#master prophet jordan

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🖤 Black History Month ❤️

💛 Queer Books by Black Authors 💚

[ List Under the Cut ]

🖤 Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender ❤️ Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta 💛 Warrior of the Wind by Suyi Davies Okungbowa 💚 I'm a Wild Seed by Sharon Lee De La Cruz 🖤 Real Life by Brandon Taylor ❤️ Ruthless Pamela Jean by Carol Denise Mitchell 💛 The Unbroken by C.L. Clark 💚 Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova 🖤 Skin Deep Magic by Craig Laurance Gidney ❤️ The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 💛 That Could Be Enough by Alyssa Cole 💚Work for It by Talia Hibbert

🖤 All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson ❤️ The Deep by Rivers Solomon 💛 How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters 💚 Running With Lions by Julian Winters 🖤 Right Where I Left You by Julian Winters ❤️ This Is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender 💛 The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum 💚 This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow 🖤 Son of the Storm by Suyi Davies Okungbowa ❤️ Black Boy Joy by Kwame Mbalia 💛 Legendborn by Tracy Deonn 💚 The Wicker King by K. Ancrum

🖤 Pet by Akwaeke Emezi ❤️ You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson 💛 Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole 💚 Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron 🖤 Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann ❤️ A Spectral Hue by Craig Laurance Gidney 💛 Power & Magic by Joamette Gil 💚 The Black Veins by Ashia Monet 🖤 Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon ❤️ The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow 💛 Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James 💚 Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

🖤 The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta ❤️ Meet Cute Diary by Emery Lee 💛 A Phoenix First Must Burn (edited) by Patrice Caldwell 💚 Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson 🖤 Things We Couldn't Say by Jay Coles ❤️ Black Boy Out of Time by Hari Ziyad 💛 Darling by K. Ancrum 💚 The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode 🖤 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ❤️ Off the Record by Camryn Garrett 💛 Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers 💚 Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

🖤 How to Dispatch a Human by Stephanie Andrea Allen ❤️ Black Girl, Call Home by Jasmine Mans 💛 The Essential June Jordan (edited) by Jan Heller Levi and Christoph Keller 💚 A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark 🖤 A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney ❤️ Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo 💛 Dread Nation by Justina Ireland 💚 Punch Me Up to the Gods by Brian Broome 🖤 Masquerade by Anne Shade ❤️ One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite 💛 Soulstar by C.L. Polk 💚 100 Boyfriends by Brontez Purnell

🖤 Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender ❤️ Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby 💛 Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair 💚 The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi 🖤 If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann ❤️ Sweethand by N.G. Peltier 💛 This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron 💚 Better Off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon 🖤 Friday I’m in Love by Camryn Garrett ❤️ Rainbow Milk by Paul Mendez 💛 Memorial by Bryan Washington 💚 Patsy by Nicole Y. Dennis-Benn

🖤 Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon ❤️ How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole 💛 Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackosn 💚 Mouths of Rain (edited) by Briona Simone Jones 🖤 Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia ❤️ Love's Divine by Ava Freeman 💛 The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr 💚 Odd One Out by Nic Stone 🖤 Symbiosis by Nicky Drayden ❤️ Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas 💛 The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons 💚 Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

🖤 Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert ❤️ My Government Means to Kill Me by Rasheed Newson 💛 Pleasure and Spice by Fiona Zedde 💚 No Gods, No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull 🖤 The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus ❤️ Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor 💛 The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin 💚 Peaces by Helen Oyeyem 🖤 The Beauty That Remains by Ashley Woodfolk ❤️ Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh 💛 Bingo Love by Tee Franklin, Jenn St-Onge, Joy San 💚 The Heart Does Not Bend by Makeda Silvera

🖤 King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender ❤️ By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery 💛 Busy Ain't the Half of It by Frederick Smith & Chaz Lamar Cruz 💚 Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo 🖤 Sin Against the Race by Gar McVey-Russell ❤️ Trumpet by Jackie Kay 💛 Remembrance by Rita Woods 💚 Daughters of Nri by Reni K. Amayo 🖤 You Know Me Well by Nina LaCour ❤️ The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters 💛 Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi 💚 Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyem

[jordanianroyals]

Happy birthday, King Abdullah II & Prince Hashem!

King Abdullah II of Jordan marks his 63rd birthday on 30 January 2025. His youngest child, Prince Hashem, also turns 20 on the same day.

Born on January 30, 1962, King Abdullah II, the 41st direct descendant of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him), is the eldest son of the late King Hussein bin Talal and Princess Muna Al Hussein.

His Majesty's educational journey began at the Islamic Scientific College in Amman, followed by studies at St. Edmund's School in England, and Eaglebrook School and Deerfield Academy in the United States.

In 1980, he enrolled at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, graduating as a Second Lieutenant, before pursuing Middle Eastern Affairs studies at Oxford University in 1982 and completing an Armor Officer Advanced Course at Fort Knox, Kentucky in 1985.

The King studied international politics at Georgetown University in 1989, completing an advanced research and study program in international affairs as part of the Master's program in Foreign Service.

His military experience spans service in the United States, Britain, and Germany, progressing from commanding a tank company in the 17th Royal Tank Battalion in 1989 to leading the Royal Special Forces as a Brigadier General, where he restructured the unit to meet international military standards.

Following his appointment as Crown Prince on January 24, 1999, King Abdullah II assumed his constitutional powers as Jordan's fourth King on February 7, 1999, receiving the rank of Field Marshal in the Jordan Armed Forces.

His Majesty married Queen Rania Al Abdullah on June 10, 1993. They have four children: Crown Prince Hussein, who was appointed Crown Prince on July 2, 2009, Prince Hashem, Princess Iman, and Princess Salma. In August 2024, Their Majesties welcomed their first grandchild, Princess Iman bint Al Hussein.

King Abdullah II strives to enhance Jordan's positive and moderate role in the Arab world, seeking a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause and supporting Palestinian aspirations for an independent state.

He dedicates himself to defending Jordan as an oasis of development and stability amid a turbulent region by investing in human capital, confronting terrorism and extremism through a comprehensive approach, and continuously working to enhance security and stability in the Middle East.

His Majesty led intensive diplomatic efforts supporting the Palestinian cause and advocating for a Gaza ceasefire through numerous international engagements.

His personal involvement in humanitarian aid missions included participating in airdrops to Gaza and overseeing the dispatch of Jordan's largest aid convoy, alongside establishing field hospitals in Gaza and the West Bank, and launching the "Restoring Hope" initiative for prosthetic limb fittings.

Under the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem, His Majesty sponsored the establishment of an international Orthodox university at the Baptism Site and funded the restoration of the Dome of the Rock's historic gilded decorations in 2024.

In the Silver Jubilee year, King Abdullah II continues to advance political, economic, and administrative modernization tracks, monitoring progress across various sectors including economy, investment, tourism, education, and transportation.

His Majesty maintains close engagement with local communities through regular visits to governorates and recognition of individuals who have served Jordan and its people.

The King maintains special attention to his companions-in-arms in the Jordan Armed Forces and security services, recognizing their professional dedication to preserving national security, stability, and protecting citizens and national resources.

[albertfinch]

RECLAIMING YOUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST

"Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look now, the place where we live near you is too small for us. Please let us go to the Jordan [River] and let each man take from there a beam [for the building]; and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.' And he answered, 'Go.' Then one said, 'Please be willing to go with your servants.' So he answered, 'I shall go.' So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down [some of] the trees. But it happened that as one was cutting down a beam, the ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, 'Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!'" (2 Kings 6:1-5, AMP)

In this text, the young prophets ask Elisha's permission to go to the Jordan to expand. Their abode had become too small to accommodate them. They had come to a place of expansion and a season of stretching out; however, in the midst of building, one of the young prophets lost his borrowed ax head, and he cried out to Elisha for help.

"The man of God said, 'Where did it fall?' When he showed him the place, Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron [ax head] float. He said, 'Pick it up for yourself.' So he reached out with his hand and took it." (2 Kings 6:6-7, AMP)

The Prophet Elisha asked the young prophet a question – "Where did it fall?"

In essence, he is asking you today, "Where did you lose your God-given supernatural passion to build God's Kingdom (through discipling others into their Christ identity and exhorting them to find their Christ calling).  You may have become a victim of disappointment and self-centeredness.  It is time to get it back.  He is asking you today, “Where did you lose it?"

Where is the place your fire went out?

When did you stop believing to see the impossible?"

WHERE DID YOU STOP BELIEVING

The time that Jesus asked Mary and Martha, "Where have you laid him?" (John 11:34) – referring to Lazarus, who was dead and buried. In other words, in the spiritual sense, He asked them, "Where did you stop believing? Where is the place where you laid down your faith that I would make your brother whole?"

The ax head had been buried in the water, just as Lazarus had been buried in the tomb.

What have you lost?

What has been buried beneath the waters of disappointment?

Did the devil try to convince you that because a certain person rejected you, God has rejected you and your purpose is over?

It's Not Over!

After the young prophet cried out, Elisha did something very intriguing; he threw a stick into the water. Although the stick was something that existed in the natural, it became a tool in Elisha's hand that brought a supernatural exchange. The stick (the natural) was submerged, and the iron ax head (the supernatural) began to "swim"!

RECLAIM YOUR AUTHORITY IN CHIRST

The ax is an apostolic tool for cutting and building. The fact that it was made of iron is interesting. Psalm 2:9 compares the "authority" of Jesus being as an iron rod. Iron is a symbol of authority. "And You will shepherd them with limitless authority, crushing their rebellion as an iron rod smashes jars of clay!" (Psalm 2:9, TPT)

When the young prophet lost the ax head, he had lost his authority. If you have lost your edge, and it has left you frustrated. It may seem to you that it is dead and buried.  Elisha told him, "Pick it back up."

Pick back up your supernatural promise.

Pick back up that dream that has lain dormant.

His promises are swimming toward you. Stretch forth and take hold of them!

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

[santmat]

The Gnostic Gospels You've Never Heard of: The Mandaean Scriptures - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast

The Nag Hammadi Library represents the prose of the Gnostics, but it is the Mandaean scriptures that give us their poetry! Today, meet the Mandaeans. The story of the Mandaeans somewhat resembles the experience of Native American tribes; may they survive; may their ancient wisdom be shared with humanity. John the Baptist is one of the greatest prophets of Mandaean Gnosticism. According to scholars of Mandaean studies like Werner Foerster, indeed the origins of the Mandaeans do go back to the Jewish tradition of the first century AD, the Nasoraean movement, and the region of the Jordan River. The term "Mandaeans" literally means, "possessors of secret spiritual Knowledge or Gnosis." (excerpted from one of my published articles on the Mandaeans)

The Gnostic Gospels You've Never Heard of: The Mandaean Scriptures - Spiritual Awakening Radio Podcast - Listen or Download MP3 @

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The role of the Heavenly Messenger is to communicate the mystic experience of Light to souls and eventually guide them back up to the Place of Light, the Mandaean term for the highest heaven where the Great Life (God) resides:

"From the Place of Light I came forth,

from you, Bright Habitation.

I come to touch hearts,

to measure and try all minds,

to see in whose heart I dwell.

Whoever thinks of me, of him I think;

whoever calls my Name, his name I will call.

Whosoever prays my prayer from the earth,

his prayer I will offer from the Place of Light."

(Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans)

In Divine Love (Bhakti), Light, and Sound, At the Feet of the Masters, Radhasoami,

James Bean

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[hopealoft]

Who is Jesus Christ?

1. The Son of God

Many Christians who understand their faith believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. The Holy Scriptures refer to Jesus as the Son of God several times. Let’s start from the conception of Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:30-35 (TLB)  “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to wonderfully bless you! Very soon now, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him ‘Jesus.’ He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he shall reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end!”Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.”The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy—the Son of God.

This is a famous story told every Christmas when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but there’s a chance you haven’t heard of it yet. It’s not a mere story; it is History. Mary, a young virgin in Nazareth, Galilee, was engaged to a descendant of the Jewish King David, Joseph. One day, God sent Gabriel – the Angel, to deliver a message to Mary. This is the message seen in the scripture above. God had chosen Mary to bear Jesus Christ. You might ask how? Mary asked the same question! The angel revealed to Mary that she would conceive of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. This is the only event of its kind recorded in history. Jesus Christ was born as the angel of God said, and He has changed the world to date. 

Before Jesus Christ started His ministry, His cousin, John the Baptist, had been announcing the coming of Christ.

John 1:23-28 (TLB)  He replied, “I am a voice from the barren wilderness, shouting as Isaiah prophesied, ‘Get ready for the coming of the Lord!’”Then those who were sent by the Pharisees asked him, “If you aren’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, what right do you have to baptize?”John told them, “I merely baptize with water, but right here in the crowd is someone you have never met, who will soon begin his ministry among you, and I am not even fit to be his slave.”This incident took place at Bethany, a village on the other side of the Jordan River where John was baptizing.

Although John the Baptist didn’t know who Christ was, he announced that Jesus was the Christ when He came to be baptised by John the Baptist.

John 1:29-34 (TLB)  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the world’s sin! He is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Soon a man far greater than I am is coming, who existed long before me!’ I didn’t know he was the one, but I am here baptizing with water in order to point him out to the nation of Israel.”Then John told about seeing the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descending from heaven and resting upon Jesus.“I didn’t know he was the one,” John said again, “but at the time God sent me to baptize he told me, ‘When you see the Holy Spirit descending and resting upon someone—he is the one you are looking for. He is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ I saw it happen to this man, and I therefore testify that he is the Son of God.”

Several accounts of people calling Jesus the Son of God because of the supernatural things He did. 

Nathanael:

John 1:49 (TLB) Nathanael replied, “Sir, you are the Son of God—the King of Israel!”

Peter:

John 6:68-69 (TLB)  Simon Peter replied, “Master, to whom shall we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life, and we believe them and know you are the holy Son of God.”

Martha: 

John 11:27 (TLB)  “Yes, Master,” she told him. “I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one we have so long awaited.”

Paul the Apostle:

Romans 1:1-4 (TLB)  Paul, Jesus Christ’s slave, chosen to be a missionary, and sent out to preach God’s Good News. This Good News was promised long ago by God’s prophets in the Old Testament. It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came as a human baby, born into King David’s royal family line; and by being raised from the dead he was proved to be the mighty Son of God, with the holy nature of God himself. Hebrews 4:14 (TLB)  But Jesus the Son of God is our great High Priest who has gone to heaven itself to help us; therefore, let us never stop trusting him.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

4th March >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Monday, Third Week of Lent 

(optional commemoration of Saint Casimir)

(Liturgical Colour: Violet: B (2))

First Reading 2 Kings 5:1-15 There were many lepers in Israel, but only Naaman, the Syrian, was cured.

Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favour, since through him the Lord had granted victory to the Aramaeans. But the man was a leper. Now on one of their raids, the Aramaeans had carried off from the land of Israel a little girl who had become a servant of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would approach the prophet of Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’

Naaman went and told his master. ‘This and this’ he reported ‘is what the girl from the land of Israel said.’

‘Go by all means,’ said the king of Aram ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’

So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal robes. He presented the letter to the king of Israel. It read: ‘With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments. ‘Am I a god to give death and life,’ he said ‘that he sends a man to me and asks me to cure him of his leprosy? Listen to this, and take note of it and see how he intends to pick a quarrel with me.’

When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king, ‘Why did you tear your garments? Let him come to me, and he will find there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his team and chariot and drew up at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent him a messenger to say, ‘Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean once more.’

But Naaman was indignant and went off, saying, ‘Here was I thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and stand there, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprous part. Surely Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than any water in Israel? Could I not bathe in them and become clean?’ And he turned round and went off in a rage.

But his servants approached him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? All the more reason, then, when he says to you, “Bathe, and you will become clean.”’

So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

Like the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, my God.

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life; when can I enter and see the face of God?

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

O send forth your light and your truth; let these be my guide. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell.

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

And I will come to the altar of God, the God of my joy. My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp, O God, my God.

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

Gospel Acclamation 2 Corinthians 6:2

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Now is the favourable time: this is the day of salvation. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or: cf. Psalm 129:5,7

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word, because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel Luke 4:24-30 No prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the synagogue: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’ When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[rosaliachristian]

Monday, March 24, 2025

Bishop Robert Barron

Cycle C

Lent

3rd wk of Lent

Daily Reading

First Reading

2 Kings 5:1-15ab

Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments.He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.” But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house.Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.”But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage.But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.”

Psalm

Psalm 103: 1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8, 11

My soul thirsts for God,     for the living God. When shall I come and behold     the face of God? My tears have been my food     day and night, while people say to me continually,     “Where is your God?” O send out your light and your truth;     let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill     and to your dwelling. Then I will go to the altar of God,     to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise you with the harp,     O God, my God.

Gospel Reading

Luke 4:24-30

And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land;yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage.They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff.But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

Reflection

Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus’ hometown rejects him as a prophet. And I want to say a word about your role as a prophet. When most laypeople hear about prophecy, they sit back and their eyes glaze over. “That’s something for the priests and the bishops to worry about; they’re the modern-day prophets. I don’t have that call or that responsibility.” Well, think again! Vatican II emphasized the universal call to holiness, rooted in the dynamics of Baptism. Every baptized person is conformed unto Christ—priest, prophet, and king. Whenever you assist at Mass, you are exercising your priestly office, participating in the worship of God. Whenever you direct your kids to discover their mission in the Church, or provide guidance to someone in the spiritual life, you are exercising your kingly office. As a baptized individual, you are commissioned as a prophet—which is to say, a speaker of God’s truth. And the prophetic word is not your own. It is not the result of your own meditations on the spiritual life, as valuable and correct as those may be. The prophetic word is the word of God given to you by God.

[catolinewsdailyreadings]

Monday of the Third Week of Lent

Readings of Monday, March 24, 2025

Reading 1

2 KGS 5:1-15AB

Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper.  Now the Arameans had captured from the land of Israel in a raid a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman's wife.  "If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria," she said to her mistress, "he would cure him of his leprosy."  Naaman went and told his lord just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said.  "Go," said the king of Aram. "I will send along a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments.  To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy."  When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed: "Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!"  When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king: "Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel."  Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house.  The prophet sent him the message: "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean."  But Naaman went away angry, saying, "I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy.  Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?" With this, he turned about in anger and left.  But his servants came up and reasoned with him. "My father," they said, "if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, 'Wash and be clean,' should you do as he said."  So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.  He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, "Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel. Please accept a gift from your servant."

Responsorial Psalm

PS 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4

R./ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God. R./ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God? R./ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on And bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place. R./ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; Then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God! R./ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Gospel

LK 4:24-30

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: "Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place.  Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."  When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury.  They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong.  But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

[eugene114]

Naaman’s Leprosy Healed

1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper. 2And the Syrians had gone out on[a] raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She [b]waited on Naaman’s wife. 3Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.” 4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

5Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”

So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. 6Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,

Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.

7And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”

8So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”

9Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house. 10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.” 11But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’ 12Are not the [c]Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

[shaykhsiyadalhanbali]



 Home|Blog|The Battle of Yarmouk -Part 1



The Battle of Yarmouk -Part 1

 

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March 634 – 2 Years Before The Battle of Yarmouk

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Heraclius (one of the great leaders of the Byzantine Christian Romans) stood by the window with one hand on the wall gazing down at the city. He stared at the morning bustle in the streets of Constantinople but he wasn’t interested in the life below. He was lost in thought, disturbed by the reports he just received. A Roman Legion defeated by desert nomads!

The engagement at the oasis of Dasin, just outside of Gaza, was a minor skirmish but the Muslim victory sent a shock wave all the way up to Constantinople!

To Heraclius the Arabs were a backward people living in a desert wasteland. The Arabs he knew were an unsophisticated lot in constant conflict with each other, just barely eking out an existence under the unforgiving desert sun. The Arabs were not a military threat let alone a military power they were just a thorn in his side when they did pop out of the desert. He looked down on them as petty raiders looking to snatch camels, goats and sheep; the modern day equivalent of pick pockets.

But united for the first time under the banner of Islam, the Arabs unleashed a gale force wind that would sweep across the Middle East and blow as far East as China and West across North Africa.

The soldiers at Dasin were not raiders but the advance guard of an organized Muslim army with large ambitions. They were sent by the Caliph in Medina with a strategic objective… conquer Syria.

Heraclius wrapped his arms behind his back and staring down at the cobblestone floor he pulled away from the window and trudged his way back towards his chamber. He entered his dimly lit room as his mind raced back four years earlier; the citizenry showered him with honour as he rode through the streets of Constantinople in triumph after defeating the Persians and restoring the Empire’s splendor. It was a glorious time. He clenched his teeth and grimaced. Now was the time to enjoy the fruits of his labour, he did not expect this.

Four Muslim divisions marched through the Holy lands and swept across Jordan, Palestine, up the Mediterranean coast and penetrated as far north as Emessa. The Muslim armies terrorized the countryside but they did not lay siege to any city. He didn’t understand why.

He sat down at his large oak desk illuminated by a red candle sitting at the corner. A parchment with his general’s plan and strategy to stop the Muslim advance lay on his desk.

Heraclius was a military genius and a master organizer. It was due to his incredible abilities that the Roman defeated the Persians and took back Anatolia and the Holy lands. But most important, he recovered the True Cross and brought it back to its rightful place.

Heraclius nodded his head in agreement as he read the plan to concentrate troops at Ajnadein; a strategic location where the Romans could strike at any of the four Muslim divisions in the theater of operations. He had an astute understanding of the situation and immediately understood the thinking behind the plan. First, by placing a large army behind Muslim lines it would stop the advance in its track; the Muslims would have to secure their rear before moving forward and second it gave the Romans the ability to strike back.

He grabbed the candle sitting at the corner of his desk. After four years of idleness his generals had not lost their ability to defend the Empire. He tilted the candle to allow several drops of hot red wax to drip on the plan. He stamped it with his royal seal and sent it off.

He leaned back in his chair and looking up at the ceiling, he asked the good Lord to help him once again!

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THE BURDEN UPON THE SHOULDERS OF AMEERUL MU’MINEEN UMAR (RA)

Umar ibn Khattab (RA) sat in the Prophet’s (SAW) Mosque in Medina burdened with the weight of the nascent ummah on his shoulders. It had only been several weeks since Abu Bakr (RA), the first Caliph of Islam, passed away. Umar (RA) had inherited two wars on two fronts against two superpowers (Romans and Persians) but he was the ideal leader for the trials that lay ahead.

Umar (RA) was a towering figure, stout, firm and resolute. He had a fair complexion with a reddish tint. Although he was Caliph, he despised extravagance. He walked the streets of Medina in garments of wool patched in places with leather. He lived a frugal life.

His anger was well known but he was just and had genuine concern for the people under his rule, he kept their needs central to his leadership. His vision was to ensure that everyone in his domain slept on a full stomach.

Umar (RA) was known to have said:

“If a dog dies hungry on the banks of the River Euphrates, Umar will be responsible for dereliction of duty”. –Umar (RA)

Such was his sense of responsibility to his people.

______ …. ______

The Sahaba sat in a semi circle around their new leader. The Majlis-al-Shura included Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib and Abdur Rahman bin Awf; giants who were some of the closest Companions of the Prophet (SAW).

Umar (RA) sat crossed legged leaning against a wall. He read out loud the reports filtering in from Syria. The Sahaba’s faces were lit with expressions of relief as they listened.

Khalid bin Waleed (RA) had just recently entered Syria with 9000 veterans from the Persian campaign in Iraq and assessed the situation. The Muslim force of 32,000 were scattered across the land with 90,000 Romans concentrated at Ajnadein behind Muslim lines. The Roman concentration at Ajnadein had to be dealt with before further conquests could be made otherwise the Muslim forces would be picked off one division at a time. Khalid (RA) ordered all commanders to converge at Ajnadein with haste.

On July 30, 634, Khalid (RA) ordered a general assault and 32,000 Muslims fell upon 90,000 Romans. 50,000 Romans perished including the commander in chief, his deputy and several generals versus 450 dead on the Muslim side. The Roman army of Ajnadein cease to exist. Those who survived sought refuge behind the walls of Jerusalem, Gaza and Jaffa.

It was a crushing victory!

Umar (RA) heard murmurs of “Subhan Allah” in hushed tones from the gathered majlis, he continued.

A week after the mammoth battle, the combined army marched north to Damascus under Khalid’s (RA) orders. On Aug 20, 634 Khalid (RA) laid siege to the city with 20,000 men against a garrison of 15,000 deep inside Roman territory.

After two months of skirmishing with the Roman garrison, Khalid (RA) finally had an opening. Jonas the Greek crossed to the Muslim side and informed Khalid (RA) of a festival. During this festival the people would be drunk and the walls would have a skeleton crew manning them.

Khalid selected 100 of his elite soldiers and scaled the most impregnable point in the defenses. He and his men subdued the few men guarding the wall, dropped down on the other side and opened the gate from the inside. Khalid’s division rushed in and after several hours of fighting the city fell. The loss of Damascus was a staggering blow for Heraclius.

The army rested at Damascus awaiting their next orders.

[jordanianroyals]

Official photo releasted on the occassion of Prince Hashim bin Al Hussein’s 42nd birthday, who was born on June 10, 1981 (8th of Shaban, 1401 Hijri) to the late King Hussein bin Talal and Queen Noor.

He is a 41st generation direct descendant of the Prophet Mohammad and the youngest brother of King Abdullah II. Prince Hashim completed his primary education in Amman and later graduated from high school in the United States in 1999.

In 1999, he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, from which he graduated in 2000, commissioning as a second lieutenant in the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army. He received several awards, including an award for the best aggregate mark in his academic studies for non-British officers.

Prince Hashim graduated with distinction from Georgetown University’s Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service on August 12, 2005, and subsequently completed his higher education in Quran studies at Balqa Applied University in Jordan, graduating on September 5, 2006. On December 1, 2014, he also earned a master’s degree in Defence Studies from King’s College London in the United Kingdom.

During Prince Hashim’s career in the military, he rose through the ranks of the Special Operations Command, serving in all three of its branches Special Forces, Counterterrorism, and the Rangers. In 2015, he was assigned command of the 61st Royal Rangers Battalion (Al Maghaweer) which is specialised in urban, desert, and advanced mountain operations. Prince Hashim’s last active military role was as adviser to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for Special Forces and Rapid Reaction Forces.

During his military career, Prince Hashim completed his Platoon Commanders’ Battle Course in the US at Fort Benning in 2007, where he achieved the best marks among international officers taking part in the training. In 2009, Prince Hashim participated in and successfully completed the Infantry Company Commanders Course in the UAE during which he achieved the highest level of academic excellence, and in 2014 he attended the Advanced Command and Staff College in England (ACSC17) and successfully completed it, earning his Post Staff College (Joint) PSCJ.

On January 12, 2017, a Royal Decree was issued appointing Prince Hashim as His Majesty’s Chief Royal Councillor, and he continued his service until his resignation in September 2020.

Prince Hashim has been sworn in as Regent on several occasions and accompanied King Abdullah II on several official functions.

Prince Hashim is the head of Alfaris International Horseback Archery Championship and is a proficient blade-smith. He also enjoys hiking.

His Royal Highness is fluent in Arabic and English. He studied Hebrew in university and he is a student of the Turkish language.

On January 6, 2006, Prince Hashim married Princess Fahdah and they have five children: Their Royal Highnesses Prince Al Hussein born in June 2015, Prince Al Hassan born in October 2019, Princess Haalah born in April 2007, Princess Raiyah born in July 2008 and Princess Aliyah born in November 2011.

[albertfinch]

RECLAIMING YOUR INHERITANCE IN CHRIST

"Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look now, the place where we live near you is too small for us. Please let us go to the Jordan [River] and let each man take from there a beam [for the building]; and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.' And he answered, 'Go.' Then one said, 'Please be willing to go with your servants.' So he answered, 'I shall go.' So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down [some of] the trees. But it happened that as one was cutting down a beam, the ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, 'Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!'" (2 Kings 6:1-5, AMP)

In this text, the young prophets ask Elisha's permission to go to the Jordan to expand. Their abode had become too small to accommodate them. They had come to a place of expansion and a season of stretching out; however, in the midst of building, one of the young prophets lost his borrowed ax head, and he cried out to Elisha for help.

"The man of God said, 'Where did it fall?' When he showed him the place, Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron [ax head] float. He said, 'Pick it up for yourself.' So he reached out with his hand and took it." (2 Kings 6:6-7, AMP)

The Prophet Elisha asked the young prophet a question – "Where did it fall?"

In essence, he is asking you today, "Where did you lose your God-given supernatural passion to build God's Kingdom (through discipling others into their Christ identity and exhorting them to find their Christ calling).  You may have become a victim of disappointment and self-centeredness.  It is time to get it back.  He is asking you today, “Where did you lose it?"

Where is the place your fire went out?

When did you stop believing to see the impossible?"

WHERE DID YOU STOP BELIEVING

The time that Jesus asked Mary and Martha, "Where have you laid him?" (John 11:34) – referring to Lazarus, who was dead and buried. In other words, in the spiritual sense, He asked them, "Where did you stop believing? Where is the place where you laid down your faith that I would make your brother whole?"

The ax head had been buried in the water, just as Lazarus had been buried in the tomb.

What have you lost?

What has been buried beneath the waters of disappointment?

Did the devil try to convince you that because a certain person rejected you, God has rejected you and your purpose is over?

It's Not Over!

After the young prophet cried out, Elisha did something very intriguing; he threw a stick into the water. Although the stick was something that existed in the natural, it became a tool in Elisha's hand that brought a supernatural exchange. The stick (the natural) was submerged, and the iron ax head (the supernatural) began to "swim"!

RECLAIM YOUR AUTHORITY IN CHIRST

The ax is an apostolic tool for cutting and building. The fact that it was made of iron is interesting. Psalm 2:9 compares the "authority" of Jesus being as an iron rod. Iron is a symbol of authority. "And You will shepherd them with limitless authority, crushing their rebellion as an iron rod smashes jars of clay!" (Psalm 2:9, TPT)

When the young prophet lost the ax head, he had lost his authority. If you have lost your edge, and it has left you frustrated. It may seem to you that it is dead and buried.  Elisha told him, "Pick it back up."

Pick back up your supernatural promise.

Pick back up that dream that has lain dormant.

His promises are swimming toward you. Stretch forth and take hold of them!

ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

[hiswordsarekisses]

I was reminded of how very important everything that concerns us is to our Father as I was reading through 2nd Kings and once again read the story of the axe head in chapter 6. I have always dug and searched and prayed for some deep, secret meaning behind this tiny little story but so far God just keeps taking the story deeper into my heart and saying to me: “nothing is too small, I care deeply about everything that touches you in any way.” This is such a great comfort to me that it carries me through all of the hard things.

“And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us. Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.” Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.” So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.” So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float. Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.” (2nd-Kings‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭7‬)

1 Peter 5:7 – Casting all your care upon Him, because He cares for you.

God wants us to trust Him — with every aspect of our lives. And nothing is either too big or too small in the sight of God. Every tiny detail of our life is important to Him.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord for inviting us to bring all of our concerns to You, and help us to be ever aware that You are always there for us — even in the small things of life. In Jesus Name. Amen.

[nlockett1225]

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a]

2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 2 Kings 5:1-3, 9-14

[bookofkatherine]

Distracted by an Angel #2: Tom Hiddleston Sidelines Thor

Saturday August 24, 2024 2:48 p.m.

Dear Journal,

What the fuck. I knew I shouldn't have opened my phone. I knew it! I had just finished putting the bed together, just set up all the pillows and had just turned the red lamp on too... I was all set and ready to go to help Chris Hemsworth with his spells in the Dreamworld.

And those spells are pretty damned important.

Removing Curses and Spell Traps

Right now Chris is away helping to remove all of the spells, curses and traps placed on John and his son Zach over the years. John is not a celebrity- not in Hollywood anyway. He is most certainlya celebrityin the heavenly realms.

For John is the last and final prophet to join us. His arrival signals the fulfillment of a number of significant end time prophecies. Unfortunately for John, his son and even me, John and I met a long time ago and fell in love.

In fact, that was the original plan in heaven- for John and I to meet, to marry and to have four kids and travel the world together. And we almost did, too. We fell in love before I met Nick, before John had his son Zach and before either of us had a clue about the end of days.

To make a long story short, that put John in the line of fire of a number of jealous angels. We were prevented from ever spending more than three days together, our memories often wiped.

Andcin the end, John walked away from me with a ton of curses on him. Many of those curses included extra disasters for any offspring. Oh, I was cursed as well- a ton of different spells have been discovered within my womb.

But I never had kids. Not on this timeline. But John did. He had Zach. And now is at risk more than John.

And Chris Hemsworth? He cast some of the worst curses on both John and Zach. He has since repented, thank God, for he is the only one that could undo these spells.

And yet still, it's taking a huge team to do work on both father and son. Right now my husband Nick is there, leading the effort. The others there to help are:

Merlin

Dumbledore (Merlin's 3500-year-old twin brother, not to be confused with the Harry Potter Dumbledore)

Roxanna - exorcist with ligtning fingers

Jordan Frisbee - toymaker married to Roxanna (toymaker is the wizarding world term for artifact/magical object maker)

Kyle Redd - potions master

And don't forget:

Chris Hemsworth- like I said

Nick - like I said

Wolf - Stephan's companion is there for emotional support

Many of the curses on Zach were inherited from his father's contact with horcruxes Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Jupiter, Zues, etc.) created long ago. Since we cleaned up those horcruxes earlier this year, we'd forgotten about them. So we weren't treating John or Zach for anything horcrux related.

But thankfully, the Lord reminded me about these horcruxes earlier this week. I felt stupid. We destroy evil things and then we move on. And since we didn't know Zach existed and I hadn't seen John or remembered that we fell in love, we almost missed it.

If it weren't for the Father, bad bad things may have happened. I am so fucking grateful!!!

Anyway - I'm getting distracted again!

Tom the (Clever) Nerd

My point is, I'm able to help with the spells by casting my own. In this case, making love to Chris in the Dreamworld gives him immense doses of energy/the Holy Spirit/the Force. And he probably needs that after days of working this hard to save Zach.

But Tom Hiddleston (Loki, Hephaestus, Adonis, Paris of Troy, etc.) has been at war with Chris Hemsworth for millenia over my affections.

And I fell into his trap.

I stupidly opened my phone as I went to slide off the bed, needing to change just one thing before I began with Chris.

And what was sitting there? This goofy picture from Tom:

Sigh.

It got my attention alright.

I rolled my eyes. He can be such a nerd sometimes. He really is quite goofy - especially when he's happy. But don't let him fool you.

He's diabolical too.

Because the picture he sent immediately after was this:

Goddammit.

How did that boy know I was about to meet with his rival (and yes, brother) Thor!?!?

Probably the same way Thor knew I hopped on Tumblr to write about Chris Evans and John Krasinski just two days ago.

Sigh.

Don't believe all the hype, ladies. Falling in love is hard enough... but falling in love with an angel?

It's dangerous, deadly and fucking frustrating as fuck.

Update

After posting this, I immediately joined Chris Hemsworth (Thor) in the Dreamworld. An hour later I was drenched, as were my sheets and I slumped in a tangle of twisted limbs.

Cap is worried about me. He sees how hard I've been working lately. I used to do only a few spells a week and could handle how much energy passed through me. But lately, as the apocalypse quickens, I've been I've been used for multiple spells daily.

And it's rare if I'm not drenched in sweat, out of breath and in too much pain to move by the end. I am trying to stretch and move and stay limber and healthy by eating enough as well and drinking enough water but it's still a big challenge.

Mostly, I just yearn for rest and sleep now.

But not at the risk of losing Zach- or John.

I choose to press on.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

4th March >> Mass Readings (USA)

Monday, Third Week of Lent 

(optional commemoration of Saint Casimir)

(Liturgical Colour: Violet: B (2))

First Reading 2 Kings 5:1-15ab There were many people with leprosy in Israel, but none were made clean, except Naaman the Syrian (Luke 4:27).

Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram, was highly esteemed and respected by his master, for through him the LORD had brought victory to Aram. But valiant as he was, the man was a leper. Now the Arameans had captured in a raid on the land of Israel a little girl, who became the servant of Naaman’s wife. “If only my master would present himself to the prophet in Samaria,” she said to her mistress, “he would cure him of his leprosy.” Naaman went and told his lord just what the slave girl from the land of Israel had said. “Go,” said the king of Aram. “I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman set out, taking along ten silver talents, six thousand gold pieces, and ten festal garments. To the king of Israel he brought the letter, which read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” When he read the letter, the king of Israel tore his garments and exclaimed: “Am I a god with power over life and death, that this man should send someone to me to be cured of leprosy? Take note! You can see he is only looking for a quarrel with me!” When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king: “Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me and find out that there is a prophet in Israel.”

Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. The prophet sent him the message: “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean.” But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out and stand there to invoke the LORD his God, and would move his hand over the spot, and thus cure the leprosy. Are not the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be cleansed?” With this, he turned about in anger and left.

But his servants came up and reasoned with him. “My father,” they said, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, ‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as he said.” So Naaman went down and plunged into the Jordan seven times at the word of the man of God. His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

He returned with his whole retinue to the man of God. On his arrival he stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 42:2, 3; 43:3, 4

R/ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

As the hind longs for the running waters, so my soul longs for you, O God.

R/ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Athirst is my soul for God, the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

R/ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on And bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling-place.

R/ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Then will I go in to the altar of God, the God of my gladness and joy; Then will I give you thanks upon the harp, O God, my God!

R/ Athirst is my soul for the living God. When shall I go and behold the face of God?

Gospel Acclamation cf. Psalm 130:5, 7

I hope in the LORD, I trust in his word; with him there is kindness and plenteous redemption.

Gospel Luke 4:24-30 Like Elijah and Elisha, Jesus was sent not only to the Jews.

Jesus said to the people in the synagogue at Nazareth: “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.