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gabriellerudessa · 1 month ago

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Hourglass (Thaddeus x OC) - Part IX

"Hell to fucking no. Was he really looking at his mom like that?!

Thaddeus took too long to drag his eyes away in his opinion – anything longer than a millisecond was too long, really –, drinking coffee and again burning his tongue and cursing at it.

Moth hid his grin with a piece of fried molerat and promised himself to watch closer the man.

If he was really looking like that at his mom whenever he could… Fuck no."

PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE

Word Count: 5.367

Warnings: None I can think of.

The sixth day started the same as all the others: his eyes followed Goose as they cooked breakfast, Mika helped them with morose eyes, and Moose still at the front turret tower, not yet relieved from his night watch shift. Not all was ready but the Bears had started to arrive, Stacy and Francesco talking about the expected caravan as they fixed their plates and the twins dragging Lily into the living-dining room by keeping a circuit board out of her reach.

Thaddeus had just turned around to hide his grin at the kids’ antics when there was a series of whistles from outside.

Francesco left without speaking, unfinished plate by the table and front door left open in his wake. Thaddeus noticed Goose throw what looked as a faintly annoyed look at it, before looking again towards the pan filled with strips of goat cheese being roasted – apparently there was a family that breed goats in the region, friends of the Bears, that supplied with milk and cheese each two weeks in exchange for animal fat, dried game meat and some of the meds Goose made.

Francesco returned just as all the food was served and the last ones, Guadalupe and Isaac, had just entered.

“Both Sarah and Andrea are arriving.” He announced, finishing fixing his plate.

Thaddeus perked a bit as he fixed his own plate of food. Sarah, from what he had heard, was Catarina’s wife and a ghoul. He hopped she had some tips for him about what really to expect and watch for, hopefully different and better than what the Brotherhood had told – had her and Catarina married before or after the ghoulification?

“Good. Hare’s caravan will probably arrive today and we’ll need all hands.” Guadalupe threw a look at him and sighed, all frowned eyebrows but nothing of the down turned lips he had got the previous days. “Hare’s our best buyer of quality leather for armors and some other products. Get ready to haul things the whole day and don’t mess it up.��

“Will do my best, Guadalupe.” The words almost didn’t leave him, but he still tried, nodding and sitting down at a sofa corner.

“I’ll get the gate-”

“You’ll eat, Gee.” Guadalupe interrupted Goose. “Finished, Mika?” Thaddeus made sure to look at the black man and do his best to watch his signs; he had been doing it the whole week and he was pretty sure he already knew what ‘yes’ and ‘no’ looked like. “Good. You get the gate and then relieve Moose.”

Mika got up a few moments later, empty plate in hands, and Goose took his place.

And it was smack in front of him.

Thaddeus swallowed and he was thankful there was no food in his mouth or he was pretty sure he would’ve choked. Fuck fuck fuck. Why the fuck was it so fucking hard for him to act fucking normal when close to her? And it had only gotten worse! He didn’t need it to get worse, he needed to get a grip and stop being like that, people would thought he creepy-

The Bears started talking and briefly distracted him, a cacophony about the things they hoped the so called Hare would have that they needed and the things they thought the caravan would want.

Thaddeus did his best to hear and identify the things talked about and remember if he already knew their places, just in case. He really didn’t want to walk back and forth needlessly because he couldn’t remember where the things where. Besides, he was pretty sure Guadalupe would see that as messing things up.

His eyes clearly had other ideas and were all the time slipping towards Goose and drinking in the methodical movements she did as she ate, in her elegant sitting posture, in the movements her mouth did as she spoke her own expectations about the caravan…

Thaddeus dragged his eyes back to the rest of the family every time he got himself doing it and sipped coffee from the small chipped glass he had gotten that morning. The heat briefly scorched his mouth and throat and it seemed adequate punishment.

---------

He dropped a piece of fried molerat into Lily’s plate as he came back with more food, just grinning at his cousin’s pouting glare. Lily was terrible at eating enough and Moth was just happy to help. And happy to annoy her, even if just a little bit.

Chewing on a mouthful of steamed vegetables, he dropped on the rug beside his mom’s legs, receiving an absentminded and brief scratch on his head from Goose. She was clearly more worried about hearing Auntie Willow’s words about the fact that their gunpowder reserves were low and to see if Hare would have some to trade while Auntie Stacy argued about the chemicals they used in the Tanning Room and granddad pointed out some day to day items they were low on.

Moth heard and watched with an internal sigh; unless he had something to add regarding his hunting and skinning duties or something he really needed, his opinion wouldn’t really be heard regarding what the family needed to trade as a family.

Being fourteen sucked.

“Aw fuck.”

The muttered curse attracted his ears and he looked towards Thaddeus, the supposedly ex-Brotherhood, lowering a glass filled with steaming coffee and sucking in air. Burnt tongue, he bet. There was also a small grooved-burn scar close to his hairline that Moth was pretty sure wasn’t there almost a week before.

A slow ghoulification, mom had told him; said that he wasn’t supposed to stare if he noticed something big because Thaddeus was a guest and that would be rude.

Moth tried, but he had never seen the process. Auntie Sarah had frequented the ranch when he was small and before the bombing of Shady Sands, when she was still just a normal human and not his Auntie, sure, but she never appeared during the process, only almost a year after most of her skin had either burned off or fell. One day she was a “smoothskin” and the other a ghoul.

He observed Thaddeus a little longer, not that worried at being rude. It didn’t look like the man cared much. Besides, Moth hadn’t had the time to interact or exchange that many words or even look that much at the man along the days, with how they were always working at different parts of the ranch; basically the meals and sometimes during cooking or cleaning after a meal.

The only thing he got was that the man rambled if allowed to.

Thaddeus didn’t look much to him. Not the same posture from the other Brotherhood of Steel he had seen at Filly. Not… Sure of himself. More skittish. Not that skittish when he had been working, sure, but overall… Moth thought little of Thaddeus.

Actually it made sense how he was friends with Auntie Willow. She sure was able to boss people around, and the man seemed the type to follow orders.

Moth was at the point of looking away and back to pay attention to the talk about the maybe-trade when he noticed Thaddeus’ eyes shift from everyone else and towards Goose.

Auntie Catarina was still the one speaking.

Moth frowned and froze, fork in his mouth and jaw not chewing.

He had noticed Thaddeus looking at his mom, sure… When he was helping with breakfast and she was ordering him around.

Why was he looking at her when she wasn’t even the one speaking? And not subtly, to boot; if everyone else weren’t more worried about Hare’s caravan they would’ve noticed too. He hoped.

Thaddeus’ ears and cheeks started to redden and Moth squinted at him.

Hell to fucking no. Was he really looking at his mom like that?!

Thaddeus took too long to drag his eyes away in his opinion – anything longer than a millisecond was too long, really –, drinking coffee and again burning his tongue and cursing at it.

Moth hid his grin with a piece of fried molerat and promised himself to watch closer the man.

If he was really looking like that at his mom whenever he could… Fuck no.

---------

Most people had finished eating and there were faint voices from outside as Catarina collected the tableware and Guadalupe started distributing chores.

“Moth, shooting practice is on you today, got it? After it, garden is on the four of you.” Thaddeus noticed the boy jump in his place by the rug, a faint panicked look at Guadalupe.

“On it, Grandma.”

Moth got up, his three cousins following him outside. Thaddeus had just got up and handed his plate towards Catarina when he heard his name.

“Thaddeus, you’re shadowing Isaac today.”

He tried to hide his grimace with a smile as he looked at Isaac; the mean grin he got almost made him forget to smile. Aw fuck.

“C’mon, Thaddeus. We have too much shit to prepare for trade.” Isaac still grinned as he landed a heavy hand on Thaddeus’ shoulder, the lean frame deceptively looking as Thaddeus felt himself being hauled across the house.

Aw fuck. He wouldn’t survive that day.

---------

Isaac dragged him down the corridor, past some bedrooms and into the main storage room.

“Did anyone told ya’ how we do if there’s traders and so on?” Isaac asked as he let go of Thaddeus’ shoulder and unlocked the door.

“No.” He followed the man inside gingerly. “I assume they don’t get inside the house or close to the back of the ranch.” Everything of the family inside, garden, entrance to basement with a lot of supplies, water pump… All things any Wastelander would do its best to keep safe.

Isaac grinned at him, mean, pulling a large wooden board and three big wooden crosses from behind a cabinet.

“Ya’ ain’t as stupid as ya’ look.” Thaddeus grimaced at the backhanded… Whatever that was. Isaac chuckled and waved him closer, handing two of the crosses. Large spaces for screws became visible on two arms of it. “There’s one exception. Can you guess it?”

Thaddeus frowned in thought, following Isaac outside as he carried the last cross and the board.

An exception…

He got it as they crossed the living-dining room, Goose and Willow moving around as they cleaned after breakfast, Moose eating and annoying them as he did – so Mika had already taken over watch shift and Andrea and Sarah should have arrived, whenever they were.

“Goose’s examining room. She mentioned that people with some trust are taken there thought the external door. And the latrine, I guess, if there’s a way to lock it from the storage room.”

“Atta boy. And there is, take a look at it next time.” Thaddeus promised himself he would as they got out, the sounds of shots around them as the twins and Lily practiced to Moth’s orders, shots ranging against too old and too bent tin cans spread at different heights and distances in the front of the land. “There’s some few traders that we trust more and may be taken through the house, but most people is treated either here or taken through the back.”

“Got it.” Isaac started setting up the wooden pieces in the sand, close to the house’s wall. “What type Hare’s caravan is?”

A makeshift table appeared as Isaac finished, large screws keeping the board and crosses united and standing, even if a bit wobbly.

“Two traders and two guards are trusted enough to be taken through the external door. Hare, Drummer, Rose-May and Valente.” They went back inside, Thaddeus picking up his pace to accompany Isaac – the man moved fast. “They usually have other two or three guards but they ain’t all the same each travel, so they stay at the front at all times, got it? Notice a missing one, ya’ warn us and we’ll take care of it.”

Oh thank God they didn’t expect him to take care of whatever that type of thing would result in.

Andrea was by the storage room, emptying the contents of a bag into a cabinet, a plate with food on the closest workbench.

“Ya’ better note all that down. I ain’t hearing Willow going on about inventory tracking again because of ya’.” Isaac threw towards her as he pulled a footlocker from under a workbench, and Thaddeus grinned at Andrea’s fake pout.

---------

Moose annoyed her and Willow as they cleaned up after breakfast, even while relaying the news that Sarah had brought three whole geckos and four more gecko skins, just waiting to be treated. Goose just barely heard him, well aimed elbows to his side every time he got too annoying… Which was faster than usual because even if her period still hadn’t arrived, her patience was already thin enough that dealing with his usual bullshit was almost unthinkable.

Besides Willow was back to talking normally with her and that made her laugh and really, Goose was a sucker for her family, no matter how much they sometimes got on her nerves.

Amidst it all, she did notice with more attention Pa and Thaddeus going back and forth as she and Willow cleaned the kitchen. They carried rolls of treated leather, boxes of canned and dried meat, one of the boxes of meds she put aside for trading, and all the other items that Hare’s caravan would probably be interested in.

She may have briefly stopped once or twice to watch, head leaning to the side as Thaddeus carried some of the heavier boxes fairly easily. Hum… Stronger than he looked. If she ever needed to implement contingency plans, she needed to make sure he wouldn’t be able to use that strength against her.

There should be some extra chains and ropes in the basement…

Goose also had to force herself to ignore the annoyance at the fact that she still couldn’t see the fear Mika had mentioned, after almost a week. Sure, she hadn’t had the opportunity to analyze him in depth many times, but still. Mika had seen with just some brief minutes, why couldn’t she?

As they wrapped up the post-breakfast cleaning, Moose went to sleep a little so he would be rested if-when Hare’s caravan appeared, while Willow went to note down all the things they hoped to trade, so inventory control would be easier later.

And Goose fixed a plate for Sarah, because of course Ed hadn’t done so as he went to help her and Goose had half a mind to stuff his mouth with a raw potato – he hated potatoes – for that lack of forethought.

Plate in hand, she went to the back of the house.

Sarah was skinning the third gecko, Ed besides her and holding other two rolled skins, and Goose leaned against the wall, watching the ghoul’s expert movements as she slid the drop-point knife under the gecko skin.

Gecko skin was a mess to take off without damaging it and Sarah was the only one of them that actually knew how to deal with the damn thing. She had tried teaching the rest of the family, but Moth was the only one showing some actual ability with it.

Oh, he would be pissed that he had lost the opportunity to practice, with being responsible for shooting practice.

“Brought you some food.” She said as Sarah rolled the last skin and pilled it with the others. Ed immediately moved those towards the Tanning Room.

“Oh, thanks Goose.” Sarah whipped her hands against her clothes before getting the plate. “Good you’re here, need to talk with you.”

“About what?”

“I met some older ghouls friends of mine. That Super Duper Mart under Guvermint protection was busted. They asked if you whip out the vials.”

Oh fuck. Or oh good, from a trading perspective.

“I do, but you know it’s not as effective as those. And with these news, the price will go up, I don’t have the means to produce that much as fast as the Guvermint or anyone else.”

“But it’s also not as addictive, and it still won’t be as expensive. Can I let them know?”

“�� Do it. Anything else?”

Sarah cleaned a bit of stew from the corner of her mouth, a faint eyebrow going up.

“Andrea mentioned there’s a guest ‘blessed by Atom’?”

Goose grinned and a glint of mischief appeared in Sarah’s eyes.

“Something like it. Really looks like ghoulification, but it’s still at the start. He was also from the Brotherhood.”

Sarah shook her head and swallowed a mouthful of food before talking, a smirk clear in her lips.

“Oh that’s gold. What’s the name?”

“Thaddeus.”

“Really because of some weird drug he got to heal his foot?”

Goose sighed. The only thing she had faintly heard that first night was about the fucked up foot; Dad had updated her and Ma later.

“That’s what Dad said he said.” Sarah raised one of her faint eyebrows. “I was busier, telling Ma my impressions. Still I ain’t putting much stock in it, never heard of this type of thing.”

“Well, I am. I’ll try and have some words with him later if there’s time. Will try and get more details about that drug and see what bullshit Brotherhood fed him about ghouls. Bet they put the fear of God and mutants in him.”

If they had and how much they had… She wasn’t seeing it, fucking damn it, why Sarah had to talk about that? Was Thaddeus really that good at hiding it or she was just looking wrong?

Fuck. She would have to talk with Mika. She had been trying to not give him the taste of admitting he had seen something she hadn’t, but… Fuck.

“Hope you’re not talking about me.” Ed grinned at them as he swaggered back, knife in hands to help with opening up the geckos and cutting the innards out – something easy enough to do once the skin was out of the picture.

“Only about how much of a pain in the ass you are.” Goose grinned and pushed lightly at him with her shoulder as she walked past him. “I’m out for the lab.”

“Go on, we’ll finish here and go help Stacy.”

The rest of her morning blurred as she moved around her small lab, verifying what meds, supplements, poisons and chems were ready and bottling it all up, which ones needed to go to next phase, what she could start, making sure the herbal pastes and creams were good, checking her supplies…

And fixing the mess the week had accumulated, because with Willow pregnant and Thaddeus for her to keep an eye, she hadn’t spent as much as she would’ve liked in there. Despite what she had managed to make, she hadn’t even managed to stop, organize, test and consider the implications of the notes and recipes Norm had sent.

It was slightly tedious and hard work but at least now she had a proper lab, no matter how small, instead of using the kitchen table. The only thing missing was a proper, lockable door, but they still hadn’t found one in good state they could scavenge, so she made do with the bathroom curtain. Besides, even the twins knew to not get inside.

---------

Thaddeus put the last box in place, sweat dripping down his back and temples, shoulders and arms sore from carrying… He had lost count of everything he had helped Isaac bring, both from the main storage room and from the food storage, a room he hadn’t been allowed inside: he waited by the door and Isaac brought the boxes to him, most closed but contents labeled on the side.

It had taken the whole morning and even a bit of lunch: Andrea had already called, but that was literally the last box and Isaac had given him a clear look of “better carry it, don’t give me reasons to make your life hell.” Considering how the rest of the morning had been relatively civil, he didn’t want to test the man.

Most of the time hadn’t actually been carrying things; they hadn’t even carried everything the Bears had. The main thing had been selecting things accordingly to the breakfast talk, Isaac’s words making it clear how they were careful with what they traded and with whom. A lot of the items had remained in the storage rooms, some pointed to be traded with other traders and caravans and neighbors.

“Where’s the meds’ box?” Thaddeus twisted with a jump, Goose’s voice just beside him.

She carried a plastic basket, hip cocked to the side and supporting it, and he swallowed at how it made the curve from hip to thigh clear, despite how the apron usually masked her body. The corner of the basket sunk a bit against her, making it clear that, while her body was overall lean, that specific part was soft and his fingers itched to touch-

“Uh… This one.” He snapped his eyes to the table, identifying fast the only box without a lid he had transported and pointing: a wooden one, full of separations with meds, herbals or not, tea pouches, chems and some others he didn’t recognize, neatly organized.

It was the only one from the main storage room Isaac had made him carry as it was.

“Thanks.”

A shiver crawled up his neck, not exactly bad, but very unexpected and very new, at how she thanked him.

Aw fuck.

Goose moved towards the pointed box, looking, free hand going over the things inside. There was no space around it for the basket, and she fixed it better against her.

“Here, let me hold it.” Thaddeus jumped ahead before he could think, hands going to the bottom of the basket before she answered, heat spreading across his cheeks.

If she said no or pulled the basket from him he wouldn’t survive the embarrassment, he was sure of it.

Goose stopped what she was doing to instead look at him, and it was close enough that he could easily separate the light gray of her eyes from the white around. The sun on them made the color warmer than it usually was.

A slight smile stretched her lips as she let go of the basket. His heart twisted, the heat in his cheeks positively burning. The smile was not even close to the ones he spied her giving to her son and some of the other Bears, but at that moment it was for him, and… Fuck, it had become slightly more common along the days, the sensations of “wrong answer” diminishing, more “right answer”, most of those related to things he didn’t expect to get such reaction.

“Thanks again, Thaddeus. I won’t be long.”

The shiver was more intense, and that time he could say the sensation bordered on good, maybe even pleasurable.

“Don’t sweat it.” He forced out despite his desperate thoughts of why the fuck Goose simply thanking him was causing that. “What are all these?”

Maybe if she started drowning out about that part of her work he would be able to forget that weird reaction.

Yeah, that sounded like a good plan.

… Unless he started staring at her lips like earlier.

Aw fuck. There was no winning with how his brain was fucking him over.

---------

Goose threw a look at Thaddeus, noticing the color in his cheeks. The heat of the day and the physical work should be getting to him. She definitely couldn’t take long, the both of them needed to get lunch and some water – had Pa made sure they kept hydrated?

Knowing Pa… No. She should’ve paid more attention.

“Well, there’s a lot, if I explain each one we’ll take too long, so I’ll point out the main ones Hare’s caravan usually gets.” She pulled a small glass jar from inside the basket, filled with a creamy substance and a tape to the side. She turned so he could see the words. “Herbal painkiller. Drummer has an old wound that still hurts, he always gets at least two jars.” Goose put the jar in the box and held a bunch of small fabric pockets. “Healing powder, everyone always gets it.”

“Oh, my mom did those too. Xander root and broc flower, right?”

She gave another small smile and nodded.

“Exactly.” She kept going, pointing out some of the jars of supplements as she filled the box with those, explaining how Hare always had her examine the group to see if they had some deficiency, the jar with her special mix of anti-parasitic, the tea pouches with a contraceptive mix, and lastly the small anti-feralization vials, ready to be inserted into inhalators. “And these are to keep ghouls from going feral. Valente has a great-great-grandmother ghoul that needs these.”

Thaddeus straightened and blinked at her.

“Wait. There’s a med for that?”

“Well, yeah, but it’s not a med, it’s a chem. It’s recent, last decade or so.” She pointed the tape with a small goose drawn on one vial. “I tried to crack it but wasn’t as successful, so mine are properly marked since they aren’t as strong as the original and a ghoul will need more to keep the symptoms away, but it has less chances of leading to addiction and its side-effects on top of it all. The Brotherhood doesn’t know of it?”

Fuck. She had assumed that even if the Brotherhood had exaggerated a lot of things about ghouls, they had at least talked about that last development.

Thaddeus frowned, eyes on the vials she held.

“If they do, they didn’t tell lowly Aspirants.”

Fucking Brotherhood. Actually it made sense they kept that a secrecy, wouldn’t want your lower ranking members knowing that ghouls could avoid going feral and go having ideas of not exterminating ghouls, after all, but still, fucking Brotherhood.

She wanted the opportunity of gifting a fake stimpak filled with Heart-Crasher poison to a higher ranking one. What would their hallucinations be about?

“When a ghoul needs it?” Thaddeus quieter words distracted her from the angry-fueled thoughts. Her eyes went to the scars in his neck and to the small faint ones starting to appear in his face, the one on his hairline, and it sobered her up some.

He was the one truly affected by the lack of that knowledge, not her.

Was that something he was afraid of? Going feral, mind troubled by whatever lies the Brotherhood had fed him? She wouldn’t be surprised if yes.

“When the first signs of feralization start to show. Usually recent memory trouble, some loss of fine motor skills…” Goose made sure she spoke gently. No matter what, Thaddeus was going through something problematic and he clearly lacked a lot of important info about it. “Most ghouls that need it are the really old ones, pre-war old. Some others have more neurological decay from massive radiation damage, but this one is not that easy to quantify with ghouls. You don’t have the same symptoms of radiation poisoning as non-ghouls.”

She carefully put the vials in the meds’ box, together with the others, but still watched Thaddeus and his frowned eyebrows, eyes following her movements.

“… So as long as I avoid too radioactive places, I should be okay for, what? Two hundred years?”

“Around that. Sarah will probably be able to answer most of any other doubts you have.” He nodded slowly and she tried to pull the basket back. It was effectively a wakeup call, his head snapping to look at her.

“There’s still a lot here. Where do you want the basket?”

She raised an eyebrow, resisting her full amused smile. People-pleasing or just doubting her capacity of carrying the basket? It wasn’t even that heavy.

“If you insist, let’s go to the main storage room, then we can get some food.”

Goose turned and started walking. With him not watching, she briefly allowed herself the full smile as she heard his steps following her.

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Thaddeus followed Goose towards the main storage room, the house as loud as he has getting used to during meals, voices and chatter filling it, the sound following him whenever he was, even if most of it was indistinct and hard to understand. He pushed the basket into the shelve Goose pointed and followed her out.

The living-dining room was full, only Francesco and Guadalupe still missing, Isaac eating and with plates close to him in the kitchen, both covered with clean dishcloths. Even Moose was already there, leaning against a wall with a smile, despite the eye bags marking his face.

The ghoul sitting between Catarina and Stacy caught his eyes enough that he briefly stopped while Goose kept going. That should be Sarah, Catarina’s wife. She looked… Pretty much how any other ghoul he briefly saw, live, above dissection tables back in the Base, or in illustrations by the Scribes and Clerics: a cavity in the place of her nose, her skin filled with weathered radiation burns full of groves and dips, even missing from some spots, ears melting into her scalp. From what he saw, her body looked stocky and dense with muscle, all covered with a denim jumpsuit and a short-sleeved shirt, old rusted blood-stains mixed with mending.

He forced himself to keep walking and to not watch too closely at how Catarina ate with only one hand, plate on her thighs, while the other was clearly on Sarah’s back, her face soft in a way he hadn’t ever seen in all those days, eyes all on her wife. At how Sarah clearly leaned into that hand, relaxed into it, even if her eyes and focus seemed to be in whatever they were talking about – he hadn’t tried to decipher it yet.

A human and a ghoul. He had heard, known, but it was still weird to see.

There had been no sane ghoul in his parents’ farm, no ghoul trader as he was growing up, most of the stories either about attacks by feral ghouls or about sane ones that lived so far away they were more legend than reality. By the time he enlisted, he didn’t know much about them and the Brotherhood became his only source. And oh, had they things to say… “Heartless, monsters, can’t love and can’t receive love, only good as shooting targets”.

He hadn’t thought much about it all – forced himself not to – in all those weeks since his situation became clear, but what he was seeing… It went against all that. And it made something in him relax and breathe deeply.

Thaddeus dry-swallowed, snapping his eyes away, and focused on filling a bowl with food for himself, ignoring Isaac’s eyes on him. Goose had already served herself, sitting at one of the two padded chairs.

He approached, chewing on some fried molerat meatballs, the voices of the Bears around him, and leaned against the backrest behind Willow – he had easily noticed how the last padded chair belonged to Guadalupe during meals. Someone was talking about geckos – oh, he missed gecko stew – and he started to try and pay attention to the talk.

“Thaddeus, right? Going through ghoulification?” He startled as Sarah called towards him, a small smile and a glint of mischief in her face, voice raspy but not as much as he had heard as being the common for ghouls.

As he looked directly at her, it struck Thaddeus how her eyes were still clear and not dulled by cataracts or whatever else, the hazel color bright, faint eyebrows above them.

He forcefully swallowed the meat in his mouth.

“Hum, yeah. You must be Sarah.”

“Right-o. Any questions you have about the process or after it, just come to me, got it?”

He opened his mouth to answer – so many questions, absolutely so many –, but a whistle came from outside. Just one, no answer; he had heard it before but still didn’t know if it was safety or question.

Francesco came in soon after, and Thaddeus dry-swallowed at the enthusiasm in his face.

“Get ready, everyone, Hare’s caravan is in the horizon. We must have half an hour at most.”

#fallout #squire thaddeus #thaddeus fallout #squire thaddeus x oc #fallout series #fallout prime #thaddeus fallout x oc

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ongolecharles · 2 months ago

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DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS (DSR) 📚 Group, Thu Dec 12th, 2024 ... Thursday Of The Second Week Of Advent, Year C/ Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Reading 1

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ZEC 2:14-17

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!

See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD.

Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day,

and they shall be his people,

and he will dwell among you,

and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land,

and he will again choose Jerusalem.

Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD!

For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

Rv 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab

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

God’s temple in heaven was opened,

and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple.

A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun,

with the moon under her feet,

and on her head a crown of twelve stars.

She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth.

Then another sign appeared in the sky;

it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns,

and on its heads were seven diadems.

Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky

and hurled them down to the earth.

Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth,

to devour her child when she gave birth.

She gave birth to a son, a male child,

destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.

Her child was caught up to God and his throne.

The woman herself fled into the desert

where she had a place prepared by God.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have salvation and power come,

and the Kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Anointed.”

Responsorial Psalm

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JUDITH 13:18BCDE, 19

R. (15:9d) You are the highest honor of our race.

Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,

above all the women on earth;

and blessed be the LORD God,

the creator of heaven and earth.

R. You are the highest honor of our race.

Your deed of hope will never be forgotten

by those who tell of the might of God.

R. You are the highest honor of our race.

Alleluia

---------

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;

from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

--------

LK 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

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

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

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

and you shall name him Jesus.

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

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

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

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

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

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

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

Then the angel departed from her.

Lk 1:39-47

-----------

Mary set out

and traveled to the hill country in haste

to a town of Judah,

where she entered the house of Zechariah

and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting,

the infant leaped in her womb,

and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,

cried out in a loud voice and said,

“Most blessed are you among women,

and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

And how does this happen to me,

that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,

the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

Blessed are you who believed

that what was spoken to you by the Lord

would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;

my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

***

FOCUS AND LITURGY OF THE WORD

When she appeared to him, Juan Diego recognized the dark, Indian features that were so familiar to him. Our Lady of Guadalupe came to the humble peasant nearly 500 years ago, but she did not come as one of the conquerors -- the powerful Spaniards who sometimes treated the Indians with contempt. With her dark hair and brown skin, she was one of them - one of the poor.

The request she had of Juan Diego that day was daunting: would he go to the city and ask the Bishop to build a shrine on this spot? He agreed but knew it would be a humiliating experience. He was quickly dismissed by the Bishop. When the Lady asked Juan Diego to return, he begged her to send someone more important to the Bishop - "a person of mark that he may be believed." The miracles that followed gave Juan Diego credibility with the Bishop, who finally believed him.

We are all afraid when we are asked to do things beyond what we are certain we can do. Juan Diego's simple acceptance of the request led him to a humiliating encounter with the Bishop, but his faith led him to return. Luke's gospel offers us a look at Mary's own life, one of poverty and powerlessness. When the angel Gabriel appeared to her, asking her to be the mother of the savior, "she was greatly troubled." Gabriel encouraged her, "Do not be afraid, Mary."

The difference between what God asked of Mary and what God asks of us is our response - Mary was willing to turn her life over completely to God. She said Yes. We tend to squirm, to hedge, fight for control and insist on doing it alone, on our own, without help from God. It is our independence from God, our rebellious streak that makes our lives more of a struggle. What would it take for us to put aside our own fears about how we will look and how well we might succeed and to take up the request Jesus has given us - to follow his example in caring for the poor, to love the unlovable and to invite the marginalized into our lives?

Let's pray ...

Mary, on this feast of Guadalupe, help me to remember how much I am poor and powerless. Help me to fall into the loving embrace of your son and to turn my life over to him. Let me open my eyes to those around me who need me and not be afraid to respond with my whole life. Come, Lord, Jesus, and fill my heart.

***

SAINT OF THE DAY

The Story of Our Lady of Guadalupe

The feast in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe goes back to the 16th century. Chronicles of that period tell us the story.

A poor Indian named Cuauhtlatohuac was baptized and given the name Juan Diego. He was a 57-year-old widower, and lived in a small village near Mexico City. On Saturday morning December 9, 1531, he was on his way to a nearby barrio to attend Mass in honor of Our Lady.

Juan was walking by a hill called Tepeyac when he heard beautiful music like the warbling of birds. A radiant cloud appeared, and within it stood an Indian maiden dressed like an Aztec princess. The lady spoke to him in his own language and sent him to the bishop of Mexico, a Franciscan named Juan de Zumarraga. The bishop was to build a chapel in the place where the lady appeared.

Eventually the bishop told Juan to have the lady give him a sign. About this same time Juan’s uncle became seriously ill. This led poor Juan to try to avoid the lady. Nevertheless the lady found Juan, assured him that his uncle would recover, and provided roses for Juan to carry to the bishop in his cape or tilma.

On December 12, when Juan Diego opened his tilma in the bishop’s presence, the roses fell to the ground, and the bishop sank to his knees. On the tilma where the roses had been appeared an image of Mary exactly as she had appeared at the hill of Tepeyac.

Reflection

-----------

Mary’s appearance to Juan Diego as one of his people is a powerful reminder that Mary—and the God who sent her—accept all peoples. In the context of the sometimes rude and cruel treatment of the Indians by the Spaniards, the apparition was a rebuke to the Spaniards and an event of vast significance for the indigenous population. While a number of them had converted before this incident, they now came in droves. According to a contemporary chronicler, nine million Indians became Catholic in a very short time. In these days when we hear so much about God’s preferential option for the poor, Our Lady of Guadalupe cries out to us that God’s love for and identification with the poor is an age-old truth that stems from the Gospel itself.

Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of:

The Americas

Mexico

***

【Build your Faith in Christ Jesus on #dailyscripturereadingsgroup 📚: +256 751 540 524 .. Whatsapp】

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 2 months ago

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12th December >> Mass Readings (USA)

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I))

Either:

First Reading Zechariah 2:14-17 Rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or:

First Reading Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab A great sign appeared in the sky.

God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Judith 13:18bcde, 19

R/ You are the highest honor of our race.

Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God, above all the women on earth; and blessed be the LORD God, the creator of heaven and earth.

R/ You are the highest honor of our race.

Your deed of hope will never be forgotten by those who tell of the might of God.

R/ You are the highest honor of our race.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise; from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 1:26-38 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son.

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

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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texasfakeid · 2 years ago

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Texas Temptations: Exploring the Lone Star State with a Fake ID

Do you want to explore a new state without limits? Let's indulge in Texas-sized fun, excitement, and unforgettable experiences with a Texas fake ID. Let's dive into the Texas temptations that await!

Texas is a land of captivating contrasts, where rich history and modern flair blend seamlessly. With your trusty fake ID, you gain access to a world of endless possibilities, from buzzing cities to breathtaking natural wonders. Let's kick-start our Texan odyssey in Austin, the state capital known for its live music scene and vibrant culture.

With your fake ID, you can immerse yourself in the electrifying atmosphere of the legendary Sixth Street, hopping from one live music venue to another. From honky-tonk to indie rock, Austin's music scene will have you tapping your boots and dancing the night away. With your fake ID, you can explore the city's diverse neighborhoods, indulging in culinary delights that range from finger-licking barbecue to international fusion cuisine. Houston's vibrant nightlife scene offers a wide array of bars and clubs where you can let loose, mingle with locals, and create memories that will have you coming back for more.

For a taste of Western charm, head west to Fort Worth. With your fake ID, you can channel your inner cowboy or cowgirl as you explore the historic Stockyards District. Witness a thrilling rodeo, take a twirl on the dance floor at a country-western saloon, and savor Texas-sized steaks. And we can't forget about the natural wonders that Texas has to offer. With your fake ID, you can embark on outdoor adventures that will take your breath away. From hiking through the picturesque landscapes of Big Bend National Park to floating down the crystal-clear waters of the Guadalupe River, Texas showcases its natural beauty in grand fashion.

Texas tempts us with its diverse and exciting experiences. So, grab your fake ID and get ready to unleash your inner Texan. From the vibrant cities to the untamed wilderness, the Lone Star State invites you to explore, indulge, and create memories that will have you shouting "Yeehaw!" in no time.

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seekfirst-community · 2 years ago

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The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.

"In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.

"And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

"Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

"He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

"But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”

"And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

"Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

"Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her." (Luke 1: 26 - 38).

Saturday 25th March 2023 is the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.

The Sacred Scripture focuses on the Call and Mission of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Lord.

Who is Mary of Nazareth and why is she a powerful person in the history and life of the Church?

#1. Mary is the only daughter of Joachim and Anne. A sweet joy of answered prayer to Joachim and Anne. The couple sensed her uniqueness and destiny and dedicated her to God and after she was weaned brought her to the Temple where she was educated by priests.

#2. The Church draws some of her knowledge of the infancy narrative of Mary from credible non-biblical sources called Apocrypha. Remember that the Church discerns the truth of Revelation from not only Sacred Scripture but also Sacred Tradition and the Magisterium.

#3. The biblical sources of our knowledge of Mary are not voluminous but they contain all we need to know for our devotion and salvation.

#4. The four Mysteries of the Holy Rosary, viz: Annunciation, the Luminous Mysteries, the Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious Mysteries tell the whole story of who Mary is. If you do not pray the Rosary every day, you miss the acres of diamonds in your backyard.

#5. The Blessed Virgin Mary is the only human being who knew Jesus Christ from the Visitation of the Angel Gabriel (the Annunciation) to the death of Jesus on the Cross, His burial and Resurrection. Mary was present in the Upper Room waiting and praying for the Holy Spirit to descend on Pentecost Sunday, the Birthday of the Church.

#6. Mary continues to intervene in the lives of simple people in significant apparition events throughout Church history, viz: Guadalupe, Fatima, Lourdes, etc.

We read today of how God sent the Angel Gabriel to a young woman with an astonishing promise. Gabriel told Mary that through the power of God, she will become the Mother of God. Once Mary fully understands the implications of the message, she replies: "I am the handmaid of the Lord: let what you have said be done to me. (Luke 1: 38).

The Church elaborates:

"To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace". In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly borne by God's grace." (CCC 490).

Exactly 9 months from today will be Christmas, the birth of the

King of the Universe whose origin is "from ancient times." (Micah 1: 1).

He is the Lord who is always with us. The Emmanuel. He is the Lord who is Peace.

"O Key of David,

opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom:

come and free the prisoners of darkness!"

"I am your Mother, the Mother given you by my Son Jesus, from the Cross, in the solemn hour of His sacrifice. And you are my son, dear to my Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart, precious to me, and ever under the mantle of my protection. Let me live with you as I lived with John, the second son of my Heart and the model for all my priest sons down through the ages. Speak to me simply and with complete trust in the compassion of my maternal Heart and in the power given to my maternal intercession." (IN SINU JESU, Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Annunciation).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

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myremnantarmy · 2 years ago

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𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Gospel LK 1:26-38

The angel Gabriel was sent from God

to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,

of the house of David,

and the virgin’s name was Mary.

And coming to her, he said,

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

But she was greatly troubled at what was said

and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary,

for you have found favor with God.

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

and you shall name him Jesus.

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

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

and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,

and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel,

“How can this be,

since I have no relations with a man?”

And the angel said to her in reply,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore the child to be born

will be called holy, the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,

has also conceived a son in her old age,

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

for nothing will be impossible for God.”

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

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

Then the angel departed from her.

#jesus #catholic #my remnant army #jesus christ #virgin mary #faithoverfear #saints #jesusisgod #endtimes #artwork #our lady of guadalupe #jesusiscoming

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keow · 4 years ago

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Hi! This is a weird ask, but would you be willing to post resources/arguments about Christianity being true? Like, were there specific ones that convinced you to convert? I was raised Catholic but didn't really believe it growing up, but would like to have the same feelings about faith and peace that you posted about. I'm in a bit of a bad place right now and would like to go back and deepen my faith but it's hard.

This isn’t a weird ask, don’t worry! I’d love to provide you with some resources :) I’ll try to include both visual and auditory mediums as I don’t know what your learning style is.

I don’t mean to overwhelm you with information, please forgive me if this is too much 😗

I’m going to split this up into different categories of content here, based loosely around my conversion journey—i.e. what I had questions and doubts about. Please remember that faith is a very personal journey and you may have different concerns altogether, but hopefully this will give you a starting point to jump off of.

First: Arguments for the existence of God

Breaking in the Habit - What is God?

The Thomistic Institute on the Five Ways

Pints with Aquinas - Explaining Thomas Aquinas’ Proofs

Pints with Aquinas - The Best Argument for the Existence of God W/ Trent Horn

Lumen - Arguments for the Existence of God (overview)

Subcategory: Near death experiences This is clearly anecdotal evidence and therefore not as strong, but I found reading about near death experiences to be extremely interesting. I liked browsing the NDE subreddit :) The common experience of SOMETHING among those who nearly die is at least indicative of there being more beyond the material realm, and by extension, a God.

Second: Arguments for monotheism

This isn’t a common apologetics issue unless you’re a convert from a polytheistic religion (which I was), so there’s less content on this.

Pints with Aquinas — Aquinas on Why There Can’t Be Many Gods

Jordan Peterson on Monotheism

Third: How reliable are the Gospels? Did Jesus even exist?

Biblical Archeology Society - Did Jesus Exist? Searching for Evidence Beyond the Bible

Pints with Aquinas - Is the New Testament Really Historically Accurate? W/ Trent Horn

The Great Myths - History for Atheists This is a SECULAR website created by an atheist seeking to correct the flaws in his fellow atheists’ arguments. Much to his chagrin, I found the website and now I’m a Christian. Here is their Jesus Mythicism series.

Influence - The Reliability of the Gospels

NAMB - The Historical Reliability of the Gospels

History - The Bible Says Jesus Was Real. What Other Proof Exists?

The Science of Apologetics on the historical accuracy of the Bible

Answers in Genesis - How Do We Know the Bible is True?

Fourth: Was Jesus the prophesied Messiah?

Jews for Jesus - What Proof Do You Have That Jesus is the Messiah?

The Top 40 Messianic Prophecies

Two Messiahs in Judaism: Ben David and Ben Joseph

Be Thinking - Messiah: Jesus, the evidence of history

Fifth: The Resurrection (and the events thereafter)

The Resurrection, Evidence, and the Scientist

William Lane Craig Debates Ben Shapiro about Jesus

Did the Resurrection Really Happen? | William Lane Craig

Capturing Christianity’s interview with Dr. Gary Habermas Short highlight from that video the Science of Apologetics on Evidence for the Resurrection

Links from the bottom of that post: One, two, three, four, five

Sixth: Did Jesus claim to be God? Theology of the Incarnation and the Holy Trinity

The Thomistic Institute on the Trinity: The Triune God (Aquinas 101) The Persons of the Trinity (Aquinas 101)

Breaking in the Habit - Did Jesus Claim to be God?

Trinity explained by CS Lewis: Christian "Trinity" Explained in 3 Minutes The Three-Personal God by C.S. Lewis

Christianity.com - Did Jesus Claim to be God?

Ryan Reeves - The Incarnation and Jesus Christ (In 90 Seconds)

The Thomistic Institute on the Incarnation: The Meaning of the Incarnation (Aquinas 101) Motives of the Incarnation (Aquinas 101)

Bishop Robert Barron - Understanding the Incarnation

Seventh: Miracles and saints just because I personally think they’re really fun!

Lessons from Lourdes: Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Bernadette

Pints with Aquinas - Scientific EVIDENCE for Eucharistic Miracles? w/ Fr. Terry Donahue

Actual information on incorruptible saints

Our Lady of Fatima and the Miracle of the Sun

The Shroud of Turin: The Catholic Talk Show Mr. Mythos Lecture on the Shroud

Our Lady of Guadalupe

The miracles of St. Padre Pio

PDFS AND STUFF— Writings of saints, theologians, and apologists.

The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The (searchable!) Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas

Rome Sweet Home by Scott Hahn

The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis

Early Christian writings from the Church Fathers

Saints’ Books - A collection of free writings from Catholic saints

St. Augustine of Hippo: On the Trinity Confessions

Miscellaneous favorites:

The Thomistic Institute Ascension Presents Fr. Mike Bible in a Year Podcast The Catholic Talk Show Pints with Aquinas Pints with Aquinas - Apologetics Extravaganza with Trent Horn Capturing Christianity Free Christian Apologetics Resources - Capturing Christianity Bible Illustrated BibleProject Lectures on early & medieval church history by Ryan Reeves Breaking in the Habit / Catholicism in Focus Upon Friar Review Trisagion Films Servus Dei discord server

Apps: Hallow Catena: Bible and Commentaries The Chosen (This is a tv show! It has its own app. It’s really good and accurate to the Gospels.)

My personal tips section :)

While it’s very important to have a logical foundation for religion, PLEASE don’t underestimate the power of simply sitting with God in prayer. That’s the most important thing. I love praying the rosary, practicing lectio divina, praying novenas, reading the psalms, etc. Prayer shouldn’t always be scripted either. The pre-written prayers are helpful for when you aren’t really sure what to say or where to start, but you should speak to God from your heart as much as possible. Sometimes prayer doesn’t even have to be verbal! Sometimes it’s just a state of being.

Music also goes hand in hand with this. Hymns can really help you get into that religious spiritual headspace when you feel disconnected from God. Here’s a channel that posts some good ones. Read the Bible. When in doubt, just read it or listen to someone else read it. It’s truly the inspired Word of God. For a while it was really hard for me to connect with Jesus for some reason, but reading the Gospels has been instrumental in building a stronger relationship with Him. It’s kind of a given but you might have the same blockages as I did.

A good way to learn more about Christianity, the Church, and her saints is to keep track of the Church calendar. For instance, find out what important feast days/holidays are coming up, then research and learn about them around the time that they occur. Okay that’s pretty much it! Feel free to DM me about anything (I love theological discussion). I hope things get better for you--trust that I’ll be praying for you. Have a lovely day!

#yes im pinning this. who’s gonna stop me 😏

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anastpaul · 3 years ago

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Our Morning Offering – 12 December – “Christ is Near!”

Our Morning Offering – 12 December – “Gaudete Sunday” – “Month of the Immaculate Conception” – Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe “Christ is Near!”Vox clara ecce intonasHear the Herald Voice ResoundingUnknown Sixth CenturyTrans. Fr Edward Caswell C.Orat. (1814-1878) Hear the herald voice resounding:“Christ is near!” it seems to say,“Cast away the dreams of darkness,Welcome Christ, the Light of…

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#christisnear!#fredwardcaswell #gaudetesunday #heartheheraldvoiceresounding

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fuzzysparrow · 3 years ago

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Sucre is the constitutional capital city of Bolivia. Before the arrival of the Spanish Empire, the city was called Chuquisaca, and then La Plata thereafter. Until 1839, it belonged to the Viceroyalty of Peru, but after the country gained its independence, the capital was renamed Sucre after its liberator, Antonio José de Sucre (1795-1830). As of 2020, it has a population of 360,544 people and is the sixth-largest city in Bolivia.

Sucre is located in the south-central region of Bolivia at an altitude of 2,800 metres (9,200 ft). It is divided into eight districts, each administered by a Sub-Mayor or 'Subalcalde'. The city contains several sports facilities, including the second-biggest football stadium in the country.

The city still has much of its Spanish colonial architecture and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991. The House of Freedom, built in 1621, is the most important building of the nation because it was the location of the Bolivian Declaration of Independence. There are many churches and convents, most importantly the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, built between 1559 and 1712.

Sucre has a pleasant climate with mild temperatures year-round. It has a low crime rate, which makes the city popular amongst tourists. Sucre is one of the best-preserved Hispanic colonial and republican historic city centres in the Western Hemisphere.

Whilst Sucre is the constitutional capital, Bolivia also has an administrative capital, La Paz.

#Bolivia #Trivia

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itshaddiecruz · 4 years ago

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The Cruz Family : Haddie’s Graduation

haddie’s mother and brother are not in attendance due to her mother being well into her last trimester, and neither are the other cruz men, surgeries, to be expected in a family of surgeons, though a big party is awaiting her back home in california, along with a major gift.

Father: Stefano Alexander Cruz || age :45 || plastic surgeon || Adam Rodriguez

Mother: Bernadette Isabel Garcia Cruz || age: 38 || gynecologist || Alice Braga

Daughter: Haddie Guadalupe Isabel Garcia Cruz || age: 18 || senior || Bruna Marquezine

Son: Felipe Alexander Guadalupe Garcia Cruz || age: 11 || sixth grader || Marcel Ruiz

Aunt: Eleonora Cruz || age: 49 || violinist || Monica Bellucci

Cousin: Calliope Ashlyn Cruz || age: 18 || SOBER || Ana de Armas

#ft. family #ft. family weekend #that kind of soft kind of silly { about }#// the moment haddie realizes she's the middle child of her family #//jk she always knew

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radioteopoli · 4 years ago

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This morning we celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe!

Gospel LK 1:26-38

Lk 1:39-47

Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”

And Mary said:

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

#Catholic #Soul #Our Lady of Guadalupe #Feast Day #Mexico

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kuramirocket · 4 years ago

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In some ways, what happened to Mexican Americans in the Southwest happened time and again throughout American history. Promises were made to the community, but many were never kept.

“I just don't think people get the passion that's attached to this,” said Rita Padilla-Gutierrez, whose community has lost tens of thousands of acres of ancestral land over generations. “It's the history, for God's sake. Plain and simple. Your language, your customs, your food, your traditions. But for us, it's being a land-based people.”

What we now consider the Southwest wasn’t part of the United States at all 172 years ago -- it was the northernmost part of Mexico. In 1845, the U.S. annexed Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory. This spurred a long and bloody war with Mexico and, ultimately, Mexico ceded half its country to the U.S.

The agreement between the two countries was immortalized in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which gave around 100,000 Mexican nationals living in those territories citizenship if they decided to stay. More importantly, the agreement protected the rights of any Mexican whose land was now a part of the U.S.

“When Mexico negotiates the treaty in good faith, assuming that all of its citizens' rights will be respected, what it doesn't understand is that for the United States, only whites have the rights to full citizenship,” said María Josefina Saldaña-Portillo, author of “Indian Given: Racial Geographies Across Mexico and the United States.” “[Shortly after the treaty,] territorial governments systematically go about disenfranchising all Mexican citizens who they deem to not be white.”

Indeed, when the treaty was sent to Congress, the Senate removed the article that laid out the process by which the land would be protected.

In 1848, there were 154 communities in New Mexico to whom the U.S. government guaranteed land. But most of those agreements, or land grants, were never honored. Today, only 35 communities remain.

While the country prospered, the treaty would forever change the fate of generations of Mexican Americans to come.

Heirs to land that’s been owed for generations

“There's a huge disparity here in terms of poverty and [in] terms of education,” Arturo Archuleta, a land grant heir in New Mexico, told “Nightline.” “These communities have been left behind.”

Heirs like Archuleta are working to get reparations for the land that was taken from their communities, which existed long before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was even created, according to Jacobo Baca, a historian with the University of New Mexico’s Land Grant Studies Program.

“It's beyond [a] sense of place,” Baca said. “Our identity is tied to place, but we don't see that place having an identity without us, either. So it defines us just as much as we define it.”

At the University of New Mexico, a collection of documents shows how a variety of land grants were vastly diminished over the years. One of the documents showed how an agreement for over 40,000 acres was reduced to less than 1,400 acres.

“I think for land grant heirs, there's this recognition that this treaty was a promise that was made that wasn't kept, and that the federal government owes the recognition of these communities,” Baca said.

Archuleta is an heir to the Manzano and the Tierra Amarilla land grants.

“We come from Spanish communities that came over, [and from] Native American communities as well,” Archuleta said. “So we really are sort of mestizo. We're mixed… We're a land-based people. Half of our soul was here before Columbus ever hit the sand.”

Archuleta says that these communities should be able to thrive where they are.

“It's not just surviving, but thriving. Our cultural connections are still in place,” he said. “The land grant and the treaty issues is probably what you consider the first Latino issue in this country, and it's still unresolved.”

Padilla-Gutierrez’s family in New Mexico has also seen its land vanish over time. For centuries, she said the family has been living in the area near Tomé Hill in Valencia County. Now a hiking trail and site for religious pilgrims, its hillsides are filled with petroglyphs and its summit contains several large crosses.

“We have very deep, deep native roots here,” Andrea Padilla, Padilla-Gutierrez’s sister, told “Nightline.”

Padilla-Gutierrez said their land used to encompass 123,000 acres but that it has since been reduced to only 400 acres.

“America owes us the opportunity to take care of our own communities,” Padilla-Gutierrez said.

“I think regaining some of our land back would be justice,” her sister added.

The family still has the patent it was given to honor the land grant.

“It's signed by Ulysses Grant, who was president at the time -- seal and everything -- granting us that our land grant will continue to be ours again,” Padilla said. “But then later, they stole our mountains.”

The Tomé land grant lost 50,000 acres to the federal government in 1906. Like many others who held land grants, the family later had to sell their land.

“It hurt my father deeply, because he fought to the very end, telling people, ‘You can't do this. … Once you sell your land, that's it, you're nothing. You lose your culture. You lose everything,’” Padilla said.

Her sister says their family’s land should’ve never been sold. The community lost more than acreage, she said. They “lost their way of life.”

The betrayal of these land grants sowed racism that still exists today

Mexican American culture has been maligned for generations, and the racism born out of that continues to be espoused at the highest levels of government today.

The president himself famously kicked off his bid for office by saying Mexican immigrants are “bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.” And as recently as June, The White House suggested that travel from Mexico was contributing to COVID-19 infections rather than states’ efforts to reopen their economies.

“It does hit me in the heart,” Padilla said. “We always worked hard... And we did the right thing. So when they talk about lazy Mexicans or, ‘These Mexicans are all drug dealers and murderers,’ I'm, like, ‘Where? I haven't seen that. I'm not [one].’ You know?”

Saldaña-Portillo says this bigotry results from Mexican natives’ land being given to white settlers.

“[It helped create] the representation of Mexicans as these barbarous Indians,” she said. “That's annunciated every day when we hear Mexicans described as rapists, murderers and thieves.”

Archuleta said he's not surprised that there's racism in the U.S. because in communities like his, racism had "never gone away."

“We've always felt it,” he said. “We've always known it. We've seen it. We've been on the receiving end of it, either through the institutions, through the bureaucracies or at the individual level.”

Juan Sanchez, a sixth-generation native of the Chililí Land Grant in New Mexico, remembers activist Reies Lopez Tijerina of the 1960s.

“We are called the forgotten people,” Sanchez said. “He came to New Mexico preaching the treaty and preaching and telling the people that they were gonna lose their land.” Tijerina was a major figure in the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s, which sought to reclaim Mexican Americans’ indigenous heritage and original territories.

“They were articulating it concretely, saying, ‘We have these land grants and we want these land grants honored as per the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo,’” Saldaña-Portillo said.

Tijerina’s story culminates in June 1967, when he led an armed raid on a courthouse in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, to free imprisoned activists and place a citizen’s arrest on the district attorney who ordered a police crackdown on them.

“They were gonna go make a citizen’s arrest and so it just got outta hand from there. The frustration of not being heard just exploded,” Sanchez said. “They [had] put all the heirs of different land grants that were the followers of Tijerina in a corral like sheep.”

In the ensuing shootout, two police officers were wounded and two hostages were taken as the activists fled Tierra Amarilla. After a week-long manhunt, Tijerina surrendered. He was found guilty of assault on a federal officer and sentenced to two years in prison.

“He opened our eyes. He taught us,” Sanchez said. “He always said, ‘Change the law,’ and we've always tried that.”

For fellow land grant heir and activist Steve Polanco, this fight is personal. His family has lived on Tierra Amarilla since the late 1800s, and now in his 60s, he is the president of the Tierra Amarilla Land Grant.

“We took a stand that … the only way we were gonna be taken from here … was dead,” Polaco said.

Polaco said the original stewards of the land shared 550,000 acres and that they would help each other.

“These mountains were full of herds of sheep, herds of pigs that were being taken care of,” Polaco said. “They’d head off for the day and they’d take care of their flocks, pigs, herds of horses all over these mountains.”

His land has been under siege for decades, he said, with outside investors hoping to develop the lands into everything from a ski resort to a landing strip, the latter of which is visible from his property.

“The building of the airstrip makes me feel really bad because, number one, they destroyed the property. It looks very ugly. It's gonna cause erosion. It’s so dry that the dust kicks up, and there's elderlies that live in the area; that dust affects them,” said Polaco.

“It's very emotional, especially when you see these outsiders coming in and doing destruction and taking advantage of us,” he said.

Today, he continues to harvest hay and attempts to keep the land as undisturbed as possible. He says he wants the Treaty of Hidalgo to be honored and the lands respected, particularly in the face of a changing climate. To that end, he said it’s important to elect public officials who “know the culture and our struggle” so that their Constitutional right to the land can be upheld.

What comes next?

Archuleta says it took generations for these communities to fall into poverty and other socioeconomic issues, and that it’ll take a long time to solve their problems as well.

“We're in a marathon. We're not in a race,” he said.

Archuleta’s grandfather is buried in Manzano, New Mexico. His dad grew up there, too.

“He left in the ‘70s. He didn't have opportunities. That's the stuff that's hard to swallow when you're like, ‘Man, this is something that was in our family and it belonged to us,’” he said. "And because of circumstances beyond our control, the loss of the commons, the poverty that that created… This drives the work that I do. Working with land grant communities and trying to get justice for our communities.”

In June, Archuleta spoke before Congress as it considered a bill to give land grant heirs access to their former lands.

“What the current legislation does is it would create a federal definition of traditional uses on federal lands for land grant communities,” he said. “Access to fuelwood, for example, to heat your home. Access to pasture to graze livestock. And it would also require that the federal agencies work with land grant communities and consult with them.”

For Sanchez, “the dream of reparation would be that we'd get our land back. But we know that's impossible; times have changed.”

“Short of that, I also think our communities are due some type of reparations in terms of monetary compensation for all the hardships that they've endured,” Archuleta said. “What that figure looks like to us, if we did a calculation, probably about $2.7 billion. Not to pay out individuals but to pay our communities for community development and to buy back land.”

Meanwhile, Padilla-Gutierrez hopes to transform a historic jail in her village into a museum.

“The idea is to keep the legacy alive. Do not destroy and forget the history,” she said. “We wish that our parents could be here to see this that we've done. We're slowly inching back to being a legitimate and prideful land grant.”

Her sister emphasized that the family doesn’t “want handouts.”

“We wanna provide for ourselves. So justice would be giving us that opportunity to do that,” Padilla said. “We've always been here and we're not going anywhere… This is where we come from. This is our land and we're gonna protect it and we're gonna continue to be here as long as we possibly can.”

“The hard work of my dad and my grandfather and my great grandfather -- their blood, sweat, and tears... I have to make sure that none of that was [in] vain,” Archuleta added. . “That their hopes and dreams survive on, and [that] they survive on in my kids and their kids.”

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