#the invocation of virgin mary specifically…

[gaslightgirlsummer]

okay i need you guys to walk with me for a moment because i was just overwhelmed with a vision and have nowhere else to put it:

hellfire of the hunchback of notre dame fame, but it’s tedesco singing about benitez

[ufamsetobije]

OVAKO ZLO NAPADA - fra Stjepan Brčina   SÅ SANT AMEN ! · Nov 2 “Without God, man builds his hell on earth.” — Cardinal Robert Sarah https://pic.x.com/W4nqFRZlWt Replying to @Sachinettiyil and @Card_R_Sarah Former Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf says his family will leave the UK due to the rise of the far-right and Islamophobia. https://pic.x.com/eSxyUDF3bB https://youtu.be/4EqA99K6NBo?si=HfcJDFDmMKUIWBai youtube.com Zašto Vam U Životu Ne Ide Dobro Fra Ivo Pavić — Žalosno Je Da naš Svijet Traži Sreću U Smeću https://www.facebook.com/NoveEvangelizacija Fr. Charbel Abernethy @philokalia_min The Jesus Prayer is an appeal addressed specifically to Jesus Christ. It speaks of his Godhead, calling him “Lord” and “Son of God”. At the same time we address him by his earthly name “Jesus”, the name given to him at his human birth in Bethlehem by his mother the Virgin Mary and his foster-father Joseph. Thus in the Jesus Prayer we confess our faith in the central truth of Christianity: that Jesus is fully and entirely God and at the same time fully and entirely human, one single person in two complete natures. The cross and resurrection are not explicitly mentioned in the Jesus Prayer, but they are, of course, implicit. We are calling upon the total Christ. At the same time the Jesus Prayer is not only Christological but Trinitarian. By invoking Jesus as “Son of God”, at once we think also of his Father. Furthermore, the Spirit is likewise present in the Prayer, although he is not named. One of the Scriptural texts quoted by almost every writer on the Jesus Prayer is 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say ‘Lord Jesus’ except in the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit, while remaining anonymous, is the embracing ‘environment’ of the invocation of the Name. We can apply this to the Jesus Prayer: the Holy Spirit is the ‘atmosphere’ in which the Prayer is said. Reciting the Jesus Prayer, then, we are praying in the Spirit to Christ, and through Christ to the Father. All three persons in the Trinity are included. The Jesus Prayer draws us into the perichoresis of the Trinity, the interchange or unceasing movement of mutual love that passes between the Eternal Three. There is within this Trinitarian Jesus Prayer a tidal wave, a pattern of ascent and return. We mount up towards God in adoration as we say the first part of the Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…”. Then we return to ourselves in grateful repentance, “…have mercy on me, a sinner.” Thus the Jesus Prayer, more particularly in its expanded form (“…a sinner��), embraces the two primary ‘moments’ of Christian devotion: doxology, the ‘moment’ of gazing upwards towards God’s glory; and compunction, the ‘moment’, both sorrowful and yet joyful, when we acknowledge that we are sinners who have been forgiven. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (d. 2022) · Nov 2 “Without God, man builds his hell on earth.” — Cardinal Robert Sarah https://pic.x.com/W4nqFRZlWt Replying to @Sachinettiyil and @Card_R_Sarah Former Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf says his family will leave the UK due to the rise of the far-right and Islamophobia. https://pic.x.com/eSxyUDF3bB https://youtu.be/4EqA99K6NBo?si=HfcJDFDmMKUIWBai youtube.com Zašto Vam U Životu Ne Ide Dobro Fra Ivo Pavić — Žalosno Je Da naš Svijet Traži Sreću U Smeću https://www.facebook.com/NoveEvangelizacija Fr. Charbel Abernethy @philokalia_min The Jesus Prayer is an appeal addressed specifically to Jesus Christ. It speaks of his Godhead, calling him “Lord” and “Son of God”. At the same time we address him by his earthly name “Jesus”, the name given to him at his human birth in Bethlehem by his mother the Virgin Mary and his foster-father Joseph. Thus in the Jesus Prayer we confess our faith in the central truth of Christianity: that Jesus is fully and entirely God and at the same time fully and entirely human, one single person in two complete natures. The cross and resurrection are not explicitly mentioned in the Jesus Prayer, but they are, of course, implicit. We are calling upon the total Christ. At the same time the Jesus Prayer is not only Christological but Trinitarian. By invoking Jesus as “Son of God”, at once we think also of his Father. Furthermore, the Spirit is likewise present in the Prayer, although he is not named. One of the Scriptural texts quoted by almost every writer on the Jesus Prayer is 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say ‘Lord Jesus’ except in the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit, while remaining anonymous, is the embracing ‘environment’ of the invocation of the Name. We can apply this to the Jesus Prayer: the Holy Spirit is the ‘atmosphere’ in which the Prayer is said. Reciting the Jesus Prayer, then, we are praying in the Spirit to Christ, and through Christ to the Father. All three persons in the Trinity are included. The Jesus Prayer draws us into the perichoresis of the Trinity, the interchange or unceasing movement of mutual love that passes between the Eternal Three. There is within this Trinitarian Jesus Prayer a tidal wave, a pattern of ascent and return. We mount up towards God in adoration as we say the first part of the Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…”. Then we return to ourselves in grateful repentance, “…have mercy on me, a sinner.” Thus the Jesus Prayer, more particularly in its expanded form (“…a sinner”), embraces the two primary ‘moments’ of Christian devotion: doxology, the ‘moment’ of gazing upwards towards God’s glory; and compunction, the ‘moment’, both sorrowful and yet joyful, when we acknowledge that we are sinners who have been forgiven. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (d. 2022) · Nov 2 “Without God, man builds his hell on earth.” — Cardinal Robert Sarah https://pic.x.com/W4nqFRZlWt Replying to @Sachinettiyil and @Card_R_Sarah Former Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf says his family will leave the UK due to the rise of the far-right and Islamophobia. https://pic.x.com/eSxyUDF3bB https://youtu.be/4EqA99K6NBo?si=HfcJDFDmMKUIWBai youtube.com Zašto Vam U Životu Ne Ide Dobro Fra Ivo Pavić — Žalosno Je Da naš Svijet Traži Sreću U Smeću https://www.facebook.com/NoveEvangelizacija Fr. Charbel Abernethy @philokalia_min The Jesus Prayer is an appeal addressed specifically to Jesus Christ. It speaks of his Godhead, calling him “Lord” and “Son of God”. At the same time we address him by his earthly name “Jesus”, the name given to him at his human birth in Bethlehem by his mother the Virgin Mary and his foster-father Joseph. Thus in the Jesus Prayer we confess our faith in the central truth of Christianity: that Jesus is fully and entirely God and at the same time fully and entirely human, one single person in two complete natures. The cross and resurrection are not explicitly mentioned in the Jesus Prayer, but they are, of course, implicit. We are calling upon the total Christ. At the same time the Jesus Prayer is not only Christological but Trinitarian. By invoking Jesus as “Son of God”, at once we think also of his Father. Furthermore, the Spirit is likewise present in the Prayer, although he is not named. One of the Scriptural texts quoted by almost every writer on the Jesus Prayer is 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say ‘Lord Jesus’ except in the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit, while remaining anonymous, is the embracing ‘environment’ of the invocation of the Name. We can apply this to the Jesus Prayer: the Holy Spirit is the ‘atmosphere’ in which the Prayer is said. Reciting the Jesus Prayer, then, we are praying in the Spirit to Christ, and through Christ to the Father. All three persons in the Trinity are included. The Jesus Prayer draws us into the perichoresis of the Trinity, the interchange or unceasing movement of mutual love that passes between the Eternal Three. There is within this Trinitarian Jesus Prayer a tidal wave, a pattern of ascent and return. We mount up towards God in adoration as we say the first part of the Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…”. Then we return to ourselves in grateful repentance, “…have mercy on me, a sinner.” Thus the Jesus Prayer, more particularly in its expanded form (“…a sinner”), embraces the two primary ‘moments’ of Christian devotion: doxology, the ‘moment’ of gazing upwards towards God’s glory; and compunction, the ‘moment’, both sorrowful and yet joyful, when we acknowledge that we are sinners who have been forgiven. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (d. 2022) Den söndag 3 november 2024 kl. 16:58:03 CET, Colette Jonsson <colette.johnsson@gmail.com> skrev: Dear Friends, Attached you will find my input for the Couple Prayer and/or the Newsletter piece for next Sunday – 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time -  and for the week following it. I hope you will find it helpful for yourselves in your marriage and family life. Jesus is asked: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” And he gives us the answer that everyone is very familiar with – the commandments of love. We could rephrase that question: “What is the single most important thing for living a full human life?” His answer would be exactly the same – the way of love of God and of one another. You will be in my prayers every day of the week ahead as always. May God bless you in your love for one another. And may God also bless all of us in our commitment to love God with our whole hearts. Then we will find the impetus to love one another in extraordinary ways. God bless you. Please pray for me and for all who will use this reflection in the week ahead. Thank you. Johnny    November 3rd – 9th Christian faith   One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him: “Which is the first of all the commandments”? On the face of it, this looks like a very good question. And it is. However, a lot depends on how it is asked and on the kind of answer that is being looked for. In our minds we can consent easily to the answer that Jesus gives but in how we live our lives it is often different. Jesus teaches us that the only way to full human living is to love God with our whole hearts and to love one another as God’s family. It is difficult to hold with this even in the intimate relationships of marriage and family life because other things become more important to us than our love of God or one another. It is even more difficult when we move out to the areas of social and work life to really live a life of love. This week we are asked to commit ourselves again to this way of life of love and to make that our first priority. 3 – 9 november Kristen tro   En av de skriftlärda kom fram till Jesus och ställde en fråga till honom: "Vilket är det första av alla buden"?  Vid första anblicken ser detta ut som en mycket bra fråga.  Och det är det.  Mycket beror dock på hur den ställs och på vilken typ av svar man letar efter.  I våra sinnen kan vi lätt samtycka till det svar som Jesus ger, men i hur vi lever våra liv är det ofta annorlunda.  Jesus lär oss att den enda vägen till ett fullgott mänskligt liv är att älska Gud av hela vårt hjärta och att älska varandra som Guds familj.  Det är svårt att hålla fast vid detta även i de intima relationerna i äktenskapet och familjelivet, eftersom andra saker blir viktigare för oss än vår kärlek till Gud eller varandra.  Det är ännu svårare när vi flyttar ut till områdena socialt liv och arbetsliv att verkligen leva ett liv i kärlek.  Den här veckan har vi blivit ombedda att återigen förbinda oss till detta sätt att leva av kärlek och att göra det till vår första prioritet. Hej allihopa Den här veckan utmanar Fr. Johnny oss att leva av kärlek och göra det till vår första prioritet. Jesus draws on the strength of  the love  of God to be able to  inspire him to love his neighbour.  Jesus keeps alive the spirit of hope.  There is in Jesus a depth of love that is wider and larger in this world than anything we can imagine which comes from his love of God our Father. Jesus använder sig av kraften i Guds kärlek för att kunna inspirera honom att älska sin nästa.  Jesus håller hoppets ande vid liv.  Det finns i Jesus ett djup av kärlek som är större och vidare än något i denna värld som vi kan föreställa oss, som kommer från hans kärlek till Gud vår Fader. Fr. Sam Bianco. dailytvmass. Den här månaden vill Fr. Johnny att vi minns våra nära och kära som har dött. Det är ett av de många fina inslagen i vår katolska tradition. Det är en personlig hängivenhet. Men det är också en familje- och församlingsandakt, särskilt där kyrkogården ligger i anslutning till eller i närheten av församlingskyrkan.  Vi ägnar hela november månad åt denna praxis, säger Fr. Johnny.  Herre, vi tänker speciellt på alla dem som vi känner som har dött under året. Må det eviga ljuset vila över dem och må dem vila i frid.  Vi nämner dem. Påvens intentioner för November. Att alla föräldrar som sörjer förlusten av ett barn, får stöd av samhället och finner frid och tröst från den  Helige Ande.  Herre, det är en av de värsta saker som kan hända.   Herre, vi överlämnar dem till dig.  Det finns många som sörjer i Ukraina, Gaza, Libanon, Sudan och överallt.  Må där finnas människor som stödjer dem.  Må  de känna sig burna av våra böner.  Jesu Heliga Hjärta, vi litar på Dig. Förbön behövs för en kvinna som har många bekymmer.  Själv får hon cellgifter just nu.  Hennes dotter som har 2 döttrar och väntar       en till vill inte längre leva med sin man utan har en ny kärlek i sitt liv.  Inte nog med detta är hennes Mamma dement med allt lidande för henne och Mamma som det betyder.  Herre, vi lägger kvinnan och hennes intentioner i Dina Heliga Händer.  Var med henne under cellgiftsbehandlingen. Må biverkningarna vara milda. Må hon bli helad till kropp och själ.  Vi ber dig Herre att gripa in i dotterns liv. Det verkar komplicerat. Hjälp henne och hennes man att förstå vad som håller på att hända.  Hjälp dem att kunna prata med varandra och förstå varandra, förlåta varandra och om möjligt återförenas. Låt inte barnen bli sårade. Vi överlämnar kvinnans Mamma till dig.  Du vet hur svår den här sjukdomen är för dotter och Mamma. Må hela familjen känna sig burna av våra böner.  Ge Kvinnan kraft och styrka för att kunna klara av allt som händer i sitt liv just nu.  Jesu Heliga Hjärta, vi litar på Dig. Herre, var med alla som lider.  Låt inte ett storkrig bryta ut. Ge oss dialogens gåva.  Herre, ge oss fred i våra hjärtan, fred i familjen och fred i världen. Jesu Heliga Hjärta, vi litar på Dig. Vi ber för alla våra personliga intentioner. Come Holy Spirit, Fill the Hearts of Your Faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created and You will renew the face of the earth. Kom Helige Ande, fyll dina trognas hjärtan och tänd i dem Din kärleks eld. Sänd ut Din Ande och vi skall bli väckta och Du skall förnya jordens ansikte. Varma hälsningar, Colette

[martinwilliammichael]

Why the First Five Saturdays devotion?

“Saturday has long been dedicated to commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and as a singular day of devotion to her,” said Michael Podrebarac, archdiocesan consultant for liturgy and sacramental life.

“In the messages received by the children at Fatima, Mary asked that people express their devotion to her and acceptance of her message. . . . It’s a practical way to dedicate one’s intentions to the prayerful assistance to Our Lady in heaven through her Immaculate Heart,” he said.

The Blessed Virgin Mary always directs us to do the will of her son Jesus, and so the First Saturdays devotion helps us to strive to live a life in imitation of Jesus. Also, the devotion is fitting because Mary is a powerful intercessor for us before the throne of Jesus in heaven, and is our mother, too.

“I think it also involves being open to the ‘spirit of Mary,’ to open ourselves to the way Mary does things — always being open to her Son, always being open to the will of God, treasuring the mysteries of salvation in her heart,” said Podrebarac. “We can do those things, too.”

The term “reparation” means to make amends for a wrong, and this is an important thing that some Catholics may not understand.

“A prayer of reparation is simply an invocation of mercy,” said Podrebarac. “I can make reparation for the sins of my neighbor — not that I can make up for or undo them, but I can help by my prayer to do what is possible to set things right. And the only way is through the Lord’s mercy and grace. Prayers of reparation are specifically asking that mercy and grace be applied to the situation.”

Mary is the perfect ambassador of Christ, he said. Where he is wounded by our sins, she is wounded. Where he is grieved by our sins, she is grieved.

There are many benefits to keeping the First Saturdays devotion, said Podrebarac. It places us in greater communion with Our Lady, it shows concern for our soul and others, it enables us to cooperate in the divine mission of Jesus and is good spiritual discipline.

“It’s something we can do that is very concrete that has a simple and direct objective and is not hard for us to do, although it requires us to commit some sacrifice,” said Podrebarac. “Prayer is simply good for our souls. It’s nourishment for our spiritual lives.”

Joe Bollig, March 22, 2024

www.theleaven.org

[hieromonkcharbel]

The Jesus Prayer is an appeal addressed specifically to Jesus Christ. It speaks of his Godhead, calling him “Lord” and “Son of God”. At the same time we address him by his earthly name “Jesus”, the name given to him at his human birth in Bethlehem by his mother the Virgin Mary and his foster-father Joseph. Thus in the Jesus Prayer we confess our faith in the central truth of Christianity: that Jesus is fully and entirely God and at the same time fully and entirely human, one single person in two complete natures. The cross and resurrection are not explicitly mentioned in the Jesus Prayer, but they are, of course, implicit. We are calling upon the total Christ.

At the same time the Jesus Prayer is not only Christological but Trinitarian. By invoking Jesus as “Son of God”, at once we think also of his Father. Furthermore, the Spirit is likewise present in the Prayer, although he is not named. One of the Scriptural texts quoted by almost every writer on the Jesus Prayer is 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say ‘Lord Jesus’ except in the Holy Spirit.” The Spirit, while remaining anonymous, is the embracing ‘environment’ of the invocation of the Name.

We can apply this to the Jesus Prayer: the Holy Spirit is the ‘atmosphere’ in which the Prayer is said. Reciting the Jesus Prayer, then, we are praying in the Spirit to Christ, and through Christ to the Father. All three persons in the Trinity are included. The Jesus Prayer draws us into the perichoresis of the Trinity, the interchange or unceasing movement of mutual love that passes between the Eternal Three.

There is within this Trinitarian Jesus Prayer a tidal wave, a pattern of ascent and return. We mount up towards God in adoration as we say the first part of the Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…”. Then we return to ourselves in grateful repentance, “…have mercy on me, a sinner.” Thus the Jesus Prayer, more particularly in its expanded form (“…a sinner”), embraces the two primary ‘moments’ of Christian devotion: doxology, the ‘moment’ of gazing upwards towards God’s glory; and compunction, the ‘moment’, both sorrowful and yet joyful, when we acknowledge that we are sinners who have been forgiven.

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Quick question sorry if this has been asked before: do you know any Johnlock fanfic where they’re extremely sensual? Like not just making love but just super methodically drawn out and slow and sweet?

Hi Nonny!!

Ahh, because of this ask, I went through my bookmarks to see if I have any listed with “sensuality” so that’s what this list is!! It definitely doesn’t have all of my fics because I have to go back through them and tag them, but in the meantime, enjoy what I started tagging a few months ago when you sent me this ask, LOL <3

As always, add your own fics here, Lovelies!!

SENSUALITY

See also:

Emotional Love Making || [MOBILE POST]

Emotional Love Making Pt. 2

Loved. by inevitably_johnlocked (G, 1,231 w., 1 Ch. || First Sherlock POV, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Nose Kisses, Morning After, Love Confessions, Morning Cuddles, Emotional Sherlock, Sentiment, Bed Sharing) – Sherlock reflects on his relationship with John. Part 5 of I-J's Tumblr Ficlet Collection

Morning Sunlight by slashscribe (E, 3,565 w., 1 Ch. || PWP, Morning Sex, Fluff, PWP, Established Rel., Soft Idiots) – A thin band of soft morning light peeks between the curtains and stretches across John’s torso, laying dormant across his forearm, dipping into the space between his arm and his chest, illuminating his right nipple but just brushing the edge of his left, disappearing into his armpit, and reappearing again right over Sherlock’s eyes where his head rests, nestled against John’s shoulder. Sherlock is not annoyed by the light’s intrusion on his sleep, not when it rests so soft and tantalizing on John’s skin, a work of unintentionally erotic art. A PWP with so much emotion.

Living Musical by VeeTheRee (G, 4,149 w. 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Hobbies, Summer, Song Fic, POV Sherlock, Painting, Play Fighting, Soft Sherlock, Dancing, Love Declarations, Hair Petting, Promise of Forever) – A one-shot of John and Sherlock being domestic during summer. There is paint, fluff, and music from Imagine Dragons, namely from the album 'Speak To Me', specific song in this one-shot is 'Living Musical'. Part 1 of the Happy Fluffy Johnlock Time series

London Gods by a_different_equation (E, 11,092 w., 5 Ch. || American Gods Fusion || Magical Realism, Sex Magic, True Love, PTSD John, First Kiss/Time, Marathon Sex, Sensuality, Genie Sherlock, Human John, Internalized Homophobia, Star-Crossed Lovers, Soul Mates) – Sherlock Holmes is a jinn who does not grant wishes. However, when Dr. John H. Watson, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan, gets into his cab by "accident", it might not even need magic to grant both men their deepest wish: love.

To be loved by Strange_johnlock (E, 12,436 w., 8 Ch. || Post S3, Established Relationship, First Person POV Sherlock, Pet Names, Soft Sherlock, Mild ADHD, Protective John, Captain Watson, Body Appreciation, Bottomlock, Rough Sex, Travelling for Holidays, Introspection, Sherlock Loves John So Much It Hurts) – John is so deeply integrated into the work, both as my conductor of light, and as a great shot with a vicious right hook who tackles men -and women- no matter their size all in my defense. He protects me with all he can without question, and this loyalty is surely more than I deserve. Or: Sherlock is counting his blessings.

The Invocation of Saint Margaret by Ewebie (E, 15,831 w., 1 Ch. || POV John,  Crossing Timelines, Light Angst, Fluff, Series 3 John / Series 1 Sherlock, The Matchbox, Mushy Romance, First Time, Bisexual John, Pining John, Bottomlock, Love Confessions, Sensuality, Emotional Love Making, Snippets of Time) – When Sherlock Holmes opens the matchbox from The Sign of Three and John finds himself years in the past, back to that first dinner at Angelo's with a much younger Sherlock Holmes. Is he dreaming?

Permanent Fixture by vitruvianwatson (E, 18,836 w., 9 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, They’re Good Parents, Blushing Sherlock, First Kiss/Time, Explicit Consent, Sexual Content, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Big Feelings, Crying, First Kiss, Fluff, Anxious Sherlock, Inexperienced Sherlock, Emotional Communication, Love Confessions) – Now, as Rosie sat curled up against Sherlock’s side, John watched and wondered exactly how he had ended up here. Domesticity had never suited him before, not at any point in his life. His disastrous marriage had been proof of that. But somehow, here in the warmth and safety of 221B Baker Street, here with Sherlock Holmes reading medical jargon to his daughter, Sherlock’s bony feet nudging against his leg, John couldn’t imagine anyplace that would make him happier.

Division by MrsNoggin (E, 19,542 w., 11 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Barista Sherlock, Clingy Sherlock, POV John, John’s Limp, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sensuality, Touching, Virgin Sherlock, Insecure John) – John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes.

Through the Clouds by Mazarin221b (E, 20,004 w., 6 Ch. || Retirement, Sussex, Bees, Home Improvement, First Time, Romance) – Sherlock takes a remarkably early retirement at 47, and convinces John that a change of pace would do them both good. They buy an old cottage on the South Downs, and exchange their nonstop life in Baker Street for quiet contemplation, bee studies, and book writing. They might go completely insane, but sometimes it takes stepping outside of the life you're living to find the life you want. Part 1 of Through The Clouds

How To Unfold a Heart by elwinglyre (E, 25,477 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It, BAMF John, Mentioned Eurus, POV First Person Sherlock, Case Fic, Fluff, Slow Burn, Topping from the Bottom, 3 Yr Old Rosie, Introspection, Sexual Fantasies, John Worship, Ogling, Hand Holding, Kidnapping, Domesticity, Sherlock Whump, First Kiss/Time, Doctor John, Caring John, Soft Sherlock, Sensuality, Touching, Crying, Love Confessions, Anxious Sherlock, Rimming, Toplock, Fingering, Bossy Bottom John) – To Sherlock’s dismay, John’s return to Baker Street with Rosie is only temporary. Sherlock’s daily visits to Regent Park with John and Rosie illuminate his lost childhood memories and missed opportunities. But with each trip to the park, Sherlock also feels a growing sense of hope. That is until the past horrors return unexpectedly in a cryptic note folded in the shape of a heart. To decipher the message, Sherlock must uncover the nature of the hearts around him, including his own.

Lucifer's Gardens by ampersand_ch (E, 32,679 w., 12 Ch. || GERMAN VERSION || Romance, Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Murder, Poison / Drugging, Mystery, John Undercover, Academic Club, Therapy, Rituals, Jungian Archetypes, Doctors & Physicians, Grief/Mourning, Esotericism, Hospitals, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, John Falls In Love With Another Man, Jealous Sherlock, Crying, Doctor John, Hand Holding, First Kiss/Time, Mysticism, Hugging, Touching) – John goes undercover for an investigation as a favour to Lestrade in a village in Suffolk. The events surrounding the case awaken deep-seated fears in Sherlock. While John begins to come to a realisation of what he needs in Lucifer's Gardens, Sherlock tries to find a way to reach John – in more ways than one.

A Promise Made to Be Broken by PlantsAreNeat (E, 37,018 w., 7 Ch. || Fake Relationship, Pining, Slow Burn, RST, Eventual Relationship, POV Sherlock) – A young John makes an ‘if we’re still single at 40, we’ll get together’ pledge to a woman who ends up all wrong for him. She keeps reminding him of the promise, and won’t let go of it. John asks Sherlock to pose as his boyfriend at a family wedding, so as to dash her hopes permanently. Sherlock, who has at last acknowledged his feelings for John, reluctantly agrees despite knowing how painful it will be to ‘have’ John, but not keep him.

Gold Rush by ShirleyCarlton (E, 71,783 w., 17 Ch. || Post S3 / No Mary, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of Past Sexual Abuse, First Kiss, Case Fic, Slow Burn, Alternating POV, Switchlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Marriage Proposal, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abduction, Anxious/Insecure Sherlock, Miscommunication, Emotional Lovemaking) – John has divorced Mary and pops round to 221B one evening to find Sherlock in the middle of a case. As Sherlock tries to find the identity of a young woman’s stalker, John realises he can no longer deny his feelings for Sherlock – which then, to their befuddlement, turn out to be mutual. Shy kisses and tentative embraces ensue. But will Sherlock be able to cast off a shadow from his past that he thinks might prevent John from wanting to stay?

Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,252 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU ||  BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

Against the Rest of the World by SilentAuror (E, 151,714 w., 20 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Hiatus Fic, POV First Person Sherlock, Present Tense, First Kiss/Time, Big Brother Mycroft, Escaping from Capture, Soft Sherlock, Toplock, Insecurity, Infidelity, Travelling, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Depression, Fantasies, Yearning for the Past, PTSD Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation) – Sherlock has been away from London for nine hundred and twelve days and counting, and has no idea what sort of reception to expect when he finally returns.

[adrenalinesaint]

Plots plea

send me “plots please”

… and I’ll respond with  3 (or more)  interesting  plots / relationships / connections I can think of

Jonathan has a nasty habit of visiting churches just to spit at the Virgin Mary and various other religious iconography. Sometimes, he pushes over candles that have been lit in prayer and watches them fizzle out as the wax melts over wick. He’s a hobbyist blasphemer, and for some very specific preternatural beings, these things may or may not be seen as an offense. If one such preternatural being were to follow him for any period of time, they may even discover that parts of him still believe there is an omnipotent being in the sky looming over his every choice, judging him as evil and invalid. Maybe there is a more benevolent force out there. Maybe he needs to see it. Alternatively, Jonathan’s nasty habit of blaspheming has gotten him in deep with the wrong crowd. Certain preternatural beings may judge him as beyond saving, beyond redemption. Maybe the only place for him is the brimstone pit we all know and love. There’s only one angel in Gotham, and she’s the one with her finger on the proverbial trigger.

Jonathan is and always has been intrigued by the occult. Not ever really believing that preternatural forces truly exist -- because, obviously, they cannot be scientifically quantified -- he decides to endeavor into the invocation of a demon one drunken Halloween. However, his intent is overridden by whatever force oversees the machinations of nature. He wanted a demon, but he needed an angel. And so, he’s stuck with this woman that only he -- as far as mortals are concerned -- knows is an angel. Some may call her his guardian angel. But he refers to her as a pain in the ass. A forcible moral compass.

There’s something about Malaikah. Something primordial and ancient. Jonathan observes her as their sphere’s of life converge, and becomes entranced with her in a way he’s never been before. He doesn’t want to kill her. He wants to understand her. He wants to put her in a glass jar and watch her laugh and dance and weep. But because he does not want to kill her, he does not know how to place her into that glass jar. Maybe, when his cards are all out on the table, she won’t need to be. They share that fall from grace -- even though she may not know it. That sensation of once being something beautiful and perfect, only to fall down into the filth of the Earth and become mired in it. Heaven was never attainable for either of them and purgatory is their last chance. 

[pamphletstoinspire]

Church Grants Special Indulgence to Coronavirus Patients and Caregivers

The Apostolic Penitentiary issues a Decree granting special plenary indulgences for those suffering from the coronavirus pandemic, if specific conditions are met.

By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ

On 20 March, the Apostolic Penitentiary issued a decree (click on decree to link of a copy of the decree)  granting plenary indulgences to “the faithful suffering from the Covid-19 virus, commonly known as coronavirus, as well as to healthcare workers, family members and all those who in any capacity, including through prayer, care for them.”

The document comes in response to pastoral, spiritual and sacramental concerns for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic, which has raised “new uncertainties and above all widespread physical and moral suffering”.

The decree is signed by Cardinal Mauro Piacenza, the Major Penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, and the Regent, Father Krzysztof Nykiel.

Conditions for the plenary indulgence

The Decree grants a plenary indulgence to coronavirus patients quarantined by health authorities in hospitals and in their homes if, “with a spirit detached from any sin, they unite themselves spiritually through the media to the celebration of the Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion.”

The plenary indulgence can also be obtained by the faithful if they at least “recite the creed, the Lord’s Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this trial in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards their brothers and sisters, with the will to fulfill the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy father’s intentions), as soon as possible.”

A plenary indulgence is also granted to healthcare workers, family members and all those who, “exposing themselves to the risk of contagion, care for the sick” under the same conditions stated above.

Also, the faithful who offer a “visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic adoration, or read the Holy Scriptures for half an hour, or recite the Holy Rosary, or the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross, or the recitation of the Chaplet of the Divine Mercy” while praying for an end to the pandemic will be granted a plenary indulgence.

A few clarifications

In a note (Click on note to view link to note) accompanying the Decree, the Apostolic Penitentiary provided for some eventualities linked with providing the Sacrament of Reconciliation for those affected by the Covid-19 virus.

The note explained that the diocesan bishop has complete discretion over the administration of collective absolution except where there is an “imminent danger of death” or a “grave necessity.” Individual confession remains the ordinary way of celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Also, if there is need to impart absolution to several faithful, the priest is obliged to inform the diocesan bishop as soon as possible.

Bishops are also tasked with evaluating the level of the pandemic in their respective jurisdictions to be able to set up prudent protocols for the individual celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation that safeguards the sacramental seal.

The note also encouraged setting up groups of voluntary “extraordinary hospital chaplains” who, obeying health norms and in agreement with health authorities, can provide spiritual assistance to the sick and dying.

Indulgences

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, an indulgence is “a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven.” Indulgences are either partial or plenary depending on if they remove part or all of the temporal punishment due to sin.

[profetizamos]

☾ 🌹Flowers and Plants of the Virgin Mary🌹☽

I couldn’t find this information online so I sat down and did my own research and this is what I’ve found. Plants are listed with their suggested association for offerings and rituals based on inference, and then their traditional associations and lore. Only plants widely available or available in North America are listed. Please do not consume anything without researching whether it is food safe! 

🌹 🌹 🌹 🌹 

Arborvitae   Symbol of the Conception

Asters   Symbols of the Nativity of the Virgin

Cherry   According to legend and immortalized in the Cherry Tree Carol, cherry trees bowed down to Mary to let her eat the cherries she was craving when she was pregnant with the baby Jesus

Common Lady's Mantle   Rest, rejuvenation. Also known as Our Lady's Mantle, traditionally placed beneath the pillow for sweet sleep

Cowslip   Unlocking knowledge or emotion. Known as Our Lady's bunch of keys

Cyclamen   Grief. Traditionally represents the piercing grief of the virgin at the death of her son, symbolized by the "drop of blood" found at the center of the blossom of some varieties

Damask roses   According to record damask (or Castile) roses were the flower that Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe miraculously made bloom at Tepeyac and with which St. Juan Diego filled his tilma (cloak). When Juan Diego let the roses spill out, they left behind the famous miraculous image of the Virgin.

Feverfew  Healing. Consecrated to the Virgin in parts of Italy

Hazel   Protection. In Bavarian tradition, hazel trees sheltered the holy family as they fled the wrath of Herod.

Juniper   Protection, driving away evil spirits. In Italian folk tradition, juniper is one of the trees that used its branches to protect the Virgin and Child from the assassins of Herod, and is traditionally used to ward off evil spirits.

Lady's Bedstraw   Peace, rest. Supposedly Mary laid down Our Lady’s bedstraw in manger so Jesus could sleep sweetly.

Lady-tresses orchid   Beauty, femininity. Known as Our Lady’s tresses.

Lily-of-the-valley  Grief, sacrifice. Also known as Our Lady's tears

Milk thistle   Spiritual sustenance, nurturing, motherhood. According to legend, the speckling of plant is from being spotted with Mary's breast milk.

Palm    Protection. Another tree which in Mediterranean legend protected the Virgin and Child as they fled Herod

Pellitory   Eternal life, divination, clear sight. Associated with the Ascension of the Virgin Mary. Known as the herb of the Madonna, in Tuscany it was traditionally gathered on the Feast of the Ascension and hung in bedrooms until the Nativity of the Virgin. If the flowers would opened after being cut, it was seen as a blessing of the Virgin, but if they didn’t, it was interpreted as a sign of divine displeasure

Pomegranate   Fertility, femininity. Known as the apple of the Virgin

Rosemary   Protection. Yet another plant known for protecting the Virgin and child during the flight to Egypt

Roses  Purity, love, the rosary. A classical symbol of the Virgin, who is known as the rose without thorns, symbolizing her freedom from sin. White and red roses are specifically associated with the Visitation.

Sea thrift   Rest, freedom from stress or financial burden. Known as Our Lady's cushion

Snowdrop   Purity. Associated with the Purification of the Virgin

Star of Bethlehem    Hope, birth, devotion. According to legend, the flower is the remains of the star that marked Christ's birth, which Joseph gathered from the field and gave to Mary.

Strawberry    Sweetness, love. Simply a fruit consecrated to the Virgin.    

Sweet grass   Also known as Virgin's grass, this grass has long been associated with Mary and can be burned in invocation, prayer, or cleansing.

Virgin's bower  A symbol of the Assumption of Mary

White iris  A symbol of Mary as the queen of heaven

White lily   Good news, purity. Lilies especially the Madonna lily are classical symbol of the virgin's purity. Because according to lore lilies were borne by the angel of the annunciation, they are special symbols of the Annunciation.

Willow   Protection. Yet another tree which protected the Virgin during the flight to Egypt

Wormwood    Cleansing. Known as the smoke of Our Lady

Sources:

Folkard, Richard. Plant Lore, Legends, and Lyrics. 2nd ed., London, R. Folkard and Son, 1892.

Skinner, Charles M. Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Furits, and Plants: In All Ages and in All Climes. J.B Lippincott Company, 1911.

[a-corndog-named-schibbs]

Fangs, Fur, and Phantoms - Chapter 5

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4

Next Chapter

Back at it again with more spooky fun.  Coran finds weird uses for a communion wafer.  Lance accepts an offer he’d rather refuse.  Answers are finally found.

Note: Contains religion (Note within a note: author was raised Protestant. If you’re familiar with Catholic liturgy and notice she got something wrong, please let her know so she can fix it)

Enjoy!

“God, the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself  and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church, may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

“Amen,” Lance murmured.

“May the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the saints, whatever good you do and suffering you endure heal your sins, help you to grow in holiness, and reward you with eternal life. Go in peace.” Coran said from the other side of the screen.

“Already got the eternal life bit, thanks,” said Lance, under his breath.

“Do we need to do this again so you can confess to sassing a prophet?”

“Nah, I’m good.” Lance stepped out of the confession booth.

“How about Mass?  When was the last time you had that?” Coran asked, also exiting the booth.

“I think I can go without tonight.”

“Well, let’s test that, shall we?” said Coran, reaching over to the altar and picking up a communion wafer from the dish.  He approached Lance and pressed the wafer to his forehead.

Lance winced.  When Coran pulled the wafer away, a slight pink mark appeared where it had been.

“Better to be safe than sorry.  I’ll get the blood bag.”

“It didn’t hurt that much…”

“It’s not supposed to hurt at all,” Coran pointed out, “If you want to take care of your immortal soul then you’ve got to take the treatments.”

Lance sighed, “Oh, all right.”  He certainly understood why he took Mass.  He was the one who had asked Coran to help him find a way to do so, his family’s faith one of the few ties to his past he had left.  That didn’t mean it wasn’t frustrating, having to take Mass nearly every night just so he could walk past a crucifix without fear of getting a headache.

Lance watched as Coran retrieved the cup used specifically for vampire-friendly Mass (no need for the other congregants to drink wine from a cup that had had blood in it the night before) and poured blood from a blood bag into it.  He then recited the invocation and presented Lance with the cup.  Lance drank it down.

“There,” said Coran, “Let’s try this again.”  He picked up the communion wafer and touched it to Lance’s forehead once more.

“Nothing,” said Lance, “Now you’re just a guy holding a cracker up to another guy’s forehead.”

“Good.  That means it worked,” Coran set the wafer down and patted Lance on the shoulder, “I’m glad you stopped by tonight, Lance, it’s always nice to see you.  Tell Keith I said hi and try not to get into too much trouble.”

Lance smirked, “But you’d be out of a job if I didn’t.”

“I’m serious, son.  If you come in here next week and tell me that you’ve…I don’t know…eaten a five-year-old or something—“

“Coran!  I would never!  Five-year-olds aren’t nearly ripe enough to eat.”

Coran raised an eyebrow.

“Kidding, just kidding,” said Lance, “You take care of yourself, Coran.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As Lance exited St. Groggery’s, he noticed a man across the street, standing by a rather expensive-looking car and illuminating the pavement with his phone’s flashlight.

The man looked up and noticed him, ���Excuse me, do you think you can help me with something?”

Lance crossed the street, “What do you need, man?”

“I seem to have dropped my keys, could you help me find them?”

Lance almost didn’t catch the man’s words.  Up close, he was strikingly attractive.  Tall as hell and slender, but not without muscle.  His facial features were an elegant, refined sort of handsome and his long platinum-blond hair showed signs of being well cared-for.

“Sure,” said Lance, “Sure, let me just…” He knelt down and peeked under the car while the stranger held the flashlight, not that he needed it to see in the dark.  After a moment, he spotted the keys and fished them out.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you so much.  I was worried they’d gone down a storm drain.  I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come along.”  The man put his hand on Lance’s arm.  Lance had mixed feelings about the gesture, though he couldn’t seem to bring himself to shake the other man off.

“Oh, it was nothing really.”

“Still, I’d like to show my gratitude in some way.  How about I get you a drink?”

“I, uh, I don’t drink…alcohol.”

“I know,” said the man, pulling the collar of his shirt down slightly to reveal his collarbone.

Bad idea, said Lance’s brain, even as his arms reached for the man and his legs carried him forward.

The man pulled him into a nearby alleyway and pressed him against the wall.  Lance’s head spun.  He could already smell the man’s blood, could practically taste it on his tongue.  It would taste so good to have blood straight from the source for once.  The last time he had had a fresh meal was…

That snapped Lance out of his trance.  The only person he did this with anymore was Keith.  You just got out of confession and already you’re trying to eat from a stranger, what’s wrong with you?  Lance took a step back, “I’m sorry, I really shouldn’t.  I need to get home—“

His words were cut off as the man shoved him backwards against the wall, a hand wrapped around his throat.  Lance tried to shake him off, but the stranger only pushed him harder into the bricks, lifting him off his feet with astonishing strength.  Lance squirmed against the man’s grip.  It would take more than choking to kill him, but the lack of oxygen was making his head spin.

Something hard and pointed pressed against his chest, right above his heart.  Lance looked down.  The man was holding a wooden stake, poised to stab him with it.

“I assume you know what that is.  If you so much as scream, it’ll be the last noise you ever make.”

The man set Lance back on his feet.

“What do you want?” Lance hissed, rubbing his throat.

“You’ve encountered two individuals by the names of Agents Shirogane and Prince, yes?”

“Yeah…” said Lance, remembering the agents that had come to Keith’s house the other day.

“They work for an organization known as the Paranormal Bureau of Investigation.  An organization that hunts down creatures like you and me.”

“What’s your point?”

“I want you to kill them for me.”

Lance’s lip curled in disgust, “Let’s assume I have any intention of humoring you.  Give me one good reason why I should do this.”

“Besides the fact that they would hunt you down and throw you in a cage if they knew what you are?”

Lance shrugged, “Plenty of people have tried to hunt me down before.  No one’s caught me yet.”

“I figured you’d need a bit of extra motivation,” the man pulled out his phone and pulled up an image, “How about this, then?”

Lance’s stomach dropped.  A picture of Keith filled the screen.

“He’s your lover, isn’t he?  Such a handsome boy…It would certainly be a shame if anything unfortunate happened to that lovely face.”

“Listen,” Lance growled, “If you think you can scare me…”

“Not good enough?  How about this, then,”  The man swiped across the screen and an image of two children playing in a backyard slid into view.  The picture was slightly blurry, as though it was taken covertly.

“These are your…oh, what was it?…great-great-grandchildren?  I don’t know how you keep track.  Their names are Nadia and Sylvio, aren’t they?”

“You wouldn’t dare…” whispered Lance.

“You don’t want to know what I would dare to do.”  The man let Lance go.  “You have until Saturday.  If Agents Shirogane and Prince are not dead by then, I will personally track down and kill everyone you love.  Oh, and one more thing,” the man turned and faced Lance once more, “When you do kill those agents, be sure to tell them Lotor sent you.”

***

In addition to its quality coffee and friendly customer service, Mochas & Magic also sold second-hand books.  Allura figured that was as good a place as any to do research on local folklore.

She had decided to perform this particular task solo.  Shiro was busy interviewing Mr. and Mrs. Griffin about the incident and Allura figured she might get better results if she went alone anyway.  If this Colleen woman’s daughter really had information on New Altea’s supernatural population, she might benefit more from a girl-to-girl chat.

As Allura pushed open the door to the coffee shop, she heard Colleen’s voice ring out, “Welcome to Mochas & Magic!  Come on in!”

Colleen was stationed behind the register today.  Beside her was a rather large young man in an apron, sliding trays of blueberry scones into the display case.

“Oh, I remember you,” said Colleen, as Allura approached the counter, “You and that young man were in here yesterday, talking about vampires.”

“Yes, that, uh, that was me,” said Allura, trying to keep her voice down.  The young man in the apron was giving her a strange look.  “You mentioned your daughter knowing a lot about folklore.  I was wondering if I could talk with her for a bit.”

“Well, I’m sure she’d be happy to discuss it with you.  Hunk, do you know where Katie is?”

“I think she’s shelving books right now,” said Hunk, still not taking his eyes off of Allura.

“Thank you,” said Allura, “That’s very helpful of you.”

“Are you writing a YA novel?” said Colleen.

“Hm?”

“Is your research for a YA novel?  We get a lot of authors in here doing research for novels they’re writing.”

“It’s just for a personal project,” said Allura, before making her way to the bookstore section of the shop.

A young woman in her early twenties was stocking the shelves, climbing a stepladder to reach the highest ones.  She had short, brown hair and large, round glasses.

“I’m almost done,” the woman said, “One moment.”

“Are you Katie?” asked Allura.

“Yeah, but you can call me Pidge,” the woman said, stepping down from the ladder, “What can I do for you?”

“I was hoping you could help me find some books on a certain subject,” said Allura, casually scanning the bookshelf nearest to her.

“Depends on the subject, I guess,” said Pidge, “What were you looking for?”

Allura picked up one of the books off the shelf.  The cover was emblazoned with the word Beowulf.  She flipped through the pages idly.  “I’m just looking for information on some of the creatures in this area.”

“Like what?  Foxes and raccoons?”

“More like werewolves and vampires.”

There was the barest flicker of worry on Pidge’s face, but it soon disappeared.  “I hate to disappoint you, ma’am, but creatures like that don’t actually exist.”

“But your mother said people came here to research the subject all the time.”

“Well, yeah, but not like actual researchers.  Cryptid hunters and teen romance novelists, those kinds of people.”

“So you’re saying supernatural beings aren’t actually real?”

“That’s absolutely what I’m saying, yes.”

Without warning, Allura tossed the book she was holding directly at Pidge’s head.  Pidge yelped and held up her hand and the book stopped just short of her face, hovering in midair.

“Are you sure?” said Allura.

Pidge lowered her hand and the book dropped to the ground, falling open, “Well, shit.  You weren’t supposed to see that.”

“Well, now that we’re done with the playacting, we can get straight to business.  What can you tell me about the werewolves in this area?”

But Pidge didn’t seem to be in a cooperative mood at the moment.  “You’re one of the agents who interviewed Keith, aren’t you?” she said.

“So you know Mr. Kogane, do you?  Can you tell me anything about his whereabouts on the night of James Griffin’s death?”

“I knew it!” said Pidge, ignoring her question, “I knew there was some sort of men-in-black thing for supernatural beings.  Are you part of the government?”

“Now who’s being a conspiracy theorist?”

“It’s not a conspiracy theory if you’re right.”

“Look,” said Allura, “I don’t want to accuse your friend any more than you do.  If there’s anything, anything at all you can share with me that might help clear his name, it would go a long way toward helping him.”

Pidge sighed, “Listen, I can’t give you any hard evidence, but whatever you’re looking for, whatever killed Griffin, it’s not a werewolf.”

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you,” said Allura, “but how do you know this?”

“Because I did some scrying.  We went to the place where the body was found and I contacted Griffin’s spirit and saw what he saw when he died.  And let me tell you, it wasn’t a werewolf that killed him.”

“Well, what was it, then?” said Allura, “Can you describe it?”

“It was dark, so Griffin didn’t get a good look at it.  But it was big.  Bigger than a werewolf, that’s for sure.”

“So, a bear?”

Pidge shook her head, “Bigger than that, even.  And it had these horns…”  She held up her hands near her head to illustrate, “And these eyes that glowed and it looked like…like a…”  She glanced down to think and froze.

“Like what?” said Allura.

“Like that.”

Pidge pointed down at the book on the floor by her feet.  It was open to an illustration depicting a huge, horned creature with a human grasped in its enormous hand.  The caption on the page read, “Grendel carrying his prey to his lair”.

For a moment, Pidge and Allura could barely move.  Then, Pidge scooped up the book.  “I have to show this to Hunk.”

“I have to make a phone call,” said Allura as Pidge left the room.

Allura pulled out her cell phone and called Shiro.  “Come on, please pick up, please pick up, it’s important.”

After the second ring, Shiro answered, “Allura?  Something wrong?”

“Shiro, you owe that Kogane kid an apology.”

“Hmm?  Why’s that?”

“Because I think I just figured out what actually killed James Griffin.”

[gaelicwordofthesometimes]

*cracking my Gaelic knuckles*

Ortha nan Gàidheal, also known as The Carmina Gadelica, is a 19th century collection of Celtic Christian hymns, prayers and incantations from A' Ghàidhealtachd

Here's the full hymn for anyone interested (I've underlined Christian language). You say you scoured the internet and couldn't find the rest of it anywhere, but this is a hymn from volume 1 which is readily available online

Interestingly the other Bealltainn blessing right after this one begins with an invocation of the Virgin Mary

You insisted in the replies that Ortha nan Gàidheal isn't a Christian collection and is actually a collection of pagan songs, and yet almost every single entry is explicitly Christian in some way. This hymn is from a section on holidays, including many entries for Christmas, St Columba's Day, The Feast of Mary, St Michael's Day and songs outlining Sabbath observance. In other volumes there are sections on baptisms, prayers for waking and going to bed, thanking God for the new moon, asking God for protection, blessings for specific types of work, and invocations of the saints to name a few

Believe me, Celtic communities have complex feelings about Christianity, and a lot of us mourn the loss of what was there before conversion. But Christianity is also a huge part of Celtic culture; almost all of written Celtic history is Christian. Erasing Christianity from our history just isn't possible without throwing out half of our culture with it

Celebrate Là Buidhe Bealltainn. Celebrate it without the Christian elements if you want (I do to an extent), but don't erase the history. Don't cut out segments from our prayers just because they don't fit your narrative of what Celtic culture and history is like. 19th Century Gaels were Christian, and that's okay

Beltane, The Witch's Night

Beltane is a Gaelic holiday celebrating the first day of may and also as the transitionary period between spring and summer. It's held half way between the Spring Equinox (Ostara) and the Summer Solstice (Litha). It was traditionally celebrate in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. While there are many major Wiccan and Pagan holidays throughout the year, according to The Wheel of the Year, Beltane is one of the four SEASONAL holidays (along with Samhain, Imbolc, Lughnasadh). Beltane's history goes way back, mentioned in some of the earliest Irish literature and plays important roles in most of Irish mythology. It marks the beginning of summer and also the time to drive cattle out into the summer pastures (at least in Ireland for the latter part).

Beltane has come to be known by several names, most commonly Beltane, May Day, and Walpurgisnacht. Walpurgisnacht can be translated to "Walpurgis Night", where Walpurgis doesn't have a direct translation most thing it's an old German word for "magic user". So most translate it to "Witch's Night" even if it's not entirely correct it gets the general message out.

Beltane is celebrate at sundown of April 30th and continued to be celebrated until sundown of May 1st. Most celebrations in modern era include bonfires, feasts, music, dancing, and just general livelihood outside as you dance under the moonlight. It's meant to bring good fortune and good times in the coming summer for plentiful harvest, or if you don't live in Ireland, plentiful success. It was around the 18th century that real records of Beltane started being upkept. In the 19th century, a folklorist by the name of Alexander Carmichael started collecting songs that had to do with Pagan holidays. One such song was a Beltane folksong called Am Beannachadh Bealltain (The Beltane Blessing) which he recorded in his Carmina Gadelica. This is the song:

Beannaich, a Thrianailt fhioir nach gann, (Bless, O Threefold true and bountiful,) Mi fein, mo cheile agus mo chlann, (Myself, my spouse and my children,) Mo chlann mhaoth's am mathair chaomh 'n an ceann, (My tender children and their beloved mother at their head,) Air chlar chubhr nan raon, air airidh chaon nam beann, (On the fragrant plain, at the gay mountain sheiling,) Air chlar chubhr nan raon, air airidh chaon nam beam. (On the fragrant plain, at the gay mountain sheiling.) Gach ni na m' fhardaich, no ta 'na m' shealbh, (Everything within my dwelling or in my possession,) Gach buar is barr, gach tan is tealbh, (All kine and crops, all flocks and corn,) Bho Oidhche Shamhna chon Oidhche Bheallt, (From Hallow Eve to Beltane Eve,) Piseach maith, agus beannachd mallt, (With goodly progress and gentle blessing,) Bho mhuir, gu muir, agus bun gach allt, (From sea to sea, and every river mouth,) Bho thonn gu tonn, agus bonn gach steallt. (From wave to wave, and base of waterfall.)

Aside from bonfires, flowers are also an integral part of celebrating Beltane. Particular the yellow flowers associated with May: hazel, primrose, hawthorn, rowan, grose, and marsh marigold. These flowers are usually hung above doorways and windows as well as worn by dancers around the bonfire. Holy wells and sacred springs are frequented during Beltane.

As it pertains to Wicca, a Beltane altar should include green, white, and light blue candles to invoke the spirits of Summer and bring forth fruitful pastures or fruitful success. The Goddess may be placed as the figure, but I recommend using a figure statue of Gaia or a nymph since they are tied to nature. Place the yellow flowers around the altar and use a green or yellow altar cloth. I recommend using a wooden bowl and pestle and earthier ingredients versus the more liquid ones. But every witch's altar is their own. Do with it what speaks true to you, these are just my recommendations.

Blessed Beltane to all.

[ufamsetobije]

Zašto Vam U Životu Ne Ide Dobro  · Nov 2 "Without God, man builds his hell on earth." - Cardinal Robert Sarah https://pic.x.com/W4nqFRZlWt Replying to @Sachinettiyil and @Card_R_SarahFormer Scotland First Minister Humza Yousaf says his family will leave the UK due to the rise of the far-right and Islamophobia. https://pic.x.com/eSxyUDF3bBhttps://youtu.be/4EqA99K6NBo?si=HfcJDFDmMKUIWBai youtube.com Zašto Vam U Životu Ne Ide Dobro Fra Ivo Pavić - Žalosno Je Da naš Svijet Traži Sreću U Smeću https://www.facebook.com/NoveEvangelizacija Fr. Charbel Abernethy @philokalia_min The Jesus Prayer is an appeal addressed specifically to Jesus Christ. It speaks of his Godhead, calling him "Lord" and "Son of God". At the same time we address him by his earthly name "Jesus", the name given to him at his human birth in Bethlehem by his mother the Virgin Mary and his foster-father Joseph. Thus in the Jesus Prayer we confess our faith in the central truth of Christianity: that Jesus is fully and entirely God and at the same time fully and entirely human, one single person in two complete natures. The cross and resurrection are not explicitly mentioned in the Jesus Prayer, but they are, of course, implicit. We are calling upon the total Christ. At the same time the Jesus Prayer is not only Christological but Trinitarian. By invoking Jesus as "Son of God", at once we think also of his Father. Furthermore, the Spirit is likewise present in the Prayer, although he is not named. One of the Scriptural texts quoted by almost every writer on the Jesus Prayer is 1 Corinthians 12:3, "No one can say 'Lord Jesus' except in the Holy Spirit." The Spirit, while remaining anonymous, is the embracing 'environment' of the invocation of the Name. We can apply this to the Jesus Prayer: the Holy Spirit is the 'atmosphere' in which the Prayer is said. Reciting the Jesus Prayer, then, we are praying in the Spirit to Christ, and through Christ to the Father. All three persons in the Trinity are included. The Jesus Prayer draws us into the perichoresis of the Trinity, the interchange or unceasing movement of mutual love that passes between the Eternal Three. There is within this Trinitarian Jesus Prayer a tidal wave, a pattern of ascent and return. We mount up towards God in adoration as we say the first part of the Prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God…". Then we return to ourselves in grateful repentance, "…have mercy on me, a sinner." Thus the Jesus Prayer, more particularly in its expanded form ("…a sinner"), embraces the two primary 'moments' of Christian devotion: doxology, the 'moment' of gazing upwards towards God's glory; and compunction, the 'moment', both sorrowful and yet joyful, when we acknowledge that we are sinners who have been forgiven. Metropolitan Kallistos Ware (d. 2022)

[martinwilliammichael]

Why the First Five Saturdays devotion?

“Saturday has long been dedicated to commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and as a singular day of devotion to her,” said Michael Podrebarac, archdiocesan consultant for liturgy and sacramental life.

“In the messages received by the children at Fatima, Mary asked that people express their devotion to her and acceptance of her message. . . . It’s a practical way to dedicate one’s intentions to the prayerful assistance to Our Lady in heaven through her Immaculate Heart,” he said.

The Blessed Virgin Mary always directs us to do the will of her son Jesus, and so the First Saturdays devotion helps us to strive to live a life in imitation of Jesus. Also, the devotion is fitting because Mary is a powerful intercessor for us before the throne of Jesus in heaven, and is our mother, too.

“I think it also involves being open to the ‘spirit of Mary,’ to open ourselves to the way Mary does things — always being open to her Son, always being open to the will of God, treasuring the mysteries of salvation in her heart,” said Podrebarac. “We can do those things, too.”

The term “reparation” means to make amends for a wrong, and this is an important thing that some Catholics may not understand.

“A prayer of reparation is simply an invocation of mercy,” said Podrebarac. “I can make reparation for the sins of my neighbor — not that I can make up for or undo them, but I can help by my prayer to do what is possible to set things right. And the only way is through the Lord’s mercy and grace. Prayers of reparation are specifically asking that mercy and grace be applied to the situation.”

Mary is the perfect ambassador of Christ, he said. Where he is wounded by our sins, she is wounded. Where he is grieved by our sins, she is grieved.

There are many benefits to keeping the First Saturdays devotion, said Podrebarac. It places us in greater communion with Our Lady, it shows concern for our soul and others, it enables us to cooperate in the divine mission of Jesus and is good spiritual discipline.

“It’s something we can do that is very concrete that has a simple and direct objective and is not hard for us to do, although it requires us to commit some sacrifice,” said Podrebarac. “Prayer is simply good for our souls. It’s nourishment for our spiritual lives.”

Joe Bollig, March 22, 2024

www.theleaven.org

[kabane52]

Why Am I an Orthodox Christian?

A friend of mine asked me this question today, and I realized that I didn’t have anything specifically written in response to it- this article aims to answer this question coherently. From the outset, I must note that the reasons I became an Orthodox Christian, while definitely related, are not necessarily the reasons I remain an Orthodox Christian. I have been Orthodox for seven years, and I have been attending an Orthodox church for nearly eight years. In fact, it is almost the eight year anniversary of the date that I decided to leave Protestantism. My journey towards Orthodoxy is not particularly interesting, and I regard it simply as a momentous act of divine providence. Since I became Orthodox, I have learned much more and refined my theological positions. These are the reasons I am an Orthodox Christian today:

1. I met Christ here.

Before I became Orthodox, my Christianity was very heady and apologetics-oriented. I rarely prayed (though I had begun to pray in the months leading up to my conversion- I regard this as very important) or attended my mom’s evangelical church, which I regarded as boring and spiritually useless. It was very much a “do it yourself” Christianity. Moreover, as I had no instructors to whom I was bound, I could easily justify my own faults and recognize my sin only in an abstract way. When I became Orthodox, I was suddenly bound to the spiritual instruction of the Fathers and bound to a church-community. I was bound to obey the instruction of my spiritual father. I met Christ here because it was here where Christ revealed to me that I had to change my life. I had to repent for my selfish and rude ways of relating to other people, and I had to repent of my immense pride. I am still very much in the process of doing this, but after I became an Orthodox Christian, I began to relate to other people in general and my family in particular in a way that was much healthier.

I also learned to pray in the Orthodox Church. The specific, regulated, instructions on prayer gave me a routine that increased the concrete sense of the Divine Presence in my life. In the summer of 2010, I had an experience with the Jesus Prayer that directly confirmed to me that God hears our prayers and shapes us through them. That was an enormously important experience for me. In short, I learned to know Christ here, and I remain here because I want to continue to learn that most important of all truths.

2. The Scriptures come to life here. 

When asked about biblical inerrancy, G.K. Beale responded that contrary to the common assumption, it is inerrantist scholars who are encouraged to pursue the text more deeply. When faced with a potential contradiction, the evangelical scholar ought not try to force a resolution, neither should he simply assert contradiction. Rather, it is an opportunity for meditation on the biblical text, and very often, the solution will simply present itself- the inerrantist scholar then formally argues for this new interpretation in a scholarly way, and often does so in such a way that convinces non-inerrantist scholars that this particular issue is not an issue. I have found exactly this to be true when it comes to inerrancy- but I have also found it to be true with respect to Scriptural teaching and Orthodox teaching.

A person once asked me what I would do if I found a contradiction between Orthodox theology and the Scriptures- I responded that this question exactly paralleled what I would do if I found an ostensible contradiction between Kings and Chronicles or Matthew and Luke. Instead of simply asserting a contradiction, I would meditate on both Orthodox theology and the Scriptures, and very often, a solution would simply present itself. Importantly, the solutions that present themselves not only work to solve the tension between Orthodoxy and Scripture, but provide additional insights which can be applied more broadly. This is a signpost of a good model, when the insights generated by a theory designed to solve a particular problem unexpectedly provide insights into all sorts of other questions as well. I found this to be true when it comes to the doctrine of justification. I worked on this question for several years, and as I continued to reflect on the question, I found that the reading of Paul most congruent with Orthodox theology actually generated biblical-theological insights all across the Bible. I found that the reading of Scripture that I had come to accept was so powerful that it could be defended even without reference to tradition. Thus, I find Orthodox theology in the text of Scripture not because I am imposing it from tradition, but because it is really there. It is not merely one possible interpretation of the text, but the correct interpretation. For that reason, it can be proven even if one assumes sola scriptura for the sake of argument. 

This is an incredibly powerful experience when one experiences it directly. I have experienced it again and again and again. But that’s not only how Scripture comes to life in Orthodoxy. I have found that studying biblical symbolism makes the Divine Liturgy come to life. The readings for particular festivals make much more sense when you know biblical theology. The Divine Liturgy, for example, follows out step by step the process of Israel’s covenant with God at Sinai- each Liturgy is a covenant renewal. It follows out, step by step, the offerings of Leviticus 1-3, which itself is designed as a covenant renewal for ancient Israel, one which brings them back to Sinai. That liturgical pattern is expanded in more detail throughout the rest of Scripture, especially the Book of Revelation. Importantly, I’m not sure if the various connections between the daily readings and the life of the Church were even known to those who set up the liturgical cycle- it is inspired by the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who inspired the Bible. I have found that the Mariological symbolism described by the Church Fathers richly connects with Scripture and the way it uses the typology of the Bride Eve. Consider as one example the fact that Zipporah, after circumcising her son Gershom in Exodus 4, refers to him as her “Bridegroom of Blood.” This refers to the “tokens of virginity” (the bloody sheets of the wedding night) which are to be produced if a woman is accused of having not been a virgin on her wedding night. The bridegroom of blood is the bridegroom who produces such tokens on the Woman’s behalf- Zipporah’s virginity is thus restored by her son, who is also, symbolically, her bridegroom. This connects deeply with the typology of the Virgin Mary, whose son, Jesus Christ, is the Bridegroom of the Church. Mary is the Ever-Virgin who symbolizes the Church-Bride, the City of God- just as God is said to have “built” Eve from Adam’s side- language only ever used elsewhere of the construction of houses and cities. The Holy Virgin is the City of God. 

3. I have come to know the Saints here.

Saints still exist. Their stories are not just legends from the ancient church. St. John Maximovitch, the greatest saint of the last 100 years, worked mighty miracles throughout his entire life. Hundreds to thousands of witnesses can testify of this. The light of God was radiant from his face. This is what it means to be a member of the new humanity created in Christ. And he is by no means the only example. My patron, St. Seraphim of Sarov, also glowed with the divine light- as many witnesses in his day could attest. And importantly, when one prays through the Saints, when one receives their intercession, these prayers are often answered. Many of the true experiences recounted by evangelical Protestants about stunning answers to prayer have strong parallels in my own experience with the Saints, as well as the experiences of thousands of other Orthodox (and Catholic) Christians. Miracles happen. Unbelievers are led to Christ by a vision of the saints. And so on. Not only do the Saints provide the definitive proof of the incarnation of the Word and the union of God with man in Christ, they also do intercede for us. In the past two years, I have discovered that there is a rich biblical theology of the invocation of Saints from the concept of the Heavenly Council and the glorification of mankind to that council under the New Covenant.

4. Theology is the most true, beautiful, and good here.

In part, this explains why I am not Roman Catholic. As I have studied the Scriptures, Church History, and philosophical theology, I have found the Orthodox case against the Filioque to be extraordinarily powerful- when one recognizes that the eternal relationship of the Son to the Spirit is clarified only when one affirms the doctrine of the threefold distinction between essence, person, and energies. Because most Western theology works only with a twofold distinction, all sorts of problems emerge within philosophy and theology. For example, many Western theologians are at a loss to explain how the mutual indwelling (perichoresis) of the three divine persons is shared with humanity. But within Orthodox theology, we understand that this mutual indwelling is a function of the divine energies- the three persons indwell one another because they eternally share in one another’s activities (energies). As such, the creation, which exists in virtue of contingent participation in the divine energies, reflects this mutual indwelling at every level, and this Trinitarian relationship is the model for all human society- Church, State, and Family.

In philosophy, the doctrine of the divine energies clarifies and deepens our understanding of the philosophy of time. We recognize, for example, that time is not the opposite of eternity, but an icon of eternity. As past, present, and future come to dwell in one another more deeply, time is eventually glorified into eternity, where all past moments reach their goal and the future, towards which the present strains, is wholly realized in eschatology. Moreover, we recognize that timelessness is not identical to eternity. Timelessness is predicated of God as He is in essence, and is an apophatic statement. It means simply that the concept of time altogether transcends the divine essence. But time is real, because it is the result of God’s energetic upholding of the creation from glory to glory. Without an understanding of the threefold distinction, it is difficult to see how a person could affirm that time is real at all- leading some theologians to see time as simply a line on a piece of paper, where all moments are equally real to God.

This doctrine explains how all things are made through the Logos. Because the Father eternally acts or energizes through the Son in the Spirit, He is called the Logos. The forms of all created things are unique modes of participation in God’s creative energies. He constantly upholds the world as it is because the inner essence of every distinct thing is constituted by its mode of participation in the divine energies. As humans, we are images of the Logos, and all things are transfigured and brought to their goal through us, because we share in the Divine Life and thereby pass it on to the creation, which is a macrocosmic man, as St. Maximus teaches. Or, as St. John Damascene says, the whole earth is a living icon of the face of God.

5. Conclusion

There are undoubtedly many other reasons I remain an Orthodox Christian. But the core of this is the fact that Christ lives here. He met me here. He showed me His family, the Saints, here. And here the good, the true, and the beautiful dwell in perfect harmony. Orthodox theology is beautifully congruent with the whole counsel of God as it is realized textually in the Bible. And Orthodox theology generates a philosophical worldview which again and again makes the whole Creation more coherent, shedding new light on every human discipline, from physics to mathematics to biology to history.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

hi!! i recently got into johnlock and the universe has somehow directed me to your blog (which is an absolute godsend omfg). have you got any good possessive!john fics?

Hi Lovely!!!

AHHHH!! I’m so glad you enjoy my blog!!! <3 Thank you so much! <3

AHHH you know what??? I don’t get asked this all that much at all! I think mostly because it’s easier to find Possessive Sherlock fics and people then just... forget LOL

So guess what?? You’re the prompter for any fics I actually tagged or filed with Possessive John! <3 A pioneer you are! LOL I’m combining it with a few of the Obsessive fics as well, since I don’t have many new ones.

As usual, gang, feel free to add your own!! <3

POSSESSIVE / OBSESSIVE JOHN

See also: 

Specifically Jealous John b/c of Other People

Jealous John

Jealous John Pt. 2 and Jealous Sherlock Pt 2

Jealous John Pt 3 and Jealous Sherlock Pt 3

Jealous John and Sherlock Pt. 4

Jealous John and Sherlock Pt. 5

Hell or High water by bluefire301175 (E, 2,250 w., 1 Ch. || PWP, Frottage, Alley Sex, First Person POV John, Case-ish Fic, Mutual Pining, Bed Sharing) – John wants. Sherlock wants. Plain and simple.

Display by 221b_hound (E, 2,377 w., 1 Ch. || Post-HLV, Tattoos, Public Hand Jobs, Exhibitionism, Possessive Sex, Possessive Sherlock, Possessive John) – A new client has been flirting with Sherlock and, finding no joy there, with John. John seems annoyed to be second-best, Sherlock thinks, so Sherlock decides to give the departing woman (and maybe also John) a demonstration of who, exactly, John belongs to. But there's more than one level of sexual jealousy and more than one display of possession going on here, outlined in the window of 221b Baker Street. Part 2 of Lock and Key

Apodyopsis by QuinnAnderson (E, 3,347 w.,1 Ch. || PWP, Rough Sex, Table Sex, Anal, Sexual Tension) – Apodyopsis: (æpəʊdaɪˈɒpsɪs) noun. the act of mentally undressing someone. Part 2 of Undressed

Overture by Kate_Lear (M, 4,435 w., 1 Ch. || First Kiss / Time, Friends to Lovers, Angry John, Introspection, Dev. Rel., Embarrassed / Insecure Sherlock, Morning After, Bed Sharing, Cuddles / Limpet Sherlock) – A short snippet on how John and Sherlock might have got together.

Sherlock and John Go Clubbing by wendymarlowe (E, 4,716 w., 3 Ch. || Clubbing, Dirty Talk, Dancing, Coming Untouched, Coming in Pants, Bi John, For a Case, Friends to Lovers, Flirting, Sherlock is Lost for Words, Sexy John, Mutual Pining, Possessive John, Floor Sex/Hand Job/Frottage) – John pinched the bridge of his nose - even for Sherlock, this was a new level of no bloody boundaries. “You want me to go with you to a gay club, wait around twiddling my thumbs while I let you get pawed by a criminal, then out-flirt him and talk you into coming home with me instead?” Part 32 of John and Sherlock's Kinky First Times

Caves in the Mountains Are Seldom Unoccupied by starrysummernights & TheMadKatter13 (E, 7,925 w., 1 Ch. || Were-Creatures ||  Werebear John, Pseudo Bestiality, Rimming, Heavy Dub Con, Rough Sex, Come Inflation / Eating, Size Kink, PWP, Bratty Sherlock, Rutting) – “This isn’t something to play at, Sherlock,” he snapped. “If it doesn’t work out- what you’re asking of me- we can’t shrug and say 'oh well, at least we tried'. If we do this… I could seriously hurt you. Do you understand? I could lose control. I could… I could kill you.”

My Life for His by QuinnAnderson (E, 8,816 w., 1 Ch. || Guardian/Protector, Greek Mythology || Growing Up, Sex, Religious Themes, Suicide, Minor Character Death) – It began when Sherlock was eight, and he attempted to climb all the way up to the highest branch in the old willow tree in his back garden. He'd thought he was still small enough that it could support him, but the second he'd grabbed hold of it to pull himself up, the branch snapped, and down he went, plummeting a solid twenty metres. The odd thing was, he never actually hit the ground.

Of Course I Forgive You by allonsys_girl (E, 10,735 w., 1 Ch. || Love Confessions, Canon Divergence, First Time, Frottage, Wall Sex, Infidelity) – What if things had gone differently on that train car?

The Invocation of Saint Margaret by Ewebie (E, 15,831 w., 1 Ch. || POV John,  Crossing Timelines, Light Angst, Fluff, Series 3 John / Series 1 Sherlock, The Matchbox, Mushy Romance, First Time, Bisexual John, Pining John, Bottomlock, Love Confessions, Sensuality, Emotional Love Making, Snippets of Time) – When Sherlock Holmes opens the matchbox from The Sign of Three and John finds himself years in the past, back to that first dinner at Angelo's with a much younger Sherlock Holmes. Is he dreaming?

Out of the Woods by SilentAuror (E, 20,471 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Romance, Slow Burn, Flirting, Drunk Sex, Practical Jokes, POV Sherlock, Bottomlock, Possessive John, Pining Sherlock, Frustrated Wanking, Frottage, Hand Jobs, Blow Jobs, First Kiss/Time, Virgin Sherlock, Love Confessions, Soft Sherlock, Dancing, Bum Appreciation, Hanging out with the Yard) – Sherlock is fairly certain that John has taken to flirting with him of late, but can't be entirely certain of it. At least, not until a case takes them into a forest, along with Lestrade's team and something happens that will change everything about their lives...

The Kepler Problem by kinklock (E, 24,270 w., 1 Ch. || Sci-Fi AU, Alien Sherlock, Space Repairman John, Alien Biology, Horny John) – Working in uncharted space exploration was not as exciting as John had hoped, especially when it turned out to be mostly bot maintenance on uninhabited planets. However, the mystery of the repeated, unexplained malfunctions on planet BAK 2212 might turn out to be exactly the kind of adventure he'd been craving.

Inscrutable to the Last by DiscordantWords (M, 48,842 w., 6 Ch. || Post-TRF, Alternate S3, John’s Blog/S3 is a Story By John, Divorce, Marital Difficulties, John is a Mess, Emotional Reunion, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Grief / Mourning, Pining John, First Kiss, Adorably Clueless Sherlock, Nostalgia, Love Confessions, Eventual Happy Ending, Obsessive John) – He wasn't Sherlock, he couldn't work miracles. All he'd ever been able to do was write about them.

The Hollow Woman by ScopesMonkey (M, 51,335 w., 22 Ch. || Post-TRF, Major Character Death, Mystery, Romance, Friendship, Family, Angst, Crime, Reunion, First Kiss / Time, Nightmares, Doctor John, Jealous Sherlock, Jealous John, BAMF John, Angry John, Dub-Con, Rough Sex, Bottomlock, Possessive John, Villain Mary, Open Ending) – Forced to return to London sooner than expected, Sherlock falls into a case too close to home. Part 1 of the Hollowverse series

Points by lifeonmars (E, 53,791 w., 42 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || HLV Rewrite / Canon Divergence, Married Life, Pregnancy / Baby Watson, Drinking to Cope, Boxing / Fisticuffs, Clueless John, Angst, Minor Medical Drama, Tattoos, Christmas, First Kiss/Time, Eventual Happy Ending, Love Confessions, Doctor John, Sexuality Crisis, Slow Burn, Case Fic, Drugging, Blow/Hand Job, Emotional Love Making, Parenthood, Passage of Time, Obsessive John) – What if His Last Vow never happened? This fic picks up a few months after John and Mary's wedding, in an alternate universe where Magnussen doesn't exist, but Mary is still pregnant. Life continues -- just in a different direction. And slowly, Sherlock and John find their way to each other.

The Bells of King's College by SilentAuror (E, 64,019 w., 5 Ch. || Post-S4, Missed Opportunities, Angst with Happy Ending, Fake Relationship, Case Fic, John POV, Jealous John, John in Denial, Travelling / Holidays, Virgin Sherlock, Wedding Proposals) – It's only been two weeks since Eurus Holmes disrupted their lives when Mycroft sends John and Sherlock to Cambridge to pose as an engaged couple at a wedding show in the hopes of solving six unsolved deaths...

Gimme Shelter by SinceWhenDoYouCallMe_John (E, 159,368 w., 21 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || 70′s Surfer AU || Period Typical Homophobia, Hawaii, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Professional Surfers, Gay John / Sherlock, Angst with Happy Ending, John was a Sailor, Misunderstandings) – All John Watson wants is the feeling of a freshly waxed surfboard under his feet and the hot California sun baking down onto his back. To finally go pro in the newly formed world of professional surfing and leave the dark memories of his past behind him as he rips across the face of a towering blue barrel. To lounge beside the beach bonfire every evening with an ice cold beer tucked into the cool sand beside him and listen to Pink Floyd and the Doors while the saltwater dries in his sun bleached hair. That's all he wants, that is, until the hot young phenom taking Oahu and the Hawaiian shores by storm steps up next to him in the sand in the second round of the 1976 International Surf Competition. (PUBLISHED AS ‘The Sea Ain’t Mine Alone’)

Proving A Point by elldotsee & J_Baillier (E, 186,270 w., 28 Ch. || Me Before You Fusion || Medical Realism, Insecure John, Depression, Romance, Angst, POV John, Sherlock Whump, Serious Illness, Doctor John, Injury Recovery, Assisted Suicide, Sherlock’s Violin, Awkward Sexual Situations, Alcoholism, Drugs, Idiots in Love, Slow Burn, Body Image, Friends to Lovers, Hurt / Comfort, Pain, Big Brother Mycroft, Intimacy, Anxiety, PTSD, Family Issues, Psychological Trauma, John Whump, Case Fics, Loneliness, Pain) – Invalided home from Afghanistan, running out of funds and convinced that his surgical career is over, John Watson accepts a mysterious job offer to provide care and companionship for a disabled person. Little does he know how much hangs in the balance of his performance as he settles into his new life at Musgrave Court.

Free Falling by twistedthicket1 (M, 203,574 w., 38 Ch. || Guardian Angels AU || Guardian Angel John, Fluff and Angst, Humour, Kidlock / Teenlock, Light Mystrade, Passage of Time, Possessive John, Drug Use / Overdose, Victor Trevor, Graphic Bullying, Big Brother Mycroft, Hard Drug Use, Depression, Possessive Sherlock, Possessive John, Panic Attacks, Nightmares/PTSD, Pining, Healing Abilities, Kidnapping, Violence, Torture, Blow Jobs, Virgin John, Emotional Development / Attachment, Mortality, Happy Ending) – All Guardian angels are born with a Chosen human. When this child is born, the angel comes into being to protect and care for them during their life on Earth. For John Watson, all he cares about in the world revolves around his Chosen, Sherlock Holmes. Watching him grow up though, the angel soon learns that God must have had a sense of humour the day he decided to make Sherlock, as trouble seems to follow him like a magnet wherever he goes. John can't decide what's worse, the idea of losing his Chosen one, or the fact that he may be breaking the most taboo law of heaven as he disguises himself as a human to better protect and befriend the beloved detective he's always watched from afar. He was meant to care for him. But what happens when caring evolves into something more? What happens when an emotion an angel is supposed to be incapable of possessing comes to life suddenly and viciously inside John's chest?

[anastpaul]

May the Month of Mary

The month of May is the “month which the piety of the faithful has especially dedicated to Our Blessed Lady” and it is the occasion for a “moving tribute of faith and love which Catholics in every part of the world pay to the Queen of Heaven.       During this month Christians, both in church and in the privacy of the home, offer up to Mary from their hearts an especially fervent and loving homage of prayer and veneration. In this month, too, the benefits of God’s mercy come down to us from her throne in greater abundance” (Paul VI: Encyclical on the Month of May, no. 1).

This Christian custom of dedicating the month of May to the Blessed Virgin arose at the end of the 13th century. In this way, the Church was able to Christianize the secular feasts which were wont to take place at that time. In the 16th century, books appeared and fostered this devotion.

The practice became especially popular among the members of the Jesuit Order — by 1700 it took hold among their students at the Roman College and a bit later it was publicly practiced in the Gesu Church in Rome. From there it spread to the whole Church.

The practice was granted a partial indulgence by Pius VII in 1815 and a plenary indulgence by Pius IX in 1859. With the complete revision of indulgences in 1966 and the decreased emphasis on specific indulgences, it no longer carries an indulgence; however it certainly falls within the category of the First General Grant of Indulgences. (A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful who, in the performance of their duties and in bearing the trials of life, raise their mind with humble confidence to God, adding — even if only mentally — some pious invocation.

Excerpted from Enchiridion of Indulgences.

The Month of Mary and the Popes

The pious practice of honoring Mary during the month of May has been especially recommended by the Popes. Pius XII made frequent reference to it and in his great Encyclical on the Sacred Liturgy (Mediator Dei) characterized it as one of “other exercises of piety which although not strictly belonging to the Sacred Liturgy, are nevertheless of special import and dignity, and may be considered in a certain way to be an addition to the liturgical cult: they have been approved and praised over and over again by the Apostolic See and by the Bishops” (no. 182).

Paul VI wrote a short encyclical in 1965 using the Month of Mary devotion as a means of obtaining prayers for peace.    He urged the faithful to make use of this practice which is “gladdening and consoling” and by which the Blessed Virgin Mary is honored and the Christian people are enriched with spiritual gifts” (no. 2).

In May of 2002 Pope John Paul II said, “Today we begin the month dedicated to Our Lady a favourite of popular devotion.   In accord with a long-standing tradition of devotion, parishes and families continue to make the month of May a ‘Marian’ month, celebrating it with many devout liturgical, catechetical and pastoral initiatives!”

Devotion to Mary

“The Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother of the Church and therefore the example, as well as the guide and inspiration, of everyone who, in and through the Church, seeks to be the servant of God and man and the obedient agent of the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit, as Pope Leo XIII reminded us, is the soul of the Church: All the activity and service of the members of the Church, beginning with the supreme participation of the Blessed Mother in the work of the Church, is vivified by the Holy Spirit as the body, in all its activities, is vivified by its soul.    The Holy Spirit is the Paraclete, Advocate and Comforter which Christ Himself sent to be our consolation in the sorrowful mysteries of life, our source of moderation in the joyful mysteries of life, our added principle of exaltation in the glorious mysteries of life.

So He was for the Blessed Mother; so also He is for the least of us;   so also He is for the rest of the Church, even for those who are its unconscious but conscientious members.

Wherever there is faith there is the example of Mary, because she lived by faith as the Scriptures remind us….

If, then, piety is the virtue which binds us to the sources of all life, to God, to our parents, to the Church, to Christ, certainly Christian piety binds us, in grateful love, to Mary — or our acceptance of Christ and of the mystery of our kinship with Him is imperfect, partial, and unfulfilled.”

— Cardinal John Wright

[extremedivas]

Other interesting facts about working with St. Michael are: 1. His feast day is celebrated on September 29 officially titled Feast of Sts. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael and Archangels. 2. The week day that corresponds to him best is Sunday (although I have found Friday and Saturday to work too). 3. Any spicy or hot herb works well with Michael. In addition Rosemary, cinnamon, and patchouli are often used in his magick. Most St. Michael candles that are presented (or conditioned) are scented with a strong cinnamon smell. You can add a hint of rose since roses are often associated with apparitions of the Virgin Mary. Where Mary appears Michael is not far away. 4. One can make an anointing oil for St. Michael out of cinnamon and a hint of rose (remember to dilute the cinnamon as it will burn skin – it is best to use this oil for your candle). 5. Stones that can be associated with St. .Michael are Ruby, garnets, nearly all red stones, Hematite, most metal stones, and malachite. 6. In the Tarot the Major Arcana card of Strength is often associated with Michael (sometimes Justices as well). 7. Any type of spicy food or cinnamon flavored confection is perfect as an offering to St. Michael. Combine any of these items or compose a simple chant or invocation to bring St. Michael the Archangel into your life when needed. The Most important aspect of any magicking undertaking is visualization. Close your eyes (or keep them open) and see Michael there with you. Use all your senses. Let his presences fill you. Before long a new and powerful relationship will evolve. Finally here is a copy of the most popular current prayer to St. Michael. Because it is so widely used it holds great power (many people across the globe with the same intent at the same time). Feel free to change particular words to make them conform more to your belief system and goals. 

 STRONG PROTECTION:

1.Take a cleansing bath using 13-Herb Bath or Uncrossing bath salts to cleanse yourself as well. Wash your home with Chinese Wash, or another cleansing floor-wash, and fumigate thoroughly with sage or and Uncrossing incense. As you finish each room, leave a white candle that you have prayed over burning in each room (tealights work well for this as they are self-contained).

2.When the cleansing is complete take some Fiery Wall of Protection oil and begin praying the Prayer of St. Michael. Work yourself up using it until you feel powerful and the presence of St. Michael and his warrior angels. Seal each window, door, electrical outlet, cable input, and every other opening into the house with a 5-spot (the 4 corners and the center) of the Fiery Wall of Protection oil.

3. If you feel the need for very strong protection, mix some Fiery Wall of Protection sachet powder with some salt, and put a line of this around the outside of your entire home &/or property line. Pray fervently as you lay this.

4. Burn some Fiery Wall of Protection incense, letting it fill your home. Each day burn some more to keep the effect strongly in effect. Pray strongly as you light this.

5. Dress a red vigil candle with Fiery Wall of Protection oil, praying the Prayer of St. Michael and for your specific needs over it as you do. Set it working in the central room of your home.

6. Take two St. Michael holy cards that you have smoked in some Fiery Wall of Protection incense and anointed with Fiery Wall of Protection oil. Cut a small lock of hair from each person that is in need of protection, and place them in-between the two holy cards. Set this underneath the dressed Fiery Wall of Protection candle, and keep a candle burning continuously on top of this as long as the strong protection is required. While most people know St. Michael as a warrior and protector, he also can perform many other very useful spiritual functions - and he brings he same strength and professionalism to each of these tasks. His name literally translates to mean "Who is like God" - implying that Archangel Michael has miraculous capabilities that reach far and wide in parallel with the Creator. He is not limited to the one role for which he is most famous, but can bring great power and aid to nearly any situation that he is petitioned for. For example, St. Michael is a powerful ally to bring to healing work! In the alternative and spiritual healing communities he is often called upon for cutting cords that bind us to past events, people, or in other ways hold us in spiritual bondage. Healers invoke the presence of both St. Michael and St. Raphael (the Universal Physician) into sessions, as they pair extremely well together in these contexts. St. Michael defends the sacred healing space, and can cut away those energies and cords which are no longer needed, as well as purify through fire - in this way he plays the "negative" force needed in healing. St. Raphael plays the "positive" role in healing, rebuilding what is broken or cleared away through St. Michael's interventions, refreshing the exhausted, and rejuvenating the body-mind-spirit.