#and insulting to our ancestors before us who were condemned for doing these things

[communist-manifesto-daily]

Socialism: Utopian and Scientific - Part 4

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Thus Karl Marx wrote about the British origin of modern materialism. If Englishmen nowadays do not exactly relish the compliment he paid their ancestors, more's the pity. It is none the less undeniable that Bacon, Hobbes, and Locke are the fathers of that brilliant school of French materialism which made the 18th century, in spite of all battles on land and sea won over Frenchmen by Germans and Englishmen, a pre-eminently French century, even before that crowning French Revolution, the results of which we outsiders, in England as well as Germany, are still trying to acclimatize.

There is no denying it. About the middle of this century, what struck every cultivated foreigner who set up his residence in England, was what he was then bound to consider the religious bigotry and stupidity of the English respectable middle-class. We, at that time, were all materialists, or, at least, very advanced free-thinkers, and to us it appeared inconceivable that almost all educated people in England should believe in all sorts of impossible miracles, and that even geologists like Buckland and Mantell should contort the facts of their science so as not to clash too much with the myths of the book of Genesis; while, in order to find people who dared to use their own intellectual faculties with regard to religious matters, you had to go amongst the uneducated, the "great unwashed", as they were then called, the working people, especially the Owenite Socialists.

But England has been "civilized" since then. The exhibition of 1851 sounded the knell of English insular exclusiveness. England became gradually internationalized, in diet, in manners, in ideas; so much so that I begin to wish that some English manners and customs had made as much headway on the Continent as other Continental habits have made here. Anyhow, the introduction and spread of salad-oil (before 1851 known only to the aristocracy) has been accompanied by a fatal spread of Continental scepticism in matters religious, and it has come to this, that agnosticism, though not yet considered "the thing" quite as much as the Church of England, is yet very nearly on a par, as far as respectability goes, with Baptism, and decidedly ranks above the Salvation Army. And I cannot help believing that under those circumstances it will be consoling to many who sincerely regret and condemn this progress of infidelity to learn that these "new-fangled notions" are not of foreign origin, are not "made in Germany", like so many other articles of daily use, but are undoubtedly Old English, and that their British originators 200 years ago went a good deal further than their descendants now dare to venture.

What, indeed, is agnosticism but, to use an expressive Lancashire term, "shamefaced" materialism? The agnostic's conception of Nature is materialistic throughout. The entire natural world is governed by law, and absolutely excludes the intervention of action from without. But, he adds, we have no means either of ascertaining or of disproving the existence of some Supreme Being beyond the known universe. Now, this might hold good at the time when Laplace, to Napoleon's question, why, in the great astronomer's Treatise on Celestial Mechanics, the Creator was not even mentioned, proudly replied: "I had no need of this hypothesis." But, nowadays, in our evolutionary conception of the universe, there is absolutely no room for either a Creator or a Ruler; and to talk of a Supreme Being shut out from the whole existing world, implies a contradiction in terms, and, as it seems to me, a gratuitous insult to the feelings of religious people.

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[dfroza]

“just as it has been since before He created time, may it continue now and into eternity.”

Amen.

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 1st and only chapter of the letter of Jude:

Jude, a slave of Jesus the Anointed and a brother of James, to you, the ones whom God our Father loves and has called and whom Jesus, the Anointed One, has kept. Kindness, peace, love—may they never stop blooming in you and from you.

Friends, I have been trying to write you about our common salvation. But these days my heart is troubled, and I am compelled to write to you and encourage you to continue struggling for the faith that was entrusted to the saints once and for all. Vile men have slithered in among us. Depraved souls who stand condemned have made a mockery of the grace given to us, using it as a pretext for a life of excess, lived without any thought of God. These poor fools have denied Jesus the Anointed, our one Lord and Master.

You have heard the stories many times, and the Spirit has enlightened you about their meaning, but you still need to be reminded. Remember when the Lord saved our ancestors from the land in Egypt? He breathed life into their earthen lungs and took back the life from those who did not believe. And God has kept the rebellious heavenly messengers bound and chained in utter darkness—shadowy gloom—until the time when His judgment arrives, because they failed to keep their rightful positions and abandoned their appointed realms. Sodom and Gomorrah and all their neighbors were defeated by their own sexual perversions as they pursued the strange and unnatural impulses of the flesh. Let these who went their own way and are experiencing the eternal heat of God’s vengeance—a punishment by fire—be a warning to you.

These stories are examples to help you understand the fate of those dreamers who have slipped in and defiled your community, rejected those in charge, and insulted the glorious majesty of the heavenly messengers. Even their chief, Michael, when disputing with the devil over Moses’ body, did not offer his own taunting judgment against him. Michael simply said, “May the Lord’s rebuke fall on you.”

The deceivers among you despise what they do not understand; they live without reason like animals, reacting only with primal instincts; and their ways are corrupting them. Woe to these deceivers! They are doomed! They have followed in the footsteps of their father Cain, sold their souls for profit into Balaam’s deceit, and suffered the devastation of Korah’s rebellion.

These men are cold stones on the warm hearth of your love feasts as they glut themselves without fear, thinking only of their own benefit. They are waterless clouds, carried away by the wind; autumn’s lonely and barren trees, twice dead, uprooted; violent waves of the sea breaking over the bow, foaming with shame; lost and wandering stars destined to live forever in gloomy darkness.

During the seventh generation after Adam, the prophet Enoch said, “Look! The Lord came, and with Him tens of thousands of His holy messengers to judge wicked men and convict the impious and ungodly for all they have said and all the hard things they have done against the Holy One.” These men are complainers who look long and hard to find the faults of other men. They are led by their own lustful desires like fools down the path of destruction. They are arrogant liars who want only to get ahead of others.

But you, friends, remember the words of the emissaries of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King: “At the end of time, some will ridicule the faithful and follow their lusts to the grave.” These are the men among you—those who divide friends, those concerned ultimately with this world, those without the Spirit. You, however, should stand firm in the love of God, constructing a life within the holy faith, praying the Spirit’s prayer, as you wait eagerly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, which leads to eternal life.

Keep being kind to those who waver in this faith. Pursue those who are singed by the flames of God’s wrath, and bring them safely to Him. Show mercy to others with fear, despising every garment soiled by the weakness of human flesh.

Now to the One who can keep you upright and plant you firmly in His presence—clean, unmarked, and joyful in the light of His glory— to the one and only God, our Savior, through Jesus the Anointed our Lord, be glory and greatness and might and authority; just as it has been since before He created time, may it continue now and into eternity. Amen.

The Letter of Jude, Chapter 1 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 7th chapter of the book of Ezra with Ezra’s journey:

More than 50 years had passed since the temple was completed by the first group of exiles, and Artaxerxes I was ruling Persia. Ezra (son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest)— this Ezra traveled from Babylon to make a request of the king. Ezra was a scribe, a scholar of the law of Moses that the Eternal God of Israel had given, who had the support of the Eternal God; so the king granted all his requests that more Jews (including laypeople, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants) be allowed to return to Jerusalem in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes’ reign.

On the first day of the first month of Artaxerxes’ seventh year as king, Ezra traveled from Babylon and arrived in Jerusalem on the first of the fifth month. Ezra’s exodus from this foreign empire was successful because he was supported by his True God. He was a second Moses, and tenaciously studied, practiced, and taught the Eternal’s law to Israel.

King Artaxerxes gave this copy of the letter to Ezra, the priest, teacher, and scholar of the Eternal’s laws to Israel.

Artaxerxes’ Letter:

To Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the True God of heaven:

May you have perfect peace. I, Artaxerxes, the ruler of all kings, have decreed that any of the Jewish exiles, priests, and Levites residing in my empire may go with you to Jerusalem if they want to. I, the king, and my seven cabinet members are sending you to investigate how Judah and Jerusalem are following your True God’s laws, the laws which you study and teach. You will take the silver and gold—which we are freely offering to the True God of Israel who lives in Jerusalem— all the silver and gold in the province of Babylon, and the freewill offerings of all the people and priests for their True God’s temple in Jerusalem. Use the money to buy bulls, rams, and lambs for burnt offerings and sin offerings, and offer the grain and drink offerings on the altar of your True God’s temple in Jerusalem. Use any leftover money as your True God intends for you and your fellow returning exiles to use it. Deliver all the new vessels, which I have given you to use in the services of your True God’s temple, to the True God in Jerusalem. Whatever the True God’s temple requires, the Persian royal treasury will pay for it.

To the treasurers in the provinces west of the Euphrates: I, King Artaxerxes, command you to obey Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the True God of heaven, and give whatever he needs to support the temple sacrifices for 2 years— up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 600 bushels of wheat, 600 gallons of wine, 600 gallons of oil, and salt. Whatever the True God of heaven commands, do it eagerly for the True God of heaven’s temple so that He will not be angry with my empire. Also do not charge taxes, tributes, or tolls to any priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, priests’ and Levites’ servants, or temple servants.

Ezra, appoint officials and judges over everyone in the province west of the Euphrates, including the Jews who follow your True God’s laws, as the wisdom of your True God motivates you, and teach those who do not know His laws. Anyone who does not follow your True God’s law and my law will be judged harshly and punished by death, exile, foreclosure, or prison.

Ezra: Eternal God of our ancestors, may You be blessed by the praises of Your people for motivating the king to fill and beautify the Eternal’s temple in Jerusalem. You have blessed me with Your loyal love and strengthened me with Your motivation as I stood before the king and his cabinet and his princes. Because of You I was able to convince the elders of Israel to accompany me back to Jerusalem.

The Book of Ezra, Chapter 7 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Thursday, march 30 of 2023 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about the “inner fire” of the heart:

From our Torah for this week (i.e., Tzav) we read: “The fire on the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not be extinguished” (Lev. 6:12). The sages say do not read “burning on it” but rather “burning in him” (בּוֹ), referring to the heart of the priest. And where the text says “it (i.e., the fire) shall not be extinguished” (לא תכבה), read instead “extinguish (תִכְבֶּה) the negative (לא)” by trusting in God’s promise for our good, despite any temporary setbacks or apparent failures. The Holy Spirit imparts the fire of faith that fills our hearts with hope (רוח נכון), affirming with “tongues of fire” words of life and light that vanquish darkness. As it is written: “Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious, full of compassion, and righteous” (Psalm 112:4).

Spiritually speaking, the first step is to find hope... The Divine Light is seen by means of the eye of faith (עין האמונה), and therefore we find strength by trusting in God’s Presence, even though we cannot presently see Him (2 Cor. 4:18; 5:7). "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. Know Him in all your ways, and He will straighten your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil" (Prov. 3:5-7). Wait on the LORD and He will strengthen your heart....

We must keep courage, remain steady as we fight the good fight of faith. As it is written, "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men attack me to devour my flesh, when my adversaries and enemies attack me, they totter and fall. Even if an army is deployed against me, I do not fear; even if war is rises against me, I remain full of trust" (Psalm 27:1-3).

The Midrash says, “The Holy One Himself, as it were, made light for the upright. Thus it says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation” (Psalm 27:1) and “When I sit in darkness, the LORD will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8). While I sit in darkness in this world, during these latter days before the promised return of Yeshua, when troubles may afflict me and lawlessness may abound – then God’s light will shine brighter still, for the LORD is gracious to all who put their hope in Him, and this favor and love will be manifest for me.

Let us affirm our confidence: The darkness of this world forever is swept back before the overmastering radiance and power of Yeshua, the King of Glory, the Root and Descendant of David, and the Bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16). Those who believe in Him are given the “light of life” that overcomes the darkness of this world (John 8:12).

[ Hebrew for Christians ]

========

Psalm 112:4 reading:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/psalm112-4-jjp.mp3

Hebrew page pdf:

https://hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Blessing_Cards/psalm112-4-lesson.pdf

3.29.23 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

March 30, 2023

Once for All

“For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.” (Romans 6:10)

The Greek word ephapax translated “once” in this verse actually means “once for all.” Christ did not have to die again and again, a new death for every sinner. He died unto sin once for all, His death being sufficient to take away “the sin of the [whole] world” (John 1:29).

The word ephapax occurs only five times in the Bible. Our text is the first, confirming that His once-for-all death for sin was sufficient forever; He now lives wholly “unto God.” The second confirms the reality of this permanent resurrection. In Jewish law, a factual claim was considered confirmed by the principle that “in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Matthew 18:16). Paul recalls that the resurrected Christ “was seen of above five hundred brethren at once” (1 Corinthians 15:6). Two or three would have sufficed, but He had five hundred witnesses. These saw Him alive once for all, and their lives were forever changed.

The other three references are in Hebrews. “[He] needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once [that is, ‘once for all’], when he offered up himself.” “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once [‘once for all’] into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 7:27; 9:12; 10:10).

Once for all He died for sin, then with His own shed blood He entered into the presence of the Father, sanctified us forever, and was raised from the dead by impeccable testimony, once for all. HMM

[cloudshapedpatch]

am i the only one who thinks the whole "manifesting" thing has gone a little too far?

im a spiritualist. i take time to understand the stars and the way the world works and i take my tarot, crystals, spirit, and the universe seriously. it's not a trend to me, it's my way of life. and it makes me so upset when i see people who are doing it cause it's trendy.

i saw a tiktok the other day of a pregnant woman working out. nothing special, but the caption said "i am manifesting this baby" ??? she already HAS the baby. it's growing inside her. she was over seven months along! that's not how manifesting works! it's become a super glorified buzzword and i hate it!

and i see a whole lot of "i attract but never chase" esp on twitter and tiktok. it's alright to want to attract something to you, but at this point it's all people ever do or say. they say they are manifesting (when in actuality, a lot of times they aren't actually putting in the effort or don't even know how to meditate or actively manifest beyond just wanting something). it's a really super easy way to say "im not going to put in any work to attain my goals but i should have this good thing because i deserve it"

don't get me wrong, everyone is deserving of good things, but the constant "attract not chase" mindset is harmful to yourself and others. you need a balance. you cannot aggressively want something and expect it to appear in your lap. if you are truly seeking to attract something, put in the work to properly manifest it. bring it to fruition. and then know when you need to chase. going after what you want is not a bad thing. it's not a poor thing or a pathetic thing to work towards and go after what you want.

if you really want to see results, make sure you have a balance. manifest the things you want. talk to spirit or the universe or any deity you may work with and see whether it's actually going to be a good thing for you, or whether you're ready for it yet. put yourself in a position to receive. even in attraction, it's not passive background work. you have to actively make sure you have the opportunity to receive it. open yourself up to the possibilities! you can't gain anything if you shut yourself out to world.

i know that crystals and tarot are super popular right now but using it just to play with or to fit in, and not taking it seriously, can have dangerous consequences. playing with the supernatural isn't a game, and while crystals are mostly harmless (unless handled wrong, i've heard of way too many people taking baths with their selenite! just cause some lady on tiktok said it's okay), it's still so easy to go too far if you don't know what you're doing or not taking it seriously.

if you really, actually, want to get into spirituality, please talk to someone who actually knows what they're doing. stop interacting with the tarot reads on twitter and tiktok, and get into it outside your home. go to an apothecary. go to crystal shops without the buzz antics. i know it's hard as a new spiritualist to know what's goid and what's a scam, so here's some guides i use to choosing a good shop:

don't shop anywhere that sells colored glass as crystals

don't shop from anyone or anywhere that swears by opalite. it's not real. if you want to know more about that please reach out!

hematite rings. just don't. hematite is great for soaking up negativity but it's fragile and prone to breaking when it's had enough. buying a new $30 ring when it breaks because it's soaked up too much negativity is just a way shops use to get lots of returning customers. just buy a big chunk of it and remember to cleanse it every so often.

make sure you research the way herbs interact if you're unsure. some combination don't work well together or neutralize each other and don't do anything. this is the same for crystals.

PLEASE don't attempt to open your third eye unless you are thoroughly experienced and ready for impact. closing your third eye is difficult and having it open when you're not ready is overwhelming at best. i learned that lesson the hard way. it's not fun. you don't ever have to open your third eye if you don't want to. it's not a requirement.

doing tarot reads for other people when you're still not completely sure about your deck isn't good. until you know the card meaning inside and out, reversals and uprights, and know your specific deck, it's too easy to give an incorrect reading and lead others astray. just stick to yourself.

[legolasbadass]

Heart of Gold, Chapter 16

Characters: Thorin, Dis, Thrain, Dwalin, Balin, Original Characters

Relationship: Thorin x OC

Setting: Post Azanulbizar, Pre Quest of Erebor

Notes: Hi everyone! I hope you are all well and staying safe! These notes are becoming redundant, but I will still apologize for the long wait I have imposed on you (again)! I had a crazy finals season, and then I had barely any inspiration or motivation to finish/edit this chapter! I have spent the last week and a half editing, so I would really appreciate any feedback on this chapter. I also promise (I know, big word, but I really promise!) that you won't have to wait as long for the next chapter. Some exciting things are happening in the story, and I could not be more eager to share them with you! Without any further ado, here is the long-awaited 16th chapter. I hope you enjoy it! 💙

This is the 16th chapter to my Thorin Oakenshield fan fiction, Heart of Gold, which can be read in full on ao3. Go check it out there to read from the start! Please consider liking or reblogging if you enjoyed this chapter or if you are enjoying the story so far! 

Word Count: 6893

Thorin could not for the life of him concentrate on the council meeting. It felt as though they had been at it for hours. Glancing up at the clock, he saw that it was now four o'clock in the afternoon, only to realize he had no idea when the meeting had started. All he knew was that it was probably too long ago. 

Four o'clock. That meant Dania would be sitting with his mother and sister for tea time. Despite all his best intentions, he could not help but think of her at the most inappropriate times. 

Being the heir was his duty. 

But she was his heart. 

His One. 

Why did his father have to recount their whole eventless journey to Lord Yngvi? It was as though he was inciting Thorin's mind to wander; like he was inviting him to drift down deep, secluded dreams where he and Dania were together, and they faced neither enmity nor aversion. 

In this fanciful world, he held her proudly, boldly, and loved her frankly and openly. That was what she deserved. Nothing less. The image of her being his — wearing his clasp in her braid, his colours on her gown, and his hand on her arm — was driving him mad. That image almost made him stand up on his feet at that very moment and profess his undying love for her in front of all these council members — their opinions be damned. 

But he knew he could not. He must not because he knew what their reaction would be. He knew the frown that would cover their faces and the scandalized revulsion that would flicker in their eyes. And he knew their opinion did matter, regardless of how much he wished it did not.

Dania deserved nothing less than his undivided devotion and to be adored and respected like the jewel she was. That was why he could not forgo their support and condemn her to a life of shame and shunning because she was not the one their kin approved of. Even though he knew there was no one better for him than her, that there was no one better than her to stand by his side and support him through his life. He had to keep it inside. 

He could not stand the fact that she had to suffer because of their closed minds. The sight of her tear-stricken cheeks as she told him of the venture she was forced to undertake to keep their union secret haunted him. He despised all the people in this room because of it. 

But he had to keep it inside. Sulking, he pressed his fists into his thighs to stop himself from screaming in rage at the injustice of it all. 

A hand on his arm pulled him back to reality. Vili was looking at him; concern etched onto his face. Thorin nodded to let him know he was alright and forced himself to concentrate on the conversation unfolding before him. 

"With all due respect, My Lord, we are still recovering from Azanulbizar. At this time of the year especially, our supplies are lower than they have ever been, " one of the council members was saying. He was young, perhaps even younger than Thorin, but already he stood right next to Lord Ynvgi; a sign of the trust his lord had in him, a sign of his influence in this room. 

Most of the council members were young, yet already they occupied the most influential positions and already led their families. 

We are still recovering from Azanulbizar. 

How long would that battle haunt them? 

So many people — too many — had perished, had suffered, or had been forced to grow up too fast just as he had, many years ago, on the other side of the world when that wretched worm had attacked his homeland. 

"I agree with Master Agnar," one of the eldest members said as he stood up. "However, Lord Thrain, like his ancestors before him, is an ally to the Firebeards*." Thorin looked around at those words, assessing where people's loyalties lay. "He has chosen our Halls for his only daughter's wedding — a most joyous occasion — is it not our duty to lend him our hand?" 

Lord Ynvgi gave a slight nod, though whether this was a gesture of agreement or dissent, Thorin did not know. 

"Master Mundi is right," said a younger Dwarf whom Thorin recognized as Master Airi, the one who had warned them of the orcs' numbers before the battle. "Besides, a wedding would be a welcomed distraction from the hard winter we have suffered." 

Several side glances were shared in response. His words rang true, though perhaps they did not form the most persuasive argument. 

At the other end of the table, a tall Dwarrow stood and looked to Lord Yngvi.

"Yes, Lady Ragnhildr," Lord Yngvi nodded. 

"Perhaps a bargain may be struck, My Lords," she began in a silvery voice. "I believe it is safe to say that I am not the only one who would be honoured for the wedding to take place here in Lord Yngvi's Hall. We may even lend Lord Thrain a hand as he ventures further South and finds a place to settle permanently — "

"Lay Ragnhildr, I usually applaud your council, but this is preposterous. We do not run a charity," the Dwarf right next to Lord Ynvgi interjected. 

Thorin heard his father sigh as Lady Ragnhildr smiled scornfully. "Perhaps if you would let me finish speaking my mind, there would be no need to insult my intelligence and hurt your own in the process."

A few, including Vili, had to stifle their snorts. 

"As I was saying," she went on with a side glance to the one who had interrupted her, "Perhaps we may strike a deal. The wedding takes place here, and we offer help as you find a place to settle. In exchange, as soon as your forges are up and running, you must give us a third of the weapons produced within the year, and we have your word that if any orcs, or even Men, come to attack us, we can count on your support." 

She and Lord Yngvi were staring at each other as she spoke, and he was nodding in approval as she went. 

"This is not charity," she said, scanning the table until her eyes landed on Thrain. "Nor is this a favour. This is business. As many of my colleagues have pointed out: times are hard. We will only survive if we can count on one another." 

Thorin found himself nodding in approval. Of course, fulfilling such a deal would be a strain on them, but what other choice did they have? They needed their help. And his father, who was intent on Dis being married as soon as possible —  "for the good of the line of Durin," as he put it — would find even more cause to agree to this plan. 

Thorin had to admire Lady Ragnhildr's negotiation skills. He only had to place himself in her shoes to see that,  given the circumstances, this was the best offer she could make and that it was actually an advantage to both parties. 

Fortunately, Thrain agreed with his son's unspoken opinions. It only took one glance between them, and the king was nodding. "Very well, Lord Yngvi." 

"I am honoured to host your daughter's wedding, Lord Thrain," Lord Yngvi said formerly, but there was something in his tone that hinted at old friends coming together rather than two lords signing an agreement. "Especially since, long ago, I was very close to Lord Viljar, Lord Vili's father," he added for the benefit of the younger council members. "This wedding shall be a celebration of my friendship with him as well as my friendship with you, Lord Thrain.

"There is much planning to get through before that joyous day is upon us," he went on. "But I think this is progress enough for today. I, for one, would like a very large ale." As soon as he said so, the boy sitting next to him stood to fulfill his request. "This meeting is adjourned, for now."

Finally, Thorin thought with a quiet sigh. He was satisfied with how the negotiations had concluded, but all he wanted now was to rest. He still would not get that. There was to be a feast tonight, and then there would be more negotiations tomorrow, and then soon enough, they would be back on the road. 

"Are you alright, brother?"

Thorin turned to face Vili and froze. Images of warm Spring days filled with honeycakes and laughter flashed in his mind, juxtaposed with blood and screams. Brother. Frerin always called him that. Not Thorin. Brother. 

"Thorin?" 

"I am fine," Thorin said firmly, then, more gently, "I am fine. Thank you."

His father, along with Mimir, Dania's father, and Nar, was still conversing with Lord Yngvi, so Thorin made his way out of the council room. He was halfway down the hallway when he realized Vili was walking next to him. 

"So," Vili said tentatively. "How are you, truly?" 

"I told you: I am fine." 

"I am sorry, I did not mean to offend you by calling you brother, I just thought — "

"You did not offend me," Thorin said as he looked at him. "Really. You did not."

"Alright," Vili said with a tilt of his head. "Then, do you want to talk about it?" 

"About what?" Thorin sighed. 

"About what is making you so irritable — so . . . distracted," he said. 

Thorin frowned, his jaw set. "I am not — "

"Come now, Thorin," Vili chuckled. "I practically had to push you so that you'd listen in there. And your jaw was clenched so tight I was worried you would break your teeth."

How insolent, Thorin thought. He hadn't realized it was Vili's place to study him like he was some sick animal. He had half a mind to tell him off, but then his anger might be interpreted as a sign that there was some truth to Vili's observations. There was truth to it, Thorin did not deny that, but he would not admit it aloud either. 

"Is this about Dania?" 

Thorin could not hold back his outburst this time. 

"What does she have to do with any of this?" he demanded, looking down at him. 

His need to protect her — and their secret — mingled with the fear of being discovered, and what that would bring about fogged his mind. He could not let anyone take her away from him. He would not. 

"I — I do not know," Vili stammered. "I just thought — "

Looking around, Vili took a deep breath, then looked back to Thorin with softness and determination in his eyes. "Listen, Thorin, I spoke with Dis and from the things she said — I gathered there might be something between you two."

Thorin eyed him intently for a moment. "You mean Dis told you?" 

Vili sighed. "Yes, she told me," he admitted as he scratched his pale beard. At least he had the decency to sound embarrassed. 

Exasperation stretched Thorin's already overloaded mind. Leaning toward Vili to avoid behind overhead, he groaned, "you cannot tell anyone." He did not even wait for an answer before moving away, though he heard Vili trailing after him. 

***

Staring at the soaked leaves at the bottom of her cup, Dania sighed inwardly. The afternoon was passing away slowly, and with each minute, the respite it had promised was diluted like the taste of honey she chased in her tea. 

Dania was sick of tea. And most of all, she was sick of the idle chat. Dis didn't seem to mind too much. After all, she was being bombarded with questions about her upcoming wedding, which kept her mind occupied and her cheeks warm and red. Dania, on the other hand, felt out of place. 

Sitting on a luxurious, currant red sofa, Dania found herself more easily invested in her surroundings than in the conversation. After all, it went on as it usually did. Ester gossiped, Nal laughed, and Illiana scolded them when they went too far, though a smirk always tugged at her lips. Beside Dania, Lady Adis was silent, while Ester's mother, Lady Inger, and Lady Vigga, Lord Yngvi's wife, participated in the conversation enthusiastically. 

Lady Vigga was also quite the gossiper, though everything else about her was still a mystery. The many beads and jewels in her hair and beard marked her as a lady of high standing. She had a handsome face, though her thin lips and her wide-set eyes made her appear stern. The dark red of her dress did nothing to counter that impression. 

She obviously had expensive taste, if this room was anything to go by. A stone table stood between the sofa Dania and the queen sat on and the other on which Dis, Illiana, and Nal were sitting.  Ester, her mother and Lady Vigga occupied three of the four other chairs, made of some dark wood of which Dania should have remembered the name, and upholstered in faded golden damask. Covering the stone floor was a thick rug, its colours similar to those on the tapestries on the walls. One depicted a large figure with a long beard adorned with dozens of intricate, coloured beads. Dania recognized him as Mahal, their maker. In front of him were seven Dwarves looking up, cowering before him as he raised his hammer.* 

Lady Yngvi had offered this sitting room, along with its adjacent chambers, to Lady Adis and Lord Thrain as long as they remained in his Hall. Lord Thrain, however, had insisted on them remaining in their encampment just outside the gates. Whether this was because of pride or simply because he did not wish to abuse their hospitality, Dania was not sure, but she was grateful for it. 

When they had first entered the sitting room, Lady Vigga warmly welcomed them, but her eyes soon halted on Dania. 

"You must be Dania," Lady Vigga had said with a wry smile. "I have heard a lot about you."

Dania had no idea how to respond to such a greeting. Of course, she was used to people giving her odd looks and whispering behind her back, but that did not make it pleasant. And while she was used to it, it was clear that Lady Adis was not, and somehow she seemed to have taken personally the looks Dania had received. 

"Yes, Dania is quite the accomplished young lady," Lady Adis had responded in the same tone as she placed an arm around Dania's shoulders. 

Lady Adis and Lady Vigga had glared at one another for a moment as the hand on Dania's shoulder tightened its grip. It was a protective gesture, Dania had realized with embarrassment.

Lady Adis had been quiet since then, and Dania felt terribly guilty. Always, her presence seemed to be asking people to pick a side, as it had now. Dania hated it. Yet, at the same time, she could hardly believe Lady Adis had taken her defence. Did she feel obligated to do so? Or did she actually care? Dania knew her enough to know that the answer probably resided in the latter, but she still could not believe someone would go so far as to ruin their afternoon to defend her. Once again, she was immeasurably indebted to Lady Adis, but even more than this, she was profoundly touched.

As though sensing her inner turmoil, Lady Adis squeezed Dania's hand, a gesture that made her feel like a child, but not in a bad way. It told her that it was alright for her to be upset, that she was not weak for feeling so, and that she was allowed to seek comfort — comfort which Lady Adis wanted to give her. 

Promise me that you will tell me if you are feeling scared or lonely ever again. I am here for you, she had said the night the soldiers had returned from Azanulbizar. 

Her touch was a reminder of that conversation they'd had, and Dania was so grateful for it.  

It was the mention of Thorin's name that brought Dania's attention back to the Dwarrows before her. 

"I almost did not recognize him when I saw him yesterday," Lady Vigga said. "He has grown into a very fine young Dwarf. And he looks so much like you, Lady Adis."

"Yes, he does," Lady Adis replied with a small smile. 

"I imagine it must be odd for him to see his younger sister married before him," Lady Vigga said. 

So they had come to it that quickly. Ester shifted in her seat at those words; that alone was enough to provoke the monster inside Dania. 

"Not at all," Lady Adis replied. "I see no reason to rush him into an unwanted marriage. When he finds the right person, he will be ready." 

From the corner of her eye, Dania saw Dis glance at her quickly. Dania left her face a blank canvas, yet she could feel moisture forming in her hands, and the ever-present ache she'd fought so hard to bury bloomed again in her stomach. 

Whatever Lady Adis said, Lord Thrain did appear to be in a hurry to marry his daughter. Dis, like Dania, was only forty-five years old, and that thought did nothing to ease Dania's worries. Of course, they could not force Thorin to marry, but they could very well place him in a position where he had little choice but to consent to it. Dania hoped it would not come to this because she would have no right to get in the way if it did. 

She would not let him sacrifice everything for her. 

"Who said anything about 'unwanted'?" Lady Inger said with a chuckle, sounding as though she was attempting to lighten the mood, yet her eyes spoke a different language entirely. She wanted something. "So many young Dwarrows must have their eyes set on him."

Dania hated the way they talked about Thorin. She hated how they talked about him as though he was a piece of meat; a pawn in their grand game of chess. 

"I do not think my brother would be overjoyed to learn you were using his personal life as tea time entertainment," Dis said dispassionately. Dania wanted to kiss her in thanks for voicing her thoughts.

"Oh, my dear," Lady Vigga said with a laugh, "this has nothing to do with his personal life."

"You are talking about his marriage prospects — that has everything to do with his personal life!" Dis retorted. 

"Not if you are the heir to the throne of Erebor," Lady Vigga said. "Whomever he marries will be a queen one day. This is politics; not love."

"Perhaps these two concepts are not mutually exclusive," Illiana said. "Dis and Vili's upcoming marriage is a political one, but they do love each other." 

Smiling softly, Dania and Illiana exchanged a glance. Dis' cheeks had turned a bright red. 

"If the prince has his sister's sense then, yes; he will learn to love the one who will make the right queen," Lady Vigga said with a wave of her hand as though they were discussing whether one should wear red or blue to a feast. 

"Ah, and the prince is so devoted to his duties. He will make the right choice," Lady Inger said as she shared a look with her daughter. The monster inside Dania coiled its tail and roared. 

Nevertheless, Dania could not help but notice that Lady Adis was silent. Everything — or, almost everything — Laddy Vigga had said was true, and yet the queen's silence appeared to Dania as a small beacon of hope. Perhaps it was foolish. It probably was. Yet Dania clung to it like it was a ray of sun, and she was a flower that had bloomed too early in the Spring and found itself in a dark and barren world. 

"It is getting late," Lady Adis said as she rose from her seat, "and we must get ready for the feast tonight."

"Yes, and what an event that will be," Lady Vigga replied with a too-wide smile. "I look forward to seeing you there." 

Lady Adis nodded, then turned to Dania. "Are you coming, dear?" 

Dania smiled shyly at the term of endearment and stood. She gave a quick curtsy to Lady Vigga then gladly followed Lady Adis and Dis out of the sitting room. A long sigh escaped her lips when the door closed behind her. 

"Yes, I quite agree with that sentiment," Lady Adis said in response. 

Dania blushed, having hoped her most improper display of irritation would go unnoticed, but the queen did not seem to mind. 

"I hope you girls will excuse my behaviour," Lady Adis said as they walked down the curved hallway. "It is not like me to lose my temper in this way. But, then again, I have always despised Lady Vigga, and she was particularly bothersome today."

"You mean to say she was an absolute wretch," Dis said with a grimace, causing Dania to snicker. 

"Dis!" Lady Adis hissed in reproach, but there was an amused gleam in her eyes. Then a dry cough escaped her lips, causing Dis and Dania to stare at her in concern. "I'm alright — the air was just — quite stuffy in there." When her breathing recovered, she went on, "Dania, I do hope you will not let that viper's words get to you."

"It's alright," Dania said with a shrug. "I'm used to it."

"That does not mean you should accept it," Lady Adis replied.

They had made it back to the crowded entrance hall. Beyond the large stone gate, the sun was beginning to set so that the whole room basked in its warmth. 

"Vili!" Dis suddenly called out and walked ahead to where her betrothed had appeared. He smiled widely when he saw her, and the two exchanged a warm embrace, without a care for the stares they were attracting from the crowd of people around them.

"Listen to me carefully, Dania," Lady Adis' voice called her attention away from the couple. "You are a wonderful girl; smart, brave, and above all, you have a kindness that can warm even the coldest of hearts. Many people in this world are close-minded and will seek to tear you down because they refuse to challenge their beliefs. You must not let their words reach your heart."

Dania stared at her with wide eyes, silent as she let the motherly care in Lady Adis' eyes wash over her, feeding her the courage to speak. 

"My Lady," she said hesitantly. "What is it that they say?" Lady Adis frowned. Taking this as a sign of misunderstanding, Dania went on. "Lady Vigga said she had heard a lot about me. . . ."

Closing her eyes for an instant, Lady Adis took a deep breath. "Some — like Lady Vigga — believe that you are not one of us; that you are — "

"An outlander," Dania said flatly, looking down at the ground. She only looked up when she felt a gentle hand on her shoulder. 

"We are all outlanders in this part of the world," Lady Adis said. "And you are one of us. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. Besides, in what world is it acceptable to scorn someone based on where they come from — something that is out of your control?"

Dania nodded slowly. Lady Adis' words seemed contradictory to her. She was one of them, but she could not be proud of the blood that flowed through her. The blood of their enemies. 

As though she heard these thoughts, Lady Adis' grip on her shoulder tightened. "You have nothing to be ashamed of, my dear. You must know that we cannot judge an entire race based on the actions of a single individual. Whatever words you might have heard thrown around behind your back, know that your mother — she did not bewitch your father or do anything ridiculous of the sort; they loved each other, and you carry their love within you every day.

"Lady Vigga was wrong about many things, but about this in particular: not everything is about politics; and in times such as these where grief has its claws on us all, it is more important than ever to cling to love." 

Tears stung Dania's eyes, and she knew Lady Adis would have understood — perhaps even more than she did herself — but they were in a crowded space; the last thing Dania wanted was to give these people more cause to stare at her. 

"Are you alright, Dania?" spoke the deep voice she knew so well and loved dearly. 

She curtsied before nodding, but he could read her eyes better than anyone. Concern marked his features as his mother spoke, but neither of them was really listening. All Dania could think of was the conspiring looks Ester and Lady Inger had shared earlier. Don't let them take you from me, she begged him wordlessly. 

"Thorin, love, are you listening to me?" Lady Adis said, causing both Dania and Thorin to blush. 

"Sorry, amad, I have a lot on my mind," Thorin said as he tore his gaze away from Dania. "What did you say?" 

Lady Adis stared at him for a moment before speaking. "I asked you if all was well? I have not seen your father anywhere." 

"Yes, all is well. There are still many things to discuss, but, so far, we have struck a good deal with Lord Yngvi. Father is still with Nar and Master Mimir; I imagine they were finalizing some arrangements with Lord Yngvi." 

Dis and Vili reappeared at that moment. Dania frowned as Dis looked at her brother for a moment, then at her, a guilty expression on her face.

"Are you coming to the feast tonight, Dania?" Thorin asked her. She could not read his mind, but it seemed to her as though he was deliberately avoiding his sister's eyes. 

"Yes, I am, Lord Thorin," she replied. 

"Speaking of which," Dis interjected, "we should go and get ready, don't you think?" she asked her. 

"Yes, I suppose," Dania said hesitantly. She barely had time to curtsy to Thorin and the queen and give Vili a small smile before Dis dragged her away from the crowd. 

They scurried along the path just outside the gates, passed by the guards, and cut across the encampment until they entered their tent. 

"Mahal, what's your hurry?" Dania said breathlessly as Dis started pacing in the small space between the two makeshift beds. 

"Oh, Dania I'm sorry — so sorry — I didn't think — I thought it would not matter — but of course it does; you told me it was a secret — "

The world froze around Dania. "What?" 

"Thorin already chastised me for it so," — she waved her hands in the air in defence — "there's no need to do it again. It is only that — well, we are going to be married, I should not keep secrets from him. But then Thorin went on and on about how it was not my secret but yours and — "

"You told Vili," Dania said with a relieved sigh. 

"Yes and — "

"Well, start with that next time! You had me worried!"

It was Dis' turn to freeze. "You mean — you mean you are not mad?" 

Dania did not know what she was feeling. How had Vili reacted? He certainly had not taken the first opportunity to divulge the secret to King Thrain — and she doubted he ever would — yet instead of being relieved — if not outright happy — that someone else knew of their love for each other and was not repulsed by it, Dania felt even more dejected. 

Judging by the bits and pieces of information she had gathered, Thorin did not seem overjoyed that Vili knew their secret. She knew how important it was for them to take their time before they could try and convince their kin of the viability of their union and the strength of their bond, but this was Vili, not the whole council chamber. Yet letting even one person know, someone they knew well, and that would soon be part of his family, appeared to Thorin as one stroke too many on the battered barrier that protected their shared heart.  That only reminded Dania of how little they could trust anyone with their secret, and by extension, just how fanciful was the idea of their parents blessing their union.

But Dania was not mad. Despite her befuddled thoughts, despite how much she wanted to scream at Mahal for placing the other half of her soul so close to her yet so beyond her reach, that foolish and naive part of her mind was glad that Vili knew. He was her friend, and he would soon be her best friend's husband. It felt . . . right for him to know. 

Shaking her head, Dania frowned. "No it's — it's Vili. I trust him. You trust him." 

"Thank Mahal," Dis exclaimed, relief flooding her every word. Dania wished she could feel the same relief. 

Dania let herself fall onto her makeshift bed. They were silent for a while before Dis sat down beside her, their knees touching, and she gently grabbed her hand. 

"Amad was right, Dania," she said. "Don't listen to what Lady Vigga says." 

Bitting her lips as a cascade of emotions climbed up her throat, Dania shrugged. "But Dis — she was right. Whoever Thorin marries one day, she'll be a queen — "

"You mean you will be — "

"Dis — " Dania said breathlessly, shaking her head. She opened her mouth to speak but then resigned herself to the fact that she knew not how to translate her feelings into words. "I don't want to talk about this for now, alright? Let's just get ready for the feast."

***

The dining room was even more imposing than the sitting room they had visited earlier. Columns and complex geometric patterns were carved directly into the stone walls and had been polished so skilfully that they shone like marble. Most remarkable were the blue streaks of colour that gave these mountains their name gleaming in the candlelight, rippling through the stones like the waves Dania had once admired on the Long Lake.

Dozens of early Spring flowers and candles decorated the long stone table; an effort made to make the guests feel welcomed, but all it did was make them feel slightly out of place. Dania knew this was not just her own impression. Dis had not let go of her arm since they had walked inside, except to let Dania curtsy.

When the doors opened to reveal Lady Vigga, holding onto Lord Yngvi's arm, all Dania wanted to do was shrink up and disappear, but she was already at the back of the room, and no one paid her any mind. Lady Vigga looked even more imposing than she had a few hours before. She wore purple this time, and the cuffs and neckline of her gown were adorned with golden embroidery that matched the ornamental belt at her waist, attached with a large clasp bearing the sigil of the Firebeards.

Despite having had the chance to discard her travel-worn dress and don her only other gown, which Lady Adis had a seamstress restore to a suitable state, the other Dwarrows' fine attire intimidated Dania. She should have known better than to feel this way. With everything that had befallen them in the past year, fabrics and accoutrements should have been the least of her worries, but they became one of the many things that reminded her that she simply did not belong to this life. Her gown was a dull ash grey where the Dwarrows around her wore bright fabrics, embroidered and bejewelled, and her braids were plain compared to the precious beads that adorned their hair and beards. Even Dis was not so richly dressed, for they could not afford it, but then again, the princess did not require such embellishments to appear more elegant and regal than all the people in this room. Something in her countenance spoke more about her status than any jewel ever could.  

"There you are!" 

Dania and Dis turned around to see Ester, Nal, and Illiana walking towards them. They all wore their prettiest gowns, but only Ester looked like she belonged with the Firebeard ladies. Dania wondered how Ester could wear such expensive fabrics and so many jewels and not feel guilty when most of them had barely had anything to eat during their journey from Dunland. 

"Oh, Dis, you look beautiful!" Ester said. Then, without giving anyone else the chance to speak, she asked, "is your brother here?" 

Dis' hold on Dania's arm tightened. "Er — well, if he is not, he should be here any minute," the princess said. 

"Ester has been talking about him our whole way here," Nal said teasingly. "I do not think I could stand another minute of it!" Me neither, Dania thought. 

"Look, there's Dwalin!" Dis said in an attempt to change the topic. Something flickered in Ester's eyes, but she looked away, perhaps to appear uninterested or perhaps because she truly was indifferent to the warrior's presence. Dania was having more and more trouble understanding her motives. But then she remembered the look in Lady Inger's eyes, and she realized that it was possible that a union with Thorin was not something Ester wanted but that her parents wanted for her. Dania did not know which of these two scenarios bothered her more. 

Illiana was talking about Lady Vigga's offer to give them a tour of the Hall the next day when Dania's attention was stolen by a group of people entering the room, or rather, by one Dwarf in particular. Thorin was standing next to his father and mother, along with Balin, Nar, and Mimir, looking as handsome as ever. His hair appeared to have been freshly washed and braided, and he was dressed in the deep blue tunic he usually wore to such occasions. The colours were more faded than Dania remembered, but nothing could affect the majesty of his presence. 

As she slowly made her way toward her father, Thorin's eyes met her own, conjuring a deep blush from her cheeks. When she was finally close enough to the group, she curtsied, then grabbed the arm her father was extending toward her, but all she could think of was escaping this room to be alone with Thorin and feel his soft lips scorching her skin. As though he could hear her most improper thoughts, the corner of his lips curled up in a smile. That only made the heat inside Dania grow. Damn that Dwarf!

She was glad when they finally took their seats, if only because it might be easier for her to control herself while they sat at different tables. Mimir led her to a table near the main one where the king and his family were sitting with Lord Ygnvi and his wife, so Dania could still see Thorin quite clearly, but she forced herself not to look, or at least, not look as often as she wished to. Her father sat on her right and immediately began conversing with one of Lord Yngvi's advisors while she turned to another young Dwarf who had just pulled up her chair. 

"Oh, thank you," Dania said, startled by his kindness. 

"Not at all," he said with a warm smile before sitting down. "My name is Airi." 

Dania bowed her head in reverence. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Airi. I am Dania."

"Airi will do; not Master Airi," he said with a chuckle. "And the pleasure is all mine, Lady Dania."

It was Dania's turn to chuckle. "I am no Lady."

"Really? Well, you have the countenance of one," Airi replied.

Blushing, Dania looked away, only to find Thorin staring at her through the many people separating them. He looked at her questioningly, but she could do nothing but give a short, almost imperceptible nod and tear her gaze away from him. 

Dania had not thought she could be more confounded by her surroundings until the food was served. There was chicken, roast beef, and sausages, too many kinds of cheese to choose from, freshly baked bread, roasted potatoes, and enough wine to drown in. She had not seen this much food in years. 

"Have you been enjoying your stay in the Blue Mountains so far?" Airi asked her as she delved into the dishes. One taste of the potatoes was enough to convince her to fill her entire plate with them. 

Dania thought of her afternoon with Lady Vigga, but the delicious taste of the wine made her nod in response. "Yes, it is lovely here."

"Have you had a chance to take a tour of the Hall?" Airi asked. 

"No yet, I am afraid," Dania said. 

"It would be my honour to accompany you around the place."

"I would be honoured, whenever that may be," Dania replied as she took another mouthful of sausages. 

"Well, there should be plenty of time for that, given that you will be staying here for a while, I gather," Airi said. "I am certain there are many things that would interest you. The ballroom for one — "

"Is there a library?" Dania asked before she could stop and think twice about interrupting him. She needed to look for other plants to help with her . . . problem, and a library was the place she would find information.

"Yes, of course there is. I could show you, if you would like," he said with a smile. 

"I would like that very much," Dania replied in the same tone. 

"What would you like?" Dania's father asked as he leaned in toward her. 

"I was just telling your daughter that I would be more than happy to accompany her to the library, Master Mimir," Airi explained. 

"You know my father?" Dania asked. 

"I was at the council meeting today," Airi said, nodding. 

Dania turned to her father. "Yes, about that — How did it go?" 

"Quite well, I would say, given the king's fixed ambition." He spoke using courtly equivocations to avoid being misunderstood by overeager ears, but Dania knew he was talking of Lord Thrain's hurry to marry Dis to Vili. "Besides, the important thing is that Lord Ygnvi will lend us a hand when we are ready to make our way further South along the mountains. And he has extended his hospitality so that those who are not fit to travel may stay behind in the meantime."

Dania knew that "those not fit to travel" probably included Dwarrows, meaning she would have to stay behind while Thorin left with his father's chosen companions, for Mahal knows how long. The thought left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. 

"You will have plenty of things to do while we are gone," Mimir said as he noted the slight frown on her face. "There is also much to look forward to before that moment is upon us. Do not fret, gehyith."

Dania gave her father a small smile to ease his worries, but she stopped listening to what her table companions were saying. Glancing up toward Thorin, she saw that he was now conversing with Ester and a Dwarf Dania recognized as her father. They were standing next to the seat Thorin had just vacated to greet them, and she was smiling and laughing at every little thing he said. Somehow, Ester looked even prettier than she usually did. Grinding her teeth, Dania tried to look away, but it was as though an invisible hand was holding her head in place, forcing her to watch as her heart was slowly being ripped away from her. Don't let them take you from me. 

When the desserts were served, she regained some of her spirits — that was the power of a perfect trifle — but her mind was still preoccupied with Thorin and the dismay the thought of their separation was causing her. Mimir noticed his daughter's change of mood, and as soon as the first opportunity presented itself, he excused them and led her toward the exit. Dania was both thankful for and annoyed by this gesture, for now, she would not even be able to steal a glance at Thorin, who would undoubtedly be stuck at the feast for at least another hour. 

Before stepping out of the room, Dania daringly glanced back to the main table, and she noticed Thorin staring back at her, evidently not listening to a word Ester was saying. Even from this distance, she recognized the fiery look he was giving her, full of promises for their next secret meeting. Perhaps her father was right; she did have much to look forward to. 

[cerezawrites]

Prompt 2: Aberrant

“It is preposterous!  Unnatural, even!” the drab-clad Elezen spat, his face turning red.  “That any power of darkness should bring good in this world - hardly an idea worth considering.  The Fury damn those who would turn to evil means!”  

“Calm down, Mattheiu” another Elezen, a woman of the High Houses by her bustle.  “We’ve known that the Exorcists have worked with unusual magicks.  Is it so hard to believe that there COULDN’T have been a relationship between them?  It would have predated the Church and all...”  

The two stood in the corner of a large hall, at the moment host to a massive party, such that even this outburst wouldn’t go noticed.  Cereza stood, ostensibly admiring a painting of one of the owner’s great-great-great-ad infinitum ancestors with a flute of sparkling cider in one gloved hand, but her attention was on the debate that had unfolded.  

The opening of Ishgard had many impacts upon the city, and the histories of magic, and their connections to lost civilizations in a past age, had caused a small but notable stir amongst the academics who understood the principles.  Such things weren’t major debates in other lands - there, the debates were more focused on the use of specific branches, rather than the overall origin - but here, yet another belief was being upturned.  

“The origins of the Exorcists’ magic is simple - it is the elements that surround us, granted by the Fury and the other gods.  No ancient black wizardry had a hand in inspiring that holy art.  It is an instrument of faith, nothing more.”  

And there was the opening.  

“If that is truly the case, why then did the Heretics have the same powers?  Why was Ars Almandel and its twin, Ars Notoria, almost condemned as a heretical text, if the magic it grants was not of the faith?”  THAT got the man’s attention, but Cereza stood, back to him, still studying the vaunted elder’s painting.  

“How dare you compare our arts to that of heretics!”  She could see his face turning redder still. 

“I’m not,” she said, finally glancing over her shoulder. “I’m asking a fundamental question of faith - from whence does evil come?  Only in this case, it’s a question more of, from whence does YOUR form of evil derive its power?  Certainly they could develop it from accursed sources, but if that were the case, why are the spells so similar?”  She finally turned and faced him.  “And moreover, if it were the case, why then does the Church have to train Inquisitors, if their faith would provide the power?”  

The crowd was starting to pay attention, but the man Cereza faced had eyes only for her, and not in a good way.  The other Elezen, the woman in the bustle, did find her point worth pouncing on.  “That is a good point… Natural magic is rare here in Ishgard, and only the priests and inquisitors and their ilk do wield it regularly.  Chirugeons also can get it through study… but you never just see the truly faithful summon fire or mend grievous wounds.”  

Cereza nodded.  “Beyond which, Ishgard’s once and once again allies use similar arts, and yet no accusation of heresy or witchcraft is levied against them - at least not in general, barring occasional foreign victims of the overzealous Inquisition.  Why, did Thordan the III not even commend a young magus some centuries back, making him an honorary knight of the realm?”  

“That’s enough, both of you!” the man shouted.  “The magicks of the church are holy blessings.  Your.. thaumaturgy and arcanamia are all hollow imitations of Fury-granted grace!  And were you Ishgardian, I’d challenge you to a duel!” 

Ah, about time.  Cereza motioned over a servant, and asked the girl to hold her drink, as she strutted up to the red-faced man, tugging off her right glove. “Well, well… If you are so eager…let’s not let my nationality limit us.  Duelling is common in other parts of Eorzea after all.  Ergo… I challenge YOU.”  With that, she slapped the red faced Elezen with her glove, and the crowd was silent.  For his part, Matthieu was shocked, but then his anger returned.  “Very well, then!”  He strode off, and had servants bring a blade and shield.  When he returned, he said, “Well then!  What weapon do you choose?”  

Cereza smiled as she replaced her glove and tapped the ground with her cane before throwing it into the air in a spiral.  She caught it and held it out like a sword - and in fact, it WAS, or perhaps had become, a sword, a dueling rapier to be exact.  She held it out in front of her, her left hand held behind her.  “I think my old reliable will work here.  A weapon of another time and place.”  The blade was intricately crafted in a near-Eastern style.  “But, one far more suited to this duel than you might think.  First blood then? Or best of some arbitrary number?”  

The man scoffed.  “Such a small blade, and you dare think you’d get even one hit, let alone three of five?  Besides, for your heresy, it should be death, but I’ll take yielding.”  

Cereza nodded her head with a smile.  “Oh good… some fun for once. Well then, en guard!”  

The floor had cleared, and the two circled it weapons poised.  Mattheiu struck towards her first, shield over his chest to limit the exposure of his thrust, and Cereza had to dodge to the side, swinging wildly and hitting only air.  He repeated the trick, and she dodged again -b ut it was closer this time.  And again, and this time he managed to knick her hand.  “Ha, a hit!”  He exclaimed.  He didn’t raise his arms to gloat, though, remembering the terms… but that wasn’t the opening she was looking for anyways.  

“Well then, I suppose I can’t afford to be sloppy anymore,” she said, as she focused on the blood on his blade.  She removed one glove and replaced with a black one, then cupped the end of her sword.  Her blade’s “pommel” separated, a gem glittering red, floating in her hand.  Mana flowed from the accelerator focus into the blade, and she kept her attention on that blood as she leapt forth, the magic guiding her.  The sudden leap pushed him back this time, and she made a stroke at him as he flailed, then another two slashes, and three more to finish it off.  Mattheiu fell back on the ground, his jacket ruined, and shouted, “I yield!  I yield!” before scrambling to get up and leave the party.  Cereza smiled and dismissed the blade, replacing it with her cane once more.  

The host, a member of House Hallienarte, came and bowed to her, as did the Elezen woman.  “My apologies for that,” the host said.  “Our guests should not have their honor questioned in this place of peace.”  

Cereza shook her head as she took her drink back from the servant who held it.  “Think nothing of it, Baron.  Your guest had too much to drink and was too forthcoming with his unsavory opinions.  I merely dealt with an insult in the way we should.  Thank you again for the invitation, however.”  She curtsied.  “I didn’t realize I had left such an impression on my last visit.” 

“The honor is mine,” the baron said with a bow.  “You’ve aided our house in many endeavors.  Recovering my cousin’s heirloom left a special impression, and she insisted I invite you.”  

“Well, I much appreciate it.”  She curtsied again, and the Baron left her alone with the woman.  “And you, mademoiselle.  I heard you debating our unfortunate acquaintance earlier.  I hope the duel hasn’t put a damper on your evening.”  

“Oh, perish the thought.  It was time he got thrashed for that.  But tell me, your sword… that wasn’t just swordplay, was it?  There was...something else at work.”  

“Indeed.  A blend of magicks, and a bit of preparation, helped to enhance the blade.  Combined with a small homing spell to track my blood and guide my leap forward, and it proved quite invaluable.  Alas, I think I spent the reserve mana in the blade’s accelerator for now.”  She shook her head.  “Ah… but my manners.  Lady Cereza Hoid, at your service.”  

The elezen offered her hand and curtsied, and Cereza took it and brought her forehead to it.  “Lady Maricelle Dzemael.  A pleasure to meet you.”  

The two spoke for a bit, before a server came and handed Maricelle a letter, offering a chamber for her to read it in.  There was something odd about the servant… but Cereza simply waited until Maricelle returned, sighing..  “Ah… It seems that Mattheiu has left for the evening and refuses to return… and he was my escort.”  She turned to Cereza.  “I hate to impose… but it is getting late.  Would you be able to walk back with me?  I trust the streets of Foundation, but…”

Cereza smiled.  “Of course.  I was actually heading that way myself.”  She finished her drink - the only one she’d had all night, and bid farewell to the host and a few others, before returning to Maricelle’s side.  “Please, unto the night.”  

The two strode out, and Maricelle said, “There is a shortcut back this way… come, follow.”  Cereza didn’t get a chance to protest before her charge fled down the darkened alleyway.  

“Well, so much for both worry and trusting the streets,” she muttered under her breath as she went in behind.  The alley was dark, only lights from the few house windows to illuminate the way, and the aether seemed to stir oddly.  

She caught a glimpse of Maricelle’s dress, and followed, only to keep a few steps behind each time.  The dress led down a maze of alleys, definitely not a shortcut.  “Maricelle?” Cereza called into the night.  

She heard the other lady call out, “This way, Cereza…”  But something in her voice was… wrong.  Cereza drew out her blade again, and approached more cautiously.  

Around the corner, she saw a terrible sight.  Maricelle floated inside a cloud, under the control of the servant who’d handed her the letter.  Damn, she thought, should have kept my eyes on him.  

“Ahahaha… easy enough to lure you in… a pity how simple it was, really.  But when I realized who you were… I couldn’t have you running around ruining my plans.”  

“A compulsion, then,” she said.  “Have the girl misunderstand the way home… probably a spell trapped in the letter.”  “Indeed,” the “servant” said.  “You were always a sucker for a pretty face and a damsel in distress.  You gave me the perfect opening… baiting her cousin into that duel.  But you can’t harm her now.”  

Cereza looked at her, trapped and unconscious in the miasma.  He looked at the girl and… smiled.  And the cloud - an extension of the Voidsent in the servant, seemed to shimmer nervously.  Didn’t know they could do that, she thought.  

“You think it was coincidence I was here, Achtrasi?” she said, calling it by one of its names - not its true name.  Not yet.  “I knew you’d made it into the city… tracking down the relic was easy enough.  The servant opened it instead of the Baron, though, so you had to make do.  I knew one way or another you’d be at that party… and you’d use the girl as bait.  You always liked hostages… ones that would inspire chivalry in your hunter.”  

The cloud rumbled.  “Well well… clever.  But it doesn’t matter.  You already used up your mana… what do you have that would help you save her without that?”  

Cereza’s smile widened.  “I DID say it was empty, didn’t I?  I could channel through it, but you wouldn’t give me that kind of time… but see, there’s a trick I’ve learned.  It IS empty… Well… except for one or two little spells I managed to catch...”

The creature’s cloud seemed to shimmer in uncertainty.  “Wha- What?  What the-”  

It didn’t finish its curse, as a pillar of white aether hit the cloud square on, not harming the girl inside but dissipating the trap she was in and letting her fall to the ground.  The servant stepped back and tried to run… until a ball of red light came immediately after, driving it into the wall.  

The servant stood up, but it was no longer truly that form.  Its true form bled through the body, broke through it, shedding the corpse and revealing a giant warrior, made of shadow and smoke, with two knives in its claws.  

Cereza regarded it, and put her sword away.  She instead reached into the aether once more and summoned out a tome, a blue-covered grimoire with gold embellishments.  

The scream intensified, and Cereza smiled.  “Ah, you recognize this grimoire, don’t you?  I’m not part of the church, admittedly… but that’s not a requirement.  The girl is right - the magic isn’t a gift of faith.  But credit where it’s due… they do have their exorcisms down pat”  She flipped it open to a page she’d bookmarked, and recited the spell within.  The words were prayers to the Fury, but though they were somewhat slanted to an Ishgardian interpretation, that wouldn’t make them any weaker - it wasn’t like summoning a Primal, where faith became aether to be channeled through prayer.  The spell was quite more the opposite in effect, really.  

“O Fury, Halone in the Heavens above, hear this call and bind this child of the Void, Achtrasi!”

The voidsent charged her, but as its blades came down to cleave her, chains of ice held them - and its body - leaving it paralyzed in place.  The words shaped her aether through the circles, and resonated with a spell of banishment.  “In the name of the Fury,” she called, careful not to shout lest she awaken anyone, “I command thee, demon.  Descend into the Seven Hells, and be banished from this land.  Hurt her children no more.  By her spear!”  

An aetherial lance drove into the head of the beast and through its torso, and it vanished into smoke, the dark energies that made up its power vanishing.  Cereza closed the book and banished it back into the aether - no sense getting caught with it BY one of the Inquisitors.  She could play the part of exorcist, but she wasn’t a part of the order, and being caught with that tome could spell trouble even now.  Instead, she drew her sword again, and went to the girl, channeling the white mana to cure her and help her recover.

Maricelle  opened her eyes.  “I… what… what was that?” she stammered as she regained consciousness.  “I remember… you… and a party… and then….

Cereza closed her eyes in relief.  “Voidsent,” she said when she opened them again.  “Demon.  Possessed that poor servant… and decided to use you as bait for me.”

Maricelle shook her head.  “The… the dark magics?  Was my defense… unjust?”  

“Hardly. Damned thing was summoned back in the Fifth era.  Your trust in the truth is valid.. This was just an evil spirit, not some divine punishment.  And.. possibly my fault.  It knew to use you as bait… I just knew it would, and planned accordingly.  But even so…”  

Maricelle stopped her before she could continue her apology, then sobbed and clung to Cereza.  Cereza held her, a bit awkwardly, but understandingly, knowing the fear from such things.  “You kept me safe… that’s all that matters.”  She eventually calmed down, and sniffled.  “Just… get me home.  Please?”  

Cereza smiled and nodded.  “Of course.  But… I think this way, this time,” she said.  

[robert-c]

How Common Business Practices Contribute to the Perpetuation of Poverty and Racism

Over the last century a number of laws were passed to ensure that employees would not be cheated by their employers. It began with ensuring that they were paid for all the hours an employer required them to be on the job. More followed: safe procedures for certain jobs, guarantees that promised retirement benefits would be there, that group medical plans sponsored by employers could not permanently exclude pre-existing conditions. It was only fair since the company’s cost of these benefits could be deducted from the company’s taxable income. Some employers simply violate the laws, counting on the fact that most employees don’t know their rights.

Even without directly violating the law, ever clever businesses have been finding ways around these protections: claiming that employees who should be covered under overtime pay rules are in positions exempt from those provisions; recasting employees as “contractors”, so they are not covered by employee regulations; utilizing part time employees so that they can be excluded from benefits, like healthcare and 401k’s. Their excuse, as always, is to limit expenses and therefor keep the cost of their goods or services low for the ultimate consumer. A closer examination of that argument usually falls apart when it becomes impossible to trace the line between these expense reductions and lower prices to the consumer.

However, there is a small point in their favor in that consumers usually do simply go for the cheaper product. Then again, if there really was a big connection between these cost saving measures and the final cost of goods and services there are things the companies could do. Their massive advertising budgets could be used to educate consumers about the reasons their product costs a little more than competitors, they do it all the time with claims of value and quality. It might be something like “Quality and community responsibility cost a little more, but it’s our neighbors who are earning a decent living providing you these goods and services. And we think they’re worth it.”

They don’t because it’s easy to get away with these practices when virtually everyone else is doing the same thing.

The large segment of the workforce that is excluded from company provided benefits (either because of schemes like above or because the employer is too small to provide them to anyone) is reason enough to scrap the idea of a completely “free market” healthcare system.

After more than half a century of propaganda about how wonderful and good the profit motive is, it’s about time that we acknowledge that it can do just as much harm as good.

Here’s another move that works for both part time and full time employees. When they have the potential to earn more, fire them, or drastically cut their hours (in the case of part time) so that they’ll have to quit. This keeps turnover high for the low paid jobs, but these are typically the jobs that don’t take much training to do, so turnover isn’t so costly, especially in high unemployment times. It is also a backhanded way of claiming to give raises to the more experienced people, while weeding them out at the same time.

You might think that part-timers could just get other jobs to supplement their income loss but then you’d run afoul of the next “dirty trick” of employers.

This works especially well with part-timers; continually change the schedule. Employers can make up any number of bullshit reasons why this “makes sense”, “is necessary” etc. but the net effect (and likely real purpose) is to keep part-timers from looking for, let alone accepting, other work. If you don’t know until days before what your schedule is going to be it’s pretty hard to plan interviews, let alone schedule other work, especially since the other employer is probably doing the same thing with their schedules. This essentially makes part-time employees the virtual slaves of their employer, an easy and enviable position for the company, not so much for the employee.

Their only way out is to have enough savings to do without income for a period of time to look for better work (let alone the money to get the training for higher paying full time jobs). But then, those earning even twice minimum wage for only 20 to 30 hours a week aren’t likely to have much left over for savings. That’s roughly $15,000 to $22,600 a year BEFORE taxes. The middle (or median) rent in the 50 largest cities in the US for a one bedroom is about $1,235 a month with an additional $147 for utilities (data from businessinsider.com). That’s $16,584 a year! The rents are lower in places with fewer jobs and higher where there are many job opportunities. A real double bind choice, since the wages aren’t generally higher in the same proportion as the rents in the higher job opportunity locales.

In fact, the free market essentially works against these people. As more people come to these high employment cities, the limited availability of apartments causes the rents to rise, while at the same time, the abundance of job seekers keeps the wages lower. It’s a perfect arrangement for landlords and employers alike, and a perfect storm of shit for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.

And since it cheats the rest of us, not just the employees, we should also mention that when people don’t earn enough to meet basic living expenses (and are essentially barred from being able to earn more through alternative or additional jobs) the welfare and public assistance they require is paid for by the rest of us. All thanks to the for profit businesses managing to find ways to pay as little as possible, all the while bragging about the number of jobs they’ve brought to the community, while others pick up their slack. To add insult to injury, these are often the same business owners who constantly prattle about “responsibility”, “self-reliance” etc.

Now, let’s get down to the hardest core facts about this and admit that people of color make up a disproportionate share of the folks struggling at this level. True, some people manage to rise above this, but it takes extraordinary effort beyond just being talented. It takes so much more that I seriously doubt many (if any) of us born to privilege could have done so ourselves.

Using a few people who manage to succeed despite their original circumstances does not excuse the artificial obstacles placed in their way. Instead of focusing on the “feel good” story of someone succeeding against the odds, we should be looking at why the deck was stacked against them in the first place. Failing to look at the system that holds people back and justifying it as fair because a few do overcome the obstacles is the same as defending the slavery of the pre-Civil War south because a few managed to escape it.

This “Pollyanna” view of our economic system plays well into the myths we want to believe; i.e. that there are no major problems with our system, and that it is fair and “anyone” can succeed. That attitude will not help us address inequities and injustices, and the problems that continue to arise because they remain unresolved.

Most whites imagine that they are not racists as long as they don’t support the white supremacists. Not seeing that the economic practices above create and maintain poverty, and that poverty is overwhelmingly people of color, is a form of racism. It isn’t as obvious, and it’s easy to pass off as all about ambition and determination. Nevertheless, it plays its part as surely as police and justice system presumptions that suspects of color are generally violent.

Please note this last, as it will be ignored by those who are quick to condemn me as some sort of “socialist” or “communist” simply because I don’t “drink the Kool-Aid” that any and everything a business does must be good and proper because it was done in pursuit of the sacred goal of profit. My first inclination IS NOT simply more law or regulation. I see those as last resort measures.

I would rather that some prominent businesses would openly acknowledge and then disavow these practices, and set an example for others. Failing that perhaps there are ways to set up incentives to do the right thing and as a last resort more expansive legislation and regulation.

Imagining that some great political affirmation of the “good old days” can keep things the way they are (or were) is the same sort of folly that allowed French aristocrats to imagine that there could never be a revolution. I don’t want a revolution, but we’ve had almost two and a half centuries to solve this situation and the progress has been incredibly slow.

Now that more and more whites are falling into this poverty trap they should be allying with people of color to change things. Perpetuating racism benefits only the rich, white, upper class. Poor white supremacists are being played for fools the same way their ancestors were when they died in the Civil War attempting to protect the rich plantation owners, most of whom conveniently bought their way out of service in the military.

But I don’t expect any of them to figure that out. I’m sure that they’ll just use it to justify their baseless complaints that they have been deprived of something they think they deserved.

[questionsonislam]

What are the fundamental rights Islam gives to man?

To comprehend the importance given to human rights in Islam, it is better to have a glance at the circumstances of the world before Islam. As follows:

1. All of the states in the world were ruled by monarchy. The ruling king, monarch or emperor had full authority over the people he ruled. He used to kill or exile the people he desired, and he did not have to account for anything he had done to people.

2. People were divided into classes. The monarchs close acquaintances and relatives (the nobles) were in the privileged class. Besides, a large group of people who were despised and whose rights were violated constituted a separate class. There was a deep gap between those classes.

3. Slavery was carried out in the most barbarous way. Personal dignity was flagrantly violated.

4. People were treated depending on their races and color of their skins; the superiority of the lineages were accepted as the unique superiority measure. People were not appraised according to their intelligence, knowledge, competence, morals and virtue.

5. There were no fundamental rights or freedoms. None of the fundamental rights or freedoms such as freedom of conscience and religion, right of property, freedom of having a residence, freedom of opinion were considered for an ordinary person. People were subjected to oppression and persecution because of their belief and opinions; and consciences were under oppression.

6. The fundamental principles of law were disregarded. It was even impossible to imagine fundamental judicial concepts like equality in law, domination of the laws, individuality and legality of the punishments. Personal desires and commands were deemed as law, different punishments were applied to the persons committing the same crime but belonging to different classes.

The religion of Islam came and committed the greatest revolution in the history of humanity when the world was in such a dark state.

If it is examined fair-mindedly, it can be seen that the ultimate humane targets that have been attained today were realized many centuries before the human rights declarations were published in the Western World both in the Noble Quran and in the practices of the Prophet (PBUH),

As a matter of fact, the principles included in the speech (the Farewell Sermon) the Prophet (PBUH) gave during his Farewell Hajj are the clearest examples about the issue.

This sermon was read in the year A.D. 632 in the presence of more than 100,000 Muslims. That is, 1157 years before the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen which is regarded as the first written text concerning human rights.

The new principles Islam brought to human rights also had major effects on the struggle of the human rights in the West.

Man has a different value from the other beings. That value increases through belief in Allah and obedience to His commands. Thus, man becomes the most honorable guest in the universe. Man gets the value of humanity by his birth, in fact by the beginning of his formation in the uterus and he bears that value throughout his life.

The value of being a human surrounds everyone. Woman-man, elder-younger, black-white, weak-strong, poor-rich, no matter from what religion and nationality, race or color; the shadow of that compassion encompasses all.

Thus, Islam protects the blood of every person from being shed illegally, his chastity from being violated, his property from usurpation, his dwelling from being violated, his lineage from being deteriorated, his conscience from being under constraint. Islam assures the honor and dignity of humanity.

The fundamental rights and freedoms Islam has provided humanity are as follows:

1. Islam put an end to the discrimination of race and color. All people descended from Hazrat Adam. It is not possible for a person to choose his own race and color. It is completely by Allahs determination. It is extremely wrong and harmful to make discrimination and to regard some races and colors as supreme by condemning some races and colors both from the point of view of Islam and humanity.

Almighty Allah says in the noble Quran that He created mankind from a male and a female, and that when their numbers increased, he made them into nations and tribes so that they would know and help each other easily and they would make friends . (al- Hujurat, 13)

As it is seen, the fact that people are from different races and colors are not for superiority to each other but for getting acquainted with and helping each other.

An event illuminating that approach of Islam is as follows:

Abu Dharr, from the companions (sahaba), got angry with Bilal al-Habashi and insulted him by saying: Son of the black woman. He despised him because of his mothers color. When the Prophet (PBUH) was informed of the event, he got very angry and told Abu Dharr the following:

— O Abu Dharr. You have despised Bilal because of his mothers color, is that so? Then, you still have the mentality of the age of ignorance (jahiliyyah).

Hazrat Abu Dharr felt very sorry and repented for those words that slipped out of his mouth with a momentary anger without his intention. He began to cry, threw himself to the ground and put his face on the ground and he said:

— I swear, I wont raise my face from the ground unless Bilal threads and tramples on my cheek with his foot.

He apologized to Bilal al-Habashi repeatedly.

2. Islam put an end to the superiority of family and ancestry and being proud of that. During a meeting that the Companions (sahaba) were present, Sad b. Abi Waqqas offered some of the notables to mention the names of their ancestries. He named his ancestors from the beginning to the end. Salman al-Farsi, who was originally from Iran, was also present there, He didnt have a famous lineage as the notables of Quraish. He did not know his ancestors in detail, either. When Hazrat Sad offered him to name his ancestors, he found this offer strange and gave him this answer: I am Salman, son of Islam. I dont know my ancestors like you. I know one thing that Allah has honored me with Islam

Hazrat Umar also felt uncomfortable with that unnecessary offer of Sads about naming ancestors that reminded the mentality of the age of ignorance . He was so pleased with Salmans meaningful answer that he likened his answer to Salmans answer saying, I am Umar, the son of Islam, too.

When the Prophet (PBUH) heard the case, he also liked Salmans answer and he said: Salman is from me, from my family.

The Prophet demolished the mentality of ignorance based on the superiority of the lineages by giving the noblest families daughters in marriage to some companions that were slaves set free.

3. Islam brought the citizens the right to control and supervise their administrators. It aimed to put an end to the arbitrary management, injustice and illegality in the administration of the state. Hazrat Abu Bakr expressed that issue as follows in his speech when he was elected as the Caliph: O people! I have been elected as your administrator although I am not the best one among you. Obey me if I perform my duty in accordance with Islam. If I go astray, warn me.

One day, Hazrat Umar asked the Muslims in the mosque, If I go astray, what will you do? They replied: We will straighten you with our swords. Hazrat Umar was very pleased with that answer.

4. Freedom of Thought and Conscience. Freedom of thought and conscience is the most important human right after right of living. Not giving this right to man means reducing him to the degree of the animals by getting him out of his real essence. Therefore, Islam by no means allows thoughts and consciences to be kept under oppression. With the principle There is no compulsion in religion, Islam does not approve of making people accept the fundamentals of belief by force.

5. Islam has paid attention to the establishment of slavery painstakingly and brought it to a judicial regulation.

When the religion of Islam arose, slavery was prevalent as he most barbaric and inhuman practice all over the world. Islam, of course, could not have been expected to abolish that establishment completely that was prevalent all over the world. So, Islam did not choose to abrogate slavery completely at once but gave it the most humane and civil form by making great reforms regarding it. In addition, Islam supplied some formulae to make slavery abolish indirectly by increasing and facilitating the ways of passing to freedom from slavery.

6. Freedom of Property. Love of property and desire to have goods are among the various feelings Allah has given to man. That issue has been specified clearly in the Quran. Islam has given man the right to have property and has laid the groundwork for satisfying that feeling in a legal way. Nobody can interfere in any way with anybodys right of having property that Islam gives to him without his permission.

7. Equality before Law. Islam accepts all people equal before law like the teeth of a comb. Islam does not allow making a privileged treatment to the people in accordance with their social status and pedigrees.

In Islam, the dominance and the superiority of the laws are essential. The president and any of the citizens are treated equally before law. The guilty one is penalized even though he is a president. The most striking examples of it are that Fatih Sultan Mehmet and a Greek architect; Hazrat Ali and a Jewish; Salahaddin al- Ayyubi and an Armenian were taken to the court to be judged.

A woman from a noble family of the Mahzum tribe committed a theft on the conquest day of Mecca and she was caught in the act. She had to be punished. But, since the woman belonged to a noble family, they were afraid to blacken the name of the family so they wanted her to be forgiven and not to be punished. But how would they attain it? How would they tell it to the Prophet? Eventually, they sent Usama b. Zayd, the beloved one by the Prophet, to the Prophet as an envoy. Usama entered the presence of the Prophet and told him about the case. He asked him to forgive the guilty woman. The Prophet (PBUH) got very angry with this offer. He got out right away and made this historical speech:

O Muslims, do you know why the nations before you had been demolished and destroyed and had become a thing of the past? When a person from the notables committed a crime, they would not punish him. However, when an ordinary person committed a crime, they would desire strongly to apply the punishment. This injustice caused them to be destroyed. I swear, if the person committing the crime were my daughter Fatima, I would not hesitate to punish her at all.

Thereupon, the punishment was applied immediately.

The following sentences from the speech that Hazrat Abu Bakr made when he was selected as the Caliph also attract attention from that point of view: The weakest ones among you are the strongest before me till they take their rights. The strongest ones are the weakest before me till I take others rights from them.

8. Individuality and Legality of Punishment. In Islam, there can be no illegal punishment, and punishing somebody else instead of the person committing the crime is not in question.

The principle of the individuality of punishment is expressed in Chapter al-Anam as follows: Every soul draws the meed of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden (sin) of another. (Verse: 164)

9. Independence and Impartiality of the Courts. Courts, which are the establishments for justice in Islam, have been kept away from all kinds of outer oppressions, personal animosities, spites andarbitrary applications; and the judges havent been allowed to lose their impartiality. In Islamic courts, presidents were tried with ordinary people and they were punished if they were found guilty.

10. Inviolability of Residence and Immunity of Private Life. In Islam, nobody has the right to interfere with an individuals private life and to enter his residence without his permission. In Islam, it is forbidden inspecting peoples confidential affairs.

11. Freedom of Travel. In Islam, traveling is accepted as a cause to learn lessons and to get healthy. Therefore, people are encouraged to travel.

12. Right of living, assurance of protecting lives, property and chastity from violation. That issue has been manifested in the most beautiful way in the Farewell Sermon by Allahs Messenger:

O people! Just as you regard this month, this day, this city as Sacred, so regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust. They are protected from all kinds of violation.

13. Social Security. The religion of Islam patronizes man so that he wont be aggrieved and wretched due to old age, illness, disasters and accidents, and Islam takes the future of the needy under assurance through social security measures it supplies. Above all, Islam incites people to take themselves under assurance economically by encouraging them to work. Besides, Islam supplies a distinct security in the family, in the circle of neighbors and relatives by various measures it has taken. The state itself takes the individuals security under assurance when all of these security precautions are insufficient. The establishment of zakat (alms) and waqfs are the perfect social security foundations.

14. Freedom of Labor, Justice and Equality of Payment. In Islam, working and endeavoring are appreciated and encourageed greatly. Begging, being a burden to someone else is not welcomed. What is more, working to provide a living for ones family is regarded as worship as long as (fardhs) obligatory duties are performed. The verse, That man can have nothing but what he strives for. shows the importance Islam gives to endeavoring and working

Islam, which assures the freedom of working fully –on condition that it is a legal earning way-, also organizes the relationship between the employee and the employer in the nicest way.

The principle Pay the wages of a worker before his sweat dries assures the rights of workers in the perfect way.

The worker, in return, will try to complete the work assigned to him perfectly and completely and he will accept trying to deserve the wages he receives as a principle.

15. Patronage of Children. Islam patronizes children beginning from their birth; several aids are made to parents for their children nutrition and clothing expenses and subsidies are allocated from the treasury of the government. Today, that aid is supplied in all rich states under the name money for children. Allahs Messenger insistently warned the army of Islam against killing women and especially children in the wars.

16. Fundamental Education is Obligatory and Free of Charge. The hadith Seeking of knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman. makes the fundamental education obligatory. The curriculum of the fundamental education has been prepared very carefully in Islam.

The fundamental education includes vocational education besides religious, ethical and moral knowledge. Islam considers it necessary for children to be trained for a profession along with religious knowledge.

[basicsofislam]

THE COMPANIONS OF THE PROPHET (PBUH) : Said bin Zayd (r.a.)

The stars of the Prophet in sky of the guidance were appearing one by one. As each star appeared, the darkness of the ignorance started to disappear and the world got brighter. The luminous horizon that will bring happiness to man was becoming more and more distinct. One of the stars in the horizon was Hz. Said.

Hz. Said was a very active young man aged only 19 or 20. When he heard the divine call of the Prophet, he went to the presence of the Prophet with his wife without any hesitation and they became Muslims. The young couple became happy individuals of the true religion. They were the 12the and 13th Muslims. [ Usdul-Ghaba, 2: 306-307. ]

His family had a big role in Hz. Said's accepting Islam. His family was away from the customs of ignorance. His father, Zayd, was a very good man and he believed in the existence and oneness of Allah. He had the belief of oneness before the Prophet started to receive revelation. He was not a polytheist. He stated that he followed the religion of Hz. Ibrahim and said, "My deity is Ibrahim's Allah and my religion is Ibrahim's religion.

Zayd, had searched and found the religion called "Hanif", which was the belief of oneness then, and of which Hz. Ibrahim was a member. He went to Damascus for it. He met a Jewish scholar there. He wanted to accept the religion of Judaism but he said, "If you accept our religion, you will draw the wrath of Allah." Then, he said, "Accept the religion of Hanif, which is different from Christianity and Judaism and which is the religion of Ibrahim worshipping only Allah, if you can find it." When he heard the same things from a Christian scholar, Zayd declared that he had accepted the creed of oneness by saying, "O Lord! Witness that I have accepted the religion of Ibrahim (pbuh)." [ Bukhari, Badu'l-Khalq: 149. ] One of those scholars said to Zayd, "The religion you are looking for here will emerge in your country." Zayd returned to Makkah and started to live in accordance with his belief.

Once, Qurayshis organized a feast. The Prophet was invited to the feast but he did not eat the food served there. Zayd did not eat, either. He said,

"I do not eat the meat of the animals you slaughter by the name of your idols. I will only eat those slaughtered by the name of Allah. Allah created sheep. He sent rain from the sky. He produced grass out of the ground. And you slaughter this animal by the name of other deities."

These words made the polytheists very angry. The polytheists who could not put up with the insults to their idols and who regarded it as the most unforgivable sin started to torture Zayd. The leader of those who tortured him was his uncle Khattab. He provoked young people and sent them to Zayd to beat him. He did not allow Zayd to enter Makkah. He would enter Makkah secretly at night. Zayd, who struggled for his belief on his own, died a short time before Hz. Muhammad started to receive revelation.

When the Prophet was asked about the state of Zayd, he said,

"He will be resurrected as a single ummah on the Day of Judgment. He worshipped in the Era of Ignorance. He followed the religion of Hz. Ibrahim and he accepted Allah as one."

Upon the question of Hz. Umar and Said bin Zayd, the Prophet said they could pray for him. [ Usdul-Ghaba, 2: 307. ]

Hz. Said bin Zayd was the son of such a father. Hz. Said continued the struggle that he carried out alone together with the Prophet. He was a relative of the Prophet. Ka'b was an ancestor of both the Prophet and Hz. Said bin Zayd. He was also a cousin of Hz. Umar and his brother-in-law.

Hz. Said and his wife became Muslims before Hz. Umar. They had a big effect on Hz. Umar's being a Muslim. Acting upon the decision made by the polytheists, Umar set off in order to kill the Prophet. On the way, he found out that his sister and brother-in-law had accepted the religion of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh). Umar got furious and wanted to kill them first. He knocked on their door. Meanwhile, he heard a spiritual voice that he had never heard before. When the door opened, he shouted,

"What were you reading?"

Hz. Said, who was very excited, said,

"Nothing. We were just talking to each other loudly." However, Umar realized what was happening and knocked him down. He started to hit and kick him. He also slapped his sister Fatima, who ran to save her husband. She was in blood. Hz. Fatima could not bear it any longer, stood up and shouted:

"O Umar! Do whatever you can. My husband and I have become Muslims. We believe in Allah and His Messenger. We are not going to quit our religion."

When Umar saw the brave reaction of his sister, he showed mercy and asked them to give him what they were reading. Hz. Khabbab, who was hiding behind the curtain, came out and gave him the pages of the Quran they were reading.

Hz. Umar could read and write. When he read the first verses of the chapter of Taha, he felt that his heart was softening. Then, he went to the Prophet and became a Muslim. [ Usdul-Ghaba, 4: 54. ]

Hz. Said was an unmatched believer who did not leave the Prophet even for a moment. He worked for Islam during its most troubled and hard period fearlessly and without feeling tired. He was one of the first Companions who migrated to Madinah with his wife after the migration of the Prophet. The Prophet made him brothers with Hz. Ubayy bin Ka'b from Ansar.

Hz. Said was near the Prophet in all battles except the Battle of Badr. Before the Battle of Badr, the Prophet had appointed him and Hz. Talha for reconnaissance. They were given the duty of checking the movements of the polytheists. When they returned to Madinah, they found out that the Muslims had won the Battle of Badr. They felt sorry that they could not take part in the battle but the Prophet accepted as if they had fought in the battle and gave their shares from the booty fully. [ Usdul-Ghaba, 2: 307. ]

In the battles that followed, they fought heroically together with the Prophet.

Hz. Said, who heard the glad tiding of eternal bliss from the tongue of the Prophet, spent his luminous and long life in the struggle for belief. He was so close to the Prophet that he was always around him like a moth. Said bin Jubayr expresses this closeness as follows:

"Abu Bakir, Umar, Uthman, Ali, Talha, Zubayr, Sa'd, Abdurrahman bin Awf and Said bin Zayd used to fight in front of the Messenger of Allah during the battle and pray behind him during the prayers." [ Usdul-Ghaba, 2: 308. ]

They always showed that they were loyal friends of the Prophet in all phases of their lives.

After the death of the Messenger of Allah, Hz. Said, formed the most important link of the caravan of the Islamic service. He showed great effort in the selection of the caliphs. He exerted great efforts in order to prevent disagreement and conflicts. When he placed Hz Umar, who was the symbol of justice, in the grave next to the Prophet, he was shedding tears.

When somebody asked, "O Aba Awar! Why are you crying?", Hz. Said he was crying for his cause:

"I am crying for Islam. The martyrdom of Hz. Umar is a gap opened in Islam. This gap is not going to be closed until the Day of Judgment." [ Tabaqat, 3: 372. ] Thus, he expressed the unique place of Hz. Umar in the history of Islam.

Hz. Said had a great role in the Victory of Yarmuk and the Conquest of Damascus during the caliphate of Hz. Umar.  Hz. Said was the commander of a military unit when they encountered the Byzantine army in the Valley of Yarmuk. The Byzantine army suddenly attacked the left wing of the Islamic army. It looked as if the Byzantine army would defeat them. Hz. Said was among the commanders that preserved their places and persevered. He jumped off his horse and said,  

"Solemnity and recklessness make man attain honor in the world and mercy in the hereafter. We should try to attain both."

The mujahids were excited by his speech and played an important role in the Victory of Yarmuk. Their commander fought at the front and kneeled down when he was tired. The enemy panicked when Hz. Said killed the Byzantine commander. Making use of this panic, Hz. Said, attacked the center. Soon, the river behind them was full of the dead bodies of the enemy soldiers.[ Asr-ı Saadet, 4: 281. ]

After the Conquest of Damascus, Hz. Abu Ubayda, the commander of the army offered Hz. Said to become the governor of Damascus. Preferring serving to holding a post, Hz. Said wanted to make jihad; he said,

"O Abu Ubayda! I want to make jihad in the way of Allah. Give the post of governorship to another brother that you find appropriate."

Hz. Said served in the Islamic army of conquest for a long time. He played an important role in making the region of Iraq and Syria become parts of the Islamic land. Then, he travelled around these regions, and taught and trained people. He tried to prevent the gossips against Hz. Uthman and Hz. Ali. Mughira bin Shuba was the governor of Kufa. Once, Mughira was sitting in the biggest mosque of Kufa and people had gathered around him.  

Meanwhile, Hz. Said entered the mosque. The governor welcomed him with respect and made him sit next to him. Then, a man from Kufa entered the mosque and started to utter ugly words. Hz. Said could not realize what was happening and asked the governor,

"O Mughira! Against whom is this man talking?" Mughira said,

"Against Hz. Ali." When Hz. Said heard it, he became very sad and said to the governor,

"O Mughira! The Companion of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) is insulted and condemned in your presence but you do not prevent him; you keep silent!" Hz. Said kept on speaking:

"I will report you a hadith that I heard from the Messenger of Allah with my own ears. The Messenger of Allah said, "Abu Bakr is in Paradise; Umar is in Paradise;  Uthman is in Paradise;  Ali is in Paradise; Talha is in Paradise;  Zubayr is in Paradise;  Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas is in Paradise." If it was necessary to mention the ninth one, I would mention him, too."

The next day, people gathered around Hz. Said and insisted on learning the name of the person he did not mention by vowing. Hz. Said could not put up with their insistence and said,

"Since you have vowed by the name of Allah, I will tell you: I am the ninth one."

Then, he said,

"It would be better for any of you to live with the Messenger of Allah and make his face dusty in jihad than all of the good deeds he would do if he lived as long as Noah." [ Musnad, 1: 187. ]

Hz. Said bin Zayd spent the last years of his long life in Aqiq near Madinah. He was engaged in agriculture there.

Once, a woman called "Awra binti Uways", whose land was next to his land, went to Marwan bin Hakam, the governor of Madinah and complained about him. She said,

"Said bin Zayd occupied some of my land. Take it from him and give it to me."

The governor sent a few people to investigate the issue. Hz. Said was in his land in Aqiq. The delegation mentioned him about the complaint. Said, whose place in Paradise was definite when he was alive, realized that he was wronged. He said to them,

"Let me report you something that I heard from the Prophet: The Messenger of Allah said, 'If a person seizes a land that does not belong to him, that land will be wrapped around his neck on the Day of Judgment even if he is under the seventh floor of the earth. A person who dies for his property is regarded as a martyr.'"

Then, Hz. Said vowed that he did not violate the land of the woman. Then, he raised his hands and prayed as follows:

"O Allah! If this woman is lying, blind her eyes before she dies and make her well a grave for her!"

Allah Almighty heard the cry of the oppressed and accepted his prayer. The woman who slandered him became blind after a while. Then, she fell into the well in her garden while she was wandering around her house. The well became her grave. [ Hilyatu'l-Awliya, 1: 96-97. ]

Hz. Said, who was mentioned by respect and mercy by the believers due to his exemplary life and his unbreakable connection with the Sunnah of the Prophet and who was a man of Paradise, died in the 51st year of the Migration at the age of 80. His dead body was washed by Hz. Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas. His janazah prayer was led by Hz. Abdullah bin Umar. [ Tabaqat, 3: 385. ]

May Allah be pleased with him!

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

22nd Nov >> Mass Readings (USA)

  for

Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

 or

Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr.

Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Red) First Reading 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31 The creator of the universe will give you back both breath and life. It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.    Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their ancestors with these words: “I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”    Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office. When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life. After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son. In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: “Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age. I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence. Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them.”    She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: “What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king’s command. I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses. But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.” The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b and 15 R/ Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full. Hear, O LORD, a just suit;    attend to my outcry;    hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. R/ Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full. My steps have been steadfast in your paths,    my feet have not faltered. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;    incline your ear to me; hear my word. R/ Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full. Keep me as the apple of your eye;    hide me in the shadow of your wings. But I in justice shall behold your face;    on waking, I shall be content in your presence. R/ Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full. Gospel Acclamation cf. John 15:16 Alleluia, alleluia. I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Luke 19:11-28 Why did you not put my money in a bank? While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’”    After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. The Gospel of the Lord R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. ——————-

Saint Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr

(Liturgical Colour: Red) First Reading Hosea 2:16bc, 17cd, 21-22 I will espouse you to me forever. Thus says the LORD: I will lead her into the desert    and speak to her heart. She shall respond there as in the days of her youth,    when she came up from the land of Egypt. I will espouse you to me forever:    I will espouse you in right and in justice,    in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity,    and you shall know the LORD. The Word of the Lord. R/ Thanks be to God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17 R/ Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear. or R/ The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord. Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,    forget your people and your father’s house. So shall the king desire your beauty;    for he is your lord, and you must worship him. R/ Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear. or R/ The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord. All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters;    her raiment is threaded with spun gold. In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king;    behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you. R/ Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear. or R/ The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord. They are borne in with gladness and joy;    they enter the palace of the king. The place of your fathers your sons shall have;    you shall make them princes through all the land. R/ Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear. or R/ The bridegroom is here; let us go out to meet Christ the Lord. Gospel Acclamation Alleluia, alleluia. This is the wise bridesmaid, whom the Lord found waiting; at his coming, she went in with him to the wedding feast. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Matthew 25:1-13 Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him! Jesus told his disciples this parable: “The Kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise ones replied, ‘No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’ While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open the door for us!’ But he said in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.” The Gospel of the Lord R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

[180brg]

Luke 11

Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer

1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

2 He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,[a] hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.[b] 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins,    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.[c] And lead us not into temptation.[d]’”

5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity[e] he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

9 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

11 “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for[f] a fish, will give him a snake instead? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Jesus and Beelzebul

14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed. 15 But some of them said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” 16 Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.

17 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

21 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe. 22 But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up his plunder.

23 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.

24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”

28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

The Sign of Jonah

29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.

The Lamp of the Body

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy,[g] your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy,[h] your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

Woes on the Pharisees and the Experts in the Law

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.

39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.

42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.

44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”

45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”

46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”

53 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.

Footnotes:

Luke 11:2 Some manuscripts Our Father in heaven

Luke 11:2 Some manuscripts come. May your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Luke 11:4 Greek everyone who is indebted to us

Luke 11:4 Some manuscripts temptation, but deliver us from the evil one

Luke 11:8 Or yet to preserve his good name

Luke 11:11 Some manuscripts for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for

Luke 11:34 The Greek for healthy here implies generous.

Luke 11:34 The Greek for unhealthy here implies stingy.

[dfroza]

the friendship of earth is promised to be restored at some point

to erase the fear and shame, along with sin and death. and it all begins with grace.

but we must come to “believe...” it for ourselves.

spiritual truth matters, for it conquers the lying dragon of this broken-hearted world.

and grace cleanses, but it also asks that we no longer continue in our sinful behavior. and grace empowers to be able to do so, to see through the failures we experience in life to find the pure acceptance of Love.

and speaking of grace, a scene of adultery is seen in Today’s reading of the Scriptures along with healing grace. and it does indeed matter what we do with the body sexually. we’re not even meant to be sexual with another person outside the marital bond that forms “One” body from two according to our Creator’s design of the male & female body and our individual sexuality.

Today’s reading from the New Testament is the 8th chapter of the book of John:

Jesus walked up the Mount of Olives near the city where he spent the night. Then at dawn Jesus appeared in the temple courts again, and soon all the people gathered around to listen to his words, so he sat down and taught them. Then in the middle of his teaching, the religious scholars and the Pharisees broke through the crowd and brought a woman who had been caught in the act of committing adultery and made her stand in the middle of everyone.

Then they said to Jesus, “Teacher, we caught this woman in the very act of adultery. Doesn’t Moses’ law command us to stone to death a woman like this? Tell us, what do you say we should do with her?” They were only testing Jesus because they hoped to trap him with his own words and accuse him of breaking the laws of Moses.

But Jesus didn’t answer them. Instead he simply bent down and wrote in the dust with his finger. Angry, they kept insisting that he answer their question, so Jesus stood up and looked at them and said, “Let’s have the man who has never had a sinful desire throw the first stone at her.” And then he bent over again and wrote some more words in the dust.

Upon hearing that, her accusers slowly left the crowd one at a time, beginning with the oldest to the youngest, with a convicted conscience. Until finally, Jesus was left alone with the woman still standing there in front of him. So he stood back up and said to her, “Dear woman, where are your accusers? Is there no one here to condemn you?”

Looking around, she replied, “I see no one, Lord.”

Jesus said, “Then I certainly don’t condemn you either. Go, and from now on, be free from a life of sin.”

Then Jesus said, “I am light to the world, and those who embrace me will experience life-giving light, and they will never walk in darkness.”

The Pharisees were immediately offended and said, “You’re just boasting about yourself! Since we only have your word on this, it makes your testimony invalid!”

Jesus responded, “Just because I am the one making these claims doesn’t mean they’re invalid. For I absolutely know who I am, where I’ve come from, and where I’m going. But you Pharisees have no idea about what I’m saying. For you’ve set yourselves up as judges of others based on outward appearances, but I certainly never judge others in that way. For I discern the truth. And I am not alone in my judgments, for my Father and I have the same understanding in all things, and he has sent me to you.

“Isn’t it written in the law of Moses that the testimony of two men is trustworthy? Then what I say about who I am is true, for I am not alone in my testimony—my Father is the other witness, and we testify together of the truth.”

Then they asked, “Just who is this ‘Father’ of yours? Where is he?”

Jesus answered, “You wouldn’t ask that question if you knew who I am, or my Father. For if you knew me, you would recognize my Father too.” (Jesus taught all these things while standing in the treasure room of the temple. And no one dared to arrest him, for it wasn’t yet his time to surrender to men.)

One day Jesus said again, “I am about to leave you. You will want to find me, but you will still die in your sins. You won’t be able to come where I am going.”

This so confused the Jewish leaders that they began to say, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What’s he talking about—‘You won’t be able to come where I am going’?”

Jesus spoke up and said, “You are all from the earth; I am from above. I am not from this world like you are. That’s why I’ve told you that you will all die in your sins if you fail to believe that I AM who I AM.”

So they asked him plainly, “Who are you?”

“I am the One I’ve always claimed to be.” Jesus replied. “And I still have many more things to pronounce in judgment about you. For I will testify to the world of the truths that I have heard from my Father, and the Father who sent me is trustworthy.” (Even after all of this, they still didn’t realize that he was speaking about his heavenly Father.)

“You will know me as ‘I AM’ after you have lifted me up from the earth as the Son of Man. Then you will realize that I do nothing on my own initiative, but I only speak the truth that the Father has revealed to me. I am his messenger and he is always with me, for I only do that which delights his heart.” These words caused many respected Jews to believe in him.

Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him, “When you continue to embrace all that I teach, you prove that you are my true followers. For if you embrace the truth, it will release true freedom into your lives.”

Surprised by this, they said, “But we’re the descendants of Abraham and we’re already free. We’ve never been in bondage to anyone. How could you say that we will be released into more freedom?”

“I speak eternal truth,” Jesus said. “When you sin you are not free. You’ve become a slave in bondage to your sin. And slaves have no permanent standing in a family, like a son does, for a son is a part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free from sin, then become a true son and be unquestionably free! Even though you are descendants of Abraham, you desire to kill me because the message I bring has not found a home in your hearts. Yet the truths I speak I’ve seen and received in my Father’s presence. But you are doing what you’ve learned from your father!”

“What do you mean?” they replied. “Abraham is our father!”

Jesus said, “If you are really Abraham’s sons, then you would follow in the steps of Abraham. I’ve only told you the truth that I’ve heard in my Father’s presence, but now you are wanting me dead—is that how Abraham acted? No, you people are doing what your father has taught you!”

Indignant, they responded, “What are you talking about? We only have one Father, God himself! We’re not illegitimate!”

Jesus said, “Then if God were really your father, you would love me, for I’ve come from his presence. I didn’t come here on my own, but God sent me to you. Why don’t you understand what I say? You don’t understand because your hearts are closed to my message!

“You are the offspring of your father, the devil, and you serve your father very well, passionately carrying out his desires. He’s been a murderer right from the start! He never stood with the truth, for he’s full of nothing but lies—lying is his native tongue. He is a master of deception and the father of lies! But I am the true Prince who speaks nothing but the truth, yet you refuse to believe and you want nothing to do with me. Can you name one sin that I’ve committed? Then if I am telling you only the truth, why don’t you believe me? If you really knew God, you would listen, receive, and respond with faith to his words. But since you don’t listen and respond to what he says, it proves you don’t belong to him and you have no room for him in your hearts.”

“See! We were right all along!” some of the Jewish leaders shouted. “You’re nothing but a demon-possessed Samaritan!”

Jesus replied, “It is not a demon that would cause me to honor my Father. I live my life for his honor, even though you insult me for it. I never have a need to seek my own glory, for the Father will do that for me, and he will judge those who do not. I speak to you this eternal truth: whoever cherishes my words and keeps them will never experience death.”

This prompted the Jewish leaders to say, “Now we know for sure that you’re demon possessed! You just said that those who keep watch over your words will never experience death, but Abraham and all the prophets have died! Do you think you’re greater than our father Abraham and all the prophets? You are so delusional about yourself that you make yourself greater than you are!”

Jesus answered them, “If I were to tell you how great I am, it would mean nothing. But my Father is the One who will prove it and will glorify me. Isn’t he the One you claim is your God? But in reality, you’ve never embraced him as your own. I know him, and I would be a liar, like yourselves, if I told you anything less than that. I have fully embraced him, and I treasure his every word. And not only that, Abraham, your ancestor, was overjoyed when he received the revelation of my coming to earth. Yes, he foresaw me coming and was filled with delight!”

But many of the Jewish leaders doubted him and said, “What are you talking about? You’re not even fifty years old yet. You talk like you’ve seen Abraham!”

Jesus said to them, “I give you this eternal truth: I have existed long before Abraham was born, for I AM!”

When they heard this, they picked up rocks to stone him, but Jesus concealed himself as he passed through the crowd and went away from there.

The Book of John, Chapter 8 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 40th chapter of the book of Job:

God then confronted Job directly:

“Now what do you have to say for yourself?

Are you going to haul me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?”

[Job Answers God]

[I’m Ready to Shut Up and Listen]

Job answered:

“I’m speechless, in awe—words fail me.

I should never have opened my mouth!

I’ve talked too much, way too much.

I’m ready to shut up and listen.”

[God’s Second Set of Questions]

[I Want Straight Answers]

God addressed Job next from the eye of the storm, and this is what he said:

“I have some more questions for you,

and I want straight answers.

“Do you presume to tell me what I’m doing wrong?

Are you calling me a sinner so you can be a saint?

Do you have an arm like my arm?

Can you shout in thunder the way I can?

Go ahead, show your stuff.

Let’s see what you’re made of, what you can do.

Unleash your outrage.

Target the arrogant and lay them flat.

Target the arrogant and bring them to their knees.

Stop the wicked in their tracks—make mincemeat of them!

Dig a mass grave and dump them in it—

faceless corpses in an unmarked grave.

I’ll gladly step aside and hand things over to you—

you can surely save yourself with no help from me!

“Look at the land beast, Behemoth. I created him as well as you.

Grazing on grass, docile as a cow—

Just look at the strength of his back,

the powerful muscles of his belly.

His tail sways like a cedar in the wind;

his huge legs are like beech trees.

His skeleton is made of steel,

every bone in his body hard as steel.

Most magnificent of all my creatures,

but I still lead him around like a lamb!

The grass-covered hills serve him meals,

while field mice frolic in his shadow.

He takes afternoon naps under shade trees,

cools himself in the reedy swamps,

Lazily cool in the leafy shadows

as the breeze moves through the willows.

And when the river rages he doesn’t budge,

stolid and unperturbed even when the Jordan goes wild.

But you’d never want him for a pet—

you’d never be able to housebreak him!”

The Book of Job, Chapter 40 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for monday, may 17 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A set of posts by John Parsons about trusting and knowing:

The sages have asked, “Why is Shavuot (i.e., “Pentecost”) called ‘zman mattan torateinu,’ the time of the *giving* of our Torah, rather than ‘zman kabbalat torateinu,’ the time of the *receiving* of our Torah? The reason is that on that momentous day at Sinai, only the giving of the Torah occurred, whereas the receiving of the Torah must take place each and every day, as it says, “Trust in the LORD 'bekhol libbekha' (בְּכָל־לִבֶּךָ) - with all your heart; and know Him 'bekhol derakhekha' (בְּכָל־דְּרָכֶיךָ), in all your ways” (Prov. 3:5-6). The giving of the Torah is described as a “loud and never-ending voice” (Deut. 5:19), though it is our constant responsibility to shema – to receive the invitation of God’s heart.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart... know Him in all your ways" (Prov. 3:5-6). The Hebrew word for trust is "bittachon" (בִּטָחוֹן), from a root word (בָּטָח) that means "to lean upon," to feel safe and secure.... Bittachon describes emotional acceptance of the goodness of the LORD. Some of the sages have said that while emunah (אֱמוּנָה), or "faith," represents a state of cognitive or intellectual understanding (בִּינָה) that God is involved in all the events of the universe, bittachon means emotionally trusting that the Lord is present in every situation for your good.... Rabbi Bechaya put the distinction this way: "Everyone with bittachon has emunah, but not everyone with emunah has bittachon." Bittachon is an intuitive awareness of the personal love of God for your life, coupled with complete trust that He deeply cares for you (Rom. 8:28). It is an expectation that the love of God is "I-AM-always-with-you," too.

“Know Him In all your ways,” and that means whatever way you find yourself in, which of course includes the way of your struggles, your transgressions, and your heartaches, as well as the way of your deepest longing and hope... Know Him in all your ways today, chaverim! [Hebrew for Christians]

5.17.21 • Facebook

"Dear child of mine, do not forget my Torah (תורתי), but let your heart keep my commandments (מצותי). Doing so will add to you length of days (ארך ימים), long life, and peace (שׁלום). Do not abandon the heart of Your Father by losing sight of mercy and truth (חסד ואמת); No! Tie them around your neck; inscribe them upon the table of your heart (לוח לבך), that is, make them part of your inner being and will. Doing so will reveal my grace (חן) and good understanding (שכל־טוב) before the eyes of God and others. Trust in your heavenly Father with all your heart (בטח אל־יהוה בכל־לבך) and don't seek to be in control, trying to figure everything out on your own (ואל־בינתך אל־תשען). Listen for your Father’s voice in everything you do; in all your ways know His heart (בכל־דרכיך דעהו), and then your ways will be directed in the truth. Don't assume that you know it all; abandon your self-conceit: Revere your heavenly Father (ירא את־יהוה) and flee from what you know is self-destructive and evil! Doing so will impart healing (רפאות) to you: your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor your Heavenly Father with everything you own; give him your first and the best of what you have (מראשׁית כל־תבואתך); then your barns will burst with plenty, and your wine vats will be overflowing" (Prov. 3:1-10). [Hebrew for Christians]

5.17.21 • Facebook

I have written before about how Shavuot (Pentecost) is called “Atzaret Pesach” (עצרת פסח) or the “culmination of Passover.” Just as the Passover reveals "God with us" (עִמָּנוּ אֵל), as the Word made flesh, and "God for us" (אֱלהִים לָנוּ), as the sacrificial Lamb of God, Shavuot adds yet another dimension by revealing "God within us" (אֱלהִים בְּתוֹכֵנוּ), as the indwelling Presence, the “breath of God” that forever abides in our hearts. Yeshua was eager for us to partake of this miracle: “I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper (i.e., ὁ παράκλητος, one "called alongside to help) will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). As it is written, "By this we know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit" (1 John 4:13). Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you (רוּחַ הַקּדֶשׁ בְּתוֹכֵנוּ), whom you have from God? “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Rom. 8:14). Amen, “Come, Holy Spirit,” and set us free by the truth and power of the LORD! [Hebrew for Christians]

5.17.21 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

May 17, 2021

The Virtue of Having Enemies

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26)

It is no compliment to say about a Christian that he has no enemies, for that is the same as saying he has accomplished nothing. The apostle Paul had many bitter enemies, and they finally got him executed. In fact, almost all of the great heroes of the faith, through all the centuries since Satan gained his victory over Adam and Eve, have had to overcome bitter opposition from that wicked one.

So, instead of resenting our enemies, we should thank God for them, for they enable us to become more like our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Only through such experiences can we learn what it means to say with Paul: “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20). Only if we have enemies can we learn to obey Christ’s difficult command to “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).

The Lord Jesus easily could have called on 12 legions of angels to rout His enemies (Matthew 26:53). Instead, He submitted to their vicious insults and cruel tortures, even praying in His agony on the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The enemies of Christ killed Him, but had they not done so He would not have died for our sins, and we would be lost eternally. This is a mystery to ponder and difficult to comprehend, yet, as the Bible promises, “surely the wrath of man shall praise thee” (Psalm 76:10).

The enmity of men can thus be a channel of divine grace to the believer, for “tribulation worketh patience” (Romans 5:3), and “our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17). HMM

[divanquotes]

Hawkins, History of the Turkish or Ottoman Empire v3, 1787

Page 1: Three days after sultan Mustafa’s having refused to appear in the divan, the troops repaired in oder to the outer court of the seraglio, crying: “Long live our powerful monarch Amaranth IV.” This prince, as we have said, was hardly fifteen years old, when he was placed on the throne of his ancestors. All the bashaws of the different orders, sangiacs, agas, and principal officers both of the troops and ulema, and particularly of the spahis and janissaries, were assembled in the divan. The mufti asked them if they would have Amaranth for their emperor. All replied with shouts of approbation and joy.

Page 2: The first use that Amurath made of his authority, was an act of rigor and justice. The bashaw of Grand Cairo, lately arrived at Constantinople, was accused by several trimarans of various oppressions. The emperor would have this affair examined in the divan; and, on the accused’s being found guilty, he was condemned, not to the bowstring, but to be beheaded.

Page 8: Nothing can be compared to the consternation which was spread in the capital on this occasion. As terror often renders men cruel, several bashaws proposed slaughtering all the Christians in Constantinople, lest they should have secret intelligence with the Cossacks. The wisest members of the divan represent, that, to irritate the Franks by such a cruelty would be but a bad way to secure themselves against them. The cossacks, who aimed only at booty, made no preparation for fighting; they stretched off and returned several successive days to the same station in order to augment the inquietude and take advantage of the convulsion that they caused in the town by ravaging and burning the lighthouses and neighboring villages. This insult convinced the Divan of the necessity of guarding Constantinople by sea.

Page 9: it was high time. The grand vizier, instead of marching against Abassa, as had been decided in the divan, went and wasted his army before Baghdad, and left behind him the provinces of the empire in confusion. The prince of the Druses and the bashaws of Erzurum, Aleppo, and Diarbekar, all accomplices in the same revolt, were at that time earnestly inviting the king of Persia into Asia, in order to pay him homage and place their governments under his authority.

Page 24: Another time he caused the Kislar Aga, or chief of the black eunuchs, to be strangled, because he had not been able to give the divan an exact account of the treasure of the mosques, though this officer alleged, by way of justification, that the valid sultaness had disposed of what was missing from the sacred treasury.

Page 37: The news of this march having reached Constantinople, the emperor would fain se more of this prince, of whom h had heard so many things, then h possibly could, considering the immense distance at which the Ottoman emperors keep their feudatories. Amurath took with him the retinue, and assumed the dress, of a bashaw, and advanced into Asia within about two days journey of Scutari. Having met Facardin, the emperor introduced himself as a bashaw of the bench, or one of the viziers that compose the divan.

Page 39: As the old emir was assisting at the divan, agreeably to the power which he had received from the emperor, he heard with astonishment a bashaw of the bench read aloud several accusations against him, all ending to one end, that of having professed by turns Islamism and Christianity. The emir rose to begin his justification: the mufti, being present at this divan, stopped his proceeding, by reading a fetfa which condemned to death all relapses or hypocrites, professing one religion outwardly, and retaining another in the bottom of their hart. It was to no purpose that the old Facardin denied his being a Christian, or that he pleaded the sacred word of the emperor, who had drawn him to Constantinople under promis of life and liberty. Th grand seignior did not assist at the divan; though, with great repugnance, he set the seal of his authority to the mufti’s fetfa. The old Facardin was strangled; and his son, scarcely otherwise than a child, was brought up among the icolgans. The province of the Druses has been since governed by bashaws.

Page 41: He resolved to go himself against the Persians, and recover what heretofore he had been constrained to give up. Pretexts are not wanting to go to war with this nation, which was never mentioned in the divan but as a perfidious, usurping people. The eagerness of the Persians to attack the Ottoman empire, when it was rent by insurrections, sufficiently authorized Amaranth to make them feel the effects of his resentment as soon as he thought his forces recruited.

Page 46: The count, who knew that this merchandise was expected, had had the precaution to obtain an order of council from the court of France, and a decree from the divan, which permitted him to feign everything that he could find belonging to these knavish debtors. By virtue of the two respectable authorities, count Cesy caused all the vessels arrived from Provence to be delivered to chaise, who do the duty of bailiffs at Constantinople. The marquis of Marcheville, who endeavored to protect these merchants against the count, whom he had, wanted to obtain a replevy of this seizure, under pretext of the urgent necessity for the merchandise on board these vessels. There was nothing but an order from the caiman which could alter a decree of the divan; and this minister refusd to give such an order, unless h had the particular consent of Cesy.

Page 83: As soon as Amurath IV was dead, the grand vizier, Mustafa, lately returned from Asia, the mufti, the two cadileskers, the reis effendi, the bashaws of the bench, the aga of the janissaries, the spahi agasi, and all that had a right to enter the divan, repaired thither in great number. Some officers of the janissaries had murmured at the preferment of Ibrahim the only remaining prince of the Ottoman race, but who was said to be quite incapable of reigning.

Page 86: More debauched than his brother, but destitute of the talents which had ben so much admired in that prince, the new emperor abandoned the rings of government to his grand vizier and the valid sultans. Kiosem went to the divan, or rather she hard what passed in that assembly, from the window call dangerous, on account of its looking into the divan chamber from a gallery in the seraglio, which being covered with a thin gauze, the sultans can hear everything that passes between their ministers, and have been sometimes known to open this window to give rigorous orders, in consequence of what they had just hard.

Page 102: Ibrahim listened to these reasons. The expedition against Candia was resolved on; but everything was kept a profound secret in the divan: it was the more easy to be concealed, because the preparations threatened the isle of Malta. In vain did the Venetians instruct their ambassador to penetrate the real designs of the Porte: the Italian was deluded; the feigned caresses of the Turks, and the assurance which they gave him that they were going to attack the rock of Malta, lulled his vigilance and disconcerted all his plots. Notwithstanding the security of the ambassador, the Venetians prepared to receive the enemy; they assembled their fleet, and collected ammunition and provisions, in order to defend the possessions of the republic, or snd succors to their allies.

Page 125: Meanwhile the aga of the janissaries and the two cadileskers returned to St. Sophia’s. On the report which they gave of their mission, the mufti grand a new feat, which declared, that an emperor who had transgressed all the laws of the Alcoran, was an Infidel, and as such no longer deserved to command Mussulman. After this decision, the whole assembly proceeded towards the seraglio. They passed between two rows of janissaries: the spahis on horseback filled the Hippodrom and the other squares of Constantinople. On the arrival of the chiefs in the divan chamber, they ordered the black eunuchs to take Ibrahim from the women’s apartment and bring him into their presence.

Page 131: But Murad, on his return to Constantinople, had no sooner entered the seraglio to preside at the divan, than h was presented with a fetfa of the mufti, which declared, that he, who had dipped his hands in the blood of his sovereign, deserved death. It was of no service to the unfortunate grand vizier to exclaim, that he, who condemned him, was his accomplice; the fetfa was confirmed by a catcherif of the grand seignior, and he was immediately strangled.

Page 143: The defenders of the young emperor redoubled their clamors to obtain the head of Kiosem. The grand vizier and all his colleagues were of opinion that it was no longer possible to save her from the punishment which she merited. The mufti, though engaged in her faction, took care how he undertook her defense: the example of the master of the chamber had kept him from declaring himself ‘till then. He could not refuse a fetfa so earnestly demanded of him by the grand vizier, the valid sultans, and all the divan.

Page 197: A general consternation spread in Adrianople with the order to extinguish the illumination. It was so great in the seraglio and even in the divan, that the ministers were incapable of advising Mahomet anything but to endeavor to make a speedy peace. The caimacan, Mustapha, strongly supported this advice; he even wrote to Kiuperli, that the number of enemies which he had at the Porte, though intimidated by the example of the last favorite, resumed courage as soon as they heard that the army had been beaten.

Page 215: They sent for a physician, who, from a Jew, had turned Mahometan, and who understood the bad Greek mixed with Arabic spoken at Smyrna. Mahomet smiled at hearing the son of God confess that h had not the gift of tongues, and remarked it to all the divan who stood around; but when the Sabbatai had declared, by the voice of his trichina, that he was the Messiah bestowed on the chosen people, to reestablish them in their preeminence and make them reign over all the globe, that the throne on which Mahomet was sitting belonged to him, that the universe was his patrimony, and that all the earth was under the control of his voice, the sultan declared to him, that he was ready to acknowledge his divinity, if he would immediately manifest it by a miracle, and that he was going to furnish him with an occasion for doing it. Having ordered the Messiah to be stripped, he was fastened to a pillar in the inner court of the seraglio. All the icoglans prepared to shoot arrows at him at a moderate distance. “If thou be the son of God,” said the emperor to him, “thy body will be proof against the darts that they are going to shoot at the; then I will yield up my throne to the and become thy disciple; if thou art only an impostor, thou shalt receive the reward of thy audacity and knavery.” This order was a clap of thunder for the Messiah; all his resolution forsook him, and he acknowledged, with tears in his eyes, that h had imposed on the credulity of his people. This confession was insufficient to save his life, as he flattered himself it would.

Page 249: After the rejoicings in Constantinople on account of Mahomet’s successes, which were celebrated with great magnificence, the divan turn their attention to a rebellion that had broken out in Tripoli. The bashaw of that province was become a sort of sovereign. For a long time past, neither cadis nor defterdars had been sent to Tripoli; the sums annually sent to the treasury of Constantinople were a real tribute.

Page 260: They not only recovered Bethlehem chapel, but had likewise the boldness to attack the Latins whilst they were celebrating Christmas in the Holy sepulcher; the blood of some monks of both parties, polluted the sacrifices which were offered up that holy night to the redeemer of the World. The Latins were vanquished; and when thy complained to the divan of the violation of a treaty so recently made, thy received no other answer, that that it appeared from the records that the Greeks had been always in possession of it, and that his had been recently confirmed to them by a catcher, which the late Panajot, first interpreter to the Porte, the same to whose address the reduction of Candia was thought due, had obtained for the monks of his faith.

Page 261: All that the ambassadors could obtain was, that the Greeks should promote the Latin pilgrims to enter the Holy places, on pecuniary conditions, for which the Greek prelates should pay the grand seignieur an annual sum; which equally satisfied the avarice of both parties. This decision, so contrary to the new treaty, was made in open divan.

Page 262: His exactions were so great, that some very serious complaints arrived at Constantinople, before Mahomet aga had brought back his galleys to the capital, more loaded on his own account than the emperor’s. Immediately on their entering the port, the grand vizier sent a guard on board, in order to prevent anything from being removed out of the vessels; and, notwithstanding the weakness which the sultan did not dissemble for this extortioner, Kiuperi persuaded him, that it was for the interest of Mahomet aga, that he himself should give an account of his conduct in open divan, which several letters represented to be very criminal, but which he could not think true.

Page 288: The ambassador, having assembly his countrymen, received some reproaches from them for having entrusted this perfidious mussulman with what was the security of all the english in the different factories. All the Christian ministers were ready to take part in this quarrel; when a sum of fifty purse, making 3,125 pounds sterling, was furnished unanimously by the English merchants, to whom the time consumed in negotiations was a great prejudice. Mustapha, who was afraid lest the remonstrances of the ambassadors should raise a storm in the divan which h might not perhaps have the power to allay, contented himself with this sum, joined to the fine imposed on the two testamentary executors already mentioned.

Page 292: Though Mahomet IV always permitted Cara Mustapha to manage the great affairs of state as he pleased, his favor began to decline; and the first officers of the divan, perceiving it, took every opportunity of sitting the grand seignior against him. The mufti thought he had found an occasion of doing it effectually, on account of a transgression of the law of Mahomet, which the avidity of the grand vizier authorized in Constantinople, because it brought a great deal of money into his own pocket.

Page 329: But when the news arrived of the defeat of Barkan, the taking of Strigonia, the immense losses which reduced such a fine army to less than half, that the discouragement of the troops was at its height, and that Hungary and Austria were covered with Turkish deserters who quitted the turban, as they said, to seek bread, which was refused them in their army; when Tekli, whom Cara Mustapha had accused, was come to Constantinople to justify the conduct and memory of those to whom the grand vizier imputed all these misfortunes; the janissaries that remained around the Ottoman emperor, and those who composed the divan and the corps of ulema, began to clamor against this unjust minister, who punished for his fault those who had endeavored to divert him from them. To add to the misfortune of Cara Mustapha, the valid sultans died in the middle of these disturbances. The emperor’s sister, the widow of Cara Ibrahim, a lieutenant general, and the grand vizir’s first victim, took care to have all those heard who had complaints to make. The janissaries assembled one day in the second court of the seraglio whilst the divan was sitting; and when the had learned that the grand seignior, frighted with their clamours, had shut himself up in his harem, they protested that they would not eat till the death and dishonor of their chiefs and comrades are avenged by the punishment of this to whom they ought to be imputed.

Page 330: Mahomet IV, came out of his harm to sign the catcher which condemned the grand vizier to be strangled. This order was no sooner written, than it was shown to the odas of janissaries who beset the avenues of the divan, the sight of which quieted and dispersed them immediately.

Page 333: Carakaja immediately proposed in the divan to negotiate with the Austrians; but there was no room to hope that Leopold would grant tolerable conditions, and the ministers could not yet resolve to conclude a disgraceful peace. Mahomet had always heard the Ottoman arms, the valor of his troops, and the glory of his empire, spoken of with enthusiasm. He expected his generals to vanquish in his name, and his ministers to procure from the people wherewithal to maintain numerous arms, whilst he should peaceably enjoy delights which he believed inseparable from the throne of the Ottomans. He bitterly reproach the new grand vizier in open divan, on the discouragement with which he spoke of the operations of the subsequent campaign.

Page 362: Meanwhile the army advanced rapidly. Neither the sacrifice of the old grand vizier, nor the future promises, nor the gold sent to the new general to distribute to the troops, could appease the mutineers. They drew their chiefs along with them, who had always in the council inclined towards moderation. The grand seignior assembled the divan every day; he descended to justification and even to prayers. The bashaws and men of the law, who composed this assembly, replied, that it was not they that he should gain over.

Page 367: “Most powerful emperor,” replied the chief of the emirs, “this law, which you have so particularly studied, is that by which you shall govern us; this is also what your brother has so shamefully transgressed. God and the holy prophet command you, by our voice, to come and seat yourself on the throne of your ancestors.” The new emperor obeyed with an affected repugnancy. Thy obliged him to put on a robe lined with sable, and placed in his turban the there egrets, as likewise by his side a poniards set with diamonds, all marks of sovereignty. He was conducted into the divan chamber, where the grand vizier, the bashaws of the bench, the body of ulema, and, in short all the chiefs of the military corps, janissaries, spahis, levantis, and others, were waiting to kiss the bottom of his vest.

Page 368: This prince, being arrived in the place where he was to appear as an absolute monarch, showed by his timid countenance that the pomp which surrounds him, and the authority with which he was going to be invested, were equally strange to him. He confirmed the grand vizier Sciaus bashaw in his dignity, as well as the rest of the officers that filled the divan. He performed the abdest (washing of the hands) in presence of this numerous assembly, and then dismissed them, after having exhorted each member in a few words to do his duty.

Page 373: The Turks expected great things from this important diversion: an effendi, named Suubsicar, and a Greek interpreter of the Porte, called Mauro Cordato, were sent to the German camp to propose a suspension of arms. This Mauro Cordato enjoyed at the Porte the greatest consideration ever obtained by any Christian among the Turks. He was perhaps the only one of his religion admitted into the divan and invested with the character of ambassador. The grand seignior, all religious as he was, surmounted his natural repugnancy for those whom the Turks call Giaurs or Infidels. He gave instructions from his own mouth to Mauro Cordato, who was thought more skillful than Suubsicar, so much were the Mussulmen interested in disarming Leopold.

Page 376: This grand seignior put at the head of the army, which he would no longer command himself, not the grand vizier Mustapha, who was as ignorant of the art of war as his master, but the seraskier Rejeb, formerly a chief of freebooters, who was supposed to have great talents for war, because he had desolated Asia and made himself formidable to all the bashaws of the divan, who had thought it safer to admit him among them, than to attempt to punish him. This chief of bandits, skilled in desolating plains and butchering farmers on the fiels where they were on the point of gathering in their harvest, knew nothing of that scientific manner of making war which had been introduced into Europe several years before.

[theliterateape]

Screaming at Weeds Doesn't Make Them Disappear

By Don Hall

Jesus Christ.

As the very real possibility that Trump & Company may continue to trample through our federal government, overturning established laws, creating distractions for us to buy into, freak out, and miss it when they do the real work of dismantling the safety net (that was filled with holes, anyway) things have become downright 1968.

Now that he gets another bite at the SCOTUS apple, it might be like 1950 meets 1968. Christ, all he needs is a war with a draft and someone send in the Terminator to kill him before he is born. 

People are anxious and enraged on both sides of the Trump Machine and a sense of petty vengeance is in the air like the scent of magnolias and burning dog. It's as if everyone forgot why we had to codify our rights in writing through war to get them even temporarily established. That our relatively short battle against thousands of years of tribalism, subjugation of women, religious persecution, and the guards of the king (or pharaoh) torturing you for saying the wrong thing was over because, in our arrogance, we decided that enough was enough. We put our foot down and said "No more racism." and somehow expected the march of inter-tribal animus and war that has been present and ongoing for thousands of years was going to simply evaporate out of fear of our online mob.

It's as if, in this fragile democracy, we've never been at our worst than this time in history. That Trump is the sum total of the most horrifying mistakes we could exact upon ourselves — like he's the really fucking fast zombies of 28 Days Later or the population killing virus of so many dystopian novels and films.

Except that I remember how angry I was when the Scalia-infused SCOTUS handed George W his screwy Electoral College win and spent the next eight years pissing and moaning about everything from the corruption of his cabinet to his inability to say certain words correctly to the fact that Cheney had no heart but a mechanism that ran on sand and hate. To me (and so many of us) W was the apotheosis of everything wrong with America. It certainly was the worst we had ever faced as a country, right?

"I say we had best look our times and lands searchingly in the face, like a physician diagnosing some deep disease. Never was there, perhaps, more hollowness at heart than at present, and here in the United States. Genuine belief seems to have left us. The underlying principles of the States are not honestly believ'd in, (for all this hectic glow, and these melodramatic screamings,) nor is humanity itself believ'd in. What penetrating eye does not everywhere see through the mask? The spectacle is appaling. We live in an atmosphere of hypocrisy throughout.

The men believe not in the women, nor the women in the men. A scornful superciliousness rules in literature. The aim of all the littérateurs is to find something to make fun of. A lot of churches, sects, &c., the most dismal phantasms I know, usurp the name of religion. Conversation is a mass of badinage. From deceit in the spirit, the mother of all false deeds, the offspring is already incalculable. An acute and candid person, in the revenue department in Washington, who is led by the course of his employment to regularly visit the cities, north, south and west, to investigate frauds, has talk'd much with me about his discoveries.

The depravity of the business classes of our country is not less than has been supposed, but infinitely greater. The official services of America, national, state, and municipal, in all their branches and departments, except the judiciary, are saturated in corruption, bribery, falsehood, mal-administration; and the judiciary is tainted. The great cities reek with respectable as much as non-respectable robbery and scoundrelism. In fashionable life, flippancy, tepid amours, weak infidelism, small aims, or no aims at all, only to kill time. In business, (this all-devouring modern word, business,) the one sole object is, by any means, pecuniary gain. The magician's serpent in the fable ate up all the other serpents; and money-making is our magician's serpent, remaining to-day sole master of the field.

The best class we show, is but a mob of fashionably dress'd speculators and vulgarians. True, indeed, behind this fantastic farce, enacted on the visible stage of society, solid things and stupendous labors are to be discover'd, existing crudely and going on in the background, to advance and tell themselves in time. Yet the truths are none the less terrible. I say that our New World democracy, however great a success in uplifting the masses out of their sloughs, in materialistic development, products, and in a certain highly-deceptive superficial popular intellectuality, is, so far, an almost complete failure in its social aspects, and in really grand religious, moral, literary, and esthetic results.

In vain do we march with unprecedented strides to empire so colossal, outvying the antique, beyond Alexander's, beyond the proudest sway of Rome. In vain have we annex'd Texas, California, Alaska, and reach north for Canada and south for Cuba. It is as if we were somehow being endow'd with a vast and more and more thoroughly-appointed body, and then left with little or no soul."

— Democratic Vistas by Walt Whitman (1871)

1871?

Never was there, perhaps, more hollowness at heart than at present, and here in the United States.

The men believe not in the women, nor the women in the men.

The depravity of the business classes of our country is not less than has been supposed, but infinitely greater.

I say that our New World democracy, however great a success in uplifting the masses out of their sloughs, in materialistic development, products, and in a certain highly-deceptive superficial popular intellectuality, is, so far, an almost complete failure in its social aspect...

OK. This is not to say that things aren’t bad in the United Skeets of Racist-murka. Is Trump bad? Duh. Is he Hitler Redux? No. Is he the worst president in our history? Perhaps the least qualified for the job but hardly the worst. I mean, so far. Are we going to have to refight the battles for the rights of women? Yup. For police to stop killing (mostly black) people? Definitely. Were we ever going to be able to relax and forget about these things? Not if we're smart.

This is to say that it has never been as great as the bullshit textbooks that erased women and blacks and Native Americans and immigrants told us it was. Never. In 1871, Walt wrote out how crap things were from his vantage and, as I read his text, it pretty accurately describes things as they are today. 

Breathe. Acknowledge this fact. 

Now what? 

Get a fucking grip on yourself, stop flailing your arms and typing fingers and cease the fearmongering and hyperbolic spew. Sure, elections based on fear and hatred of the opposition win all the time but when we go there, we get crap for leaders. Every time. 

Grab a can of perspective, crack the top, and understand that the march of history and the essential nature of human beings is to be constantly fighting for and against the concepts the country is founded upon. Going to war with one another is hardwired in our DNA, fighting for dominance is the defining element of our species. If equality among everyone was so fucking easy, why do we keep having to fight for it?

It's as if our ancestors have been toiling away, trying to get rid of weeds in the yard and we woke up to more weeds and threw up our arms, fell to our knees (all set to strains of Barber's Adagio for Strings in G minor) and screamed "But WHYYYYYY?" when we saw that more weeds had sprouted up overnight. Weeds, like tribalism, hatred for the Other, the enslavement of one another, superstition, and war, always keep coming back. The arrogance to assume that because we did some weeding before (I mean, women got the right to vote less than one hundred years ago in this Fabergé Egg of a society) that we could just stop weeding is Icarus Wax Wing-level shit.

Finally, this is also not a call to be more civil (despite the fact that it is called "civil disobedience" and not "act like a fucking asshole disobedience") but a call to be better at your incivility. If the best you can come up with is to insult Republicans with names a fourth grader could come up with after watching HBO for an hour, you’re a fucking dimwit. 

Also, if you absolutely cannot resist being an angry fourth grader barking at the weeds, do it while also doing the real work of systemic change, which isn't fun or exciting or blessed with any sense of immediate gratification. If the best disobedience (civil or otherwise) you have is to flip off the president or call anyone who disagrees with your worldview garbage, you're just fucking lazy.

The lesson we can learn from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is that, in order to win, we need to organize, get out the vote of people who generally don't, and provide a candidate of merit and hope rather than a well-financed campaign of fear and rage. Provide an alternative to the Trump Machine rather than shame people into a moral quagmire of our own making. Ideas rather than insults; hope rather than condemnation.

[tpanan]

My Wednesday Daily Blessings

November 22, 2017

Be still quiet your heart and mind, the LORD is here, loving you talking to you...........

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr (Catholic Observance)

Lectionary: 499

First Reading: 2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.

Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their ancestors with these words: "I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed.

Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man's beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."

Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office. When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother, urging her to advise her boy to save his life. After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son. In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: "Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age. I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence. Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."

She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king's command. I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses. But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God."

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b and 15

"LORD, when your glory appears, my joy will be full."

Verse before the Gospel: John 15:16

Alelluia, Alelluia

"I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord."

Alelluia, Alelluia

Gospel Reading: Luke 19:11-28

While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately.

So he said, "A nobleman went off to a distant country  to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.

He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, 'Engage in trade with these until I return.' His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce,

'We do not want this man to be our king.' But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, 'Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.'He replied, 'Well done, good servant!

You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.' Then the second came and reported, 'Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.' And to this servant too he said, 'You, take charge of five cities.' Then the other servant came and said, 'Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.' He said to him, 'With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant.

You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.'

And to those standing by he said, 'Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.'

But they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten gold coins.' He replied, 'I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.'"

After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

**Meditation:

How does God establish his kingdom here on the earth? The Jews in Jesus' time had a heightened sense that the Messiah would appear soon to usher in the kingdom of God's justice, love, and peace on the earth (Isaiah 11:1-9). Jesus, in fact, spoke in messianic terms of the coming reign of God. Perhaps his entry into Jerusalem would bring about such a change and overthrow of Roman domination.

Parable of the talents Jesus speaks to their longing for a new kingdom in the parable of a nobleman who went away to receive a kingdom. The parable reveals something important about how God works his plan and purpose with his people. The parable speaks first of the king's trust in his subjects. While he goes away he leaves them with his money to use as they think best. While there were no strings attached, this was obviously a test to see if the Master's workers would be industrious and reliable in their use of the money entrusted to them. The master rewards those who are industrious and faithful and he punishes those who sit by idly and who do nothing with his money.  

The essence of the parable seems to lie in the servants' conception of responsibility. Each servant entrusted with the master's money was faithful up to a certain point. The servant who buried the master's money was irresponsible. One can bury seeds in the ground and expect them to become productive because they obey natural laws. Coins, however, do not obey natural laws. They obey economic laws and become productive in circulation. The master expected his servants to be productive in the use of his money.

The Lord rewards those who faithfully use their gifts and talents for doing good by giving them more What do coins and the law of economics have to do with the kingdom of God? The Lord entrusts the subjects of his kingdom with gifts and graces and he gives his subjects the freedom to use them as they think best. With each gift and talent, God gives sufficient means (grace and wisdom) for using them in a fitting way. As the parable of the talents shows, God abhors indifference and an attitude that says it's not worth trying. God honors those who use their talents and gifts for doing good. Those who are faithful with even a little are entrusted with more! But those who neglect or squander what God has entrusted to them will lose what they have.

The Lord expects us to be good stewards of the gifts and graces he gives us There is an important lesson here for us. No one can stand still for long in the Christian life. We either get more or we lose what we have. We either advance towards God or we slip back. Do you seek to serve God with the gifts, talents, and graces he has given to you? The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of justice, love, and peace and he calls us to live as citizens of this kingdom where he rules as Lord and Master. Through his atoning death on the cross and through his resurrection victory, Jesus frees us from a kingdom of darkness where sin and Satan reign. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Lord gives us freedom to live as his servants and to lay down our lives in loving service of our neighbors (Galatians 5:1,13). Do you trust in God's grace to make good use of the gifts and talents he has given you?

**Prayer

"Lord Jesus, be the ruler of my heart and mind and the master of my home and goods. Fill me with a generous and wise spirit that I may use the gifts, talents, time, and resources you give me for your glory and your kingdom."                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Sources:

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

**Meditations may be freely reprinted for non-commercial use. Cite copyright & source: www.dailyscripture.net author Don Schwager© 2015 Servants of the Word

[fall2017ugc111]

Rome- Republic vs Empire notes

- 509 BCE to 100CE. - Key themes: Roman ID -> special to them and importance of republic. - Participating in Roman ID (esp. for women) + looking at diversity and agency outside of political sphere. - Roman republic -> empire -> living in the empire. - Republic: representative democracy -> elect officials to represent you. Usually homogenous group of ppl. -> eg. Same lang and culture. - Empire: Absolute authority for 1 individual. Usually formed via conquest (sometimes by alliance). Usually takes up large amt of territory. - 509 BCE to 44 BCE: The republic: - Transition to empire is gradual. - Rome started as a small city of Latin ppl abt 750 BCE. - Abt same time Assyrian conquered Israel and China is in warring state. - Ruled by foreign power initially called Etruscan kings, ruling from 650 to 509 BCE. - Ruled via kingship. - Abt 509 BCE, romans overthrew the last king and transitioned to Republic. - This became the heart and soul of Roman ID. - Key value: balance of power. - 2 forms: btw 2 major classes in their society -> patricians (3 part names) and plebeians (2 part names). - Roman classes based on bloodline. - Patrician -> can be senate and have political rep. Usually men. Can be wealthy or not. - Abt 400 BCE, plebeians get rep politically. - Ideal -> all involved in governance. - Maintained the senate and assembly for over 400 yrs. - Ppl of rome can be elected to the assembly. - Collective physiology -> deeply afraid of possibility of kingship. - They started conquering others almost immediately after overthrowing old kings -> always at war. - Not typical for republics. - Conquered majority of places before considering themselves as an empire. - But why conquer? - 1) “Defensive Conquest” -> conquer others before they conquer them. - Tied to military -> to serve in military, you must own land coz if you do you have a stake and you will fight well. - But commoners did not own much land. - So, they suggest giving land -> recruit ppl by promising land. - Created a feedback loop -> recruit ppl -> need more land -> conquest -> new boarders -> recruit ppl. - As Rome expanded, they needed ppl to look after the land so created provincial governors. - Provincial governors -> like kings in own territories. - Easy to gain personal loyalty from soldiers -> no need to listen to republic. - Infamous generals who did that: Marius, Sulla and Caesar -> turned around and conquered their own city. - Julius Caesar -> last nail in the coffin for the republic -> 100 to 44 BCE. - His actions and appointment as dictator for life -> resulted in his assassination. - Previously called Octavian but changed his name. - Augustus -> baby on leg considered a genie (divine right and inspiration to rule). - Means “the great one”. - Was in power mostly coz of Caesar’s will. - Caesar’s will was read in public and his wealth was divided as ifts to public, also to his soldiers. - In his death, controlled 17 legions of army vs Senate which had 12. - Proclaimed that he was the first citizen of the state -> gets to speak first in senate meetings. - Usually given to senior and older senates members. - Put under the guise of republic while Augustus actually holds great power. - Romans are deeply religious ppl. - THE HISTORIES (LIVY): - Themes: praise, condemnations, Rome as a city/state is described as? Possible perceptions? - City founded by slaves, outlaws and men so there was no women in the foundation of Rome. - When Rome was ruled by foreign kings -> considered a golden age by historians as they engaged in trade and was stable and wealthy. - Last few kings were very unstable and horrible. - Romans however, consider this a darker day of their history. - Initially took place in variety of city state. - In the city of Alba, near Rome. - Livy praises: - Para 3: As they were twins and no claim to precedence could be based on seniority, they decided to consult the tutelary deities of the place by means of augury  as to who was to give his name to the new city, and who was to rule it after it had been founded. - Praised the idea of finding divine judgement instead of own choice. - Also praised collective equality. - 4: Praise self-reliance and independence. - 9: Shows what self-reliance and divine help can get you. - 7: Praise citizen’s support of Romulus by giving personal resources -> duty as a citizen. - 3: praises humble beginnings -> started from the bottom and ended up great idea. - Livy condemns: - 13 and 14: Gives perspective of pelsavines NOT romans. - Roman’s actions were condemned. - Also for condemning of intermarriage btw romans and neighbours by neighbours-> seems insulted by this. - 3: Also condemned kingship by foreign king -> “cruelty”. - Threatened by children and also romans perception of king. - Roles of fate and the gods: - Thinks Rome is great coz of divine help. - God and fate is related. - Not a go to god for everything -> deities seem to be more distant. - Fate = divine. - Similar to Chinese and their ancestors -> augury -> read via animal entrails vs bones for Chinese. - Courage and self-reliance seem to go with divine intervention all the time -> tied together. - Rome created by both ppl and gods. - Seems that ppl who are self-reliant and have courage earns divine intervention. - Bad things -> more of human failure. - Good things -> they did well even as humans so earned divine favour. - Rome (city and state) is described as and perceived as…?: - Describes the city as great and powerful with neighbours being amazed by them too for their rapid growth. - Despite fact that this was used to cheat their neighbours later. - Makes neighbours seem less impressive. - Why are women at peace after abduction? - Livy thinks the attractive argument -> honourable wedlock, property, civil rights and ability of mothers to free men and promise of affection from their husbands. - Also, Roman’s highly value relationships btw husbands and wives. - Livy believes that would led to females being appeased. - But rmb, Livy is a guy trying to look at a girl’s point of view. - For romans these are valuable things. - Best way to move from our gut reaction and better understand this text? - Acknowledge your own beliefs and see what Roman’s thought and believed -> balance the two out. - Look past action of Romans and see the intention (betterment of society). - Look at text as a whole. - Note: Empire is where trade happens. - Next reading: Pliny is a new governor and don’t know what to do with Christians. - Asked the emperor what to do and later condemned Christians for political reasons. - Other reading: Clement of Alexandria -> same as Hellenistic world lecture. - Is a religious leader. - Just after a period of persecution of Christians. - Can be a response to persecution. - Romulus and Remus: Fractricide, a cruel king, barbarism, omens and gods. - Cincinnatus -> Roman senator that became dictator to fight a war, previously a farmer and was half naked, other senators convince him to go to war and in 14 days he saves the city. - Best part: as soon as his work was done, he gives up his power. - Horatius at the bridge: he and his troops stay at the bridge that is the only access to the city, Horatius fought well, managed to escape and had the help of gods. - Is a legend and a myth. - Point of both: self-sacrifice for Rome. - Livy tells these stories to connect to readers and this was done during Rome’s transition to empire. - Living in Roman Empire as a young girl or as a woman? - Tells abt nurturing, childhood, daily life and family structure. - Married fairly early- shorter lifespan and not educated. - 15yo married = good wife coz have children. - Romans love women with domestic abilities – ie. Worked well with wool. - Sources not official for women -> headstone and graffiti. - City of Pompey -> much graffiti abt who slept with who. - But sources not often written by women themselves. - Roles depend on class and age -> women’s roles. - Upper class -> educated but not expected to work, lower class = occupation bt not educated. - Women worked as midwives -> shown by inscriptions showing women in birthing chair. - But unsanitary and midwives with birthing chair and helper considered well to do. - Sitting position -> gravity helps women give birth better. - Midwives -> must be literate, soft hands, good memory, charge fairly, etc. - As orators -> women speaking in public. - Hortensia -> daughter of famous Roman politician. - She stormed the Roman capital to give a piece of her mind to the increase in taxes. - Says that they have to pay taxes but were not given power, fame or anything else in compensation. - Only possible for women in higher class like she is. - *** - A Christian in the Roman Empire: - Christianity development in Roman empire. - Context: Roman empire (primary), Judaism and Hellenistic world. - Note: Hellenistic world still playing a role but not explicitly. - Roman empire: - Like Persia -> practices religious tolerance ( as long as you offer sacrifices to the emperor) -> but Jews allowed to pay taxes instead coz they practice monotheism. - Like Greece -> appreciate spread of knowledge and are intellectual ppl. - Distinct to Rome: Citizenship rights as a reward for good behaviour -> offer full citizenship rights to anyone who plays well into the empire. Eg. If they conquer you and you do not fight back, you can be a citizen -> can run for political positions, full legal rights and protection under laws, etc. - Jewish ppl do not get citizenship coz Judea was a pain in the butt for the Romans. - Jewish hated being conquered and it took abt 100 years before they were fully conquered. - There was periodic revolts and was ultimately unsuccessful. - Romans became really hard on Jews as a result. - Jews are angry over being occupied but Romans did bring great things to the places they conquer -> eg Education, wine, medication, water supply, etc. - Jesus -> is a Jewish teacher/ rabbi who was concerned with the 600+ laws, born in Judea, is concerned with proper worship and rituals and how to perform them. Also has multiple accounts of miracles and died in 20 CE by Roman crucification. - Was considered a political threat to the Roman empire -> seen as a charismatic leader. - After his death: stories that he is resurrected circulated initially by female followers only, they met in secret, had secret meetings, sacred meals -> as Jesus still considered political prisoners. - Took up tendencies of Hellenistic world more than Jews. - Romans see religion as civic or private. - See religion as having 2 pieces -> public facing and private facing. - Christians only do private facing -> so Romans very worried. - Vs Judaism was organized and the Jewish leaders had worked it out well with the Romans via bargains. - Even Jews had a public (civic) face but Christians did not. - Plus, Christians were not big enough (or old enough) to do bargaining. Not as organized as well. - Most ppl are polythetic so one more “god” does not matter but Christians are monotheistic so they do not do sacrifices. - No sacrifice = wishing the emperor is dead/ ill. - For civic: - pietas - reverence for things that deserve reverence -> roman word that applies to civic religion -> apply to emperor, participation in public faces. - Sacrifices to the Emperor - Attendance of public feasts & religious festivals - Roman Religion: Private - Hellenistic Mystery Cults - Secret, ceremonial, gradual initiation - Most popular: Mithras. Originally an Indian deity and is a sun god. - Followers are baptised into a cult and also had a resurrection story. - Romans had great issues with Christianity. - Due to… romans being suspicious about mystery cults in general. - Early sources of Christians was that they were participating in incestuous orgies and eating babies. - Also feared rebellion in Judea due to previous conflicts. - Primary issue: did not want to sacrifice to empire -> seen as political rebellion. - Resulted in sporadic persecutions until 313 CE -> Romans never went about to wipe out Christians. - Tacitus -> Text: Germania. - He roughly concurrent with Pliny and Alexandria. - Grew up in roman empire as a whole but not in Rome (travelled there though). - Took up almost all political positions available. - Also, friend of Pliny the younger. - Text was in his midlife and Rome has not conquered the territory he talks about. - Tries to make sense of who these ppl are -> ethnographic piece. Who they are and how they fit to Rome. - A technical writer -> interesting details in text. - Pliny: - Concerns? -> abt rate of spread of Christianity and the future impact (temples are abandoned). - Also, of the undermining of traditional roman religion. - Seems confused on what to do with them and slightly sympathetic (gives reason for torture). - Expected something worse but just found superstitions he did not agree to. - Avoid condemning them wholeheartedly. - Also describes as a Christianity as a contagion (disease) -> looks down on Christianity. - Methods of judgement in terms of fairness? -> Seems so, just give a sacrifice and you are spared. - But can be hypocritic since Christians are monotheistic -> but must sacrifice instead of give money and considering Romans are supposed to be okay with religion, religious tolerance does not seem to exist. - Follows good roman procedures in general. - Also, unsure if he should take anonymous tips -> but was told not to or false accusations can happen. - Pliny acts with Roman tendencies and persecutes minorities legally. - What are some of the ways we overlook persecution in the modern day, even id it is legal? - Alexandria: - Similar to letters Paul wrote to church. - Paul is famous for writing letters of advice in earlier times of 1st century. - Similarity and differences -> tone is the same, period of uncertainty so there was an idea of comfort/ reassurance in the letters. - Alexandria has a godly figure in his letters -> god will take care of everything and text is orientated towards god. - Bhagavad-Gītā -> does orient towards divinity too. - Basically, let go of everything for the faith you belief in. - Genesis and Alexandria -> both faced persecution but in G. the rewards are explicit but Alexandria talks about reactions instead. - Epictetus and Clement was around the same time as each other. - Alexandria -> promises more abstract and very vague (delayed gratification), ask a lot more than other religion -> VS other religions with explicit rewards that are almost always immediate. - Clement advises his readers to lay low -> don’t call attention yourself during persecution. - Gives practical advise on how to avoid persecution by Romans. - *** - Christianity later became a major religion in Rome and in the tribes that caused the fall of rome. - Conversion of Constantine: - Roman emperor that ruled later converted to Christianity. - Was a gradual acceptance as his mother and advisors became Christians. - Legend battle of the Milvian bridge -> forces are out numbered and goes to sleep in desperation and despair, later wakes and finds under this sign you will conquer (a cross) and he did. - 313 CE. - His convergence meant Christians were accepted and made official in the empire. - But also raises qns of exact beliefs and codes -> need to codify way of thought and doing. - These debates continued for a long time. - Paul -> first Christian to move out of Judaism and tried to include gentiles (outsiders) in the mix. - Some issues -> they are not circumcised, etc. - Reached peak in 323 CE in counsel of Nicaea -> what are the correct beliefs for Christianity. - Constantine was heavily involved as he was the emperor. - Major concern: orthodoxy (means right beliefs) -> major difference -> prioritizes beliefs over actions (compared to other religions). - Prioritizes your internal life and your beliefs -> are they right? - What to do with Jesus? - He is divine in some way but what does it mean for him to be god? - Debates if he is fully god, fully human or both. - Later decided he was both. - He was fully god but incarnated into fully human. - After defining right beliefs define wrong beliefs -> Heresies. - Some disagreements like… - Arians -> He is not as fully god as the father, Headed north and went to Germania. - Monophysites  -> he is more god. - Gnostics -> he is more a spirit. - Were all kicked out of the church. - But they don’t think they are wrong, they still belief they are right. - Also developed the trinity -> three persons, one god. Three persons inherent in this one god -> the father, the son and the holy spirit. - Religion that makes them comfortable with mystery in their belief -> philosophical vs beliefs -> similar to Daodejing. - These heresies had a life outside Rome and headed to other countries. Later returned. - 313 BCE -> primary religion of Rome is Christianity. - Became the major religion in successor states after Rome fell. - Key: idea of continuity and change. - Rome fell -> but in some ways, it also transformed. - Germanic tribes took over western rome. - Divisions in Rome -> 1st is btw 2 political hubs of empire. - Roman emperor believes that the empire is too large to rule over so he divided it into 2. - Both parts stayed majority Christians. - Eastern roman empire vs Western roman empire. - Govern by different political centres. - Took different trajectories and collapse at different times. - Eastern side fell at 1453 CE, much late than the other half. - Eastern half -> benefited from trade routes and was a lot wealthier. - Western half had to delegate trade to them. - The wealth allowed them to pay the Germanic tribes to not attack them. - Some Germanic tribes remain unconquered by Rome. - Division btw Western and Eastern Church: - W. Rome: Pope, homoisios, called themselves the catholic church (universal church). - E. Rome: Patriarch, homousios, called themselves the orthodox church (right belief church). - Arians -> went and seek converts in German territories. Became very successful and most of the tribes converted. - Fall of Rome: last roman emperor Romulus Augustus (nickname: little Augustus). - 476 CE Germanic tribes took over the city and kicked him out of the city and he went on to live with the Eastern roman empire. - Warlord: Odoacer -> named changed as he thinks himself as Roman. - Romans have no clue who the Germanic tribes are. - Just name them as eastern and western goths. Ie. Visigoths and Ostrogoths. - Can recognize a common structure of their leadership -> a comitatus (war band) -> primarily, the leader/ chief is the one to divide the spoils of war while the warriors have to act as advisors and loyal supporters. - Germans look at webs of loyalty or enmity -> blood feuds in Germanic tribes for several generations is possible. Tribes/ families are at war with each other. - Similarly, alliance is very strong btw families and personal ties matter a lot -> will run on for several generations. - Roman boarders with Germans will always be very unstable -> conquered Germans are paid well and have some rights and benefits, they are official allies. - They serve as border guards against other German tribes -> motivated by money. - Readings: - Thomas -> Germans hold up the leadership of Rome and that created medieval Iraq. - Is a francisian firar -> an insider and a member of the religious order. - Written same year that Francisis is made a saint. - Is very literal, not all crazy (although he talks to animals). - Very dedicated to his religion. - Establish a new form of monastic life -> life of a monk. - He transformed it from a secluded thing to a urban thing. - Mendicant order = strict vows of poverty, often on the move, primarily urban.  

[pamphletstoinspire]

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE, FROM THE LATIN VULGATE BIBLE

Chapter 11 - Part 2

27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, that a certain woman, from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.

Ver. 27. No explanation given.

28 But he said: Yea, rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

Ver. 28. Menounge, imo vero, yes indeed. Our Saviour does not here wish to deny what the woman had said, but rather to confirm it: indeed how could he deny, as Calvin impiously maintained, that his mother was blessed? By these words, he only wishes to tell his auditors what great advantage they might obtain by attending to his words. For the blessed Virgin, as St. Augustine says, was more happy in having our Saviour in her heart and affections, than in having conceived him in her womb. (Tirinus)

29 And when the people were gathered together, he began to say: *This generation is a wicked generation: they ask a sign, and a sign shall not be given them, but the sign of Jonas, the prophet.

Ver. 29. But the sign of Jonas. Instead of a prodigy in the heavens or in the air, I will give you one in the bosom of the earth, more wonderful than that of the prophet Jonas, who came out alive from the belly of the fish, which had swallowed him. Thus I will return alive from the bosom of the earth three days after my death. (Calmet) --- He gave them a sign, not from heaven, for they were unworthy to behold it, but from the deep; the sign of his incarnation, not of his divinity; of his passion, not of his glory. (Ven. Bede)

30 For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites, so shall the Son of man also be to this generation.

Ver. 30. No explanation given.

31 The queen of the South shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here.

Ver. 31. Queen of the South shall condemn this generation, not by exercising the power of judgment against them, but by having performed an action which, when put in competition with theirs, will be found superior to them. (Ven. Bede)

32 The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it, because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here.

Ver. 32. No explanation given.

33 No man lighteth a candle, and putteth it in a hidden place, nor under a bushel: but upon a candlestick, that they that come in may see the light.

Ver. 33. No explanation given.

34 The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body will be lightsome: but if it be evil, thy body, also, will be darksome.

Ver. 34. If thy eye be single. As when the eyes of the body are pure, and free from the mixture of bad humours, the whole body is lightsome; so if the eyes of the mind, viz. reason, faith and understanding, are not infected with the pestiferous humours of envy, avarice, and other vices, the whole mind will be illuminated by the presence of the Holy Ghost. Take care, therefore, lest by giving way to these vices, the light which is in thee be turned into darkness. (Barradius)

35 Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in thee, be not darkness.

Ver. 35. No explanation given.

36 If then thy whole body be lightsome, having no part of darkness; the whole shall be lightsome and as a bright lamp shall enlighten thee.

Ver. 36. The whole shall be lightsome. Not only all thy body, but all about thee; all thy ways and actions. (Witham)

37 And as he was speaking, a certain Pharisee prayed him to dine with him. And going in, he sat down to eat.

Ver. 37. No explanation given.

38 And the Pharisee began to say, thinking within himself, why he was not washed before dinner.

Ver. 38. Washed, &c. There was nothing ordained by the law concerning this washing of the hands, which the Pharisees observed before taking meat. Christ and his apostles washed their hands when they pleased, without looking for any mystery in such things, or making to themselves vain obligations in frivolous and indifferent things. They did not neglect what was ordained by the law in certain cases for purification; but beside that, they observed nothing more. (Calmet)

39 And the Lord said to him: Now you Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup, and of the platter: but your inside is full of rapine and iniquity.

Ver. 39. No explanation given.

40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without, make also that which is within?

Ver. 40. No explanation given.

41 But yet that which remaineth, give alms; and behold all things are clean unto you.

Ver. 41. But yet that which remaineth, give alms.[1] The sense seems not to be of what remaineth, give alms, as some expound it; but by the Greek, the sense is, give alms of what you have, i.e. of your goods, according to your abilities; and as Tobias said to his son, If thou hast much, give much; if little, give a little willingly. (Tobias iv. 9.) --- All things are clean unto you. Not that alms without other pious dispositions, will suffice to your salvation; but that other necessary virtues will be given you, by the mercies of God. (Witham) --- These are the means I propose to you to gain that interior purity I am speaking of. But will alms suffice to expiate all sorts of crimes? Is it enough for the murderer, the homicide, &c. to give alms? Undoubtedly not. Our Saviour only compares alms-deeds with the exterior washing which the Pharisees affected. As if he had said, "It is not by the washing in common water that you will take out the stains of your souls, but by the works of charity. Charity will be more efficacious to cleanse you than all the waters of the rivers and of the sea." Or, according to Euthymius, if you wish to cleanse yourselves truly, bring forth worthy fruits of penance, give up ill acquired possessions; and as for the rest, redeem you sins by alms. Thus shall all things be made clean to you, as well within as without the vase. (Calmet)

42 But wo to you Pharisees, because you tithe mint and rue, and every herb, and pass over judgment, and the charity of God: Now these things you ought to have done, and not to leave the others undone.

Ver. 42. No explanation given.

43 Wo to you Pharisees, because you love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market-place.

Ver. 43. Salutations in the market-place, &c. Such as wish to be saluted, and have the first places, that they may appear great, are likened to sepulchres, which are covered externally with ornaments, but are filled inwardly with rottenness. (St. Cyril in St. Thomas Aquinas)

44 Wo to you, because you are as sepulchres that appear not, and men that walk over are not aware.

Ver. 44. Sepulchres that appear not. This comparison is partly different from that of Matthew xxiii. 27. For there Christ compares hypocrites to whitened sepulchres, which may be seen and avoided; here he compares them to sepulchres covered with grass, which appear not: yet the comparison, in the main, is the same; that whether they appear or not, still under them is corruption: as the interior of the Pharisees was always full of vice and corruption. (Witham) --- Men that walk, &c. Because they bear with them a fair outside, but are made up of nothing but corruption. (St. Ambrose)

45 Then one of the lawyers answering, said to him: Master, in saying these things, thou reproachest us also.

Ver. 45. Then one of the lawyers, &c. Correction, which turns to the advantage of the meek, appears always more intolerable to the wicked. Christ denounces woes against the Pharisees for deviating from the right path, and the doctors of the law found them equally applicable to themselves. (St. Cyril in St. Thomas Aquinas) --- How miserable is the conscience which, upon hearing the word of God, thinks itself insulted, and always hears the punishment of the reprobate rehearsed as the words of its own condemnation. (Ven. Bede)

46 But he said: Wo to you lawyers also: because you load men with burdens which they cannot bear, and you yourselves touch not the packs with one of your fingers.

Ver. 46. No explanation given.

47 Wo to you who build the monuments of the prophets: and your fathers killed them.

Ver. 47. Woe to you who build, &c. Not that the building of the monuments of the prophets was in itself blameworthy, but only the intention of these unhappy men, who made use of this outward shew of religion and piety, as a means to carry on their wicked designs against the prince of prophets. (Challoner)

48 Truly you bear witness that you consent to the doings of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and you build their sepulchres.

Ver. 48. Build, &c. See the notes Matthew xxiii. 29. (Witham)

49 Therefore, also, the wisdom of God said: I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute:

Ver. 49. The wisdom of God said. In St. Matthew it is, Behold I send to you prophets and wise men; and in this passage of St. Luke, the wisdom of God saith, I will send, &c.: thus is Christ truly the wisdom of the Almighty God. (St. Ambrose)

50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,

Ver. 50. No explanation given.

51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who was slain between the altar and the temple. Yea, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation.

Ver. 51. Blood of Zacharias, &c. This Zacharias was, according to some Zacharias the son of Joiada, whom the Jews slew between the temple and the altar. (Theophylactus,---also St. Jerome, who moreover mentions that some editions had Zacharias, son of Joiada.) --- This generation. Not that this generation of the Jews should be punished for the crimes of others, but that having before their eyes the severe chastisements their ancestors had received, in punishment of their wickedness, they had not grown better, but had imitated their perversity. (St. Chrysostom, hom. lxxv. in Matt.)

52 Wo to you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you yourselves have not entered in, and those that were entering in you have hindered.

Ver. 52. You have taken away the key of knowledge. A comparison of a master that locks others out. As if Christ said: you pretend, as masters and teachers, to open and expound the law and the prophets; and by your false doctrine and interpretations, you neither observe the law, nor permit others to observe it. See Matthew xxiii. 13. (Witham) - The key of knowledge is faith; for by faith we come to the knowledge of truth, according to that of Isaiah, How shall they understand, if they have not believed? Cap.[Chap.?] vii, (according to Septuagint) these doctors of the law took away the key of science, by not allowing the people to believe in Christ. (St. Cyril in St. Thomas Aquinas)

53 And as he was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the lawyers began vehemently to urge him, and to oppress his mouth about many things,

Ver. 53. And to oppress (i.e. stop) his mouth about many things. This is the literal signification of the Greek: they started one question upon another, to raise confusion and confound the answers. (Witham)

54 Lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

Ver. 54. No explanation given.