#Paschal Candle

[sigalrm]

Dorfkirche Stralau - Altarretabel by Pascal Volk

[butterflies-and-bumble-bees]

"I LOVE PASTA!!!"

—my entire third grade CCD class upon hearing the word 'Paschal' for the first time

[supercool-here]

Nothing like an Easter vigil to bring you back to life

[uwmspeccoll]

Manuscript Monday

Today we will be exploring our facsimile of an Exultet Roll, a southern Italian manuscript originally produced around 950 CE. This is a long scroll (24 feet long, unrolled) containing the text and chant notation for the Exultet, or Exsultet, which is a chant performed at the Easter Vigil mass, usually by a deacon before the congregation. It celebrates the night of the resurrection of Jesus, and is performed in praise of the Paschal candle, which is lit at every mass during the liturgical year. This candle slowly melts down until it is almost completely depleted, and then it is replaced at the Easter Vigil each year.

Although today it is usually chanted in the vernacular language of the Church being attended, this chant is referred to as the Exultet due to the first Latin word of the chant, which begins 'Exultet iam angelica turba coelorum' ('Let the angelic host of heaven exult').

Personally, one of my favorite parts of the Exultet chant is the portion known as the 'Praise of the Bees', which is said to be a reference to Virgil's writings in the Aeneid. This portion of the chant praises the work of the bees done to create the wax with which the Paschal Candle is made:

On this, your night of grace, O holy Father, accept this candle, a solemn offering, the work of bees and of your servants' hands, an evening sacrifice of praise, this gift from your most holy Church. But now we know the praises of this pillar, which glowing fire ignites for God's honor, a fire into many flames divided, yet never dimmed by sharing of its light, for it is fed by melting wax, drawn out by mother bees to build a torch so precious.

The codex -- books bound on one side as we know them today -- had long replaced the scroll by the time this manuscript was produced. So, why is this manuscript in the form of a scroll, rather than a codex? The reason is due to its ceremonial use at the Vigil mass. As the deacon chanted the Exultet, he would actually let the scroll unroll over the front of the ambo, so that members of the congregation could see the illuminations on the manuscript. Because of this use during the mass, these scrolls also have a peculiar feature: the text is written in an opposite orientation to the illuminations. This allowed the deacon to recite the chant accurately while the images were also oriented correctly for the attendees of the mass.

Use of Exultet scrolls during the Easter Vigil is unique to Southern Italian Catholic churches around Benevento and Montecassino and began being produced in the 10th century. All extant Exultet Rolls today were made between the 10th and 13th century.

Our facsimile is a reproducton of the Vatican Library's Codex Vaticanus Latinus 9820 and was published in Graz by the Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt in 1975. There are currently no complete images of the Scroll online, but the Vatican Library does have a digitized document explaining the condition of the scroll when it arrived there around 1200 CE.

View more manuscript posts.

View more Manuscript Monday posts.

– Sarah S., Former Special Collections Graduate Intern

[greenwitchcrafts]

March 2024 witch guide

Full moon: March 25th

New moon: March 10th

Sabbats: Ostara-March 19th

March Worm Moon

Known as: Crow Moon, Eagle Moon, Goose Moon, Hrethmonath, Lenting moon, Lentzinmanoth, Moon of Snowblind, Moon of Winds, Plow Moon, Sap Moon, Seed Moon, Sore Eyes Moon, Storm Moon, Sugar Moon & Wind Strong Moon

Element: Water

Zodiac: Pisces & Aries

Nature spirits: Air & water spirits & Mer-people

Deities: Artemis, Astarte, Athena, Cybele, Isis, Luna & Minerva

Animals: Boar, cougar & hedgehog

Birds: Sea crow & sea eagle

Trees: Alder, dogwood & honeysuckle

Herbs: Apple blossom, broom, high John root, Irish moss, pennyroyal, wood betony & yellow dock

Flowers: Daffodil, jonquil & violet

Scents: Apple blossom & honeysuckle

Stones: Aquamarine, bloodstone, jasper, opal &topaz

Colors: Pale-green, red, violet, yellow & white

Energy:  Balance, beginnings, dream work, energy breaking into the open, exploring, fertility, inner development, karma, prosperity, spirituality, success & truth seeking

For many years, it was thought that the name "Worm Moon" referred to the earthworms that appear as the soil warms in spring. This invites robins and other birds to feed—a true sign of spring.

However, more research revealed another explanation. In the 1760s, Captain Jonathan Carver visited the Naudowessie (Dakota) and other Native American tribes and wrote that the name Worm Moon refers to a different sort of “worm”—beetle larvae—which begin to emerge from the thawing bark of trees and other winter hideouts at this time.

March’s full Moon often plays a role in religion, specifically in Christianity, this Moon is known as the Lenten Moon if it is the last full Moon of the winter season (i.e., if it occurs before the spring equinox) or as the Paschal Full Moon if it is the first full Moon of spring (i.e., if it occurs after the spring equinox).

Ostara

Known as: Alban Eiler, Lady Day & Spring/Vernal equinox

Season: Spring

Symbols: 8-spoked wheel, butterflies, chicks, decorated baskets, eggs, feathers, jellybeans, lambs, rabbits, seeds, shamrocks, spring flowers & sunwheels

Colors: Green, indigo, light blue, pastels, pink, red & yellow

Oils/Incense: African violet, florals, ginger, jasmine, lotus, magnolia, rose, sage & strawberry

Animals: Cormorant, hare, hawk, rabbit, sheep, sparrow & swallow

Mythical: Dragon & Unicorn

Stones: Amethyst, aquamarine, bloodstone, moonstone, red jasper & rose quartz

Food: Dairy foods, eggs(hard boiled), fruits, honey, honey cakes, leafy greens, vegetables, pine nuts, pumpkin, sunflower seeds, sprouts & waffles

Herbs/Plants: Acorn, cinquefoil, dogwood, ginger, Irish moss, olive, strawberry & woodruff

Flowers: Celandine, crocus, daffodil, dandelion, Easter lily,  jasmine gorse, honeysuckle, hyssop, iris, jonquil, linden, narcissus, peony, snowdrop, tansy & violet

Goddesses: Aphrodite, Ariadne, Artemis, Athena, Coatlicue, Cybele,Demeter, Diana, Eos, Eostre, Flora, Gaia, Hera, Idunn, Iris, Ishtar, Juno, Minerva, Persephone, Venus & Vesta

Gods: Adonis, Attis, Celi, Cernunnos, Coel, Dagda, Dalon ap Landu, Dumuzi, Green Man, Lord of the Greenwood, Mithras, Odin, Osiris, Ovis & Pan

Issues, Intentions & Powers: Agriculture, balance, beauty, fertility, growth, life, love & rebirth/renewal

Spellwork: Air magick, fertility, new beginnings & water magick

Activities:

• Go on a hike/walk & look for signs of spring

• Add Ostara symbols to decorate your altar space

• Plant vegetable &/or flower seedlings

• Decorate eggs with bright colors

• Set your intentions for the weeks/months ahead

• Start a new class or hobby

• Create eggshell candles

• Make plans & new routines for the future

• Participate in rituals & ceremonies that connect you with energy & the life force of nature

• Have a feast with your friends &/family with sprouts & leafy greens

• Bake hot cross buns or lavender/lemon flavored treats

• Clean & de-clutter your home

• Try a re-birthing/ renewing ritual

• Bring fresh flowers or plants into into the home

• Host a spring & floral themed tea party

• Make egg based food dishes & desserts

This holiday marks the Spring Equinox, which happens before March 19-22. It is the second of three spring celebrations (the midpoint between Imbolc and Beltane)  during which light & darkness are again in balance, with light on the rise. It is a time of new beginnings & of life emerging further from the grips of winter.

There is much debate regarding the origins of Ostara due to the lack of primary sources about this sabbat. One theory is the name of Ostara came from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. Another theory is that Eostre is more of a localized goddess in Kent County, England. Despite the questions of her origins, Eostre is associated with modern-day Pagan traditions of Ostara.

There is no evidence that the ancient Greeks or Romans celebrated Ostara, although they did celebrate their own spring festivals, such as the Roman festival of Floralia & the Greek festival of Anthesteria. It was a time to honor the returning sun, fertility & rebirth.

Related festivals:

• Nowruz- March 19th

Nowruz marks the first day of spring & renewal of nature. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical vernal equinox. It is also celebrated as the beginning of the new year by people all around the world for over 3,000 years in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East & other regions.

It promotes values of peace & solidarity between generations & within families as well as reconciliation & neighbourliness. Nowruz plays a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect & the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness. 

Traditional customs of Nowruz include fire & water, ritual dances, gift exchanges, reciting poetry, symbolic objects & more; these customs differ between the diverse peoples & countries that celebrate the festival.

• Holi- March 25th

Holi is a popular & significant Hindu festival celebrated as the The festival of colors, Love &Spring. It commemorates eternal and divine love of the deities Radha & Krishna. Additionally, the day signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebratess the victory of Vishnu as Narasimha over Hiranyakashipu. Holi originated & is predominantly celebrated in the Indian subcontinent, but has also spread to other regions of Asia & parts of the Western world through the Indian diaspora.

Holi also celebrates the arrival of Spring in India, the end of winter & the blossoming of love. It is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night & a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (full moon day) falling on the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around the middle of March in the Gregorian calendar.

• Easter- March 31st

also called Pascha or Resurrection Sunday is a Christian festival & cultural holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day of his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. It is the culmination of the Passion of Jesus Christ, preceded by Lent (or Great Lent), a 40-day period of fasting, prayer, & penance.

Easter traditions vary across the Christian world & include sunrise services or late-night vigils, exclamations & exchanges of Paschal greetings, flowering the cross & the decoration and the communal breaking of Easter eggs (a symbol of the empty tomb) among many others. The Easter lily is a symbol of the resurrection in Western Christianity traditionally decorates the chancel area of churches on this day & for the rest of Eastertide. Additional customs that have become associated with Easter & are observed by both Christians & some non-Christians include Easter parades, communal dancing, the Easter Bunny & egg hunting.

Other Celebrations:

• Festival of Luna- March 31st

Is a feast day honoring the Goddess Luna who is seen as the divine embodiment of the Moon.

The Temple of Luna was a temple on the Aventine Hill in Rome, dedicated to Luna, the moon goddess. Its dedication was celebrated on March 31st, thus the celebration.

According to Tacitus, it was built by king Servius Tullius. However, the first confirmed reference to a temple to Luna dates to 182 BC & refers to one of its doors being knocked off its posts by a miraculous blast of air & shot into the back of the Temple of Ceres. That account probably places the temple at the north end of the hill, just above porta Trigemina. The temple was struck by lightning around the time of the death of Cinna, as was the temple of Ceres. After the destruction of Corinth, Lucius Mummius Achaicus dedicated some of his spoils from the city to this temple. It was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD & not rebuilt.

Sources:

Farmersalmanac .com

Llewellyn's Complete Book of Correspondences by Sandra Kines

Wikipedia

A Witch's Book of Correspondences by Viktorija Briggs

Encyclopedia britannica

Llewellyn 2024 magical almanac Practical magic for everyday living

[mariacallous]

Last year, I hosted my biggest Rosh Hashanah dinner ever. My boyfriend and I invited about 15 friends over to our one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment, moved all of our furniture into the bedroom, rented a couple of folding tables and chairs, and turned the living room into a Rosh Hashanah dreamscape, complete with thematic streamers, ambient lighting, and candles. I whipped up four round challahs, a vat of vegetarian matzah ball soup, my mom’s famous cornflake kugel, some baked chicken, and a batch of spiked apple cider.

It was a lot of work, but absolutely worth it: I’m always sad when I can’t be with my family in Chicago during the High Holidays, but being surrounded by friends, some Jewish, some not, to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with food and drink was a warm, wonderful way to ring in the New Year.

But this year? Nah. I’m going with a pizza.

Of course we won’t be hosting another Rosh Hashanah dinner this year for the very obvious reason of a global pandemic. I know we could still make a special meal for the two of us with all the standard trappings that I grew up eating at my mother’s holiday table, but when I think about the work that that requires, and how exhausted I’ve been from merely existing in this current world, I just… kind of… don’t want to. I still want to mark the day as special, and I love the idea of eating symbolic foods on Rosh Hashanah, but I don’t want to spend an entire day cooking, and I certainly don’t want to spend an entire night washing dishes.

Which brings me to pizza, which I will henceforth argue is the perfect — and yes, symbolic — Rosh Hashanah food.

Why should pizza be considered a Rosh Hashanah food? Let’s dive in.

1. It’s round. Traditionally on Rosh Hashanah, instead of braiding challah into a traditional loaf, Jews bake their challah in a round shape to represent the circularity of the calendar and the never-ending cycle of life. You know what else is round? Yup, it’s pizza. Pizza might not be traditionally round for symbolic reasons, but it does allow for easy slicing and sharing, and sharing your food with others seems like a nice Jewish thing to do, no? And I’m not gonna lie: When I stare into a beautiful pizza pie, I see the entire universe staring back at me in all of its cheesy, saucy goodness.

2. It’s *possibly* a Jewish invention. Most people assume pizza came from Italy, but the cheesy delicacy actually has quite a complicated and debated history, with some even believing that the ancient Jewish philosopher Maimonides first coined the word. As Henry Abramson wrote in JTA, Yehuda Romano, a 14th-century Hebrew scholar from Italy, “translated Maimonides’ use of the word ‘hararah’ (a type of flatbread) in the Mishneh Torah with four simple Hebrew letters: peh, yud, tzadi and heh, or ‘pizza,’ arguably the very first time the word was ever used in any language.” In the “History of pizza” page on Wikipedia (a wonderful read if you’ve got the time), it’s noted that, “Some commentators have suggested that the origins of modern pizza can be traced to pizzarelle, which were kosher for Passover cookies eaten by Roman Jews after returning from the synagogue on that holiday, though some also trace its origins to other Italian paschal breads. Abba Eban has suggested that modern pizza ‘was first made more than 2000 years ago when Roman soldiers added cheese and olive oil to matzah.'” Look: I don’t know if Jews really invented pizza, but the chance that our people have been eating it for thousands of years is reason enough for me to order a fresh pie this Rosh Hashanah.

3. It goes well with honey. Honey is a traditional Rosh Hashanah food that represents the sweet New Year. Have you ever put honey on a pizza? What about hot honey? Just do it. Trust me. Moving on.

4. It’s already kind of a New Year’s food. Is it really a New Year’s celebration if you didn’t order pizza at 1 a.m.? Yes, I’m talking about that other New Year’s Eve, but the logic still applies. Plus, if you go a little too hard on that sweet kosher wine, you’ll be very happy to have a fridge full of cold leftover pizza the next morning.

5. Its numerical value is pretty meaningful. Okay, I can’t take credit for this one, and it’s a little out there, but bear with me: My colleague Ben Sales pointed out that according to Gematria, the numerological system by which Hebrew letters correspond to numbers, the Hebrew numerical value of “pizza” (פיצה) is 185. This is also the numerical value of the phrase “אני לדודי ודודי לי” which translates to, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine,” which comes from a verse in the Song of Songs. This is kind of a slogan for Elul, the month leading up to the High Holidays. The idea is that this is a time period when we’re growing closer to God and vice versa. So let’s grow a little closer to pizza, too.

6. It’s just really good. I don’t know what else there is to say besides pizza is a perfect food, and why wouldn’t you want to start your New Year off with something so amazingly delicious? It’s been a tough year and we need comfort foods more than ever. We need takeout more than ever. We need to go easy on ourselves — and not add any unnecessary stress to our lives — more than ever!

If cooking up a storm on Rosh Hashanah makes you happy, then of course, you should go forth and do so. If you can’t imagine the High Holidays without some tzimmes and brisket, by all means, have at it. But if you’re looking for a way out of the norm during this very, very unusual year, I hereby grant you full permission to ditch the kitchen and call up your favorite local pizza place. Let them bring the party to you (and tip well!!). It’s just one of the many Jewish things to do.

[itwillbelonelywontit]

Lawlight fucking in the chapel when the only light in it is from the stained glass windows and the votive candles and the thick incense in the air is all they can smell and every sound they make just fucking echoes around the whole thing and somehow in the back of their minds they feel they are worshipping God, no they know it

anon you have a gift for description I CAN SEE THIS SO CLEARLY. hmmmm wait this is making me imagine some sort of wax play with the paschal candle... light trailing the flame down L's shaking torso just an inch above his skin while he rides him.

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

23rd September >> Fr. Martin's Reflections /Homilies on Today's Mass Readings for Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time (Inc. Luke 8:16-18): ‘So take care how you hear’.

Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel (Except USA) Luke 8:16-18 Anyone who has will be given more.

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light. So take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.’

Gospel (USA) Luke 8:16-18 A lamp is placed on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.

Jesus said to the crowd: “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

Reflections (11)

(i) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

I celebrated the Sacrament of Baptism for three children on Saturday. As the godparents lit the child’s baptismal candle from the Paschal Candle, I said, ‘Receive the light of Christ. Parents and godparents, this light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. They are to walk always as children of the light. May they keep the flame of faith alive in their hearts’. At the moment of our baptism, a light was lit in our lives, the light of Christ, the light of faith in Christ. Our baptismal calling is to keep that light burning brightly in our hearts, so that it shines through everything we say and do. In the gospel reading, Jesus declares that when a lamp is lit, it is meant to be put on a lamp stand, so that people can see the light when they come in. Jesus had in mind a little oil lamp with a wick coming from it that could be lit. How do we keep that light of Christ, that flame of faith in him, alive and burning brightly in our lives? The gospel reading suggests that one of the ways we can do that is by listening to the Lord’s word. Jesus says, ‘Take care how you hear, for anyone who has will be given more’. The more attentive we are to the Lord’s presence in his word, the more we will receive from the Lord and the more the flame of faith will be kept burning brightly. As we listen to the Lord’s word, as it comes to us in the readings of the day, for example, the more we open ourselves up the Spirit of the Lord, that Spirit who can enkindle in us the fire of God’s love, the fire of Christ, and the flame of our faith in him, so that it shines before all through everything we say and do.

And/Or

(ii) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

In the liturgy of baptism, just after their child has been baptized, the celebrant addresses the child’s parents in the following words: ‘This light is entrusted to you to be kept burning brightly. This child of yours has been enlightened by Christ. He/she is to walk always as a child of the light. May he/she keep the flame of faith alive in his/her heart’. We were all enlightened by Christ at the moment of our baptism. The light of his loving presence shone upon us at that moment and ignited the flame of faith in our hearts. Whereas in John’s gospel Jesus says, ‘I am the light of the world’. In Matthew’s gospel, addressing his disciples, Jesus says, ‘You are the light of the world’. Both are true. We are called to reflect Christ’s light to others, as the moon reflects the sun. In this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus says that a lamp is always put on a lamp stand so that people may see the light when they come in. By means of that image, Jesus is telling us that our calling us to allow his light to shine through us for others to see. A light is not meant to be hidden. If we have been enlightened by Christ, we are to let his light shine for others to see. In that sense, there is always a very public dimension to our relationship with Christ. That relationship may be very personal to each of us, but it is never private. We are the public face of Christ to others. We pray this morning that we would be faithful to that calling.

And/Or

(iii) Monday, Twenty Fifth week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading this morning Jesus uses the image of a lighted lamp which should be placed on a lamp stand so that people may see the light when they enter the room. It is an image which calls on us to allow the light within us to shine on others, the light of Jesus, the light of our faith, hope and love. As well as writing deeply theological books Cardinal Newman also wrote some wonderful prayers. One of those prayers is a fitting commentary on this morning’s gospel reading and here is a section of it, ‘Jesus… Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel your presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me, but only Jesus! Stay with me and then I will begin to shine as you shine, so to shine as to be a light to others. The light, O Jesus, will be all from you; none of it will be mine. It will be you, shining on others through me. Let me thus praise you in the way which you love best, by shining on those around me’.

And/Or

(iv) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

There are many images of faith in the gospels. This morning’s gospel reading suggests the image of the lamp of faith. Jesus is saying that when the lamp of faith is lit in a person’s life, it is not meant to be covered or hidden but it is to remain shining in a public way for all to see. ‘No one lights a lamp to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in’. When the culture is not very supportive of faith, there can be a strong temptation to hide the light of our faith. Yet, we need to let the light of our faith shine all the more in an environment that is hostile to it, because in doing so we give courage to others. When I let the light of my faith shine, I make it easier for other people of faith to do the same. Pope Francis’ first encyclical was entitled ‘The light of faith’. He says at the beginning of that encyclical that there is an urgent need to see once again that faith is a light. He goes so far as to say that once the flame of faith dies out, all other lights begin to dim. The light of faith, he says, is unique because it is capable of illuminating every aspect of human existence. He implies that more than ever today we need to nurture that light of faith within ourselves so as to let it shine in our world through our lives because the world needs this light.

And/Or

(v) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

When Jesus speaks in the gospel reading about lighting a lamp, we have to think in terms of a lamp containing oil which had a wick coming from the oil which could be lit. Many such oil lamps have been recovered from the time of Jesus in the Mediterranean basin. Such lamps were lit to give light when darkness came. As Jesus says in that gospel reading, no one would light such a lamp and then cover it with a bowl or put it under a bed. It would make no sense. The image suggests that if the lamp of faith is lit in a human life, it is not meant to be covered or hidden; rather we must allow it to shed light. We are called to allow the light of our faith to shine through how we live, what we do and how we do it. If we are to do that, we need to nurture that light of faith. The gospel reading suggests that one of the ways we nurture the light of faith is by listening to the Lord’s word. Jesus says in the gospel reading, ‘Take care how you hear, for anyone who has will be given more’. By listening to the Lord’s word, the light of faith will grow more brightly and will shine through how we live our lives. When that happens we are a support to one another on our shared journey of faith. When I let the light of my faith shine, I make it easier for other people of faith to do the same.

And/Or

(vi) Monday, Twenty Fifth week in Ordinary Time

The concluding words of Jesus in this morning’s gospel reading may seem rather unfair to us on first hearing them, ‘anyone who has will be given more…’ Yet, when we attend to those words more carefully, they make sense. Prior to those concluding words, Jesus calls on us to ‘take care how you hear’. In other words, he asks us to listen carefully to his word, to what he says. He promises that does who are attentive to his word, ‘anyone who has’, will receive a great deal from the Lord, they ‘will be given more’. Whereas, those who close their ears to his word, ‘anyone who has not’, will begin to lose what they have been given from the Lord, ‘what they think they have will be taken away’. Jesus is saying that we need to listen to him, if our relationship with him is to grow, or, to put it negatively, if our relationship with him is not to weaken. We live in a world of much noise, of many voices. It can be quite a struggle to make room and time in our lives to listen to the voice of the Lord. This morning’s gospel reading, however, assures us that it is a struggle worth engaging in; it is an effort worth making.

And/Or

(vii) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus tells us that a lamp is meant to be put on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in; a lamp is not intended to be covered with a bowl. Jesus is suggesting that if the lamp of faith is lit in a human life, it is not meant to be hidden but to keep on shining and spread light. That lamp of faith was lit in our own lives at baptism. When we come of age we have the responsibility of keeping the light of faith, the light of the Lord, burning brightly so that it shines through a life that is shaped by our faith. On another occasion Jesus said, ‘let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven’. The light that shone upon us at baptism is to shape how we live, our works. This morning’s gospel reading reminds me of a reflection by Marianne Williamson, ‘We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It‘s not just in some of us: it’s in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others’. The conclusion of this morning’s gospel reading reminds us that the more we give in terms of letting the light of our faith shine before others, the more we will receive from the Lord and the brighter the light of our faith will become, ‘for anyone who has will be given more’.

And/Or

(viii) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

For the next two weeks, our first reading will be taken from books in the Jewish Scriptures that are known as the Wisdom Literature. Much of this literature is the fruit of long reflection on human experience; it can have a timeless quality to it. Today’s first reading calls on us not to put off an act of kindness for someone until tomorrow, if we can do it today. There is a wisdom in that instruction that is valid for every age. In the gospel reading, Jesus speaks as a kind of a wisdom teacher. He says that a lighted lamp is not meant to be covered by a bowl or put under a bed, but on a lamp stand so that people may see the light. This is a common sense observation, but what is Jesus implying by it? Perhaps he is saying that our light, the light of our faith, is intended to shine brightly before all, rather than be hidden away. Our faith in the Lord, our relationship with him, is to shine through our whole way of life. One of the ways that the light of our faith can shine is by following the advice of our first reading, by taking the opportunities for acts of kindness towards others that come our way each day. Elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus calls on us to ‘let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven’. When we allow the light of our faith to shine through our ways of relating to others, that light gets brighter. That is the implication of what Jesus says at the end of today’s gospel reading, ‘anyone who has will be given more’. As we try to give expression to the light of our faith in our lives, we create a space for the Lord to nurture and deepen our faith in him, our relationship with him.

And/Or

(ix) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

Jesus often uses images from daily life to express some aspect of our relationship with God. He observes that when people light an oil lamp, they put it in a place where the light from the lamp can help people to navigate in what would otherwise be a dark space. There would be no point in lighting such a lamp and then hiding it away and depriving others of its light. Jesus is suggesting that when the light of faith is lit in our lives, it is not meant to be covered or hidden. We need to allow the light of our faith to shine clearly and publicly so that it sheds light wherever we find ourselves, on all those whom we encounter. There can be pressure on people of faith today to hide their faith; in the imagery of today’s gospel reading, to place the lighted lamp under a bed. Yet, it is pressure we need to resist. If any one of us allows the light of our faith to shine publicly, it supports the rest of us in doing the same. Jesus goes on to say in the gospel reading, ‘take care how you hear, for anyone who has will be given more’. Attentive listening to the Lord’s word keeps the light of our faith burning brightly and empowers us to allow that light to shine before all. When we listen and respond to the Lord’s word, ‘we will be given more’, God’s grace will invade our lives ever more abundantly and our faith, our relationship with the Lord, will shine ever more brightly.

And/Or

(x) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s gospel reading, Jesus says, ‘take care how you hear’. The gospel reading invites us to ask, ‘How well do we hear?’ These verses come immediately after the parable of the sower. The farmer sowing seed is an image of Jesus sowing God’s word. The hearing Jesus is referring to is the hearing of God’s word. God always has something to say to us but he needs us to be good listeners, to hear well. God speaks to us in a whole variety of ways. In this season of creation, we remind ourselves that he speaks to us through all of creation. Listening to the sounds of nature is one form of listening to God speaking to us. I have become more aware recently of the sounds of birds, the different forms of birdsong. We are fortunate to live in a place where birdsong is abundant and diverse. God can also speak to us through each other. In the first reading, God was speaking to his people through the pagan king of Persia, Cyrus, an outsider, calling on them to go back to their homeland to build their Temple. We are invited to ask ourselves, ‘What may the Lord be saying to us, to me, through the voice of others, including the voice of outsiders?’. God speaks in a privileged way to us through the Scriptures, the Word of God. There is a long tradition in the church of attentive reading of God’s word, a slow, meditative reading that has been compared to a cow chewing the cud. The gospel reading of the Sunday could be the focus of such a prayerful, listening, reading. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus promises that if we listen carefully to the various ways God is speaking to us, ‘we will be given more’. Our attentive listening will create an opening for the Lord to grace us abundantly.

And/Or

(xi) Monday, Twenty Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

The sayings of Jesus in today’s gospel reading begin, ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed’. What did it mean to ‘light a lamp’ in the time of Jesus? The reference is to a small lamp, usually made of clay, filled with oil and with a wick. It could be set on a stand or hung from it. It is obvious that no one would hide a burning lamp by putting a bowl over it or putting it under a bed. It is lit to give light to those who are in the house or to guests who may come into the house. Jesus is referring to the light of the gospel which is not to be hidden but should be allowed to stream forth into the darkness in the world. We have been given the light of the gospel. Our calling is to allow that light to shine through our lives. On one occasion, Jesus addressed his disciples as the light of the world and called on them to let their light shine by their good deeds, deeds inspired by the message of the gospel. The gospel is not a secret message intended to be kept hidden or revealed to a select few. It is the Lord’s light which is to shine for all to see. We each have a role to play in allowing the light of the Lord’s gospel to shine in our world. Firstly, however, we need to allow ourselves to be illumined by the light of the Lord’s word by listening carefully to it and allowing it to find a home in us. Only then can we be channels of that light to others, thereby sharing in the Lord’s mission of being a light to the world.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[eucatastrophicblues]

having vague inculturated feelings about fire - the hearthfire, kept burning perpetually, rekindled each year with the blessing of the crops, never extinguished

Christ as hearthfire, kindled in the main house and passed down to individual homes, the Paschal candle and the Easter fire

look if the Protestants can have snake handling I can have river cleanses and fire symbolism and Mary Cornmother

[lovedrunkheadcanons]

Chapter Contents

(Arranged Marriage Pic) Read on AO3 

Rated M 

Hannah waited for the little honeybee to lap up the rose pollen on her finger, its velvety yellow body tickling her skin as it licked and buzzed. After a minute or so, the task was finished, and bidding a fond farewell, the little honeybell turned herself around, flicked her small antennae at the generous human in thanks, and flew off.

“You’re welcome,” Hannah chimed as the insect departed, possibly returning to her hive with the saddlebags of fresh pollen clinging to her legs.

Honeybees were such amazing creatures; Never stopping, never tiring, hurrying from one pollen-filled bloom to the next. Unafraid of new opportunities. Hornets and wasps, however, were mean spirited and highly aggressive, as were German dark bees and the African “killer” bees. Common bumblebees were often mistaken for their honeybee cousins, but were not the same in both size and mannerism and could not produce honey. Other honey-less, distant relatives included ants, sawflies, and the noblest of all hymenoptera, the praying mantis, but none worked harder, nor carried as much environmental importance as the honeybee, which was why Hannah loved them so. The same golden insect emblazoned all over St. Peter's Baldachin and who’s wax was used in making Paschal candles were a gardener’s best friend. It was said that a single bee colony could pollinate close to 300 million flowers in a day, meaning if there were no honeybees - or bees in general - there’d be no flowers. If there were no flowers, there would be no flower gardeners. If there were no gardeners the world would be a much darker and less beautiful place. Crops would fail, as would roughly ¾ of all flowering plants without some sort of human intervention. Not good.

For this reason, Hannah's affection for the honeybee was insatiable. They could do no wrong in her eyes and not once had she been stung. Mother Nature’s little helpers.

Having done her good deed for the day, Hannah wiped her hands over her dirty overalls, put her gloves back on, and picked up her gardening shears and disinfectant wipes. The roses weren’t going to trim themselves.

Last week was spent tirelessly transplanting the roses from Jujutsu High to the Gojo estate. These were the same roses she had planted her first week; the night she was attacked from returning to her dorm after dark. Hannah had woken before sunrise carting the wheelbarrow and a shovel. Finally August, the rose shrubs were now rose bushes and had prospered beautifully in their foreign environment, taking on a deep reddish-purple hue reminiscent of merlot. To minimize any damage she might incur, Hannah surgically dug a moat around the thorny rose shrubs with the shovel, avoiding the delicate root hairs, and used her gloved hands to (again very carefully) unearth each prickly rose bush from the soil. Technically, it was not advisable to transplant roses in the middle of summer when the flowers were beginning to bloom and the sun was at its hottest. They were also covered with leaves and very heavy (for her). Hannah worried the whole procedure would stress the plants, causing them to go into “transplant shock,” but these were no ordinary roses. They would endure, and once all six roses had been successfully uprooted, she enlisted the help of Mr. Aoyama to wheel them up (yes, all the way up) the hill to the house.

They had placed the bushes in their own individual pot. Hannah’s homemade compost wasn’t ready. So she bought a light soilless mixture made of peat moss and perlite instead. Excellent for retaining moisture, yet allow for water to drain properly from the drilled holes at the bottom of the containers. In the end, the hardy roses not only survived the shocking ordeal, but thrived, their ruffled petals blooming like plumage, untraumatized by the event. They weren’t going anywhere. If the attracted honeybees were any indicator.

Hannah ran a disinfectant wipe over the blades and went back to trimming, cutting at a clean forty-five degree angle right above where the stem met another leaf. The clipped rose was then transferred to a water bucket with the others. So far, she had enough roses to make a bouquet for the English dining room. They hardly ever ate in there, but the wine-colored flowers would pair lovely with the oak furnishings.

She began humming a tune. A shadow eclipsed her as she clipped another rose off its stem. She felt a weight land on her braided crown, something like lips and a nose.

“Why’re you doing that?”

Hannah didn’t have to look up to know who it was, not that his voice didn’t give him away. Lately, Satoru liked perching his head on top of hers as a way of grabbing her attention.

“To clean the shears,” she answered, showing him the shears and wipes, his head staying nestled where it was. “Roses are prone to infection, so it’s best to sanitize the blades after each use.” She held up the freshly cut rose for him to take. “Here, smell one.”

Satoru took the multi-layered rose, aware of the thorns, and drew it to his nose. His brows shot straight up. “Woah.” The smell was so sweet and fruity he could literally taste it on his tongue, forcing him to comically choke down a cough.

Hannah tried suppressing a giggle. “Intense, isn’t it?”

The Six Eyes wielder nodded, blinking a few times. “Boy, you’re not kidding.” He cleared his throat and held the fragrant bloom to his nose once more, taking a more moderate whiff. The deep burgundy petals felt velvety soft on his skin. “Smells almost like candy.”

Hannah's smile widened. “These roses were a gift to me from Sister Edith before I came here.”

“Sister Edith,” Satoru mused in thought, rose still pressed to his nose. “You’ve mentioned that name before. Who was she again?”

“She was my Japanese instructor during my stay with the Sisters of St. Horatia. Every word I’m speaking to you is because of her.”

“Ah, now I remember. Sounds like she was quite the lady.”

“Of course. The best.”

“You must miss her then.”

Hannah’s smile slipped a crack. “Very much so,” she spoke somberly, running her hands over the rose petals in her lap. “Edith was fluent in almost every language you could think of, from Greek to Juǀʼhoan. I’ll probably never see her again, circumstances being what they are.”

Satoru’s brows furrowed. “How come?”

Hannah snipped off another rose. “The Sisters of St. Horatia is a cloistered order. They’re not permitted to leave the convent.”

“Wait, for real? Like ever?”

She turned to nod solemnly. “Like ever.”

“That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?”

“It’s the life they chose, Satoru.” Hannah rested the rose on her lap. “The Sisters of St. Horatia are unique in that they’re archivists. They specialize in preserving and interpreting ancient texts. Magical texts. It’s believed their library holds some of the West’s oldest sorcerery. Mother Superior oversees the whole operation.”

“Mother Superior?”

“The abbess,” Hannah said. “In convents, the head nun in charge is called ‘Mother Superior.’ I don’t know what her actual name is. She’s tied closely to the Association and was tasked with facilitating where I went as a child, including my education.”  

Satoru’s face perked up. “Oh right, that's what I wanted to talk to you about.”

She stared blankly at him. “You want me to join a convent?”

“Wha — No.” He seemed partially offended. “Why would I want you to join a  — ”

“Relax, silly. I’m teasing,” Hannah said, perhaps a little too happy he took the bait. “Married women aren’t allowed to join convents. As soon as they saw our marital records, I’d be swiftly booted out.”

“Oh.” Her husband’s shoulders drooped. “Well, I wanted to get your thoughts on something. See if you might be interested.”

“Sure, but can you give me a moment to finish with these? I’m almost done.”

Satoru eyed the bouquet of roses she was assembling. “Anything I can do to help?”

Hannah stopped her pruning and thought for a moment. “Actually, now that you’ve mentioned it….” She leaned over and patted the large rose pot in front of her. “I’d like to move this one up to the house, but it’s too heavy. Think you could lend a girl a hand, Mr. Muscles?”

Satoru issued her a mock salut. “Ma’am, yes ma’am,” and rolled his shoulders, biceps and triceps rippling under his shirt. “Watch and be amazed, kiddos. Mr. Muscles is gonna show you how it’s done.”

Topped with heavy soil and plant, the large clay pot weighed well over a hundred pounds. It would’ve easily taken two average-sized people to lift, but Satoru managed the feat on his own no problem, a testament to how strong he physically was. Hannah had seen him bench press twice his usual body weight with workout equipment. Yet she stayed close behind as he hobbled to the house, awkwardly carrying the pot, for fear he’d throw out his back. She didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until he stationed the container near the stairs leading up to the porch. Hannah nodded. This new spot would do nicely.

“Woo, that was good,” Satoru said, wiping the sweat off his brow and looked up at the sky. “Sun is brutal today.”

Hannah agreed. It had grown considerably hot since lunch. Deciding to take a break from the summer sun, the couple collected the clipped roses and walked back inside the house to the reception hall. There on the center table was a glass pitcher filled with ice water, two cups, two damp towels for each to cool off with, and a vase to put the roses in. Makoto sure was sneaky.

“So,” Hannah said, after finishing her first glass of ice water. “What is it you wanted to talk about?”

Satoru ran one of the cool towels over his neck and chin. “Tsumiki and Megumi’s school evaluations came in.”

Hannah poured herself another glass. “And the verdict?”

He put the towel down and smirked. “Take a look for yourself.” She observed him reach inside his back pocket and pull out two opened envelopes. Curious, Hannah walked over and took them from him, re-opening each and laying the contents on the table for a better look.    

Japanese primary school evals (from first to sixth grade) were assessed by a three-tiered rank system (1,2,3), with 1 indicating the student “needs effort,” and 3 indicating the student’s grasp on the subject was “satisfactory” or higher. Hannah eyed the two report cards, noting how Tsumiki scored nothing below a 2 (“almost satisfactory”) with Music, Social Studies, and Japanese being her best subjects. Megumi also received high marks. The lowest he scored was a 2 in Music and English, with Mathematics, Science, Sports (and surprisingly enough, Art) all scoring a 3.

Below the subject lines were the behavior evaluations where teachers listed the students' cooperation in class, both towards staff and the other children. Hannah skimmed those parts, but caught the underlined text “gets into fights” on Megumi’s page. Perhaps she would ask about it later, though overall she was pleased by the outcome. 

“See, I told Megumi he had nothing to worry about,” she laughed. “He did well, and from the looks of it, so did Tsumiki.”

“Tsumiki’s scores are always good,” Satoru said. “But Megumi? His English scores? I’ve never seen them stay above a 1. It’s the only subject he struggles with on top of socializing. These are his marks now.” He revealed to her two other evaluation cards, placing them next to the newer one on the table. “And these were his marks from December and March.”

Hannah examined the older evaluations. His grades looked relatively the same, except for English, which showed a glaring 1 printed in the center box on each. His new score was 2. Megumi had improved his grade by a full number in the course of a single semester.

“Any chance you had something to do with it?” Satoru added slyly.

Hannah looked up. “I didn’t do much,” she said, shaking her head. “He understood the basics. All he needed was someone to explain them better.”

Butterflies swarmed her stomach as his lips came together, grinning so wide it seemed almost maniacal. “Good, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear.” Hannah blinked at him confused for a moment, but then he explained his reasoning. “I had a meeting with the school board this morning. Jujutsu High, that is.”

“Yes, I remember you telling me. How’d it go?”

He gave her a wink. “The wait is officially over. You, my dear Hannah, are looking at Jujutsu High’s new hire.”

Hannah’s eyes widened. “Really? They gave you the teaching job?” Satoru nodded and a beaming smile soon appeared on her face. “Oh Satoru, congratulations. That’s wonderful news. I’m happy for you.”

Her husband bashfully scratched his head. “Thanks. My first day won’t be till next year, so there’s still time, but that’s not all.” He lifted a finger, tapping her lightly on the nose. “The department will also be in search of a new English teacher soon.”

Her smile faltered. “An English teacher?”

“Yeah.” Satoru walked over and situated himself down on one of the cushions, leaning his elbow on the table. “Seems the current one is looking to throw in the towel. To be honest, I don’t know much about him - cause yours truly tested out of English freshman year - but apparently he’s been teaching English since the late Cretaceous or whatever, and during the meeting he asked if we knew anybody interested in filling the role,” he pointed at her, “and I said you.”

“M-Me?” Hannah squeaked.

He nodded. “Yeah, you.”

A couple seconds ticked by, the news of this proposal slowly sinking in.

“You’re joking.”

“No, I’m not joking.”

“You think I could teach English at Jujutsu High?

“If you wanted to,” he caveated.

“And the school board wouldn’t mind? Spouses working together, I mean.”

“I don’t see the harm.” Satoru shrugged. “It’s not like English and Jujutsu orbit in the same circles.”

“Why would you mention my name, Satoru? I don’t have a uni degree or a teaching certificate.”

“Neither do I,” her quickly husband rebutted. “I never went to university. The only certification I have is a high school diploma.”

“But that’s still more than I have. And my Japanese citizenship hasn’t been finalized. Won’t that hinder things?”

Satoru waved his hand. “Naw, we’ll find our way around that crap. We do it all the time.”

“Then what of the estate? If we’re both busy teaching, who’s going to run it? Makoto can’t juggle the work all by herself.”

“The estate is busy now because I’ve been putting off renovations for years. Once those are completed things’ll start to die down.”

“I have no credentials, Satoru,” Hannah pleaded, hammering the message home. “No references. No formal education. I don’t even know the first thing about preparing lectures or grading papers, and this would be high school level English, not sixth grade. My public speaking skills are rubbish. I’ll make a complete fool of myself in front of everyone.”

“No, you won’t,” Satoru assured, taking her hands. “I’ll be here to help. Plus, you’ll have a year to prepare, and Jujutsu High’s enrollment has been on the decline for decades. The classes shouldn’t exceed more than a handful of students at most.”

“But what if someone else needs the job?” Hannah kept lamenting. “Someone with experience who’s better qualified. I’d be selfishly taking the opportunity away from them.”

“Then that’s their loss,” Satoru tisked, rolling his eyes. “Don't get me wrong, Princess, I admire your compassion - love it even - but we gotta strike while the iron is hot here. Nobody is gonna shame you for being ambitious every once in a while. The reason I’m asking is because I think you’d be right for the job. Give you something to do besides loafing around the house all day making flower arrangements,” he tucked a strand of loose auburn hair behind her ear, his new favorite habit, and tilted her chin up to look at him as his voice grew soft. “Can’t have those good brains go to waste now, hmm?”

Hannah looked away, a flush forming on her cheeks. “Flower arranging isn’t ‘loafing around,’” she pouted, crossing her arms. “I've been outside since dawn.”

She felt Satoru bridge the gap between them, wrapping her in his embrace.

“Look,” he sighed defeatistly in her hair. “Forget I said anything. It’s obvious you're not interested.”

Rather than push him away, Hannah leaned more into him, resting her head comfortably on his chest. She felt so safe there, entranced by the steady rhythm of his heart. “I never said I wasn’t interested,” she mumbled into his cotton tee. “I’m simply questioning how it would work.”

“Oh, it would work,” he chuckled deeply, chest rumbling under her cheek. “I’d make it work.”

“You shouldn’t use your position to land me a job, Satoru. It’ll be seen as corrupt.”

“Hey, there’s gotta be some perks to being me,” he joked. “Not like I’d have to say much. You’re from England, the frickin’ motherland of English. What other credentials would they need?”

“A lot.”

He laughed and undid her braid, combing his fingers through her long shiny hair. She didn’t tell him no because it felt nice. “Just tell me you’ll think about it, okay?” he said. “Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

“But what about — “

“Nope, no more buts.”

“But I — “

“Access denied.”

“Satoru.”

“Satoru is unable to take your call at this time. Please leave a message and he will get back with you after this obnoxiously long beep. Beeeeeeeeeee…. ”

Hannah slumped and let out the smallest exhale, thus giving up the fight. “Fine, I’ll think about it.”

He paused mid-beep.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Yay!” He hugged her closer, lifting her off the ground and swaying back and forth. “Knew you wouldn’t let me down, Princess. I knew it, knew it, knew it.”

Hannah couldn’t help but smile. Cheek smothered against him, he placed her back on the ground, allowing her to tilt her head up.

The Six Eyes were like twin spheres of blue abalone, shining down at her. She could see every shade and tint; turquoise, chalcedony, larimar, the sky and sea. How she adored looking at his eyes. They were none of this world. Magnetized, she found herself standing on her tippy toes, lips soft and pliant, wanting to be nearer. Words needn’t be exchanged. Satoru got the message and lowered his hands to her hips. Gravity became weightless as he propelled her upwards again, bringing their mouths together, her body melting into his sweet kiss.

It was good they had these moments to fall back on because the next few days would not be as kind. This was but the calm before the storm.

Rougher waters lay ahead.

Chapter Contents

[tinyshe]

Easter Proclamation - Exsultet in Latin (English Translation) | Paschal Proclamation Traditional

#HeraldsoftheGospel#TraditionalCatholic#Exsultet Salve Maria! Here is a beautiful video of the Easter Proclamation, also known as the "Exsultet", with Lyrics in English and in Latin. This version has been rendered by Deacons of the Heralds of the Gospel in 3 voices. The Paschal Proclamation is a lengthy sung-proclamation/chant delivered before the paschal candle, by a deacon, during the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. This ancient Easter Hymn is rich in detail and symbolism, depicting the entire history of salvation from Adam and Eve to Christ's resurrection from the dead. Do watch the video entirely and Don't miss this beautiful tradition of the Catholic Church! #HeraldsoftheGospel#TraditionalCatholic#Exsultet

[2minutes4yeehawing]

i wish it was still Lent. I miss Lent. My mood matches with Lent. I miss walking to Mass at 5 pm and having it be dark. I hate returning to my office at 6:15 or whenever daily Mass gets over and having it still be light out it's wrong. that's not how I feel right now!

and furthermore! there's no Sunday Vespers until the summer session starts I miss Vespers so much. and it's still light out when Vespers is over! I miss the winter when the only light in the church was the Paschal candle and we had to try our hardest not to trip up the stairs carrying it in. I guess it's ordinary time now so we get to switch back to that binder. and I didn't think I would be here to get to switch back to that binder. and I am, which is both good and bad. I have missed singing "the day you gave us O Lord has ended" that's a great song. i have missed ordinary time. things are ordinary and green. but i don't feel ordinary. i feel. purple.

[art-is-art-is-art]

One of my fond memories is of the day when I was 10 years old and I was with my mother at Cyprus, and at Easter we were given free cookies and the Paschal greeting at the bakery because the Greeks and Russians are both Orthodox and we celebrate Easter on the same day. And we were also at a festive service, where priests read prayers and sang in Greek and people passed a candle to each other. It was beautiful. Then we were returning to the hotel, there were fireworks in the sky and a strong wind was blowing from the sea, I was cold, sleepy and happy

[apesoformythoughts]

The Paschal candle’s flame was so high up, that after Mass a little girl approached me and handed me her candle so I could light it up.

[suckmybussy]

Binding of Isaac Character overviev part 2: Magdalene

Magdalene is likely the first character player will ever unlock, her only difference between isaac, is her blond hair

Her playstyle is one one LIFE, she has highest sustain among all characters, and her life regen allows for completelly different playstyle between new, and veteran player

She refferences Biblical Mary Magdalene, often reffered to Apostle of Apostles, and was speculated to be girlfriend or even wife of Jesus, as she was the only apostle kissed on the mouth. around 580 she started being depicted as repenting prostitute because she got conflated with Mary of bethany. Her true name was actually Mary, and Magdalene was likely refference to her city of birth "Magdala"

Tarot card associated with magdalene is "VI The Lovers"

Maggie

Unlock: have 7 or more red heart containers at once

Starting items: -active: Yum heart -pickup: full health pill (after beating challenge april fools)

Important stats: -4 heart containers -low speed

Gameplay wise, magdalene has big problem with dodging due to her low speed, but makes up for it thanks to her yum heart to regenerate health. More skilled players can allocate health to other places like bloodbanks or devil beggars to not waste charges.

Strong Items:

Maggie Thrives from items that let her either spend health, or make her tankier, depending on skill level, as such her favourite items may be

-Health regen itemsand health ups: Placenta, Maggies bow -On receiving damage items: fanny pack, old bandage, habit(allows for even more healing) -Tanky items: infamy, psy fly, Wafer -Health consuming items: bloody oath, glass shard

Bad items: -items reducing her health: abbadon, brittle bones, dead cat -further slow downs: thundereus thighs, bucket of lard

Strategies: For never players, really advised is getting tank items, and recharge items to keep high health for the longest time possible.

Better players might use bloodbanks and other ways of consuming health for rewards (using both bloodbank and charge beggar (works even better with habit!) is a good way to get both to pay out for charge item and IV bag/blood bag)

Player might Use 4.5V and habit to become nearly unkillable during bossfights

Maggies starting 4 heart containers, 1 Yum heart charge and full health pills allow her to make 7 sacrifices in sacrifice room, which allows her to get up to 2 angel room items on first floor

Tainted Magdalene

As with most, if not all tainted maggie takes magdalenes strenght, makes it even better, but locks it behind gimmic, allowing for similar, yet more fun experience. As maggies Theme is Life, tainted magdalene also starts with Yum heart, but much stronger and on pill slot. She starts with 4 heart containers, but only 2 are "prenament", and all remaining hearts, irregardless of type will slowly bleed out (starting from red hearts), tho these red hearts still protect from loosing angel/devil change. She also reinforces maggies problem with dodging, making her gimmick her hugging mechanic, by getting close to enemy she performs melee attack, and enemies killed by her will drop hearts that dissapear quickly. This allows T Maggie for much faster and more dynamic gameplay, where we run into enemies and destroy them as fast as we can, trying to keep our health hight by picking up hearts and using Yum heart (that heals 2 red containers!)

Strong Items:

-On hit items: it Hurts, fanny pack, dead bird -damage reduction: cancer, wafer -recharge items: 9volt, battery, habit, sharp plug (this one allows for being unkillable) -melee weapon: spirit sword (basically better hug, and allows to pick up dropped hearts) -Dmg modifers: Eves mascara, Polyphemus (hug damage scales with isaacs)

Weak items:

Same as normal maggie -Items requiring to not get hit: Paschal candle, mystery egg, democles

Strategy:

T maggies usual strategies are less usefull, but still work, using sacrifice rooms is harder because of life drain, but can be offset by keeping yum heart charge untill that moment

She needs additional healing for long fights like Hush, Delirium, Beast, habit is advised as it greatly increases her survivability

[insidemyfavoritemanuscript]

Episode 10: Sarah Burke Cahalan on upside-down text, a topless terra, and BEES

Beekeepers in an Exultet Roll.

In Episode 10 of Inside My Favorite Manuscript, Lindsey and Dot chat with Sarah Burke Cahalan about EXULTET ROLLS. These objects, created during a 300 year period in the south of Italy, are used one day a year: during Easter Sunday. Our conversation ranges from the format of the rolls, to candles, to Mother Earth, to BEES.

Listen here, or wherever you find your podcasts.

Below the cut are more page images from the rolls, and further reading.

Unless otherwise indicated, the illustrations are reproduced in Exultet: rotoli liturgici del medioevo meridionale. Istituto poligrafico e zecca dello stato, Libreria dello stato, Roma, 1994.

See the end of the post for more references.

Image of a deacon reading the Exultet roll in church, with the top of the roll draped over the ambo, beside the Paschal candle: Monte Cassino Exultet Roll, British Library Add MS 30337, membrane 11:

Bees in exultet rolls:

Virgil’s Georgics on Wikipedia (includes links to editions)

The roll as a speech bubble! This example is from the Annunciation in Bryn Mawr College MS 21 Castle hours #3, f. 18v.

Giant candles!

Look at that long stick he needs to light the candle.

Terra aka Mother Earth.

Romulus and Remus suckling their wolf foster mother, bronze sculpture, c. 500–480 BCE; in the Capitoline Museums, Rome. Height 85.1 cm.

Hildegard of Bingen’s Viriditas.

Entry on bees in Bestiary.ca.

Eleanor Jackson. “Exultet rolls: celebrating the return of the light” post on the British Library Medieval Manuscript Blog, 11 April 2020

John Rylands Library Latin MS 2, fully digitized

Sarah K. Burke, “Exultet rolls: a medieval Easter tradition“ post on DO / Conversations, 14 April 2014