#tribe of simeon

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Joshua 19: God Sets The Allotments For Simeon And The Other Tribes Of Israel

1 The second lot came out for the tribe of Simeon according to its clans. Their inheritance lay within the territory of Judah. 

2 It included:

Beersheba (or Sheba), Moladah, 

3 Hazar Shual, Balah, Ezem, 

4 Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, 

5 Ziklag, Beth Markaboth, Hazar Susah, 

6 Beth Lebaoth and Sharuhen—thirteen towns and their villages;

7 Ain, Rimmon, Ether and Ashan—four towns and their villages— 

8 and all the villages around these towns as far as Baalath Beer (Ramah in the Negev).

This was the inheritance of the tribe of the Simeonites, according to its clans. 

9 The inheritance of the Simeonites was taken from the share of Judah, because Judah’s portion was more than they needed. So the Simeonites received their inheritance within the territory of Judah.

Allotment for Zebulun

10 The third lot came up for Zebulun according to its clans:

The boundary of their inheritance went as far as Sarid. 

11 Going west it ran to Maralah, touched Dabbesheth, and extended to the ravine near Jokneam. 

12 It turned east from Sarid toward the sunrise to the territory of Kisloth Tabor and went on to Daberath and up to Japhia. 

13 Then it continued eastward to Gath Hepher and Eth Kazin; it came out at Rimmon and turned toward Neah. 

14 There the boundary went around on the north to Hannathon and ended at the Valley of Iphtah El. 

15 Included were Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah and Bethlehem. There were twelve towns and their villages.

16 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of Zebulun, according to its clans.

Allotment for Issachar

17 The fourth lot came out for Issachar according to its clans. 

18 Their territory included:

Jezreel, Kesulloth, Shunem, 

19 Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, 

20 Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, 

21 Remeth, En Gannim, En Haddah and Beth Pazzez. 

22 The boundary touched Tabor, Shahazumah and Beth Shemesh, and ended at the Jordan. There were sixteen towns and their villages.

23 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its clans.

Allotment for Asher

24 The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its clans. 

25 Their territory included:

Helkath, Hali, Beten, Akshaph, 

26 Allammelek, Amad and Mishal. On the west the boundary touched Carmel and Shihor Libnath. 

27 It then turned east toward Beth Dagon, touched Zebulun and the Valley of Iphtah El, and went north to Beth Emek and Neiel, passing Kabul on the left. 

28 It went to Abdon, Rehob, Hammon and Kanah, as far as Greater Sidon. 

29 The boundary then turned back toward Ramah and went to the fortified city of Tyre, turned toward Hosah and came out at the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Akzib, 

30 Ummah, Aphek and Rehob. There were twenty-two towns and their villages.

31 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Asher, according to its clans.

Allotment for Naphtali

32 The sixth lot came out for Naphtali according to its clans:

33 Their boundary went from Heleph and the large tree in Zaanannim, passing Adami Nekeb and Jabneel to Lakkum and ending at the Jordan. 

34 The boundary ran west through Aznoth Tabor and came out at Hukkok. It touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west and the Jordan on the east. 

35 The fortified towns were Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Kinnereth, 

36 Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, 

37 Kedesh, Edrei, En Hazor, 

38 Iron, Migdal El, Horem, Beth Anath and Beth Shemesh. There were nineteen towns and their villages.

39 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali, according to its clans.

Allotment for Dan

40 The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan according to its clans. 

41 The territory of their inheritance included:

Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir Shemesh, 

42 Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, 

43 Elon, Timnah, Ekron, 

44 Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, 

45 Jehud, Bene Berak, Gath Rimmon, 

46 Me Jarkon and Rakkon, with the area facing Joppa.

47 (When the territory of the Danites was lost to them, they went up and attacked Leshem, took it, put it to the sword and occupied it. They settled in Leshem and named it Dan after their ancestor.)

48 These towns and their villages were the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to its clans.

Allotment for Joshua

49 When they had finished dividing the land into its allotted portions, the Israelites gave Joshua son of Nun an inheritance among them, 

50 as the Lord had commanded. They gave him the town he asked for—Timnath Serah in the hill country of Ephraim. And he built up the town and settled there.

51 These are the territories that Eleazar the priest, Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the tribal clans of Israel assigned by lot at Shiloh in the presence of the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And so they finished dividing the land.

[tsukii0002]

Mc: Let me get this straight...

Lucifer, Solomon and Simeon kneeling on the floor in front of them.

Mc: You want me to help you settle a dispute between two tribes of magical creatures.

Simeon: *hurried* That's…

Mc: Because Luke had insisted on going to see those creatures because Solomon *looking at him* had shown them to him, saying that they were harmless.

Solomon: *without looking up, a shy smile on his face* Ha, ha, ha…. Yes

Mc: And then Luke accompanied by the brothers *looking at Lucifer* went and broke the seal that marked the peace between the tribes starting a civil war.

Lucifer: Yes…

Mc: And you expect ME, who happens to know the matriarchs and leaders of the tribes, because I happen to take this peace between the three realms very seriously, to intercede and solve the problem?

Lucifer, Simeon and Solomon: That's is…

Mc: Ummm let me think….. No.

Solomon: Mc!!!

Mc: So now I'm mature enough??

Lucifer: This and that are different things!!!!

Mc: Any of you let me go to the lantern festival with my classmates at night because I was too young!!!!! Too young to understand the dangers of Devildom!!!!!

Simeon: But Mc-

Mc: And now I am old enough to solve diplomatic problems that can affect the whole political balance of hell? Nu, nu, I refuse, it's your problem.

Lucifer: Mc please…

Simeon: We are asking you on our knees…

Solomon: This is very serious… We'll do whatever you want.

Mc: Nope, I'm too young to understand the seriousness of this situation, I leave it to you, the ADULTS.

The three of them: Mc!!!!

Mc: Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an afternoon tea with the queen of the mermaids *leaves*.

Meanwhile at the back of the room, calm because had already asked Mc help and the problem was solved.

Diavolo: Did you see that?

Barbatos: *smiling* Yes, my lord

Diavolo: *funnily* And everyone told me that it was a bad idea to give Mc a government position :D.

.

.

[lovetei]

I have an AU and I enjoy sharing so. Gift, from a (semi-?) writer to writer I suppose

but Swapped Obey me Au

where the brothers and side characters are humans- here’s the dynamic simplification;

Humans (Solomon / MC) : Cryptids

Demons (The Brothers / Diavolo / Barbatos) - humans/humanoids

Angels (Luke / Simeon) - Monster hunters

Maybe a modernish Victorian era, with castles and monster stories and that fun stuff + technology. Prince Diavolo starts a school to hopefully make peace between the three tribes of being.

So Solomon the Land siren (maybe a Lamia/Naga?) and MC the Mutt sheep cryptid. Where invited to the human school,

I can go on for hours- but hope this helps with ideas! I’d love to hear ya take. I love the way you write Obey me so yeah!

I'm so sorry this took so long, I need to create a visual in my head first and it takes long to write an AU :')

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

Swapped Alternate Universe

Swapped Universe: Introduction

Warnings:

Links: Masterlist

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

You were just going around the forests beside fields, feeding on whatever there is

But all of a sudden

An entitled prince, randomly sent you a letter saying you're invited into this type of program

But it's suspicious

The incentives favors the participants way too much...

What could possibly be the catch?

ROLES: Cryptids

MC MCLN

TYPE: Cryptid (Mutt sheep)

It is rumored that the "Mutt-Sheep" cryptids are a cross between lambs and canines, and are known to be found in areas with dense forests. Some describe them as a cross between a sheep and a dog, with a thick sheep-like coat covering their body, large claws on their paws for digging in the forest floor, and a canine's nose and teeth for hunting small animals. However, the exact origin and nature of the Mutt-Sheep cryptids are still unknown and shrouded in mystery. Despite this, sightings of these creatures have been reported by people who claim to have seen them lurking in the forest.

SOLOMON

TYPE: Cryptid (Naga)

They are described as having a human upper body, often with arms and chest, and from the waist down, they have the tail and scales of a snake. The Naga are said to be intelligent and powerful beings, capable of controlling the elements of nature and using their powers to influence the world around them. Many people believe that the Naga possess magical abilities that they use to protect their territory and the creatures that live there.

ROLE: Humans

DIAVOLO

JOB: President of RLD

The Royal Lab of Diavolo (RLD) is a highly advanced underground research facility with top-notch equipment and state-of-the-art technology. The lab is focused on developing peace between different races, such as humans, humanoid, cryptids, and monster hunters. The primary goal of the lab is to find ways to bridge the gap between the different races, and to create an environment where all beings can live together in harmony. The lab is led by a team of highly skilled scientists and researchers who work tirelessly around the clock to advance their research and find solutions to the world's problems.

BARBATOS

JOB: Vice president of RLD

The vice president of the Royal Lab of Diavolo is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the lab, including the management of staff, the supervision of research projects, and the coordination of activities with external partners and stakeholders. The vice president also plays a key role in managing the lab's finances and ensuring that resources are being used effectively and efficiently. Additionally, they may be involved in developing and implementing strategic plans for the lab's long-term growth and success. Therefore, the vice president plays an important role in the lab's success and helps to ensure that its mission of promoting peace and unity among different beings is achieved.

LUCIFER

JOB: Chief Fiance Officer (CFO)

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is a high-level executive position that is responsible for overseeing the financial operations and strategy of an organization. He works for the government and is supporting the current king.

MAMMON

JOB: Actor

He is the most famous actor out there starring in every genre whether it may be romance, comedy, action or adventure. He also stars in his own TV show series that broke multiple records and nominated multiple times on award show as well as receiving hundreds of awards.

LEVIATHAN

JOB: Programmer and Developer

A famous IT that works for the government and helps maintain government systems and Technologies, being one of the most trusted and talented worker in this field he has access to everything that can be found online.

SATAN

JOB: Proffesor

The youngest and top proffesor of one of the best schools found in the world, being the charming and mysterious proffesor whose world seems to revolve around books and his well known addiction, cats.

ASMODEUS

JOB: Model

The jewel of the human world, modeling for every possible brands to exist. He's known for his unforgettable face and his unmatched charm that helped him rise to the top of the world of fashion.

BEELZEBUB

JOB: Chef

A world-class chef that cooks for the king, known for his unique skills and for his beautiful physique. A man that made multiple woman swoon because of his looks and cooking skills.

BELPHEGOR

JOB: Doctor

A mysterious Doctor who seems to enjoy cutting things up and inventing antidotes or medicines against viruses and diseases that does not have a cure yet. He seems to be passionate about his job but the reason why he entered this field is still unknown.

ROLE: Hunters

SIMEON

RANK: A

A Rank A monster hunter is one of the best, most skilled and experienced monster hunters out there. They have exceptional abilities and skill in fighting and defeating monsters, as well as an in-depth knowledge of different types of monsters and how to defeat them.

Rank A Monster hunters are highly skilled and experienced in the art of hunting monsters. They are sought after for their exceptional abilities and knowledge. Their skill and experience have earned them a reputation as some of the finest monster hunters in the world.

LUKE

RANK: C

A Rank C monster hunter is considered an entry-level monster hunter. They are relatively new to the field and are still developing their skills and gaining experience. While they may have some basic knowledge of monster hunting techniques, they lack the advanced abilities and knowledge of higher-ranked Hunters. Nonetheless, they can still be an asset to a team and can perform certain tasks with supervision and guidance.

Overall, Rank C monster hunters are still learning and gaining experience. They are not always ready to handle high-level or dangerous missions, and are often assigned tasks and roles under the supervision and guidance of

[whencyclopedia]

The Twelve Tribes of Israel

The Twelve Tribes of Israel refer to the sons of the Jewish Patriarch Jacob and are important for the tribal lineages of those who constituted the nation of Israel. In the ancient world, all ethnic groups developed stories of their ancestors in what are known as foundation myths as bloodlines were important in maintaining ancestral lineage and provided status as identity markers.

The twelve sons of Jacob, in order of their birth, are:

Reuben

Simeon

Levi

Judah

Dan

Naphtali

Gad

Asher

Issachar

Zebulun

Joseph (Manasseh, Ephraim)

Benjamin

Birth order was important in the practice of primogeniture, or the eldest son inheriting most of his father’s resources, and then distribution following the rank of the others. In the biblical narrative, after the death of Joseph in Egypt, his portion was given to his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. Each son’s status was later coordinated in the tribal territories they received in Canaan. Jacob undoubtedly had other daughters, but only one is mentioned, Dinah (see below).

Jacob

Jacob was the younger son of Isaac and Rebecca. Isaac was the child of the promise given by the God of Israel, to Abraham, the traditional founder of the nation. Jacob stole his brother’s birthright (as the eldest) and had to flee East to Haran (Northern Iraq), where some of Abraham’s relatives still lived. There he met Rachel at the well and asked her father Laban for her hand. Laban required that Jacob work for him for seven years first. He did so, but the night of the wedding revealed that it was the older sister, Leah, who was given. Jacob protested, but Laban told him to work another seven years and he could have Rachel as well.

The narrative then goes into quite elaborate detail concerning Jacob’s children. At first, Leah gave birth to some sons, while Rachel was barren. Rachel then offered Jacob her servant (an ancient form of surrogate motherhood in the case of infertility). Leah then became barren for a while and offered her servant as well. All this activity reflected the later traditions as to where and why the sons inherited certain tribal areas in the land of Canaan. It was tied to the identity of their mothers, Leah and Rachel, and the two servant women, Bilhah and Zilpah.

Leah Rachel Bilhah Zilpah Reuben Joseph Dan Gad Simeon Benjamin Naphtali Asher Levi Judah Issachar Zebulun

Wanting to go home and reconcile himself with his brother, on the way back Jacob was accosted at night by a being with whom he wrestled. Various retellings describe a man, God, or an angel. Jacob demanded a blessing, and he now received a new name: "Israel" or "one that struggled with the divine angel or with God and lived". Hence, all his descendants became Israelites.

Continue reading...

[engeorged]

Gainer chatbots 3

I’m super enjoying creating these characters using the AI chat bot technology and I’ve done some classic gainer tropes for you to enjoy. I know ai isn’t for everyone and these are fairly nsfw but I hope you enjoy them! (Also check out the group chat feature. I’ve had fun putting these guys in a room together!

Simeon - you come home and find your room mate Simeon gorging himself on a live stream for paid watchers.

Coach Giovani - Classic gainer trope. You are called to the coaches office who wants to help you gain weight to help you play better. Coach is kind and fatherly but is keen that you grow a massive ball belly

King Erik - Erik the Viking chief has decided to hang up his helmet and calls you, the tribes doctor, to help him grow a belly worthy of Odin to display his glory to all

[hiseyeisonthesparrow]

Okay apologies for the slight sacrilege here! I'd like to know how these things relate. Try not to vote that you don't know about your heritage unless you REALLY don't know -- everyone's got at least a little bit, but I'm asking if it's a significant portion of your heritage!

Joseph's sons: Ephraim or Manasseh Not Joseph's sons: Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Gad, Issachar, Judah, Levi, Naphtali, Reuben, Simeon, or Zebulun.

[canyouhearmemajortom]

Simon petrikov is Russian! And probably Jewish!

I’ve been wanting to say this since Simon was first introduced in the original show but honestly just never had time and I’m sure someone has said something before but here I go!

So starting out with the obvious: petrikov, a diminutive of petri or Peter, this is a very common Russian name which when used as a nickname means small or little.

Simon on the other hand is an incredibly popular Jewish name, being the second of the six sons of Jacob, and being the founder of the tribe of Simeon. The name it’s self meaning to hear or listen. Which I think personally fits Simon very well.

We also see reference to simon’s Russian heritage in Fionna and cake episode 6, the winter king. most notably with the samover and teapot that holds hot chocolate in the background.

There is also heavy Russian fairytale imagery in this episode as well as some themes that I won’t get into right now.

There are also themes surrounding the ice king that heavily lean into antisemitic tropes (not condemning adventure time for this) such as his long nose, beard, kidnapping people, and his greed. Ice king also mirrors several Russian fairytale wizards (no I can’t name them of the top of my head I’m sorry) who kidnap princesses, uses there beards to fly, and even some who have ice/lightning powers.

My sources are, I’m Slavic and grew up with the fairytales. and have done a lot of research into Judaism becase I’m pretty sure that my family was Jewish before coming over to America during WWll. (My g-pa is super racist and won’t talk about anything to do with his “non-white/christian” family. 😬

Anyways this is all I can come up with off the top of my head but I needed to get this out of my system before I exploded bye,

[workingclasshistory]

On this day, 18 January 1958, the Battle of Hayes Pond took place near Maxton, North Carolina, when Native Americans routed a rally of the Ku Klux Klan. The KKK considered the local Lumbee tribe as a "mongrel" race of "half n-words", were unhappy with interracial relationships occurring with white men, and thought due to their small numbers and marginalised status they would be an easy target. So they began by burning a cross on the lawn of a Lumbee woman who was dating a white man. Their activities escalated and culminated in a rally on 18 January intended at ending "race mixing" once and for all, at which they declared they would have 5,000 attendees. On the day, they only mustered 50-100 white supremacists, while 500 Lumbee, led by World War II veterans, armed themselves with shotguns, clubs, and rocks turned out to oppose them. The Native Americans opened fire and attacked, lightly wounding four Klansmen, who returned fire but failed to hit anyone. The KKK were totally defeated and forced to flee, while the Lumbee took their speaking equipment and burned their Klan outfits and banners on a makeshift bonfire until police arrived and teargassed the revellers. In the wake of the incident, public sentiment swung against the KKK, and the local leader was later convicted for incitement to riot and jailed for two years. The humiliation ended KKK activity in the local area, and the incident is celebrated each year as a Lumbee holiday. Read this story and hundreds of others in our book, Working Class History: Everyday Acts of Resistance & Rebellion, available here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.com/products/working-class-history-everyday-acts-resistance-rebellion-book Pictured: Left: the confrontation; Right: Charlie Warriax (left) and Simeon Oxendine (right) with a captured KKK banner. https://www.facebook.com/workingclasshistory/photos/a.296224173896073/2189332271251911/?type=3

[myremnantarmy]

𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐆𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐥

Feast of the Presentation of the Lord

Lk 2:22-40

When the days were completed for their purification

according to the law of Moses,

Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem

to present him to the Lord,

just as it is written in the law of the Lord,

Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,

and to offer the sacrifice of

a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,

in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.

This man was righteous and devout,

awaiting the consolation of Israel,

and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit

that he should not see death

before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.

He came in the Spirit into the temple;

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus

to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,

he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go

in peace, according to your word,

for my eyes have seen your salvation,

which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples:

a light for revelation to the Gentiles,

and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;

and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,

“Behold, this child is destined

for the fall and rise of many in Israel,

and to be a sign that will be contradicted

—and you yourself a sword will pierce—

so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

There was also a prophetess, Anna,

the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.

She was advanced in years,

having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,

and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.

She never left the temple,

but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.

And coming forward at that very time,

she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child

to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions

of the law of the Lord,

they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.

The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;

and the favor of God was upon him.

[magnetothemagnificent]

sorry f its obvious, goy here, could you go into what all the colors represent? :D

The twelve stripes on the queer Jewish pride flag represent the 12 stones of the 12 Tribes of Israel on the High Priest's Choshen (breastplate):

Onyx: Levi

Garnet: Yehudah (Judah)

Ruby: Reuven (Reuben)

Peridot: Asher

Malachite: Yosef (Joseph)

Emerald: Dan

Prase: Shimon (Simeon)

Torquise: Naftali

Sapphire: Yissachar (Issachar)

Jasper: Binyamin (Benjamin)

Pearl: Zevulun (Zebulun)

Crystal: Gad

There's no consensus as to which stones exactly were on the breastplate, so I synthesized different interpretations.

Sources used were:

The High Priest’s Breastplate (Choshen)

The Stones, Symbols, and Flags of the Twelve Tribes of Israel

Exodus Tetzaveh 28:17-20 JPS translation

Onkelos Tetzaveh 28-17-20 Metsudah translation

Translating Gemstones

I colour-picked from each stone and ordered them to resemble a rainbow, representing the unity and diversity of the Jewish people and the inclusion of LGBTQ Jews in our history.

[lordgodjehovahsway]

Numbers 2: God Explains To Moses And Aaron How Each Tribe Must Be Arranged

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 

2 “The Israelites are to camp around the tent of meeting some distance from it, each of them under their standard and holding the banners of their family.”

3 On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. 

4 His division numbers 74,600.

5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. 6 His division numbers 54,400.

7 The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. 

8 His division numbers 57,400.

9 All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.

10 On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. 

11 His division numbers 46,500.

12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 

13 His division numbers 59,300.

14 The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. 

15 His division numbers 45,650.

16 All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.

17 Then the tent of meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in their own place under their standard.

18 On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. 

19 His division numbers 40,500.

20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 

21 His division numbers 32,200.

22 The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. 

23 His division numbers 35,400.

24 All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.

25 On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan under their standard. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 

26 His division numbers 62,700.

27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Okran. 

28 His division numbers 41,500.

29 The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. 

30 His division numbers 53,400.

31 All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.

32 These are the Israelites, counted according to their families. All the men in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550. 

33 The Levites, however, were not counted along with the other Israelites, as the Lord commanded Moses.

34 So the Israelites did everything the Lord commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each of them with their clan and family.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Portions for the Tribes

“Now these are the names of the tribes:

At the northern frontier, Dan will have one portion bordering the road of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath and running on to Hazar-enan on the border of Damascus with Hamath to the north, and extending from the east side to the west side.

Asher will have one portion bordering the territory of Dan from east to west.

Naphtali will have one portion bordering the territory of Asher from east to west.

Manasseh will have one portion bordering the territory of Naphtali from east to west.

Ephraim will have one portion bordering the territory of Manasseh from east to west.

Reuben will have one portion bordering the territory of Ephraim from east to west.

Judah will have one portion bordering the territory of Reuben from east to west.

Bordering the territory of Judah, from east to west, will be the portion you are to set apart. It will be 25,000 cubits wide, and the length of a tribal portion from east to west. In the center will be the sanctuary.

The special portion you set apart to the LORD shall be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide.

This will be the holy portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side, and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center will be the sanctuary of the LORD. It will be for the consecrated priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept My charge and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray. It will be a special portion for them set apart from the land, a most holy portion adjacent to the territory of the Levites.

Bordering the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an area 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. The whole length will be 25,000 cubits, and the width 10,000 cubits. They must not sell or exchange any of it, and they must not transfer this best part of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.

The remaining area, 5,000 cubits wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for common use by the city, for houses, and for pastureland. The city will be in the center of it and will have these measurements: 4,500 cubits on the north side, 4,500 cubits on the south side, 4,500 cubits on the east side, and 4,500 cubits on the west side.

The pastureland of the city will extend 250 cubits to the north, 250 cubits to the south, 250 cubits to the east, and 250 cubits to the west.

The remainder of the length bordering the holy portion and running adjacent to it will be 10,000 cubits on the east side and 10,000 cubits on the west side. Its produce will supply food for the workers of the city. The workers of the city who cultivate it will come from all the tribes of Israel.

The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits by 25,000 cubits. You are to set apart the holy portion, along with the city property.

The remaining area on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city will belong to the prince. He will own the land adjacent to the tribal portions, extending eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the holy district toward the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. And in the center of them will be the holy portion and the sanctuary of the temple.

So the Levitical property and the city property will lie in the center of the area belonging to the prince—the area between the borders of Judah and Benjamin.

As for the rest of the tribes:

Benjamin will have one portion extending from the east side to the west side.

Simeon will have one portion bordering the territory of Benjamin from east to west.

Issachar will have one portion bordering the territory of Simeon from east to west.

Zebulun will have one portion bordering the territory of Issachar from east to west.

And Gad will have one portion bordering the territory of Zebulun from east to west.

The southern border of Gad will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, then along the Brook of Egypt and out to the Great Sea. This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Lord GOD.

“These will be the exits of the city:

Beginning on the north side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. On the north side there will be three gates: the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi.

On the east side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan.

On the south side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun.

And on the west side, which will be 4,500 cubits long, there will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali.

The perimeter of the city will be 18,000 cubits, and from that day on the name of the city will be:

THE LORD IS THERE.” — Ezekiel 48 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 13:14; Genesis 14:7; Genesis 30:7-8; Genesis 30:18; Exodus 1:1; Leviticus 8:35; Numbers 34:20; Joshua 13:15; Joshua 13:24; Joshua 13:29; Joshua 15:1; Joshua 16:5; Joshua 18:21; Joshua 19:10; Joshua 19:24; Isaiah 12:6; Ezekiel 34:24; Ezekiel 42:2; Ezekiel 42:11; Ezekiel 45:1; Ezekiel 45:5; Ezekiel 47:13; Romans 8:23; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:3; Revelation 21:12-13; Revelation 21:16; Revelation 22:3

[promptuarium]

ELEAZAR, son of Aaron, was made High Priest upon the death of his father, in the 2491st year of the world and the 1471st before Christ was born.

He and Joshua gained the land of Canaan, which they called Judea. It was divided among the twelve tribes of the children of Israel, whose names were the Tribe of Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, Gad, Asher, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Manasseh.

Eleazar died in the same year as Joshua. See Exodus ch. 6, also Joshua ch. 24.

[crystalitecloudie]

shitpost masterlist 2

(the sequel because I shitpost too much)

Genshin Impact:

Back to the Grand Masterlist

My first shitpost masterlist is here! It has the following topics:

Twisted Wonderland

Pokémon

Miscellaneous Topics (either from everyday life, or from video games that did not have enough posts to obtain their own category)

headcanons for heizou back when we knew barely anything about him and all we had was his fan design

about kazuha getting high

ayato's eyelashes

ayato fics are long

genshin mafia au

dainsleif

sandrone

kaveh

masterless visions

hexenzirkel tea parties

SAGAU:

paimon creator

language

feeling the creator

religious trauma

regrator (refrigerator)

concerning my refrigerator shitpost

kitty cat creator

the withering

did I start a trend

period blood

SAHSRAU:

someone needs to make SAHSRAU

the SAHSRAU disease is spreading

Kazutaka Kodaka Works:

NOTE: Kodaka Works includes Danganronpa, Tribe Nine, Akudama Drive, Rain Code, ETC.)

concerning tribe nine x readers

danganronpa phone alarm

kokichi fanfiction flashbacks

rain code am I right

Roblox:

royale high

vibe cafe

fox spirit rp games

zaibatsu is a really good game

Atlus Works:

NOTE: Atlus Works jncludes the Persona series, Soul Hackers 2, ETC.)

give me soul hackers 2 content

drawing mitsuki in soul hackers 2

no x readers of soul hackers 2

soul hackers 2 fan real

Bungo Stray Dogs:

sobbing

bsd vs soul hackers 2

bungo stray dogs iceberg

soukoku

Obey Me:

just started playing obey me

asmodeus and simeon are hot

is this luke card good

Splatoon:

big man

shiver and yumi are really similar

my splatoon oc

jellyfish in splatoon

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

31st December >> Fr. Martin's Homilies / Reflections on Today's Mass Readings (Luke 2:22-40) for the Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph: ‘God’s favour was with him’.

Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Gospel (Except USA) Luke 2:22-40 My eyes have seen your salvation.

When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:

‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’

As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’

There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.

Gospel (USA) Luke 2:22–40 The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom.

When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord, and to offer the sacrifice of a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Christ of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted —and you yourself a sword will pierce— so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Homilies (5)

(i) The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

As a priest I love to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism. When young parents bring their child to the church for baptism, they are expressing their desire to bring their child to the Lord. They are inviting the Lord into the life of their child. They recognize that connecting their child with the Lord and with the church at such a young age will be beneficial for him or her. As a priest, it is a great privilege to be able to respond to this desire of parents. The most important moment in the liturgy of baptism is when the parents hold their child over the baptismal font, and the priest pours water over the child’s head, saying, ‘I baptize you…’ At that moment something very special is happening for the child. It is a sacred moment when the Holy Spirit is moving in a special way. I like to think that because the Holy Spirit is coming into the life of the young child, all of us present to what is happening are in some way touched by the Spirit.

Today’s gospel reading for the feast of the holy family brought that moment of a child’s baptism to my mind. There, we find a young couple bringing their child to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as parents today bring their children to the church for baptism to present them to the Lord. I have often been struck by the presence of grandparents at baptisms. As these grandparents brought their children to the Lord for baptism, those children, now adults, are bringing their children to the Lord, and the grandparents want to be part of this important religious moment. There is no reference to Jesus’ grandparents in today’s gospel reading, but there is mention of a man and a woman, Simeon and Anna. Anna, we are told, is eighty four years of age, having been a widow for much of her adult life. We are not given Simeon’s age, but the sense is that he too has lived a long life. He has been looking forward to Israel’s comforting, probably for many years. When he sees a young couple entering the Temple, he realizes immediately that their child is the one whom God promised to bring God’s comfort not just to Israel but to all the nations. Taking the child in his arms, he prays, ‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for the nations to see’. He has seen what he had always hoped to see and he is now at peace, ready to leave this world. Simeon is the patron saint of all who, having found meaning at last in their lives, are ready to let go and surrender all to the Lord.

The sense you get from the gospel reading is that this young couple and their child are greatly blessed by the presence of this older man and woman, both of whom are clearly people of God. They are people of prayer whose prayerful presence graces the lives of others. We are told that the Holy Spirit rested on Simeon and that Anna never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. It is often the way that in a family the lives of children and their parents are blessed by the strong faith of grandparents. Simeon and Anna represent all that is best in the religious tradition of Israel and, likewise, grandparents often represent all that is best in the church’s tradition. As people of prayer, grandparents often keep the light of faith burning brightly within them, and offer it to the generations below them. This is what we find Simeon and Anna doing in the gospel reading. Simeon proclaims to Mary and Joseph the true identity of their child, ‘a light to enlighten the pagans, and the glory of… Israel’.  Anna speaks of the child Jesus to everyone in the Temple who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.

There is a powerful meeting of the generations in our gospel reading. The young couple and their child touched the lives of Simeon and Anna in a wonderful way, and Simeon and Anna, in turn, touched the lives of this young couple and their child. There is an image here of family life at its best. Within the family, including the family of the church, all the generations are vitally important. We have much to receive from and give to one another, across the generations, especially when it comes to our faith life. The young couple, Mary and Joseph, learned from the elderly man and woman that their child was God’s light for all people. We have all been unlighted by this child and we are called to carry the light of the Lord’s love and peace to one another, in our families and communities, wherever we happen to be on our life’s journey, whether young or old. The family has been described as the domestic church. It is above all in our families that the Lord wants to meet us and touch our lives. None of our families are all holy or perfectly loving. Yet, the Lord is always present there, supporting us in our daily struggle to live good and loving lives.

And/Or

(ii) Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

Most of us will have spent some of Christmas with family members. If that was not possible we probably will have made contact with family members over the Christmas, either by phone, or e-mail or letter. Christmas is very much a family feast. People travel in great numbers to be with their families at Christmas time. The centrality of the family at Christmas time is perhaps because, at some deep level, we are aware that at the heart of this feast of Christmas is a family, what we call the holy family, whose feast we celebrate today. When we refer to the holy family we think of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Yet, when Joseph, Mary and Jesus spoke of the family, it is likely that they had in mind a much larger group than themselves. They would have thought of the extended family of grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces. Luke in his gospel tells us that Mary and Elizabeth were sisters, and, therefore, that Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins. Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah and their son John were part of Mary and Joseph’s family, along with many others. It was within this wider family that Jesus, in the words of the gospel reading today, ‘grew to maturity and was filled with wisdom’.

Today, the feast of the holy family, is a good day to remember our own families of origin, the family into which we were born, within which, to varying degrees, we grew to maturity and were filled with wisdom. In remembering our families, we think not only of our parents, our brothers and sisters, but also of grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins. We may have mixed feelings about our family. It is rare that someone is totally positive about the family into which they were born and in which they grew to maturity. None of our families were all holy or completely wholesome. They were imperfect communities because the people who composed them were not perfect. Amid all the good memories of family life, it is likely that we will also have some bad memories, some painful memories. For a minority, the memory of their family of origin will be more bad than good.

Today is a day to give thanks for all that was good in our family of origin. We give thanks for the care that nurtured and nourished us when we were too weak and vulnerable to take care of ourselves, for the many sacrifices that were made so that we might have better opportunities in life than earlier generations, for the sense of home that was created and that gave us a feeling of security as we negotiated the tricky journey from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to young adulthood, for the love that was free to let us go when we needed to move on, while always ready to welcome us home. Today’s feast is also a good day to ask the Lord to help us to forgive what needs forgiving in our experience of family, a day when we ask him for the freedom to let go of whatever resentments may be oppressing us, a day when we pray to him for the healing of any hurts that family members may have inflicted on us.

No matter where we are in our life-journey, whether we are still within our family of origin or whether we have long moved on from our family, the Lord continues to call us to grow to maturity, in the words of the gospel reading today. We are all a little like Abraham in the second reading. According to that reading, he heard ‘the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him’. We too are called to set out for a country that is given to us as our inheritance. We are constantly being called to set out towards our heavenly inheritance. It is only in heaven that, as St. Paul says, we will be conformed to the image of God’s Son. That is the goal of our journey, our inheritance, to be conformed to the image of God’s Son, to grow up into Christ.

Our families of origin can set us on the road towards that goal, that destination, but the journey continues throughout our lives. God never ceases to call us to grow up into Christ, to become more and more Christ-like, and it is never too late to heed that call, to make a new effort to travel that journey. It is a journey we travel in the power of the Spirit, because it is the Holy Spirit who shapes and moulds us into the person of Christ. The gospel reading today puts before us two elderly people who have travelled far on that journey, a man and a woman of the Spirit, Simeon and Anna. They were prayerful people, very attuned to God’s presence, and the words they spoke to others were full of promise and truth. They exemplify what it means to grow old gracefully. To grow old gracefully is to grow towards becoming the Christ-like person we will be in eternity. This is the journey the Lord is constantly asking us to set out on. We pray this morning for the grace to be faithful to that calling, like Simeon and Anna.

And/Or

(iii) Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

We have just celebrated the feast of Christmas. For most of us it is a time when we connect with the members of our family. At least for Christmas dinner we try to gather as family. Because family is important to us around Christmas time, we tend to feel the absence of family members more intensely at this time of the year. Christmas can be a very difficult time for those who have been recently bereaved. Our experience of family changes over the years. For those who get married and start a family of their own, their new family becomes more significant over time that their family of origin, especially as siblings move away and start families of their own. For those who do not get married and remain single, their family of origin tends to be more significant. Brothers and sisters can become important, especially after parents have died.

Throughout our lives, whether we are married or single, family remains important to us. Our experience of family will differ for each of us. None of us have a completely positive experience of family. As well as being places of warmth, love and support, our families can also be places of conflict, suffering and anguish. Yet, even the negative experience of family does not break completely the bond that we feel with family members. The family is such a fundamental human experience that we can never break free of our families completely, and, hopefully, most of us would not want to. Pope Francis said recently that all of humanity passes through the family. To that extent, the health of humanity is greatly dependant on the health of the family. At its best, the family is a communion of love, created by the loving commitment of a husband and wife to each other all the days of their lives.

Today’s feast of the Holy Family reminds us that Jesus was born into a family. The Word became flesh as a member of a family, a family that included not just parents, but grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. At the end of this morning’s gospel reading, it is said that within his family in Nazareth of Galilee the child Jesus grew to maturity, and was filled with wisdom and God’s favour was with him. Three elements are mentioned there which give us a lovely description of family life at its best - maturity, wisdom and God’s favour. The family provides us with an environment where we can grow to maturity, not just physically, but emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, relationally. It is a place where we imbibe some of the wisdom we need to negotiate the journey of life. There is a great emphasis on knowledge today, and rightly so. Knowledge of all sorts is so much more accessible than it used to be. Yet, more fundamental than knowledge is wisdom, that quality which allows us to discern what is good, right, noble, true and loving, and then to act accordingly. Within his family in Nazareth, Jesus grew to maturity and was filled with wisdom. His family was also the place where God’s favour rested on him. At its best, our family is a place where we experience something of God’s loving favour. We speak of marriage as a sacrament. The love of husband and wife makes present the love of Christ for his church, the love of God for all humanity. The experience of family is our best opportunity to be graced by God’s loving favour for us in Christ. It is there that we can experience in concrete ways something of the Lord’s faithful love, his willingness to forgive us when we fail, to support us when we are at our most vulnerable.

We don’t know much about the thirty years that Jesus spent with his family in Nazareth; they are the hidden years. Yet, without that experience of family, Jesus would not have become the adult that graces the pages of the gospels - that fully mature human being, filled with wisdom, on whom God’s favour rested and who revealed God’s favour to all, especially to those who were made to feel outside of God’s favour. Although Jesus was more than Mary and Joseph could ever give him, their influence on him can never be underestimated. They brought him to the point where one day he could separate himself from his blood family and begin to form a family of his own, not a blood family but a family of disciples, the family of those who do the will of his Father in heaven. This family came to be called the church, into which we have all been baptized.

There are three generations of people in this morning’s gospel reading. As well as the child Jesus and his young parents, there is the elderly Simeon and Anna. The gift that these two older people bring to this young married couple and their child is their ability to see and name the goodness of the child. Simeon declares him to be a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of Israel; Anna announces that he will respond to people’s longing for deliverance. Those of an older generation always have a gift to offer us that no one else can give. At its best, family life is where the different generations are brought together in ways that are deeply enriching for all.

And/Or

(iv) Feast of the The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

This year the feast of the Holy Family coincides with New Year’s Eve. There is something about New Year’s Eve which always prompts me to look back as well as to look forward. Perhaps the coincidence of the feast of the Holy Family being celebrated on New Year’s Eve might prompt us to look back over our family life in the past year. We were all born into a family and we all belong to a family. As we look back on our experience of family this past year, we might be very aware of moments of celebration. Perhaps someone had a significant birthday, or a child was born into the family, or there was a gathering of family members that hadn’t happened for a long time. We might also be aware of some sad and dark experiences for our family, perhaps the death of a family member, or some other experience of significant loss for the family. We might be aware of a family relationship that broke down and is in need of healing. Every family’s story over a twelve-month period is different. Yet, each family story will have its light and shadow, its joy and sorrow, its success and failure, its sense of gratitude and sense of regret.

New Year’s Eve is also a time for looking forward and the feast of the Holy Family coinciding with New Year’s Eve might prompt us to reflect on our family life as we head into a new year and to ask how together we can build up our families. None of us knows what the future holds for our families in the coming twelve months. No doubt, there will again be that mixture of light and shade which colours the life of every family. In today’s gospel reading, a young couple from the village of Nazareth bring their new-born son to the Temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, much as parents today bring their children to their parish church for baptism. There they encountered a man named Simeon, on whom the Holy Spirit rested. When Simeon saw this young couple and their child, he looked to the future, both the couple’s future and the child’s future. As he looked into the future, he could see both light and shade. He recognized that this child would become a light to enlighten the pagans and would bring glory to his own people Israel. Yet, he also announced that a shadow would fall over this young family in the years to come. Their son would become a sign to be rejected and a sword would piece Mary’s heart. That announcement of Simeon, with its light and shade, is an accurate reflection of what transpired for this family. As Jesus grew into adulthood and set out on his public ministry, he brought light into the darkness of many people’s lives, and as risen Lord he continues to do that for us today. Yet, Jesus’ light-shedding ministry was experienced as threatening by others who went on to reject him in the most violent way imaginable. This would have painful implications for Mary in particular.

The term ‘holy family’ can make the family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph seem remote from us. Yet, this was a family that knew the darker side of human life, as well as its joys and wonders. Yes, there was something special about this family, because Jesus was special. He had a unique relationship with God and a mission from God that no one else before or since has had. At the same time, this family did not appear to stand out from the other families of Nazareth as Jesus was growing up. When Jesus went back to Nazareth as an adult to preach in the synagogue there, his townspeople clearly weren’t expecting him to turn out as he did. They asked each other, ‘Where did this man get all this?... Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and are not his sisters here with us?’ There was something very ordinary about this family. In some ways, they were like every other family in Nazareth. Yet, God was doing something very extraordinary in and through what was in many ways a very ordinary family.

Perhaps, one of the messages of today’s feast is that God can continue to do something extraordinary in and through the very ordinariness of our own family lives. The son of Mary and Joseph is now risen Lord who promised to be with us until the end of time. We have all been baptized into that risen Lord. He is present at the heart of every family. In particular the love of a husband and wife for each other and their children makes tangibly present the Lord’s love for us all. There is a sacred, sacramental, quality to every family. Just as God’s favour was with Jesus, and with Mary and Joseph, according to the gospel reading, the Lord’s favour is present to all our families. We face into the future in the strength of that favour. The Lord’s loving presence within our families is a powerful resource that can enable us to face every struggle that might come our way in the year ahead.

And/Or

(v) Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

This has been a different Christmas to any other year. We haven’t been able to gather around family tables in the same numbers as usual. Many family members who are abroad have been unable to come home. The family of faith has not been able to gather for Mass on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the same numbers either. To avoid having to turn large numbers of people away, we reluctantly decided to have a ticketing system for the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses. Today, we began to celebrate Mass behind closed doors again. Yet, all these restrictions, painful as they are, serve the purpose of keeping as many people as possible safe and well. They are an act of loving service towards one another. Living by these restrictions can be one of the ways we grow in our love for the members of our blood family and of our faith family, the church.

Although a much smaller number than usual could be accommodated at Mass over the Christmas period, many people are coming to the church to pray, outside of Mass times. The church is open every day until around 5.00 pm. I am struck by the number of young parents who have been bringing their children to the church to pray, to visit the crib, to light a candle. In bringing their children to the church in this way, parents are following in the footsteps of Mary and Joseph in today’s gospel reading. They would have brought their young child, Jesus, to the local synagogue in Nazareth from his earliest days of life. In today’s gospel reading, they are depicted as bringing him all the way to the Temple in Jerusalem, far to the south, in keeping with the requirements of the Jewish Law. Their faith in God was central to the lives of Mary and Joseph and they wanted to initiate their child into that same faith. Bringing their child to places associated with the worship of God was one of the ways they did that. We have a beautiful church here in the parish. We are blessed with lovely stained glass window, attractive shrines, striking Stations of the Cross, a beautiful mosaic of Jesus’ baptism, all of which can easily speak to children’s religious imagination. Even more than the fabric and objects of the church, is the prayerfulness of the church. The faith of many generations of worshippers has left an impact on the atmosphere of the church. Bringing children to such a space as this cannot but nurture their emerging faith. We speak of the home and family as the domestic church. It is above all in that family setting that the faith is caught by children. Yet, our parish church is a space that can nurture faith in another way. It brings the domestic church into contact with the church of the generations. It is a space where the faith of us all can be nurtured, regardless of our age.

When Mary and Joseph brought their child, Jesus, to the Temple that day in Jerusalem, it certainly nurtured their faith and, through them, the faith of their young child. They had the good fortune to meet two elderly worshippers, Simeon and Anna. Simeon is spoken of as upright and devout, someone on whom the Holy Spirit rested, and Anna is described as a prophetess, someone who was deeply steeped in God’s word and could proclaim it to others. The Lord touched the lives of Mary, Joseph and their child in and through these two older people of faith. They both affirmed the identity of the young couple’s child. Simeon declared the child to be a ‘light to enlighten the pagans, and the glory of your people Israel’. Anna announced that the child was God’s response to all who were looking forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. The long journey of Mary, Joseph and their child from Nazareth to Jerusalem had not been in vain. It brought them into contact with two wonderful representatives of the wider faith community, through whom God touched the lives of this young family. When parents bring their child to our parish church, they won’t necessarily meet a Simeon or an Anna, although their equivalents can be found in our church at various times of the day. Yet, when a family or when we as individuals come to our parish church, even outside the times when people gather for Mass, we are coming in contact with the wider community of faith, with the Simeon’s and Anna’s of our day, and with the community of faith who are now in heaven.

Among that community of faith who are now in heaven, and whom we remember in a special way today, are the parents of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Both are represented visually in our church, Mary has her own altar at the front of the church, with a beautiful stained glass depiction of her annunciation above it, and Joseph has his shrine at the back of the church. Perhaps that is where he would want to be, because he is always somewhat in the background in the gospel story. We come into contact with the holy family when we come to our parish church, and we are also reminded of our own honoured place within this holy family. Through baptism, we have become members of Jesus’ family, his brothers and sisters, who can look to God his Father as our Father and to Mary his mother as our mother.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Thursday, August 22, 2024

august 9_august 22

THE HOLY APOSTLE MATTHIAS (63)

The Holy Apostle Matthias was born at Bethlehem of the Tribe of Judah. From his early childhood he studied the Law of God under the guidance of Saint Simeon the God-Receiver (February 3).

When the Lord Jesus Christ revealed Himself to the world, Saint Matthias believed in Him as the Messiah, followed constantly after Him and was numbered among the Seventy Apostles, whom the Lord “sent them two by two before His face” (Luke 10:1).

After the Ascension of the Savior, Saint Matthias was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot as one of the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:15-26). After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Matthias preached the Gospel at Jerusalem and in Judea together with the other Apostles (Acts 6:2, 8:14). From Jerusalem he went with the Apostles Peter and Andrew to Syrian Antioch, and was in the Cappadocian city of Tianum and Sinope. Here the Apostle Matthias was locked into prison, from which he was miraculously freed by Saint Andrew the First-Called.

The Apostle Matthias journeyed after this to Amasea, a city on the shore of the sea. During a three year journey of the Apostle Andrew, Saint Matthias was with him at Edessa and Sebaste. According to Church Tradition, he was preaching at Pontine Ethiopia (presently Western Georgia) and Macedonia. He was frequently subjected to deadly peril, but the Lord preserved him to preach the Gospel.

Once, pagans forced the saint to drink a poison potion. He drank it, and not only did he himself remain unharmed, but he also healed other prisoners who had been blinded by the potion. When Saint Matthias left the prison, the pagans searched for him in vain, for he had become invisible to them. Another time, when the pagans had become enraged intending to kill the Apostle, the earth opened up and engulfed them.

The Apostle Matthias returned to Judea and did not cease to enlighten his countrymen with the light of Christ’s teachings. He worked great miracles in the Name of the Lord Jesus and he converted a great many to faith in Christ.

The Jewish High Priest Ananias hated Christ and earlier had commanded the Apostle James, Brother of the Lord, to be flung down from the heights of the Temple, and now he ordered that the Apostle Matthias be arrested and brought for judgment before the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem.

The impious Ananias uttered a speech in which he blasphemously slandered the Lord. Using the prophecies of the Old Testament, the Apostle Matthias demonstrated that Jesus Christ is the True God, the promised Messiah, the Son of God, Consubstantial and Coeternal with God the Father. After these words the Apostle Matthias was sentenced to death by the Sanhedrin and stoned.

When Saint Matthias was already dead, the Jews, to hide their malefaction, cut off his head as an enemy of Caesar. (According to several historians, the Apostle Matthias was crucified, and indicate that he instead died at Colchis.) The Apostle Matthias received the martyr’s crown of glory in the year 63.

Source: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

NEW MARTYR MARGARET (1918)

Abbess Margaret, in the world Maria Mikhailovna Gunarodnoulo, was born in 1865 or 1866 in a family of Greek origin. Before becoming a nun she lived in Kiev. Her spiritual father was Protopriest Alexander Korsakovsky, the rector of the St. George church, in whose parish she lived. In his memoirs Prince N.D. Zhevakov, who knew matushka long before she became a nun, writes: “I saw in Maria Mikhailovna the incarnation of fiery faith and ardent love for God. Small, frail, almost an old woman, she burned like a candle before God: everyone who knew her knew that she had been born precisely in order to warm others with her love.” Shortly after receiving the monastic tonsure with the name Margaret, she went to live in the “Joy and Consolation” community of the Orlov-Davydovs near Moscow, where the abbess was the very elderly Countess Orlova-Davydova. This period in her life was a heavy trial that demanded great courage, patience and humility.

     On January 18, 1917 the Holy Synod appointed her superior of the Menzelinsk women’s monastery of the Prophet Elijah in Ufa province with elevation to the rank of abbess. This appointment took place thanks to the efforts of Prince N.D. Zhevakov, the assistant over-procurator of the Holy Synod. And her ordination as abbess took place in the presence of Great Princess Elizabeth Fyodorovna, who was exceptionally fond of Matushka Margaret.

     The move to Menzelinsk was long and difficult. At the end of 1917 she arrived in the monastery, which was one of the biggest women’s communities in the Ufa diocese. It had three churches, a church-parish school, a monastic economy with fruit trees, kitchen-gardens and apiaries. The nuns worked in the guest-house for pilgrims, in workshops devoted to iconography, gold-weaving, carpentry, dress-making and book-binding, and also baking bread and prosphoras and preparing food. The monastery even had its own photographic studio – an extreme rarity at that time. In 1917 there were fifty nuns and 248 novices. The intelligent and educated abbess was renowned for her strict ascetic life and the good order she introduced into the monastery in the old Russian spirit.

     In April, 1917 the revolutionary wave also hit the Prophet Elijah monastery. By decree of the Provisional Government, the church-parish schools had to be transferred into the administration of the Ministry of popular enlightenment, but the abbess tried to defend the monastery’s school from this transfer on the grounds that the property and buildings of the school belonged to the monastery and that the pupils were its novices. She declared that the upkeep of the school would from now on be the responsibility of the monastery (under the Tsars the State had paid the teachers). The unshakeable will of the abbess to keep the school’s education in the Orthodox faith had an unexpected result: the city left the school in her hands. Moreover, since city girls were studying in it, the city decided to pay the teachers and provide the necessary equipment.

     On April 18, 1918 Abbess Margaret was elected a member of the diocesan council.

     In May, 1918 the Czech legion rebelled, and by July the whole province had been liberated from the Bolsheviks. However, battles still continued on the western boundaries of the province, and Menzelinsk changed hands between the combatants several times. In the late summer the Whites abandoned Kazan; and according to Nun Alevtina, a previous inhabitant of the monastery, Abbess Margaret at one time decided to leave with the Whites and not remain under the authority of the Bolsheviks. She was at the wharf preparing to leave when St. Nicholas appeared to her and said:

     “Why are you running from your crown?”

     Stunned by the vision, Abbess Margaret returned to the monastery and told the monastery priest about what had happened. And sensing that she would soon have to suffer for the faith, she asked for her coffin to be prepared in advance, and that she should be buried on the very day of her death, after the burial service.

     During the night of August 11–12 the Bolsheviks suddenly left Menzelinsk. The citizens created a voluntary unit to guard the city and established links with units of the White army. On August 21 the Bolsheviks renewed their attack on Menzelinsk. The Whites held out for four hours, but finally the Bolsheviks burst into the city and began to take revenge… On August 21 and 22, they shot 150-200 people in the city. Mother Margaret was one of their victims. Another was Priest Vozdvizhensky of the Trinity church.

     According to the witness of the Red Army soldier Ya.F. Ostroumov, the excuse for killing the abbess was the fact that the nuns were trying to defend some White officers (probably wounded) in the monastery. “Several White officers who had been left in the monastery were hidden in the cells of the women’s monastery and were… shot in the monastery courtyard. The abbess of the monastery was also shot… for hiding White officers in the cells of the monastery.”

     According to another account that reached Prince Zhevakov across the front line, the Bolsheviks, having burst into the territory of the monastery, wanted to defile the church, but the abbess did not let them in there. Matushka fearlessly went out to the crowd of drunk and heavily armed Bolsheviks and meekly said to them: ‘I do not fear death, for only after death will I appear before the Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom I have striven all my life. You will only bring forward my meeting with the Lord… But I wish to suffer and endure endlessly in this life if only you would save your souls… In killing my body, you kill your own souls… Think about that.”

     In reply to this they hurled insults and curses at her and demanded that she open the church. The abbess refused outright, and the Bolsheviks said to her: “Look to it: early tomorrow we will kill you…” With these words they left.

     After their departure, having locked the monastery gates, Abbess Margaret went together with the sisters into the church, where they spent the whole night in prayer and communed at the early liturgy. The abbess had not succeeded in leaving the church when the Bolsheviks, seeing her coming down from the ambon, took aim at her and fired point-blank. “Glory to Thee, O God!” cried the abbess loudly when she saw the Bolsheviks taking aim at her, and… fell dead to the floor.

     Nun Alevtina has a slightly different account: “The following day [after the Whites left Menzelinsk], Abbess Margaret was arrested as a supposed ‘counter-revolutionary’ during a service. She was taken out onto the porch, and having refused her request to partake of the Holy Mysteries, shot her.”

     Immediately after the burial service, the sisters of the monastery buried her behind the altar of the Ascension church where she had been shot.

     It was only the next day that the abbess’s request to be buried on the very day of her death, which had at first seemed strange to the priest, became comprehensible. For the same chekists who had shot Abbess Margaret brought out a Muslim mullah to be shot, wishing to bury him in one grave with the Orthodox superior of the monastery. However, since she was already buried, they could not do this and took the mullah somewhere else.

     According to M.V. Mikhailova, the daughter of a priest of Menzelinsk, in the 1970s, near the main church of the Menzelinsk monastery, which was closed at that time, they decided to dig a hole behind the very altar. Suddenly they came on a coffin. In it were the incorrupt relics of Abbess Margaret with a cross on her breast. They did not disturb the coffin, but filled in the grave and found another place for the hole…

     A great Russian elder – St. Ambrose of Optina, it seems – prophesied about this monastery that under one superior they would build a church, another would be a martyr, and under a third – the bells would fall. The prophecy was fulfilled. Abbess Margaret became a martyr, and under the last superior they removed the bells from the church and closed the monastery.

ACTS 1:12-17, 21-26

12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples (altogether the number of names was about a hundred and twenty), and said, 16 Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus; 17 for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry.

21 Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection. 23 And they proposed two: Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. 24 And they prayed and said, "You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

LUKE 9:1-6

1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them. 6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.