#ive never given up anything for lent before why did i do this | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

fallin-4-ya · 4 years ago

Photo

The Follies and Vices of You

cedric diggory x reader- part iv of series

based off the novel and film ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen

summary: Being the beloved sister of the incredibly wealthy Mr. Potter, you felt no need to rush into marriage. But one day, when you come to meet a new acquaintance, the proud Mr. Diggory, your views of love and follies change.

warnings: a bit of angst & tension! (gif is not mine, credit to owner!)

part i, part ii, part iii, part iv, part v

‘Maybe it’s that I find it hard to forgive the follies and vices of others, or their offenses against me. My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever.’ -Jane Austen

The month of January passed dreadfully slow, as you waited for something interesting to happen. As the snow fell softly onto the ground, thoughts wondered through your head rapidly, most of them involving Mr. Diggory. In fact, he occupied your mind most days. How dreadfully awkward that poor man is, you pondered, and yet how confident. His character never made sense to you, as awfully as he appeared on the outside, you could tell there was much beneath his many layers. But your thoughts were soon interrupted by a knock on the door, it was the post.

‘From Miss Ginerva, Miss Y/N.’ You smiled and nodded thankfully. Excited, you ripped the letter open and the inside read,

My Dearest Miss Y/N, I hope my letter find you very well. How dreadful these past few days have been, for all of this snow has made me think of nothing besides summer time. I was invited to stay at my brother Bill’s until the end February; Miss Hermione Granger will be attending alongside me, to encourage sisterly bonding. I am sorry to hear that Mr. Malfoy has resided back to his home up north, but I do hope that he continues to write you such pretty verses. I shall be home before the flowers bloom. Be well.

Much love, Ginerva

You sighed thinking of how even more boring the next few months would be without the company of a most dear friend.

Now that Mr. Malfoy was sent back home, the house was quieter than ever. Between Harry managing the estate, Sirius writing business proposals and Mr. Lupin locked up in the library; you felt most unentertained and gittery. Letters began being sent to you the day after he left, expressing a fondness for you, which kept your boredom to a minimum. You thought long about the letters exchanged between you and Mr. Malfoy; Ginny was certainly right in saying the verses were beautiful. She also urged you that there would soon be a proposal on the line if he kept with the letters, though you secretly hoped it wouldn't be anytime soon.

The next evening, to much of your excitement, you were joined by Mr. Fred and George Weasley for dinner, who were in the company of nobody other than Mr. Diggory. Reaching a hand out for each of the Weasley men, they took it graciously planting a kiss upon it. Extending out to Mr. Diggory as well, he ignored your gesture and simply bowed in your direction. After the questionable gesture from the latter of the men, you lead them to the dining room, where the rest of your family awaited.

The evening was going splendidly, much laughter and wide smiles reigned. That was, until a letter arrived addressed to you from Mr. Malfoy. You excused yourself from the table, to retire to the parlor to read it.

Blushing profusely and smiling at the beautiful verses addressed to you, unaware of the floorboards that creaked viciously behind; you sat on the armchair nearest the window of the parlor. You heard a throat clear at the doorway and shot your head up.

‘Mr. Diggory! I am so sorry, I mustn’t have heard of your following.’ Humming to yourself, you gazed out the window, ‘I do love this time of the year, Mr. Diggory. The snow is nothing short of lovely.’

‘Yes, Miss Potter, I do agree that the snow is very beautiful but I must interject and beckon you about some-‘

‘He’s thought to propose, you know. Mr. Malfoy that is. Quite strange, isn’t it; how young girls go to young women with only a proposal.’ You unknowingly interrupted in your dream state.

‘Miss Potter, I truly cannot help but to interject; however, there is a matter of urgency I’d like to discuss.’ Mr. Diggory huffed. Being pulled out of your trance, patience grew thin, you turned your head and snapped, ‘What is it, Mr. Diggory, that you feel so inclined to interrupt me for?’

‘Its addressing Mr. Malfoy. You see I am afraid I must interject on a most sensitive discussion topic.’

‘If you have anything negative to say about Mr. Malfoy, I must urge you that I'm the last person who would be inclined to hear it! And if you have some here to ruin my evening, I am afraid I won’t allow it.’

With that you grabbed your coat and trekked out into the falling snow. Footsteps not far behind you, you sped up; unwilling, or rather unwanting of hearing what anybody had to say. The crunching of snow only following you farther, as you followed the angelic pathway to the stone pavilion in the graden. You threw your back against the wall, sighing out deeply. Without a moment of peace Mr. Diggory entered your presence.

‘You cannot marry him’

You were taken aback by his sudden bluntness. Exasperated by his cultivated occurrence of strange actions you cocked your head at him.

‘May I ask you why, Mr. Diggory?’

‘The Malfoy family is least cordial, completely unattached and deranged from society. They are completely unsuitable for a family such as yours.’

‘A family such as mine?! Have you come here to separate an engagement or to insult my family, Mr. Diggory? Or rather, does your sudden interest in my affairs have anything to do with your dislike towards Mr. Malfoy; because believe me, Mr. Diggory, I know well of your disputes with the poor gentleman and will not stop an engagement from happening due to your pride and arrogance.’

‘No, Miss Potter! You know perfectly well that I find your family most respectable. I just find their family uncommony stiff for your reckless behavior.’

‘Reckless behavior! How dare you insult not only my upkeeping but a personality of another. Have you forgotten the follies and vices of you, Mr. Diggory? For who are you to judge another?’

‘Miss Y/N, has it ever occurred to you that you may be too harsh on me or perhaps my light on you may have been caused by the misjudgment of one’s character? I beg of you to enlighten me on why you find me the most disagreeable man.’

‘Well then, I beg you, Mr. Diggory, why you wish to separate a young couple who have grown quite fond of each other?’

‘Because I love you.’

There was a lull and Mr. Diggory halted. ‘I love you most ardently and I could not have you go another day more without you knowing of the likeness I have for you.’

You stood in silence, snow falling ever so godly on you both, speechless. Words clouded your mind, and you wanted to scream, and cry, and love, and erupt all at the same time. But rather than doing any of them, you looked back on him with a haze in your eyes.

‘I would not marry you if you were the last man in the world.’ You said walking away, allowing a tear slip silently from your face.

The next day there was a knock on your bedroom door early in the morning. Mr. Diggory walked in humbled and shy, ‘Miss Y/N, I’ve come to leave this for you. I hope you do me the honor to read it. Thank you much for your time.’

You had not even reached his gaze, for he spoke for too quickly and you were far too angry. Staring at the enveloped with a tear stained face for nearly an hour, you decided to open it.

Dear Miss Potter,

I hope my letter finds you in good health. I do not wish to impose on you again what I have said last night; for I am writing to you today not to remind you of said words, but rather converse upon the accusations you have brought upon me. I urge you that everything in this letter is the truth and have many to testify upon it.

Mr. Draco Malfoy and I had been connected since infancy, for his father, Lucius, and mine worked exceptionally close together. However, as Mr. Malfoy grew he became reckless; he gambled a large portion of his father’s money away and took no responsibilities seriously. Soon thereafter, his father wrote him out of his will, leaving nothing to his son. Mr. Malfoy became desperate for an inheritance; my father later offered him a job which he begrudgingly took. However, not more than seven months of work, he confessed a most passionate love to my sister. It did not take long for us to realize that he was only after her fortune for she was to inherit seven thousand pound a year. She was thirteen at the time and utterly heartbroken.

When my sister had gotten sick mere months later, my mother and I moved to London alongside her to get the best medical help. Unable to access our money without my father present, Mr. Lucius graciously lent us the sum of the bills. Unfortunately, my sister passed with just two months of treatment; she was truly a remarkable young woman. After the mourning, we paid what was due back to the Malfoy family; but for Mr. Draco Malfoy it was not enough. He hounded me for more money; knowing his dispositions I had given him the sum of his ask in hopes that he would become something of himself. He gambled the money away in two weeks. After that, I refused to give him anymore money, cutting him off for good.

Miss Y/N, I am terribly sorry to force the burden of the truth onto you, but I just felt that you ought to know. Please do keep the affairs containing my sister private, as I believe it be a disgrace to her memory to attach her name to one like his. Thank you for the time we have shared.

Yours, Mr. Cedric Diggory

(author’s note: oh my goodness! end of part 4!!! ending on a bit of a cliff hanger... i can't wait for you all to read the final chapter, which will be out soon! as always, let me know if you’d like to be part of this tag list! thank you as always for reading!)

tag list: @freddieweasleyswife @truly-insatiable @annasdani @mullthingsoverinthehotwater

#Harry Potter #harry potter fanfiction #harry potter headcanon #cedric diggory #cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory x you #ginny weasley #fred weasley #george weasley #Draco Malfoy #Ron Weasley #hermione granger #pride and predujice #jane austen #draco malfoy x reader #sirius black #remus lupin

47 notes · View notes

mattchase82 · 4 years ago

Text

Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Confessor from the Liturgical Year (1904)

"Oh! how exceeding great is the glory of Aloysius, Son of Ignatius! Never could I have believed it, had not my Jesus shown it to me. Never could I have believed that such glory as that, was to be seen in heaven!" Thus cries out Saint Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, whose memory we were celebrating a month ago: she is speaking in ecstasy. From the heights of Carmel, whence her ken may reach beyond the heavens, she reveals to earth the splendour wherewith the youthful hero of this day shines amidst the celestial phalanxes.

Yet short was the life of Aloysius, and it had offered nothing to the superficial gaze of a vast majority, save the preliminaries, so to say, of a career broken off in its flower, before bearing fruit of any kind. Ah! God does not account of things as men do; of very slight weight are their appreciations, in His judgment! Even in the case of the saints themselves, the mere fractional number of years, or brilliant deeds, goes far less to the filling up of a life-time, in His view, than does love. The usefulness of a human existence ought surely to be measured, as a matter of fact, by the amount produced in it, of what is lasting. Now beyond this present time charity remains alone, fixed for ever at that precise degree of growth attained during this life of passage. Little matters it, therefore, if without any long duration or any apparent works, one of God's Elect have developed in himself a love as great or greater than some others have done, in the midst of many toils, be they never so holy, and throughout a long career admired of men.

The illustrious Society that gave Aloysius Gonzaga to holy Church owes the sanctity of her members and the benedictions poured upon their works to the fidelity she has ever professed to this important truth, which throws so much light on the Christian life. From the very first age of her history, it would seem that our Lord Jesus, not content to allow her to assume his own blessed Name, has been lovingly determined so to arrange circumstances in her regard that she may never forget wherein it is her real strength lies, in the midst of the actively militant career which He has especially opened before her. The brilliant works of Saint Ignatius her founder, of Saint Francis Xavier, the apostle of the Indies, of Saint Francis Borgia, the noble conquest of Christ's humility, manifested truly wondrous holiness in them, and to the eyes of all; but these works of theirs had no other spring nor basis than the hidden virtues of that other glorious triumvirate, in which, under the eye of God alone, by the sole strength of contemplative prayer, Saints Stanislaus Kostka, Aloysius Gonzaga, and John Berchmans, rose to such a degree of love, and consequently to the sanctity of their heroic fathers.

Again, it is by Mary Magdalene de Pazzi, the depositary of the secrets of the Spouse, that this mystery is revealed to us. In the rapture during which the glory of Aloysius was displayed before her eyes, she thus continues, whilst still under the influence of the Holy Ghost: "Who could ever explain the value and the power of interior acts? The glory of Aloysius is so great, simply because he acted thus, interiorly. Between an interior act and that which is seen, there is no comparison possible. Aloysius, as long as he dwelt on earth, kept his eye attentively fixed on the Word; and this is just why he is so splendid. Aloysius was a hidden martyr; whosoever loveth Thee, my God, knoweth Thee to be so great, so infinitely amiable, that keen indeed is the martyrdom of such an one, to see clearly that he loves Thee not so much as he desireth to love Thee, and that Thou art not loved by Thy creatures, but art offended!.... Thus he became a martyrdom unto himself. Oh! he did love, whilst on earth! Wherefore, now in heaven, he possesses God in a sovereign plenitude of love. Whilst still mortal, he discharged his bow at the Heart of the Word; and now that he is in heaven, his arrows are all lodged in his own heart. For this communication of the Divinity which he merited by the arrows of his acts of love and of union with God, he now verily and indeed possesses and clasps forever."

To love God, to allow His grace to turn our heart towards Infinite Beauty, which alone can fill it, such is then the true secret of highest perfection. Who can fail to see how this teaching of today's feast answers to the end pursued by the Holy Ghost ever since His coming down, at our glorious Pentecost? This sweet and silent teaching was given by Aloysius, wheresoever he turned his steps, during his short career. Born to heaven, in holy baptism, almost before he was born to earth, he was a very angel from his cradle; grace seemed to gush from him into those who bore him in their arms, filling them with heavenly sentiments. At four years of age, he followed the marquess his father into the camps; and thus, some unconscious faults, which had not so much as tarnished his innocence, became for the rest of his life the object of a penitence that one would have thought rather beseemed some grievous sinner. He was but nine years old when, being taken to Florence, there to be perfected in the Italian language, he became the edification of the Court of duke Francis; but though the most brilliant in Italy it failed to have any attraction for him, and rather served to detach him more decisively than ever from the world. During this period, likewise, at the feet of the miraculous picture of the Annunziata, he consecrated his virginity to Our Lady.

The Church herself, in the Breviary Lessons, will relate the other details of this sweet life, in which, as is ever the case with souls fully docile to the Holy Ghost, heavenly piety never marred what was of duty in earthly things. It is just because he really was a model for all youth engaged in study, that Aloysius has been proclaimed Protector thereof. Of a singularly quick intelligence, as faithful to work as to prayer in the midst of the gay turmoil of city life, he mastered all the sciences then exacted of one of his rank. Very intricate and ticklish negotiations of worldly interest were more than once confided to his management: and thus was opportunity afforded of realizing to what a high degree he might have excelled in government affairs. Here, again, he comes forward as an example to such as have friends and relatives who would lain hold them back, when on the threshold of the religious state, under pretence of the " great good they may do in the world, and how much evil they may prevent." Just as though the Most High must be contented with useless non-entities in that select portion of men He reserves to Himself amidst nations; or, as though the aptitudes of the richest and most gifted natures may not be turned all the better, and all the more completely to God their very principle, precisely because they are the most perfect. On the other hand, neither State, nor Church, ever really loses anything by this fleeing to God, this apparent throwing away of the best subjects! If, in the old law, Jehovah showed Himself jealous in having the very best of all kinds of goods offered at His altar, His intention was not to impoverish his people. Whether admitted or not, it is a certain fact, that the chief strength of society, the fountain head of benediction and protection to the world, is always to be found in holocausts well pleasing to the Lord.

Prayer:

Venerable old age is not that of long time, nor counted by the number of years: but the understanding of man is grey hairs; and a spotless life is old age (Wisd. iv. 8, 9). And therefore, Aloysius, thou dost hold a place of honour, amidst the ancients of thy people! Glory be to the holy Society, in the midst whereof, thou didst, in so short a space, fulfill a long course; obtain that she may ever continue to treasure, both for herself and others, the teaching that flows from thy life of innocency and love. Holiness is the one only thing when one's career is ended, that can be called true again; and holiness is acquired from within. External works count with God, only in as far as the interior breath that inspires them is pure; if occasion for exercising works be wanting, man can always supply that deficiency, by drawing nigh unto the Lord, in the secret of his soul, as much and even more than he could have done by their means. Thus didst thou see and understand the question; and therefore, prayer, which held thee absorbed in its ineffable delights, succeeded in making thee equal to the very martyrs. What a priceless treasure was not prayer in thine eyes, what a heaven-lent boon, and one that is indeed in our reach too, just as it was in thine! But in order to find therein, as thou didst express it, "the short cut to perfection," perseverance is needed and a careful elimination from the soul, by a generous self-repression, of every emotion which is not of God. For, how could muddy or troubled waters mirror forth the image of Him Who stands on their brink? Even so, a soul that is sullied, or a soul that without being quite a slave of passion, is not yet mistress of every earthly perturbation, can never reach the object of prayer, which is to reproduce within her the tranquil image of her God.

The reproduction of the one great Model was perfect in thee; and hence it can be seen how nature (as regards what she has of good), far from losing or suffering aught, rather gains by this process of recasting in the divine crucible. Even in what touches the most legitimate affections, thou didst look at things no longer from the earthly point of view; but beholding all in God, far were the things of sense transcended, with all their deceptive feebleness, and wondrously did thy love grow in consequence! For instance, what could be more touching than thy sweet attentions, not only upon earth, but even from thy throne in heaven, for that admirable woman given thee by our Lord to be thine earthly mother? Where may tenderness be found equal to the affectionate effusions written to her by thee in that letter of a Saint to the mother of a Saint, which thou didst address to her shortly before thy quitting thine earthly pilgrimage? And still more, what exquisite delicacy thou didst evince, in making her the recipient of thy first miracle, worked after thine entrance into glory! Furthermore, the Holy Ghost, by setting thee on fire with the flame of divine charity, developed also within thee immense love for thy neighbour: necessarily so, because charity is essentially one; and well was this proved, when thou wast seen sacrificing thy life so blithely for the sick and the pestiferous.

Cease not, O dearest Saint, to aid us in the midst of so many miseries; lend a kindly hand to each and all. Christian youth has a special claim upon thy patronage, for it is by the sovereign pontiff himself, that this precious portion of the flock is gathered around thy throne. Direct their feeble steps along the right path, so often enticed as they are to turn into dangerous by-roads; be prayer and earnest toil, for God's dear sake, their stay and safeguard; be they illumined in the serious matter before them of the choosing a state of life. We beseech thee, dearest Saint, exert strong influence over them during this most critical period of their opening years, so that they may truly experience all the potency of that fair privilege which is ever thine, of preserving in thy devout clients, the angelical virtue! Yea, furthermore, Aloysius, look compassionately on those who have not imitated thine innocence, and obtain that they may yet follow thee in the example of thy penance; such is the petition of Holy Church this day!

#catholicism #traditional catholic #catholic #christianity #heaven #love #jesus christ #its the truth #catholic saints #catholic faith #saint aloysius gonzaga

4 notes · View notes

frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 4 years ago

Photo

16th March >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on John 5:1-16 for Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent: ‘Do you want to be well again?’.

Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Gospel (Except USA)

John 5:1-3,5-16

The healing at the pool of Bethesda

There was a Jewish festival, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now at the Sheep Pool in Jerusalem there is a building, called Bethzatha in Hebrew, consisting of five porticos; and under these were crowds of sick people – blind, lame, paralysed – waiting for the water to move. One man there had an illness which had lasted thirty-eight years, and when Jesus saw him lying there and knew he had been in this condition for a long time, he said, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ ‘Sir,’ replied the sick man ‘I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed; and while I am still on the way, someone else gets there before me.’ Jesus said, ‘Get up, pick up your sleeping-mat and walk.’ The man was cured at once, and he picked up his mat and walked away.

Now that day happened to be the sabbath, so the Jews said to the man who had been cured, ‘It is the sabbath; you are not allowed to carry your sleeping-mat.’ He replied, ‘But the man who cured me told me, “Pick up your mat and walk.”’ They asked, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Pick up your mat and walk”?’ The man had no idea who it was, since Jesus had disappeared into the crowd that filled the place. After a while Jesus met him in the Temple and said, ‘Now you are well again, be sure not to sin any more, or something worse may happen to you.’ The man went back and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had cured him. It was because he did things like this on the sabbath that the Jews began to persecute Jesus.

Gospel (USA)

John 5:1-16

Immediately the man became well.

There was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate a pool called in Hebrew Bethesda, with five porticoes. In these lay a large number of ill, blind, lame, and crippled. One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat, and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Now that day was a sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, “It is the sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.” He answered them, “The man who made me well told me, ‘Take up your mat and walk.’“ They asked him, “Who is the man who told you, ‘Take it up and walk’?” The man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away, since there was a crowd there. After this Jesus found him in the temple area and said to him, “Look, you are well; do not sin any more, so that nothing worse may happen to you.” The man went and told the Jews that Jesus was the one who had made him well. Therefore, the Jews began to persecute Jesus because he did this on a sabbath.

Reflections (12)

(i) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

The paralyzed man in the gospel reading seems to have been very alone in his illness. He lay beside a pool in Jerusalem that was believed to have healing properties, if one entered the water after it was disturbed. However, this paralyzed man says to Jesus, ‘I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is disturbed’. There was never anyone around when he needed to be carried. There was another paralyzed man in the gospels who was nowhere near as isolated in his illness as this man. He had four friends who carried him to Jesus, even to the point of creating a hole in the roof above Jesus to lower the paralytic down, because the crowds around Jesus were too great. Illness can be very isolating, especially in these Covid times. To be ill without friends is especially isolating. However, Jesus entered this man’s isolation, without being invited. He saw him, knew his situation, went over to him and addressed him directly. Having first asked him, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Jesus healed this desperate man of his paralysis, without the need to lower him into the water. Jesus befriended him in a manner no one else had. We are being reminded that when we feel isolated, because of illness or some other reason, the Lord is always by our side, working to raise us up from whatever we are struggling with. Jesus’ question to him, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ may seem strange to our ears. Yet, perhaps Jesus needed to know if he still had the hope of being cured after being ill for so long. The Lord will always respond to our hopes.

And/Or

(ii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

The question Jesus asks the paralyzed man in this morning’s gospel reading can seem strange to our ears, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Surely, the answer to that question is obvious. Why wouldn’t a man who had been paralyzed for many years want to be well again? However, this may have been Jesus’ way of entering into a genuine dialogue with this stricken man. Rather than just heal him without reference to him, as it were, Jesus engaged him in a personal way. He didn’t presume to know what the man wanted, even though it might have seemed obvious. Jesus allowed him to articulate his own desire. Jesus’ question led the man to reveal something about himself; he told Jesus something of his own story. It appears as if he was very isolated in his illness, with no friends who would lower him into the water at the appropriate time. The man revealed something of what had been going on in his life, in response to Jesus’ question. There was a truly human exchange between Jesus and this man, before Jesus told him to pick up his sleeping mat and walk. Jesus didn’t serve people in a detached, remote way. He engaged with them in a respectful way, in a manner that took them seriously as human beings and that invited them to share something of their story. In so doing, he shows us how we are to relate to one another. He also reveals how he wants to relate to each one of us. He invites us too to open our hearts to him, to tell him our story. The telling of our story to the Lord creates a space for him to work powerfully in and through our lives.

And/Or

(iii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

In the gospels people who are in great need often approach Jesus for help and he responds to them. In this morning’s gospel reading, we find a man in great need, suffering with a paralysis for thirty eight years, which was the best part of a life-time in that culture. He does not approach Jesus for help, but, rather, Jesus takes the initiative towards him. Jesus sees him and, having seen him, engages him in conversation. We often approach the Lord in our need, but this morning’s gospel reading reminds us that the Lord also approaches us, without waiting for us to approach him. The Lord doesn’t only engage with us in response to our engaging with him. He often takes some initiative towards us without our doing anything to make it happen. In the words of the book of Revelation, he stands at the door and knocks. When we pray, especially the prayer of petition, we are knocking on his door. This morning’s gospel reading suggests that he also comes to knock on our door without waiting for us to knock on his. This calls for a different kind of prayer to the prayer of petition. It is the prayer of listening, the prayer of attentiveness to the Lord, the prayer of waiting on the Lord’s coming, the prayer of noticing his seeing of us.

And/Or

(iv) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Jesus appears to ask a strange question of the paralyzed man in today’s gospel reading, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Given that he has had his illness for thirty eight years and that he has come to the pool of Bethzatha many times to be healed, the answer to Jesus’ question would seem to be very obvious. Of course, he wants to be healed. Yet, Jesus’ question was not superfluous. It gave the man the opportunity to tell his story and to express his need directly to the Lord. It obliged him to reflect on what it was he really wanted. Jesus did not heal this man without first engaging him and drawing out from him the desires of his heart. The Lord relates in a similar way to all of us. He looks to us to express our wants, our desires, especially our deepest desires, what it is we most want. He seeks to have a personal relationship with us. He waits for us to open our hearts to him, to tell him our story, to share with him our strongest hopes and longings, and also our fears and anxieties and sorrows. If we open our hearts to him, then we will experience his life-giving presence and, in the image of the first reading, our lives will bear fruit that will never fail, the good fruit of the Holy Spirit.

And/Or

(v) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

The question that Jesus asked the paralyzed man in the gospel reading may seem strange to our ears, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ After all, the man had been lying there by the pool of Bethzatha for thirty-eight years, waiting for someone to lower him into the pool when the water was disturbed, because it was believed that was when the healing powers of the water were activated. Surely it was obvious that he wanted to be well again. Yet, Jesus is often presented in the gospels as asking people what they want. In the following chapter of John’s gospel he asks the twelve disciples, ‘Do you want to go away too?’ In the other gospels he twice asks people, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus called on people to reflect on what they truly wanted in their heart of hearts, and he then interacted with those deep desires within people. Yes, Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full. That is what he wants for all of us. However, he needs us to really want that life for ourselves and also to want to take the path that leads to that life, which is the path of faithfully following him, faithfully walking in his way, even when that means the cross.

And/Or

(vi) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

In the gospel reading, the man who had been healed by Jesus after thirty eight years of illness went on to report Jesus to the Jewish authorities who were very suspicious of what Jesus was doing and saying. The man who received new life from Jesus puts Jesus’ own life at risk by informing on him to his enemies. He received the gift of life but used that gift against the very person who had given him the gift. Although Jesus gave generously of himself to others, he did not always receive an appropriate response from those who benefited from his giving. We can have the same experience ourselves in our own lives. We might put ourselves out for others and receive little in return. My father had a saying that he often quoted, ‘eaten bread is soon forgotten’. Yet, Jesus’ whole life teaches us to give without expecting a return. We do the good thing, the right thing, in every situation, because it is the good and right thing to do, not because of what it will bring us. Jesus also assures us that it is in giving of ourselves in love to others that we receive, even if it is not evident at the time.

And/Or

(vii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

In the gospel of John, Jesus is often portrayed as asking questions of people, probing questions, which inquire after where people stand, what it is they really want. We have an example of one of those probing questions of Jesus in this morning’s gospel reading. Jesus asks a paralyzed man, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ We might be inclined to ask, ‘Why would Jesus need to ask such a question? Surely it is obvious the man wants to be well again?’ Yet, the Jesus of John’s gospel takes seriously what it is that people want - human desire. In the following chapter of John’s gospel, some of Jesus’ disciples turned their backs on following him, and Jesus turned to the 12 and said, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ The gospel of John invites us to ask of ourselves, ‘What do we really want? What is our deepest desire?’ In John’s gospel, Jesus declares very clearly what he wants, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me’. His deepest hunger is satisfied by doing God’s will, what God wants. That is our calling too, to want what God wants, to bring our deepest desires into harmony with God’s deepest desires for us.

And/Or

(viii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

The theme of water links today’s two readings. The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of the Temple in Jerusalem with water flowing eastwards from under the temple towards the wilderness. Everywhere the water flows it brings life and health. For the fourth evangelist, Jesus is the new temple. ‘Destroy this temple’, he says, ‘and in three days I will raise it up’. As the new temple, he is the source of rivers of living water. He promised to give this living water to the Samaritan woman to quench her deepest thirst. This same promise is made to all of us. We can understand the living water that Jesus speaks about as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God’s love. This living water of the Spirit becomes a spring in us welling up to eternal life, as he says to the Samaritan woman. Jesus came that we may have life and have it to the full. In today’s gospel reading, it is not the Pool of Bethzatha that gives life to the crippled man but Jesus himself. We are all in need of the life that Jesus alone can give us; we are all like that man sitting by the pool. He asks all of us the question he asked that man, ‘Did you want to be well?’, ‘Do you want the life that I alone can give you?’ We can only give one answer to that question. We ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit into our lives, as the first fruit of eternal life.

And/Or

(ix) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

It may seem strange to our ears that Jesus should say to the paralyzed man in today’s gospel reading, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Who would not want to walk again having had a paralysis that lasted for thirty eight years? Yet, in asking that question, Jesus was asking the man to take some responsibility for his own healing. Jesus would not heal him without some desire on his part to be healed. The gospel reading suggests that Jesus takes our desires seriously and works with them and through them. In relating to us he does not bypass our freedom. We have to co-operate with his initiative towards us. The first words of Jesus in John’s gospel are addressed to the disciples of John the Baptist and they take the form of a question, ‘What do you want?’ It is a question the Lord asks of us all. It is a question that takes seriously the deepest desires of our hearts. The question invites us to articulate our most basic longings to the Lord. If we do so we will find that he will respond to them generously.

And/Or

(x) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Many people benefit from Jesus’ healing ministry across the four gospels. Most of them respond appropriately to the gift they have received. They give praise to God; they announce to others what God has done for them; some even become followers of Jesus. The man who was healed in today’s gospel reading seems to respond somewhat inappropriately. Jesus took the initiative to heal him. The question Jesus asked him, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ may seem strange to our ears. Yet, in asking this question Jesus was giving him the opportunity to be involved in his own healing. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath day which put him at odds with the religious leaders of the time. They wanted the man who had been healed to tell them who it was that healed him on the Sabbath. The man didn’t know who had healed him until Jesus took another initiative towards him and revealed his identity to the man. The healed man they sought out the religious leaders to tell them it was Jesus who healed him. In a sense, he appears to betray Jesus to his enemies. As a result, the religious leaders began to persecute Jesus. The good Jesus did for this man did not serve Jesus well. Sometimes the good we do does not always serve us well either. When we give of ourselves to others, we don’t always receive something good in return. Jesus would make this discovery more than once. Yet, he continued doing good, giving of himself, until his last breath. He teaches us to do the same. We serve, we give, not in order to get back something, but simply because it is the right thing to do, what God wants of us.

And/Or

(xi) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

The Dead Sea in the Judean wilderness is a very strange sea. It’s salt content is so great that nothing can live in it. This Dead Sea is referred to in today’s first reading from the prophet Ezekiel, although not by name. The water that pours out of the Temple in Jerusalem is described as flowing ‘east down to the Arabah and the sea’, down to the Judean wilderness and the Dead Sea. The impact of this water from the Temple on the Dead Sea is very striking, ‘it makes its waters wholesome… all living creatures teeming in it will live’. In a very imaginative way, Ezekiel is declaring that God’s presence in the Temple is life-giving for all. God is a God of the living. In John’s gospel, from which our gospel reading is taken, Jesus is portrayed as the new Temple of God, where God is uniquely present in a life-giving way. In the gospel reading, we find Jesus giving a new lease of life to a paralysed man whose paralysis had lasted for thirty-eight years. The real mission of Jesus in John’s gospel is to bring people to a share in God’s own life, the life from above, eternal life. If that is to happen, people need to believe in him. Jesus declares more than once in John’s gospel that those who believe in him already share in the life of heaven, the life of God. To believe is to allow Jesus to draw us to himself. It is not clear whether the man Jesus healed in today’s gospel came to believe in him. After his healing, he appears to betray Jesus to the Jewish authorities who then proceed to plan Jesus’ death. Yet, even from the cross, especially from the cross, Jesus continues to draw us to himself so that we may believe in him and, thereby, come to share in God’s own life.

And/Or

(xii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Jesus’ question to the paralyzed man in today’s gospel reading may strike us as strange, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Surely, it goes without saying that he wanted to be well again. However, his illness had lasted thirty eight years, and, perhaps, the long years of fruitless waiting may have extinguished his hope of ever been healed, and with it, the desire to be healed. The question was probing whether the man was paralyzed in spirit as well as in body. The man’s answer to Jesus’ question suggests a certain lack of hope of ever being healed, ‘I have no one to put me into the poor when the water is disturbed…’ Yet, his answer revealed some desire to be healed, and in response to that faint desire the Lord cures the man with a word, ‘Get up… and walk’. The Lord is always seeking to engage with our desire. The opening words of Jesus in the gospel of John from which we are reading this week takes the form of a question addressed to the disciples of John the Baptist, ‘What are you looking for?’ In other word, ‘What is your desire?’ The Lord’s coming among us, his presence to us, is assured, but his coming will only be life-giving for us if it meets with our desire for his coming. Elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus says, ‘Seek and you will find’. If we keep entering into our deep-seated desire for the Lord and the life he brings, then the Lord’s presence will be truly life-giving for us.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

1 note · View note

words-are-my-existence · 6 years ago

Text

Tea and Coffee

Introduction Part IV: Crepuscular

Warning: Course language and mature references within

The evening came around quite soon, Eliza lost in conversation with Levi who spoke about her and Lucy’s latest adventures in Japan. The two girls were old friends and had a taste for exploration, having an endless desire to travel the world. Levi was slightly shorter than Jai while Lucy matched more Eliza’s height, the former having quite dark brown curly hair, and ebony skin whilst the latter was more so fair and sported long wavy hair that changed colours like the seasons. When Jai and Lucy arrived they saw this time around she had it a sweet pastel shade of lilac. They were both a energetic pair and always knew the right advice to give at the given moment, never failing to call you and help out in a time of need even if they were on the other side of the globe,

“Next thing I know Lucy has jumped, I’m falling and our instructor is losing his shit at the fact that we left him behind!” Levi laughed as she talked about a parachuting trip over Nagoya,

“Yeah, though we made it up to him later on in the hot springs,” Lucy added on cheekily with a wink, Jai almost sighing sadly,

“Man that would have been so fun, oh what about that guy who swam with whales with you?”

“He tried drugging our drinks so we handed him to the police, some people seriously,” Levi rolled her eyes,”But the trip overall was great, the next destination we’re planning on is Hawaii on a cruise ship,”

“Woah already? I mean then again you both can’t stay in one place longer than a week,” Eliza commented with a soft giggle, finishing up making a cup of tea for herself. It was closing hours, the sky dark outside and twinkling with just a few stars visible beyond the city lights,

“I’ll finish cleaning up, we’ll have to catch up tomorrow before you set off again,” Jai called out as she headed around to the back, Lucy and Levi stretching as they joined Eliza by the door,

“It was great seeing you both now at least, the store is doing even better than we when we saw it last!” Lucy said clapping her hands, Levi nodding in agreement,

“You need to explain yourself to missy, apparently you have a few secret admirers you didn’t tell us about!”

“Jai has probably told you some nonsense, you know how she is,” Eliza sighed as she lead the girls out and locked the cafe door behind her,”If anything I get a few glances and men wanting to talk to me but nothing serious,”

“Hmm well we’ll get those answers tomorrow, see you guys then!”

“Take care!” Levi and Lucy hugged Eliza goodbye before heading to their hotel, Eliza herself making her way towards to the nearby park.

Before heading home she tended to go here after work every night and enjoy her English Breakfast tea, relaxing with a good book or practicing some sketches at her favourite park bench. It was a great way to cool off after a busy day or even just chill on a quiet one. There was barely a soul around either so it was almost perfect, those nights when it was was when a small black stray cat would come around and say hi. It was an adorable creature who seemed to love the small treats Eliza gave it.

She found her usual spot and sat down, opening her book up and picking up from where she left off in the afternoon. Out of habit she sneakily glanced around to see if the kitty was here tonight, when see couldn’t find it she subtly looked over to the bench across her a little way away where a figure was sitting on it and reading their own book with a tray of half a dozen cups resting beside them. She only had gotten glimpses of him before, a slim man who had pale skin and soft blonde hair that tended to cover his face. He came out most nights and read in the same spot just as Eliza did. The two seemed to have an unspeakable agreement on not interrupting each other, understanding when someone just wants to be left alone to themselves. Eliza often wondered what his eyes were like as she had never been able to see them. As well as if how she perceived him was the same way he thought about her, this strange girl coming out each night to be alone in the peaceful solitude the park gave.

Eliza shrugged the thoughts off her mind and returned to her own book, taking sips from her warm mug as she read.

As the night went on robust laughter and crude shouting broke the silence, Eliza sighing and rubbed her forehead as the noise drew closer. She glanced over her shoulder to see a group of around five men making their way through the park, each stumbling and bumping over each other drunkenly. It wasn’t to often an occurrence when people like them wandered through, Eliza knowing to just ignore them and focus on herself, the drunkards leaving her be.

Though this time as she looked down back at her book and focused on its pages, the men strode straight towards her and cat called as they approached,

“Look at this jewel hiding away in the shadows, you’re quite pretty from afar but boy aren’t you something else up close,” One whistled as he stood in front of Eliza, another slapping his hands down on her shoulders from behind and giving her a fright and causing her to jump up in panic, the man grabbing her strongly and forcing her back down on the seat,

“Hey sweet heart you shouldn’t be out all by yourself in this hour of the night. Let us take you back to your home safe and sound,” He cackled darkly as a third lent over and whispered in her ear, his breath sickly smelling of booze,

“Of course as payment you’ve got to let us gentlemen have some fun with you, otherwise we might just have to get ruff,”

Eliza already packing her stuff away tried again to slid out of the hands of the one who was holding her down, luckily doing so and quickly backing away,

“It’s quite alright thank you for the offer, but I can take care of myself,” She calmly spoke though could feel the sweat starting to build up on her forehead, yelping as she walked into someone behind her. Growing scared now she gritted her teeth, holding her dark mug tight in her hands and peeking behind her expecting the other two strangers to be there.

Instead a very skinny and short man stood there holding a tray of six paper cups of steaming coffee in one hand and in the other a book. He was trembling slightly Eliza noticed, though she was unsure if it was in fear or rage,

“The lady has clearly stated she is content with her own company ‘gentlemen’,” The blonde figured began sharply,”So I would ask that you leave her be and continue your intrusive disturbance somewhere you’re actually tolerated,”

“What mate?” One guy his scratched their head confused, a different drunkard speaking up,

“Hey you skinny pussy bugger off! We do what we fucking want to fucking do!” His voice grew louder in anger and frustration, the one who first approached Eliza slowly walking up to snarl in this newcomers face while his friends enclosed on them,

“I suggest you leave now, with your wallet on the ground, unless you rather to find yourself in a mangled fucked mess?”

“No, actually I prefer this idea instead pissface,” Eliza heard the retort as the man aiding her threw his tray of cups at the now clustered drunkards, boiling hot liquid splashing all over them causing them to erupt in a chorus of painful screams. In the spilt second this man grabbed Eliza’s arm and pulled her along into a dead sprint away from the spectacle, several extremely frustrated and raged shouting following in the distance.

Eliza wasn’t sure how long they had ran for, the adrenaline pushing them on until the sounds of their pursuers faded. As they halted at last the two stood only for a moment before collapsing onto the grass beneath them gasping for air, the threat now gone and the peace returned,

“Well that is my exercise for the year done,” Eliza spoke first as she gathered breath, her saviour heartily laughing in response,

“Yeah same. My mates are going to kill me tonight though when they find out they have nothing to drink but hey, this will make an awesome and hilarious story!”

“Hah yeah exactly! My friends won’t believe me probably but still,” Eliza added with a grin. They had rolled onto their sides to face each when talking, Eliza noticing for the first time the cute gummy smile plastered on him along with a pair of deep molten brown eyes that shone with such a depth Eliza was stunned. They were both stuck in silence for a few minutes staring at it each other, the two of them blushing when they realise and quickly scramble to their feet,

“Ah um thank you so much by the way, I don’t think I would have been able to take them all on. I need to do some more self defence lessons,”

“It’s alright, I’m glad to help. It would have been wrong of me to just do nothing when you were in need um..” He trailed off and nervously started scratching the back of his neck,”I don’t actually know your name even though we’ve seen each other quite a lot over the months, but well haven’t talked,”

“Yeah I’m sorry about that, I kinda assumed we both just wanted to be left to our own devices,” Eliza apologised guiltily,”I guess better late then never though, I’m Eliza,” She said as she held her hand out to him, who in turn shook it with a happy grin,

“Hi Eliza, I’m Yoongi, nice to properly meet you,”

“And you to,” She replied with a warm smile. Now with quietness around them Eliza finally noticed her phone buzzing about in her pocket, taking it out to find she had several missed calls and a number of frantic messages from Jai.

>I’M LOCKED IN

>WHERE ARE YOU???

>DUDE THERES NOTHING I CAN USE TO PICKLOCK WITHOUT BREAKING THE DOOR

>LIZ IM SORRY I PROMISE TO BRING THE STOCK ON TIME AND NOT DRINK ALL OF YOUR JACK DANIELS WITHOUT YOU

>ITS SO COLD WHY DON’T WE HAVE A HEATER

“Oh shit, I locked Jai in the cafe. I’m sorry I need to go now. Thank you so much again and it was great to meet you to!” Eliza grabbed her bag and waved to Yoongi before dashing straight back to the cafe,

“That was fast,” He commented to himself, turning around to retrieve his own items and noticing a small mug left behind,”Wait! Eliza-“ He went to shout and call her attention back but she was already gone from eyesight,

“Aw man...how am I going to get this back to her?” He sighed and grabbed the forgotten cup, pondering on the nights’ events as he made his way back to his own abode.

3 notes · View notes

consultingsister-aa · 6 years ago

Note

❤ [ love, Sebastian ]

FOUR AND ONE // @asteriananthologies

❤ five four times my muse says they don’t love yours, and the one time they admit it.

I. Cecelia’s life has improved greatly the day she realised it didn’t need to be anyones birthday to buy cake. During the awkward ten minutes between her getting out of work and Charlotte getting out of school she had picked out a three layer chocolate cake, grin on her face from tesco. Of course, Charlie had chastised her for the decision, although it didn’t stop her digging in when they got home. Probably because she knew this was the closest thing Celia got to making dinner. Perched against the breakfast bar in the kitchen, while Charlie sat in one of the spinning chairs, they each attacked the cake with forks, enjoying the almost rebellious feel of not cutting it up into slices. “Do you think you and daddy would ever get back together?” Innocent eyes look up at Celia, as if she was just asking if she had a nice day at work. She knew what she was doing, Cee was sure of it.

As she chews on her mouthful of cake, she pretends to consider. She can understand her daughter’s desire. It would be nice to have a settled home life. “No. We’re very different people now. Does that make you sad?”

To her mother’s surprise, Charlie shakes her head rather vigorously, swallowing her cake before admitting, “I like having two christmases.” Celia points her fork towards her with a lazy flick of her wrist, as if to say, that’s my girl. “I know why you don’t want to be with James though. It’s because you love Sebastian now. That’s okay by the way, I know I should be sad about it but I like Seb too.” She gets it all out in one breath, obviously it’s been on her mind for a while. Now Cecelia really does choke on her cake; coughing and spluttering as she meets the younger girls look, shock etched into her own watering eyes. “Charlotte, I do not love Moran. What the hell?”

II. “You do know that if- when this all goes to plan, your boyfriend shall be going to prison as well, Cece?”

221b Baker Street was a mess of files, papers, documents, crime scene photos and half drunk cups of tea. No seat, surface or inch of wallpaper was free from some sort of proof that James Moriarty was, in fact, the world’s most evil man alive. Or at least, in the opinion of the rooms occupants. Sherlock lent against the mantelpiece, looking tired but satisfied while Mycroft and John had managed to clear enough space on the dining room chairs to sit. Celia, on the other hand, stood in the middle of the room, looking around their compiled evidence with barely hidden glee, only for her smile to fall at Sherlock’s words. “And who exactly is my boyfriend today?”

But it was John who offered up an answered, muffled slightly by the hand covering his face. “Sebastian Moran is my first guess.” He peaks through his fingers to see Celia’s look of shock mingled fury and grins at her. “Cee, we’ve been following Moriarty’s staff for weeks. You think we didn’t know you met up with him? We actually considered you might be working for Moriarty at one point. They Sherlock noticed you were twirling your hair around your finger whenever you talked to him. Classic Cecelia in love move. Mary confirmed it for us.” All three of the men seemed to get more and more satisfaction from her, as Cecelia stared about, open mouthed. She actually hadn’t known they were following Sebastian. They had considered that as risky as following Moriarty himself, but obviously they had worked around that. Without telling her! Maybe this was back when they thought she might have been a double agent. She’s actually sort of pleased with that vote of confidence from them all, but the idea that she was in love with Sebastian Moran? Fucking ridiculous. She stutters over her words. “I don’t– I’m not– for fuck sake!” They’re all grining now. “I do not love Sebastian fucking Moran!”

III. Celia has never been good with blood. The fact she only gets vaguely nauseous these days is actually a grande improvement. Having completed one year of medicine at university though seems to have given people this idea that she’s practically a doctor. What most people don’t seem to realise is she spent every second class outside the lab breathing deeply in an attempt to get the corrider to stop spinning. She’s half convinced that this ‘turning up on her doorstep bleeding to death’ thing is her friends idea of exposure therapy. She also doesn’t totally buy that she was the closest safe house to Sebastian when he got stabbed; surely Moriarty has better places for his staff, and his second in command no less, to get stitched up than her house. Still, apart from all the blood, she’s pleased to see him. It gives her a little rush to know that he would come to her when in need. She’s always liked to be needed. “I want you to know,” Cee begins, breathing through her mouth as she pokes him with her needle, wincing herself, “that I’m not doing this out of love or compassion or anything, I’m doing it so you don’t bleed all over my carpet. Medical care is free in England, ya know? I’m charging you.”

IV. What might be for the first time in her life, Celia looks awful. Her whole face is completely drained of blood and dark bags underline her eyes; a mess of lack of sleep and waterproof mascara not coming off. She can’t exactly sit up to greet him, three broken ribs will do that to you, but she does offer Moran a grin. Maybe it’s the fluorescent hospital lights, but even this small amount of effort seems to flush her cheeks and sickly green.

She knows what he did. Moriarty would have likely gone the full hog and killed her the night previous if it wasn’t for him. Cee would have liked to say she didn’t give the criminal mastermind what he wanted but her threshold for pain is very low and she’ll cry at the drop of a hat these days. She’s not sure how long Moriarty got alone with her. It felt like hours but it could have been minutes for all she knows. He had sweetly explained to her that he was going to hurt her with the intention of causing the most pain he could, without allowing her to pass out or become unconscious from lack of blood. You can imagine the mess Cecelia was in then when Mycroft finally showed up with an army of policemen and ambulance crew, no Moriarty in sight. But she knew, she knew who had talked Moriarty out of his plan, and she knew who had called her brothers. He had appeared above her last night, in a haze of tears and pain like a guardian angel, willing her to stay awake. It was so hazy now she could not have been sure it was even him, but his visit to her sick bed confirmed it for her. He can’t stay long, she knows that before her says it. The only thing worse that Mycroft finding out would be Moriarty finding out about his visit. She’s starting to understand now. “It wasn’t just because of our case against him,” she whispers, her throat dry and scratchy from all the screaming and begging the night before. “He thinks you–” tears are rolling down her cheeks already. “He thinks we love each other.” She forced a smile. “I assured him we did not.”

V. It had been months of rain. She knew that was impossible, if the rain didn’t let up for months they would probably all drown or something, but that’s what it felt like. New York City was as grey as London was when she left it. The whole world was grey without Charlie in it. Pointless people leading pointless lives, going about their business like the world didn’t end when Charlotte Holmes did. Cecelia’s world ended. She’ll carry on for the sake of carrying on but her hearts not really in it anymore. She tries to find passions in other things; persuading herself that Charlie wouldn’t have wanted her to just give up. In truth she doesn’t know what Charlotte would have wanted. It probably doesn’t even occur to a nine year old what she would want for her mother after she died. Parents shouldn’t have to bury their children; it was one of life’s sickest jokes. In a shallow attempt to remove herself from her own grief, Cecelia had uprooted her life in London and gone across the pond. New York had always held a sort of fantastic distraction for her before, but the grey cloud had followed her over to the States and hung above her head as a permanent fixture. Everyone was getting bored of her depression, she could feel them judging her silently, it’s been a couple months now, she should be over it.

She’s been so numb to everything lately she isn’t even worried her door is unlocked, even though she is sure she did leave it locked this morning. It’s not like her to be so forgetful, although she’s not been herself of late. But the light on the living room… that is wrong. The man on the chair in the corner? Definitely out of place. She didn’t leave that here this morning. “Oh my god, what do you want?” She throws her purse to the sofa, heading directly to the drinks cabinet. He’s already got there before her; doors open; glass missing. “I have nothing–” her voice breaks and presses her hand to her mouth to cover a sob. “I have nothing else to give you Sebastian!”

It’s sick how much she’s missed him. She’s wanted to hate him, tried to with all her heart. But, as hard as she tries, she can’t. She can’t even blame him. He didn’t want her dead, she’s vaguely aware he’s as cut up about it as anyone. Maybe not her, but surely she gets some sort of mothers-privilege. She gets to be the most sad.

“What happened? Did she go with you with willingly? That’s how much that little girl trusted you. She left her own home with you because– because I said she would always be safe with you. I did. I promised her.” This has been bubbling for weeks. The grief has given way to anger, finally. It makes her even more mad that he’s going to just sit there and take it like a wounded puppy. That’s all he is, he’s a dog on a leash, Moriarty giving commands. Sit boy, come, fetch Charlotte Holmes and lead her to her death! It makes her sick.

“I trusted you.” Her voice is thick with tears. “I did more than that, I loved you. I loved you so much.”

#me? crying? probably #blood --#torture --#child death --#asteriananthologies #( ᴏᴏᴄ ┊ ʏᴏᴜ’ᴠᴇ ɢᴏᴛ ᴍᴀɪʟ! ) ⤿ message #( ᴏᴛᴘ ┊ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇʟᴏɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ ) ⤿ cee & sebastian

1 note · View note

romancatholicreflections · 7 years ago

Photo

14th March >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections on John 5:17-30 for Wednesday, Fourth Week of Lent: ‘Whatever the Father does, the Son does too’. Wednesday, Fourth Week of Lent Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada) John 5:17-30 The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and all who hear it will live Jesus said to the Jews, ‘My Father goes on working, and so do I.’ But that only made them even more intent on killing him, because, not content with breaking the sabbath, he spoke of God as his own Father, and so made himself God’s equal. To this accusation Jesus replied: ‘I tell you most solemnly, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees the Father doing: and whatever the Father does the Son does too. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does himself, and he will show him even greater things than these, works that will astonish you. Thus, as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son gives life to anyone he chooses; for the Father judges no one; he has entrusted all judgement to the Son, so that all may honour the Son as they honour the Father. Whoever refuses honour to the Son refuses honour to the Father who sent him. I tell you most solemnly, whoever listens to my words, and believes in the one who sent me, has eternal life; without being brought to judgement he has passed from death to life. I tell you most solemnly, the hour will come – in fact it is here already – when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and all who hear it will live. For the Father, who is the source of life, has made the Son the source of life; and, because he is the Son of Man, has appointed him supreme judge. Do not be surprised at this, for the hour is coming when the dead will leave their graves at the sound of his voice: those who did good will rise again to life; and those who did evil, to condemnation. I can do nothing by myself; I can only judge as I am told to judge, and my judging is just, because my aim is to do not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.’ Gospel (USA) John 5:17-30 As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also does the Son give life to those whom he chooses. Jesus answered the Jews: “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work.” For this reason they tried all the more to kill him, because he not only broke the sabbath but he also called God his own father, making himself equal to God. Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to the Son, so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to the Son the possession of life in himself. And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” Reflections (9) (i) Wednesday, Fourth Week of Lent In yesterday’s gospel reading, Jesus asked the paralysed man ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Jesus is often portrayed in the gospels as probing what it is that people really want. At the very end of this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus declares what it is that he wants. He says, ‘My aim is to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me’. Jesus is saying that he wants what God wants and that his will is in perfect harmony with God’s will. He expresses this deep desire within him in a different way at the beginning of this morning’s gospel reading when he declares that the Son, ‘can do only what he sees the Father doing’. As the Father gives life to all who are open to receive it, so too does the Son. Our calling is to be in perfect harmony with Jesus, as Jesus was in perfect harmony with his Father. We are to want what Jesus wants, to do what Jesus does, so as to become his presence to others, as Jesus was the Father’s presence to others. As Jesus witnessed to the Father, we are to witness to Jesus. It is a noble and challenging calling. We can only begin to respond to it if, in the words of the gospel reading, we listen to Jesus’ words, we hear the voice of the Son of God and allow that word to shape and mould us. Then we too can begin to be life-giving in the way Jesus was and is. And/Or (ii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent The question Jesus asks the paralyzed man in this morning’s gospel reading can seem strange to our ears, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Surely, the answer to that question is obvious. Why wouldn’t a man who had been paralyzed for many years want to be well again? However, this may have been Jesus’ way of entering into a genuine dialogue with this stricken man. Rather than just heal him without reference to him, as it were, Jesus engaged him in a personal way. He didn’t presume to know what the man wanted, even though it might have seemed obvious. Jesus allowed him to articulate his own desire. Jesus’ question led the man to reveal something about himself; he told Jesus something of his own story. It appears as if he was very isolated in his illness, with no friends who would lower him into the water at the appropriate time. The man revealed something of what had been going on in his life, in response to Jesus’ question. There was a truly human exchange between Jesus and this man, before Jesus told him to pick up his sleeping mat and walk. Jesus didn’t serve people in a detached, remote way. He engaged with them in a respectful way, in a manner that took them seriously as human beings and that invited them to share something of their story. In so doing, he shows us how we are to relate to one another. He also reveals how he wants to relate to each one of us. He invites us too to open our hearts to him, to tell him our story. The telling of our story to the Lord creates a space for him to work powerfully in and through our lives. And/Or (iii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent In the gospels people who are in great need often approach Jesus for help and he responds to them. In this morning’s gospel reading, we find a man in great need, suffering with a paralysis for thirty eight years, which was the best part of a life-time in that culture. He does not approach Jesus for help, but, rather, Jesus takes the initiative towards him. Jesus sees him and, having seen him, engages him in conversation. We often approach the Lord in our need, but this morning’s gospel reading reminds us that the Lord also approaches us, without waiting for us to approach him. The Lord doesn’t only engage with us in response to our engaging with him. He often takes some initiative towards us without our doing anything to make it happen. In the words of the book of Revelation, he stands at the door and knocks. When we pray, especially the prayer of petition, we are knocking on his door. This morning’s gospel reading suggests that he also comes to knock on our door without waiting for us to knock on his. This calls for a different kind of prayer to the prayer of petition. It is the prayer of listening, the prayer of attentiveness to the Lord, the prayer of waiting on the Lord’s coming, the prayer of noticing his seeing of us. And/Or (iv) Tuesday, Fourth Sunday of Lent Jesus appears to ask a strange question of the paralyzed man in today’s gospel reading, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Given that he has had his illness for thirty eight years and that he has come to the pool of Bethzatha many times to be healed, the answer to Jesus’ question would seem to be very obvious. Of course, he wants to be healed. Yet, Jesus’ question was not superfluous. It gave the man the opportunity to tell his story and to express his need directly to the Lord. It obliged him to reflect on what it was he really wanted. Jesus did not heal this man without first engaging him and drawing out from him the desires of his heart. The Lord relates in a similar way to all of us. He looks to us to express our wants, our desires, especially our deepest desires, what it is we most want. He seeks to have a personal relationship with us. He waits for us to open our hearts to him, to tell him our story, to share with him our strongest hopes and longings, and also our fears and anxieties and sorrows. If we open our hearts to him, then we will experience his life-giving presence and, in the image of the first reading, our lives will bear fruit that will never fail, the good fruit of the Holy Spirit. And/Or (v) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent The question that Jesus asked the paralyzed man in the gospel reading may seem strange to our ears, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ After all, the man had been lying there by the pool of Bethzatha for thirty-eight years, waiting for someone to lower him into the pool when the water was disturbed, because it was believed that was when the healing powers of the water were activated. Surely it was obvious that he wanted to be well again. Yet, Jesus is often presented in the gospels as asking people what they want. In the following chapter of John’s gospel he asks the twelve disciples, ‘Do you want to go away too?’ In the other gospels he twice asks people, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus called on people to reflect on what they truly wanted in their heart of hearts, and he then interacted with those deep desires within people. Yes, Jesus came that we might have life and have it to the full. That is what he wants for all of us. However, he needs us to really want that life for ourselves and also to want to take the path that leads to that life, which is the path of faithfully following him, faithfully walking in his way, even when that means the cross. And/Or (vi) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent In the gospel reading, the man who had been healed by Jesus after thirty eight years of illness went on to report Jesus to the Jewish authorities who were very suspicious of what Jesus was doing and saying. The man who received new life from Jesus puts Jesus’ own life at risk by informing on him to his enemies. He received the gift of life but used that gift against the very person who had given him the gift. Although Jesus gave generously of himself to others, he did not always receive an appropriate response from those who benefited from his giving. We can have the same experience ourselves in our own lives. We might put ourselves out for others and receive little in return. My father had a saying that he often quoted, ‘eaten bread is soon forgotten’. Yet, Jesus’ whole life teaches us to give without expecting a return. We do the good thing, the right thing, in every situation, because it is the good and right thing to do, not because of what it will bring us. Jesus also assures us that it is in giving of ourselves in love to others that we receive, even if it is not evident at the time. And/Or (vii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent In the gospel of John, Jesus is often portrayed as asking questions of people, probing questions, which inquire after where people stand, what it is they really want. We have an example of one of those probing questions of Jesus in this morning’s gospel reading. Jesus asks a paralyzed man, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ We might be inclined to ask, ‘Why would Jesus need to ask such a question? Surely it is obvious the man wants to be well again?’ Yet, the Jesus of John’s gospel takes seriously what it is that people want - human desire. In the following chapter of John’s gospel, some of Jesus’ disciples turned their backs on following him, and Jesus turned to the 12 and said, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ The gospel of John invites us to ask of ourselves, ‘What do we really want? What is our deepest desire?’ In John’s gospel, Jesus declares very clearly what he wants, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me’. His deepest hunger is satisfied by doing God’s will, what God wants. That is our calling too, to want what God wants, to bring our deepest desires into harmony with God’s deepest desires for us. And/Or (viii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent The theme of water links today’s two readings. The prophet Ezekiel had a vision of the Temple in Jerusalem with water flowing eastwards from under the temple towards the wilderness. Everywhere the water flows it brings life and health. For the fourth evangelist, Jesus is the new temple. ‘Destroy this temple’, he says, ‘and in three days I will raise it up’. As the new temple, he is the source of rivers of living water. He promised to give this living water to the Samaritan woman to quench her deepest thirst. This same promise is made to all of us. We can understand the living water that Jesus speaks about as the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God’s love. This living water of the Spirit becomes a spring in us welling up to eternal life, as he says to the Samaritan woman. Jesus came that we may have life and have it to the full. In today’s gospel reading, it is not the Pool of Bethzatha that gives life to the crippled man but Jesus himself. We are all in need of the life that Jesus alone can give us; we are all like that man sitting by the pool. He asks all of us the question he asked that man, ‘Did you want to be well?’, ‘Do you want the life that I alone can give you?’ We can only give one answer to that question. We ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit into our lives, as the first fruit of eternal life. And/Or (ix) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent It may seem strange to our ears that Jesus should say to the paralyzed man in today’s gospel reading, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Who would not want to walk again having had a paralysis that lasted for thirty eight years? Yet, in asking that question, Jesus was asking the man to take some responsibility for his own healing. Jesus would not heal him without some desire on his part to be healed. The gospel reading suggests that Jesus takes our desires seriously and works with them and through them. In relating to us he does not bypass our freedom. We have to co-operate with his initiative towards us. The first words of Jesus in John’s gospel are addressed to the disciples of John the Baptist and they take the form of a question, ‘What do you want?’ It is a question the Lord asks of us all. It is a question that takes seriously the deepest desires of our hearts. The question invites us to articulate our most basic longings to the Lord. If we do so we will find that he will respond to them generously. Fr. Martin Hogan, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin, D03 AO62, Ireland. Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Parish Website: www.stjohnsclontarf.ie Please join us via our webcam. Twitter: @SJtBClontarfRC. Facebook: St John the Baptist RC Parish, Clontarf. Tumblr: Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

1 note · View note

keldae · 8 years ago

Note

Dialogue Prompt - 20. “I will never give up on you.”

Xaja was being most uncooperative to write for today, so here’s the best shot I could get out of her. I’ll probably think of a better response to this later��

(Also, CredFront = Space!Nickelback.)

Leading the Jedi and Republic forces on Corellia had been a feat in and of itself. But then she’d had other people to turn to for guidance- General Var Suthra had always lent a listening ear, Rusk had been delighted to offer his own assessments, and when all else failed, Kira had been there to vent and grumble to.

Organizing Makeb’s evacuation? Jedi specialized in rescue and humanitarian operations. That was just a larger scale than most Jedi worked with.

Oricon? That hadn’t been so much “military commanding” as “the Jedi’s the only one strong (or dumb) enough to go in there without going insane like everyone else”.

Yavin IV? She might have been one of the driving factors behind the rallying Imperial and Republic troops, and somehow she might have been the one spending the most time on the front lines when she wasn’t contributing to Master Satele and Darth Marr’s strategy discussions, but it hadn’t been her party to lead. And if somebody hadn’t started spreading the rumour that she was the only person talented enough with the Force and combat prowess to take down Revan, she probably could have stayed behind the scenes and only gone to back Marr and Master Satele up.

Ziost… the less said about Ziost, the better. That would have been not quite as awful if Saresh hadn’t gotten involved.

This whole mess with Odessen and Zakuul, conversely, was giving Xaja grey hair and ulcers. She was five kriffing years out of experience with… literally everything, including military or Jedi command. It was a war she still felt like she hadn’t been fully brought up to speed on, in a galaxy that was no longer familiar, with a loose alliance of people she still didn’t know. Why does Lana keep doing this?…

On top of it all, the position of Alliance Commander also apparently included public speaking, which Xaja hated.

“What the kriff am I doing?” she muttered as she gazed up at the stars. On this small outcropping where her old Defender-class ship, the Serenity, had been landed, the stars shone brightly in the night sky, without too much light pollution from the Alliance base. They weren’t the same familiar constellations of Tython or Dantooine, but somehow the lights felt comforting. Are you still out there somewhere? Dad… Korin… Kira… Doc… Rusk… Scourge… Her heart panged in grief again with Lana’s news of Sorand’s presumed death at the Wrath’s hands. You deserved a better fate, little brother. And that was before even considering that the Jedi Order was all but defunct, the survivors scattered in exile and the Grand Master nowhere to be found.

She took a sip from the bottle of juma beside her to try and ease the pain of her brother’s death… and the knowledge of everything else that she had missed during five long years. Could I have saved him if I wasn’t frozen? It wouldn’t do for the rest of the base to see the Commander so upset and self-doubting and wondering if she was even up to the task of leading them. She’d already heard the whispers- people, most notably the mercenaries and Imperials, didn’t seem to think too highly of the tiny Jedi woman. Are they right? They’re totally right. This isn’t for me-

“Commander?” Footsteps sounded on the other side of the ship, booted feet dislodging the small stones in their path. Their owner paused. “Xaja?” Theron. Of course he’d come looking for her.

Xaja thought about staying quiet, then decided she missed Theron’s company too much. “Over on this side,” she quietly said, not tearing her gaze from the stars.

The footsteps changed their course toward her voice. “There you are,” Theron said, relief in his voice. “I was starting to get worried.” He paused before approaching her. “Are you okay? Hiding out in the shadows with booze isn’t normally your favourite hobby.”

“Yeah, you know, carbonite does weird things to one’s brain, I hear.” Xaja snorted. “Lots changed in five years.”

“A lot has,” Theron agreed as he sat down beside her. “The galaxy’s turned itself inside out, we’ve got Imperials and Republic people actually agreeing on things… even CredFront made a good song.”

Xaja blinked, then gave Theron a disbelieving stare. “I call bantha shit on that. CredFront couldn’t make a good song if they tried.”

“Like you said, five years is a long time.” Theron winked. “Mind, it’s only one good song they’ve made…”

Xaja smiled despite herself and shifted to lean against Theorn’s shoulder. The spy seemed to hesitate before cautiously moving to take her hand with his, fingers weaving with hers in the grass. “And in all that… did some things actually stay the same? This doesn’t feel like the galaxy I called home.”

“Some things are still familiar,” Theron said quietly. “Nar Shaddaa’s still the eternal cesspit of corruption, rivaled only by the Senate. The stars you’re admiring haven’t come crashing down on any planets yet. Most civilians are still going on with their normal lives, just… existing, not really caring too much about who’s in power right now.” He turned his head to kiss her hair. “This, at least for me, hasn’t changed.”

Xaja smiled and cuddled closer to Theron. “It hasn’t changed for me either, and I’m glad of that.” She looked back out into the stars and softly sighed. “Theron, what am I doing here?”

“Sitting with me and stargazing.”

“Smart ass.” Xaja felt Theron’s chuckle rumble his chest beside her head. “But in seriousness…”

“Yeah?” Theron prompted when Xaja trailed off, gently nudging her.

Xaja needed a couple more seconds to collect her thoughts, and used that time to move their joined hands onto her lap, her other hand leaving the juma to cling to his. “… Why me? I’m just one Jedi who got frozen for half a decade and missed out on what feels like a lifetime. Why am I the one being put on a pedestal and being lauded as some legend?”

“You’ve got a reputation for accomplishing the impossible. I’ve seen you do it, otherwise I would have never believed that one person, Jedi or not, could have done it.” Theron twisted his upper body so he could look at Xaja better. “It wasn’t any of us who could have gone in and killed Vitiate, especially after what he’d done to you already. None of us could have done that twice.”

“Anyone with enough training and luck could have done that,” Xaja quietly said.

“But it wasn’t anyone who actually went in and did it, it was you.” Theron rested his free hand on her knee. “It wasn’t any one of us who actually brought the coalition troops together on Yavin IV- it was you acting and the rest of us following. It wasn’t any one of us who kept Vitiate at bay for as long as you did on Ziost- not even your brother could have done that. It wasn’t anyone of us who got into a one-on-one duel with Revan while the rest of us were incapacitated with that Force-wave he threw at all of us, and survived, much less walk away victorious like you did.”

“Doing things like that doesn’t make me a leader, Theron.” Xaja looked away from Theron’s gaze to their joined hands. “It just means I’m lucky enough to become a carbonite block for five years.” She sighed again. “People are looking to me to make the galaxy right again and kick Arcann and his sister into the void where they belong, and I want to do it for them, but… what happens when I fail them and they see they’ve put all their hope into just one person? Will they all walk away and give up?”

There was a long minute of thoughtful silence. “Some, maybe,” Theron finally said. “But not all of them. Most of them will follow you to whatever end, simply because you’ve given us hope.” His hands shifted, clasping both of Xaja’s smaller hands between his palms as he drew their hands over onto his lap instead. “And some of us, even if you do somehow kark up horribly, will be with you no matter what.” He gently tugged at her hands until she looked up and met his gaze again. “If nothing else, I will never give up on you. You have me until the bitter end, if you’ll have me.”

Xaja finally felt a smile touch her lips. “There’s few people I’d rather have by my side than you, Theron.” She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Where would I be without you?”

“Down a spymaster, for sure,” Theron murmured as he kissed her back, one of his hands leaving the clasp in his lap to cradle her cheek in his touch.

“And far more lonely and sad, and far colder at night,” Xaja smiled against Theron’s mouth. “If I have to be the fearless leader everyone wants, I’m glad I have you with me.”

“And I would do anything for my fearless leader,” Theron answered as he tugged Xaja into his lap and kissed her again.

“Anything, hmm?” Xaja pulled back from the kisses to give him a mischievous look. “That sounds like it could be dangerous…”

“I like a bit of danger in my life.” Theron grinned, running his hands over her back and sides and making her shiver. “You feel cold… let me fix that for you.”

Xaja glanced toward the Serenity’s entry hatch and smiled. “She’s unlocked if you want to- eep!” Theron had apparently needed no further encouragement to abruptly stand up, scoop her into his arms, and make his way to the entrance of the ship, desire and excitement and something that Xaja thought she could call love drifting from him in the Force.

She still did not want to be the notorious Outlander or the Alliance Commander. But having Theron at her side made the struggle that much easier for her slim shoulders to bear.

#prompt #greyias #Theron Shan x Jedi Knight #Xaja #the taerich legacy #swtor

15 notes · View notes

classycollectorartisanposts-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

"Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://financeandcreditsolution.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

RELATED QUESTIONS:

What happens when you drive your friend's car withour insurance?

My nephew borrowed his friend's car that has no insurance. He was stopped by police for some reason and got summoned to court because the car was without auto insurance. What would happen to him? by the way he lives in L.A. Thank you!

Does lojack reduce auto insurance rates?

Where is the best place to purchase product liability insurance?

Need product liability insurance for imported hardwood flooring.

Car insurance situation.....?

one of our cars', 93 Toyota Tercel just got totalled out in a fender bender that was caused by another driver. since we only have collision insurance with AmFam on it, the other woman's company made the pay out to us (~$2K) and let us keep the car. we decided to fix the car up mechanically, and give it a bit of a face lift on the mangled front side fender, but didnt really put too much money into it. so the question is.... as we continue to drive the car, and G*d Forbid, anything similar should happen again, when we are not at fault and there's no bodily damage, just car damage, would we be able to get the other insurance company to pay for the car repairs? or will they say, well, you already had it totalled out once, we're not gotta give you $ to fix a car that not worth much... or how does this work? anyone have any experience with this? anyone here an insurance adjuster? thanks in advance""

Why are my insurance quotes so high?

I am trying to get car insurance and all the quotes I'm getting are about 100 dollars a month. I'm in highschool and any of my friends get theirs for like 60 a month. I have a perfect driving history and still it's too high.

Health Insurance for the self-employed?

After 13 years with my husband, he is leaving me. I have always been on his health plan because I am self-employed. Can anyone offer me any advice on where to find providers? I have no idea where to start.""

Car & Health Insurance?

How pathetic of a country are we, that car insurance is mandatory, even criminal if we don't have it, yet health insurance is not? What does this say about us as a society?""

People are force to pay for car insurance but been force to pay for health insurance is a problem?

You get fine for not having car insurance, car will get impounded, n you can go to jail for it also. Where is the logic here?""

How much will my dad's car insurance go up?

I hit a road sign. No one was injured, no other vehicles were damaged besides mine. The cop said the damage to the sign was minor but the city probably will come after us and make us or my dad's insurance pay for it. I was borrowing his car, I do not have my own insurance right now. I should have gotten 4 different tickets but I only got one. The cop let me off easy and only gave me one for the accident. Also, do I qualify for driving school, and how does that work? I know you can do that for speeding but what about accidents? I'm only 16.""

Car Insurance -civil court?

My friend was at fault as she rear end another vehicle causing minor damage to the vehicle in front of her. She is now being sued by the insurance comp of the other driver in the civil court for driving in a negligent manner. Wouldnt this be covered under her insurance company? Why is she paying for the insurance in the first place?

""Pizza delivery driver insurance in own car, where can I get insurance uk?

I have been offered a job as a pizza delIvery driver but I need to insure my car with business insurance I have tried everywhere but know one does it please Help x

Price Would Car Insurance?

I have like no idea how everything works.. what would be a good starting car to just start driving in? im 17 soon and ill be going for my driving lessons soon.. and i want to know what the sort of insurance prices would be for an 18 year old..thanks x Sorry if i talk too much lol.

How much would it cost me to insure a ford focus st 06 plate?

Im only 17, my 18 birthday is coming up and i only need a bit of money to buy a focus st, i really need to know how much insurance would be since i am only 17 wont have the car until 18 though. Dont know if that would make a difference! Would just like to know what price estimated ? Thanks for reading x""

I need non-owner car insurance?

Does anybody know what insurance companies offer this thanks.

Can Insurance Companies ask for co pay?

I never got into an accident before and once I did it had to be a hit and run. I bought a brand new car and want the repair to be done by the dealership (they have their own collision center) but the insurance company is saying that I need to pay 20% of the total repair cost and my deductible. I live in the state of California.

Limited company insurance?

Ive just set up my own limited company recently and i am the only emploee of this company. I dont have health insurance or insurance against loss of earnings in case anything happens to me. Who is the best company for me to go to with this problem.

Should I buy car insurance or not?

I am a teenage driver of 16. Insurance is very high for a teenager. My parents have Allstate Car Insurance for four of their cars including a Toyota Corolla which im going to be driving. The Corolla is covered by AllState insurance. I have a California Driver's License and live in California. About 6 months ago, my mom asked the insurance company whether the insurance would cover the car if she lent the car to someone and the insurance company said that they would cover the car as soon as the person who borrowed the car has a VALID DRIVERS LICENSE. I have a valid drivers license but I am under 18 (I am 16). The insurance person did not say anything about age. My question is whether it is necessary or not to buy insurance for myself. It will be very expensive and I do not want to pay for it but I will If i have to. Do I have to get my own insurance for the car or not? If I dont buy insurance and I drive the corolla and get pulled over, am I okay or will I have problems?""

A question about car insurance?

Does your insurance drop when you have a baby? I know it does when you get married, but I wasn't sure about having a baby. Thanks!""

""I need insurance, but dont own a car, HELP!!!!!?""

Just like it says, need insurance to get my lisence here in NC but i dont got a car, HELP!!! I plan on gettin a car soon.""

Why did my car insurance premium increase?

This seems to happen every six months for no rhyme or reason. NO tickets, NO accidents, NO claims, same location, same number of miles driven, etc, etc. Yet, my premium increases from $370 per six months to $420, which forces me to switch to a different insurance company that offers a quote inline with the previous insurer's rate. However, after six months with the new insurer, the premium increases again and I'm forced to switch insurers yet again. What gives?""

Best insurance for a young additional driver?

Hi, I am in the process of buying a car, and have been for ages, and i am now trying to find the cheapest insurance like i have been for ages. My um will be the main driver, as she is selling her cr, and i walk to school everyday, so i will b the 17 year old male additional driver. Whats the best insurance quote i can get? Anyone got any recommendations? Im looking at getting a peugeot 207, which are 1.4 or 6, and many of them the sport edition. Dont bother telling me to get a different car as this is the one i like and have saved up for. Many Thanks for any help with my cheap insurance, Thanks""

What is cheap insurance if you have a sr-22 or tickets or suspension.?

How much would car insurance on a 2006 convertible mini cooper cost for a 16 year old boy?

in the state of texas

""I need car insurance quotes from competing companies, how do i get that?

I need to get a list of car insurance quotes from compteing companies. Does anyone know of a good website that allows you to do that?

""I want to but a new car in the next few months,can I transfer insurance?

It's insured for the next 6 months. When I get the new car can I transfer that insurance on to the new one? What if the quote my insurance company quotes is not competitive and I want to cancel the policy. Do I get a refund on the amount of months left or do I lose it? Thanks.

Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

Where can I find affordable health insurance for my daughters?

What is the difference between comprehensive and third party car insurance and which one is more beneficial?

What is the difference between comprehensive and third party car insurance and which one is better. I have a 2005 wagon r lxi and wants to renew the insurance which one should i opt for.?

Average price for public libility insurance?

Car insurance / ownership question?

Right now I live with my parents, we have 3 cars and there are 3 drivers. All of the cars are in my parents name. One of the cars is a total beater and was given to me as my own car, but we never bothered changing the ownership over because we didn't think it would live very long. Now, I'm getting married and moving in with my husband. I'd love to take 'my' car with me but to transfer it to my name would cost a fortune in repairs as it wont pass the safety as it is. It's not a bad car, but things like the parking break don't work and the suspension is awful and I know if I take it in to get the safety done they'll give me 7 days to do several thousand dollars of pointless repairs or scrap my car. My question is can I continue to drive this car while it is under my parents name? I will be living at a different adress from them also. I'm currently also under there insurance policy as a registered driver on this car. Can I continue paying the policy to continue to be an insured driver while living at a different address? If anyone's had a similar situation or is in the insurance business please let me know! I'm stressing out about potentially having to junk a car that drives perfectly fine due to politics. I live in Ontario Canada.""

Pay Per Mile Car Insurance - have you tried it?

I've heard from a friend about a pay per mile car insurance - as I only use my car on a Saturday it sounds ideal. Anyone have any links or recommendations?

Is my fiat Coupe 16 Valve turbo going to be a classic?

Pretty much as th title says really.. What do you all think and why? I think it is the best car Fiat have ever made and that it will be, especially the 20 Valve LE and Plus versions.""

Am I getting a bad deal from the Car insurance Company?

Back in October of 2010I was involved in a Hit and Run Accident. The Guy that hit us was found a few days later and we filed against his insurance. Me and my Fiance both went through Physical therapy for our backs. Medical bills totalled about 5K for me and about 8K for her. There were times when she was in tears because her back was hurting so bad. She Couldnt work some days either and she is self employed and works from home as a graphic Designer. I missed some days of work too but my pain was not near as much as hers. State Farm Called and offered a settlement with me to pay the 5k to the Doctor and then a $1000 check to me for my pain and suffering. They called my Fiance to settle but she did not answer. My guess is they will probably offer her the same. Is Paid medical bills plus $1,000 fair? We missed work from it. Delt with stress and Physical therapy for about 3 months and not to mention all of the inconveniences associated with getting the car fixed and also dealing with insurance stuff. The guy that hit us was found a few days later but never offered a good excuse as to why he hit us and then ran. He originally filed a false claim with State Farm and said that he hit a tree and not another vehicle. It was all overturned against him once Geico called them and submitted the police report. Should I get a lawyer? I honestly feel like we should be getting more. Especially my Fiance but if it's fair It's fair. Can anyone help?""

Is Gieco a good insurance company?

Okay, a few weeks ago I was out looking for a new car (2010 Scion tC) I got some pretty good quotes on it. But when I got the quote through my insurance broker I found out it would be $2600 a year cause of my age and gender (male, 22)! One of the car dealers called Gieco while I was there and put me on the phone with them and they got a quote for a little $150 a month if I sent them my college grades. Is this too good to be true? Or will they just charge me that when I start out and charge me fees later on?""

Selling a car but keeping insurance?

my question is, i have a car at the moment with 2 years no claims bonus.. (i should have 3 years in july) but i am selling my car this week to a mate. they said if i cancel my insurance policy i will only have 2 years no claims can i still sell the car to someone else and just keep the insurance running for it without saying so i'l have 3 years by july or do u have to cancel it once sold, the guy im selling it hasnt actually passed his tes so prob wont even be insuring it for a while and when he does he said hes gonna put the car on his girlfriends insurance""

Can my Health Insurance cover for my Car Insurance?

I currently have AmeriChoice as my health Insurance and High Point as my car Insurance. Does anybody know how this works? I've some people say that they have their car ins. with their health ins. and they end up paying less $$ for their car Ins. Help!

Will a provisional influence car insurance?

Hi guys, Im thinking about getting myself a car when Im 17 and Im looking into the insurance and what type to look for so I can save and know what Im looking for. So I was wondering if I have a provisional moped license will that help to lower my car insurance? and what car should I be looking for that cheap and easy to run and best on the insurance. Thanks in advance for your help.""

Car insurance quote help.?

So this is personal, but I'm going to be emancipated soon or at least when I turn 18, and I'm going to be living in my car or possibly renting at a friends house for around $100. I'm not made of money, I only have a weekend part time job and another one possibly soon. I'm a full time high school student with a GPA of 2.6 and I'll turn 18 in November. I know that my GPA isn't stellar but last semester I made a 4.0 and this semester I'll have at least a 3.4. I can't get a STUPID QUOTE because I'm not 18 yet and I tried fibbing my age, but it was wise to me and shut me out anyway. I live in Marietta, GA (Cobb County), and I drive a 2000 Buick regal. If someone could run a quote for me I would be sooo greatful. Also, do you have to have an address to put down like a house to have car insurance? Thanks!""

What is the cheapest insurance out there you think?

Whats your insurance company and how much you pay a month?

My medical insurance company ask for homeowner insurance policy?

I fell on my deck, and went through surgery, the total medical expense is about 25K. Now my medical insurance company is asking for homeowner insurance policy. I am not sure how to handle it to avoid any potential cost to me such as deductible or premium increase. Is the medical insurance policy the primary or the homeowner insurance policy for this case? Thanks

Cheap car insurance....?

whats the cheapest car insurance for teens

CAN YOU GET UNDER YOUR PARENTS CAR INSURANCE IF YOUR CAR IS UNDER YOUR NAME?

I'm looking to buy a new car but I wont be able to afford car insurance on my own plus paying for a car. If i get a car under my name can i still be placed under my parents car insurance? Im 21 btw. Thanks

""Republicans, Why doesn't the affordable health insurance website work?

Web page design is easy. I make websites about how evil Republicans are and websites where I give people free Walmart gift cards.

What to do when i want to get a car and how much is insurance for a 2000 jetta ? how does payments work?

Is selling car and home insurance difficult? How much does the average person make? Which is a good company?

What would my monthly insurance be?

For a - -'07 Cobalt coupe -'08 tiburon -'04 ford mustang I'd like one of these but i'll be paying for my insurance so I'd like to have an idea on what it would be a month....any help is appreciated :)

How much is car insurance on a new 911 gt2 Porsche?

I am a 25 year old who recently became very successful in the automotive industry and I decided I wanted to get a Porsche. Now i know about how much it is to keep a Porsche maintained because i have worked on them but i am not sure on the insurance. Please help anyway you can. And for the record i am not getting a quote from any website because i do not feel comfortable giving away personal information to an insurance company before i decide to use them.

How agent get commission in auto car insurance?

i have assignment to do and i need your help please. my project about auto car insurance. my question is, what are steps that agent need to get commission? and how he get it. thank you.""

Why do people drive without auto insurance?

Don't give me because it costs too much and they cant afford it. I think it's the price of having a car. You wouldn't get a car and say well tires are expensive, I can't afford them you just need them. The point of insurance is to be able to afford to fix any damages you may cause to another driver's car or person. If I wrecked someone's car I would certainly want the other person to be able to get their car fixed or replaced. And if there was injury I wouldn't want someone else saddled with huge medical bills because of a mistake I made. Is that just me?""

Buying Health Insurance?

I am 60 with pre-existing conditions and am trying to find health insurance, not a discount program. However, I am not sure how to go about finding the right insurance that I can afford. I have degenerative joint disease and spinal stenosis and it is difficult to find affordable insurance. Can anyone help me with this?""

Teen insurance cost on a leased c300?

i just got my license, and i am 16 going to be 17 in 2 months :) i wanted to know how much insurance is for a new leased c300 mercedes.""

Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

Is Obamacare really the first mandatory insurance?

Isn't Social Security a mandatory fee/tax/insurance on all working people? Isn't unemployment insurance a mandatory insurance unless you are an independent contractor? Isn't car insurance a mandatory insurance for any driving person?

""What are the cheapest Insurance companies for young drivers typically aged 17, 18 and 19?""

I have just passed my driving test well its been almost 8 months now and everywhere I look car insurance is too expensive, have done a lot of research and really need a car as keep getting rejected for jobs on the basis of I don't own a car/ have my own transportation as companies do not want to pay for transport in these economical times, been looking at vauxhall corsa 1.2 litre or less, Ford Fiesta 1.2 litre petrol, peagout 207 renaault clio as well. If anyone can provide me with useful tips to reduce or get the 'cheapest' insurance can be third party only for young drivers I would apprecaite it. Also any tricks or hints which can be used for extra haggling as well when confirming quotes on the phone would help. My current budget is betwen 500 - 3000 for a car and would ideally want insurance at under 2000. The cheapest quote I got was for a citroen c1 at 1950 third party only but found the car was in excess of 3000 on autotrader, Are there any cars which are low insurance group i.e. groups 1 and 2, cheap to insure, cheap road tax and cheap running costs. I have mates who have got insurance quotes at 900 and do not understand how they have got it that low. Sure enough post code has an affect but they drive vauxhall corsa in fully comprehensive at them prices.""

Does anyone know any affordable cheap family plan health insurance company ?

How much would it cost for insurance for a 18 year old with a 2001 toyota celica? Monthly and yearly?

In Canada not US

Where would i get cheap car insurance male age 19?

getting funny quotes

Insurance companies will have 32 million new customers because of Obamacare. How is this socialism?

The Affordable Care Act was modeled after a Republican health care plan by the Heritage Foundation and was first implemented by a Republican governor. All this bill does is makes sure that insurance companies have 32 million new customers. I could understand if you called Single Payer socialism (which I highly support), but calling Obamacare socialist is pretty stupid.""

Cheap auto insurance in miami?

Does anyone know of a cheap auto insurance company in miami? i am 20 years old and i have gotten quotes from Esurance, geico, and progressive. the cheapest was Geico and it was $278 a month for the Basic coverage. I own my car and it is a 2003 Hyundai Tiburon""

Advicing on insuring my car?

Well, i passed my driving test yesterday yay! I got a car from a friend but i'm having trouble finding somewhere to insure me without having to pay like tons of money. I'm female and age 20 so i don't really know how much my insurance should be or what's a good deal. Anyone give me any insurance companies i could try as a first time driver? Thank you""

How much would insurance cost for my car and is there discounts?

okay so is it better to take drivers ed will insurance be cheaper then?? i am 17 new to driving going to get permit have a job going to a cal state college this year. i want a 2010 nissa altima coupe 2.5s i dont want you saying it depends etc just estimated value or from experiences

How easy is it to change my car insurance?

I am 23, and never changed my car insurance before. I had it for 5 years. I paid $65, then after a ticket, over a year ago it suddenly went to $87. That is with progressive. Esurance offered me $55 for same coverage. If I usually pay on the 20th, can I call them up, set up new plan, and have it start on 20th, and have old one stop on 20th, without another bank deduction?""

Are there any penalties for tricking your car insurance company?

My friend has been living & working in NYC for the past 5 years, but she's been telling her car insurance company that she never moved from Georgia to keep paying low rates and she never changed her driver's licence from Georgia to NY. But she drives her car here in NY every day so how did she manage this? If they found out would she get fined or anything?""

Car insurance yay...?

So first off let me just say I know that all the variables going into this will change the price I.e. Type of car I have, distance I'll be driving etc. I was just curious if anyone could tell me how much I would expect to pay a month for car insurance if I was voided the last time around? I was paying 90$ a month last time (they over charged me so I didn't pay it the next month, then I quit my job. I know smart, right! Lol.) Would it double just because in the past I've shown that I'm not reliable? Do you also HAVE to have full coverage on a car you haven't fully paid off yet? This might be dif state to state. (MN) Any good info would be appreciated thanks :)""

Ca insurance help with a dispute with another driver?

I've just had a minor accident,there were no witnesses but a van just pulled out of a parking space on the side of the road and hit me as I was driving up the road,I was going real slow as I was looking for a space to park myself,in fact I was driving right in the middle of the road as there was a massive lorry parked before the van and he took up so much of the road,you had no choice but to drive over the middle white line (just to point out there were no cars in the other lane).My car is fine but his van has smashed,mirror,lights,dents etc...He went mad saying it's his brand new works van and his boss will go mad and make him pay for the damage and he was stationary but I know he wasn't and there are no witnesses,the only vehicle around was the lorry and the driver was in the shop.How do I stand with this as I've never had anything like this happen before,also I did agree to swap insurance details and gave him mine first as soon as he had mine,he jumped in his van and sped off,luckily the company he works for was written on the van,as it's evening now I can't get hold of anyone but will telephone tomorrow morning to get his/their insurance details.""

Who's insurance covers a hit and run driver in California?

My girlfriends car was hit by a hit and run driver in the state of California. The driver of the vehicle that hit her bailed from their car and fled the scene of the accident. The vehicle was not reported stolen however we are not sure at this time who was actually driving the vehicle. When the police arrived on scene they did retrieve the insurance information from the vehicle. My question is whos insurance covers this accident? will it be claimed against our uninsured motorist on our policy? though I know that uninsured motorist does not cover vehicular damage when the driver has not been positivley I.D'ed OR does the vehicle owners uninsured motorist coverage hit us as they are liable for damages caused by their vehicle? I'm really not exactly sure of how any of this works so any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

What does initial debit mean in health insurance?

I got a mail for recently applying for health insurance from Blue Shield of California. It says: Your coverage (individual) is currently paid 12/12/10. Effective 01/01/11, your monthly dues/premium will automatically be debited from your account on the first of each month.Your first debit will be in the amount of $142.09 to cover the period from 12/12/10 to 02/01/11. After this initial debit, regular withdrawals of $87.00 will be made on the first of each month. Ok, so I understand I am supposed to pay $87 each month. But I don't understand the initial debit where it says I have to pay $142.09. What is that amount for? What does it mean? Why is it covering from December to February? Almost about 1 to 2 months. Is that some sort of special payment everyone has to pay for health insurance? Can someone please explain this to me? I never applied for health insurance, so I'm not familiar with how things work. Thanks.""

Insurance on a S2000 for a 45 year old man?

How much would it cost for a 45 year old man with a good clean record to own a S2000? I'm only 22 and planning on buying a IS300 (with manual transmission). If I do find one the car will be under my dads name and the cost will be around $150 a month!!! But how much for the S2000 (and under my dads name)? I want the IS300 but there so hard to find in MN with manual transmission and with very low miles on!!! So if the S2000 doesn't cost too much or maybe as much as the IS300's insurance, I probably would consider getting the S2000 since it's a bit easier to find one! (plus they look better!) (and also both cars are around $15,000) Thanks in advance!""

""New to real estate, question about auto insurance?""

I drive my parents car but i am not insured, now that i've joined a real estate firm, they want me to have them as an additional insured. So what can I do now? Do I have to get insurance under my name? And how much would it cost to get the firm as an additional insured?""

Insurance? Risks? Help!?

Can somebody give me 4 benefits of using risk reduction methods.. For insurance :/

Subaru Impreza WRX STI a Sports car to insure? ?

Are the 04-07 Subaru WRX STI consider as a Sports car to the insurance? Or is it a family car since its a 4door?

Benefits of life insurance?

long term benefits of life insurance

Car Insurance?

I am just trying to get some quotes on maybe what my car insurance would be. I don't have the kind of car that I want yet but I was just trying to get an estimate and check and see what it would be around.. Can I get any quotes without the Vin Number?

Does Lowest Quote Wins really lower your insurance to $15 per month?

I saw one of their ads on a car today and was obviously intrigued. How legit is it?

What is the penalty for driving without insurance in california?

what is the penalty for driving without insurance in california?

Affordable health insurance in California for a family of 5?

Does anyone know about how much insurance costs for a Mitsubishi Lancer?

Im 16 so if that changes anything and im from texas and the car is a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer

Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

Is full comp' car insurance worth having ?

Apart from paying lower premiums and having to pay for repairs to ones own vehicle are there any disadvantages to just having third party fire and theft insurance ? I've had full comp for years, my car (10 years old ) was walloped by an unknown driver reversing in my driveway which caused broken lights and superficial bodywork damage, I've since been told by my insurance company that it's not economically viable to repair it - they would write it off less a 150 excess fee. Apparently, according to my garage this is common practise on any car over five years old. Yet at no time did the insurance company advise me of this so essentially I was paying extra for nothing. So, do you know of any other reason why I should keep the full comp' or just change to third party ?""

Is getting into an accident with a more expensive car worse than with a cheaper car? (Insurance rate)?

Is getting into an accident with a more expensive car (Mercedes Benz or Ferrari) worse than getting into an accident with a cheaper car (Honda civic or toyota corolla) in terms of ...show more

How much is insurance for an old mercedez?

About how much is insurance going to cost for a 2001 mercedes s500?

Is athem blue cross a good insurance?

Is it really a good insurance?

What is a good name for a Spanish speaking Insurance Agency?

I am opening a Spanish speaking Insurance Agency and need a name. I need some sincere suggestions. Will be much appreciated.

Ideas for Cheap car insurance?

17 getting a Suzuki swift. Need CHEAP endurance Anyone know?

Do you get arrested for driving without insurance?

""If i was to buy a car to give to my girlfriend, can she get her own insurance policy?

Trying to buy my girlfriend a cheap little car. If I buy it and all paper work can she call and get her own policy insurance? Some reason I developed the thought that insurance has match name on title.

Why do car insurance rates go up?

After an accident, why do car insurance rates goup? What happened to all the money I've paid in over the years? Isn't that supposed to cover the cost of the accident? I'm talking about non-injury accidents.""

What is the cheapest but best health insurance that is in Texas?

Under $100 a month. I need to know asap. I am a 20 year old full time employee and i need to see a doctor asap.

HHEELLLPP!!!!! with TEEN car insurance!!?

I would like to either add a 17 year old to an insurance policy or get one specifically for him..... i called geico, but they said they dont insure teens!!! What can i do? THANKS""

Advice on a supermoto/motard as a first bike for a 17 year old in the UK please?

I know bikes are cheaper in terms of insurance than a car, as my FIAT X1/9 I was planning on getting as a first car, as my dad already owned it, is north of 2500 to insure alone. Basically, please can someone advise me on a supermoto for a first time rider with relatively low insurance that cost about 2000 to buy, 2500 maximum. I really like the supermoto style, and its fairly cheap for my friend, I have a 19 year old friend with a modified supermoto YZF250 and pays only 400 per year. I think he has been riding since he was 17. I am clued of on cars and fairly knowledgeable of engines, but I lack the knowledge of the names of different bike, so finding it tricky, I have decided to post this. Preferably I like the idea of a small (cheap 125cc), but a single cylinder 4 stroke purely because of the noise, but if it has to be two stroke, I don't mind greatly. As long as I can do a little over 60mph to keep up with traffic on the faster roads roads, but not the motorways, it will cost less than 2000, but maybe a little over, and will not be overly expensive for a 17 year old, that will be ideal. I don't care of anything to rapid, as long as it is fast enough for the roads unlike a little 30mph moped, I just want a fun, cheap, roadworthy supermoto.""

Car insurance when go to college?

i'll be living in the dorm for college this fall, and my parents decide to cut my car insurance since i only come home for thanksgiving(7 days), winter break(1 month), spring break(10 days), and summer(2 months). is it possible to buy insurance temporarily for those breaks that i come back? thanks""

Is it possible for me to have insurance in Texas and currently live in Arizona?

I have a Texas license, but I currently live in Arizona and am looking to buy a car . Would I be able to purchase an insurance policy from Texas and have everything be sent to my ...show more""

When does car insurance go down for teenagers?

i heard recently that now you can start driving as soon as you hit 17 1/2, instead of 18. does this work for insurance too - as in, will the insurance be cheaper if you start driving at 17 1/2, instead of 18? i can't afford the high insurance rates, so that's why i haven't started driving yet, although im 17 1/2 now. This is according to California DMV rules, btw thanks""

What can freelancers do for individual health insurance?

I have my own little freelance job that I do for cash. I'm not married and not a student, so I find myself without any medical or dental coverage. I'm just looking for coverage for gynological care (once per year), maybe a regular check-up (once per year), and prescription coverage if possible. And, if I'm really lucky, I'd like dental to be able to have a cleaning every 6 months. I've tried looking online but I don't know what or where most of the insurance companies are and if they are real or even trustworthy. I am not a registered business nor do I make loads of cash, but I do not want to go on welfare of any sort. Does anyone have any advice for me? Thanks!""

Need to find homeowners insurance?

Have pit bull trying to find homeowners insurance that will allow me to keep my dog

Where can I get private health insurance?

I need health insurance, like I know many people do. I have cancer, but I guess that's not considered a disabilty because I was turned down. My job does not pay for medical. I know several married couples where they have two different insurance policies through each of their employers, and they get to pick and choose which one to use. I don't have a spouse. I know several people who are alcoholics who have an HMO through their retirement and they are in the hospital every other month, simply because they have over drank. They run to the doctor every two months for very trivial things/ I know of several who abuse the veterans hospital from runny noses to a simple headache, plus they are paid monthly for a disabilty they don't have. They just don't want to work. I think married couples should only be able to use one insurance policy, and these others should be only allowed to go to the doctor a few times a year. If they are an alcoholic send them to AA.""

How much (roughly) does car insurance cost for a first time driver?

I'm 17, and I can get my licsence in a couple months and im looking into getting a car. Specifically, a chevy spark 1lt, the biweekly payment is 136 and I'm just curious what te estimated insurance would cost?""

How much should a family budget for insurance?

disability,life,homeowners,car,umbrella""

Would a Hyundai Genesis coupe be considered...?

a sports car by insurance companies? If i were to get a sports car the insurance company would raise the costs because i am not married or at the legal age. So would my insurance go higher if i got the lowest model Genesis coupe?

Can friend get insurance on car in my name?

I gave a friend of mine a car that was my Mother's after she passed away. The title has my name on it however the credit union will not release it because there was still some money owed. Anyway since he drives the car I was told that I had to get insurance on it being in my name and just put him down as a driver. Is this true? Can he get his own insurance on the car? I am worried if he would get in an accident it would raise my premiums.

I was speeding 16 mph over the limit and it is my first offense. how much will my fine be?

I am 17 and I was driving my parents car, under their insurance. how much do you think my fine will be? and will my parents insurance rates go up if I go to the court date, plead guilty, pay the fine, and go to traffic/driving school?""

What is the best life insurance for someone in their early twenties?

I want to ensure my mom & husband will have some money if I were to die early in life.

Penalty for not having auto insurance in calif.?

Kinderhook New York Cheap car insurance quotes zip 12106

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/car-insurance-17-year-old-jacob-tate/"

0 notes

viralhottopics · 8 years ago

Text

I Gave Up Added Sugar For A Month And This Is What Happened

In our monthly series, GIVING UP, newsroom staffers deprive themselves of a beloved habit and track how it went. In March, Lifestyle Editor Suzy Strutner, 26, gave up added sugar.

Suzy Strutner

You could say I was in love with sugar.

What are you giving up?Im giving up added sugar (which is not the same as naturally occurring sugar, mind you) for Lent.

What made you decide to give it up? I love sugar in a way that sometimes makes me feel like its ruling me instead of the other way around. When a habit starts invading my life like when I miss out on an hour of sleep because I needa fresh-baked midnight cookie or cant get through the day without spending $6 on frozen yogurt I know its one I need to kick. Plus, I tried to give up sugar last year and failed without realizing why, so I wanted to prove I could do it, and do my body a favor at the same time.

How did your friends and family react? People either 1) tell me theyre impressed by my efforts (I started an email newsletter with updates on how the challenge is going), 2) ask if Im STILL not eating sugar, then inquire when Ill be available for dessert dates again,or 3) tell me theyve given up sugar too! Thats my favorite reaction, for sure. Two of my friends ditched sugar last month because I was doing it, which makes me feel like a positive influence.

Suzy Strutner

Did you do any research before you started?Yes, because Ididnt do enough research last yearand wanted to make sure I gave up added sugarcorrectly this time around. My colleagues and I have written a number of articlesabout added sugar over the years, so by now I know that added sugar is never, ever a good thing for your brain or body. Thats major motivation.

Did you slip up? Not yet! Well, it depends on how technical you get. Added sugar is in all kinds of foods, from store-bought bread to mayonnaise to pasta sauce. Ive avoided buying those items for myself, but I havent stopped eating at restaurants. Im sure theres been sugar snuck into a few dishes there. Ive also been eating dried fruit and other forms of naturally occurring sugar, which I learned is not entirely acceptedin the anti-sugar community.

Suzy Strutner

Yup, that cinnamon-raisin bagel has sugar in it, too.

When did you first feel deprived? Two days in, when a giant sundae appeared on the table at my moms birthday dinner.It was tough not to deem it a special occasion and cave in.Most of the time, though, this challenge has been strangely easy. Ive found enough other treats to look forward to like nut butters, banana bites and a granola-dark-chocolate-date-coconut melange that I concoct myself to guarantee sugar-freeness which taste indulgent enough to do the trick. I cant say I havent daydreamed about deep-dish cookie pie, though.

Suzy Strutner

What snack time looks like when you’re eating added sugar.

Suzy Strutner

What snack time looks like when you’re not eating added sugar.

Any awkward social encounters?Im afraid of being a buzzkill when I dont indulge at group get-togethers.Today at lunch, my colleagues didnt order dessert because I wouldnt be sharing it with them. It was a nice sentiment, but I felt like I was holding them back from sugary fun!Another time, at Taco Tuesday with some new friends, I felt awkward passing up margaritas in favor of a tequila soda. (This is NOT a real hardship, I am aware. But still.) I was pleasantly surprised, though, when my friends noticed the move and changed their orders to sugar-free drinks, too.

Notice any changes to your mood?I still get cranky when Im craving something sweet, but my new naturally sweet treats usually do the trick. Overall, I feel like a more capable human. I tend to doubt my level of discipline, but this challenge has shown me I can do anything even deny myself of favorite sugary snacks if I decide to commit.

Changes to your body? I used to sometimes feel sick after eating too much sugar, especially if I mixed it with alcohol. Now, I dont need to worry about my heart racing from a bunch of cookie dough. However, the lack of added sugar has caused me to start indulging in other unhealthy foods like pizza and fries more often, so I cant say I look or feel more fit.

Changes to your productivity? Yes, majorly. I struggle with prioritizing activities and would often spend a night baking sugary goods or venturing off to get ice cream instead ofpracticing healthierself-care habitslike calling a friend or going to yoga. Now that I dont have to track down my sugar fix every day,I have one less chore to complete and therefore feel less guilty about how I spend my time.

Suzy Strutner

Typical after-work activity for a sugar fiend: Bake cookies with different types of sugar, and label them to see which turns out best.

Changes to your relationships? Surprisingly,yes.Posting on social media about the challenge has gotten me in touch with friends I wouldnt talk to as often otherwise.One friend, for example, read my newsletter and sent me amazing sugar-free recipe recommendations. And my former roommate, who now lives in Germany, gave up added sugar too. We text about how its going on two different continents.

Im also more present in-person: During our weekly hangouts, my sister and I used to fight the chaotic L.A.traffic for our favorite frozen yogurt. Now, we sit and drink wine. Maybe wine isnt any better than froyo, but quality time out of traffic certainly is. And at parties, I can focus more on humans because Im not beelining to the snack table. These small changes truly result in more quality conversation!

What does an expert say about doing this? Is there any benefit? Theres no question that quitting added sugar could extend your life, prevent dementia, curb anxietyanddecrease risks of anxiety and heart disease, all while making you a more vibrant personoverall. No expert everpromotes the consumption of added sugar, so eliminating it can only help your body.

Would you do it again? Yes. This is a simplification of my life and diet that Id like to continue, so Im thinking of making it a weekday habit.If not, Ill definitely be back for more next year!

Previously: Heres What Happened When I Gave Up Complaining For A Month

Read more: http://huff.to/2pmWsJl

from I Gave Up Added Sugar For A Month And This Is What Happened

#I Gave Up Added Sugar For A Month And This Is What Happened

0 notes

frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 4 years ago

Photo

25th February >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Matthew 7:7-12 for Thursday, First Week of Lent: ‘Ask, and it will be given to you’.

Thursday, First Week of Lent

Gospel (Except USA)

Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door opened to him. Is there a man among you who would hand his son a stone when he asked for bread? Or would hand him a snake when he asked for a fish? If you, then, who are evil, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! ‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.’

Gospel (USA)

Matthew 7:7-12

Everyone who asks, receives.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asked for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asked for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

Reflections (9)

(i) Thursday, First Week of Lent

The first reading is one of the great prayers of petition in the Jewish Scriptures. Esther prays to God out of a sense of deep distress and isolation, ‘Reveal yourself in the time of our distress… for I am alone and have none but you, Lord’. It is often when our need is greatest that we petition God with the greatest urgency. The really difficult moments in live reveal to us our vulnerability, our need for help beyond ourselves. In the gospel reading, Jesus encourages us to petition God, not just when our need is desperate but at all times. He literally says, ‘Keep on asking… keep on searching… keep on knocking’. Our prayer of petition will not always be responded to by God in the way that we hoped. Saint Paul pleaded with the Lord repeatedly to take from him what he calls a ‘thorn in the flesh’. His prayer was not answered as he had hoped; he was left with his ‘thorn’. Yet, his prayer was not in vain either. Through petitioning the Lord Paul came to realize that God was working powerfully through this thorn in his flesh. God’s power was being made perfect in weakness, as Paul said. Even when our prayer of petition is not answered in the way we want, it is never in vain. Our prayer of petition will always open us up to the Lord’s working in our lives. In that sense, when we ask we will always receive and when we knock the door will always be opened. God gives what the gospel reading calls ‘good things’ to those who petition him in prayer. In today’s responsorial psalm, the psalmist prays, ‘On the day I called, you answered; you increased the strength of my soul’. When we petition God out of our need, God will always strengthen our soul. In the words of Saint Paul, we will be strengthened in our ‘inner being with power through his Spirit’.

And/Or

(ii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

When Jesus calls on his disciples in this morning’s gospel reading to keep on asking from God, to keep on searching for God and to keep on knocking on God’s door, he was speaking from his own experience. The gospels portray Jesus as doing what he encourages his disciples to do. He petitions God for himself and for others. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he petitioned God to take this cup of suffering from him. At the last supper he told Peter that he has been praying for him, petitioning God that Peter’s faith may not fail. On the cross he prayed for those who were crucifying them, petitioning God to forgive them. Very often, as in the case of Jesus, our own prayer of petition, our own asking, knocking and seeking of God, comes out of some experience of great distress. In the Book of Psalms, the most authoritative Jewish prayer book, the prayer of petition out of the depths of distress is the most frequent form of prayer to be found there. Maybe it is true, as is often said, that we pray best when we are in need. Yet, Jesus in the gospel reading does not disparage this form of prayer, ‘Ask... search... knock’. When we pray in this way, like Jesus in the garden, we are opening ourselves to God’s purpose for our lives. Even if our prayer of petition is not answered in the way we had hoped at the time, nonetheless, like Jesus in the Garden, our lives will be touched by God’s presence and we will be the stronger for our prayer.

And/Or

(iii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

The prayer of petition has always been a significant form of prayer for Christians. In this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus encourages us to petition God. ‘Ask… search… knock’, and he assures us that our petitioning will meet with a response, ‘it will be given to you… you will find… the door will be opened to you’. Yet, many of us will have had the experience of our prayers of petition not being answered. Saint Paul had that experience too. He suffered from what the called a ‘thorn in the flesh’ and three times, he said, he appealed to the Lord to be rid of it, but his prayer was not heard. He was left with his thorn in the flesh. Yet, the Lord did respond to his prayer, even though not in the way Paul was looking for. The Lord said to Paul in response to his prayer, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’. Paul’s experience teaches us to trust that our prayer of petition is never wasted; the Lord will respond to us, even if not in the way we wanted or hoped for. We have to keep on asking, searching, knocking, trusting that in doing so we are giving the Lord space to work in our lives.

And/Or

(iv) Thursday, First Week of Lent

In this morning’s gospel reading, which is taken from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages us to ask, to search, to knock on the door. Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had indicated what we are to ask for, what we are to search for. He does that above all in the prayer which he gave to his disciples, the Lord’s Prayer. We are to seek for the coming of God’s kingdom, the doing of God’s will. We are to ask for our daily bread, for forgiveness for our sins, for the strength to remain faithful when temptation comes, when we are faced with evil. Elsewhere in the Sermon Jesus says, ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness’. God’s righteousness is that way of life which corresponds to his will for us. As well as calling on us to keep on searching, to keep on asking, Jesus also tells us what we are to search for, what we are to ask for. More than anything else, we are to search for, to hunger and thirst for, what God wants, for a way of life that is in keeping with what God wants. If we keep searching for that, if we keep asking for it, today’s gospel reading assures us that our search will not be in vain.

And/Or

(v) Thursday, First Week of Lent

In this morning’s gospel reading, which is taken from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus encourages us to ask, to search, to knock on the door. He also assures us that God will give good things to those who ask him. We have all had the experience of our prayers of petition not being answered. Someone we love is ill and we pray for them to get better and nothing happens. We might be tempted to give up on the prayer of petition when we have had several experiences of unanswered prayer. Yet, we have to take Jesus at his word when he calls on us to keep asking, to keep searching, to keep knocking on the door, and when he promises us that God will give good things to those who ask him. It is as if Jesus is saying that all prayers are answered in some way or another. Our prayer of petition opens us up to God’s generous presence, even in those times when our prayers do not seem to be answered. Good things from God will always come to us when we pray, because in prayer we allow ourselves to be touched by God’s grace.

And/Or

(vi) Thursday, First Week of Lent

When we look at our own prayer, we might discover that a great deal of our prayer consists of the prayer of petition. We come before God asking for help in some form or other. We have a very good example of such a prayer of petition in this morning’s first reading, the prayer of Esther before she approached the King of Persia on behalf of the Jewish people, ‘come to help, for I am alone and have no one but you, Lord’. Esther prays a heartfelt prayer out of the depths of distress to the One who alone can really help her. There is a great deal of that kind of prayer in the Jewish Scriptures. In the Book of Psalms, there are many different kinds of prayer, but the most common form of prayer is the psalm of lament, the prayer of petition out of the depths of distress. Jesus endorses the prayer of petition in today’s gospel reading. He encourages his disciples, and all of us, to keep on asking, to keep on seeking and to keep on knocking. He encourages there to ask for ‘good things’. We are to ask for what is good, or, in other terms, we are to ask for what is of God, what God desires for us and our world. That is why the purest form of the prayer of petition is the prayer, ‘Your will be done’. This was the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. His prayer of petition began, ‘let this cup pass from me’, but it concluded, ‘your will be done’. At that point, the prayer of petition becomes the prayer of surrender, and this is surely the deepest form of prayer.

And/Or

(vii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

The opening words of Jesus in this morning’s gospel reading encourage us to be seekers, ‘ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you’. If we ask, ‘What are we to seek?’ ‘What are we to ask for?’ the answer to that question is that we are to seek the Lord, and to ask for what the Lord wants for us. In giving us the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus was teaching us what to seek and what to ask for. We always remain seekers of the Lord in this life. We never fully possess the Lord or fully find the Lord this side of eternity. We will always be in the role of seekers after the Lord. We are always on a journey towards the Lord; we never arrive at our destination this side of eternity. We have to keep seeking, keep asking, keep knocking. In the words of Saint Paul in his letter to the Philippians, we strain ‘forward to what lies ahead’; ‘we press on towards the goal’, or in the words of the letter to the Hebrews, ‘we run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus’. Jesus assures us in the gospel reading that if we remain faithful to the journey, to the search, we will be given good things by God. In our seeking the Lord, we will discover that the Lord is seeking us with even greater energy and passion.

And/Or

(viii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

The teaching of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is very demanding. We might be tempted to get discouraged by its challenging call. It is in that context, towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount, that we find today’s gospel reading. Jesus encourages us to seek God’s help, without which we will not be able to live out Jesus’ teaching. We are to come before God in prayer, asking, seeking and knocking. We are to do this not just occasionally but repeatedly. The sense of what Jesus says is, ‘keep on asking’, ‘keep on seeking’, ‘keep on knocking’. We are to keep looking for the help that only God can give. It is God who enables us to live as Jesus calls us to live, as God desires us to live. At the end of his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul prays ‘May the God of peace sanctify you entirely’, and then immediately declares, ‘The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this’. God who calls us through Jesus will make it possible for us to answer the call. Our response to the Lord’s call is always a graced response. We need to acknowledge our dependence on God for all we need to live according to God’s will for our lives as revealed by Jesus. That is why we need to keep on asking God, to keep on seeking God and to keep on knocking on God’s door.

And/Or

(ix) Thursday, First Week of Lent

Saint Augustine wrote in his Confessions, ‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you’. Augustine had come to realize that the inner restlessness that drove him down all sorts of avenues in his younger years could only be calmed by God. All our seeking and searching is ultimately a search for God who alone can satisfy our deepest yearnings. One of the ways we give expression to those deep yearnings for God is in prayer. Prayer is an outlet for our restless hearts, our searching spirits. At the beginning of today’s gospel reading, Jesus speaks of prayer in the language of searching, asking and knocking. He acknowledges that our longing for God, our desire for God’s attention, God’s love, finds privileged expression in prayer. He also assures us that if we give expression to our searching spirits in prayer, we will not ultimately be disappointed, ‘it will be given to you… you will find… the door will be opened to you’. Jesus is not saying that whatever we ask for in prayer we will get. He is saying that God the Father will give, what the gospel reading calls, ‘good things’ to those who seek God in prayer. Our prayer will serve us well at the deepest level of our being. When we focus our restless spirit on God, as we do in prayer, we open ourselves up to the good that God wants to give us. In prayer we always discover that we are graced by God, in a way that anticipates that full and final grace or good that awaits us in eternity.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

0 notes

dmmowers · 8 years ago

Text

In the Presence of My Enemies

"In the Presence of My Enemies" A sermon for St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, Portage, Wis. and Trinity Episcopal Church, Baraboo, Wis. IV Lent | Year A | March 26, 2017 I Samuel 16.1-13 | Psalm 23 | Ephesians 5.8-14 | John 9.1-41 The shipping box sat in the middle of the table, its label staring up at me: This box contains cremated human remains. I was a new priest, just a couple of months into my first job in the church. A few days before, the rector of the parish had walked into my office and said, Congratulations, this is a milestone. I am assigning you your first funeral. So I called the family and arranged to meet with them to plan the service later in the week. Even though I hadn't been a priest for very long, I have been an every-Sunday kind of church person my whole life, I have a pretty good radar for picking up church people. Within a few moments of meeting someone, I can make a pretty good guess about whether the person has ever spent much time in church. When I walked in to meet with the family, my radar began screaming that these were not people who had spent much time in church for a very long time. It wasn't that the family was mean to each other; in fact, they clearly enjoyed being with each other. It wasn't even the box that they had brought into the room and carefully placed in the center of the table. Their mother had died in Florida and her ashes had been shipped back to Minnesota, hence "This box contains cremated human remains." Maybe it was the confused looks on their faces when I started to explain what a funeral service from the prayer book looks like. Or maybe it was the request for a musician to play Frank Sinatra's "My Way" just before the gospel reading. Maybe it was the blank looks I got when I asked them what hymns they would like for the service. These adult children might have been confirmed in the church, or at least come occasionally as children, but they looked at me with big eyes and blank expressions at every turn. Until we got to the Psalm, when two of the adult children piped up at once: We really want to have Psalm 23 read at our mom's service. So here are folks who haven't seen the inside of a church in quite some time, with very little idea about what sorts of things they would like to have in a funeral, but they each knew, independently of their siblings, that they wanted Psalm 23 in their mother's funeral. I/II. On the one hand, it's easy to see why. Psalm 23 is arguably the most famous chapter in Scripture, and maybe the best known text outside of John 3.16. Psalm 23 describes a person who is without needs because the Lord takes care of them, a person who is led by God to lie down in green pastures, to walk beside quiet rivers, who is comforted as they walk through what our translation this morning called the "darkest valley" but which the King James Version much more memorably calls "the valley of the shadow of death." This person fears no evil because the Lord is with them, because the Lord prepares a feast before them with their enemies sitting all around, a person who is followed by goodness and mercy all of the days of their lives and who will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Even if you don't have much of a church background, if you found yourself sitting around a table with a priest and your loved one's boxed remains, it's easy to see why you might be drawn to Psalm 23. In the midst of death, in the midst of grief, we all want comfort. We want to know that our beloved are loved and cared for by God even in death, and are awaiting that day when Jesus will come again to raise them from the dead, and we want to believe that Psalm 23 describes the life they are living right now. I don't have any reason to think that is wrong. But on the other hand, if you read the psalm carefully, I'm struck by what you don't find there. You don't find any mention of human remains, boxed or otherwise. No mention of heaven. Instead, there is every indication that this psalm is talking about present-day life. The Psalms, like most of the Old Testament, don't talk directly about heaven, but they are intimately concerned with the fallout of everyday human life. The experience of the author of this Psalm is that when you put your trust in the Lord, the Lord gives you all the things you need - I shall not want. When the author walks, through the valley of the shadow of death, they feel no evil, because the Lord is with them. When there are enemies all around, the author feels secure and comfortable, as though the Lord has thrown them a banquet with their enemies sitting around watching them. The experience of the author is that the Lord gives them everything that they need, their fears are stilled, their security is found completely in God alone. But this way of reading the text bothered me, or, at least, it provoked some hard questions. Earlier this week, I met with the principal of Baraboo High School to greet him, introduce myself, and learn about Baraboo as a community through what's happening at the high school. The principal mentioned that more than 50% of the children in the Baraboo School District qualify for free and reduced-price lunches, meaning that as many as 1 in 2 Baraboo children are growing up in poverty, and that a fair number of those might be food insecure - meaning that they might not know any given day where their next meal is coming from. And then I came back to my office and read: "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want" and thought about those kids who I will come to know, and those kids who many of you already know, kids who might be here today. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. What does that mean to the hungry? And what does it mean to walk through the valley of the shadow of death and yet not fear? We Christians sometimes have a reputation of being people who are not able to face up to how terrible reality can sometimes be. When my father had a brain aneurysm and died suddenly six years ago at age 57, I was in the midst of a seminary degree, and so I paid attention to what friends of my parents said to me as they came through the receiving line at the visitation. "It was God's time for him to go," one person said. "God needed him in heaven," another person told me. More than one quoted Scripture: "The Lord works in mysterious ways," or "the Lord will never give you more than you can bear." These people were all trying to comfort me, and they all loved my dad and our family. But months later, after I had had time to process, I started thinking about what the people had said. Death is the last enemy that shall be destroyed, says St. John in Revelation. The Lord does not use evil events to further his plans. I realized that something so terrible had happened that people were trying to comfort themselves and me so that we did not have to feel the depth of pain and loss such a death inevitably brings about. But no one is served well when we try to make up reasons for bad things that happen when there are no reasons. No one is served well when we use clichés because we feel like we have to say something but there are no words to say. It’s far better to say that we’re sorry for a loss, and to be truly sorry, and to look forward with the bereaved when God will make all of our losses whole. Far better to acknowledge the valley of the shadow of death where we find it, to stare it in the face, and then to proclaim to it that our God has promised to be with us in the midst of it. III. Psalm 23 is what scholars call a "trust psalm" (Jacobsen, Working Preacher), and meaning that its author wrote it in a time of dire crisis to ask for help and to express trust in God in spite of the crisis in front of him. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” It means that we are sheep, and that we are easily distracted, that we are easily lost, that we wander away and then have trouble finding food. Because the Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want, we shall not be allowed to wander away and get lost. The Lord will lead us in right paths and will provide for our needs. This psalm doesn't ignore hungry kids or grieving people or people who are besieged by enemies: its author is one of them. And so from the depths of that darkness, from the swirl of chaos, from grief and a cry goes up: Surely goodness and mercy will follow me every day of my life. It's not a cry that ignores the crisis, that pretends it's not going on, but rather a cry of trust in the Lord's goodness and faithfulness from the midst of crisis. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. The Lord prepares a banquet table before me, and my enemies are surrounding me, seating themselves at my very table, and yet I am full, I am satisfied, I am more than secure: my cup overflows because the Lord has provided abundantly beyond anything I could have hoped for. Even in the midst of chaos, the Shepherd God uses his staff on his sheep, his people, to scoot them back onto the right path, to pull them up out of pits they have fallen into. He uses his rod to gently correct, to convict us of wrongs that we have minimized or written off so that we might become whole. IV. Have you ever found yourself in a moment of crisis? Have you ever felt lost and alone, and wondered what choices would lead you to the right path? Those sound a little bit like the questions a lost sheep would ask. Maybe you're feeling lost and alone this morning. Maybe the path ahead is not clear; you're not sure what direction to go. You don't know what you believe, where to go to college, how to interact with a child, what career to choose, what to do with retirement, how to comfort a friend. The Lord will Shepherd us, will help us, will lead us in right paths for his name's sake. Maybe this morning you don't feel lost; in fact, you know exactly where you are. You know what the psalm means when it says, "the valley of the shadow of death", because you are walking there. The doctors tell you they're not sure if this treatment is going to work. A loved one died several years back and you just didn't know that it would still be so hard after so long. A friend has received a terrifying diagnosis. You walk in the valley of the shadow of death, and yet from there, the Lord promises to be with us: I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Or maybe the bill collectors are after you; you're hungry, you're worried about whether you're about to lose your job. So much about life makes you feel insecure, as though the joy and happiness you feel can be snatched away at a moment's notice. It feels like enemies closing in on you, and you are afraid. And yet from the midst of that insecurity, the Lord prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies. In the presence of evil, the Lord promises to make our cups overflow. The Lord's promise in this psalm is for us this morning. For all who are lost, for all who walk through the valley of the shadow of death, for all whose enemies circle around them: the Lord has promised to meet us. And indeed, the Lord still does prepare for us a table in the presence of our enemies, as the crucified Lord Jesus offers himself for the sake of the world in the Eucharist as bread and wine, as bread and wine that we receive into our bodies. May all of us who are lost find our way at this table. May all of us who are broken find healing at this table. May all of us who are fearful find strength and solace at this table. And may the Lord Jesus, the shepherd of the sheep, follow us with goodness and mercy today and all the days of our lives, and may we dwell in house of the Lord forever. Amen.

0 notes

frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 5 years ago

Photo

24th March >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on John 5:1-3, 5-16 for Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent: ‘Do you want to be well again?’.

Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

John 5:1-3,5-16

The healing at the pool of Bethesda

Gospel (USA)

John 5:1-16

Immediately the man became well.

Reflections (11)

(i) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Jesus’ question to the paralyzed man in today’s gospel reading may strike us as strange, ‘Do you want to be well again?’ Surely, it goes without saying that he wanted to be well again. However, his illness had lasted thirty eight years, and, perhaps, the long years of fruitless waiting may have extinguished his hope of ever been healed, and with it, the desire to be healed. The question was probing whether the man was paralyzed in spirit as well as in body. The man’s answer to Jesus’ question suggests a certain lack of hope of ever being healed, ‘I have no one to put me into the poor when the water is disturbed…’ Yet, his answer revealed some desire to be healed, and in response to that faint desire the Lord cures the man with a word, ‘Get up… and walk’. The Lord is always seeking to engage with our desire. He encourages us to have hopeful desires, which are greatly needed at this time of crisis. The opening words of Jesus in the gospel of John from which we are reading this week takes the form of a question addressed to the disciples of John the Baptist, ‘What are you looking for?’ In other word, ‘What is your desire?’ The Lord’s coming among us, his presence to us, is assured, but his coming will only be life-giving for us if it meets with our desire for his coming, a desire that is full of hope in the Lord of life. Elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus says, ‘Seek and you will find’. If we keep entering into our deep-seated desire for the Lord and the life he brings, then we will find the Lord, wherever we are at this time of social isolation, and the Lord’s presence will be truly life-giving for us.

And/Or

(ii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(iii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(iv) Tuesday, Fourth Sunday of Lent

And/Or

(v) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(vi) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(vii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(viii) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(ix) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(x) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

And/Or

(xi) Tuesday, Fourth Week of Lent

Fr. Martin Hogan, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin, D03 AO62, Ireland.

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Parish Website: www.stjohnsclontarf.ie Please join us via our webcam.

Twitter: @SJtBClontarfRC.

Facebook: St John the Baptist RC Parish, Clontarf.

Tumblr: Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

0 notes

frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 5 years ago

Photo

5th March >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on Matthew 7:7-12 for Thursday, First Week of Lent: ‘Ask and it will be given to you’.

Thursday, First Week of Lent.

Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find

‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.’

Gospel (USA)

Matthew 7:7-12

Everyone who asks, receives.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.”

Reflections (9)

(i) Thursday, First Week of Lent

The prayer of Queen Esther in today’s first reading is a very powerful prayer of someone in mortal peril, especially the final petition of her prayer, ‘come to my help, for I am alone and have no one but you, Lord’. She is a powerful woman, a queen, but at this desperate moment in her life she recognizes that she is completely powerless and totally dependent on the Lord alone for help. There can come a time in all of our lives when we recognize that if the Lord does not help me no one will. These are moments when our total dependence on the Lord for our personal survival is crystal clear to us. We come before the Lord in our poverty, our vulnerability, and in desperation we cry for his help. This is the kind of prayer out the depths of mortal peril that the Lord never fails to answer. This is the backdrop against which we can hear the exhortation of Jesus in today’s gospel reading, ‘ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you’. He is not saying ‘God will give you anything you want’, but rather, ‘God will never abandon you when you feel completely isolated and truly desperate. It is then that, in the words of Jesus in the gospel reading, ‘your Father in heaven will give good things to those who ask him’. Sometimes we have to be in dire straits, like Queen Esther, to realize how much we need the Lord. It is often moments of greatest weakness that open us up most fully to the Lord’s ‘faithfulness and love’, in the language of today’s responsorial psalm.

And/Or

(ii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(iii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(iv) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(v) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(vi) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(vii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(viii) Thursday, First Week of Lent

And/Or

(ix) Thursday, First Week of Lent

Fr. Martin Hogan, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin, D03 AO62, Ireland.

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Parish Website: www.stjohnsclontarf.ie Please join us via our webcam.

Twitter: @SJtBClontarfRC.

Facebook: St John the Baptist RC Parish, Clontarf.

Tumblr: Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

0 notes

frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 6 years ago

Photo

6th April >> Fr. Martin's Gospel Reflections / Homilies on John 7:40-52 for Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent: ‘The people could not agree about him’.

Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)

John 7:40-52

The Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without hearing him

Several people who had been listening to Jesus said, ‘Surely he must be the prophet’, and some said, ‘He is the Christ’, but others said, ‘Would the Christ be from Galilee? Does not scripture say that the Christ must be descended from David and come from the town of Bethlehem?’ So the people could not agree about him. Some would have liked to arrest him, but no one actually laid hands on him.

The police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees who said to them, ‘Why haven’t you brought him?’ The police replied, ‘There has never been anybody who has spoken like him.’ ‘So’ the Pharisees answered ‘you have been led astray as well? Have any of the authorities believed in him? Any of the Pharisees? This rabble knows nothing about the Law – they are damned.’ One of them, Nicodemus – the same man who had come to Jesus earlier – said to them, ‘But surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’ To this they answered, ‘Are you a Galilean too? Go into the matter, and see for yourself: prophets do not come out of Galilee.’

Gospel (USA)

John 7:40-53

The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he?

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, “Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Then each went to his own house.

Reflections (7)

(i) Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

At the beginning of John’s question, Nathanael asked the question in relation to Jesus, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’ Something of that same attitude is to be found among the Pharisees at the end of today’s gospel reading, ‘Prophets do not come out of Galilee’. Both are examples of what we would call prejudice, prejudging someone, judging someone before giving them a fair hearing. This is the criticism that Nicodemus levels against his fellow Pharisees in the gospel reading, ‘Surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about?’ Earlier in this gospel of John, Nicodemus, a leading Pharisee, had given Jesus a hearing, even though he was perplexed by what Jesus said to him. We are all too familiar with the phenomenon of prejudice in our own day and the often very deadly consequences of prejudice. The temptation to prejudge someone is always real for all of us. We can all find ourselves at times asking the question, ‘Can anything good come out of ….?’ substituting something or someone else for ‘Nazareth’. The portrait of Jesus as found in all the gospels is of someone who, in the words of Nicodemus, gave people a hearing so as to discover what they were about. That is how the risen Lord relates to each one of us today. He takes it for granted that good can come out of us all, and he works to bring to pass that potential good in us. This is not only how the Lord relates to us, but it is also how he would like us to relate to each other.

And/Or

(ii) Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

Nicodemus features in this morning’s gospel reading. This is one of three times that he appears in the gospel of John. He appears for the first time at the very beginning of the gospel when he came to Jesus by night, drawn by Jesus and yet not quite ready to commit to him. He appears for the third time at the very end of the gospel in the company of Joseph of Arimathea, as, together, they arrange for Jesus to have a dignified burial. He is on a journey towards Jesus that spans the whole gospel of John. This morning’s gospel is the middle appearance of Nicodemus. He is a Pharisee and, yet, he has the courage to challenge his fellow Pharisees who have already made up their minds about Jesus, dismissing him because of his origins in Galilee, that remote region to the north, far from the centre, far from Jerusalem. Nicodemus insists that Jesus be given a hearing before coming to a judgement about him. He breaks with his peers, expressing a view which goes against the dominant view of his fellow Pharisees. As often happens to such people, his speaking up against the consensus meets with derision, ‘Are you from Galilee too?’ His emerging relationship with Jesus left him increasingly isolated in the world where he had been so much at home. The figure of Nicodemus reminds us that as we grow in our relationship with Jesus, there is often a price to be paid. We may find ourselves a lone voice among our peers. At such times, we know that the Lord is with us and we can say in the words of this morning’s responsorial psalm, ‘God is the shield that protects me’.

And/Or

(iii) Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

Nicodemus features in this morning’s gospel reading. It is the second time Nicodemus appears in the gospel of John. Earlier in the gospel he had come to Jesus by night. He was a member of the Pharisees, a group generally hostile to Jesus in John’s gospel. Yet, there was something about Jesus that drew Nicodemus to Jesus, even if his first coming was under cover of darkness. In this morning’s gospel reading we find Nicodemus challenging the prejudice of his fellow Pharisees towards Jesus. He expresses the view that his peers are not giving Jesus a fair hearing. Nicodemus will appear one more time in John’s gospel, at the foot of the cross, when he assists Joseph of Arimathea in giving Jesus a dignified burial. Nicodemus comes across as someone who gradually made his way towards Jesus. His story reminds us that different people journey at different paces towards the Lord. The Lord respects the uniqueness of each person’s faith journey. The Lord relates to each one of us differently, because we each relate to him differently. Our response to the Lord’s call can be tentative at times, just as Nicodemus’ initial response was tentative. Yet, the Lord continues to call to us, and he is happy to wait until we are ready to take the next step in our relationship with him.

And/Or

(iv) Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

You remember the story in John’s gospel of Nicodemus, the Pharisee, who went to Jesus by night. He sought out Jesus under cover of darkness so as not to draw attention to himself. There he is again in this morning’s gospel reading, only this time he is drawing attention to himself. He is challenging his peers, his fellow Pharisees, to give Jesus a fair hearing, and not to prejudge him. His peers have closed minds, ‘Prophets do not come out of Galilee’, they say. Nicodemus is typical of those people of integrity who have the courage to keep seeking after truth, even in the face of great pressure to do otherwise. There are open to truth wherever it is to be found, even when taking the truth on board will be painful. Nicodemus is a man who allowed himself to be drawn by the light, in spite of peer pressure. Jesus had earlier said in John’s gospel, ‘those who do what is true come to the light’. Nicodemus is a gospel character who encourages us to keep on seeking the light of truth, no matter where it is to be found, no matter how challenging its finding might be. We know that that whenever we find the truth we will find the Lord, because the Lord said of himself, ‘I am the truth’.

And/Or

(v) Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

Nicodemus features in this morning’s gospel reading. This is the Nicodemus who had earlier come to Jesus under cover of darkness and who, later on, would arrange with Joseph of Arimathea for Jesus to have a dignified burial. He appears three times in John’s gospel and this morning’s gospel scene in the middle one of the three. There we find him challenging his peers, his fellow Pharisees. They had already written Jesus off as a sinner. Nicodemus, however, was much more open; he felt Jesus should be given a hearing; it was worth the effort to find out what Jesus was really about. Nicodemus was open, not closed. He was also courageous; he was prepared to state his views about Jesus even though it brought down the criticism of his fellow Pharisees on his head. He was a seeker after truth and he was faithful to that search, although it was clear it would cost him a great deal. Nicodemus teaches us to keep seeking the Lord, in spite of the pressure to do otherwise. He encourages us to be true to what is deepest within us, even when it leaves us isolated in certain company.

And/Or

(vi) Saturday, Fourth week of Lent

I was very struck when Pope Francis came to the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica on the night of his election. Before he gave the crowd his blessing he asked them to pray for him in silence. A great hush came over them all as they prayed for him as he bowed down towards them. Only then did he give them his blessing. It was as if he was saying to them, ‘I need your prayers more than you need my blessing’. He was recognizing all of us as his partners on the journey that lay ahead of him. He spoke about the ‘camino’, the journey, the way, which we would travel together, bishop and people. His whole tone suggested that together we are partners on the journey of faith. We may have different roles in the church, and no one would envy Pope Francis his role, but we are one before the Lord, one in Christ, together members of one body, the body of Christ. That very respectful attitude of Pope Francis towards the people in St Peter’s Square and towards all of us in the church stands in total contrast to the attitude of the Pharisees towards the people in this morning’s gospel reading. Because some of the people were being drawn to Jesus, the Pharisees said, ‘this rabble knows nothing about the Law – they are damned’. It took Nicodemus, one of their own, to stand up and say, ‘Wait a minute. We cannot pass judgement on this man without first giving him a hearing and discovering what he is about’. Our calling is precisely that, to give Jesus a hearing, to take his word into our hearts and allow it to shape our lives. As Pope Francis has already reminded us, it is that relationship with Jesus which makes us church.

And/Or

(vii) Saturday, Fourth Week of Lent

We hear a lot about peer pressure today. Young people especially seem quite susceptible to peer pressure in various ways. If something is not considered ‘cool’ by their peers it can be very difficult for them to take it on. When it comes to acknowledging one’s faith and witnessing to it, peer pressure often works against young people. It is not easy for young people to witness to their faith in any kind of public way. That is why we all have to support those young people who are trying to do so, whether it is our young readers, our young Eucharistic ministers, our youth choir. They need role models to help them resist the kind of peer pressure that makes light of their faith. We all need such models. There is one such model in today’s gospel reading, Nicodemus. His peers, his fellow Pharisees, had already made up their minds about Jesus. He was leading people astray. Nicodemus, who was a prominent member of the Pharisees, challenged his peers, ‘Surely the Law does not allow us to pass judgement on a man without giving him a hearing and discovery what he is about?’ He was saying to his fellow Pharisees, ‘Don’t prejudge Jesus. Give him a hearing’. If you remember, Nicodemus had already come to Jesus by night and had engaged Jesus in serious conversation. Like many a person who goes against his or her peers, Nicodemus incurred the disdain of his fellow teachers of the Law, ‘Are you a Galilean too?’ We need plenty of people like Nicodemus today who are prepared to risk isolation because of their faith, even if it is only an emerging faith, as was the case with Nicodemus. Indeed, we all need to have something of his courage and integrity today.

Fr. Martin Hogan, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin, D03 AO62, Ireland.

Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Parish Website: www.stjohnsclontarf.ie Please join us via our webcam.

Twitter: @SJtBClontarfRC.

Facebook: St John the Baptist RC Parish, Clontarf.

Tumblr: Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

0 notes