used to work for the demon arlong. she starts to awaken some priestess powers with usopp's help and the staff he gives her, though she doesn't really follow any other priestess rules. she learns other magic, too, still messing with the weather and wielding a variety of attacks without a care for whether they're sacred or demonic

usopp's following in the footsteps of his father- a priest turned adventurer killing wayward demons along the way. his weapon of choice in this au is a bow and arrow which sometimes he and Nami will work together to bless the arrows!

sanji is a travelling cook who's secretly the son of a daiyoukai. due to his mother's intervention, he's a hanyou, but he passes as human and his crew doesnt know he is one.

chopper is a little reindeer demon who's learning medicine and priesthood under the care of lady kureha, joining luffy's crew after they defeat the demon wapol

robin is a demon from ohara who works under the demon warlord Crocodile for a little while, fulfilling a role similar to kaguya. she deserts him after luffy and crew save vivi and the alabasta region from his reign, but she's still wanted by the world at large for being a "dangerous type of demon" with knowledge of the old world and the creation of the shikon jewel passed down in her clan.

franky is a human/zombie/demon hybrid who survived an explosion after his mentor, a demon named tom, was attacked. he put himself back together with human and demon parts alike, similarly to how sesshomaru and naraku would absorb spare body parts in the og show. he's a blacksmith!

Brook is a revived man much like kikyo was brought back by demonic methods. he has to consume souls to keep living, but he only steals the souls of their enemies. he's also pretty bad at it. he's still a musician, though his instruments are a bit more traditional

jinbei is a whale shark yokai, so a fish yokai from the same clan as Arlong...but not evil lmao. he used to be a warlord too, but decided he didn't like the whole feudal part. he's the crew's cultural guide and diplomat of sorts, attempting to keep peace between demon territories and human villages they visit alike from freaking out when a rag tag group of thieves, demons, priests, and fighters show up on their doorstep. he and robin discuss history and archeology often, and in theory robin has a lot of the same knowledge jinbei does, but jinbei has better....people skills.

the setting would be the inuyasha universe, feudal / yokai infested Japan. however, the world government is an issue in luffy's time (1500's fictional goa kingdom) that secretly has ties to accessing the demon world. I haven't thought out the logistics fully, yet. but you can bet your ass luffy's mentor shanks, who is often gone on long "journeys," was actually traveling back and forth from the feudal era and the goa kingdom this whole time.

* spoilers below

* I haven't gotten ro gear 5 yet myself but I imagine luffy is secretly the reincarnation of the demon "joy boy", which will. aid the whole shikon jewel thing. and is also why he is able to traverse the cursed well.

though, humans like shanks seek out the jewel too, for the power it can hold in controlling demons or perhaps (myth?) giving them the power of one.

[keldae]

C. A moment’s respite.

The Last Light Inn was a small bastion of safety in the shadow-cursed lands, the darkness held at bay by Isobel's magic. It was a welcome reprieve for the party of adventurers seeking to take down the Absolute and the cultists in Moonrise Towers – the fairy’s blessing had provided protection from the shadows, but it still was good to have a safe harbour to retreat to.

Having tucked herself away in a corner, Devi sat on a rickety chair, watching the tieflings, the Harpers, and her friends mingling about the inn’s common room. Every once in a while, she could hear Karlach's laughter as she conversed with Dammon, or a shout as Wyll cleaned some other hapless dice player out of their gold with a good-natured grin. Yet her gaze kept travelling back to the wizard in the next seat, sipping on a cup of wine and intently reading a scroll that he had found on one of the bookshelves in the inn. Gale appeared to be completely lost in thought, a little furrow lining his brow, his hand sometimes abandoning his wine cup on the table to stroke his beard as he considered something.

It made for a lovely picture, the wizard so lost in thought, focused on the words before him and not on his surroundings. A man reading really shouldn’t have been that interesting – and yet, Devi found herself transfixed. Something about the angle of his brows, or the set of his jaw, or the way his long fingers moved in the lamp light made her want to study him, committing him to memory.

Because Mystra ordered him to become a memory, a little voice in her head muttered. When we find the Absolute, he's going to follow her damned orders to blow himself up taking it out. That made her look away, gazing into her own wine, lips pressed together tightly as though she could avoid having them tremble, betraying her feelings on the matter. Damn the gods for throwing them all into this predicament, and damn Mystra in particular.

A nudge to her side got her attention. Her heart leapt when she saw Gale's smile at her; he'd apparently lost focus on the scroll. “I'm surprised you're not playing against Wyll again,” he commented with a chuckle.

Devi snorted. “And lose even more gold pieces to him? That bastard’s too damn good at dice.”

Gale smirked. “Have you forsaken your goal of winning the pants off of him in payback?”

“It's taking a temporary pause. But I will say, if his left boot goes missing tonight, I had nothing to do with it. I'll get one of the tiefling kids to give me an alibi.”

That got another chuckle from Gale. “Ah, the mark of a wise criminal. As I would not like to have my own boots stolen in payback, rest assured, I'll keep your secrets intact.”

“Smart man.” Devi grinned and sipped her wine, then gestured to the scroll with her cup. “Find anything interesting in that?”

“Not as much useful information for our predicament as I'd hoped for, but it’s still very fascinating reading.” Gale looked back down at the scroll. “Apparently, if we can make our way to the cellar of the inn, we may be able to find a Selûnite refuge, hidden away from the Sharran Justiciars. The former innkeeper, before the shadow-curse took over, was apparently sympathetic to the Selûnites.”

“Huh. Interesting.” Devi nodded thoughtfully. “Shadowheart might get a laugh out of it, at least. I’m just happy she and Isobel haven’t had a spat yet.”

“Yet being the operative word,” Gale muttered. “Still, Shadowheart does recognize that not all of us have the protection that Shar lent her, or the pixie’s blessing, and Isobel is invaluable for everyone’s safety. Regardless of their… disagreements on their goddesses, they’ll keep the peace for now.”

Devi nodded again, watching as Gale rolled the scroll back up. “Sorry if I’m distracting you from your reading,” the thief said. “I know you love your books.”

“Think nothing of it,” Gale chuckled. “You are quite pleasant company to have around, even if you are quite a bit quieter than usual tonight. A gold piece for your thoughts?”

“That’s the most anyone’s ever offered to hear what’s in my head,” Devi laughed. She looked over at the sound of dice clattering, and Wyll gracefully accepting a rare loss with a seated bow to a triumphant-looking tiefling, raucous laughter drifting over to the corner. “My mind’s all over the place tonight. I’m just…” Thinking about you and how unfair it is that Mystra’s ordered you to your death. No goddess deserves that level of devotion! Forgiveness isn’t worth that much. “I’m thinking about how good it is to see everyone relaxed and safe for the moment.”

“It is pleasant to see,” Gale agreed, looking away from Devi to survey the rest of the inn’s common room. “Would that we could see this more frequently, with everything happening to us. The tadpoles, the Absolute…” He shrugged. “But it could be argued that the rarity of these moments of respite make them that much more valuable, when we do get them. We more fully appreciate them.”

“I think I’d appreciate them fully, even if we got them more regularly,” Devi grumbled. She heard Gale chuckle, then looked back at the wizard. “So… found any more interesting reading?” Usually any books that she found while exploring were immediately handed to Gale or Shadowheart – Devi could read, but she struggled in making sense of the markings on the pages. She lacked Gale’s ability to easily comprehend the written words. Education was more valued for a wizard prodigy and not a back-alley Baldurian thief.

“Quite a bit,” Gale said with a smile. “I have a small library growing in my tent from the books that we’ve found on our travels. If you would like, I could read some of them to you.”

“Would you?” Devi perked up, interested by that prospect. “Any chance that book you mentioned about, uh, stimulation is in your library?”

Gale chuckled. “Alas, no – that particular book is in my tower in Waterdeep. However, I do have a few other tomes in my collection here that may be of interest to you.”

“Consider me intrigued,” Devi said with a grin. She finished off her wine, watching Gale set his own empty cup on the table. “Shall we go investigate?”

“Precisely where my thoughts were, my dear.” Gale grinned and stood up, offering her his arm like a proper gentleman. “We’ll leave the others to their revelry for now. Time spent with you is always a pleasurable experience.”

“Even when we’re both covered in blood and gods-know-what?” Devi laughed and took Gale’s arm, letting the wizard lead her out of the inn and back towards the party’s camp, set up on the lawn outside – all the rooms in the inn had been claimed by Harpers or tieflings.

“Even then.” Gale’s smile made Devi’s heart skip a beat. “Although a peaceful moment like this is always preferable.” “You won’t hear me arguing that.” Devi smiled, savouring the moments she could spend in Gale’s company, in relative peace and quiet. Gods help me, I will talk him out of sacrificing himself to destroy the Absolute. He deserves to live, and I want him to live. She offered up a silent prayer to any god that would listen (except Mystra) – let Gale live. Even if he never loves me the way I do him, let him live.

[rmorde]

The Husky and His White Cat Shizun (2HA, Erha) delivered everything I wanted in a story plus everything I never knew I would actually want in a story.

When I consumed all four books and realized there was more, I was horrified. So, I ventured to all fan translations I can get and practically lost sleeping hours to finish it. It is that good imo.

First off tho, it is not for the faint of heart. Do not be fooled by the cover with pretty art. The premise barely scratches the surface of how dark the story is. Book 4 is also a fucking trap that lulls you into bringing down your defenses before giving you an upper cut in the face then pummeling down your soul into tiny little pieces.

It promised me a cute albeit dark-ish story of two men falling in love. However, what it delivered was a narrative with a thin veneer of fluff to hide tons of absolute brutality concerning racism, classism, elitism, generational trauma, body horror, genocide, rape, mob mentality, gossips, and so much more.

At its core tho, it is still a love story. You just need the patience of a saint and nerves of steel to power through all the pain and agony after the Farming Arc (Basically, be like Chu Wanning as a Reader). ----> I guess you can summarize my feelings as "Went in for the BL. Stayed for the plot. Surprised how underneath that pain, horror, and tragedies woven in the story - it was always about love."

Sure, there were asspulls here (Nangong Bloodline Mo Ran) and there (Butterfly Boned Beauty Feast Mo Ran). There were attempts to set up those reveals tho but they were a bit clunky. However, it is not too detrimental to the overall appeal of the story for me. There were weird phrasings and word choices too but I gave them a slide since it is a light novel after all.

The gore in the story is unexpectedly top notch tho. The fights and monsters are interesting. The stakes in the plot really ramps up the suspense. While some Reveals are fairly obvious, they were still rewarding because they were set up quite nicely such as the reveal of 0.5 Chu Wanning's soul being implanted in the current timeline Chu Wanning, Taxian-Jun appearing, and Shi Mei not being as nice as he presents himself to be.

I also like how redemption was explored in the story. A lot of characters, like Mo Ran, were presented with second chances to fix their own fuck ups. While the villainous characters were sympathetic, they were not given a pass. All of them have to work hard and make the right choices to achieve true redemption.

Just for example: Mo Ran. He feels remorse for everything he had done as Taxian-Jun. He did his best to make up for it. Chu Wanning even forgives him. However, it was not enough. Because the wrongs he had done are not just againstbWanning after all. He still had to pay for his sins with his peaceful life as Grandmaster and earn his happy ending through zombie Taxian-Jun.

There are many more characters trying to seek redemption in the story but I think it would be better if that is in a separate post instead.

Now, another recurring theme featured in Erha is kindness. In the story, Kindness can both be a blessing or a curse. A small amount of it can have big repercussions. Also, contrary to what most people think, kindness is a choice that requires a lot of (mostly thankless) hard work and sacrifice.

Anyway, Erha is my first danmei and I love it. It is dark but with a nice satisfying ending. I'll check out others. Scumbag Villain Self Saving System seems to be a good follow up but from I have read so far about it, it's kind of a parody/comedy type of story?

Maybe I'll check out Heaven Official's Blessing first instead.

[childofchrist1983]

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. - Psalm 119:8-11 KJV

No matter our age,, the answer to keeping ourselves pure is the same: Love God and live according to God's Holy Word. Sounds so simple, so why is it so hard to do? Jesus Christ summed up the Holy Bible in one word: Love! Our sinful nature goes against God's and His will for us, and we must humble ourselves before Him and seek His help to walk obediently in Him and His Holy Word and Spirit. That's why it's so hard!

The first of the Commandments call us to serve and love God with all our being. We are not to put anything or anyone above God. We are not to take God's name in vain by using it as a curse or an exclamation of anything other than praise. We are not to take God's role in condemning anyone or anything. It belongs only to God to decide if someone will be judged, damned and sent to Hell, not to us. We are to take time out of our days to give thanks and praise to God. The rest of the Commandments speak about our responsibilities to others. As we learned from reading the Holy Bible, our allegiance to authority only goes so far.

We are not to follow immoral rules. We are not to kill the spirit of a person as well as not to kill, cut or harm the body. We are to keep ourselves out of harm's way; not to put ourselves in dangerous situations without a good reason, and not to use people for our own pleasure; to treat others with the same respect we want them to show us. We are not to lie or cheat or steal, but to be satisfied with the blessings we have been given. If we do these things, we will be pure in the eyes of the LORD God Almighty. He knows what is necessary to live a fulfilled and happy life and has given us guidelines to follow all our lives. May we open our hearts and minds to Him and His Holy Word and live according to His Word and will everyday.

May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will for all our lives.

Everyday, we must remember to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and guilt. May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[mademoisellefantasy]

One of those nights

She thinks. All she does is think. What a curse to have reason and word! And that word never goes away. It stays like permanent ink, like carvings on stone, like fossils on the Earth's soil. The maiden of the castle was allowed to think once and now she won't stop. What she once thought to be a blessing turned into a curse in few months.

"August and it rains… Only my room and the duke's guestroom shine in the darkness and clouds."

For a little while her thoughts allow her to be less serious, to fuss over the weather and her lord's guests. She stumbled upon them in the small dining hall; them eating peacefully-

"Were the nobles holding hands? Oh, how lucky are they to have love in their blue-blooded hearts!"

-her holding dirty dishes to wash. How easily does romance fade out at the stench of half-eaten food… Still, she was happy to have shared a goodnight with them, to have spoken little phrases in their odd languages.

"I wouldn't call me happy."

There it goes; the curse! At the briefest mention of happiness, it goes reminding her she has a half-written suicide letter she doesn't know if she'll finish or not. It is a letter that made her realize how truly unfitting in this world she is. How apologetic she is. How sad. How useless she feels. How her sister was right to point out all these flaws all these years. How she could just maybe give up. Besides, all her life she's tried to become better and somehow ended up being worse.

"When did it start? When did I forget it takes luck to make it in this life, not just hard work?"

She had always believed that if she worked hard she'd be rewarded, she'd get everything she ever wished for. They forgot to tell her she'll start feeling lost, she'll forget to talk to others, and she will be at odds with her family. They forgot to mention that the curse would make her doubt herself at every step, be too decisive one moment and scared or tired the next.

"Have I lost who I am? Am I turning to someone new? Why does it feel like I am just a worse version of myself?"

Her favorite song speaks of the beauty of existence, yet all she's been able to think of -damn that curse- is disappearing. Her sister is right, she is a coward.

"I don't want to cry again."

Crying in a castle is odd. The nobles either pretend they don't see your pain or discreetly ask you days later if you're alright now.

"No."

The maiden seeks comfort in everything and everyone that'll give it to her. A servant boy called her strong the other day.

"I was crying like a baby."

Still, he called her strong. She doubts she is anything good anymore. She tried to kill herself again and her mother is worried.

"How many more times will I almost do it? When will I finally just give up?"

It is one of those nights, yet she must let it pass and sleep. The lord's guests will need her tomorrow early in the morning.

So, this is very much inspired by my current mental state, but I am glad I managed to at least make something creative out of my depression.

The castle photos are mine and the location is Hapimag Chateau de Chabenet. I was listening to the following while writing:

[holdonendure]

Brothers and Sisters

The word YAHUAH derives from the root words, “hyah” meaning – to be; come to pass, exist; happen. “huah” meaning – to be; become; exist; happen; also. YAHUAH’s name means life. Life exists because YAHUAH exists. Do you know the Name of the only living ELOHIYM the Creator of all? The scriptures asks you if you know HIS Name.

“Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Whose hands have gathered up the wind? Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His Name, and what is the Name of His unique Son? Surely you know?” Proverbs 30:4

There are many debates over the name of the Most High and HIS Set Apart Son, but most of these debates are merely challenges made by those who don’t know Ancient Hebrew. Names like yahweh, ahayah, yehovah, and so on, only exist because of the ignorance of the Ancient Hebrew

pronounciation. And the pronounciation is further confused with the spelling of YAHUAH in the ancient (YHWH) and modern (YHVH) Hebrew.

The W (Waw) is pronounced as oo as in pool.

YAHUAH puts His Name in other names as following;

AHdam (Adam) = “YAHUAH’s Mankind”

AzzUr (Azor) = “Helpful is YAHUAH”

ChanAH (Hannah) = “Favour of YAHUAH”

EL = YAHUAH The Mighty One

YAHrusalem = “YAHUAH’s foundation of peace”

The pagans have abolished His Name by using YE, JE and Y’ is in Yehovah which means “The God of destruction.” And Jesus which means “The god isous (The anointed one who is pagan god.)”

Many of us have used the wrong names of YAHUAH and YAHUSHUA because of ancient Judaism wanting to remove ELOHIYM’s Name. And the pagan Roman Catholic Church who perverted the WORD with a book called the bible and changed the Messianic Believers into pagan christians. With many of them not knowing their God’s name or saying that their gods name is God.

YAHUAH makes it very clear why HIS name is so important.

“A son esteems his father, and a servant his master. And if I am the Father, where is My esteem? And if I am a Master, where is My fear? Said YAHUAH of hosts to you. Priests who despise My Name. But you asked, ‘In what way have we despised your Name?’ Malachi1:6

If you don’t say HIS Name then you don’t esteem YAHUAH. And He is very clear on what He does when people don’t esteem His Name.

“If you will not hear, and if you will not set it on your heart to give esteem to My Name, says YAHUAH of Hosts, then I will send the curse (Allah) on you, and I will curse your gifts/favours. And indeed, I have cursed it, because you are not setting it on your heart. Behold, I am rebuking your seed, and I will spread dung on your faces, the dung of your solemn feasts; and one will lift you up to it.” Malachi 2:2-3

If you seek His Name He will bless you.

And Jacob asked Him, saying, “Please let me know Your Name.” And HE said, “Why do you ask about MY Name?” And HE blessed him there.” Genesis 32:29

Why do people believe they can call Him whatever they desire as if they are the creator?

Many of these very people would desire confrontation if someone referred to them in a derogatory way. Yet they call YAHUAH by all sorts of pagan demonic god names. So why do we not call ABBA anything besides the Name He set apart since the ancient of days? Calling HIM anything but ADONAI ELOHIYM YAHUAH is an abomination! And when you point it out to pagan Christians their ridiculous response is, “He knows our hearts.” But He has bad news for those that reject Him and His unique Son with names of men and other gods.

“The heart is crooked above all, and desperately sick – who shall know it? “ I YAHUAH, search the heart, I test the deepest parts of the mind (kidneys), and judge every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” Jeremiah 17:9,10

Blessed is he who comes in the Name of YAHUAH! Psalms 118:26

Names are very important to YAHUAH. The first task given to Ahdam was to name all of the animals.

“So the man named all the lifestock, beast of the fields and birds of the heaven.” Genesis 2:19-20

If we are to esteem the animals by calling them by their name, why don’t you esteem YAHUAH?

From the beginning they called on the Name of YAHUAH.

“Then they called on the Name of YAHUAH.” Genesis 4:26

“Oh, make YAHUAH great with me, And let us exalt His Name together.” Psalms 34:3

We need to,

Fear Their Names!

Sing praises to Their Names!

Confess Their Names!

Guard Their Names!

Remember Their Names!

Think of Their Names!

Esteem Their Names!

“Yah” is a poetic name…it’s the shortened version of YAHUAH. It’s what you would use in a song of praise to YAHUAH or a poem.

“Sing to ELOHIYM, Sing Praises to His Name. Raise up a highway for Him who rides through the deserts. By His Name YAH, and exalt before Him!” Psalms 68:4.

Throughout Psalms YAH is used along with YAHUAH. If you want to sing or say poetry to ELOHIYM then call HIM YAH and YAHUAH.

As in HalleluYAH!

The numbers do not lie: its impossible for YAH to be the sole Name of the Most High and anyone refusing to esteem HIS full Name violates the 3rd commandment, yet so many ignorantly say ‘YAH’ is the only Name.

YAHUAH is used alongside YAH an incredible 225 times!

YAHUAH commands us to,

Call upon HIS Name

“And in that day you shall say, Praise YAHUAH! Call on His Name; declare His doings among the people; make mention that His name is exalted.” Isaiah 12:4

“O give thanks to YAHUAH; call on His Name; make His deeds known among the people.” Psalm 105:1

To make HIS Name known,

“And for this reason I have made you stand, in order to cause you to see MY power, and in order to declare My Name in all the land.” Exodus 9:16

To not abolish, wipe out or forget HIS Name.

“And I will make My set apart Name known in the midst of My people Israel. And I will not let My set apart Name be perverted any more. And the nations shall know that I am YAHUAH, the Set Apart One of Israel.” Ezekiel 39:7

“And you shall break down their altars, and shatter their standing pillars. And you shall burn their image of their goddess Asherahs with fire. And you shall cut down the carved images of their gods, and shall destroy their names out of that place. You shall not do so to YAHUAH your ELOHIYM. Deuteronomy 12:3-4.

“If we have forgotten the name of our ELOYIM, and have spread our hands to an alien god, shall not ELOHIYM search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. Yea, for Your sake we are slain all the day; we are counted as sheep of slaughter.” Psalms 44:20-22

REMEMBER THE THIRD COMMANDMENT

“You do not take, as in marriage, the Name of YAHUAH your ELOHIYM and turn it into a desolate and evil ruin, for YAHUAH does not leave the one unpunished who brings His Name to ruin.” Exodus 20:7

YAH = YAHUAH

YAHUAH means I AM, I EXIST, I AM LIFE

In the ancient Codex Sinaitics of the oldest Greek bible, before the roman catholic church was established

the Name of YAHUAH’s Son is,

IODA UPSILON- I-Y-X-Y =

YAHU / YAHOO

YAHU in English means, I AM HE.

The SPIRIT of YAHUAH = rUAcH

UAH means breath or life in Hebrew

RUACH is the SPIRIT of ELOHIYM.

YAHU together with UAH would mean I AM the past, present and future. The eternal life. Which is the same meaning as YAHUAH.

The FATHER’s True Hebrew Name is:

YAHUAH — Pronounced YAH-OO’-AH

The SON’s True Hebrew Name is:

YAHUSHUAH — Pronounced YAH-OO’-SHOO-AH

YAH, YAHU and UAH = YAHUAH

FATHER + SON + SPIRIT = YAHAUH

[slateofthesea]

The slate of the sea: Red King Mikoto

(A03) (Vibes)

The color was almost like a pink mother-of-pearl shimmer, under the dark water as the full moon shined red as the blood moon summoned the Red King to this very place.

He didn’t want to give up this chaos. It was too helpful. Too Precious. However, his first mate took it upon himself to seek the water goddess Kushina’s advice.

“You just want something to control the monster.” The Red King sneered as the calm water ran through his fingers as his crew rowed the longboat to where the “beautiful red will meet his destiny.”

“No matter what I say now, you still won’t believe me, Mikoto. So, I’ll just lie now. We’re here in hopes of finding something that will stop you from burning down my ship.” It was true. The HomRa grand sea bond vessel did belong to Kusanagi, who inherited his uncle’s ship.

But the crew voted for Mikoto as Captain for his pure raw power. Even Kusanagi had to agree as not many challenged them for that very reason.

“Alright, boys, keep rowing no matter what you see or hear. Chitose that goes double for you.” Sirens and mermaid-infested water were dangerous no matter who was at the helm.

The beautiful song of death filled the crew’s ears as their King slept through it, not even stirring once in his sleep.

The blood moon was high in the sky, casting its mirrored self upon the water below, as the pirate crew followed the sea goddess’ words. They made sure to set sail from the left side of the shore, sailing northwest for twelve days, rowing out to touch the red moon.

“D-do you guys hear that?” The vanguard stuttered a bit as he was the one who was freaking out about all of this. Even before leaving the port, he made sure to make his complaints well-known.

Before anyone could answer Yata’s question, one word fell from Kusanagi’s lips. “Silence!.”

The death song suddenly stopped. Not even the water dared to make a sound. The crew almost felt like they shouldn’t breathe, let alone speak. Their King was still fast asleep, his one arm over the side of the longboat, his hand resting in the water.

Gentle splashes came against the side of the boat as the pink simmer could only be seen out of the corner of your eye. A soft humming could be heard, a song that could make anyone fall asleep or fill them with excitement. It stirred so many emotions to the surface in the crew.

A delicate hand brushed against Mikoto’s hand, he felt it tracing against his palm, wrist, and slowly leaving a water trail up his arm stopping at his shirt’s hem.

The pirate King slowly opened his eyes to meet light brown ones staring back at him. “It’s nice to finally meet you, King.” The creature wasn’t afraid, even when the Red pirate King gave him a death stare. “That’s not very nice, King. To glare at someone you just met.” The water creature rested off the side of the longboat, smiling at the pirate King’s men, before running a finger across Mikoto’s forehead then ever so gently down his nose, finally stopping just above his lips. “You look so tired, my King. Eyes heavy with so much agony, so much-”

It was best not to say anymore as the crew started to whisper among themselves. To some of them, Mikoto was invincible, untouchable, yet he was just a man blessed to curse with this destiny.

“The sea goddess told us to seek someone’s help here.” Kusanagi finally spoke up, feeling it was time things needed to be said.

“I know, I too met a wise man who told me about meeting my destiny among my brothers and sisters on this day.” Retelling the day they were caught in a fishing net, and someone named Ichigen Miwa saved them. The future teller told them about meeting a King.

Mikoto used to turn his nose up at things like prophecy or destiny and always viewed it as their god’s whim to toy with them as if they were puppets on a string to play with for their amusement. That was why Kusanagi was caught off guard when Mikoto offered his hand to help the odd creature into their boat.

Their pink pearl-like fin slowly faded to small scales on their bare skin until they sat there beside Mikoto, completely nude. "It’s rude to stare or so I’m told, but I don’t mind if any of you do.” He said, giving a mischievous wink toward the ones who were blushing.

——

The crew made port in one of the pirate villages among a small group of islands. They needed to be on land for a while. To resupply, enjoy pleasures of the flesh for some or enjoy the company of just the two of them for the Red King.

It was almost strange yet very familiar. Like they had been here so many times before. Alone they shared their past with each other, things they never shared with anyone, all those dark memories, dark secrets.

“I’m not like the others of my kind. Only on a full moon do I take the form of my mother before me.” Slowly lifting their tail out of the water to catch the moon rays upon it, causing a soft glow to appear. “That used not to happen until I met you.” A pale pink, almost warm glow appeared off of every scale in all but one area.

It was like there was something almost like a ring, no it was a chain. Mikoto always ran his fingers over that area, never asking as his blood seemed to boil.

Running their fingers through their King’s hair, the water turned his red hair darker. “Ask."

"No.” He couldn’t bring himself to. Every time they shared a dark memory, the Red King’s lucky charm voice always gave out.

The creature smiled a gentle knowing smile. For once a King didn’t want to cause pain. Everyone was told the tale sirens song lead men to their death; mermaids drowned men after enjoying their company—horror stories to keep their men at home and in their beds.

But for some- primarily Kings, their songs gave them peace. Silencing the chaos that made them above an average man yet kept them awake at night.

“Too bad. I’ll just tell you anyway, or I could show you, my King. My kind can share our memories if you like.” The song comes easily as Mikoto collapsed in the swallow water beside them.

Every known memory that Totsuka could recall was shared. Being left on a beach as a newborn, cared for by an elderly couple. The memories were soft. The only feeling that could describe all of these were like the feeling of coming home.

Mikoto was so calm in the creature’s arms, but that calm couldn’t last. “I’m so sorry, my King. What comes next will be very painful as I didn’t fully warn you about this. My pain will be your pain. Some pain can not be forgotten.” Those words fell into a whisper.

Thoughts that were not his own flooded Mikoto’s dreams, like being caught in a hurricane in the dead of night. Pure darkness until a great flash of light crackled through the clouds. A chill of death traced up his spine as someone’s cold finger ran up it. A child who looked as young as three was sold once their true nature became known. Mermaids brought all kinds of treasure to all who owned them.

The poor creature was sold again and again until the monster with so many faces owned them. The Colorless King. He was known to be the weakness. But what he lacked in raw power like the rest, he made up for it in other ways.

Knowledge was the key to untold power, and he wore that crown very well. A chained binded the creature to a dark, cold room far away from the sea that called them home every full moon.

Totsuka only escaped from there thanks to another King attacking the Colorless stronghold. Unaware of who, they let go as the Gold King freed all who were inside those walls.

“Never again.” The Red King snapped, his red aura casting big ripples in the water, almost like a precursor for waves in a tsunami. “I’ll cut anyone’s hands off if they ever laid them on you again.”

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

27th October >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 

or

Saint Otteran, Monk. 

Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green: A (1))

First Reading Romans 7:18-25 Every time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand.

I know of nothing good living in me – living, that is, in my unspiritual self – for though the will to do what is good is in me, the performance is not, with the result that instead of doing the good things I want to do, I carry out the sinful things I do not want. When I act against my will, then, it is not my true self doing it, but sin which lives in me. In fact, this seems to be the rule, that every single time I want to do good it is something evil that comes to hand. In my inmost self I dearly love God’s Law, but I can see that my body follows a different law that battles against the law which my reason dictates. This is what makes me a prisoner of that law of sin which lives inside my body.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body doomed to death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 118(119):66,68,76-77,93-94

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

Teach me discernment and knowledge for I trust in your commands. You are good and your deeds are good; teach me your statutes.

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

Let your love be ready to console me by your promise to your servant. Let your love come and I shall live for your law is my delight.

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

I will never forget your precepts for with them you give me life. Save me, for I am yours since I seek your precepts.

R/ Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel Acclamation Psalm 94:8

Alleluia, alleluia! Harden not your hearts today, but listen to the voice of the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Matthew 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

Gospel Luke 12:54-59 Do you not know how to interpret these times?

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times?

‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Otteran, Monk 

(Liturgical Colour: White: A (1))

(Readings for the memorial)

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

Either:

First Reading Genesis 12:1-4 All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.

The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

‘I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.’

So Abram went as the Lord told him.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

OR: --------

First reading Leviticus 19:1-2,17-18 You must love your neighbour as yourself

The Lord spoke to Moses; he said: ‘Speak to the whole community of the sons of Israel and say to them: ‘���Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. ‘“You must not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. You must openly tell him, your neighbour, of his offence; this way you will not take a sin upon yourself. You must not exact vengeance, nor must you bear a grudge against the children of your people. You must love your neighbour as yourself. I am the Lord.”’

OR: --------

First reading Deuteronomy 6:3-9 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart

Moses said to the people: ‘Listen, Israel, keep and observe these commandments, which will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow. ‘Listen, Israel: the Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart. You shall repeat them to your children and say them over to them whether at rest in your house or walking abroad, at your lying down or at your rising; you shall fasten them on your hand as a sign and on your forehead as a circlet; you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.’

OR: --------

First reading Deuteronomy 10:8-9 The Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to do him service

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the Lord’s covenant, to stand in the presence of the Lord, to do him service and in his name to pronounce blessing as they still do today. Levi therefore has no share or inheritance with his brothers: the Lord is his inheritance, as the Lord your God told him.’

OR: --------

First reading 1 Kings 19:4-9,11-15 The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire

Elijah went into the wilderness, a day’s journey, and sitting under a furze bush wished he were dead. ‘O Lord,’ he said ‘I have had enough. Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ Then he lay down and went to sleep. But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ He looked round, and there at his head was a scone baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. But the angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat, or the journey will be too long for you.’ So he got up and ate and drank, and strengthened by that food he walked for forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into the cave and spent the night in it. Then he was told, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord.’ Then the Lord himself went by. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks before the Lord. But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind came an earthquake. But the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire. But the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there came the sound of a gentle breeze. And when Elijah heard this, he covered his face with his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice came to him, which said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I am filled with jealous zeal for the Lord of Hosts, because the sons of Israel have deserted you, broken down your altars and put your prophets to the sword. I am the only one left and they want to kill me.’ ‘Go,’ the Lord said, ‘go back by the same way to the wilderness of Damascus.’

OR: --------

First reading 1 Kings 19:16,19-21 Elisha leaves the plough to follow Elijah

The Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go, you are to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel Meholah, as prophet to succeed you.’ Leaving there, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you’ he said. Elijah answered, ‘Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?’ Elisha turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose, and followed Elijah and became his servant.

OR: --------

First reading Tobit 8:4-8 A prayer on the wedding night

On their wedding night Tobias rose from the bed, and said to his wife Sarah, ‘Get up, my sister! You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.’ She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began:

‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers; blessed, too, is your name for ever and ever. Let the heavens bless you and all things you have made for evermore. It was you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born. It was you who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helpmate like himself.” And so I do not take my sister for any lustful motive; I do it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me and bring us to old age together.’

OR: --------

First reading Tobit 12:6-13 Bless God and utter his praise before all the living

Raphael took Tobit and his son Tobias aside and said, ‘Bless God, utter his praise before all the living for all the favours he has given you. Bless and extol his name. Proclaim before all men the deeds of God as they deserve, and never tire of giving him thanks. It is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right to reveal and publish the works of God. Thank him worthily. Do what is good, and no evil can befall you. ‘Prayer with fasting and alms with right conduct are better than riches with iniquity. Better to practise almsgiving than to hoard up gold. Almsgiving saves from death and purges every kind of sin. Those who give alms have their fill of days; those who commit sin and do evil, bring harm on themselves. ‘I am going to tell you the whole truth, hiding nothing from you. I have already told you that it is right to keep the secret of a king, yet right too to reveal in worthy fashion the works of God. So you must know that when you and Sarah were at prayer, it was I who offered your supplications before the glory of the Lord and who read them; so too when you were burying the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave the table to go and bury a dead man, I was sent to test your faith, and at the same time God sent me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah.’

OR: --------

First reading Judith 8:2-8 The widow Judith was devout and feared God

Judith’s husband Manasseh, of her own tribe and family, had died at the time of barley harvest. He was supervising the men as they bound up the sheaves in the field, when he caught sunstroke and had to take to his bed. He died in Bethulia, his home town, and was buried with his ancestors in the field that lies between Dothan and Balamon. As a widow, Judith stayed inside her home for three years and four months. She had had an upper room built for herself on the roof. She wore sackcloth round her waist and dressed in widow’s weeds. She fasted every day of her widowhood except for the sabbath eve, the sabbath itself, the eve of New Moon, the feast of New Moon and the festival days of the House of Israel. Now, she was very beautiful, charming to see. Her husband Manasseh had left her gold and silver, menservants and maidservants, cattle and lands; and she lived among all her possessions without anyone finding a word to say against her, so devoutly did she fear God.

OR: --------

First reading Esther 4:17 'I will not bow down to any but you, Lord'

Calling to mind all the wonderful works of the Lord, Mordecai offered this prayer:

‘Lord, Lord, King and Master of all things, everything is subject to your power, and there is no-one who can withstand you in your will to save Israel.

‘Yes, you have made heaven and earth, and all the marvels that are under heaven. You are the Lord of all, and there is none who can resist you, Lord.

‘You know all things: you know, Lord, you know, that no insolence, arrogance, vainglory prompted me to this, to this refusal to bow down before proud Haman. I would readily have kissed his feet for the safety of Israel.

‘But what I did, I did rather than place the glory of a man above the glory of God; and I will not bow down to any but to you, Lord: in so refusing I will not act in pride.

‘Hear my supplication, have mercy on your heritage, and turn our grief into rejoicing, that we may live to hymn your name, Lord. Do not suffer the mouths of those who praise you to perish.’

OR: --------

First reading Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20,30-31 A perfect wife - who can find her?

A perfect wife – who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls. Her husband’s heart has confidence in her, from her he will derive no little profit. Advantage and not hurt she brings him all the days of her life. She is always busy with wool and with flax, she does her work with eager hands. She sets her hands to the distaff, her fingers grasp the spindle. She holds out her hand to the poor, she opens her arms to the needy. Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty; the woman who is wise is the one to praise. Give her a share in what her hands have worked for, and let her works tell her praises at the city gates.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 2:7-13 You who fear the Lord, trust the Lord

You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not turn aside in case you fall. You who fear the Lord, trust him, and you will not be baulked of your reward. You who fear the Lord hope for good things, for everlasting happiness and mercy. Look at the generations of old and see: who ever trusted in the Lord and was put to shame? Or who ever feared him steadfastly and was left forsaken? Or who ever called out to him, and was ignored? For the Lord is compassionate and merciful, he forgives sins, and saves in days of distress.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 3:19-25 Behave humbly, and you will find favour with the Lord

My son, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver. The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble. Do not try to understand things that are too difficult for you, or try to discover what is beyond your powers. Concentrate on what has been assigned you: you have no need to worry over mysteries. Do not meddle with matters that are beyond you: what you have been taught already exceeds the scope of the human mind. For many have been misled by their own presumption, and wrong-headed opinions have warped their ideas. For lack of eyes you want for light; if you are without knowledge, do not attempt to convince.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 26:1-4,13-16 A perfect wife is the joy of her husband

Happy the husband of a really good wife; the number of her days will be doubled. A perfect wife is the joy of her husband, he will live out his years in peace. A good wife is the best of portions, reserved for those who fear the Lord: rich or poor, they will be glad of heart, cheerful of face, whatever the season. The grace of a wife will charm her husband, her accomplishments will make him the stronger. A silent wife is a gift from the Lord, no price can be put on a well-trained character. A modest wife is a boon twice over, a chaste character cannot be weighed on scales. Like the sun rising over the mountains of the Lord is the beauty of a good wife in a well-kept house.

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 58:6-11 Then will your light shine like the dawn

Is not this the sort of fast that pleases me – it is the Lord who speaks – to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor,

to clothe the man you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin? Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over.

Your integrity will go before you and the glory of the Lord behind you. Cry, and the Lord will answer; call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’

If you do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed,

your light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows become like noon. The Lord will always guide you, giving you relief in desert places.

He will give strength to your bones and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never run dry.

OR: --------

First reading Jeremiah 20:7-9 The word of the Lord has meant insult for me

You have seduced me, Lord, and I have let myself be seduced; you have overpowered me: you were the stronger. I am a daily laughing-stock, everybody’s butt. Each time I speak the word, I have to howl and proclaim: ‘Violence and ruin!’ The word of the Lord has meant for me insult, derision, all day long. I used to say, ‘I will not think about him, I will not speak in his name any more.’ Then there seemed to be a fire burning in my heart, imprisoned in my bones. The effort to restrain it wearied me, I could not bear it.

OR: --------

First reading Micah 6:6-8 The Lord asks only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly

‘With what gift shall I come into the Lord’s presence and bow down before God on high? Shall I come with holocausts, with calves one year old? Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand, with libations of oil in torrents? Must I give my first-born for what I have done wrong, the fruit of my body for my own sin?’

– What is good has been explained to you, man; this is what the Lord asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.

OR: --------

First reading Zephaniah 2:3,3:12-13 In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people

Seek the Lord, all you, the humble of the earth, who obey his commands. Seek integrity, seek humility: you may perhaps find shelter on the day of the anger of the Lord.

In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.

EITHER: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 1:1-4,6

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

Happy indeed is the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked; nor lingers in the way of sinners nor sits in the company of scorners, but whose delight is the law of the Lord and who ponders his law day and night.

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

He is like a tree that is planted beside the flowing waters, that yields its fruit in due season and whose leaves shall never fade; and all that he does shall prosper.

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

Not so are the wicked, not so! For they like winnowed chaff shall be driven away by the wind: for the Lord guards the way of the just but the way of the wicked leads to doom.

His delight is the law of the Lord. or Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord. or The just will flourish like the palm-tree in the courts of our God.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 14(15):2-5

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain? He who walks without fault; he who acts with justice and speaks the truth from his heart; he who does not slander with his tongue.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who does no wrong to his brother, who casts no slur on his neighbour, who holds the godless in disdain, but honours those who fear the Lord.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may; who takes no interest on a loan and accepts no bribes against the innocent. Such a man will stand firm for ever.

The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-8,11

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’ O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path of life, the fullness of joy in your presence, at your right hand happiness for ever.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 22(23)

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want. Fresh and green are the pastures where he gives me repose. Near restful waters he leads me, to revive my drooping spirit.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

He guides me along the right path; he is true to his name. If I should walk in the valley of darkness no evil would I fear. You are there with your crook and your staff; with these you give me comfort.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

You have prepared a banquet for me in the sight of my foes. My head you have anointed with oil; my cup is overflowing.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me all the days of my life. In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd: there is nothing I shall want.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33(34):2-11

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Glorify the Lord with me. Together let us praise his name. I sought the Lord and he answered me; from all my terrors he set me free.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called, the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

The angel of the Lord is encamped around those who revere him, to rescue them. Taste and see that the Lord is good. He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

Revere the Lord, you his saints. They lack nothing, those who revere him. Strong lions suffer want and go hungry but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see that the Lord is good.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 102(103):1-4,8-9,13-14,17-18

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord all my being, bless his holy name. My soul, give thanks to the Lord and never forget all his blessings.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

It is he who forgives all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

The Lord is compassion and love, slow to anger and rich in mercy. His wrath will come to an end; he will not be angry for ever.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

As a father has compassion on his sons, the Lord has pity on those who fear him; for he knows of what we are made, he remembers that we are dust.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting upon those who hold him in fear; his justice reaches out to children’s children when they keep his covenant in truth, when they keep his will in their mind.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 111(112):1-9

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

Happy the man who fears the Lord, who takes delight in all his commands. His sons will be powerful on earth; the children of the upright are blessed.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

Riches and wealth are in his house; his justice stands firm for ever. He is a light in the darkness for the upright: he is generous, merciful and just.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

The good man takes pity and lends, he conducts his affairs with honour. The just man will never waver: he will be remembered for ever.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

He has no fear of evil news; with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord. With a steadfast heart he will not fear; he will see the downfall of his foes.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

Open-handed, he gives to the poor; his justice stands firm for ever. His head will be raised in glory.

Happy the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia!

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 127(128):1-5

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life!

O blessed are those who fear the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 130(131)

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

O Lord, my heart is not proud nor haughty my eyes. I have not gone after things too great nor marvels beyond me.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

Truly I have set my soul in silence and peace. A weaned child on its mother’s breast, even so is my soul.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

O Israel, hope in the Lord both now and forever.

Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Mt5:3

Alleluia, alleluia! How happy are the poor in spirit: theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Alleluia!

Or: Mt5:6

Alleluia, alleluia! Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Alleluia!

Or: Mt5:8

Alleluia, alleluia! Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Alleluia!

Or: Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

Or: Mt23:11,12

Alleluia, alleluia! The greatest among you must be your servant, says the Lord: the man who humbles himself will be exalted. Alleluia!

Or: Mt11:28

Alleluia, alleluia! Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest, says the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Lk21:36

Alleluia, alleluia! Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to stand with confidence before the Son of Man. Alleluia!

Or: Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia! I am the light of the world, says the Lord; anyone who follows me will have the light of life. Alleluia!

Or: Jn8:31-32

Alleluia, alleluia! If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, and you will learn the truth, says the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Jn13:34

Alleluia, alleluia! I give you a new commandment: love one another just as I have loved you, says the Lord. Alleluia!

Or: Jn14:23

Alleluia, alleluia! If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Alleluia!

Or: Jn15:4,5

Alleluia, alleluia! Make your home in me, as I make mine in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia!

Or: Jn15:9,5

Alleluia, alleluia! Remain in my love, says the Lord; whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty. Alleluia!

EITHER: --------

Gospel Matthew 5:1-12a How happy are the poor in spirit

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage. Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted. Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied. Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them. Happy the pure in heart: they shall see God. Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God. Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 5:13-16 Your light must shine in the sight of men

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men. ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 7:21-27 The wise man built his house on a rock

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. When the day comes many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?” Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men! ‘Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 11:25-30 You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children

Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 13:44-46 He sells everything he owns and buys the field

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field. ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 16:24-27 Anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What, then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer in exchange for his life? ‘For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and, when he does, he will reward each one according to his behaviour.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 18:1-5 Unless you become like little children you will not enter the kingdom of heaven

The disciples came to Jesus and said, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ So he called a little child to him and set the child in front of them. Then he said, ‘I tell you solemnly, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ‘Anyone who welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 19:3-12 Husband and wife are no longer two, but one body

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and to test him they said, ‘Is it against the Law for a man to divorce his wife on any pretext whatever?’ He answered, ‘Have you not read that the creator from the beginning made them male and female and that he said: This is why a man must leave father and mother, and cling to his wife, and the two become one body? They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ They said to him, ‘Then why did Moses command that a writ of dismissal should be given in cases of divorce?’ ‘It was because you were so unteachable’ he said ‘that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but it was not like this from the beginning. Now I say this to you: the man who divorces his wife – I am not speaking of fornication – and marries another, is guilty of adultery.’ The disciples said to him, ‘If that is how things are between husband and wife, it is not advisable to marry.’ But he replied, ‘It is not everyone who can accept what I have said, but only those to whom it is granted. There are eunuchs born that way from their mother’s womb, there are eunuchs made so by men and there are eunuchs who have made themselves that way for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 19:27-29 They will be repaid a hundred times over and inherit eternal life

Peter spoke to Jesus. ‘What about us?’ he said. ‘We have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I tell you solemnly, when all is made new and the Son of Man sits on his throne of glory, you will yourselves sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will be repaid a hundred times over, and also inherit eternal life.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 22:34-40 The commandments of love

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees they got together and, to disconcert him, one of them put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the Prophets also.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 The wise and foolish virgins

Jesus told this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of heaven will be like this: Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were sensible: the foolish ones did take their lamps, but they brought no oil, whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps. The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. But at midnight there was a cry, “The bridegroom is here! Go out and meet him.” At this, all those bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, “Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out.” But they replied, “There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves.” They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed. The other bridesmaids arrived later. “Lord, Lord,” they said “open the door for us.” But he replied, “I tell you solemnly, I do not know you.” So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:14-30 You have been faithful in small things: come and join in your master's happiness

Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. ‘The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ‘Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” ‘His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” ‘Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” ‘Last came forward the man who had the one talent. “Sir,” said he “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back.” But his master answered him, “You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have recovered my capital with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the five talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away. As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.”’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:14-23 You have been faithful in small things: come and join in your master's happiness

Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples: ‘The kingdom of Heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. ‘The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. ‘Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” ‘His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.” ‘Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness.”’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:31-46 I was naked and you clothed me; sick, and you visited me

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. ‘Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.” ‘Next he will say to those on his left hand, “Go away from me, with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.” Then it will be their turn to ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come to your help?” Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.” ‘And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life.’

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 25:31-40 I was naked and you clothed me; sick, and you visited me

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men one from another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats. He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. ‘Then the King will say to those on his right hand, “Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me, sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.” Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?” And the King will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.”’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 3:31-35 Who are my mother and my brothers? Those that do the will of God

The mother and brothers of Jesus arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him. A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, ‘Your mother and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you.’ He replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.’

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Gospel Mark 9:34-37 Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me

The disciples had been arguing which of them was the greatest. So Jesus sat down, called the Twelve to him and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.’ He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his arms round him, and said to them, ‘Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:13-16 It is to such as these little children that the kingdom of God belongs

People were bringing little children to Jesus, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:17-30 Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’ Peter took this up. ‘What about us?’ he asked him. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.’

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:17-27 Give everything you own to the poor, and follow me

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 6:27-38 Love your enemies

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I say this to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who treat you badly. To the man who slaps you on one cheek, present the other cheek too; to the man who takes your cloak from you, do not refuse your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your property back from the man who robs you. Treat others as you would like them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners lend to sinners to get back the same amount. Instead, love your enemies and do good, and lend without any hope of return. You will have a great reward, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate. Do not judge, and you will not be judged yourselves; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned yourselves; grant pardon, and you will be pardoned. Give, and there will be gifts for you: a full measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap; because the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given back.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 9:57-62 'I will follow you wherever you go'

As Jesus and his disciples travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, ‘I will follow you wherever you go.’ Jesus answered, ‘Foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another to whom he said, ‘Follow me’, replied, ‘Let me go and bury my father first.’ But he answered, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say goodbye to my people at home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Once the hand is laid on the plough, no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 10:38-42 Martha works; Mary listens

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 12:32-34 It has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock, for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom. ‘Sell your possessions and give alms. Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you, in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 12:35-40 You too must stand ready

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit. Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast, ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks. Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron, sit them down at table and wait on them. It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third, but happy those servants if he finds them ready. You may be quite sure of this, that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come, he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house. You too must stand ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’

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Gospel Luke 14:25-33 Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple

Great crowds accompanied Jesus on his way and he turned and spoke to them. ‘If any man comes to me without hating his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, he cannot be my disciple. Anyone who does not carry his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. ‘And indeed, which of you here, intending to build a tower, would not first sit down and work out the cost to see if he had enough to complete it? Otherwise, if he laid the foundation and then found himself unable to finish the work, the onlookers would all start making fun of him and saying, “Here is a man who started to build and was unable to finish.” Or again, what king marching to war against another king would not first sit down and consider whether with ten thousand men he could stand up to the other who advanced against him with twenty thousand? If not, then while the other king was still a long way off, he would send envoys to sue for peace. So in the same way, none of you can be my disciple unless he gives up all his possessions.’

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Gospel John 15:1-8 I am the vine, you are the branches

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that bears no fruit he cuts away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes to make it bear even more. You are pruned already, by means of the word that I have spoken to you. Make your home in me, as I make mine in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit all by itself, but must remain part of the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, with me in him, bears fruit in plenty; for cut off from me you can do nothing. Anyone who does not remain in me is like a branch that has been thrown away – he withers; these branches are collected and thrown on the fire, and they are burnt. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask what you will and you shall get it. It is to the glory of my Father that you should bear much fruit, and then you will be my disciples.’

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Gospel John 15:9-17 You are my friends if you do what I command you

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.’

Or:

Gospel John 17:20-26 Father, may they be completely one.

Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said:

‘Holy Father, I pray not only for these, but for those also who through their words will believe in me. May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I am in you, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. I have given them the glory you gave to me, that they may be one as we are one. With me in them and you in me, may they be so completely one that the world will realise that it was you who sent me and that I have loved them as much as you loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, so that they may always see the glory you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. Father, Righteous One, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known that you have sent me. I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and so that I may be in them.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[spiritsoulandbody]

#DailyDevotion Having Opposition In Your Life?

#DailyDevotion Having Opposition In Your Life? Psalm 7 6Arise and be angry, O LORD; rise against the fury of my enemies; awake, my God, order a trial; 7have an assembly of peoples gather around You and over them reign on high. 8 O LORD, judge the nations. Judge me, O LORD, according to my integrity; judge me according to my innocence, O Most High. It's another one of those places we may have trouble praying a psalm. Jesus after all tells us to love our enemies. James tells us to bless them and not curse them. On the other hand, David is leaving getting justice and/or vengeance to the LORD alone. One can understand David's anger here about the rebellion against him. He just lost his son, Absalom, who rebelled against him. Because he mourned Absalom's death, Sheba is leading Israel against him. However, when Samuel anointed David to be king, David did not rebel against Saul. When Saul was trying to kill him and he had a chance to kill Saul, David would not go against the LORD's anointed. David waited until the LORD arraigned for Saul's death. Rebelling against the LORD's anointed is rebelling against the LORD himself. So you can see a bit why David calls down the LORD's anger and fury upon them. We have feelings of wrath and anger at people too sometimes. What should we do with it? We should follow David's example and turn to the LORD Jesus Christ for justice. We should not seek ways to get revenge on people. Let the LORD sort it out. We see David here asking the LORD to wake up and order a trial. We too, in the midst of our suffering may feel like God is sleeping on the job. David wants witnesses, an assembly of people to judge the facts. David wants the LORD to judge the nations. If anything, this tells us again, David is not striking out on his own here. It is an admonishment to us to hand things over to God when we face unreasonable opposition in life, to seek God to make things right and not strike out on our own. Now David asks the LORD to judge him, according to his own integrity and his own innocence. That is certainly a ballsy move. Considering elsewhere in the Psalms it is written, “There is no one who does good, not one.” But I believe he is speaking here concerning this situation in his life that has come about. Has David acted wrongly in this situation? Well, he may have not acted wisely in it. He outwardly mourned the death of his rebellious son Absalom. This upset those who risked their lives to defend and restore David back to the throne. Then he let the house of Judah lead him back to the capital and didn't think about the other tribes who fought for him. So while these things weren't sinful, they contributed to the situation. Perhaps we ourselves should examine ourselves and see if we contributed to our own situation which has gone bad. Ultimately, this is a prayer of Jesus. Jesus could and did pray this psalm. He had his enemies who rejected his rule just as his father David did. Jesus continues to this day having enemies and opposition to his rule. We who belong to Jesus face the same enemies of Jesus. Jesus is one who is truly innocent and is perfect in his integrity. He also prays this prayer to the Father to this day as he waits for his enemies to be made a footstool for him. True he also prays for their repentance and their turning to him in faith so they are no longer enemies. As long as people reject his rule in their hearts they remain his enemies. We also join with Jesus in praying for their conversion. Can we appeal to God the Father based on our integrity and innocence? Perhaps. We should pray to God for justice but we also pray that our enemies be made our friends in Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father, have mercy upon us and in all our situations give us justice, overcome our enemies with your love and show us our own faults so we may repent of them and return to your mercy. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Read the full article