#did he tell them about the ones the apostles set free?

[magicalgirlfia]

Mkay, well. Basically.

In 1999 this guy called “The Original” found out about the Backyard, which which contains every bit of information in the entire universe and is extremely dense and has the ability to possibly destroy said universe. He not only created a being out of the backyard called the Universal Will to protect humanities happiness, but he also sealed the Backyard was into a book called the “Tome of Origin”. As well as that, he discovered that by tapping into the backyard, people could use its energy to do magic.

Unfortunately, he forgot to define his DAMN VARIABLES (tell the Universal Will what a human was and what would make them happy) so it went to figure out that by itself. It determined that humans had free will, and then saw that there were humans abandoning their free will. It thought that helping them with that whole “lack of free will” thing would make them happy, but humans still inherently had free will.

It saw this as a paradox, concluded that real humans didn’t exist, and labeled the current human race as “redundancies” that should be exterminated so that the next generation of humans (ones that it would make) would rule over Earth.

The Original went “Oh Fuck.” and told everyone that there was an apocalypse approaching. Not many people believed him (because why would you), but 5 did, and those 5 were his disciples. However, one day every electronic device capable of communication broadcast the message "In a matter of days, humanity will crumble."

A matter of days later, all electronic devices stopped working, machines began to malfunction, several cities were hit by horrible natural disasters.

This was the Universal Will. And it caused society to fall collapse and the UN banned all electric technology.

This is a classic “band-aid on a bullet hole solution” because it did not fix the fact that even though the Universal Will couldn’t mess with them anymore (ostensibly), there was no replacement for the technology.

However the Original and his disciples (who people started calling “The savior” and his “apostles”) had already prepared for a tech free world and set to work on restoring society. They did this by teaching people magic, which led to the creation of the Sanctus Populi, which is like the Pope to the Original’s “savior”.

Just a note that the creator/game director/character designer/composer of this series (all one man) really likes using the aesthetics of Christianity. I don’t know how else to put it.

By 2010, society functioned with the Sanctus Populi and the UN working together using magic (which had become the worldwide standard for everyone to use).

uhh now we flash forward to 2014, where we meet 3 of the most important characters to the main plot, college friends:

Fredrick Bulsara, who is generally aloof and stubborn guy who studied particle physics who was dating Aria

Aria Hale, a talented and upbeat gal who loves life and got a doctorate in information engineering when she was in her teens.

And Asuka R. Kruetz, one of the aforementioned disciples of the Original and the leader of the project. A very mild mannered and unassuming man who cares deeply about his friends’ happiness. This fact may be true but it will become less and less believable the more the plot goes on.

They were having a gay ol’ time making Gear Cells, which are magically modified cells.

Good at helping the environment and curing diseases (their intended purpose).

Great at being biological weapons.

Governments who funded the project noticed the second part, but Asuka was against this to the extreme so he made all the countries funding the research pinky promise that they wouldn’t use Gear cells for war. And as we know, governments always keep their promises, especially when keeping those promises would benefit the general populace!

So anyways. Aria got a TP infection, which is just a deadly plot illness. After Fredrick found out, he begged her to go into cryosleep until they made a cure, but Aria basically told him “No, I love my life and you and I wanna be with you until I die, please promise you’ll never be alone even after I’m gone” and refused to be cryogenically frozen.

Asuka went “Hmmmm…….” and told Aria that he’d make Fredrick into the quasi-immortal prototype Gear using the Flame of Corruption (in layman’s terms, a super gear cell) so they COULD be together after a cure was found. She agreed and was put into cryosleep.

Fredrick did not know this fact.

Fredrick also did not agree to be the prototype Gear

So anyways, Asuka shot him with a gun that turned him into a Gear without any explanation and left just as something went horribly wrong with the lab and shit started getting real (military coup).

A lot of secret evil Gear experiments were released as the government took over the project and made weapons (breaking their pinky promise) and Fredrick escaped by turning into a Gear. He later developed the “Gear Cell Suppressor” which makes him look like a human and also swore revenge on Asuka who at the moment was AWOL with a frozen Aria.

The original Gear project fell apart after everyone involved in it died, but sometime ~2065 the military got research back on the menu (for war purposes) and Asuka joined them under an alias to see what they were doing.

They were doing exactly what he didn’t want them to do.

He probably said some shit like “Well, this is rather undesirable” but didn’t actually try to stop anything for a while and the US started using incomplete Gears for national defense.

In this time, a man was going around destroying Gears and the places they were being produced. Authorities began referring to him as “Badguy”, and later a vampire (vampires exist in this world, there’s not an explanation for that, however this vampire named Slayer ran the assassins guild who are very important) started calling him “Sol Badguy”.

No surprise, thats who Fredrick is and I will thusly be referring to him as “Sol”.

Eventually, in the year 2073, Asuka figured out what he’d do. He turned Aria the first complete (fully automated) gear, Justice (because turning his friend into a Gear went so well last time), as a means of stopping the militarization of Gears due to the fact that she had the ability to control them and theoretically could make stop the fighting. We can assume that she was chill with this.

Unfortunately, during a “test run” of sorts, she was corrupted by the Universal Will, who was back for round 2, and forced her to cause reality to merge into the Backyard, starting in Japan.

Due to the Backayard being full of dense information, any non-immortal or immutable piece of biotic life sent there would be instantly turned into dust. (Please Note: The Original was not a normal human he was really really smart I guess.)

Due to this, Asuka overrode the Justice control systems and forced her to fire a Gamma Ray at Japan, turning it into a crater in the ground and killing most Japanese people (MOST) in an event that would come to be known as “The Black Sunrise”.

Yeah, it was not good for Aria’s mental health. In fact, it was SO not good for her mental health that her psyche shattered, she forgot who she was, declared war on all of humanity, and Asuka could only recover half of her soul.

Justice, which she now exclusively went by, announced herself to be self aware and took over all the gears as planned, however she used them for doing MORE war, this time a BIG IMPORTANT WAR known as the “Crusades”, and Asuka became known as “That Man”, who would wreak havoc during the crusades killing thousands of innocents.

In reality, Asuka disappeared to The Backyard (presumably) to try and put the prices of Aria’s soul back together. Someone else working under the moniker of That Man was the one going around doing that “havoc” thing. The 2nd That Man is The Original. Or rather, Happy Chaos (the blue man with a gun I was talking about earlier) but that isn’t important and wouldn’t be plot relevant until out of universe decades after Guilty Gear first came out.

Everyone else was thinking about what to do as well, but unfortunately they did not have a “The Backyard” to go to and they had to deal with the Crucades. They did this when humanity put their differences aside and formed the Sacred Order of the Holy Knights. And speaking of that: Ky Kiske.

At this point, he is a 15 year old who is a genius at using magic who quickly climbed the ranks of the Holy Order to become a captain. Unfortunately he is French. Let us all take a moment to point and laugh at him for being French.

hahahahahahahaha what a loser anyways

Ky is the secondary main character (along with Sol, who is still out there killing Gears and plotting revenge on Asuka)

Another part of this whole kit and caboodle is Kliff. He’s old and also was the leader of the Holy Order. He’s the only one who’s taken a Megadeath class Gear down (this isn’t really explained but trust me it’s really impressive). ALSO. Kliff had an adopted child. Their name is Testament and they loved their father and wanted to make him proud. They did this by joining the army but since they sucked ass at fighting they were killed.

Kliff recruited Sol into the Holy Order under Ky circa 2172. Sol soon decides that the group is too lame, forms a rivalry with Ky, steals the Fireseal (one of the sacred treasures which the group has been taking care of, originally part of a weapon he made). Ky tries to stop him so he beats him up and ditches the army.

Ky becomes the leader of the Holy Order, they perform one last siege on Justice and despite losing a LOT of people and them almost being defeated, Sol comes in and…basically kills her.

They weakened her to a near-dead state weakened and locked her in an inter dimensional prison because they couldn’t figure out how to kill her. So I lied in the original reply, but it was easier that way.

One problem: people are still doing Gear experiments. A while back the Conclave (the Shadow Government made up of the other 4 Original Original followers, there is no explanation to how they are alive) took Testament’s body and turned them into a Gear. Their will is so strong that they retain some of their emotions and personality but they still get controlled by Justice and are made to carry out her plan to have a big fighting tournament where the blood that is shed will revive her.

And that’s everything that comes before the first Guilty Gear Game!!!

Well not everything but it’s 11:16 and I have 2 hours worth of Jane Eyre to Suffer through. Thanks for reading if anyone decided to read this.

[blackjackkent]

Ooh, Aylin has more to say!

"There you are. I have awaited your arrival with great anticipation. Come closer."

Step closer.

"Feel my voice rattle your bones as I proclaim our victory!" She raises her hands towards the sky, and he does indeed feel it resonate through his whole body as she speaks, crying out into the heavens.

"Moonmaiden! Selune! Hear me! Ketheric Thorm, traitor, apostle of Myrkul, is dead at last! My mate most high, darling Isobel, is safe and well. Safe and well and returned to my embrace!"

She drops her eyes to Hector, the intensity of her mother's moonlight radiating out of her gaze. "Blessings upon the slayer of the wicked one!"

He is starting, very slowly, to grow used to speaking with her, to the strange balance she strikes between god and mortal. To the fact that her mother is Selune herself, and that nevertheless she treats Hector as an equal, someone to be respected and fought alongside. But it still, on some level, punches him in the gut anew every time.

"I couldn't have done it without you," he murmurs humbly, his eyes dropping to the ground in front of her.

"We are a powerful party indeed," she says, with a sort of otherworldly approximation of cheeriness. "Faerun trembles at our touch! My darling Isobel says we will stay allied at your side. I am pleased to hear it."

He nods vigorously. The Guardian said he must find allies, and he could certainly do a lot worse than Aylin and Isobel.

"There's... still a great deal about you I don't know," he says cautiously.

"Pray, ask, and I will tell," she says, and waits expectantly, her eyebrows slightly raised.

Might as well address the elephant in the room. "Are you really Selune's daughter?" he asks.

"Do I not radiate with my mother's brightness? Her glory?" Aylin says with overwhelming gravitas. "There can be no doubt. I am of her silvered flesh, her celestial womb."

Hector blinks rapidly. I'll take that as a yes.

"Would...your mother be willing to aid us in the fight against the Dead Three?" he asks, and his voice cracks only slightly at the enormity of the request.

"Why, she already has. She has brought her sword to your side! Dame Aylin! So mighty are her wonders, her great wisdom. Together, we will set this fair land free of tyranny and murder."

Hector raises an eyebrow very briefly at that. It seems less a gift from Selune to have Aylin, and more random chance - but who is he to dispute the assertion?

"How did you come to be trapped in the Shadowfell?" he asks instead.

Her jaw works and she looks away from him, staring into the middle distance with a baleful gaze. "Hm. Ketheric Thorm. Father of my one and only love. Enslaver of Dame Aylin. Ketheric Thorm never did trust me, even when he worshipped the Moonmaiden. He was threatened by my love for Isobel. By her love for me."

Her expression twists with sudden pain, and she looks towards Isobel, standing nearby, as if to reassure herself of the other woman's presence. "When she died - curse the day, the hour! - we each of us mourned bitterly. But Ketheric's pain could be touched by no aid, no boundary. He turned to wretched Shar, the Lady of Loss, for relief. And she whispered into his ear, poisoning his mind."

Rage begins to overtake any other expression as she looks back on her imprisonment. "He and his loathsome advisor Balthazar lured me into the Shadowfell, claimed they'd found someone in need of my aid. There they trapped me in their infernal cage. I was killed, murdered, made dead, over and over by Justiciars of every make and kind! I was reborn, for it is my nature. And Ketheric fed upon my immortality all the while!"

Her voice has lifted to a shout, drawing the attention of all those standing around the camp. And she raises a fist into the air, crashes the other against the chest of her armor, and her voice rings out over them all.

"But lo! The brute is dead! And we, we live!"

[christian-perspectives]

A New Life With Christ

In your mind what is one of the best things about Christianity? Besides the fact that we can spend eternity with the Lord. Right now we can also experience a new life in Christ. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.  2 Corinthians 5:15 Who did Jesus die for? The Apostle Paul didn’t say that Christ died for them “all,” even though He did. Instead, he made his statement more specific. He said Christ died for every “one.”  There was a popular song back in the late '60s called “One is the Loneliest Number.” Its verse starts by saying “one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do.” Check out this free eBook related to having a new life in Christ. That statement especially rings true when a person goes through life without Christ. Even while standing in the middle of a room full of people, they can experience loneliness.  Those in Christ, however, can always depend on the “one” who gives them new life. Isaiah told us that the Lord goes far beyond being just a presence within us. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10 Listen to what the Psalmist said about those who might tend to feel all alone. These couple of verses definitely refer to Christians who have new life in Christ. Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. Psalm 68:5-6

Prejudging Others

With that said, how often do you categorize or classify people in your minds? In other words, how often do you prejudge someone because of their past or present situations? The next verse in 2 Corinthians 5 says the following about the way Paul had previously judged others. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. 2 Corinthians 5:16 In the rest of that verse, Paul went on to tell us why his views changed. It happen when his view of Jesus changed. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 2 Corinthians 5:16 He continued by reinforcing his position. Paul wanted to make sure that everyone knew they qualified for a new life with Christ. This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Corinthians 5:17

Those With New Life in Christ will Stand in Judgment

We know that Christ died for each “one” of us and has given us each new life. With that in mind verse 10 goes on to say that Christians will stand before the Lord for judgment. For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body. 2 Corinthians 5:10 This is not referring to salvation. You will not go to the Judgment Seat of Christ unless you are living this new life in Him. Paul then compared our works to a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. And those works will go through the fire. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. 1 Corinthians 3:13-15 Review Let’s review how you as a Christian can receive encouragement through what you have just read. - Christ died so you can have new life. - You are never alone when the Lord is a part of your life. - You have the same opportunities in Jesus as those you feel inferior to. - Those who seem inferior to you also have the same opportunities that you do. - The Lord will reward you for your works that survive the fire. His presence in your life is a great positive. Therefore rejoice because he told us that he will never leave us nor forsake us. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. So, “ONE” doesn’t have to be a lonely number in your life. Especially when you focus on the “ONE” who can change your life.  In fact, Christ is the “ONE” who will give you new life. Lord, thank you that your son Jesus Christ died so we can have new life. We know our new life helps us never feel like we are alone again. Check out these posts related on the benefits of living a new life with Christ. - Enjoy Life To The Fullest - Living The New Life - Enjoying The Benefits Of Living A Godly Life - God's Plans For Your Life Are Good And Encouraging - 7 Reasons to Celebrate our Life in Christ - How To Know God's Perfect Will For Your Life Read the full article

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Devotional Hours within the Bible by J.R. Miller

The Apostles Imprisoned (Acts 5:17-32)

The sin of Ananias and Sapphira and the swift judgment that followed, did not check the progress of the Church. “Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by.” Every one of us casts a shadow of influence on other wherever he goes.

But the bitterness of the rulers was not allayed by the judgment. They grew more and more fierce. The narrative goes on: “The high priest rose up, and all they that were with him. … and they were filled with jealousy .” The word “jealousy” gives us the key to this whole incident. The apostles were received with favor by the people. Multitudes were thronging about them with their sick, brought to be healed. It was the wonderful success of the gospel that so enraged the high priest and his party. There are some people who cannot bear to see other people succeed or to hear other people praised. Even in churches are sometimes found those who are embittered and aroused to jealousy by the prosperity of other churches. Instead of rejoicing that souls are saved, that the poor are helped, that evil spirits are cast our, that good is done they criticize, talk bitterly, and oppose the efforts which are so manifestly of God.

A godly Christian minister put it down at the end of a year, as one of the year’s lessons that he had learned to rejoice in the prosperity of others. No lesson is harder to learn, and none is more beautiful in life. We are all too apt to be jealous of those who are more honored in life and work, than ourselves.

The rulers had not yet learned that walls do not make a secure prison for Christ’s friends. “They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.” There is no use trying to fight against God. He who sits in heaven laughs when rulers take counsel against His anointed.

Joseph’s brothers thought they had got the boy out of the way when they had sold him as a slave but the Lord only laughed at their plot and took him into His own hands, making a mighty man of him.

The princes chuckled when they got Daniel into the lion’s den but the laugh was turned when he came out unhurt and they themselves were cast to the hungry beasts!

There was fiendish glee in certain quarters when the three Hebrew youths were cast into a fiery furnace. Their stiff knees would be limbered now. But that laugh was turned too, before the end came.

Haman chucked when he got the gallows built for Mordecai. He would soon be rid of the old Jew who had been in his way so long. But he fell into his own trap!

The rulers crucified Jesus and sealed the stone and set a guard about His grave. But they only brought derision upon themselves; while by their act they exalted Jesus to a place of highest honor and glory.

Just so here, the rulers cast the apostles into prison, bolted the doors, and set their guard but an angel came quietly by night, took the prisoners out, and left the keeper standing guard over an empty prison! Wicked men do not have all things their way in this world. There is a God who is just and true, who keeps His hand upon all the affairs of the earth, who takes care of His own and guards them as the apple of His eye. This is one of the most precious truths of the Bible, for the suffering and imperiled servants of God. They are absolutely safe in the hands of God!

The angel who brought the apostles out their prison had a message and a commission for them: “Go, stand in the temple courts, and tell the people the full message of this new life.” The angel did not tell the apostles to flee away and hide from the rulers. That is what escaping prisoners usually do. But these men were set free, not to go away from danger but to continue their work. Then, they were not to go and talk about their trials and hardships, to excite sympathy among the people. They were not to say a word about themselves at all but were to declare the words of “this new life,” eternal life, the way of salvation. They were not to go and speak in quiet places, away from danger but were to stand in the temple, the most public place in all he city. They were to speak to the people that is, to all the people, poor as well as rich, ignorant as well as learned. It is a suggestive name, by which the gospel is here called, “Life” this Life. Jesus Christ came that we might have life and that we might have it abundantly. The apostles were prompt and eager to obey the angel’s bidding. They hastened to the temple about daybreak and began to teach.

The high priest did not know what his prisoners were doing. Full of rage, he was eager to have them punished, and called a full meeting of the court, and sent officers to bring the apostles from the prison. “But the officers returned, saying: We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!” The high priest was sure of his victims. He had them safely locked in the guardhouse. It was a startling surprise when he learned that the prison was empty! There is an old Bible promise which says, “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly.” There is a promise also which assures us that “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Satan is very shrewd and cunning, and by long practice has learned to do his work well. But God is stronger and wiser than Satan and knows how to deliver His own out of Satan’s hands!

At length the apostles stood before the court and were accused of having disobeyed the command to speak no more in the name of Jesus. To this Peter answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” This should be the motto and life-principle of every one of us. This has been the martyr’s motto in all Christian centuries. Bunyan, when condemned to three months imprisonment for preaching the gospel, and told that if he did not promise to abstain, he would be banished; nobly replied: “If I were out of prison again today I would preach the gospel again tomorrow, by the help of God!” Not many of us will be called to assert the principle in such circumstances of peril; but in life’s ordinary business, in its common affairs, in school, at home, at play, we shall every day have opportunities to follow conscience, to do what God commands, without being swerved from duty by what men say. It would be very fine to do some such heroic thing as the apostles did here but it is fine in God’s sight to live faithfully and loyally in the midst of the countless little temptations of the most commonplace life!

“God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel!” Here we have the whole gospel. Jesus was the Messiah of God. He was rejected and killed by those He had come to deliver and save. But God raised Him up and exalted Him to the throne of glory. There He is not only King of kings but also the Savior of all who will believe in Him. The two words, “repentance” and “forgiveness”, are full of meaning. We are not saved merely from sin’s power but from sin itself. That is, we are pledged to give up our sin. Repentance means this. Then forgiveness means more than merely wiping out the penalty; it means also the putting away of sins themselves!

[thoughts-of-a-beloved]

So let me tell you how this verse spoke to my heart today.

Lately, I have been feeling disappointed over myself. I kind of felt the need to use my time wisely, yet I find myself scrolling through my phone for videos or buying stuff on the internet. I tried to do social media fasting but felt much condemned for breaking the fast after few days of deciding to do it.

But why phone scrolling?

I noticed that through just scrolling my phone, reading random stuff, watching videos.. these things began to fill my head with not so nice thoughts, which lead to wobbling emotions. And I knew exactly the antidote for this: God's Word..

Studying the bible has become an essential part of my life.. not because I wanted to show off or to tick off the list of things to do as a christian.

You know, reading God's Word has really changed my life over the years. God shows me things through reading His Word, answering my questions about faith, revealing to me His heart, His love, His grace, His character.. revealing to me who Jesus is. You know the feeling of discovering something so profound, wonderful and life-changing that you want to share it to all people..? That's how it was for me. I grew up without any desire to read the bible that when I first got a glimpse of God's love, I felt like I have missed so many years of my life that I got to know who our God is.. and realizing that there were lots of people who don't know that God loves them, I had this burning desire to tell them about it.. But first, I knew I have to know who He is so I can share things correctly..

But the appetite for other things kind of took away my focus. I thought about it, they were actually not bad things.. like for example: workout, socializing with other christians, going to church meetings, learning to play guitar, reviving my violin skills, wanting to learn to sew a dress, reading food blogs for a healthy diet.. They are basically good things, right? But I kind of felt unease in my heart because they all occupied my schedule that I had barely time to do the very thing that I know is so important to me: that is spending time to know God in His Word.

So what I did.. I forced myself to finish my bible reading plan. And when I couldn't do it, since I'm also working full time, I felt so disappointed over myself.. And also, "forcing" myself to read the bible didn't work for me. I just felt I'm doing it in a wrong motivation so it just became disappointment over disappointment.. Totally wrong mentality.

But today, I just told God I could not follow my reading plan, but I want to hear His voice.. what does He want me to know today... and a desire to read Romans came to me.. So I started reading it.. I've read the first chapter quite fast (because I thought I've read it many times already) but then I felt I was reading way too fast, I should read it again..and pause, reflect of what I'm reading.. and that's when the first verse just became so alive that it set me free from all the stress I've carried for months already..

So I noticed how Paul identified himself. Reflecting his life, from a merciless persecutor of christians.. to his conversion to christianity, his passion for Jesus and the church, his ministry, how he dealt with persecution, temptations and trials… how he saw himself was very pivotal in all his decisions and actions afterwards..

In other bible versions, «duolos» is translated as bondservant.. bondservant means one who is subjected to the authority of another.. and this is out of choice (maybe he referred also to Exodus 21:5-6).. Paul was committed to the submission into God’s agenda.. So his thoughts, his words, his actions followed how he defined himself (under the submission to Christ).

He knew his calling. He is called to be an apostle, to be a messenger.. his message is not about himself nor his own.. and because he knows his calling, he devoted himself to nurture that desire God put in his heart.. Just like how he encouraged Timothy "Keep a close watch on how you live and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right for the sake of your own salvation and the salvation of those who hear you." Paul lived this message.

He says he is set apart for the gospel of God… he considered himself separated for a purpose.. and that entails saying no to things (He was a pharisee so he kinda lived a strict life.) But this time, he is set apart not for the works of his religion but for Jesus and on his message… and this is his message (not of his own but entrusted to him) the Gospel of Christ.. God's message of salvation..reconciliation..redemption..

This verse just changed my focus and my perspective on things. My focus shifted to how disappointing I am to who God is and the Gospel. God reminded me of how and why I had the desire for reading His Word in the first place... to be able to know Him and share Him to others.. because it would be wonderful to see more and more people discover how good our God is, and would eventually choose to live life with Him.

This empowered me to choose how to spend my time. I felt the appetite for doing the other things fell to their rightful place.. I can still do them but they're no longer squeezing to the top priority list.

It's kind of fascinating how this verse, who I used to overlook so many times had set me free from the striving and condemnation I've felt for not using my time wisely. God's word is indeed alive, and I thank Him for clearly showing these things to me.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

10th April >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Wednesday of the Second Week of Eastertide 

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

First Reading Acts of the Apostles 5:17-26 The men you imprisoned are in the Temple, preaching to the people.

The high priest intervened with all his supporters from the party of the Sadducees. Prompted by jealousy, they arrested the apostles and had them put in the common gaol.

But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and said as he led them out, ‘Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life.’ They did as they were told; they went into the Temple at dawn and began to preach.

When the high priest arrived, he and his supporters convened the Sanhedrin – this was the full Senate of Israel – and sent to the gaol for them to be brought. But when the officials arrived at the prison they found they were not inside, so they went back and reported, ‘We found the gaol securely locked and the warders on duty at the gates, but when we unlocked the door we found no one inside.’ When the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard this news they wondered what this could mean. Then a man arrived with fresh news. ‘At this very moment’ he said, ‘the men you imprisoned are in the Temple. They are standing there preaching to the people.’ The captain went with his men and fetched them. They were afraid to use force in case the people stoned them.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33(34):2-9

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ has risen and shone upon us whom he redeemed with his blood. Alleluia!

Or: John 3:16

Alleluia, alleluia! God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son: everyone who believes in him has eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel John 3:16-21 God sent his Son into the world so that through him the world might be saved.

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son. On these grounds is sentence pronounced: that though the light has come into the world men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil. And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[biblenewsprophecy]

Proclaiming the Gospel in 1000+ Languages

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) has now received over 1000 translations of its English language booklet, 'The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.' Should people rejoice (cf. Acts 15:3) or criticize this milestone? Has the CCOG done this in a cost-effective and efficient manner? Does the Bible prophesy the use of multiple languages? Are multiple languages implied by Jesus' commissions to the church in Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20? What is the "open door' for the Philadelphian Christians? Does the full number of Gentiles (cf. Romans 11:25) need to come in during this age? Are minor languages significant according to the Apostle Paul? Is the CCOG preparing for the 'short work' of Romans 9:28? Does the Book of Revelation tell of people of all languages and tongues being saved? Has any Church of God since the formation of the true church in Acts 2 ever get information on the good news of the gospel of the kingdom translated into this many languages? What about the old Worldwide Church of God and the open door? Are there additional ways, like radio, that the CCOG is using to reach people around the world in different languages? Relating to translations, does the CCOG expect to have at least "hundreds more in 2024"? Steve Dupuie and Dr. Thiel address these matters.

A written article of related interest is available titled 'CCOG now has had ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom of God’ translated into over 1000 languages/dialects! Should you rejoice or be a critic?’

BNP Youtube video link: Proclaiming the Gospel in 1000+ Languages

Related Items:

'CCOG now has had ‘The Gospel of the Kingdom of God’ translated into over 1000 languages/dialects! Should you rejoice or be a critic?’

What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles? Some in the West discount God’s calling of Gentiles, but the Apostle Paul wrote about the need for them to come to the truth before Jesus returns. Two somewhat related videos are available Gentiles and When Will Jesus Return? and Puerto Rico, Trials, and Triumphs.

Preaching the Gospel in Over 1000 Languages Which languages are being used to fulfill Matthew 24:14? Are all languages significant?

What is the Ezekiel Warning? Should the end-time descendants of Israel and Joseph be warned? What should the watchman warn about? Regarding a watchman, you can watch the following video: Go, Set a Watchman.

Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.

Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.

God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does? Watch also Mystery of Race.

The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU.

Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18? Here is a link in the French language: Est-ce que l’Église Continue de Dieu confirme les signes d’Actes 2:17-18? A related sermon in the English language is also available: 17 Last Days’ Signs of the Holy Spirit.

CCOG Multimedia What are many of the ways the Continuing Church of God is reaching people around the world to fulfill the commissions from Jesus in Matthew 24:14 and 28:19-20? What about literature, personal visits, the internet, radio, and television?

The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

LATEST BIBLE PROPHECY INTERVIEWS

LATEST NEWS REPORTS

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Friday , August 11, 2023

august 11_july 229

THE HOLY MARTYR SERAPHIMA THE VIRGIN (2nd. c)

The Holy Virgin Martyr Seraphima, a native of Antioch, lived in Rome in the reign of Emperor Hadrian (117-138). She resided with Sabina, a woman from a prominent senatorial family, whom the saint had converted to Christianity. During the persecution against Christians ordered by the Emperor, the governor Virilus had Saint Seraphima brought before him for questioning. Wishing to obtain a crown of martyrdom from the Lord, she went fearlessly to face Virilus, and her devoted friend Sabina accompanied her. When he saw that illustrious lady, Virilus at first set the maiden free, but after several days he summoned Saint Seraphima once again and began the trial.

The governor insisted that she honor the pagan gods and offer sacrifice, but she boldly confessed her faith in the one true God, Jesus Christ. Then Virilus gave her to two shameless young men of Egyptian descent so they could defile her. Saint Seraphima begged the Lord to protect her. Suddenly there was an earthquake, and the two men fell to the ground paralyzed and unable to speak. On the following day the governor learned that his plan had failed. Believing that the saint was a sorceress, Virilus told her to restore the young men to health so that they could relate what had happened to them.

After praying to the Lord, Saint Seraphima ordered the men to stand up. They got up at once and informed the governor that an Angel of the Lord had shielded the saint, and prevented them from approaching her. The cruel governor did not believe his servants, and he continued to urge Saint Seraphima to offer sacrifice to the idols. The holy martyr remained steadfast, however, even when they burned her with flaming torches and mercilessly beat her with sticks. Then harsh punishment overtook the governor. Splinters from the sticks with which the saint was beaten, struck him in his right eye, and after three days the tormentor became blind. Powerless before the unyielding Christian, Virilus ordered her to be beheaded. Sabina buried the body of her holy mentor with all due honor and reverence.

THE MONKMARTYR MICHAEL " The B;ACK ROBED OF ST SAVVA MONASTERY ( 9th.c.)

The Venerable Michael lived in the ninth century, and was from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia, the son of Christian parents. After their death he distributed his inheritance to the poor, then went to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Places. The Holy Land at that time was under Moslem rule.

Michael remained in Palestine and settled in the Lavra of Saint Savva, where he became the disciple of his relative, Saint Theodore of Edessa (July 9), who spent his time both in the monastery and as an anchorite in the Judean desert. Saint Theodore accepted him and tonsured him right away. The two made baskets of reeds together to support themselves. Saint Michael would take the baskets to the marketplace in Jerusalem to sell them.

One day while at the marketplace, the eunuch of the Muslim Queen Seida, seeing that the baskets were both fine and well-made, took him along to the Queen, who was visiting the city with her husband King al-Ma’mun (813-833). The handsome monk aroused the desire of the Queen, who tried to lead him into the sin of adultery, but he did not accept her suggestions. The enraged Seida told her husband to have the monk beaten with rods because he had insulted her, and accused him of being an enemy of Islam.

There was a debate about which faith is the true one, Christianity or Islam, and the king said, “Do as I tell you, and confess that Mohammed is a prophet and an apostle of Christ, then I will adopt you as my son.” Saint Michael said, “Mohammad is neither an apostle nor a prophet, but a deceiver and the forerunner of the antichrist. Either send me back to my Elder at the monastery, or be baptized into our Christian faith and reign forever in the heavens, or send me to Christ through martyrdom.”

The king gave the Saint a cup with deadly poison to drink. Saint Michael made the Sign of the Cross over the cup, and he drank it, but he remained unharmed, according to the promise of the Lord (Mark16:18). After this the king ordered that he be decapitated. The monks of the Lavra of Saint Savva wanted to take the Saint’s relics to their Lavra, but the Christians of Jerusalem would not permit this. They said that since he was martyred in Jerusalem, his relics ought to remain there.The monks of the Lavra disagreed with them, saying that he was nurtured in the Lavra and so he should be buried there. There was such a heated argument that the king decided that the relics would go to the Lavra.

On the same day that Saint Michael was put to death, the Lord revealed this to Saint Theodore. After informing the brethren, he sent some monks to bring the relics to the Lavra. As the relics were carried to the Lavra, there was a pillar of fire from Heaven accompanying the relics, and it remained until they reached the Lavra. Saint Theodore and the monks came out to meet the procession with lit candles, and singing hymns. The holy relics were buried with the other holy Fathers who had endured martyrdom. Many miracles took place before the relics of Saint Michael, as a sign that he had found favor with God.

At the beginning of the twelfth century the relics of Saint Michael were seen by Daniel, the Igoumen of the Kiev Caves Monastery, while on pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Saint Michael is commemorated twice during the year: on May 23 (his repose) and July 29 (the transfer of his relics).

2 CORINTHIANS 1:12-20

12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. 13 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end 14 (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus. 15 And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you might have a second benefit- 16 to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea. 17 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that there should be Yes, Yes, and No, No with me? 18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us-by me, Silvanus, and Timothy-was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. 20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.

Commentary of the Church Father:

John Chrysostom AD 407 : The carnal man, who is riveted to the present world and wholly caught up in it, is outside the sphere of the Spirit’s influence and has the power to go everywhere, doing whatever he likes. But the servant of the Spirit is led by the Spirit. He cannot just do what he wants. He is dependent on the Spirit’s authority. Paul was not able to come to Corinth because it was not the Spirit’s will for him to go there. 

MATTHEW 22:23-33

23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, 24 saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. 25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. 26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. 27 Last of all the woman died also. 28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her. 29 Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. 31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." 33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

[saltyshe]

Review: Osamu Dazai’s Entrance Exam (Light Novel)

my thoughts (NOT spoiler free) on the novel and the arc in the anime and how different they are (mostly about the novel though)

this is a bit all over the place just a warning :,)

so, i’m deciding to read (because i haven’t read all of them yet :,))and review all the BSD light novels in honour of the new one coming next year and because my friend thought i’d be good at writing reviews??? (it’s honestly probably to shut me up) i am writing this as i watch the Azure Apostle Arc in BSD so i can see how it translates from the novel since it's been so long since I've watched the anime

to start, this novel did help me understand kunikida more. i’ve never really been a fan of him, to me he seemed too much of a simple character and so straight forward, i didn’t hate him but he wasn’t my favourite. the anime is also a very watered down version of the story obviously adding atsushi into the equation, so it's a very different experience if you just watch the anime and if you read the novel.

so at the start you see how Dazai came out of nowhere and was recommended into the detective agency. you see fukuzawa being very cautious, even though he did welcome Dazai into the agency, and strictly ordering kunikida to fire him if he seemed suspicious and to shoot him if he sees "any signs of wickedness in his heart". and you can just see more of fukuzawa and Kunikida's relationship which I really do like because the anime barely shows fukuzawa’s relationship with any of the agency members. throughout the novel kunikida becomes very suspicious of dazai and more so when they're working on the case and you see him think about fukuzawa's orders very often, which makes him have internal conflict because he respects the president but his orders went against Kunikida's ideals, and when he does end up carrying out the orders he still saved his ideals. I like how you see fukuzawa's trust in kunikida when he tells him to do Dazai's entrance exam, and you see it again in the end when kunikida says that dazai could become a great detective and that he's not bad and fukuzawa tells him that he respects his decision even thought he had his doubts. also I love this interaction:

“Busy as always. And to make matters worse, Dazai ran off. He said he hates office work, then dumped all his paperwork onto one of our clerks. He’s also somehow managed to avoid all the military investigation department’s interviews. I think putting him in a pot of scalding water should set him straight. Not long enough to kill him, though. He’d like that.”

“Just make sure to do it somewhere remote where the police won’t find you.”

I like how Kunikida's thoughts are such a rollercoaster-ride because of his ideals. this was a very interesting story to showcase his struggle to meet his ideals and what could happen if they tied him down and took over his life.

you can also see Dazai's intellectual ability when he's deliberately avoiding Akutagawa when the taxi is shot down to not be seen, avoiding cameras in the abandoned hospital because any member in the mafia could see him if he's on the newspaper, every time something like that happened it made me smile a little at how he makes it seem as if it was an act of cowardice or just coincidental when really it's not, brushing off Kunikida by insulting him.

this novel also did a very good job in showing what others think about Dazai. I know I've talked about this before when I talked about Chuuya and Dazai and who seemed more human so i won’t get into it much. but Kunikida did point out that a lot of what Dazai does and the way he acts doesn't seem completely human. this isn't completely coincidental, I believe Asagiri put that in to show us how others see Dazai and the way he acts when he's making a facade. it was great to read about it in my opinion because its set in stone and im sure about my suspicions.

it was also very refreshing to see the main character (in this case kunikida) not know all the answers. nowadays the main characters are crazy smart in books but also very secretive, a popular book nowadays with a kind of plot like this novel would have a main character with the same characteristics as dazai, Kaz Brekker from Six of Crows comes to mind at the top of my head, in that book, we know Kaz knows what he's doing but we're not exactly sure what, so we're left in the dark (Six of Crows is a very good book mind you, definitely recommend) until the events happen, but what im trying to get at is that it was nice to know what was happening before kunikida and see him figure it all out like a normal human being. like Kunikida isn't some genius, he's an average person who is suspicious of every little source of evidence he gets. when Dazai was framed, when rokuzo appeared at the hospital before sasaki, he thought it was over when they finished off the two at the warehouse which I think is so human and very refreshing, because if you only read the novel without watching the anime, you would've thought that it was over too.

I also love Ranpo in this. him just knowing all about dazai and dazai just not knowing until after probably when he realized that Ranpo's ability isn't even an ability after all

this story in the anime is very underwhelming now that I look at it, they just deleted the whole plane incident and made it so that the bomb in the fishing shop was the one that needed de-activating. which makes sense since that was were kunikida was really doubting Dazai and ended up "shooting him" to break the listening device. still, I would've loved to see that scene animated but oh well. it also only lasted for two episodes in the anime so all the thoughts feelings Kunikida was feeling weren't included which is a shame. the novel was about Kunikida and his struggle with ideals but that's not how the anime interpreted it, which is fine, Kunikida has his moments but its disappointing. what I do love about the anime is this scene:

it’s probably my favourite scene of dazai and kunikida’s partnership and trust. and that's pretty much it, I enjoyed watching it, but I enjoyed reading it more. when I first watched the arc I thought that it was great and very interesting, but the novel captures so much more. I love the level of trust they've gained for each other throughout the story in the novel in such short time, so when it really came down to it Dazai had to trust in Kunikida's brain in order to not get hurt. he also had nothing to lose, at this point Dazai didn't really have anything to live for yet, in my opinion, it was the start of his journey in the ADA so you know. I wouldn't be surprised if Dazai was actually acting wild from the start for that exact moment. I think it's great that in the fight scene they both looked at each other struggling and kept fighting, it felt much more real and tough to read in writing, like I said, the anime watered it down.

the ending was also better in writing because you feel it in your gut how much Kunikida hates Dazai for what he did, and I think that's when he truly realized that Dazai's morals are good to a certain point, but he also knows that it's honestly better off this way. the whole "Azure King" incident was eerily like Death Note and Light Yagami and his story, and both of those ended more or less the same. I think that it's a really important tie to make that Kunikida has the mindset of Light Yagami except he doesn't want to be some "god" he just wants an ideal world. also he's not obsessed with murdering criminals, he searches for the truth and puts them in jail instead. because the good in his heart overpower his ideals. the biggest difference from characters like Light Yagami and the Azure King to kunikida is that their “ideals” extend to everyone but themselves. they’re okay with getting their own hands dirty if it means that the rest of the world is clean. in kunikida’s case the ideals do extend to himself which is why he’s always so conflicted with killing and death, even if they are criminals. basically the ideal world of kunikida is something that is absolutely impossible to attain. but it’s good, those little differences change a character and its motives but through the Azure King we see what kind of character Kunikida could've been.

finally I wanted to talk about rokuzo. I think it would've given me more impact in the show if they gave him a little more screen-time and talked a little bit more about him and his father, like, they didn't just ignore it but it went by so fast that over time I forgot the reason for rokuzo in the first place. and upon searching the BSD wiki he is 16 in the show and 14 in the novel, which made me understand why it was hard for me to sympathize with him while watching the show so long ago. I honestly thought he was a young adult by the way he is in the show not a whole minor. in the book I was close to heartbroken over the fact that a 14 year old is an orphan and alone the way I felt for kyoka and when Kunikida says "I could never be your dad" LIKE??? the meaning hit harder because you get more context in the novel. rokuzo could've done better in the show if he was 14. especially since a lot of people won't read the light novel because it's already in the show or because they just aren't huge fans. it's whatever honestly, it's not a huge important detail or anything so I don't much care for it.

ALSO did we just collectively agree to not talk about how kunikida was a math teacher as a side job AND was working on a college(?) degree??? i mean probably not anymore but up until dazai joined the agency he was, which i mean, what an icon

the novel was very good though. I've been in a reading slump and this helped me get out of it a little. I like Kunikida much better now and i appreciate his simplicity. i understand the arc a lot better as well which makes me happy.

4/5 definitely recommend wether you're a Kunikida fan or not and probably a must for kunikida fans

[tintentrinkerin]

nothing on my tongue but hallelujah...

Rating: Explicit

Pairing:

Jared Padalecki/Jensen Ackles, Jared/various, Jared/Alex Calvert

Warnings: 

Gangbang, Barebacking, Jealousy, Top Jared Padalecki, Bottom Jensen Ackles, Religious Cults, Power Dynamics

Summary: Jared's Cult, the "Church of Grace" is a peaceful and harmonic little community in the South. Then young Jensen appears and rocks the Cult leader's world - moreoever, it rattles Alex awake, who's been sure to be his leader's most loved member.

Written upon request

Word Count: 9.9k

Read below the cut or on AO3

Kudos are love <3

The Divine Five Pillars of “Church of Grace”

Obedience

Purity

Community

Free Love

Kindness

The “Creed”

I believe in God, the Father and the Almighty,

who created the world, the people, the seas, the animals and the trees.

I believe in God’s son, who is his true Vicar on Earth

For he brings joy, love, community, kindness and hope. 

I reject the Devil and his kin. I turn my whole existence to 

the true Vicar of the Holy Father. 

I hereby swear to follow the five divine rules of the Church

and give myself into the hands of God’s most graceful creation.

May He and God’s Angels lead me into Paradise.

Amen.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Siddharta Gautama

Through true honesty deeply believe that all sentient-beings are one.That all beings have the same true nature, wisdom, virtue.

If people knew how much effort it took to get an orgy going, they probably wouldn’t even bother and settle for porn instead. 

Jared and Alex had to plan every monthly “gathering” very thoroughly, especially, when new recruits and adepts arrived. The new boys and girls would maybe chicken out at first, but that wouldn’t be punished. Later, yes. At their first time? No. Jared was very kind to those he found. In other communities they’d be punished right on spot. But Jared, no no, he wasn’t that barbaric. He wanted everyone to feel happy and included. Everyone had to use the headquarter’s communal showers or baths after they had an extensive cleansing plan, to purify their body and also a very intense work out session. All for purity’s sake. Jared loves purity. 

The garden behind the Church of Grace’s headquarters was around 400 acres, enough space to celebrate free love, the holy spirit within all of us, and most importantly, worship the true Vicar of God on Earth. Forget Jesus. 

Jared was pleased when he saw his usual very busy adepts who were about to be initiated in the second step of Priesthood. They were so eager and they had a fantastic taste in decorating. There will be a bonfire, it’s May 1st after all, one of Jared’s favorite dates for a gathering. Pagans used to celebrate Beltane, well, they still do. In tiny groups, the Wiccans and the Druids. He has no affiliations with them, but as a shepherd of his sheep he needs to be informed. Wise. He wants to be the one who can answer all their questions, give interpretations. His interpretations. His view of the world. And in his world, only his Church will bring them peace and harmony and closer to God’s grace and mercy. 

The bonfire wood is piled right in the center of the garden, the part of the garden that members are allowed to see and walk on. Around the bonfire a lot of big wooden logs are placed for the followers of Jared to sit on. As soon as the fire burnt down a little bit and some chalices of holy wine were emptied and some delicious weed was consumed, the orgy might start. Jared will let the believers start first. There’s always a couple or a single horny person that will start wooing a person of their interest. Jared will join later, when the ecstasy is palpable and the adepts play the drums, letting the mass of naked bodies find their rhythm. Behind the huge pile for the bonfire, there’s Jared’s seat. A massive chair made of dark wood, polished, carvings all over. Still a thing someone could find a little too pagan, but Jared doesn’t care. The truth is what he speaks, not the others. And the truth is, that people still are just the same as in the early Middle Ages. The same things struck them with awe, and it’s not churches in white marble and Jesus hanging from crosses. Nature and it’s forces, the hidden desires. Intimate, primal and authentic. That’s his motto. No nude angel chiseled out of porcelain will make people feel this kind of raw euphoria and devotion as a bonfire and some drums do. Let the drums shake their cores and make their blood rage. This is how you make people feel their primal truth, and then, they’ll realize why doing this once a month is so freeing. They will get back to work, back to Jared’s mass, satisfied and their needs soothed. Then they will happily obey, stay pure, pray and make the community itself a functional unit of people with the same values.

And their money. It’s always gonna end up in such a community running itself, on donations, the members’ money and other things. 

When the sun sets, the members of the community sit down on the wooden banks or logs, or they bring a white towel to sit on. Jared counts the members and everyone is there. Alex sits beside Jared’s chair, obeissant. 

The white flowy cult dresses start billowing in the wind. Jared sits down on his chair, with a graceful flowing movement. He’s dressed in white too, linen, see through even when dry. When he sits all the heads turn to him. In the twilight of the remaining sunbeam, you could think, Jared just descended from heaven. He likes that idea. He raises his arms and in his strong, rough voice he proclaims “Brothers, sisters, it’s time for our monthly celebration. You cleansed your bodies, you prayed and did good service to the community. Now is the time to reward you, my brothers and sisters. Let’s have the holy communion, break bread and offer it to your neighbours, offer wine to your friends. Connect.” There’s faint applause and Jared puts his hand down. “No need to applaud, my dear sister, tonight, we celebrate you and your devotion and purity!”

He turns to Alex, dressed in white linen trousers. “Brother Alex will light  the fire and then, brothers and sisters, enjoy the bread and wine, let your spirits flow and find your matches for tonight!”

The crowd cheers and they end the chorus with a loud and enthusiastic “Amen!”

“Amen!”Jared echoes and his voice layers upon everything else.

When he sits down and Alex lights up the fire he watches all these people, the four new recruits. A young cute redhead girl, she looks like condensed sunshine - a young boy, looks like he’s here because the redhead is here (he’d be weeded out tonight) - another redhead, looking fierce. A snake. He might take a closer look at her - and then, there is Green Eyes. The boy that Jared picked himself. Usually one of his lower assistants would pick them but this time, Jared had to intervene. He needed these assistants to weed out the no go’s just before Jared could even see them. He couldn’t check on every person willing to join, they needed to make a first sighting and then the few ones who might be of Jared’s interest, would be invited to meet the True Vicar himself. Usually, that was 10 out of 200 or even less. And Jared was just as rigorous with ditching the foul seeds. But Green Eyes was his favorite all along. Those eyes… 

Alex breaks the loaf of bread and offers it to Jared. Of course, he’s on his knees and only looks up when Jared takes the half of the loaf and gives him his blessing.

“May you be blessed by our Lord and his Angels,” Jared says very formally. Alex looks up, his face has tiny sprinkles of ash on them already and his robe turned transparent from the sweat. He’s decent. Will he try as the first one today? Like always? 

“May you be blessed by your Father, Our Lord and his Angels,” Alex replies until Jared gestures to him to stay up. 

“Amen.” 

“Amen.”

Jared eats and then receives the wine from Alex too. That’s a golden rule. As his personal assistant, Alex receives the blessings from Jared. Just after him, anyone is able to be blessed by their Master. They share half of the bread, they will need the rest later. In this community it is not necessary to receive Jared’s blessing to consume the holy communion as his liberal practice says that any true believer in their community, on one of the 12 holy days of their community “gathering”, can offer and receive blessings from a brother or a sister. Jared’s happy about that, because blessing 120 people would make him pass out drunk and he can’t have that. He is in control. And he needs to stay in control, too. 

Around him, the wine, the food are eaten and some herbal cigarettes are lit, the thick smell of weed is everywhere. Four cult members responsible for music start playing the drums and flutes now. Quietly still, just a hint that soon, the gathering will start with their original purpose. The physical and mental connection of the members with each other. Jared can already see people who are done eating, wine tipsy and a little herbally relaxed. Hands wander under togas and robes, simple shirts and wide hippie trousers. Alex stays with Jared, looking down on the obedient sheep doing what they’re supposed to do. The fabric in his crotch is tenting. One look in Alex’ face tells Jared everything.

“You won’t give up, huh?”

Alex shakes his head. “No. I will never give up.”

Jared now stands up and stretches like a cat that has just awoken and now is on their way to do some mischief. “Boy, all of you try so hard, but none of you can take it.”

“It’s about receiving your mercy,” Alex says, now sounding a little sulky. 

Jared heads towards the bonfire where some couples (or more) are intertwined with each other, laying on the bare grass, sitting on logs or they found a nice spot on the white towels everyone brought. Right in the center, around the fireplace, it is too hot to sit there. Jared makes his rounds, ruffles some hair here, kisses a girl there, even helps a young girl settle on her lover’s cock.

“There you go, sweetheart,” he coos, “that’s how you show your love and devotion.”

She would be too tight and small for him though. All the women here would surely love to try again and again, but none of them would be prepared for his cock. 

When he is done doing rounds around the bonfire he sits down on an empty white blanket and just like it’s natural, the free members gather around him. The drums start playing a hard and catchy rhythm. 

The psychology behind music and rhythm. His members really know how to play a mass of people and put their bodies in the right directions. Alex joins and everyone respects Jared’s assistant too much to try and get Jared before him. In absolute devotion, Alex pulls Jared’s white linen pants down to his naked ankles, then off his naked feet. The participants murmur and gasp, such a delight every time. Jared didn’t wear boxer briefs or anything else underneath and so, everyone can admire his massive cock. It’s big, the erection growing strong and hard and the tip bounces against Jared’s toned six pack, above his belly button. Even Alex with his long filigrane and very skilled fingers can’t wrap around the shaft fully. 

They all watch, not even Alex dares to touch him yet. 

“You. Alex. Claire. You were such a good team last time. Would you show me how perfectly you harmonize?”

The blonde girl blushes deep red and Alex first raises an eyebrow. It’s clear who he wants, but he would never deny one of Jared’s commands. And that’s what it is. A command. 

Alex pushes Claire on all fours, one strong hand in her hair and presses her down while he sucks on two of his fingers and then penetrates her with them. She squeals and giggles, but before Alex fucks her he knows he has to give his true interest a show, and he will. While fingering her he presses his face between her buttcheeks and starts sucking. The scene gets very loud with pleasure noises very soon and another guy asks to accompany them. 

Jared supports himself with one arm and the other he uses to stroke his cock, throbbing and hot, he loves it when his followers put on such a show. He’s leaking some precum already and a boy next to him looks at it. Greedy and inexperienced. Jared doesn’t let him taste yet, and instead the nameless boy bends down to kiss Jared’s very muscular thighs. Another follower starts doing the same on the other side, everything with Jared stroking himself slowly. He wants to enjoy every minute of it. His toes are sucked on, submissive followers suck them like it’s his massive member. The first brave adepts gather around them too and Jared can’t help but smile. People stroke his hair, kiss his neck and leave their marks, but what Jared really needs is someone taking his cock like a champion. He knows he’s intimidating. Thick and lock, and even grows bigger when hard. The first adept who is bold enough to come forward is very much welcome. He has himself oiled pretty well, he smells flowery and when he sinks on Jared’s cock (just the tip!), he freezes. 

“Oh… God”, he hisses, “oh my f… so big…” Jared smirks, his hands on the twink boys hips. Such a beautiful boy, Jared would love to fuck him and fill him up, but it looks like he is already failing at the tip. 

“Go slow, my dear,” Jared says nonetheless. A guru can hope. 

Two hands on his shoulders push the boy farther down and he cries out, half in pleasure, but also in pain. The hands disappear and the young man on Jared’s cock looks like he’s about to cry. 

“It’s too much for you, hm?”

The boy nods and gets up, legs shaking. You can tell he never had a guy fuck his ass before, bonus points for using oil as lube. He might try again after he gets used to it with another cult member. He stammers an apology. Jared pulls him down for a second and presses his thumb on the boy’s forehead. 

“I bless you, brother.”

It’s a ritual, it’s a necessity, or the boy will maybe consider leaving. But most of the boys, like Alex, stay close to Jared and try it again and again and again. Some people are overachievers, maybe one day it will be successful. 

The boy mumbles an Amen and then strolls away, looking for another group he can find a place in. Jared still feels the tight ass of this boy and, damn, how much he loves it when they’re tight, maybe an anal virgin even, and he’s the first to fuck them. Another brother sucks him off, but  he also has trouble swallowing more of Jared’s wand than just the tip. His sucking is superb, ambitious even. Drool runs down his throbbing cock, damn, he even makes delicious sounds! Jared’s head falls back and he wishes he could blow his first load, but all these attempts of his followers just leave him just ‘almost coming. The man takes him deeper now but is interrupted by heavy gagging and he has to give up. Now it’s Alex who claims to be next. Alex is the kind of guy who acts like a passionate lover with anyone, even though he only craves  Jared’s attention. He’s open and gaping already, must've gotten into a very nice threeway with Kathryn and the other member. Alex sinks on Jared’s cock, his back pressed against Jared’s sweaty chest. Alex is able to take more than just Jared’s tip after extensive dilating practice or when he’s been fucked already by two or more of his brothers of the Church, but that leaves Jared only semi turned on, too. He feels loose, not as tight as when he tried it the first time and cried for several minutes because Jared’s dick almost tore him apart. It’s enough to make Jared cum and bless Alex with an intense prostate orgasm, but still Jared is not satisfied. When Alex leaves and some others follow him to the pool, he sits down again, crotch still throbbing, his need still not satisfied. Around him the orgy is at its peak, no one is alone by now, everyone is sharing their love and energies. Jared is gifted, his cock is ready again five minutes later and he mounts that ginger woman, the adept. But she winces when he’s halfway in and Jared has to pull out. She’s biter and a scratcher, her thick accent is sexy and he makes her cum multiple times with his tongue and fingers, but he holds back now, he waits for the perfect one. Someone to form a union with. A tight one, but skilled and resilient. A man that can take his cock and even if it hurts a little, push through. 

Jared sinks down on one of the blankets, lies down and stares in the clear starry night, a follower brings him a pillow and others massage his thighs and arms, his feet. God, yes, his feet are so sensitive. Another guy shyly asks if he may be of service and when Jared opens his eyes and looks up it’s Green Eyes. He hasn’t seen the boy since the beginning of the orgy. Jared immediately hikes up and shoos his other followers away. 

“Sure, sit with me.”

The boy with the forbidden pretty pouty lips, the rough voice and piercing green eyes sits down, facing the self proclaimed Vicar of God.

“You want to be of service, what was your name again? I’m sorry that I have to ask, I am terrible with names – most people change theirs after initiation anyway and that’s what stays in my memory.”

Green Eyes looks at him. “I’m Jensen.”

“Hello Jensen. I’m glad you came to our monthly free love gathering. Is that the kind of religious practice you seek?” 

A girl offers them some bread and a chalice of wine, plus some mushrooms on the side.

“It would be an honor, Jensen, to break the bread and drink the wine with you. Mushrooms are not mandatory if you’re allergic to that kind.”

Jensen grins and echoes the girl’s “amen” and gives her a smile. It’s gotten a bit quiet around them, some followers watch Jared and his new recruit very, very closely. 

“I don’t want to break the protocol, who is supposed to break the bread and offer it?” Jensen asks with a shy grin. Jared chuckles.

“We do not have a strict protocol, not on these special nights when we celebrate freedom and harmony. And free love. When we surrender to our primal instinct, you understand?”

Jensen nods seriously. “Yes, I get that.”

He rips off a piece of loaf then a second and offers one to Jared without the ceremonial motto. Jared ignores that (at least today) and receives the bread. “May you be blessed by our Lord and his Angels,” he says, presses his thumb on Jensen’s forehead and mumbles an “Amen”. Jensen echoes again, then takes a bite. When he’s done Jared offers him the wine with the same motto, and this time Jensen copies it, even though the Vicar is addressed during that sentence with “May you be blessed by your Father, our Lord and his Angels”. He will learn that, Jared will make sure of it. 

No one dares to come any closer after they’ve been offered shrooms, bread and wine. Some couples, or whole piles of copulating people don’t care what’s around them but some very devoted followers of Jared’s doctrine watch their Messiah and the new man very closely. Some are envious. Some are in awe of these two beautiful men sharing the body of Jesus Christ (strictly speaking Jared’s ‘brother’, just a few thousand years earlier) in such a manner. Jared’s tanned body glistens in the light and sparks of the bonfire and his hair started curling a little lately. Several people’s eyes turn wet. Given the beauty of their leader. Or given the fact there’s a new boy in town. And this boy is too pretty for his own good.

II

The wine is dry and aromatic, nothing you would just chug down and Jensen and Jared empty four chalices which are refilled by a maid that was brave enough to disturb her leader and the new recruit. It’s gotten chill and the bonfire shrinks and shrinks, some members of the Church try to revive it for a little longer and throw thick and heavy branches on it, along with brushwood that would burn easily and then transfer the fire over to the branches.

Just like in the 16th up to the 18th century – this is how you build a pyre to burn witches.

Jensen carefully, even a little shy now, lays a hand on Jared’s leg. The leader is surprised, given his attitude and behaviour he didn’t count on Jensen to take part in the orgy, he seemed more the watching type. The bonfire reflects in his intense green eyes and Jared feels an aching towards his new recruit. 

Now he realizes that Jensen’s white shorts are tenting. The way he looks up at Jared, through his thick blonde eyelashes it’s absolutely acting. Jensen is not that shy. Maybe a little. 

“The others told me…” Jensen started, “that I should under no circumstances give in to your… advances. You would, how did they say… tear me apart…? I wonder why…”

Jared snorts as an answer. Amused. His followers keep saying this to either see if someone’s brave enough to come forward right in their first few months here or if they’ll chicken out. 

“Well!” He has to laugh again. “Look, I think you’ve… you’ve watched a little without participating in this celebration, right? You’re still dressed, to my dismay!”

Jensen blushes, one hand on his crotch. Now, this reaction is a little more honest. 

“I can, I mean…”

Jared laughs louder now and then lays his hand on Jensen’s, that is covering his erect penis.

“Don’t make it awkward, Jensen, it’s fine. Not many participate in their first orgy and you are not obliged to, either. This is about free love. Father gave us free will for a reason. Because without free will, there is no love on this Earth.” 

There’s one streak of Jensen’s chin long hair, it’s styled but now the hairspray or the gel isn’t working it’s magic anymore. Jared brushes the strand behind Jensen’s ear. He’s closer to the recruit now and Jensen’s hand under his pulls away for the messiah to feel what’s underneath. 

“Regarding your concern about ripping you apart… I would never. But as you can see…”

Jensen’s eyes fixate on Jared’s growing cock and he gulps visibly.

“Yes, I…”, he looks up again, doe eyed and his mouth slightly opened, his pink silky tongue wets his lips. 

“You have the face of an angel, do you know that? I wonder what hides behind that…”

Jared’s voice is low and rough now, he groans when under his fingers Jensen’s cock jumps. 

“Jared, but… what if I can’t--”

“Shush, I’ll prepare you for it. And we have masses of oils. We’ll go slow. Very slow.”

A whisper erupts amongst the witnesses, their leader and idol! – wooing Jensen. A newbie. Some figures in the dark hurry for more oil, whole cans of it, juices, towels and fresh clothes. This is a choreography of duty to care for Jared. Everyone knows this is an occasion they won’t be able to witness that often. So far only one person could take Jared’s cock and fulfill his most aching wish. 

It’s Alex’s now hated duty to bring it all over to the blanket where Jensen climbs in Jared’s lap, panting faintly between two very passionate kisses. There’s fresh bread, more wine, water from the Church’s own well, fresh clothes for both and a big bottle of lube, oil based. It will stain every inch of fabric it’ll meet. Jared doesn’t even look up at him when he retreats, but he throws a ‘thank you’ in his direction. As soon as Alex is out of reach he is forgotten. 

Jared takes his time with this one. His commune members are in such harmony with each other already that prolonged foreplay isn’t necessary, but of course encouraged. Jensen is vocal, moans in their kisses and Jared loves the effort and the devotion he shows already. Jared pulls Jensen’s clothes off and bathes in the glow of this beautiful sight. Jensen’s skin is flawless, soft. It’s a joy touching him. Jensen pulls him in another kiss and arches in the leader’s strong arms - so responsive, in every way! 

“I want to try it,” Jensen then whispers, shakily.

“What exactly?”

“Take you. Suck you.”

Jared chuckles and gets up, pulls Jensen along on his lap. Jensen’s hand is big, he has deliciously thick fingers and Alex would appreciate some good fingering from him. He should introduce these two a little later

Jensen slides between Jared’s legs, who’s supporting himself with his arms to be able to watch Jensen try and gag on his cock. Jared senses some of his sisters and brothers coming closer, silently, to not interrupt them in their exploration ritual. He can’t blame them for being curious, and this is the exact purpose of their monthly gathering. Enjoy each other freely. 

Jensen’s mouth waters and when he opens his lips, a thick streak of drool runs down his face and chin. He doesn’t hesitate to bend down and wrap his lips around Jared’s tip.

A moment of breathless silence from everywhere. 

Jensen. slides. deeper. 

Jared moans and his head falls between his shoulder blades, so that he can see the clear starry night sky.

He will stop now, it’s too much. Oh God it’s too much, he can’t do it, Jared thinks, and then he starts praying Please let him go deeper. 

Jensen’s mouth feels tight, soft, and hot and he produces so much drool, it makes it messy. Perfectly messy. Jared’s head falls foward again and he watches Jensen taking him inch by fucking inch. Jared’s cock disappears in Jensen’s tight throat to the root. Jared stays perfectly still and tries to not even move a hair’s breadth. Jensen’s hand slightly presses on Jared’s stomach and then pulls away slowly. Painfully slowly, while working Jared’s incredibly thick shaft with his tongue. As soon as he’s able to look up to Jared everyone can see streaks of tears in his angelic face and his flushed cheeks. He keeps on working Jared’s tip, circling the bundle of nerves under the tip and then, with a high pitched gasp, pulls away completely.

He looks over to Jared and smiles. “Did I do good?”

Jared nods. It’s been ages since someone took him completely. It takes all of his willpower to not grab in Jensen’s hair and force his mouth down again to suck him off.. and then fuck his recruit’s face. He would gag and whine so pretty…. Jared needs a moment to breathe in and out very deeply, call himself to reason. 

“You are perfect,” he says, his voice shaky. “By the Angels, you are the best.”

Jensen blushes even deeper and looks away. He notices the other believers have gathered around them. Jared combs through his hair. He feels that Jensen now really is shy.. that’s not a show.

“Don’t bother, my dear. They won’t touch you if you don’t want to. I’m here for you and only you. Okay?”

Jensen nods. “So I really did good? Did no one before me take you that deep? I mean it’s a bit tricky but -”

Some of the watchers moan. 

“Did I say something wrong?”

“They all tried, dear. And failed. I guess you just earned yourself a title.”

Some of the watchers lurk in the dark, some are illuminated by the fainting bonfire. The sound of drums is gone. Jared watches Jensen look around and get used to it, after all. Then he turns to Jared and grins.

“I will work to keep the title then…,”

Jared pushes his delicious mouth on his cock again, and yes, fuck, holy fuck YES, Jensen can take him. He takes him so deep that Jared can feel his throat tighten and contract, but he’s not gagging in the bad way. Tears fall and drool runs down his reasonably thick shaft. Jared’s hand grips in Jensen’s hair and pulls. Jensen utters a surprised but pleased moan and keeps going faster and faster. One hand sneaks around Jared’s balls and massages them. Jared’s hips buck up and Jensen needs a break for a second, deep, hectic breathing, his teary eyes, the rest of the bonfire glistens in his eyes. Jared has a hard time holding back his possessive nature when Jensen just worships him like that. Faint and aroused moans around them show Jared that the others enjoy Jensen’s show as well. Some couples even have started fucking. Girls stand close by, rubbing their swollen and wet parts. 

“Look around,” he orders Jensen, “look around, how much love you spark.”

“Your voice… so deep… so much deeper,” Jensen is still fighting for breath. It makes Jared only crazier. 

“That’s you, you do that to me.” 

Jensen’s hand is still stroking him. Jared would be ready to come just now, preferably he’d shoot his massive load right in his throat, but what he wants even more, what’s the source of the deepest aching is the longing to finally be inside someone fully. He wants to ram his cock in Jensen up to the root and make him come first, then Jared could let go. 

“You’re close,” Jensen whispers and presses a kiss on Jared’s lips. “I swallow if you’re into that…”

Jared’s answer is a low and growl. “What I really want…”

“Let me guess… you want to fuck me? Here in front of all these people?”Jensen sounds out of breath, thrilled, over excited. His hands are shaking when he pulls himself on Jared’s lap.

Jared holds him close, his raging, painfully hard cock pressing on Jensen’s asshole. It’s slick from all this spit, but he wouldn’t dare to just enter him now, without warning. Without giving him something to chew on while Jared has to push his way in. 

“Free love. My pleasure is their pleasure,” Jared manages to say. He’s very proud to have that uttered in a manner that makes him seem still in control of himself. 

Jensen laughs quietly and then climbs down Jared’s lap. He stands up. And everyone can take a look at this beautiful body, shaped by God to strike people in awe. His own cock is thick and looks just delicious, Jared might want to get a taste one day, too. Then Jensen turns around and lowers on all fours, his perfectly shaped ass in Jared’s direction, head down, almost submissive. 

“Make your pleasure my pleasure,” he whispers, only Jared seems to hear it. 

Men and women formed a crescent around them now, the opening pointing to the dying fire. Jared licks his lips while he squeezes a very lavish amount of oil in his hand. He doesn’t cover his cock yet, he will help Jensen first. He enters him with one finger and Jensen bucks away first, in surprise but then lowers himself on the finger, starts fucking himself with it. His broken and sweet moans make Jared’s blood boil and also the participants around them start jerking harder. One hand gesture from Jared, and his followers stop. They shouldn’t finish before Jensen does, that’s just and right. 

“More,” Jensen demands, looking behind him with big teary eyes. His pupils are tiny and the iris of a thick and rich green. Jared gives him more. Jensen literally sucks the second finger in and when Jared starts massaging his prostate from outside with his thumb, Jensen cries out, stretching more and swallowing Jared’s long fingers to the root. He gasps tiny “oh god’s” and “fuck’s”. And then Jared isn’t able to hold the urge back and test if Jensen really is what Jared needs. Someone who fits him. He covers his long member with a lot of oil and also spreads generous amounts around Jensen’s anus.

“You think you’re ready, yeah?”

Jensen nods. “Positive.”

He even grabs his buttcheeks and pulls them apart, Jared has perfect sight of his slightly mouthing, dilated hole and all he has to do… He gulps violently, but then places his tip on Jensen’s entrance and sloooowly pushes in. Inch for inch. Jensen has to let go of his buttcheeks and his hands press on Jared’s hips.

“Holy… sh…”, Jensen huffs, “Is swearing even allowed?”

“Too much?”

“It’s a lot, but not too much… fuck…” 

Jensen breathes heavily but slowly, as slowly as Jared goes, his hands don’t push against him anymore and Jared can slide in even deeper. He’s amazed by how Jensen’s hole just swallows him, inch by delicious inch. He’s tight, extremely tight, thanks to the thick oily lube he won’t be hurt. Quite the opposite. Jared pushes in, freezes and rubs over Jensen’s back, soothing him. Jensen doesn’t need that much soothing though, after a few seconds of Jared holding perfectly still and just twothree inches away from going inside all the way he sinks against Jared’s hips, taking him fully with a low, needy moan that seems to last an eternity. 

“Please… move…” he moans, while Jared still holds Jensen’s hips and stares. Just stares in awe.

He really did it.

Jared can’t believe it’s really happening, that he feels so close to someone, again, finally, after such a long time. As he doesn’t start moving, Jensen rolls his hips back and forth, his back stretches and his hands clawing in the blanket. He just fucks himself on Jared’s member, doesn’t wait any longer and the moans he utters are - there is no other word -- they’re downright vulgar. It shows how much he lets go and it washes Jared away, his fingertips dig into Jensen’s hips as he meets his recruit’s pace. Now Jensen cries out, the words and moans just drop from his lips, he wants more, and Jared can feel how greedy he is. 

The audience around them is a choir of pleasure sounds, each of them takes Jared up so high he feels like he’s more than drunk. More than high. He feels like he’s elevating.

“Jared… Harder!” 

Jared fucks him harder. Jensen around him stretches and clenches like he wants to milk him dry, make him cum, but not now. It’s too good to let it end too early, he’s been starved too long and he wants to enjoy every second of fucking this angelic but oh so slutty adept. No one ever met his pace, wanted to be fucked harder and harder, no one asked to be sore, but Jensen does.

His moans are so loud his voice breaks and trails off, chokes on his own sounds. Jared loses it at this point, he grips in Jensen’s glossy hair and pulls him on his knees, closer to his body. Pounding his ass now makes beautiful wet sounds. Jensen leans on Jared’s chest and reaches for the prophet’s ass to push him deeper. And deeper.

“Can’t get enough, huh?”Jared growls, his hand in Jensen’s hair is pulling stronger, the other on Jensen’s hip holds him steady. “Want every inch of me?”

Jensen nods, sobbing. “Yes, never been fucked so good… just how I need --” He can’t even finish the sentence, Jared’s mighty deep thrusts make his voice fade into a cry. “Oh, God!”

Jared needs to slow down just for a bit, give himself time to breathe and hold back the orgasm that’s building up. He’ll shoot a massive load for sure, he wants it to be worth it. He bites Jensen’s neck and feels the violent shudder. They cling onto each other, hands in hair, fingernails scratching and leaving red trails. 

“No, no, don’t stop now… I’m so close,” Jensen huffs, turns his head to Jared, their lips meet and Jared kisses him until both are too breathless, too close to be gentle or patient. 

When Jared picks up his pace again it’s only a matter of a few seconds until Jensen cries out and sinks back on all fours, hiding his face in the blanket. He doesn’t have to touch himself to cum, with a loud and guttural sound he spills. And spills. It’s such a mindblowing orgasm. Everything about it is perfect. Jensen’s moans, how he pulls out handfuls of grass. His clenching asshole around Jared. The amount of cum he splatters on the sheets. Jared bends forward, pulls Jensen’s face up and turns it to the crowd.

“Let them look at you,” he hisses, “share the love.”

And then Jared cums, grunting and thrusting as deep as he can. His cock pumps and pumps masses. He’s never come so hard, so long, so satisfying. For a couple of seconds he doesn’t know anymore where he ends and Jensen begins, that’s how good and intimate it feels. Jensen’s tightness squeezes him tight and makes it impossible to move or pull out. 

Jared collapses on Jensen’s back. He’s dizzy. He needs a moment.

Around them the noises turn from moans to grunts. Heavy breathing. Jared gestures to the watchers to stop jerking. He wants to have Jensen for himself for another moment when he pulls out. Jensen winces underneath him but his face just shows blissful exhaustion. Jared loves to watch his cum pouring out his partner’s holes and it’s no different tonight. Not after this divine intervention. Not after he’s been blessed with such a partner. 

It’s a lot. Jensen turns his head to Jared, his face puffy and red, strands of wet blonde hair on his forehead. And now there’s the hint of a smirk. 

“Did I do well?” he asks.

“I think you know…” Jared replies.

His hand strokes Jensen’s still half hard cock and Jensen moans. So sensitive. Next time, Jared might return the favor and suck that pretty cock.

“Your brothers and sisters want to show you how much they enjoyed watching you.”

Jensen looks around, then back to Jared.

Now the smirk is undeniable. 

“Let ‘em come.”

Jared gets up, his muscular body beaming in the light of the moon and embers of the fire. He feels like he’s about to rise above anything and anyone. This union has given him the deepest peace he could ever feel. He still feels painfully hard and when he looks down he still is. His glossy cock perks up, but he won’t take Jensen a second time and risk really tearing him apart. 

Jensen is on his knees, arms stretched forward like a satisfied lioness, sticking out his freshly bred ass to the audience.

“Children. Time to welcome Jensen in your midst.”

Alex approaches Jared to wash him off with a fresh wet cloth and a sponge while the others gather around Jensen. No one touches the recruit, after Jared united with him, but he will be showered in attention and much more.

Two days later, Jensen is still a bit sore. 

He didn’t sleep much on the night of the celebration, he’s been too hyped, too high from the rush of alcohol, adrenaline and sex. Especially the sex. He can still feel Jared’s massive pole in his ass and everytime he gives in to the memory he shudders and feels his white robe tent. 

Everything in this commune is white. The community houses in which the members live, white. The Church, white. Jared’s residence, white. The only thing that seems to be different is the massive wooden chair in which Jared sat during the celebration and watched his followers unify. 

The blankets are white, the towels, the plates. Purity is an important pillar of this group, and everyone who’s not familiar with the customs might argue that collective orgies aren’t really pure, but Jensen knows better already. Purity is based on keeping your body healthy. The diet here isn’t vegan, but the community has their own farm. 120 people need food and water. Most of them live and work here. On the farm where vegetables and fruits are grown seasonally, or they take care of the cattle, pigs and chickens. Others help keep the houses intact. 

Days are warm, the nights are pitchblack, there’s a lake and a river closeby. Women wash the clothes of the community. There is no “mine” and “yours” in the Church. There is only “we” and “us” and “our”. 

Jensen has his own room, because the morning after the orgy, after the morning prayers and morning sports, in the great hall at breakfast, Jared proclaimed that Jensen was indeed heaven sent. Chosen by the Angels. That makes him special enough to have his own room for a while and it helps him acclimate in this environment. Most new members need that. They come from their picket fence life in the suburbs or the pulsing lives of a big city. They had day jobs, night jobs, family, addictions and almost everyone of them has been materially wealthy. 

Everything that keeps them away from living a pure, devoted life with God is taken away here. Jared provides everything they need. 

Some take a week to find their place in the community, some struggle for years. Some pack their bags as soon as they realize that the sense community here also consists of freedom in love, friendships. Children are born in this community and are raised by everyone, not only their genetic parents. No one here claims to own someone or something.

Well.

At least they say so.

Alex’s room is - as it’s appropriate for his position - in Jared’s residence. This morning he decided to cut his shoulder long, honey blond hair and trim his long beard.

Purity doesn’t mean to be shaven clean or have short hair. Purity comes from the heart, free will and the ability to love. Alex doubts he is quite pure at the moment. The community is free of the toxicity of a material life - in the community, you don’t aspire to climb up ranks. There are simply only three ranks. The community, Alex, Jared. Jared is their natural leader, it is supposed to be like that. Alex is chosen. Alex is confident.

He was. His heart is full of love for the cause and for Jared. 

Until a few nights before he looked in the mirror every morning and smiled at his reflection. Because the reflection showed him a confident young man of faith. Full of love, not bound but blessed with free will. 

Then, his heart started to hurt. 

Now he hates his blue eyes, he hates his long hair, he hates the beard. He hates that he isn’t able to provide Jared the one thing he ached for.

It feels like an inconsistency of Jared’s teachings. Or Alex just isn’t at the point of enlightenment he always thought he was. He finds the fault in himself rather than Jared. But he likes it most thinking that it’s Jensen’s fault.

Jensen with the dazzling green eyes that tantalize Alex. And his damn ability to merge with Jared. Something no one in the community ever could provide. 

Alex hates that someone other than him satisfies Jared in any way.

When he looks in the mirror he sees the man who came here all these years ago when Jared’s predecessor was still alive. The man who crashed here after drugs and sex addiction ruined his life.

Growth is something that never stops. And any day you don’t work through your struggles puts you one step further away from divinity and back into the life of materiality and toxicity.

Jared mustn��t know.

Alex stares blankly in the mirror while he shaves his beard off. Completely.

It takes a few days generally for the community to calm down after such a night. Jared knows that. He feels sore himself, but in a good, satisfying way. His community is thriving, they have new members. Fresh blood. The prayers are inspiring. Jared insists on holding the divine services all by himself. These days he’s beaming with love and the rich and satisfying feeling of being connected. This is Jensen’s merit. His sensuality, his sexual aura, everything about him reminds Jared of the Archangel Michael, the fiery son of God who guarded Eden. Everything about Jensen seems to set Jared on fire. And not only Jared. The others feel it too. The women, the men, everyone stares when he passes. It takes Jared a lot of introspection, prayer and exercise to not just drag him back in his bed. Jared is known for being considerate, kind, and balanced. He leads these people on their path to God and divinity, he is their idol. The true Vicar of the Holy Father. Preferring Jensen in his first month here would weaken his own strong will. He’s sure this man is sent by his Father to heal his hurts, but he needs to care for his community first. 

Jared must not be selfish. He obeys the Lord and he will follow His guidance wherever it may take him. When he knows that his community is safe. 

After morning’s prayer and exercise Jared retreats to the communal bath. Alex prepared everything like always. He’s shaven clean and his hair is way shorter than before. While Jared sinks in the hot tub, Alex hesitates to accompany him. He looks bitter. Some of the old worry lines reappeared. Jared makes an inviting gesture.

“Come in, Alex.”

Today, Jared notices, it sounds like more than an order. 

Alex first shakes his head, but then looks up and his face softens. The lines disappear. He undresses and joins Jared for a bit.

Jared pulls him on his lap, it’s unusual for Alex to be physically distant. He recognizes his assistant has a razor cut on his chin. He runs his thumb just right under it and Alex inhales sharply.

“Why did you shave your beard?” he asks.

Alex looks away, bites his lip. His tooth gap is adorable. 

“I didn’t like it anymore.”

Jared frowns. 

“Do you doubt yourself?”

A scoff. Jared knows he just hit a nerve. Alex never scoffs at him.

“It’s just hair,” he replies. Now he even sounds a bit defiant. 

“Alexandros.”

Alex stiffens. Jared has a habit of calling him by his full name when he fucks up, just like a mother would.

Jared cups his face and looks straight in those bright blue eyes and he sees the vulnerable boy that Alex still is. His progress is phenomenal, but part of him will always stay in the darkness he escaped. 

Alex writhes but doesn’t honestly struggle against him. 

“Your looks are not important. Be careful with your heart.”

A faint nod. Jared kisses his forehead, then his lips. Suddenly no writhing, no defiance, no stubborn behavior. Alex is pliant. Good.

“I have to go”, Alex mumbles, “I have to prepare our departure to Seattle… Our original flight was cancelled…” 

Jared nods. Actually he has no desire to attend this event, but as the leader of this religious community, he has to fulfill some duties. Like going to charity events. It’s not that he hates charity, quite the contrary, as a son of God, it’s his pleasure and deepest wish to make the world a better place, but he hates the whole attention. He hates being compared to apocalypse cults or worse. His teachings are as pure as they can get under given pretenses and the struggle of humanity to overcome the Great Tribulation. 

Alex knows. “I know you don’t want to go. But I will make it worth the trip.”

“You always do.”

Alex gets up with slightly shaky legs and a very impressive erection. When he jumps back in his clothes he even turns away. Suddenly he is so shy. When they’re back from Seattle, Jared will have to hold some very intense prayer and service sessions with Alex. He seems in need of healing. And that’s what Jared was chosen for. Provide for people like Alex.

Alex isn’t gone for five minutes when Jared hears a shuffling behind him.

“Did you forget something, Alexandros?”

Someone’s clearing their throat and it’s not Alex. When Jared turns around he sees Jensen standing in the entrance, blushing and looking at his feet.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to… umm, am I disturbing you?” 

Jared’s face lights up and he turns around fully, crossing his arms on the brim of the pool. Jensen is in his white robe, bread crumbs along his collar. He probably just ate breakfast. His hair is messy. 

“Not at all,” Jared replies, “usually, I don’t have guests when I bathe but you’re welcome to join today. You’re new, you can’t know.”

Jensen frowns. “Alex doesn’t count as a guest?”

“No. He is wherever I am, unless he doesn’t want to be.”

Now Jensen’s eyes glow. 

“Like now?”

Jared grins. 

“You are a cheeky one, aren’t you?” he asks.

Jensen stands there, looking at him like he’s about to say ‘yes’, but ultimately doesn’t. 

Jared gestures. “Come in already.” 

Ruffling of clothes tells him that his recruit followed his wish and now gets undressed. A moment later Jensen slides in the water beside Jared, about an arm’s length away. His cheeks turn pink.

“Are you well?”Jared asks, just as the caretaker of his people, he is always worried about them. Always ready to provide care if needed or wanted. 

Jensen’s teint turns even brighter. Ah. The orgy. It was surely his first time.

“I mean, I think I got a little rough with you there,” the leader admits.

Jensen shakes his head a little, a shy smile and a dreamy gaze show that Jensen might indeed be well. It would be reassuring to hear it though.

“No, no, it wasn’t rough at all but I would lie if I said I don’t still feel you inside me. It was a very world-shaking experience.”

“Uh-huh,” Jared replies, “it was.”

The memory alone makes Jared’s body fill with a need to do it again. Just right here. His pliant and slick body, how hot and tight and damn, how responsive and eager he was to take his cock. And that he succeeded!

Jensen turns to him, comes a little closer to get in touch, physically and Jared is very fond of the idea to have him close. Without a word, Jensen’s hand under the water’s surface, lays a hand on Jared’s thigh. Very close to his member. Flaccid. Yet. And still very big. Jared knows he’s gifted with this large cock and people who can take it, they won’t want anything else after they’ve tried it.

“I wondered, why, umm, everyone treats me like I’m super special, you do too…” Jensen’s eyes are fixated on the tiny waves his hand causes when he strokes along Jared’s thigh. “What makes me special?”

That is a very interesting question and Jared needs some time to think about it. Take deep breaths. It also shows that his new member has not ingrained all of the lore of the Church of Grace. That’s normal. No one knows it by heart after joining so recently. 

“Being special is a gift from the Lord, my Father. Everyone is special in their unique way. Take Alex. He’s devoted and tough, loyal and very good at organizing things. Ruth and Judith, you probably crossed their paths already, they’re the best cooks I’ve ever been blessed to taste. Also they are very skilled in sculpting. Everyone is special. Some special things seem to be common, like, so many people on this Earth are talented cooks, tailors, musicians, yogis. And you, you are special, because you give me a feeling of unity in such a primal way, it may seem succinct or superficial. What is it worth, being able to take me? It might not be special to others, but to me this is a thing that brings me peace. And this peace, I can multiply, share it with my people. And by the Lord, it’s not only your physical perks. The way your brothers and sisters here look at you. Some are jealous, but most see in you the most important addition to the community in years. You have a spark in you and you will do great things for the Church. I’m sure of it.”

Jensen stares and Jared notices the slight squint of his deep green eyes. His utter beauty is a gift to humanity already. He radiates purity. If he knows that?

“Is that understandable for you?” Jared asks. He lays a hand in Jensen’s neck and gently squeezes. Pulls him closer. Just an inch but it’s enough to feel Jensen way better and catch his vibes. 

“Yes, it is,” Jensen says, “I’m glad this community welcomed me, I’m glad I met you.”

Now he wraps his hand around Jared’s shaft, which is still too much and he won’t be able to embrace it completely. 

“I was worried, I am worried, it will be the only time to be close to you.”

“You will be close to me every day. At the service, at the monthly celebration. We share everything here.”

“But, can I be alone with you, just like now?” Jensen huffs, his grip tightens. Jared is just a man, his body reacts and he grows hard, so big that the tip would break the water surface now if Jensen let go. 

“I’m a man of my people, I will not deny you. To be honest, yes, I invite you to be with me.”

It would be so easy to lift Jensen up and let him sink down on his cock. It would be amazing to feel him right now. But he is still a little sore. Complete physical unity has to wait. 

“Jared…” A sigh. “What you made me feel that night… I think I felt closer to my true self than ever.”

“I’m glad this is helping you. There will be a lot of occasions for you to discover your deepest self, your fears, your worries… Everything will come to light and I know, you will overcome, you will shine and rise above your plain human being.”

Jensen’s hand moves now. He knows how to touch a man, strictly physical. It's a mechanical reaction after all, but when Jared looks deep into these green eyes he discovers his own need and how much he suffered without a mate that would be close to him. 

“Tell me, how do you like it… I feel it, I need it… you need it…?”

“I long for it.”

Jared wraps his hand around Jensen’s to guide him with the strokes.

He wants it to build up slowly, and his hand on Jensen’s neck holds him steady, whispering his instructions to keep eye contact, when to slow down and when to get faster. And Jensen is all in with it, he’s passionate, his tiny moans and curses, just from seeing Jared, make it extra hot. Actually Jared doesn’t need to climax here, because the mere anticipation of his partner is more than satisfying. They sink in a kiss when Jared’s instructions turn into a breathless staccato of ‘yes like that’s. He’s noisy when he comes and jerks in Jensen’s hand, forceful first but rapidly turning lazy and soft. 

“Teach me more,” Jensen whispers, his face burning red, making his freckles pop even more.

Jared's head sinks on Jensen’s chest. 

“About what?”

“About, what you like, how you like it… how we… connect… unify… Physically, I know… I can do that,” Jensen bites his lip.

“But you don’t know how it works spiritually?”Jared asks, placing a kiss on Jensen’s freckled shoulder. 

“Is that a stupid question?”

A headshake. Why should it be? But Jared knows, Jensen is insecure, he longs for answers and guidance. 

“Believe me, you didn’t ask a stupid question so far. You crave unity?”

Jensen nods.

“Just like you do.”

“I would love to show you more of it. But I will have to go to a congress in Seattle in three days. Alex and I will be gone and you’ll be on your own for a couple of days,” Jared replies. There is indeed some longing in his voice. 

“Oh, that is… it will be long and I’m new, I…”

Jared clicks his tongue while he combs Jensen’s hair. “You don’t have to worry, everyone will take care of you. They will do what I’d do. You will be shown around.”

Jensen shakes his head. His muscles stiffen just lightly.

“That’s not my worry, but- I wish I could be with you.”

This causes Jared’s eyebrows to raise. He wants to be with Jensen, too. Show him the world that Jared lives in and help with the settling. It’s hard to find a place in a community. Jared also fears (and hopes) that Jensen found a way in his heart.

“You are with me. And you will be. You belong to the community now.”

Jensen winds.

“I mean… could you… I would like to go to Seattle. With you…”

“And Alex,” Jared corrects.

“And Alex,” Jensen confirms.

There is no reason to say ‘no’, but there is also no reason to say ‘yes’ that is justifiable. Jensen is new. But he’s shown commitment and he wants to learn. They would bond. Jared wants it. Badly.

“Will it put your heart at ease when I say yes?”

Jared smiles and it’s a knowing one. Jensen smiles. He also knows. 

“Yes, it would.”

The way Jensen smiles and blushes is cute, maybe a little staged. Jared’s not an idiot, he knows that Jensen is wooing him. Trying to impress. Wants to appeal. He already does, there is no need to be overly pliant. Jared enjoys the attention though, who would judge him for it? He presses a kiss on Jensen’s lips and their hug turns closer, just like the last minutes of touching didn’t exist. Jared wouldn’t complain about that, either. 

“Thank you,” he utters before he can think it through.

“For what?”

Jared squeezes Jensen’s growing cock. 

“For giving me - peace.”

Peace is not the only thing Jared wants to thank his disciple for, but Jensen’s soft moan drowns any further thoughts. He wants to merge. Now. He doesn’t want to wait. Not for them to be in his room or Jensen’s. Just take him here.

Alex listens to the quiet conversation that turns into moans and splashing, Jared’s deep and ground shaking grunts. He would be a big fat liar if he claimed to be untouched by it, even Jensen’s soft noises make him rock hard. But what he feels in his heart and what he feels in his body, these two things diverge wildly from each other. He shoves a hand in his pants and hates himself for it. But who he hates more is Jensen. He will take Jared away from him. 

That mustn’t happen.

Alex has to do something about it. Soon.

[minervacasterly]

Since Luther’s day, many Protestant groups have thoroughly ridiculed the idea of purgatory and have even gone so far as to say the Catholic Church made the whole thing up. But although the word purgatory—a Latin word meaning to cleanse or purge—is most definitely not in Scripture, there is biblical mention of just such a place. The Bible did indeed often speak of an in-between or limbo realm where the saints “sleep.” This place has been referred to by its Hebrew name of Sheol. The original Greek of the New Testament used the Greek word for Sheol, which is Hades, to describe the same exact place. The same realm has also come through translation as “paradise,” or even “Abraham’s Bosom.” It can be confusing to have such pleasant-sounding names as “paradise” and “Abraham’s Bosom” for a place Catholic’s called purgatory. Also of confusion is the use of the Greek word “Hades,” which most people probably associate with the Western concept of hell, but hell and Hades are two different concepts. While hell is defined as a place of torment, Hades is simply the underworld abode of the dead. The actual Greek term for a place of torment akin to our common notion of hell is the word “Tartarus.” In the Greek translation of the New Testament, the word “Tartarus” only appears one time when the Apostle Peter is describing the final destination of the fallen angels who disobeyed God. The choice of this word is interesting because, in Greek mythology, Tartarus is the place where the Titans were imprisoned. If you read up on Greek myths and compare them with the biblical stories of the fallen angels/watchers/Nephilim, the parallels are rather stunning. It makes one wonder, was the word “Tartarus” chosen out of convenience, or was it indeed referring to the same exact place? Did the Apostle Peter see some sort of similarity between the popular Greek tales of the Titans and the fallen angels? At any rate, as it pertains to Sheol, Hades, paradise, and Abraham’s Bosom—all these realms spoken of in the Bible, regardless of what they are called, fulfill the same purpose of the Catholic purgatory. They are neither Heaven nor hell, but merely a place where transitory souls are temporarily holed up. These concepts are complex, and save for theologians who spend years studying them in- depth, most Christians probably do not know much about them. But, as strange as they may sound to the casual observer, these concepts are based on Scripture. Early Christians believed that before Jesus came to Earth and died on the cross, all the Old Testament saints (such as Abraham) were denied access to Heaven, yet God certainly wasn’t going to send them to hell, so instead, they were kept in an in-between plane of existence—hence Abraham’s bosom, paradise, purgatory, Sheol, or whatever you wish to call it. According to this notion, Jesus himself, after being crucified, descended down into this netherworld to “set the captives free.” Today, preachers are more likely to use this as an allegory to deliver a feel-good message to the masses about how Jesus liberates those in bondage to things such as alcohol or some other vice. There is certainly nothing wrong with that, but the expression has a literal interpretation, as well. The three days between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection is a dramatic part of New Testament Scripture that is often overlooked, but according to the Bible, he wasn’t idle. Scripture tells us that immediately after being killed on the cross, Jesus went straight to paradise/purgatory and quite literally “led captivity captive” by rescuing the Old Testament saints who were being held in Sheol. It was only after this mission was complete that Jesus Christ was physically resurrected from the dead and emerged from the tomb—back from the dead and back from that underworld realm of purgatory called Sheol/Hades. According to the Bible, in the three days prior to his resurrection, Jesus was on a spiritual mission to set souls who had long been stuck in a purgatory limbo free. He did not enter Heaven until his physical resurrection and eventual ascension in what Christians refer to as his “glorified” or “immortal/incorruptible” body—a state of being that Christians believe they, too, will be transformed into in the “twinkling of an eye” when the “last trumpet sounds.” The idea that Jesus went to paradise first, before resurrection and ascension, is also supported by a remark Jesus made to the thief on the cross: “This day you will be with me in paradise.” He didn’t say Heaven but specifically said “paradise,” which is another word for Sheol/Abraham’s Bosom/Hades—you get the point. This is a lot to unpack, but understanding such things is essential to understanding why Catholics spoke of an in-between realm called purgatory. Despite misinformation and the insinuation that purgatory is simply nonsense someone made up, the concept of purgatory is one that is grounded in Scripture. At any rate, Catholics greatly expanded upon all of this and eventually came to believe that one could lessen the time spent in purgatory by paying indulgences to priests—or even help dead relatives believed to be in purgatory by paying on their behalf. As for Martin Luther, it is said that he would later drop much of his previous belief in purgatory, but at the time he nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door, he wasn’t so much against the notion of purgatory itself as the idea that one could pay their way out of it. As corrupt as such a bargain might seem at first glance, the act of paying money or “alms” on behalf of a deceased loved one wasn’t simply a scheme hatched by the Catholic Church. Just like purgatory, it was derived from Scripture. The concept of indulgences stems from Maccabees—a book which, coincidentally enough, is excluded from most Protestant Bibles. The concept of paying a sacrificial amount of money for the souls of the departed comes from an account of Judas Maccabeus advising his followers to pay alms for some of his warriors who had perished in battle. These warriors were found to have amulets around their necks that were considered profane and in reverence to pagan gods. It was for the atonement of the acts of these dead men that Judas requested all his followers to offer up alms. Or, as 2 Maccabees 42-45 tells us, “The noble Judas called on the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened to the fallen because of their sin. He levied a contribution from each man and sent the total of two thousand silver drachmas to Jerusalem for a sin offering—a fit and proper act in which he took due account of the resurrection. For if he had not been expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been foolish and superfluous to pray for the dead. But since he had in view the wonderful reward reserved for those who die a godly death, his purpose was a holy and pious one. And this was why he offered an atoning sacrifice to free the dead from their sin.” Maccabees clearly gives an example of praying for the dead and paying alms (an indulgence) for them in the hopes that this atoning sacrifice would “free the dead from their sin.” Protestant Bibles would choose not to include the Book of Maccabees. Roman Catholic priests however, could readily point to this one Scripture as part of their reasoning behind allowing indulgences to be made for those offering alms for the dearly departed. As it pertains to Martin Luther’s reasons for nailing his Ninety-five Theses to the church doors on October 31, 1517, he was primarily critical of what he saw as blatant abuses of the practice. Luther was particularly irked by priests who had used the sales of indulgences to fund building projects. In Luther’s day, the acquisition of indulgences had become so thoroughly commercialized that, at one point, a Dominican friar by the name of Johan Tetzel had created his own advertising jingle to get proceeds. The crafty friar was allegedly fond of proclaiming, “As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, a soul from purgatory to heaven springs!” Luther believed that such malfeasance was corrupting to the clergy just as much as it was to the congregation since it made the public think they could avoid true repentance and simply pay their way into Heaven instead.

Captivating History: The Reformation

[demivampirew]

Do I mean anything to you? part 2 (final part)

It started as a one-shot, but I had an idea for a second part, so here it is 😁

Soft and fluffy (and angry too) August x reader

Triggers: fighting; kidnapping; anarchism/terrorism; metions of guns, bombs, etc; crying

A/N: This is a re-writing of the movie ending.

You can find more of my writings in the Masterlist

Tag list: @lunedelorient​​ @henrythickcavill​ @wolvesandhoundshowltogether​ @mary-ann84​ @desperate-and-broken​ @peakygroupie​ @summersong69​ @ivvitm1109​ @madbaddic7ed​ @iloveyouyen​ @the-soot-sprite @hell1129-blog​

- Did you truly think you could fool me and get away with it, Walker? - Sloane asked August, who was handcuffed into a chair in an interrogation room. They were alone in that room, but there were plenty of agents outside of the room in case their boss needed them to help to control him. August remained silent with his eyes fixed on her.

After the IMF played him to prove that he was the double agent, August allowed them to take him as a prisoner, only to allow the rest of the anarchist team to help Lane escape. They asked him many times about his location but August did not know the answer and even if he did he wouldn't help the CIA catch him. He knew that he was to value to the cause against The Apostles so they wouldn't get rid of him, and if they did it, at least his mission of freeing Solomon was a success.

- You won't talk, would you? Huh.- she questioned, raising an eyebrow- Well, let's see if I can find something that'd make you talk.- Erika said and grabbed his phone, dialled a number and after waiting for the person in the other side of the line to respond, she said "bring her in" while starring directly into his eyes. There was panic on them, anyone could have noticed it. He knew at that moment who "her" was.

Minutes went by and then the door opened. An agent grabbed you by your arm as he walked you into the room and as soon as you saw August, you ran into him. You cupped his face with your hands and press your forehead against him. He wanted to fight it. He should have pretended not to know you for that would have been the best for you, but as soon as he felt your sweet touch, he lost all the strength for resistance.

The agents in the room forced you to stand afar from him, not without a fight.

- Hurt her and I'll fucking kill you!- he shouted with burning anger. His eyes went from the agents to Sloane.

- Calm down.- the CIA leader ordered to the double agent- Tell me what I need to know and I'll set her free. Hell, if you give me all the information I need, I might consider pardoning you and allowing you to retire to live a happy life with this woman, but that's all up to you.- she offered him- So, tell me August, what are you going to do? He closed his eyes and looked to the other side. Erika sighed and gave a new order- Take her away and locked her. He quickly turned his eyes when he heard her complain about how the agent that was holding her was grabbing her too tight and made her hurt.

- Stop!- Walker shouted and Sloane looked at him. His white pearls were showing. Rage was written all over his face- You want Lane? Fine, I'll give him to you. I don't know where he's now, but I'll find him for you.- he promised her- But first, I need your word that you would let her and me go afterwards.- he said, looking at you and then his eyes were set on her again. -Fine. Considered it done.- she agreed after a moment of thinking. - She, of course, will stay here until your mission is fulfilled. Considerate a security deposit. Bring me Lane and the plutonium and you both are free; fool me and I'll kill her. Don't play with me August, you know me well.-she warned him and with a head gesture she indicated her employees to take you away- The sooner you complete the mission, the sooner you'll be back in the arms of your lovely woman.

He wanted to kill everyone there. He hated every single rat working there and he hated you. He had ideals he was fighting for...a better reality and he was about to give all that up to save you and to be with you. But, even the thought of hating on you hurt him: he loved you, more than anything. He hated himself to be honest. He hated how he allowed himself to fall in love with you and he despited himself for putting you in danger. Now was the time to make things right.

He had no idea where Solomon was, but he figured out that at least one of all the other double agents should know something about it. He found one of them and convinced him that he managed to escape or that was what he thought. The man set him a trap and a group of gunmen were waiting for him to kill him. August might be a big man, but he was quicker than he seemed. He took down the anarchists, leaving the one who planned the trap alive to make him tell him where Lane was. Walker broke the fingers of the agent's right hand, hearing his screams of pain, promising that the pain would get worse if he didn't give him the information he required.

Solomon was in a small medical camp on Siachen Glacier. He planned to explode the plutonium bombs there.

As August expected, Lane knew that Walker was a traitor. He had him surrounded by his subordinates as soon as he set a foot on the house he was staying.

- I did not have you as a weak person.- Solomon told him- what's the reason behind your change of teams?- he asked studying August's face- Let me guess, they found your lady friend, didn't they?- Walker's eyes were wide open now. He knew about her as well. - Yes, I know about her.- he replied as if he could read his mind- And I was going to finished her in you failed on the mission, but I guess they found her first.

That confession unleashed August's anger and with quick yet strong moves he took down the ten men in the place, leaving only Lane alive. He grabbed him and threw him on the floor, quickly tying him so he would no escape. After the call with Sloane, he remembered that he still needed the plutonium to complete the mission.

- What's the matter? Missing something?- Lane mocked him when he saw August focused on his thoughts. - Shut up.- he ordered him. - Do you think she's worthy of all this trouble? Tell me, do you seriously believe that you'll be able to live a happy life with that woman now that she knows what you have done? All those lives you took... people like her do no understand our mission. “There cannot be peace without first a great suffering. The greater the suffering, the greater the peace.” You'll suffer a lot her loss, true, but think about the reward. You still on time to do the right thing.- Solomon said trying to change August's mind.

- Raise your hands!- someone shouted to him. It was Ethan Hunt. He entered the house and was pointing towards Augusts with a gun. He turned around to face the IMF agent, as he did what he asked him. - I'm on your team, Hunt.- he informed him bitterly. - Yeah, sure.- Ethan answered with a short sarcastic laugh. - I'm being honest. Sloane sent me to bring her Lane and the plutonium.- he explained. - Why I'm supposed to believe that you're telling the truth?- he questioned. - Julia. - August said and he saw his enemy's eye open wide in surprise. - How do you know that name? -he requested both angry and afraid. - Don't you think I would work with you without making a previous research, did you?- he explained- Anyhow... you have your Julia, Sloane has mine. She will kill her if I don't give him what she wants. - That doesn't make you being on my team. Now surrender, I'm taking you both back to CIA.

To Hunt's surprise, Walker was quicker than he seemed and was fighting him even before he had a chance to blink. The men fight each other until August had Ethan's head trapped in his arm. The IMF hero tried to set himself free but couldn't for his arms were too big and strong. August realized that he needed to work with him if he wanted to succeed, so he had to convince him.

- Listen to me.- August shouted to the man fighting him to free himself- We need to work together. We can end this sooner and you'll save the life of the woman you love and I'll save mine. The CIA will soon be here to take him down and I'll go with them. You can come as well if you don't trust me. But I need to find the plutonium and give it back. If we stop fighting now and get to work, soon this will be over, otherwise, I'll have to kill you, because I won't risk the life of the person I love for you. - I cannot trust you, Walker.- Ethan pointed out. August sighed and grabbed his phone with his free hand and searched on his gallery, opening a folder locked with a password and then showed to Hunt. He looked at the photos: lots of photos of you - sleeping, cooking, laughing; pictures of the two of you kissing and hugging. The way August looked at you was what the IMF agent needed to know you were being honest. Your man trusted him because he knew that Hunt wouldn't allow an innocent life to be taken as collateral damage.

Ilsa Faust and Benji Dunn took the task of making sure Lane didn't escape while they searched for the bombs. One was found by Luther and Ethan's sidekick called him to let him know that the other explosive was on the house.

Lane's words were stuck in August's mind. He was on his way back to rescue you. Getting the plutonium and the anarchist was the easy part, making the love of his life, such a sweet woman to want to be with him knowing that he was not how he told her he was. He never lied to you since your relationship started, but certainly, he hid information about his other side. Could you forgive him for killing people? He knew that even if you hate him now, just the fact that you were safe was good reason enough for him to go that mission.

Sloane kept her part of the deal and released you and pardon him, with the condition that she would send people constantly to check that he was truly out of the game.

You ran into his arms and he pulled you closer to him, putting an arm on your back and the other in your head. After an inspection to make sure you were unharmed, he kissed you and pressed his forehead against yours. You hugged him tight and cry of fear for everything that had happened.

Two weeks later...

He bought a new house in a suburb using his life savings. He was used to renting apartments and move constantly, but this time he wanted a stable place for you two. After a long talk, he promised you that his anarchist days were behind, same for the CIA job. He would find something else to earn money and live a decent life with you. You, on the other hand, assured him that you would work hard to make him see the world through other eyes, so he could see why his previous belief was wrong. You'll teach him how beautiful the world could be.

[christian-perspectives]

Freedom From God For Everyone

God wants every person to experience His freedom. And everyone can because Jesus paid the price that God required. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time. 1 Timothy 2:6 God gave us freedom at just the right time. How do we know that? Because God’s timing always occurs at the right time. The question we must first entertain concerns the definition of freedom. In America, we live in the home of the brave and the land of the free. That freedom, however, didn’t come without a price. We celebrate days throughout the year to remember those killed and honor those who fought for our freedom. As much as we enjoy our freedom, that’s not what this verse is talking about. Let’s read the biblical definition of the freedom afforded us by God. Freedom in Christ is not the right to do what we want. But it gives us freedom to live in obedience to the will of God. Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:34,36 Early on, the disciples thought that Jesus would free Israel from the bondage of the Roman Empire. But He came to free from sin those who call upon Him and give them eternal life.

The Freedom to Pray

Paul wrote to Timothy, encouraging him in light of the freedom we have from God to pray. I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 1 Timothy 2:1 He needed, however, to also pray the same way for those in authority. In the Psalms, David often prayed that God would strike his enemies down. Now, we pray for and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 1 Timothy 2:2 The apostle went on to say that it pleases God when we pray that way. He wants everyone to come to know Christ and to understand the truth. Because there’s only one path they can take. For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 After you read the next verse, think about the tremendous spiritual impact that would happen across our nation. Especially if men from every church in America did what this verse says. In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy. 1 Timothy 2:8

Instructions for the Women

Paul also gave some instructions to the women as well. Keep in mind, though, that some of what he said addressed the culture of that day. But he also spoke to women of all cultures as well. And I want women to be modest in their appearance. They should wear decent and appropriate clothing and not draw attention to themselves by the way they fix their hair or by wearing gold or pearls or expensive clothes. 1 Timothy 2:9 Ok, ladies, before this becomes a turn-off to you, let’s look at what the apostle meant. He did not say you can’t dress stylishly, but he did begin the paragraph by emphasizing modesty. Neither did he say that you can’t fix your hair in a way that would add to your beauty. He didn’t say wearing nice jewelry in any form was off-limits. Paul didn’t emphasize any of those things. He said, don’t use them to draw attention to yourself. I want to share an example of an experience my wife and I had once. One day, a young lady came into the office for counseling. She was attractive, and she knew it. She told us she dressed and created an appearance so heads would turn her way. In fact, she was disappointed if men didn’t look at her. Reading a little further in this chapter, the apostle encouraged women to become attractive. But to do it by their devotion to God, not the way women of the world do. For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do. 1 Timothy 2:10

Take Your God Given Freedom

In other words, God wants you to take your freedom in Him. Then, you can let your beauty shine through as you continue to live in faith, love, holiness, and modesty. When Paul wrote to the Galatian church, he spoke to them about our freedom in God. This time, he addressed the men and women together. For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 We can easily lose our freedom if we decide to turn our backs on God. The following two verses tell us how we can keep our freedom and how we can lose it. - For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another. Galatians 5:14-15  I like the way Galatians 5:1 began that chapter. And we will use that same verse to close our discussion here.  - So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Galatians 5:1 Dear God, the enemy wants to rob us of the freedom we have in you. We pray that you will help us to make sure that we stay free. Check out these related posts about freedom - God Helps the Helpless and Sets Us Free - How To Be Free In Life Read the full article

[fairfieldthinkspace]

Three Things

Homily by Assistant to the President and Alumni Chaplain Rev. Gerry Blaszczak, S.J., at the Mass to honor Rev. Charlie Allen, S.J. on September 19 at Fairfield University.

Bishop Caggiano, my fellow Jesuits, Dr. and Mrs. Nemec, members of the Allen Family, friends of Fr. Allen, dear Charlie,

In early September a number of you received an e-mail from me. It was an appeal for help. I wrote:

I am humbled by Charlie’s request that I preach at the Eucharist on September 19. But I am also daunted. I am probably not going to be able to distill everything into three points. I certainly won’t warm people’s hearts and lift their spirits the way Charlie always did. Please help by sending me your own reflections and suggestions.

Here is a sample of the responses I got, gentle listeners:

-“You’re right; you’re no Charlie Allen. Good luck.”

-“Charlie had the practice of always saying ONLY THREE THINGS. You would do well to follow his example.”

-“Keep it brief. People will be hungry. Remember that they came to hear Charlie, not you.”

So… let me offer three points. Three reflections, really, on how we can find our way into the meaning of today’s Gospel as we celebrate Charlie.

1.   It would never occur to Charlie to do what the apostles do in today’s Gospel. Charlie would never waste his energy or time trying to establish that he was the first, the best, the most important, the person most deserving of esteem, honor, or prestige. Charlie is not driven to perform, to say and do things in order to buttress his own sense of self-esteem. It would never occur to Charlie to try to appear to be someone he isn’t. There is in Charlie no put-on, no pretension. No facade, masks, games; no drive to impress or win over. Charlie is always and everywhere himself.

 What does Charlie know that, at this point in their own journey, the apostles didn’t? I don’t know how precisely he came by it, but it is obvious to all of us who know Charlie that he lives out of a freedom, a peace, a confidence that is rooted of his own experience and absolute confidence in the unconditional love of God has for him. The love of Christ set Charlie free and set him on fire with the ability and will to share the love of God made manifest in Christ Jesus. That unshakable confidence in God’s love has, I venture to say, allowed Charlie to weather reversals and disappointments in his own life. And, I would suggest, is the source of Charlie’s radiant joy, his unquenchable optimism, his resilient, buoyant spirit. But more on that in a minute.

 2.   I similarly do not know how Charlie learned that life is about serving others, and putting them first, which Jesus is at such pains to teach the apostles in today’s Gospel. I don’t know how Charlie came to see that the center of his focus, the preoccupation of his life needed to be, as it was for Jesus, emblematically, the child. The child, who in the Palestinian Society of the first century is not the symbol of innocence and simplicity, purity and beauty, but the representative of the non-person. It is hard for us to fathom that in the ancient world a child had no social standing, and no rights. A child did not contribute to the world of trade, warfare, government, religious learning or philosophical discussion. A child, consequently, was a being of no account, at most a potential resource for the future.

 Yet Jesus calls the child from the periphery, positions the child center-stage and embraces him. (By the way, I defy you to find any reference in the literature of antiquity to a philosophical or religious leader, prophet or sage doing such an outrageous thing.) How and when did Charlie learn the heart of Christ, and that to follow Him would mean to make the other the center of his life? How and when did Charlie learn that to be Jesus’ companion must mean to imitate Jesus in identifying himself with the joys and sorrows, the needs and aspirations of the person most marginalized and most disdained, most systematically devalued and ignored? How did Charlie learn to receive, to embrace, to accept and to welcome so sensitively, so inclusively, so warmly? I don’t know, but he did.

 Here is a claim I know for a fact I cannot make about myself: No one has felt unimportant, unvalued, insignificant in Charlie’s presence. And how keenly, intuitively, unconditionally we have sensed that it was not just Charlie who acknowledged, accepted, received us, but that it was Christ himself who had sent Charlie and who was somehow present in and through him.

 One of you wrote to me: “Charlie was a champion of students of color and women, which, in my experiences on this campus at that time, was rare and unique. If I had one word to offer, it would be ‘gratitude’ to Charlie for who he is and how he made me feel.”

 Another wrote: “Fr. Allen always made me feel connected to him as a person, i.e., he was always PRESENT and very focused on you when you were with him. In this way he manifested his own connection to Jesus and Jesus to me.”

 3.   My third and last point. Charlie’s irrepressible good spirits. The crazy games he plays, the jokes he tells, the laughter he loves to provoke and participate in, the upbeat quality of his preaching, his ability to lift spirits whenever you met him, his wry, playful sense of humor that finds its way into everything he does and says. Are we just talking about some particular character trait of Charlie’s, some quirk of his personality? There is more to it than that.

Charlie’s humor and joy and ability to lift us all up, I feel certain, has its source in the experience of God’s pervasive, faithful and unconditional love. A love that draws us ever more deeply into God’s own endlessly sharing, self-giving life, into the very life of the Trinity, where, emptied of crippling self-concern, progressively freed from enslaving ego-driven obsessions, we become more and more channels of God’s liberating, life-giving love for the world.

 Dear Friends, toward the conclusion of the Last Supper Discourse in the Gospel of St. John, Jesus spells out his motive for the preceding instruction he has offered: “These things I have told you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete” (Jn 15.11). Today as we gather for Eucharist, we give thanks to God for the gift He has given us in Charlie Allen, for all that Charlie has shown us, shared with us, been for us. Perhaps most of all, we thank God for the joy that fills Charlie’s heart, that overflows into all his ministries, friendships, relationships. We ask, dear God, that that joy, rooted and grounded in Your love for us all, continue to flow through us to touch, heal and renew all whose lives we touch.

[graciousheaven]

RIGHTEOUSNESS: GOD'S FREE GIFT TO SINNERS

The Lord God Almighty, our Sovereign Lord is a unique entity with unique attributes exclusively inherent to his person. And these qualities are clearly revealed to us in the things that He does. As the Apostle Paul says in Romans 1:20, “Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made.” Therefore it is essential for us to study God’s power in creation, his nature and his deeds in order to comprehend who He is and to properly define his attributes. And it is also important for us to note that among the uncountable deeds of our Lord there is one preeminent act in which greater revelations of his divine attributes are found: the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s redemptive work on the cross reveals to us all the attributes of our God. The cross is a crucial element to consider when we seek to know God, when we seek to understand his attributes. The cross is the place where all our sins were paid for. Christ was hanged on that tree and He bore our sins though He knew no sin, in order to appease God’s wrath and satisfy God’s divine justice. He was our substitute on the cross. As Isaiah 53:4 says, “He endured the suffering that should have been ours, the pain that we should have borne.”

The Sovereign Lord announces his redemptive plan through his Son Jesus Christ since the beginning in Genesis after the fall of Adam. When God, the righteous God pronounces judgement against the serpent in the Garden of Eden, He declares: “I will make you and the woman hate each other; her offspring and yours will always be enemies. Her offspring will crush your head, and you will bite her offspring’s heel.” (Genesis 3:15). The Lord God Almighty, thence, determines the means by which his righteous demand for justice would be satisfied. Under the old covenant, sacrifices for sin were performed yearly by the Jewish High Priest. But these sacrifices did not purify people, but they did “serve year after year to remind people of their sins. For the blood of bulls and goats can never take away sins.” (Hebrews 9:3-4). And Hebrews 10:5-10 tells us that, “For this reason, when Christ was about to come into the world, He said to God: ‘You do not want sacrifices and offerings, but you have prepared a body for Me. You are not pleased with animals burnt whole on the altar or with sacrifices to take away sins. Then I said, ‘Here I am, to do your will, O God, just as it is written of Me in the book of the Law.’” Hebrews 10:10-14 says, “Because Jesus Christ did what God wanted Him to do, we are all purified from sin by the offering that He made of his own body once and for all. Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective for ever, and then He sat down at the right-hand side of God. There He now waits until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. With one sacrifice, then, He has made perfect for ever those who are purified from sin.”

God reconciled us to his grace through the redemptive work of Christ on the cross. Without the cross the entire human race would end up in hell. But “by becoming a curse for us Christ has redeemed us from the curse that the Law brings; for the Scripture says, ‘Anyone who is hanged on a tree is under God’s curse.’” (Galatians 3:13).  The cross of Jesus is the revelation of the righteousness of God. Christ’s sacrifice takes away the sins of believers. He was sacrificed once and for all, unlike the sacrifices for sin that were performed yearly into the Most Holy Place under the old covenant by the High Priest. As Hebrews 9:24-28 tells us, “Christ did not go into a Holy Place made by human hands, which was a copy of the real one. He went into Heaven itself, where He now appears on our behalf in the presence of God. The Jewish High Priest goes into the Most Holy Place every year with the blood of an animal. But Christ did not go in to offer Himself many times, for then He would have had to suffer many times ever since the creation of the world. Instead, now when all ages of time are nearing the end, He has appeared once and for all, to remove sin through the sacrifice of Himself. Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God. In the same manner Christ also was offered in sacrifice once to take away the sins of many. He will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are waiting for Him.”  

 The cross of Jesus is the ultimate revelation of the righteousness of God. We cannot understand the righteousness of God apart from the cross; we cannot fully grasp its meaning apart from the Gospel. The Gospel is the revelation of God’s righteousness: it demonstrates God’s power to save all who believe. “For the Gospel reveals how God puts people right with Himself: it is through faith from beginning to end. As the Scripture says, ‘The person who is put right with God through faith shall live.’” (Romans 1:17). When we say that God is righteous, it simply means that He is morally upright, He is just and He rewards anyone according to his deeds. God has set a standard by which we are to live. Micah 6:8 tells us “What He requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.” This is the standard by which we will be judged – “A good person will be rewarded for doing good, and an evil person will suffer for the evil he does.” (Ezekiel 18:20). By punishing the wicked and by rewarding the righteous, God exercises his judicial authority and role; He demonstrates his righteousness.  To quote Dr. Steven J. Lawson, “Righteousness means to give to each man his due based upon his conformity or lack of conformity to the divine standard of perfect holiness.” Because God is righteous, He punishes sin and rewards those who are right with Him. God loves what is right and hates what is wrong; He hates the lawless with all his heart. He punishes evil, He punishes the wicked, but He rewards those who live to the standard set by Him.

Psalms 11:7 says:  “The LORD is righteous and loves good deeds; those who do them will live in his presence.” But now the problem is: “We “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). God created us upright, but we have sought out evil schemes. We are all under the power of sin. In sin we were all conceived and in sin we live. Sin is our inheritance from the blood of Adam. Sin is inherent to our human nature. Sin has separated us from the glorious presence of God our Creator. No human being born of a man and a woman is without sin. Romans 3:10-18 says, “There is no one who is righteous, no one who is wise or who worships God. All have turned away from God; they have all gone wrong; no one does what is right, not even one. Their words are full of deadly deceit; wicked lies roll off their tongues, and dangerous threats, like snake’s poison, from their lips; their speech is filled with bitter curses. They are quick to hurt and kill, they leave ruin and destruction wherever they go. They have not known the path of peace, nor have they learnt reverence for God.”

No human being born of a man and a woman lives to the standard set by God. We are inherently evil. This means we all deserve to die. For the reward for sin is death.  But “God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). God Himself provided the atonement for his justice to be satisfied. It was his will since the beginning to redeem his people. It was God’s plan to save people from his own wrath. As Paul says in Ephesians 1:5, “Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ He would make us his sons and daughters – this was his pleasure and purpose.” Right from Genesis 3 the Sovereign Lord promises the coming of the Messiah who takes away the sins of his people. This promise has been fulfilled on the cross in Calvary, where God offered his own Son as the propitiation for our sins. He slaughtered his only beloved Son in order to appease his wrath, the wrath that you and I have stirred up because of our sins against the Holy Lord God Almighty. God did not spare Him because his justice needed to be satisfied. And the only way you and I could be justified and reconciled to the Holy God was through the blood of his Son. It pleased God to sacrifice his Son, so that you and I may share the glory of the Son. Christ suffered in the hand of his own Father so that you and I may have eternal life.

Christ died as our substitute on the cross. God imputed our sins to his Son and credited the righteousness of his Son to us who believe. “It was not because of any good deeds that we ourselves had done, but because of his own mercy that He saved us, through the Holy Spirit, who gives us new birth and new life by washing us. God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly on us through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that by his grace we might be put right with God and come into possession of the eternal life we hope for.” (Titus 3:5-7). The Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness. His righteousness is imputed to us through faith in Him. Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one goes to the Father except by Him. Christ reconciled us to the Father by taking our place on that tree. “God made peace through his Son’s blood on the cross and so brought back to Himself all things, both on earth and in Heaven.” (Colossians 1:20).

We used to be sons and daughters of disobedience, controlled by the evil passions and desires of the flesh. We were dead and slaves to sin. God justified us through Christ in order to bring us holy, pure, and faultless into his presence. “God puts people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. God does this to all who believe in Christ, because there is no difference at all: everyone has sinned and is far away from God’s saving presence. But by the free gift of God’s grace all are put right with Him through Christ Jesus, who sets them free. God offered Him, so that by his blood He should become the means by which people’s sins are forgiven through their faith in Him. God did this in order to demonstrate that He is righteous. In the past He was patient and overlooked people’s sins; but in the present time He deals with their sins, in order to demonstrate his righteousness. In this way God shows that He himself is righteous and that He puts right everyone who believes in Jesus” (Romans 3:22-26).

It was to justify us, to put us right with Himself that God sacrificed his only Son. Christ redeemed us and therefore his righteousness got imputed to us who believe in Him. We do not have a righteousness of our own; our righteousness comes from God through faith in Christ. We are ruled by the love of Christ; He died to reconcile us to God. Christ died to satisfy the righteous demand of God’s divine justice. Through his blood we are put right with God through our faith in Him. “By Him we are put right with God; we become God’s holy people and are set free. So then, as the Scripture says, ‘Whoever wants to boast must boast of what the Lord has done.” (1 Corinthians 1:30). God through his Son changed us from enemies into his friends. God did not keep an account of our sins. He gave his own Son as a propitiation in order to cancel our sins, not as the result of our own efforts, but as a gift, the result of his love, mercy and grace.

We have been legally justified before God. Christ bore our sins and has brought us into this experience of God’s grace, in which we now live. We are free from the bondage of sin; we are no longer slaves to sin. Romans 8:1-4 tells us: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Christ came on earth to fulfill the law; He paid all the penalties for us who believe in Him. His substitutionary death on the cross paid for our sins; it set us free and reconciled us to God. There is no more separation, no more condemnation – God’s divine wrath is appeased; justice is satisfied. Romans 5:17 says: “All who receive God’s abundant grace and are freely put right with Him will rule in life through Christ.” God has put his stamp of ownership on us who believe in Christ by giving us his Spirit. God in his goodness and saving grace has blessed us who believe in his Son with the Holy Spirit – “The Spirit is the guarantee that we shall receive what God has promised his people, and this assures us that God will give complete freedom to those who are his.” (Ephesians 1:14). “Law was introduced in order to increase wrongdoing; but where sin increased, God’s grace increased much more. So then, just as sin ruled by means of death, so also God’s grace rules by means of righteousness, leading us to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:20-21).

Now that through God’s grace we have received the righteousness of Christ our Lord and Saviour, the question is: Can we continue to live like when we were still foreigners to God’s grace? Should we go on sinning because we have been justified before the Holy One? Christ has satisfied the righteous demand of God’s divine justice, He has appeased God’s wrath on our behalf by paying for our past, present and future sins. Should we continue to be ruled by the flesh? We have been called by God through his Son to live a holy life. We have been redeemed so that we can live to the standard set by God. Romans 8:12-13 tells us, “we have an obligation, but it is not to live as our human nature wants us to. For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live.” We are urged to be like our Master, to be filled with the Spirit, to be humble, loving and kind. We are no longer slaves to sin, but Christ’s slaves, slaves of righteousness. For we have be called by God to follow Christ in his steps, to live like Christ, to live a righteous life. As Paul says in Romans 6:18-20, “You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness. At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes. When you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.” 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, Christ “died for all, so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but only for Him who died and was raised to life for their sake.” Colossians 3:1-4 tells us, “You have been raised to life with Christ, so set your hearts on the things that are in heaven, where Christ sits on his throne at the right-hand side of God. Keep your minds fixed on things there, not on things here on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Your real life is Christ and when He appears, then you too will appear with Him and share his glory!”

It is written: “God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus He has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10). We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, fully devoted to worshipping and serving Him. “God has revealed his grace for the salvation of the whole human race. That grace instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world, as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ will appear. He gave Himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to Him alone and are eager to do good.” (Titus 2:11-14). The Lord commands us in Matthew 6:33, “Be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what He requires of you.” We must not surrender any part of our being to sin to be used for wicked purposes. Instead, we must give ourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and surrender our whole being to Him to be used for righteous purposes. For we were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness. (Romans 6:13). We must feed ourselves on the words of faith. Like Paul says in his second letter to Timothy, we must keep away from godless legends and human doctrines and train ourselves for godly life. “Christ was without sin, but for our sake God made Him share our sin in order that in union with Him we might share the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Therefore our minds and hearts must be made new now that we are Christ’s slaves. We must clothe ourselves with kindness, gentleness, love, patience, goodness, endurance, faithfulness and obedience.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul in his letter to Ephesus urges us to put on the new self, which is created in God’s likeness and reveals itself in the true life that is upright and holy. We have been called to live like Christ, to walk in the Spirit. Our lives must be controlled by the Spirit. The Spirit of God works in us to sanctify us, to conform us to the image of Christ. In the same way we are freely justified by God through faith in Christ, our sanctification does not depend on us: we do not have the capacity on our own to change the evilness of our flesh. It is the power of the Holy Spirit within us that brings us life and leads us into the pursuit of righteousness. As the Scripture says, “There is nothing in us that allows us to claim that we are capable of doing this work. The capacity we have comes from God; it is He who made us capable of serving the new covenant, which consists not of a written law but of the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:5-6). It is the Spirit of the Lord that transforms us into Christ’s likeness. We must let the Spirit control us, for it is the Spirit that saved us. We must all be good servants of Christ, for He bought us at the cost of his blood.

We have been redeemed by the blood of Christ for Christ, in order that we may be parts of his body, not because of anything good we have done. Christ has given us life. The Sovereign Lord says in Isaiah 43:25, “I am the God who forgives your sins, and I do this because of who I am. I will not hold your sins against you.” We were once spiritually dead because of our sins. “But God has now brought you to life with Christ. God has forgiven our sins; He cancelled the unfavourable record of our debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross. And on that cross Christ freed Himself from the power of the spiritual rulers and authorities; He made a public spectacle of them by leading them as captives in his victory procession.” (Colossians 2:13-15). “As the one sin condemned all people, in the same way the righteous act sets all people free and gives life. And just as the mass of people were made sinners as the result of the disobedience of one man, in the same way the mass of people will all be put right with God as the result of the obedience of the One man.” (Romans 5:18-19).

We are justified by faith alone in Christ alone. Anyone who rejects the sacred blood of God’s covenant is under divine wrath. Wrath is God’s righteous response to human depravity, sin and rebellion against Him. Those who reject Christ and think that they are good enough to be right with God are in for a rude surprise. Christ is the only means to be justified before the Holy God. Those who reject or hinder this truth reject God’s grace that sets people free and gives them life, and all that is left for them is damnation. Anyone who rejects the Gospel is given over to their reprobate mind. This is plainly brought to everyone’s attention in Romans 1:18-32 – it is written: “God’s anger is revealed from heaven against the sin and evil of the people whose evil ways prevent the truth from being known. God punishes them, because what can be known about God is plain to them, for God Himself made it plain. Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all! They know God, but they do not give Him the honour that belongs to Him, nor do they thank Him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness. They say they are wise, but they are fools; instead of worshipping the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortal human beings or birds or animals or reptiles. And so God has given those people over to the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other. They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator Himself, who is to be praised for ever! Amen. Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts. In the same way the men give up natural sexual relations with women and burn with passion for each other. Men do shameful things with each other, and as a result they bring upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing. Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, He has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do. They are filled with all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and vice; they are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, and malice. They gossip and speak evil of one another; they are hateful to God, insolent, proud, and boastful; they think of more ways to do evil; they disobey their parents; they have no conscience; they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or pity for others. They know that God’s law says that people who live in this way deserve death. Yet, not only do they continue to do these very things, but they even approve of others who do them.”

God, the righteous God, condemns those who rebel against Him. He gives them over to their reprobate minds and they do what they are not supposed to do, and it this way they compound their punishment, making their pains even greater for the Day of Judgement. The picture presented in Romans 1 describes exactly what we see around the world today. Nations are under God’s judgement because many have rejected the truth to uphold lies. They have rejected Christ and his teaching and embraced human doctrines. Such have already been judged because they do not believe in God’s only Son. They remain slaves to sin and are condemned to face the second death. The Lord Jesus Christ is our righteousness, the Only Saviour. Salvation is found in Christ alone. He died so that everyone who believes in Him may live. He is the substitutionary atonement for our sins. And whoever believes in Him will not die; but those who rejects Him will be damned. Christ is the only means to be right with God, He is the only way to Heaven, the Life-giving Water. “No one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.��� (John 3:5). No one can inherit the Kingdom of God without being regenerated by the Spirit. The Spirit is Christ, the Spirit is life. Regeneration is a new birth and a new life in Christ. Only those who are in Christ can receive the new birth and eternal glory, thanks to the blood of the Lamb of God who paid their penalties. Those who reject Christ will die in their sins and go to hell, where they will spend eternity. The Lord redeems anyone who seeks Him, anyone who remembers how God wants us to live. He has atoned for our sins and He wants us to honour his Son, to have faith in Christ in order to be right with Him. And so everyone who believes in Christ is legally justified before God through their faith. But those who reject the Son of God continue to bear the guilt of their sins and will remain accountable for all eternity. John 3:18 says, “Those who believe in the Son are not judged; but those who do not believe have already been judged, because they have not believed in God’s only Son.” There is no other way people can be justified before God, Christ alone is the Saviour – we are saved by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. “Salvation is to be found through Him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us.” (Acts 4:12) The Lord says in John 12:48, “Those who reject Me and do not accept my message have one who will judge them. The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day!”

As you read this message today, if you aren’t in the faith yet, if you are not committed to Christ, do not continue to reject the free gift of God’s grace, which is found in Christ alone. For Christ is the only means by which sinners are justified before God through their faith in Him. Christ suffered the curses that you should have suffered, in order to reconcile you to God’s grace. Recognize your need of Christ the Saviour. Do not harden your heart. Lay down your pride and believe onto Jesus, the righteousness of all who have faith in Him. Renounce to your self-righteousness and cling to Jesus. He died to save sinners not those who consider themselves righteous. You cannot escape God’s righteous wrath, you cannot escape eternity in hell unless you are clothed with the righteousness of the Son of God. Turn to Christ, confess your sins to Him and believe on Him. Christ laid down his own life to justify the wicked. He freely redeems those who recognize that they are sinners and turn to Him, the Saviour. Anyone who confesses Christ as Lord and has faith in Him is set free from the bondage of sin and death; they escape hell. Call upon the name of the Lord Jesus and He will impute his righteousness to you and you will appear blameless before God on the Day of Judgement. Anyone who rejects Christ rejects his share of this grace and therefore can never be right with God. All you have to do is to believe in Christ and confess Him as Lord and Saviour, for He is the atonement for all our sins. Do not close your heart to God’s redeeming grace. Turn to Christ and trade in your sins for his righteousness in order to be right with God. He was sent by God the Father into the world in order to redeem those who have faith in Him. He will return soon, but this time not to save the world, rather to judge it. And all those who are not in the faith will suffer divine wrath and spend eternity in hell – for there is no other way except through the blood of the Lamb to be right with God. God justifies people exclusively through their faith in Christ.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

19th April >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Wednesday, Second Week of Eastertide 

(Liturgical Colour: White: A(1))

First reading Acts of the Apostles 5:17-26 The men you imprisoned are in the Temple, preaching to the people.

The high priest intervened with all his supporters from the party of the Sadducees. Prompted by jealousy, they arrested the apostles and had them put in the common gaol.

But at night the angel of the Lord opened the prison gates and said as he led them out, ‘Go and stand in the Temple, and tell the people all about this new Life.’ They did as they were told; they went into the Temple at dawn and began to preach.

When the high priest arrived, he and his supporters convened the Sanhedrin – this was the full Senate of Israel – and sent to the gaol for them to be brought. But when the officials arrived at the prison they found they were not inside, so they went back and reported, ‘We found the gaol securely locked and the warders on duty at the gates, but when we unlocked the door we found no one inside.’ When the captain of the Temple and the chief priests heard this news they wondered what this could mean. Then a man arrived with fresh news. ‘At this very moment’ he said, ‘the men you imprisoned are in the Temple. They are standing there preaching to the people.’ The captain went with his men and fetched them. They were afraid to use force in case the people stoned them.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 33(34):2-9

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

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

R/ This poor man called and the Lord heard him. or R/ Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia! Christ has risen and shone upon us whom he redeemed with his blood. Alleluia!

Or: John 3:16

Alleluia, alleluia! God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son: everyone who believes in him has eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel John 3:16-21 God sent his Son into the world so that through him the world might be saved.

Jesus said to Nicodemus:

‘God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life. For God sent his Son into the world not to condemn the world, but so that through him the world might be saved. No one who believes in him will be condemned; but whoever refuses to believe is condemned already, because he has refused to believe in the name of God’s only Son. On these grounds is sentence pronounced: that though the light has come into the world men have shown they prefer darkness to the light because their deeds were evil. And indeed, everybody who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, for fear his actions should be exposed; but the man who lives by the truth comes out into the light, so that it may be plainly seen that what he does is done in God.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.