#oH this is such a lent and Easter series to read

[dimsilver]

finished the empty grave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[whiteclericmaris]

In my younger years I accepted that I would always be drawn to certain "cartoons/animations". I know some people say "It's just a cartoon" and dismiss the messages some of the series themselves have in a similar way that people dismiss religions. I gave myself the nickname colorfulwatcher in my tumblr account as a basis for this as the cartoons/anime that I was drawn to would usually be colorful. I know Yu-Gi-Oh! Is a prime example of this with the "outrageous" hair some characters have and I do remember a comment somewhere that said "I can't take it seriously with the outrageous hair".

So I would watch anime/cartoon that would be recommended to at least watch and I do prefer sub instead of dub.

When I was younger I didn't really like Yu-Gi-Oh! When advertise on TV. There was just something I didn't like and I don't know if it was the style. However one day I got to watch one episode and I was hooked to it. This was mainly DM back in the day when TV and not streaming was your only option. I don't remember what it was exactly that caught my attention but I was hooked.

Granted Kazuki Takahashi has sadly passed away but I will say that his legacy with Yu-Gi-Oh! To the point of making a trading card game that is still being sold to this day is awesome! Just seeing how much art has been created and converted to a trading card game is cool!

There is something that is charming about Yu-Gi-Oh! and there was a question posed by my Mom about "What will Yu-Gi-Oh! (And Pokemon) teach you about life?" Granted my Mom apologized as when I was younger I couldn't respond to this question and it made me sad and frustrated. As she plays Pokemon Go she said that she sees it brings a community as there were some friends she made through the game. Yu-Gi-Oh! Also brings a community as I remember when younger that I would trade some cards of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! With other classmates back when there would barely be TV and if you wished to see a series you'd have to watch it at a scheduled time.

I remember making my own 'OCs' and writing about them going on adventures with Pokemon as to be honest 'school could barely keep my attention'. Whenever there would be a class I started a habit of writing about my own 'OC' incorporating the knowledge that was passed down through classes and the place that this was most evident was in science class. I remember writing about how magicians could control their cells and even recently I did some worldbuilding with some of those OC's but eliminating the Pokemon. It's interesting where "Oh gosh they would be around their early 40s" and what to come up with would lead you too.

I had an idea about my OC's wanting to publish them as a children's book series. I even had the plan that each of the books would focus around the age of the characters when young to teenager to young adult and adult as there were 4. I didn't do it but I still have fun with my OC's thinking thoughts about what they would do at the moment to commissioning art of them.

In my adult years I thought why not have these 4 (later a 5th) be of different religious background. My main OC would be of "Christian connotations" as although they didn't partake of lent and things like easter mainly focused on the easter bunny. It's how I was raised in my early childhood as the only thing that was Christian connotation celebrated was Christmas. My second main would be pagan/witch culture. My third Jewish and my fourth Santeria. That way we can really say we are in the United States of America as there are people with different religions that can be friends in school.

These OC's have led me to certain adventures and I remember acting out/playing with 'dolls' with my OC more about the magic world and magicians because I always liked magic. Imagine my surprise when I started reading the Bible and in the old testament one thing mentioned by GOD to Moshe was that they will not do the same thing as magicians. I don't remember the exact verse but wizardry/magicians were mentioned in the Bible/Torah (as there were magicians/wizards in Egypt) and it really hit me as one of my favorite tropes was magic and how often it is portrayed in works of 'fiction'.

These days I barely watch as much anime/cartoons as before and I find it hard to choose something to watch when streaming in TV. I haven't forgotten how much Yu-Gi-Oh! and other animes made me feel as I still reblog some pokemon and yugioh artworks. The fanart posted by the brave artists still makes me feel some comfort sometimes to the subject.

However after Pokemon Sword and Shield experience with having to purchase Pokemon Home and the downloadable content I decided that it would be the last Pokemon Games I would experience. As a part of a higher calling I donated most of my Pokemon games and console to St. Jude. Trying to play a Pokemon game I don't find the same entertainment as I did when I was a child and I have learned that GOD does not like Pokemon and to be fair the whole Pokemon games sound like familiars which are also mentioned in the Bible/Torah. I remember how amazed I was that the Torah even mentions some things that are relevant in the present day.

[aion-rsa]

Marvel's Punisher Comics Reading Order

http://bit.ly/2T7X9FN

Does Jon Bernthal as The Punisher on Netflix have you hungry for more Frank Castle action? These are the comics you should read next.

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Feature

TV

Marc Buxton

The Punisher

Jan 22, 2019

Marvel

And death has come to Netflix. Jon Bernthal's The Punisher has once again been unleashed on the world and finally, after three live action attempts, fans finally have the Frank Castle they deserve. It's about damn time, too. You would think the elegant brutal simplicity of the Punisher would have been easy for Hollywood, but no. But here we are, so let the body count begin.

But long hard roads are very familiar to the Punisher. For decades, starting in Amazing Spider-Man #129 by Gerry Conway and Ross Andru, the Punisher has been trying to eradicate crime in the Marvel Universe. In the '80s and '90s, his popularity peaked and the character starred in three monthly titles, countless mini series and specials, and tons of guest spots.

In recent years, a murderers row of comic creators have lent their talents to the Punisher saga, adding to the bloody legend of Frank Castle. So without further ado, strap on the Kevlar as we present the finest and bloodiest Punisher tales of all time!

Punisher: Circle of Blood 

Before 1986, the Punisher was relegated to frequent guest roles. Now, some of these guest spots were pretty damn awesome, such as Frank Miller's use of the character in the writer's unforgettable Daredevil run, but until Steven Grant and Mike Zeck delivered the Punisher's very first solo series, he never took the top spot.

In Circle of Blood, the Punisher told the New York underworld that he had killed the Kingpin. This resulted in a bloody turf war that allowed the Punisher to rack up the body count. When things got too incendiary, Castle had to clean up his own mess.

read more: Complete Guide to Marvel Easter Eggs in The Punisher Season 2

Grant created the formula for all Punisher tales to follow while Zeck inspired visual storytelling that would guide the character for decades. And let me tell you, this bad boy still holds up to modern comic standards.

Buy The Punisher: Circle of Blood on Amazon.

Punisher: War Zone

In the early '90s, Marvel was publishing three separate Punisher titles. When Punisher: War Zone hit in 1992, you would have thought that the vigilante would have been over exposed and tired. Well, the creative team of Chuck Dixon, John Romita, and Klaus Janson proved that wrong right out of the gate.

In this unforgettable story, Frank Castle goes undercover to systematically take the mob apart from the inside. The only problem is, Frank falls in love with a mobster's daughter. Sounds like a wacky comedy, but oh dear, it wasn't. There is a body count and a half as Dixon proves why he is considered one of the greatest Punisher writers in history.

read more: The Punisher Season 2 Ending Explained

This story was sort of like The Sopranos done Marvel style, but with Frank Castle in the picture, Paulie Walnuts wouldn't have been cracking too many jokes, he would have just been twitching in a dark alley from a high caliber slug to the guts.

Buy Punisher: War Zone on Amazon.

Welcome Back, Frank

Hey, remember when I said there never could be too much Punisher? Yeah, I lied. By the late '90s, a market glut and piss poor storytelling did what no hitman could ever do, they nearly killed the Punisher. Some of the worst Punisher dreck was published during that period. There was even a series where the Punisher became an angel! As in, an honest to goodness heaven sent angel.

read more: The Punisher and the Bloody Legacy of Marvel's First Superhero Movie

But when Preacher creators Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon introduced their take on the Punisher, fans said yes to Welcome Back, Frank. Welcome Back, Frank was a return to the Punisher's roots, a hard hitting killing spree that was as brutal as it was funny. Ennis and Dillon introduced a ton of unique characters to the Punisher mythos and reminded fans of why they fell in love with Frank Castle and his bloody knuckled world in the first place. It even featured the Punisher punching a polar bear in the face, and if that won’t sell you on Welcome Back, Frank, nothing will.

Buy The Punisher: Welcome Back, Frank on Amazon.

Born and Beyond...

Let's be honest, any Punisher tales with Ennis' name attached as writer is worth your time. He is the greatest Punisher writer of all time and had a ridiculous long run with the character. When Ennis first started on the Punisher, he presented some action packed but often humorous stories. In the middle of his legendary run, Ennis turned on a dime and shifted tonal gears making his Punisher one of the grimmest and most potently violent monthly comics in Marvel history.

read more: The Punisher and the Dark Myth of the Real Life Vigilante

"Born" is an intense Vietnam War story that served as the kickoff of Ennis' second act as Punisher writer, and the stories that followed took him back to the streets of NYC. This time, though, he toned down the over-the-top violence and humor of the "Welcome Back, Frank" era in favor of more grounded, even more brutal stories that had little to do with the Marvel Universe at large. Kind of like his Netflix series.

Comics just don't get much darker than this. One story in particular, "Slavers" starts out like a typical Punisher story, but ends as Frank Castle learns the reality of human sex trafficking and vows to bring down Russian sex slavers. It's one of the most brutally honest and unflinching real world stories Marvel has ever published. If you want comics that have the flavor of the Netflix series, these are the ones to read.

Start with Punisher: The Complete Collection Volume 1 and then carry on from there!

Punisher: Enter the War Zone (2011-2012)

Famed crime and comic writer Greg Rucka's Punisher doesn't speak much, but he doesn't have to. During Garth Ennis' long run on the Punisher, Frank Castle didn't have too many interactions with the Marvel Universe. But during Rucka's time as writer, the Punisher got involved with Daredevil, Spider-Man, and the Avengers, the latter of which tried to bring Frank Castle down once and for all.

read more: The Punisher and the Secret History of Jigsaw

These stories introduced the character of Rachel Cole, a woman who used to serve under Frank Castle in the US Marines. Cole's entire wedding party, including her parents and husband, were killed in a mob hit gone wrong during. This bride of death became one of the richest supporting characters ever to appear in a Punisher comic and her time with Castle was unforgettable. Rucka basically focuses on those the Punisher influencd during his endless war and in doing so, gives readers a realistic idea of what kind of force of nature Frank Castle truly is.

Buy The Punisher: Enter the War Zone on Amazon.

from Books http://bit.ly/2R33CzL

[pamphletstoinspire]

Our Lady of Sorrows  - (The Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary) September 15th - Both Calendars

Dear Mother of Sorrows, … let me mingle tears with thee, mourning Him who mourned for me, all the days that I may live ... (Stabat Mater - v.12)

Devotion to the Sorrows of Mary has always been a favorite devotion among Catholics. It has been sanctioned by the Church and introduced into the Missal and Breviary. In order to keep before our minds the inexpressible sufferings endured for us by the Mother of God while she lived here on earth with her Divine Son, the Church observes two feasts in honor of the Seven Dolors of Mary; one on the Friday before Good Friday and the other on September 15th. She has enriched with numerous indulgences the Rosary of the Seven Dolors, as well as a number of other devotions to the Mother of Sorrows. How touching is the beautiful hymn, Stabat Mater Dolorosa, which the Church intertwines with the public recitation of the Way of the Cross. The Church spares no pain to induce her children to venerate the sufferings of their Heavenly Mother. Seven of her sorrows have been chosen for our special veneration. Holy Church recalls to our mind only seven of Our Lady’s Dolors, but who could form an estimate of their real number! The sufferings of the Mother of God cannot be comprehended; they are inconceivable. But although her whole life was, like that of her Divine Son, a continuous series of sufferings and tribulations, the greatest woes and trials came to her during the week of the bitter passion and death of Jesus, when the storm of hatred and fury burst forth with all violence against Him. The precise object of the devotion to Our Lady of Sorrows consists of a heartfelt and sincere compassion for the Sorrows which the most holy Virgin endured through her whole life, especially for her long martyrdom, which began with the prophecy of holy Simeon and was consummated on Calvary.

Devotion to the sorrows of Mary should be practiced especially by souls who wish to rid themselves of sinful habits. This devotion nourishes the spirit of compunction, affords great consolation, strengthens confidence in God’s mercy, draws down the special protection of the Blessed Mother in the hour of temptation and preserves the converted sinner from relapsing into sin. The Mother of God once said to her faithful servant St. Bridget: "No matter how numerous a person’s sins may be, if he turns to me with a sincere purpose of amendment, I am prepared forthwith to receive him graciously, for I do not regard the number of sins he has committed, but look only upon the dispositions with which he comes to me; for I feel no aversion in healing his wounds because I am called and am in truth the Mother of Mercy." One of the gifts granted to those who have a devotion to the Dolors of Mary is the grace of a good and holy death. In recompense for her fidelity in remaining near to Jesus as He died on the Cross. Our Lady of Sorrows has received from Him a special power to assist souls in their last agony and no doubt she will above all exercise the power in behalf of those who have wept with her and compassionated her.

Our Lord once said to Veronica of Binasco: "My daughter, the tears which you shed in compassion for My sufferings are pleasing to Me, but bear in mind that on account of My infinite love for My Mother, the tears you shed in compassion for her sufferings are still more precious."

SCRIPTURE QUOTES AND MEDITATIONS FOR EACH SORROW

1. The prophecy of Simeon: "And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that out of many hearts thoughts may be revealed" (Luke II: 34-35) Meditation: How great was the shock to Mary’s Heart at hearing the sorrowful words, in which holy Simeon told the bitter Passion and death of her sweet Jesus, since in that same moment she realized in her mind all the insults, blows, and torments which the impious men were to offer to the Redeemer of the world. But a still sharper sword pierced her soul. It was the thought of men’s ingratitude to her beloved Son. Now consider that because of your sins you are unhappily among the ungrateful.

2. The flight into Egypt: "And after they (the wise men) were departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in sleep to Joseph, saying: Arise and take the child and His mother and fly into Egypt: and be there until I shall tell thee. For it will come to pass that Herod will seek the child to destroy Him. Who arose and took the child and His mother by night, and retired into Egypt: and He was there until the death of Herod" (Matt. II: 13-14).

Meditation: Consider the sharp sorrow which Mary felt when, St. Joseph being warned by an angel, she had to flee by night in order to preserve her beloved Child from the slaughter decreed by Herod. What anguish was hers in leaving Judea, lest she should be overtaken by the soldiers of the cruel king! How great her privations in that long journey! But consider how often you have renewed that bitter grief of Mary, when your sins have caused her Son to flee from your heart.

3. The loss of the Child Jesus in the temple: "And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the Child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and His parents knew it not. And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day’s journey, and sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And not finding Him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking Him" (Luke II: 43-45) Meditation: How dread was the grief of Mary, when she saw that she had lost her beloved Son! And as if to increase her sorrow, when she sought Him diligently among her kinsfolk and acquaintance, she could hear no tidings of Him. No hindrances stayed her, nor weariness, nor danger; but she forthwith returned to Jerusalem, and for three long days sought Him sorrowing. Great be your confusion, O my soul, who has so often lost your Jesus by your sins, and has given no heed to seek Him at once, a sign that you make very little or no account of the precious treasure of divine love.

4. The meeting of Jesus and Mary on the Way of the Cross: "And there followed Him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented Him" (Luke XXIII: 27).

Meditation: Come, O ye sinners, come and see if ye can endure so sad a sight. This Mother, so tender and loving, meets her beloved Son, meets Him amid an impious rabble, who drag Him to a cruel death, wounded, torn by stripes, crowned with thorns, streaming with blood, bearing His heavy cross. Ah, consider, my soul, the grief of the blessed Virgin thus beholding her Son! Who would not weep at seeing this Mother’s grief? But who has been the cause of such woe? I, it is I, who with my sins have so cruelly wounded the heart of my sorrowing Mother! And yet I am not moved; I am as a stone when my heart should break because of my ingratitude.

5. The Crucifixion: "They crucified Him. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, His Mother. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, He saith to His Mother: Woman: behold thy son. After that he saith to the disciple: Behold thy Mother" (John XIX: 18, 25-27).

Meditation: Look, devout soul, look to Calvary, whereon are raised two altars of sacrifice, one on the body of Jesus, the other on the heart of Mary. Sad is the sight of that dear Mother drowned in a sea of woe, seeing her beloved Son, part of her very self, cruelly nailed to the shameful tree of the cross. Ah me! How every blow of the hammer, how every stripe which fell on the Savior’s form, fell also on the disconsolate spirit of the Virgin. As she stood at the foot of the cross, pierced by the sword of sorrow, she turned her eyes on Him, until she knew that He lived no longer and had resigned His spirit to His Eternal Father. Then her own soul was like to have left the body and joined itself to that of Jesus.

6. The taking down of the Body of Jesus from the Cross: "Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counselor, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking Him down, wrapped Him up in the fine linen" (Mark XV: 43-46).

Meditation: Consider the most bitter sorrow which rent the soul of Mary, when she saw the dead body of her dear Jesus on her knees, covered with blood, all torn with deep wounds. O mournful Mother, a bundle of myrrh, indeed is thy Beloved to thee. Who would not pity thee? Whose heart would not be softened, seeing affliction which would move a stone? Behold John not to be comforted, Magdalen and the other Mary in deep affliction, an Nicodemus, who can scarcely bear her sorrow.

7. The Burial of Jesus: "Now there was in the place where He was crucified, a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein no man yet had been laid. There, therefore, because of the parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the sepulcher was nigh at hand" (John XIX: 41-42).

Meditation: Consider the sighs which burst from Mary’s sad heart when she saw her beloved Jesus laid within the tomb. What grief was hers when she saw the stone lifted to cover that sacred tomb! She gazed a last time on the lifeless body of her Son, and could scarce detach her eyes from those gaping wounds. And when the great stone was rolled to the door of the sepulcher, oh, then indeed her heart seemed torn from her body!

Note: If we come to the liturgy of Lent, Holy Week and Easter without a sustained meditation on the sufferings of Jesus and Mary, we are highly unlikely to value them properly. That is why we have devotions like the Way of the Cross, Mary’s Way of the Cross, the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary and the Lent of Our Lady. Hymns, psalms, readings, and prayers will assist us powerfully to enter into the living personalities of Jesus and Mary and their passing over from life through death and back to life again, for us and our salvation.