#he fell likewise upon his sword

[dailydosetoablessedlife]

Sunday November 20th 2022 🔯 The death of Saul 🔯 1 Samuel 31: 1 - Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 - And the Philistines followed upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Melchi-shua, Saul's sons. 3 - And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. 4 - Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 - And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. 6 - So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armourbearer, and all his men, that same day together. 🔯💟💟💟🙏 . . . . . . . . . #bible #joelosteenj #tdjakesministries #bibleverseoftheday #baptist #biblebelt #jesus #savior #ingodwetrust

[bretongirlwrites]

‘He will not come,’ said I at last.

I saw the sky half composed of dark and fleeting shadows, which none of them resolved into dragons; the night was falling fast and cold: and naïve, I hardly thought it suited fire and blazing scales: hoped that it did not though he’d sat proud all these centuries, in such extraordinary wilderness. The wind whipped wild about us, more daggers than I’d ever felt it, and in perfect defiance of my Voice. I swallowed and looked again and said:

‘I do not believe he is here. I do not know where he is.’

The frosted plains did not shiver; nor revealed in constant snowfall, prints of recent visitors. Delphine kept her hand tight on her hilt and came to stand almost at my side. 

‘If he is gone,’ said she, ‘it is surely to return; and if he means to surprise us, it is in anticipation of a trap, an anticipation we are more ready than he is, to meet.’

‘And if he brings friends?’ said I.

‘And have we not!’ said Delphine: ‘and have you not Dragonrend! and are we not Blades and dragon-slayers!’

And are we not few! I thought: and are we not so few, as not to rouse the Greybeards! and is my voice not lost in ice-gales! and is not one of us a man with arthritis in three fingers! 

‘He knows I have Dragonrend!’ said I: ‘and if he feels threatened, he will not come; rather he will retreat, and plan some assault which we cannot escape; and find allies, –’

‘And are you not,’ said Delphine all lost in some battle-speech she could hardly pronounce, so full-blooded was the storm about the peak and finding confidence in the night: ‘the damn Dragonborn?’

Bring him down, she’d said, and the rest shall all scatter. You saw the same in Windhelm, when Ulfric fell…

Ulfric’s throne had not been so indomitable as this, which we could hardly approach, and which in darkness became so treacherous, that we feared to be buried in some unmelting snow-drift: and Ulfric after all, had not been – despite all the snowberry sauce – the size of a dragon. The thing ought to be simple: and I had slain so many dragons, that one more ought not to be some great deepening stain upon the list: and he after all, – trusted me.

‘He must not come,’ said I quite by mistake, – and when the wind most graciously snatched my words from Delphine’s earshot, I must wish to be snatched away likewise, and blown off the mountain, – ‘o I do not know if I can, –’

‘Yours was the victory, in Sovngarde,’ said Delphine, ‘of the Soul-Eater, the World-Eater. Confidence!’ and she put her hand so gently upon my shoulder, and her fingers so nearly into my hair like Agnete when I’d been young, – that I shivered and wanted to return it, – that I felt her trembling thrill go likewise into shared blood. She spoke one or two other words which in their stock-phrase reassurance, covered a might of fire and ice; and when she thought I’d gone into her command, she let go and raised her sword.

‘He’ll come,’ said she, ‘damn it all, he’ll come! And we, sworn Blades, shall, –’

A cloud had come so entirely upon the heavens, that the distant thunder parted pitch-darkness, and blinkered those remaining tentative stars which blinked beyond. A thing which went so thoroughly into the earth yet burned with fire I hardly recognised: a Voice after all, I’d heard yet never ferocious: a Voice I’d met before with matching Voice, and which now, changed, I still must match. O the Voice of Paarthurnax!

‘We, sworn Blades, shall stand against him,’ said Delphine, – who’d shuddered at the roar, I knew not with what sentiment: ‘Sky Haven expects every one to do their duty.’

‘For Sky Haven!’ cried Esbern: sword stiffer than his fingers. 

The Temple so distant, the wind so biting, the night so horrid! o night which snuffed out a final star and spread not its auroral banners and betrayed and angered and such as I had never known it, – came upon us, – in glimmerless scales and blackened voiceless fire! –

[rafent]

— 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖: 𝐑𝐀𝐅𝐀𝐋

SWORD

LANCE

AXE -> boon

BOW

BRAWLING

REASON -> bane

FAITH -> budding talent

AUTHORITY -> boon

HEAVY ARMOR

RIDING -> bane

FLYING -> bane

◆ 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐍𝐒

Axe: Once Nil drops the defenseless act in chapter 5 of the Fell Xenologue, his unit description changes into a Fell Child who 'fights viciously with an axe' and that to me says it all. If you use JPN Rafal to score a finishing blow, if you land a special engaged attack, or if he wins his match in arena, he'll laugh like a maniac with unadulterated joy. Even in his ally profile Rafal has an image where he's swinging Revanche with a smile. He likes being in the thick of the action and that axe in his hand makes him feel alive.

"Inheritor of the blood of the Fell Dragon. Ill-suited for fighting, but reluctantly wields an axe." -> "Inheritor of the blood of the Fell Dragon. His true nature revealed, he fights viciously with an axe."

He prefers axes because they have the capacity to deal excruciating damage and as much of it as possible; they can hack, they can crush, spill guts, decapitate, and break bones. Combining personal (40%) and Fell Child (20%) growth rates tallies him at a hefty 60% over all growth rate in strength. Rafal has the highest strength growth not only among his half-siblings, but among the entire lineup of royals after likewise combining their rates. Some combatants rely on tactics or precision to score kills but Rafal is reliant on brutality, on a weapon that taps into his raw strength, and it gets the job done.

Looking at Rafal's in-game battle model as a Fell Child, his idle posture is confident, loose, and even casually leaned back as opposed to upright, vacant hand reached out in readiness similar to his twin; there's a lot of mixed signals going on here; it speaks to someone who is powerful and knows it, but likely not as concerned with textbook technique even if still disciplined in his own way. Revanche itself is functionally a signature Killer Axe with lighter weight balancing power and wieldiness. If you view him then as a Killer Axe user, someone who seeks out critical hits and inflicts dominating blows that leave his opponents in pieces, 'fights viciously with an axe' is precisely correct.

Authority: Authority has no skill equivalent in Engage so this boon comes from a purely character-based understanding. Rafal's contentious personality didn't affect his ability to successfully organize hundreds upon thousands of Corrupted. It helps that said Corrupted were obligated to serve him, their creator, but other than that they retained their original personalities no matter how troublesome and in some cases even needed to be fielded for it (looking at you Ivy and Fogado). If we're talking upper management, he has both the experience and the patience to commit without losing his cool.

Relevantly, his interaction with the Corrupted archer in the Gregory B-support tells me a bit more about him. Though Rafal is a Fell Child it's made clear that Corrupted soldiers don't obey the will of just everyone who shares in Sombron's blood. They can sense that Rafal is an Other, an anomaly from a different Elyos or an enemy aligned with the Divine One, and so conflate him with humans. Rafal's authority despite his own understanding doesn't reach here; he's disturbed by the absence of it and disgusted by a lowly foot soldier 'daring' to attack him. It's a sense of indignation come from being higher in position. This is someone who is used to being in charge, who has a precedence with giving out orders and having those orders obeyed.

Other derivatives of his relationship with authority exist, too. When speaking to him post-battle at Brodia Castle, he makes a remark that 'wanton destruction is not leadership' and that 'a good ruler should be admired'. This is a likely reflection of his own tastes, but there's an earlier light shed on this perspective when he compliments the reign of his native Divine Dragon during the DLC as Nil. Rafal who makes a show of prioritizing his own comforts and not caring what others think is noticeably interested in public opinion; the parameters of success in rulers and kingdoms.

Another instance of his interest occurs at the post-battle Mountain Settlement where he says, "alas, weak governance breeds banditry, and weak citizens are prone to death by bandits". Over all, he takes note of others with exceptional periods of rule, vocalizes his thoughts on systemic chinks, and knows inherently how promising leaders should behave - even if his way of communicating that is a bit morbid. It's not a stretch to believe that given his understanding, authoritative mannerisms, and natural self-confidence, he can be honed into something resembling a leader, given the opportunity. A diamond in the rough so to speak.

◆ 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐄𝐒

Reason: Rafal is the Fell Child with the lowest magic growth rate. Black magic of the wholesale offensive variety isn't writ in his cards. He won't be casting grand spells like Obscurité and Bolganone or taking up the mantle of Gradlon's most powerful sorcerer any time soon. With that said, it's notable to me that Rafal is the Fell Child we see the most out-of-combat and status based magic application from.

From casting tracking and warping spells, to immobilizing prisoners with conditional barriers that eviscerate any limb out of bounds, Rafal's use of petty magic is a separate distinction that falls under the Reason category, but can't be categorized perfectly alongside proper offensive spells. Rafal took Sombron's advice to heart because his magic at a glance is rooted in underhanded schemes as opposed to straightforward devastation. Though I have no doubt he purposed these death traps to useful ends when weeding out his sibling rivals. Practice makes perfect and Rafal had a lot of practice.

When used alone his tools can be duds seen coming from a mile away. However, because he pairs them with coercion or ambush or a carefully manufactured weakling image, there isn't much that his prey can do. Even as a failure, he's a piece of work; a Fell Dragon who played the game through and through, and you can tell. A spider that patiently prepares a web, waiting for the right time and the right place, can be just as dangerous as the wasp that stings you outright. The fact is that you don't expect a failure to catch you off guard or to have such nasty tricks up his sleeve and he takes advantage of that. It's a bit oxymoronic, but utility spells like Warp, Silence, Fracture, etc (the majority of which are in Faith) are what I'm gunning for in order to better flesh out that unique aspect of Rafal.

Riding & Flying: Self-explanatory banes on the basis of being a Fell Dragon with an especially potent aura. Even more explanatory, JPN Rafal's formal character talent is scaring away animals ( 動物を追い払うこと ) which is abridged in the localization as being intimidating. I doubt this is an opt-in feature and it's more about his innate way of being. Everything about his presence screams scary and that glare doesn't play. When predators go into hunt mode and the entire din of the forest dies down from birds to crickets, that's the kind of effect we're talking when he walks by, and Rafal himself is well-aware of it.

Rafal, at Shadowy Moor: "Fear not. Even if more foes are lurking about, they will not dare reveal themselves to me."

He's terrifying enough to his human allies and enemies, so unless they lack a sense of life preservation, there is no animal in the world that is going to let Rafal ride them. Travel by buggy and horseback are virtual impossibilities for him. It's a good thing he can fly faster than any of them can move. Did I mention Rafal starts fresh out of the DLC with a Fell Stone that has cavalry effectiveness and another that can be refined to have flying effectiveness? Animals avoid this dude like the plague. There's a reason why you will never find him loitering at the farm in the Somniel.

◆ 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐓

Faith: Hi, Nil. Why do you have a restore staff sitting in your inventory that you can't even use, Nil. I choose to believe that Rafal at one point possessed an interest in faith magic, an avenue separate from his axe that could not only help Nel by lessening her burdens, but also by empowering himself with new purpose. This was undoubtedly a failed venture because the restore staff collected cobwebs in his inventory. His low magic proficiency wasn't about to take him anywhere. A catch, though; after you pour your life force into someone for a thousand years, something about you is probably going to change on a fundamental level. A long span of muscle memory embedded in you, from healing a sister, little by little, each and every day.

His 10% magic growth rate is a pitiful and near obsolete number, unable to be relied on for any concentrated magic build. 10% is just about fumes and more-or-less represents the inalienable Fell Dragon blood in him, but it's better than nothing. Even assuming that "Nil" had no promise in this field, succeeding the DLC he had a millennia of constant patterns and prayers that put its footprint on his body. Lumera when speaking of her identical actions in reviving Alear refers to the process as healing. Rafal has no knack for destructive Fell magic, but what about the strange equivalent to faith magic he has a thousand years worth of history dabbling in? Much to think about.

This last bit is just about pure indulgence on my end, but Rafal is a clearly defined destroyer. Someone who snuffed the life from his own world and took countless innocents over the course of his ambitions. Healing and giving as opposed to taking is diametrically opposed to his dark past, another way of atonement, and a quaint opposite.

[chihoshisai]

Days of Dash ch1

Goth Family (Zoro, Perona, Mihawk)

cw : modern au, Shanks and Mihawk are parents, sibling teasing, fluff and good vibes, also on ao3 // wc : 1,860K

Lost Entrance

The Dracule household was far from having ordinary family members. 

The father, globally famous as he possessed the title of greatest swordsman, was surprisingly aloof and socially clumsy. His son, who didn’t fall far from the tree despite his adoption, was as equally inept with others as he kept a nasty frown upon his features. However the most surprising fact about this accidental troublemaker was how he ran away from the orphanage that housed him on a whim, a wooden sword attached to his back, in order to sneak into a sword fight competition, seeking a confrontation with a worthy adversary. 

And with that, shamelessly challenged the world’s greatest swordsman to a fight only to fail miserably. While he grunted, lamenting upon his loss, he quickly jumped on the offer to train under his opponent turned mentor and father — vowing to surpass him. The daughter, two years older than the son, likewise adopted, fell a bit too far from the tree — she was loud, noisy even, selfish but caring, easily irritable and unbelievably nosy as she went on and on about wanting to become a fashion designer while possessing infinite love for teddy bears. There was no doubt that she was spoiled by her father, resulting in her constant princess treatment and demeanor. Lastly, the second father, married to the greatest swordsman but who consistently failed to be present as he backpacked the world — therefore being a complete mystery to the kids who had failed to meet him once if not in photos, consequently naming him Red Hair.

Despite their different backgrounds and personalities, the family members blended and complemented each other harmoniously, if you could look past the havoc, oddities and commotion that seemed to follow them wherever they went, as though they all had been jinxed by an evil third party. 

Now, as the crack of dawn broke free from the shackles of night, casting a faint orange meet yellow light through the family’s glistering manor windows, the members busied themselves with their morning routine. 

“Where are my hair bows?!” The ringing voice of Perona boomed through every floor, as she frantically emptied her ribbon collection. With each frantic movement, she felt her agitation increase, leading her footstep down to the doorframe of her brother’s bedroom. “Did you take them?” She asked, squinting her eyes at the mess that laid in the training swordsman’s room in search of her prized item.  

“Why would I need such a thing!” Zoro asked, somewhat baffled at her question when his hair was akin to moss. He gave her a bored look, egging her to leave him alone as he still sorted through his school supplies, making sure nothing was amiss. 

The steady steps of Mihawk filled the air, as he glanced towards the potential ticking bomb that stood a few feets from him. And with grace, he went to stand behind his daughter, placing a firm hand atop her pink hair. “You left them in the bathroom,” he stated, presenting the black ribbons before the eyes of his princess who in turn beamed and gleefully grabbed the items. 

“Thank you,” she mused and poked her tongue at her sibling rather than admitting fault and apologizing, prior to disappearing in her room.

Zoro scowled as he watched her go, before the cold voice of his father claimed his attention.

“Are you alright?” Mihawk asked, standing in the doorframe still, eyes going from his unfinished backpack to the features of his son that hinted towards nervousness.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he answered, averting his eyes to one of the stray socks that laid on his floor, seemingly lonely from its missing partner. 

Believing his words, Mihawk nodded. “Right, then let me know if you need anything,” he said before disappearing in the hallway.      

But the truth was that Zoro was not okay. Indeed, with each item that he placed last minute into the high brand bag, he felt his apprehension towards his first day of highschool reaching new heights. A new school, new faces — except for the obnoxious one of his sister — and most importantly new challenges. Though what truly bothered him was the fact that he would be attending a private school. 

A private school.

Without a doubt, he along with his behavior would stick out like a sore thumb amidst what probably consisted of students who have been spoonfed with gold since birth like his frivolous sibling did. Therefore, he resigned to his fate of a friendless three academic years, focusing solely on his training. The only light to be found in this situation was the reputation that preceded the kendo club — in which his father proudly took part during his school days. Curiosity had gotten the better of him, leading to his approval upon joining the academy, as he wished to see the humble beginnings of his mentor. 

The cloud of thoughts that seized his mind quickly got interrupted by the strident voice of the pink princess, who urged him to come downstairs. With a hasty hand, Zoro quickly zipped his bag, before placing it on his shoulder and dragging his feet through the location of his summon, a yawn gracing his features. 

“Took you long enough, slowpoke,” Perona scolded at the lazy form that had just entered the yard. 

Zoro paid her no mind, as he instead eyed the camera that resided in his father’s hands. “Are pictures really necessary?” he asked, visibly bothered by the idea of having to pose and most likely redo multiple takes per his sister’s request. 

“You two insisted for me not to come to the entrance ceremony, this is the compromise we agreed on,” Mihawk reminded, directing them both to stand next to one of the maple trees that adorned their yard.

“We’re in highschool now, it would be too embarrassing if you accompanied us to school. Especially for me, it’s my last year!” Perona complained, as she fixed her pigtails for the picture. 

Zoro didn’t see the point in this, as he went through what seemed like an endless photoshoot session, questioning whether other families went through such length to capture memories or if it was simply a thing his father had. Almost as though he was afraid that one of his children would spend more time away from home like his lover did. 

The lowering camera served as a signal to their freedom. “Alright, you kids can go. I don’t want you to be late on your first day,” Mihawk’s flat tone began, “be safe out there, and have a great day,” he finished with an attempted smile.  

“Let’s go, slowpoke,” Perona teasingly said, nudging him on the arm as she led the way to the street and into what would soon be a disastrously amiable haven for Zoro. 

As both siblings walked alongside each other, the ramble that spilled from Perona’s lips like a baby bird’s chirp filled Zoro’s mind, making him self conscious about the whole ordeal.

“Remember, you only have one chance to make friends. If you miss it, it’s game over,” she casually explained, glancing towards the subtle perturbed look of her brother. “In case you fail, I won’t let you join my friend group, but if someone bullies you, come to me and I’ll deal with it,” she smugly said in an attempt to reassure him, only to receive a grunt from her distracted brother.

Friends sounded like a pain in the ass. From the company he had occasionally seen his sister and father surround themselves with, Zoro vowed once more to stay faithful to loneliness, looking forward to graduation. 

The journey to school had proven itself far too short, as hordes of students spawned next to the siblings and the golden front gate of the academy came into view. 

“Good luck shrimp,” Perona grinned at the sight of surprise that creeped upon her brother’s features. She had no intention whatsoever to guide or help him along his journey unless solicited. After all, she experienced it all firsthand on her own, and had been kind enough to give him pointers out of consideration so that he wouldn’t stand out too much. 

The heartbeat in Zoro’s chest, who usually leisurely beated took on a quicker pace. Having lost sight of his sister amidst the crowd of students, Zoro stood still as the reality of the challenge took a moment to sink in. It was an impressive school really, and as he glanced towards the scholars, it was apparent that they too seemed just as impressive, if not peculiar. 

Where was he supposed to head to again?

Cold sweat ran down his back, as he remained frozen. Until the spoken word gymnasium carried by the wind from the buzzing crowd reached his ears, and with a laidback pace, Zoro took his first step towards this new chapter.

He found himself in a deserted area of the school ground. 

Without his sister, father, or even someone to lead him, Zoro was a lost cause when it came to getting from point A to B. With the spring breeze that gently brushed against his cheeks, he spun his head, in the hope of locating a fellow student or staff member. Perona had told him that first impressions were important, and arriving late to the entrance ceremony certainly was the same as messing that up. 

“Hey,” a cheery voice carried itself to Zoro’s ears, as he perked up his head whilst relief washed over him — finally, help had appeared. That was until he saw the individual in question wave at him from a tree. 

Who in their right mind would climb a tree on their first day of school, and what’s more on campus? Zoro quickly opted to ignore the odd student, who enthusiastically kept waving in his direction, and went on to lead his feet in the opposite direction to god knows where.   

“Wait! I’m a first year, what class are you in?” The excited voice resonated behind Zoro, halting his step. 

At the realization that he faced a student from the same year as his, Zoro turned around with his lips shadowing a grin. “I’m in class 1, and also a first year,” he stated, crossing his arms to ease the beating of his heart that had yet to settle.

The student gave a hearty laugh, as his hands went to rest on his hips, “we’re the same!” 

Zoro nodded, his opinion of the person standing in front of him slightly getting better upon a better look at the friendly aura that poured from every corner of his body. Furthermore, as he confidently stood in front of Zoro, he looked normal. Like a neighboring kid who would ask you out to play every weekend and give Zoro a sense of hope that he wouldn’t feel so out of place after all. Yet he still had his apprehension after seeing his apparent carefree nature atop that tree. 

“I’m Luffy. Join my friend group!” He smiled, extending a welcoming hand towards Zoro and breaking him free from his thoughts.

As the earlier words of Perona flowed in his mind like a warning, Zoro flashed a smirk in return and accepted the handshake.

Ch 2

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Death of Saul and His Sons

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines followed hard after Saul, and after his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, the sons of Saul. 3 And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him, and he was wounded of the archers. 4 Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5 And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died. 6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel that were in the valley saw that they fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, then they forsook their cities, and fled: and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8 And it came to pass on the morrow, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa. 9 And when they had stripped him, they took his head, and his armour, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to carry tidings unto their idols, and to the people. 10 And they put his armour in the house of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.

11 And when all Jabesh-gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 they arose, all the valiant men, and took away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh, and buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the Lord, even against the word of the Lord, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; 14 and enquired not of the Lord: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse. — 1 Chronicles 10 | Authorized King James Version (AKJV) The Holy Bible: Authorized King James Version; Cambridge University Press, the Crown’s patentee in the UK. All rights reserved. Cross References: Genesis 12:6; Leviticus 19:31; Judges 9:54; Judges 16:24; Judges 21:8; 1 Samuel 5:2; 1 Samuel 14:49; 1 Samuel 15:28; 1 Samuel 28:6; 1 Samuel 31:1-2; 1 Samuel 31:4; 1 Samuel 31:6; 1 Samuel 31:9; 1 Chronicles 9:44; John 11:19; Acts 16:16

[lightdancer1]

An excerpt from the upcoming next chapter of The War of Air and Fire:

----

Toghun Chagatai paced around the table as the Fire Lord listened with increasing eye rolls and contempt and the generals thoughtfully. "It is true, my lord, that my people take great pride in the deeds of our ancestors, as yours do of yours. It is also true that my ancestors waged terrible wars and gleefully committed atrocities that resonate still eight thousand years later. For us it was not a simple matter of barbarism, it was strategy." He turned to look at them. "Slaughter a few cities, depopulate an island, and the very terror of your name instills peace and you spare your people at the expense of the dunghills of other nations."

There were shifts and mumbles of 'barbarian' from others and he gave them a cold and merciless grin just as his ancestors would have done in the same situation. "But, in the end, it was these same deeds as much as the divine wind that brought Caldera and the Yamato to power. We instilled terror and we made it plain the price of resistance, and people in the end decided they were willing to pay that price." Now there was a subtle shift and the Fire Lord kept rolling his eyes and murmuring beneath his breath.

"I do not doubt in the least, great Lord Sozin, son of Enzozhu, son of Zenzhu, that we can fall upon the Air Nomads like a thunderbolt. They are a peaceful people, who learn deeply of the arts of spirits and care little for the arts of war. We are the warlike sons and daughters of the western islands, born in harshness and living likewise." He gave them all a careful look. "Suppose, my Lord, that our plan works flawlessly. We unleash Steel Rain, we fall upon the Air Nomads. We bloody our swords in their necks, build pyramids of their skulls, bring to an end a fourth of humanity in one fell swoop. What happens, my lord, if what happened to my ancestors happens to all of us? Suppose we strike and the world sees this as proof that we are treacherous murderers and fathers and mothers of murderers and that there is no peace short of one nation or another in a graveyard much as the one we shall make of the Air Nomads?"

"My ancestors never anticipated that the great massacres they unleashed on the mainland and in the islands would come back to haunt them and lead the other nations to the side of the Yamato and the Battle of Karakorum. It happened all the same. If that is the fate the Gods will for us, what will happen then? We could face a war of a hundred years where our armies are ever-victorious, winning themselves to death for no nation will swear peace or accept a victory short of one of ashes and bones as ruinous to the victor as to the defeated. My ancestors did such things, and I am of their line. I will fly with you, and I will shed the blood of innocents, if you wish. But I will not, my lord. allow it to be done without these questions asked and faced directly."

Sozin scoffed. "That will never happen, Lord Toghun. The other nations will hear of the fate of the Air Nomads, of our capacities to move forces across the world, of their annihilation. They will know we can go anywhere we please and slaughter all we will. They will know and then I will win the war as the great master said it is best done. a win without fighting. The pyramids of skulls are the price of peace. Blood-money, yes, but a price worth paying."

[bills-bible-basics]

DEATH AND HELL -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see more. "The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;" 2 Samuel 22:6, KJV "The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me." Psalm 18:5, KJV "Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them." Psalm 55:15, KJV "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow." Psalm 116:3, KJV "Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell." Proverbs 5:5, KJV "Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death." Proverbs 7:27, KJV "Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves . . . And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it." Isaiah 28:15, 18, KJV "Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:" Habakkuk 2:5, KJV "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:‭ ‭‭And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,‭ And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.‭ And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;‭ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.‭ And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.‭ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.‭ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that ‭would come‭ from thence.‭" Luke 16:19-26, KJV "O death, where is thy sting? O grave [hell], where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55, KJV "I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." Revelation 1:18, KJV "And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." Revelation 6:8, KJV "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." Revelation 20:13-14, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/death-and-hell-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=177795&DEATH%20AND%20HELL%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

[craftylovegentlemen]

The Bible Old Testament

2 Samuel

Chapter 1

1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I. 8 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite. 9 He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me. 10 So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord.

11 Then David took hold on his clothes, and rent them; and likewise all the men that were with him: 12 And they mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son, and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel; because they were fallen by the sword. 13 And David said unto the young man that told him, Whence art thou? And he answered, I am the son of a stranger, an Amalekite. 14 And David said unto him, How wast thou not afraid to stretch forth thine hand to destroy the LORD's anointed? 15 And David called one of the young men, and said, Go near, and fall upon him. And he smote him that he died. 16 And David said unto him, Thy blood be upon thy head; for thy mouth hath testified against thee, saying, I have slain the LORD's anointed. 17 And David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son: 18 (Also he bade them teach the children of Judah the use of the bow: behold, it is written in the book of Jasher.) 19 The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen! 20 Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the streets of Askelon; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph. 21 Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there be no dew, neither let there be rain, upon you, nor fields of offerings: for there the shield of the mighty is vilely cast away, the shield of Saul, as though he had not been anointed with oil. 22 From the blood of the slain, from the fat of the mighty, the bow of Jonathan turned not back, and the sword of Saul returned not empty. 23 Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet, with other delights, who put on ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25 How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! O Jonathan, thou wast slain in thine high places. 26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!

2 Samuel 1

Diane Beauford

[cocomonetxos]

THIS is the cepher of the words of righteousness, and of the reproof of the Watchers, who are from eternity, according to that which he, who is holy and great, commanded in the vision. I perceived in my dream, that I was now speaking with a tongue of flesh, and with my breath, which El Elohiym has put into the mouth of men, that they might converse with it. And understand with the heart. As he has created and given to men the power of comprehending the word of understanding, so has he created and given to me the power of reproving the Watchers, the offspring of heaven. I have written your petition; and in my vision it has been shown me, that what you request will not be granted you as long as the world endures. Judgment has been passed upon you: your request will not be granted you. From this time forward, never shall you ascend into heaven; he has said, that on the earth he will bind you, as long as the world endures. But before these things you shall behold the destruction of your beloved sons; you shall not possess them, but they shall fall before you by the sword. Neither shall you entreat for them, not for yourselves; CHANOK (ENOCH) 14:1-6 את CEPHER

But you shall weep and supplicate in silence. The words of the cepher which I wrote. A vision thus appeared to me. Behold, in that vision clouds and a mist invited me; agitated stars and flashes of lightning impelled and pressed me forwards, while winds in the vision assisted my flight, accelerating my progress. They elevated me aloft to heaven. I proceeded, until I arrived at a wall built with stones of crystal. A tongue of fire surrounded it, which began to strike me with terror. Into this vibrating flame I entered; And drew nigh to a spacious habitation built also with stones of crystal. Its walls too, as well as pavement, were formed with stones of crystal, and crystal likewise was the ground. Its roof had the appearance of agitated stars and flashes of lightning; and among them were Keruviym of fire and their heaven was water. A flame burned around its walls; and its portal blazed with fire. When I entered into this dwelling, it was hot as fire and cold as ice. No trace of delight or of life was there. Terror overwhelmed me, and a fearful shaking seized me. CHANOK (ENOCH) 14:7-12 את CEPHER

Violently agitated and trembling, I fell upon my face. In the vision I looked. And behold there was another habitation more spacious, every entrance to which was open before me, erected in a vibrating flame. So greatly did it excel in all points, in glory, in magnificence, and in magnitude, that it is impossible to describe to you either the splendor or the extent of it. Its floor was on fire; above were lightnings and agitated stars, while its roof exhibited a blazing fire. Attentively I surveyed it, and saw that it contained an exalted throne; The appearance of which was like that of frost; while its circumference resembled the orb of the brilliant sun; and there was the voice of the Keruviym. CHANOK (ENOCH) 14:13-18 את CEPHER

From underneath this mighty throne rivers of flaming fire issued. To look upon it was impossible. One great in glory sat upon it: Whose robe was brighter than the sun, and whiter than snow. No angel was capable of penetrating to view the face of him, the Glorious and the Effulgent; nor could any mortal behold him. A fire was flaming around him. A fire also of great extent continued to rise up before him; so that not one of those who surrounded him was capable of approaching him, among the myriads of myriads who were before him. To him holy consultation was needless. Yet did not the sanctified, who were near him, depart far from him either by night or by day; nor were they removed from him. I also was so far advanced, with a veil on my face, and trembling. Then Yahuah with his own mouth called me, saying, Approach hither, Chanok, at my holy word. CHANOK (ENOCH) 14:19-24 את CEPHER

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Saturday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings of Saturday, January 20, 2024

Reading 1

2 SM 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27

David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites  and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.  David asked him, "Where do you come from?" He replied, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp."  "Tell me what happened," David bade him. He answered that the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan.  David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise.  They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.  "Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights; how can the warriors have fallen!  Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, separated neither in life nor in death, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!  Women of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and in finery, who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.  "How can the warriors have fallen-- in the thick of the battle, slain upon your heights!  "I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother! most dear have you been to me; More precious have I held love for you than love for women.  "How can the warriors have fallen, the weapons of war have perished!"

Responsorial Psalm

PS 80:2-3, 5-7

R./ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken, O guide of the flock of Joseph! From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Rouse your power,  and come to save us. R./ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O LORD of hosts, how long will you burn with anger while your people pray? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in ample measure. You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors,  and our enemies mock us. R./ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

Gospel

MK 3:20-21

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat.  When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

[bretongirlwrites]

It need not be a ceremony: but became one nonetheless, since one cannot walk into a chapel formerly of Talos, without spilling dreamlike, the blood of age-old tradition. Those priests claiming to be of the Eight, wear uncertainly their Thalmor-sanctioned robes; and swear oaths with bitten tongues. Were the leaders of the Thalmor to march into the Chapel at Bruma, the place would quake as Bruma had, twenty years before: and secret doors would shut downstairs, even as the priests shut their mouths. The Chapel formerly of Talos, was but a taste perhaps of Skyrim, – 

‘I didn’t realise,’ said Marcurio at last, – who so rarely frequented chapels, that he blinked in the stained-glass reflexions, – ‘that you were the religious sort.’

‘I’m not,’ said I sighing: and pulled him downstairs. 

Twenty years ago, the passion of Bruma and Thalmor bootsteps had so clashed, that the city had lost a beloved landmark: the statue of the Champion of Cyrodiil. The Thalmor knowing her to have been a Blade, did not care for the other details, which would only have exacerbated the matter: and promptly dashed her upon the cobbles. And when they’d gone, Bruma, silently, had pieced the past back together; and set her upon a private pedestal, in the chapel, to look upon the sorry vista of a town reduced to whispers and darkness. 

I was so known at the chapel, as a frequenter of the statue, that I was waved through though accompanied by a stranger; and coming upon the statue, put my hand upon her foot. So many had done so before me, – and I’d done so often, – that the foot was half eroded; and glistened as her armour doubtless had, an age ago. 

‘Corinne Traven,’ Marcurio read, from her plaque: ‘that’s the Champion, right?’

‘She was a Blade,’ I began: and fell silent.

My mother had been a Blade: perhaps that is why I so revered the Champion. My mother had gone in the Champion’s footsteps, at Cloud Ruler, in Bruma: and here I was, furtively reaching in the gloom for those disappearing feet. Knights in gold and silver armour: the statue had been painted, once: a chink of dulled colour, at the tip of her sword. What a Cyrodiil hers must have been! – 

I revered her, for the very same reason that my contemporaries revered Talos: because taken away at the shattering of the past, they’d come in where memory began to fail, and stood for those things lost. It was, of course, easier to stand reverent at this statue, than at the forbidden idea of hardly anything at all, up in the chapel: I was not the only one who, while not deifying her, wondered sometimes in beholding her, what it had been like, when her blade had shone in blinding sunlight. I’d barely been alive, but others had been there, twenty years ago, –

And my mother, after all, had been a Blade, – 

‘A silly thing, really,’ said I at last: ‘everyone who’s doing something difficult or dangerous or whatever comes down here to touch her foot… for good luck, you know. Just… just tradition.’

‘She must have been a remarkable woman,’ said Marcurio smiling: and quite without mockery though he knew not how deep it went, put out his hand likewise.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

20th January >> Mass Readings (USA)

Saturday, Second Week in Ordinary Time 

Or

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary  Or

Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr 

Or

Saint Sebastian, Martyr. 

Saturday, Second Week in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Colour: Green: B (2))

First Reading 2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 How can the warriors have fallen in battle!

David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage. David asked him, “Where do you come from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of the children of Israel.” “Tell me what happened,” David bade him. He answered that many of the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan. David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

“Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights; how can the warriors have fallen!

“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, separated neither in life nor in death, swifter than eagles, stronger than lions! Women of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and in finery, who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.

“How can the warriors have fallen– in the thick of the battle, slain upon your heights!

“I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother! most dear have you been to me; more precious have I held love for you than love for women.

“How can the warriors have fallen, the weapons of war have perished!”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 80:2-3, 5-7

R/ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken, O guide of the flock of Joseph! From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh. Rouse your power, and come to save us.

R/ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O LORD of hosts, how long will you burn with anger while your people pray? You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in ample measure. You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.

R/ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

Gospel Acclamation cf. Acts of the Apostles 16:14b

Alleluia, alleluia. Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mark 3:20-21 They said, "He is out of his mind.”

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr 

(Liturgical Colour: Red: B (2))

(Readings for the memorial)

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

First Reading 1 Peter 5:1-4 Tend the flock of God in your midst.

Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing it not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 40:2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God.

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Gospel Acclamation John 10:14

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 21:15-17 Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Sebastian, Martyr 

(Liturgical Colour: Red: B (2))

(Readings for the memorial)

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

First Reading 1 Peter 3:14-17 Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them.

Beloved: Even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear and be glad.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Gospel Acclamation James 1:12

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 10:28-33 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.

Jesus said to the Twelve: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

(Liturgical Colour: White: B (2))

(Readings for the memorial)

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

Either:

First Reading Genesis 3:9-15, 20 I will put enmity between your offspring and the offspring of the woman.

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me– she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”

The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

OR: --------

First reading Genesis 12:1-7 The Lord spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants for ever (Luke 1:55).

The LORD said to Abram: “Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father’s house to a land that I will show you.

”I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. All the communities of the earth shall find blessing in you.”

Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his brother’s son Lot, all the possessions that they had accumulated, and the persons they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land as far as the sacred place at Shechem, by the terebinth of Moreh. (The Canaanites were then in the land.) The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him.

OR: --------

First reading 2 Samuel 7:1-5, 8b-11, 16 The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father (Luke 1:32).

When King David was settled in his palace, and the LORD had given him rest from his enemies on every side, he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am living in a house of cedar, while the ark of God dwells in a tent!” Nathan answered the king, “Go, do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.” But that night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said: “Go tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD: Should you build me a house to dwell in?’ “‘It was I who took you from the pasture and from the care of the flock to be commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you. And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth. I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their place without further disturbance. Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel. I will give you rest from all your enemies. The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you. Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.’”

OR: --------

First reading 1 Chronicles 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2 They brought in the ark of God and set it within the tent which David had pitched for it.

David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the LORD to the place which he had prepared for it. David also called together the sons of Aaron and the Levites. The Levites bore the ark of God on their shoulders with poles, as Moses had ordained according to the word of the LORD. David commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their brethren as chanters, to play on musical instruments, harps, lyres, and cymbals to make a loud sound of rejoicing. They brought in the ark of God and set it within the tent which David had pitched for it. Then they offered up burnt offerings and peace offerings to God. When David had finished offering up the burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.

OR: --------

First reading Proverbs 8:22-31 Mary, seat of Wisdom.

The Wisdom of God says:

“The LORD begot me, the first-born of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; From of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains or springs of water; Before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; While as yet the earth and fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world.

“When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; Then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, Playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men.”

OR: --------

First reading Sirach 24:1-2, 3-4, 8-12, 18-21 Mary, seat of Wisdom.

Wisdom sings her own praises and is honored in God, before her own people she proclaims her glory; In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth, in the presence of his power she declares her worth.

“From the mouth of the Most High I came forth the first-born before all creatures. I made that in the heavens there should arise light that never fades and mistlike covered the earth. In the highest heavens did I dwell, my throne on a pillar of cloud.

“Then the Creator of all gave me his command, and he who formed me chose the spot for my tent, Saying, ‘In Jacob make your dwelling, in Israel your inheritance and among my chosen put down your roots.’ Before all ages, in the beginning, he created me, and through all ages I shall not cease to be. In the holy tent I ministered before him, and in Zion I fixed my abode. Thus in the chosen city he has given me rest, in Jerusalem is my domain. I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the LORD, his heritage and in the company of the holy ones do I linger.

“Come to me, all you that yearn for me, and be filled with my fruits; You will remember me as sweeter than honey, better to have than the honeycomb my memory is unto everlasting generations. Whoever eats of me will hunger still, whoever drinks of me will thirst for more; Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame, whoever serves me will never fail.”

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10 The virgin shall conceive and bear a son.

The LORD spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, “I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!” Then Isaiah said: Listen, O house of David! Is it not enough for you to weary people, must you also weary my God? Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel which means “God is with us.”

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 9:1-6 A son is given us.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, As they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, And the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. For every boot that tramped in battle, every cloak rolled in blood, will be burned as fuel for flames.

For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace. His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, From David’s throne, and over his kingdom, which he confirms and sustains By judgment and justice, both now and forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this!

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 61:9-11 I rejoice heartily in the Lord.

Thus says the LORD:

Their descendants shall be renowned among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples; All who see them shall acknowledge them as a race the LORD has blessed.

I rejoice heartily in the LORD, in my God is the joy of my soul; For he has clothed me with a robe of salvation, and wrapped me in a mantle of justice, Like a bridegroom adorned with a diadem, like a bride bedecked with her jewels. As the earth brings forth its plants, and a garden makes its growth spring up, So will the Lord GOD make justice and praise spring up before all the nations.

OR: --------

First reading Micah 5:1-4a Until the time when she who is to give birth has borne.

The LORD says:

You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. (Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, And the rest of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel.) He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace.

OR: --------

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

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

EITHER: --------

Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.”

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength. The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.”

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world; he raises up again. The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts.”

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage.”

My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Judith 13:18bcde, 19

You are the highest honor of our race.

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

You are the highest honor of our race.

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

You are the highest honor of our race.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17

Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.

Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house. So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord, and you must worship him.

Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.

All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters; her raiment is threaded with spun gold. In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king; behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you.

Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.

They are borne in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king. The place of your fathers your sons shall have; you shall make them princes through all the land.

Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 113:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7

Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. or Alleluia.

Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever.

Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. or Alleluia.

From the rising to the setting of the sun is the name of the LORD to be praised. High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens is his glory.

Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. or Alleluia.

Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?

Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. or Alleluia.

He raises up the lowly from the dust; from the dunghill he lifts up the poor To seat them with princes, with the princes of his own people.

Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever. or Alleluia.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Luke 1:46-47, 48-49, 50-51, 52-53, 54-55

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“For he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name.”

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.”

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.”

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

“He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children for ever.”

The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name. or O Blessed Virgin Mary, you carried the Son of the eternal Father.

Gospel Acclamation see Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia. Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: see Luke 1:45

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary, who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: see Luke 2:19

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed is the Virgin Mary who kept the word of God and pondered it in her heart. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Luke 11:28

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or:

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

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are you, O Virgin Mary; without dying you won the martyr’s crown beneath the Cross of the Lord. Alleluia, alleluia.

EITHER: --------

Gospel Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23 For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king. David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile. After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ. Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 1:18-23 For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt.

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.” Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son. When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean.

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 12:46-50 Stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, here are my mother and my brothers.

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

OR: --------

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

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

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 1:39-47 Blessed is she who believed.

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

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

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 2:1-14 She gave birth to her firstborn son.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Christ and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 2:15b-19 Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

The shepherds said to one another, “Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart.

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 2:27-35 You yourself a sword will pierce.

Simeon came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace; your word has been fulfilled; my own eyes have seen the salvation which you prepared in the sight of every people: a light to reveal you to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted and you yourself a sword will pierce so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 2:41-52 Your father and I have been looking for you.

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 11:27-28 Blessed is the womb that carried you.

While Jesus was speaking, a woman from the crowd called out and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that carried you and the breasts at which you nursed.” He replied, “Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

OR: --------

Gospel John 2:1-11 The mother of Jesus was there.

There was a wedding in Cana at Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from although the servers who had drawn the water knew, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs in Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

Or:

Gospel John 19:25-27 Behold, your son. Behold, your mother.

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[miajolensdevotion]

April 21, 2021

Verse: 1 samuel 14 Write/ Copy Gods words :

14 Now it came to pass upon a day, that Jonathan the son of Saul said unto the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over to the Philistines' garrison, that is on the other side. But he told not his father. 2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men; 3 And Ahiah, the son of Ahitub, Ichabod's brother, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eli, the Lord's priest in Shiloh, wearing an ephod. And the people knew not that Jonathan was gone. 4 And between the passages, by which Jonathan sought to go over unto the Philistines' garrison, there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side: and the name of the one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. 5 The forefront of the one was situate northward over against Michmash, and the other southward over against Gibeah. 6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few. 7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart. 8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them. 9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them. 10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the Lord hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us. 11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves. 12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the Lord hath delivered them into the hand of Israel. 13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him. 14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow. 15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling. 16 And the watchmen of Saul in Gibeah of Benjamin looked; and, behold, the multitude melted away, and they went on beating down one another. 17 Then said Saul unto the people that were with him, Number now, and see who is gone from us. And when they had numbered, behold, Jonathan and his armourbearer were not there. 18 And Saul said unto Ahiah, Bring hither the ark of God. For the ark of God was at that time with the children of Israel. 19 And it came to pass, while Saul talked unto the priest, that the noise that was in the host of the Philistines went on and increased: and Saul said unto the priest, Withdraw thine hand. 20 And Saul and all the people that were with him assembled themselves, and they came to the battle: and, behold, every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was a very great discomfiture. 21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time, which went up with them into the camp from the country round about, even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan. 22 Likewise all the men of Israel which had hid themselves in mount Ephraim, when they heard that the Philistines fled, even they also followed hard after them in the battle. 23 So the Lord saved Israel that day: and the battle passed over unto Bethaven. 24 And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food. 25 And all they of the land came to a wood; and there was honey upon the ground. 26 And when the people were come into the wood, behold, the honey dropped; but no man put his hand to his mouth: for the people feared the oath. 27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. 29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines? 31 And they smote the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon: and the people were very faint. 32 And the people flew upon the spoil, and took sheep, and oxen, and calves, and slew them on the ground: and the people did eat them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, Behold, the people sin against the Lord, in that they eat with the blood. And he said, Ye have transgressed: roll a great stone unto me this day. 34 And Saul said, Disperse yourselves among the people, and say unto them, Bring me hither every man his ox, and every man his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and sin not against the Lord in eating with the blood. And all the people brought every man his ox with him that night, and slew them there. 35 And Saul built an altar unto the Lord: the same was the first altar that he built unto the Lord. 36 And Saul said, Let us go down after the Philistines by night, and spoil them until the morning light, and let us not leave a man of them. And they said, Do whatsoever seemeth good unto thee. Then said the priest, Let us draw near hither unto God. 37 And Saul asked counsel of God, Shall I go down after the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into the hand of Israel? But he answered him not that day. 38 And Saul said, Draw ye near hither, all the chief of the people: and know and see wherein this sin hath been this day. 39 For, as the Lord liveth, which saveth Israel, though it be in Jonathan my son, he shall surely die. But there was not a man among all the people that answered him. 40 Then said he unto all Israel, Be ye on one side, and I and Jonathan my son will be on the other side. And the people said unto Saul, Do what seemeth good unto thee. 41 Therefore Saul said unto the Lord God of Israel, Give a perfect lot. And Saul and Jonathan were taken: but the people escaped. 42 And Saul said, Cast lots between me and Jonathan my son. And Jonathan was taken. 43 Then Saul said to Jonathan, Tell me what thou hast done. And Jonathan told him, and said, I did but taste a little honey with the end of the rod that was in mine hand, and, lo, I must die. 44 And Saul answered, God do so and more also: for thou shalt surely die, Jonathan. 45 And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel? God forbid: as the Lord liveth, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he hath wrought with God this day. So the people rescued Jonathan, that he died not. 46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place. 47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. 48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them. 49 Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal: 50 And the name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz: and the name of the captain of his host was Abner, the son of Ner, Saul's uncle. 51 And Kish was the father of Saul; and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel. 52 And there was sore war against the Philistines all the days of Saul: and when Saul saw any strong man, or any valiant man, he took him unto him.

What is your Favorite verse(s):

27 But Jonathan heard not when his father charged the people with the oath: wherefore he put forth the end of the rod that was in his hand, and dipped it in an honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes were enlightened. 28 Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint. 29 Then said Jonathan, My father hath troubled the land: see, I pray you, how mine eyes have been enlightened, because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much more, if haply the people had eaten freely to day of the spoil of their enemies which they found? for had there not been now a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?

Explain in your own words what you just read:

At the beginning, there was nothing in this day to indicate it would be remarkable. But on this day, God would win a great victory through the bold trust of Jonathan.

Commitment / what will i do : I will helped the officer in battle and in the administration of the army

[dailyadventureprompts]

Dungeon: The Veiled Palace

Sorrow pervades this valley, the painful ache that remains after tears and screams have exhausted themselves and the body can only linger on in faltering surrender. You can feel it in the rain, in the rocks, in the chill of the wind as it pulls the mirth from your bones.

Setup: Forlorn and forgotten thought it may be, the Veiled palace was said to have been constructed by a besotted celestial and played home to a succession of demigod warlords before it and the surrounding lands were reclaimed by nature at the end of the last civil war, transforming into a vast hinterland ripe for exploration.

Hooks:

Though the warlords have been gone for generations, their most cunning servants, a coterie of assassins live on, location concealed by ancient enchantments that cloak their fortress and their movements in near impenetrable mist.  They now sell their services to the innumerable nobles and merchants of the lowlands as the “Serpent-Unseen”, a group the party will only hear of after taking an innocuous job that sees their prospective employer killed half way through and the party hastily pinned for the crime.

In addition to the isolated human villages in mountains, there are also encalves of aarakocra and jaguar-tabaxi in the region, both of whom retain scraps of lore about the palace and its formation, but have become increasingly unfriendly towards outsiders of late. Someone has been wandering their territory and ensnaring their people through the use of a bewitching flute, and all those who try to rescue the ensorceled are never heard from again.

Tales in local roadhouses tell of Tamha, a long vanished village in the mountains that once traded in heavenly treasures, some beautiful or powerful beyond beleif. While these rumors may incite the party to start combing the rainforest for trinkets, they’ve also inspired the Serpent-Unseen’s latest leader, Janbek the collector,  aspirations for his organization far above being petty cutthroats. Having found a few of these trinkets ( such as the flute), the collector realizes that the Veiled palace is a storehouse of powerful enchantments that could lead him and his people to true power far beyond the swords and poisons they currently wield.

Those traveling high into the mountains should be wary, as to hear the locals tell it a soaking wet ghost that appears wandering the roads in the area dazed and confused, bloodless save for the silvery ichor which drips down from a bone-bearing gash in his head. As the ghost story goes, should the specter clasp you in his deathly grip, you’ll start to drown on land, all while he pleads with you to help him find his way home, dissolving into tears should his victim fight their way free.

Background: As the story goes, the celestial noble Rindal’jar was traveling the mortal world  admiring the beauty of the mountains when he fell in love with a mortal girl from a tiny little village by name of Sya. This was a problem, as Rindal’jar was already married to the local goddess of rain, and so cloaked the surrounding valley in a never ending mist so as to hide the affair from his betrothed. Rindal’jar likewise concealed his true nature from his beau, claiming to be a wandering noble in search of poetic inspiration as he lavished gifts upon her and her people. Sya for her part figured out Rindal’jar’s ruse when such gifts icnluded bundles of gold or a bridge over a valley she was forced to cross every time she went to gather fruit, but she and her people were poor, and she feared offending this fanciful stranger and all the power he seemed to wield. The affair continued for years, and eventually saw Sya living like royalty in a palace conjured by Rindal’jar, waited upon by a staff of animals transmuted into servants: brilliant birds for her ladies and courtiers and a pack of leopards for her honor guard. Her people were forced to stay in the village below, but she smuggled them whatever riches she could to trade for food and proper tools. Having long suspected her husband’s unfaithfulness, the goddess of rain eventually used her trusted agents to track him to the valley, giving them a bronze vessel empowered by years of bitter hurt and resentment to unleash upon him when he was alone in the valley.  Unstoppered the vessel unleashed monsoon storms and flooded the valley in an instant, washing away the unfaithful Rindal’jar as well as Sya’s village in an instant of divine spite. Watching from above and hidden by the palace’s enchantments, Sya watched her people destroyed, and afterwords retreated to the depths of the palace, living out the rest of her life like a ghost. Her and Rindal’jar’s children, raised by magical convenience and their sorrow-broken mother came up spoiled and wrong, eventually declaring themselves as warlords and raising successive bands of jaguar folk and mountain bandits as they use their father’s gifts to carve out territory for themselves. This pattern persisted over generations, until Rindal’jar’s line got tangled up in a brutal civil war and ended up extinguished for their troubles, their territory falling back to the wild.

Further Adventures:

Once and orphan and petty thief, the aasimar Janbek (perhaps correctly) sees himself as the heir to the warlords’ legacy, feeling pulled to collect the trinkets and treasures a celestial noble carelessly bestowed upon a hapless village girl so long ago.   While many of these trinkets are merely valuable, others possess powerful abilities that have gone long unobserved, but seem to blossom in the collector’s grasp allowing him to ascend the ranks of the Serpent Unseen faster than anyone in the organization’s history.   His ultimate goal is to uncover the origin of these wonders, and bring the valley under his control as a new reigning warlord to which surrounding territories must offer their allegiance.  To this end the party may end up doing battle with Janbek over treasures they do not know the true origin of, or even inadvertently passing a few into his hands in the early game. 

Of all the magical items scattered throughout the hinterlands and the surrounding region, perhaps the most dangerous is the stormbearing vessel, which was washed downstream and into the plunge of a violent waterfall and stuck in the rubble beneath the crashing water ever since. The party may only come to know of the vessel thanks to the locals telling them the sad story of Rindal’Jar’s transgressions, and connecting it with their earlier ghost sightings. 

 If one held the wrathful vessel, one could bring rains in times of drought, or summon hurricanes to ravage armies and scour fleets at sea. One could even use it to summon the wrathful goddess, which Janbek may attempt to do if the party closes in on him. What this scornful rain-god will do with the descendant of her philandering husband is anyone’s guess, perhaps smite him on the spot or take him as a consort, elevating him to terrible power. The gods are inscrutable after all, and it would be impious to try to predict how they would act next.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Saul's Overthrow and Death

1 Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa.

2 And the Philistines followed close upon Saul and upon his sons; and the Philistines slew Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchishua, Saul's sons.

3 And the battle went hard against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was severely wounded of the archers.

4 Then said Saul unto his armorbearer, Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armorbearer would not; for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.

5 And when his armorbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him.

6 So Saul died, and his three sons, and his armorbearer, and all his men, that same day together.

7 And when the men of Israel that were on the other side of the valley, and they that were on the other side of Jordan, saw that the men of Israel fled, and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook the cities, and fled; and the Philistines came and dwelt in them.

8 And it came to pass the next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, that they found Saul and his three sons fallen in mount Gilboa.

9 And they cut off his head, and stripped off his armor, and sent into the land of the Philistines round about, to proclaim it in the house of their idols, and among the people.

10 And they put his armor in the house of Ashtaroth: and they fastened his body to the wall of Bethshan.

11 And when the inhabitants of Jabeshgilead heard of that which the Philistines had done to Saul;

12 All the valiant men arose, and went all night, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Bethshan, and came to Jabesh, and burnt them there.

13 And they took their bones, and buried them under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days. — 1 Samuel 31 | King James 2000 Bible (KJB2K) The King James 2000 Bible, copyright © Doctor of Theology Robert A. Couric 2000, 2003. All rights reserved. Cross References: Joshua 17:11; Judges 2:13; Judges 9:54; Judges 14:3; Judges 16:23-24; Judges 21:8; 1 Samuel 11:1; 1 Samuel 12:25; 1 Samuel 14:49; 1 Samuel 22:6; 1 Samuel 26:10; 1 Samuel 28:4; 1 Samuel 28:19; 2 Samuel 1:1; 2 Samuel 1:6; 2 Samuel 1:20; 2 Samuel 2:4; 2 Samuel 21:12; 1 Kings 16:18; 1 Chronicles 10:9; Amos 6:10; John 11:19

[percabeth4life]

i want to know the original version of hades and persephone story. there are so many versions I've read and i wanted to know which one do you believe in or which one do you think is the real one?

Okay so to start with. If we wanna really go back, Hades came into existence after Persephone. But alas, we aren't speaking of this version.

We are talking about the version where Hades sweeps Persephone away without so much as a hello.

The problem is a lot of the stories of Ancient Greece are well... They're lost. They were primarily shared through oral tradition, and written down over time. And so many stories we may not know. On top of that, many that were written down were lost, destroyed or just vanished, to time. Plus, we don't know how to translate Linear A, but we do Linear B, and there may be a version somewhere in Linear A. Overall, it's just possible we don't know the earlier versions.

But the earliest version we do have is from the Homeric Hymn, from the 7th or 6th B.C.E. This hymn is actually one to Demeter, not Hades or Persephone. The myth, while speaking of the two, is actually about Demeter.

It is, for the time period it is from (and you must keep in mind the culture of the time to understand the myth) a feminist myth.

So the culture of the time.

In the time period women did not have the greatest of rights, something improved upon today, but it means that the Father (and/or King) had full rights to hand their daughters off to another man.

That is what happens in this myth, Zeus tells Hades he may have Persephone's hand... But Persephone did not wish to go. And likewise Demeter was not informed.

By the culture of the time that does not matter, but Demeter *makes* it matter. She searches for her daughter first, then when she discovers where Persephone was taken and who was the cause (Zeus) she is angered.

Demeter then refuses to step upon Olympus, not allow any plants to grow, until she sees her daughter again.

This is obviously a problem, so Zeus sends Hermes down to retrieve Persephone (who btw was unhappy and missed her mom). Persephone leaps up with joy to see her mother again and Hades agrees immediately. But he secretly feeds her pomegranate seeds just to be sure she would return.

The reason this is a feminist myth is because of Demeter, because she refused to accept her king and her daughter's father handing their daughter off in marriage. And she refused to such an extent that they had no choice but to compromise with her (and had Hades not forced Persephone to have the pomegranate seed she wouldn't have even had to compromise).

For the culture of the time, Zeus and Hades were taking actions that were more than okay, nothing they did would be considered wrong. But Demeter stood against it.

Demeter stood for her daughter to not be married off, and demanded she be returned, and Persephone (tho she came to love Hades) was relieved to return to her mother.

Many of the "new adaptions" have Persephone wanting to leave Demeter, wanting to be with her husband, and Demeter being overbearing. But originally it was mutual love, Mother and Daughter missing each other and the Mother fighting to get her daughter back when everything of the time said she had no right to.

And so the myth as we know occurs. This is the myth I ascribe too, being the oldest we have, and I do wish more realized how Demeter's actions are why the myth is so important.

I have copied the Hymn in it's entirety below the cut. It is fairly long and four parts. If you have questions about it, feel free to ask!

Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter (abridged) (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th or 6th B.C.) :

I. HAIDES ABDUCTS PERSEPHONE

"[Demeter's] trim-ankled daughter whom Aidoneus [Haides] rapt away, given to him by all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer. Apart from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious fruits, she was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Okeanos and gathering flowers over a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus, which Gaia (the Earth) made to grow at the will of Zeus and to please Polydektor (Host of Many), to be a snare for the bloom-like girl--a marvellous, radiant flower. It was a thing of awe whether for deathless gods or mortal men to see: from its root grew a hundred blooms and it smelled most sweetly, so that all wide heaven (ouranos) above and the whole earth (gaia) and the sea's (thalassa) salt swell laughed for joy. And the girl was amazed and reached out with both hands to take the lovely toy : but the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain of Nysa, and the lord, Polydegmon (Host of Many) [Haides], with his immortal horses sprang out upon her--the Son of Kronos (Cronus), Polynomos (He Who has Many Names).

He caught her up reluctant on his golden car and bare her away lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her father [Zeus], the Son of Kronos, who is most high and excellent. But no one, either of the deathless gods or mortal men, heard her voice, nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hekate (Hecate), bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaios (Persaeus), heard the girl from her cave, and the lord Helios (the Sun), Hyperion's bright son, as she cried to her father, the Son of Kronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the gods, in his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings from mortal men. So he [Haides], that Son of Kronos, Polynomos (Of Many Names), Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) and Polydegmon (Host of Many), was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal chariot--his brother's child and all unwilling.

And so long as she, the goddess, yet beheld earth and starry heaven and the strong-flowing sea where fishes shoal, and the rays of the sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother and the tribes of the eternal gods, so long hope clamed her great heart for all her trouble . . . and the heights of the mountains and the depths of the sea ran with her immortal voice : and her queenly mother heard her.

II. DEMETER SEARCHES FOR PERSEPHONE

"Bitter pain seized her [Demeter's] heart, and she rent the covering upon her divine hair with her dear hands : her dark cloak she cast down from both her shoulders and sped, like a wild-bird, over the firm land and yielding sea, seeking her child. But no one would tell her the truth, neither god nor mortal man; and of the birds of omen none came with true news for her. Then for nine days queenly Deo wandered over the earth with flaming torches in her hands, so grieved that she never tasted ambrosia and the sweet draught of nektaros, nor sprinkled her body with water. But when the tenth enlightening dawn had come, Hekate, with a torch in her hands, met her, and spoke to her and told her news : ‘Queenly Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of good gifts, what god of heaven (theon ouranion) or what mortal man has rapt away Persephone and pierced with sorrow your dear heart? For I heard her voice, yet saw not with my eyes who it was. But I tell you truly and shortly all I know.’

So, then, said Hekate. And [Demeter] the daughter of rich-haired Rheia answered her not, but sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in her hands. So they came to Helios (the Sun), who is watchman of both gods and men, and stood in front of his horses: and the bright goddess enquired of him : ‘Helios, do you at least regard me, goddess as I am, if ever by word or deed of mine I have cheered your heart and spirit. Through the fruitless air (aitheros) I heard the thrilling cry of my daughter whom I bare, sweet scion of my body and lovely in form, as of one seized violently; though with my eyes I saw nothing. But you--for with your beams you look down from the bright upper air (aitheros) over all the earth and sea--tell me truly of my dear child if you have seen her anywhere, what god or mortal man has violently seized her against her will and mine, and so made off.’

So said she. And the Son of Hyperion [Helios] answered her : ‘Queen Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rheia, I will tell you the truth; for I greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your trim-ankled daughter. None other of the deathless gods is to blame, but only cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Aides, her father's brother, to be called his buxom wife. And Aides seized her and took her loudly crying in his chariot down to his realm of mist and gloom. Yet, goddess, cease your loud lament and keep not vain anger unrelentingly : Aidoneus Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) is no unfitting husband among the deathless gods for your child, being your own brother and born of the same stock: also, for honour, he has that third share which he received when division was made at the first, and is appointed lord of those among whom he dwells.’

So he spake, and called to his horses: and at his chiding they quickly whirled the swift chariot along, like long-winged birds. But grief yet more terrible and savage came into the heart of Demeter, and thereafter she was so angered with [Zeus] the dark-clouded Son of Kronos that she avoided the gathering of the gods and high Olympos. She [Demeter] vowed that she would never set foot on fragrant Olympos nor let fruit spring out of the ground until she beheld with her eyes her own fair-faced daughter.

III. THE RETURN OF PERSEPHONE

"Now when all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer heard this, he sent Argeiphontes [Hermes] whose wand is of gold to Erebos, so that having won over Aides with soft words, he might lead forth chaste Persephoneia to the light from the misty gloom to join the gods, and that her mother might see her with her eyes and cease from her anger. And Hermes obeyed, and leaving the house of Olympos, straightway sprang down with speed to the hidden places of the earth. And he found the lord Aides in his house seated upon a couch, and his shy mate with him, much reluctant, because she yearned for her mother. But she was afar off, brooding on her fell design becuase of the deeds of the blessed gods. And strong Argeiphontes [Hermes] drew near and said : ‘Dark-haired Aides, ruler over the departed, father Zeus bids me bring noble Persephone forth from Erebos unot the gods, that her mother may see her with her eyes and cease from her dread anger with the immortals; for now she plans an awful deed, to destroy the weakly tribes of earth-born men by keeping seed hidden beneath the earth, and so she makes an end of the honours of the undying gods. For she keeps fearful anger and does not consort with the gods, but sits aloof in her fragrant temple, dwelling in the rocky hold of Eleusis.’

So he said. And Aidoneus, ruler over the dead, smiled grimly and obeyed the behest of Zeus the king. For he straightway urged wise Persephone, saying : ‘Go now, Persephoneia, to your dark-robed mother, go, and feel kindly in your heart towards me : be not so exceedingly cast down; for I shall be no unfitting husband for you among the deathless dods, that am own brother to father Zeus. And while you are here, you shall rule all that lives and moves and shall have the greatest rights among the deathless gods : those who defraud you and do not appease your power with offerings, reverently performing rites and paying fit gifts, shall be punished for evermore.’

When he said this, wise Persephoneia was filled with joy and hastily sprang up for gladness. But he on his part secretly gave her sweet pomegranate seed to eat, taking care for himself that she might not remain continually with grave, dark-robed Demeter. Then Aidoneus Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) openly got ready his deathless horses beneath the golden chariot. And she mounted on the chariot, and strong Argeiphontes [Hermes] took reins and whip in his dear hands and drove forth from the hall, the horses speeding readily. Swiftly they traversed their long course, and neither the sea nor river-waters nor grassy glens nor mountain-peaks checked the career of the immortal horses, but they cleft the deep air above them as they went. And Hermes brought them to the place where rich-crowned Demeter was staying and checked them before her fragrant temple.

And when Demeter saw them, she rushed forth as does a Mainas (Maenad) down some thick-wooded mountain, while Persephone on the other side, when she saw her mother's sweet eyes, left the chariot and horses, and leaped down to run to her, and falling upon her neck, embraced her. But while Demeter was still holding her dear child in her arms, her heart suddenly misgave her for some snare, so that she feared greatly and ceased fondling her daughter and asked of her at once : ‘My child, tell me, surely you have not tasted any food while you were below? Speak out and hide nothing, but let us both know. For if you have not, you shall come back from loathly Aidao and live with me and your father [Zeus], the dark-clouded Son of Kronos and be honoured by all the deathless gods; but if you have tasted food, you must fo back again beneath the secret places of the earth, there to dwell a third part of the seasons every year: yet for the tow parts you shall be with me and the other deathless gods. But when the earth shall bloom with the fragrant flowers of spring in every kind, then from the realm of darkness and gloom thou shalt come up once more to be a wonder for gods and mortal men. And now tell me how he rapt you away to therealm of darkness and gloom, and by what trick did strong Polydegmon (Host of Many) [Haides] beguile you?’

Then beautiful Persephone answered her thus : ‘Mother, I will tell you all without error. When luck-bringing Hermes came, swift messenger from my father the Son of Kronos and the other Sons of Ouranos, bidding me come back from Erebos that you might see me with your eyes and so cease from your anger and fearful wrath against the gods, I sprang up at once for joy; but he secretly put in my mouth sweet food, a pomegranate seed, and forced me to taste against my will. Also I will tell how he rapt me away by the deep plan of my father [Zeus] the Son of Kronos and carried me off beneath the depths of the earth, and will relate the whole matter as you ask. All we were playing in a lovely meadow, Leukippe and Phaino and Elektra and Ianthe, Melite also and Iakhe with Rhodea and Kallirhoe and Melobosis and Tykhe and Okyrhoe, fair as a flower, Khryseis, Ianeira, Akaste and Admete and Rhodope and Plouto and charming Kalypso; Styx too was there and Ourania and lovely Galaxaure with Pallas who rouses battles and Artemis delighting in arrows: we were playing and gathering sweet flowers in our hands, soft crocuses mingled with irises and hyacinths, and rose-blooms and lilies, marvellous to see, and the narcissus which the wide earth caused to grow yellow as a crocus. That I plucked in my joy; but the earth parted beneath, and there the strong lord, Polydegmon (Host of Many) [Haides] sprang forth and in his golden chariot he bore me away, all unwilling, beneath the earth : then I cried with a shrill cry. All this is true, sore though it grieves me to tell this tale.’

So did they then, with hearts at one, greatly cheer each the other's soul and spirit with many an embrace: their hearts had relief from their griefs while each took and gave back joyousness. Then bright-coiffed Hekate came near to them, and often did she embrace the daughter of holy Demeter: and from that time the lady Hekate was minister and companion to Persephone.

IV. GIFT OF AGRICULTURE & THE ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES

"And all-seeing Zeus sent a messenger to them, rich-haired Rheia, to bring dark-cloaked Demeter to join the families of the gods (phyla theon) : and he promised to give her what rights she should choose among the deathless gods and agreed that her daughter should go down for the third part of the circling year to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts should live with her mother and the other deathless gods. Thus he commanded. And the goddess did not disobey the message of Zeus; swiftly she rushed down from the peaks of Olympos and came to the plain of Rharos, rich, fertile corn-land once, but then in nowise fruitful, for it lay idle and utterly leafless, because the white grain was hidden by design of trim-ankled Demeter. But afterwards, as spring-time waxed, it was soon to be waving with long ears of corn, and its rich furrows to be loaded with grain upon the ground, while others would already be bound in sheaves. There first she landed from the fruitless upper air (aitheros) : and glad were the goddesses to see each other and cheered in heart. Then bright-coiffed Rheia said to Demeter : ‘Come, my daughter; for far-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer calls you to join the families of the gods, and has promised to give you what rights you please among the deathless gods, and has agreed that for a third part of the circling year your daughter shall go down to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts shall be with you and the other deathless gods: so has he declared it shall be and has bowed his head in token. But come, my child, obey, and be not too angry unrelentingly with the dark-clouded Son of Kronos; but rather increase forthwith for men the fruit that gives them life.’

So spake Rheia. And rich-crowned Demeter did not refuse but straightway made fruit to spring up from the rich lands, so that the whole wide earth was laden with leaves and flowers.

Then she [Demeter] went to [the leaders of Eleusis] . . . she showed them the conduct of her rites and taught them all her mysteries . . . awful mysteries which no one may in any way transgress or pry into or utter, for deep awe of the gods checks the voice. Happy is he among men upon earth who has seen these mysteries; but he who is uninitiate and who has no part in them, never has lot of like good things once he is dead, down in the darkness and gloom. But when the bright goddess had taught them all, they went to Olympos to the gathering of the other gods. And there they dwell beside Zeus who delights in thunder, awful and reverend goddesses. Right blessed is he among men on earth whom they freely love: soon they do send Ploutos (Plutus, Wealth) as guest to his great house, Ploutos who gives wealth to mortal men.

And now . . . queen Deo, be gracious, you and your daughter all beauteous Persephoneia, and for my song grant me heart-cheering substance."