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cyberaxolotl · 2 years ago

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The Snaktooth Island Disappearances: Chapter 1

Warnings: Major character death, horror, non-explicit death, references to s^lf harm

AO3 Alternative

“The following documents are classified.

This is [&/:$):?/?/&@] writing for [\£?%], reporting on the recent tragedy and semi-mass disappearance of several grumpuses. An expedition was hosted years ago to Snaktooth Island, a small land off of the coast of North Mayflowers, which seems to have been part of a small archipelago. A team of twelve grumpuses lead by Elizabert Megafig left in June of 1967, and journalist “Scarla Echoyear” from GNN was sent in August of 1968 to interview Megafig and learn more about the island and the expedition team. The journalist was scheduled to return from the island 13 months after they had left; it is now December of 1970 and nobody has heard word from Echoyear nor of the expedition team. Workers were sent to Snaktooth Island to perform a welfare check on Echoyear and return them to the mainland, only to find that not only have they disappeared, but every member of the expedition team has. Detectives and investigators are currently taking routine trips to the island to investigate the mysterious disappearances of all thirteen grumpuses.

Those who disappeared include Scarla Echoyear, Elizabert Megafig herself, her wife Eggabell Batternugget, Filbo Fiddlepie, Shellsy Woolbag, Cromdo Face, Beffica Winklesnoot, married couple Wambus Troubleham and Triffany Lottablog, Gramble Gigglefunny, popstar Wiggle Wigglebottom, Chandlo Funkbun, Snorpington Fizzlebean, and Floofalie Fizzlebean. We are sure that their last whereabouts were on Snaktooth Island, as no boats of any kind have docked here carrying any of the team, and everyone attending the expedition is recorded as having left the mainland three years ago.

Investigators are struggling to find evidence, however, they have found what seems to be a diary of some kind. It is signed as being written by Beffica Winklesnoot, and the handwriting matches her records. The diary has been analyzed by investigators and a selected timeframe of passages has now been passed to me for documentation. All of the following is directly transcribed from the diary unless marked otherwise.”

September 25th 1970

I usually don’t write in my diary this late, or this early I guess, but something grumping strange just happened. I heard someone walking around outside my hut, and when I went to see it, it was just Gramble sleepwalking :o/ I thought it’d be more fun to wake him up than let him walk around doing nothing, but he screamed in my face the second he was up cuz I scared him so hard. I was bugging him while he went back to the barn, and then we saw it; I don’t even know how to describe it!! There was a THING there, it looked like a grumpus, but it wasn’t! It was MADE of bugsnax, more than anyone who was snakified or anything. When we saw it, we both just froze, until it fell apart and ran away- then I shrieked. Woke the whole town up. When we explained it, they didn’t rlly believe me, but they did believe him. Double standards :o(

Scarla couldn’t even figure out what it was after they looked around. Whatever it was, I didn’t like it; I’m not scared of the dark, but I feel uneasy just looking out my window now. Dunno if I can go back to bed after that, not even sure I feel okay turning off my lantern!!

“We are unsure if this entry is linked to future highlighted ones, however we’ve documented it just for security.”

October 15th 1970

Floofty came back to Snaxburg last night, can’t say I’m upset ;o) just means another snarky grump is back for me to mess with. So long as they don’t cut me open in my sleep for it

Scarla’s been a REALLY good bestie~ they’re helping me snakify my arms all green today, we’re gonna get Chandlo’s secrets outta Snorpy soon! Whatever his baggage is, it has to be REALLY juicy for it to be hidden so well

I'm hoping Scarla gets back with those snax soon. i dunno why, but i think i've been feeling more tired than normal- i'm ALWAYS sleepy at sunset, whenever it’s dark, but i feel like i'm getting more tired earlier. Is it getting darker earlier? I can't tell, but it’s getting colder anyway, so I might just be feeling like hibernating lol~

October 16th 1970

Trying to get Chandlo’s secrets out of Snorpy TOTALLY failed :o( never been more disappointed than this!! I thought I’d get some good JUICY dirt and I got nothing!

Buuuut, even if I failed with Chandlo, I heard Floofty and Triffany talking about something in the research tent. Not sure what, but I heard the words “dark” and “winter” a lot, so i guess they’re talking about all that. then they saw me, oops ;o3

Eggabell came back today. I’m surprised, I didn’t think she’d come back, and even then without Lizbert. I gotta wonder how she’s doing.

October 17th 1970

Okay, something is REALLY up now.

Most of Snaxburg has the same schedule, we wake up when the sun rises, go to bed once it goes down. I think I just naturally don’t get up unless the sun is blazing in my face nowadays, so imagine my surprise when I woke up and it was almost noon! and the sun was barely up!

I asked everyone at the center of town about it and they had done it too. Floofty said it’s because it’s becoming winter, it’s gonna be darker earlier and brighter less, but by this much? I don’t buy it. Gramble’s trying to train a bugsnak like a rooster so that we wake up at the right time, but waking up when it’s dark doesn’t sound like something I wanna do. It’s cold anyway~ so if that means waking up right before noon, so be it

Chandlo and Snorpy are walking around town putting up lantern posts. Not lit yet, and I'm hoping they’re pretty dim, I don’t need a lantern right outside my door all night long.

The sun set today at, like, six pm. Hell if I know what’s going on, but if it’s just winter, I can see myself doing a lot of sleeping.

October 18th 1970

The same thing happened today, the sun didn’t rise until noon. Dunno what’s happening around here :o/ Snaktooth Island is a pretty weird place, but I’ve been here three years, and I NEVER saw this before. Not last winter, at least. Filbo helped Snorpy and Chandlo put oil in all of the lanterns, so we don’t have to stay inside when it’s dark anymore. It’s better than only having a five hour day.

I noticed something today. I looked into the distance, at the rest of the island, and it’s all dark too. Usually I can see the volcano glowing and burning, but I can’t see anything out there when the sun isn't up. And when the sun is down, it’s weird that there aren’t any stars.

Safe to say it’s pretty obvious that nobody in town knows what’s going on. Gramble brought all of his snax into the barn and I barely see him come out when it’s dark, and Snorpy seems hellbent on not leaving the mill at all if the sun isn’t up.

Filbo’s still getting up at the usual time to start the fire, and I realized that he didn’t stop it at all, even when the sun was up. I bet he’s scared of the dark~

“The following passages are written in noticeably messier cursive.”

October 19th 1970

The sun didn’t come up today.

I woke up to Scarla shaking me awake, and I wondered why they were waking me up when it was still dark, but then they showed me their watch- it was the middle of the afternoon.

Everyone in town gathered for a meeting around the fire, which was HUGE. I think Filbo and Chandlo stocked it up higher today, because that thing burned brighter than any of the lanterns.

When we realized what was going on, everyone turned to Triffany, Floofty, and Snorpy. If anyone was going to know what was going on, it was them, wasn’t it? They’re supposed to be the smart ones.

We all ignored Snorpy when he went on a fit about the Grumpinati, figuring the other two would have a better idea, but they DIDN’T. I’ve never seen Floofty more defeated than when they didn’t have an explanation.

I don’t grumping like it at all. The fire was warm, but when I walked away from it to go back home, it was cold. REALLY cold, like freezer cold. It went away when I got back to the lanterns, but I feel like it comes back whenever I look into the darkness too.

I’m not scared of the dark, I never have been. But something’s wrong today.

October 20th 1970

Still no sun. I woke up and saw the fire blazing outside, and I was surprised when I wanted to join everyone and sit around it. Filbo, Wambus, Eggabell, and Chandlo were all around the fire, and when I was awake enough, I joined them.

They were talking about how to give everyone enough light in their huts over the days. The lanterns are hung up all around town, and a few are hanging in the tent, but most of us don’t rlly have more than candles in our huts. I’ve got fairy lights, and the end of my pen glows~

But I’m pretty sure my fairy lights are giving out. Without electricity here, they’re powered by other light hitting them, and there isn’t much of that anymore. And it’s not like the dinky little glow of my pen is gonna do anything.

It had to have been noon when Filbo called everyone to the fire to ask who needed new lanterns or candles. I took a lantern, don’t need an open flame in my hut, but I heard some of the others talking while they were given out. Gramble said something about how the barn was giving him chills now, like it was too big for him, and the darkest corners were huge. Eggabell agreed with him, she said the darkness felt cold, and she couldn’t bear to look at the corners of her and Lizbert’s hut. I didn’t think anyone else felt it.

Floofty and Triffany were talking too. I think they’re trying to figure out what’s causing this, stuff about winter, and prolonged eclipses, or something to do with the bugsnax. But I think whatever’s happening is bigger than the bugsnax, it has to be, doesn’t it? The bugsnax can’t make an entire island black out like this.

Everyone agreed at the end that, even if the dark is scary, it isn’t dangerous. I might not like it, but it’s not like the darkness itself can kill me. Filbo asked if Shelda wanted to stay inside someone’s hut instead of out in her gazebo in case she felt unsafe, but she didn’t want to. Everyone is just staying in their own huts, alone or with their housemate.

October 21st 1970

Another day of darkness. Everyone gathered around the fire today instead of staying in their huts, and it seemed like today was the day Filbo decided to try to keep our spirits high. He kept talking about how he’s sure the sun will come back up again, and we just gotta wait, but I think he knew half of us didn’t buy it. I don’t know what to believe, tbh.

Triffany said that she’s going to start trying to do some research, cuz Floofty gave her some new books for her study. I don’t even know what she COULD research about this, but I'm not rlly a science grump, so I guess I wouldn’t know anything at all.

Gramble said that the bugsnax have been restless today, ever since last night, he said the ones outside have been banging on the door. Didn’t find it amusing when I offered to eat them ;o)

We realized today that we weren’t sure how we’d get bugsnax now if Gramble didn’t give any up. We thought Scarla could go out of town and catch bugsnax nearby, but Filbo didn’t want them to do that, and neither did Eggabell. What else are we gonna do, though? I’m not gonna go out in the dark to steal from Gramble, there’s no lights over the pen. I don’t want them to go out either, but if Scarla doesn’t bring us snax, who will?

I don’t know what decision they came to. Today was a lot of nothing, just half-assed decision making.

October 22nd 1970

We gathered around the fire again today. I think most of us think it’s better than being alone in dark huts, except Snorpy and Gramble, but they’ve always been exceptions.

Apparently Scarla decided to go out and get snax today. No matter what direction I look, I can’t see their lantern anywhere in the distance. I asked everyone why they thought we couldn’t see them, and everyone had a different answer. Triffany and Floofty said the darkness is also part fog, Filbo said they’re up in the mountains, and Wiggle said we’d never be able to see their light from so far away. I guess I believe the scientists the most~

It was an excruciatingly BORING day today. I spent a lot of it listening to everyone else talk on and on about whatever, I almost fell asleep by the fire a couple times, and I probably would’ve if Cromdo’s voice didn’t make me jump every time. I don’t think any of us even know what the time is anytime anymore, we just go to the fire when we wake up, and leave when we’re tired.

“The following page had a page ripped out before it. Searching the writer’s hut, we found several torn pages crumpled under the bed, including the one that fit.”

i had a nightmare that felt too real it was like the sky was falling and the fog was rolling over the stars

i was alone, so alone not even in my hut but on cold stone it felt like scorched gorge but it was so cold i was scared i was so scared

there was nothing but a candle there with me and it felt like nothing the darkness consumed everything that wasn’t the flame it was all i saw and when i looked away something called to me and told me to come to it

it wanted me to leave the light and be part of the darkness

i don’t want to be cold

October 23rd 1970

I was the first one at the fire after Filbo lit it today. He looked surprised when I was the first one to come up behind him, and I actually think I scared him. When it was just the two of us, I felt… Awkward. Maybe it was because it was Filbo, and he expected me to insult him, but I couldn’t today. I didn’t try to talk to him at all, and he didn’t try to either. When Wambus and Triffany got there, he was all over the conversation. When everyone arrived, we all had a question.

Scarla wasn’t back today. It had to have been about 24 hours since they left, and they weren’t back. Filbo was sure they were getting as many snax as possible, so that they could get food for everyone, but can’t they only carry so many? Everyone figured they’d get back soon, if they can get set on fire and not care about it, they can survive this.

Gramble came to the fire today looking more traumatized than usual. None of us got an answer out of him around the fire, but I could tell Wiggle was going to get it out of him given how much he trusts her. They walked off to talk to each other by the barn, and I was just lucky enough to be the one closest to them.

His snax turned to mush. All of them. Every snak, in every enclosure, turned to mush and disappeared.

Does that mean every snak on the island is gone now? Is Scarla out for nothing?

I didn’t tell the others, but it’s been worrying me since I heard it. I don’t want to eat sauce until this is over.

October 24th 1970

Scarla still didn’t come back today.

Wambus is giving out rations of sauce, but it’s hard to make sure everyone gets their preference when most of us like sweet stuff. Though, it was pretty entertaining to watch Triffany drink straight hot sauce without a change of face.

I feel like the lanterns and the fire are starting to give off less light or something. It used to envelop the entire heart of town, but now, it barely escapes all of the seats, and the lanterns don’t really make a path anymore. It’s a lot scarier to go from my hut and back now, I can’t stand being in the dark for even a few seconds.

I kinda wanna ask to hutmate up with someone, but do I really want to? It’d probably be for the best, but then again, who’d wanna room with me lol. I didn’t really listen to todays conversation, I think I got super stuck in my own head

I hope Scarla is back with snax soon.

October 25th

There was no fire today.

I dunno if Filbo forgot to start it, or if he didn’t want to, but there wasn’t a gathering around the fire today. I think everyone stayed in their huts all day today. As far as I can see, their lanterns are all on. I see the little lights in their huts. Or, at least Wiggle, Eggabell, Triffany and Wambus, and Gramble are all at home. I can only see half of town from my window, but hey, it means they’re still out there.

If Scarla came back today, I hope they weren’t disappointed by the fire being out. I hope they’re waiting for it to come on, or they’re going to come by our huts and give us food, or smth. I don’t know.

October 26th 1970

forgot year yesterday, L beffy

There still wasn’t a fire today, and tbh, I’m kinda worried about it??? Filbo isn’t rlly the kinda guy to miss this out two days in a row. One if he’s super tired, but two? Nah. I wish I could see his hut from here and know if his lights are still on.

It’s also… kinda lonely out here. I didn’t think I’d feel it so fast, but after so long of seeing everyone by the fire, I think my brain has gone funny. I’m tempted to ask Wiggle if I can bunk by her until the fire goes back on, I can see her pacing around her hut, but I rlly don’t think she’d welcome me.

I gotta feel bad for Shelda about this. She doesn’t even have walls, can’t imagine her feeling safe about all this. Or warm.

I’m not really warm either, even if I am inside. My bed feels cold, my lantern is cold, it’s all really cold. I don’t like it. It’s been a long time since someone has hugged or held me, but well, what can I do about it?

October 27th 1970

Is this just one big halloween prank from the world to us? The fire wasn’t on again today, I don’t think Filbo is okay and I’m grumping scared. Everyone else’s lights are still on, and sometimes, I see Eggabell pass by the window. She looks just as scared as me, and if she looks out, she only looks worse. I feel weird looking out the window too. Even seeing the light of the other huts isn’t enough, the darkness just… it’s scary.

Sometimes I end up hitting my desk with my pen, and the light on it goes out for a little bit. It doesn’t take more than another tap for it to turn back on, but still, it’s scary to see it go out. I don’t know WHY it scares me to see it go out, when I’ve got the lantern, but it does. It doesn’t make me feel any better knowing my fairy lights went out ages ago, and I didn’t even notice.

October 28th 1970

I managed to talk to someone today. I saw Wiggle standing by her doorway, looking out, and I wondered if I could talk to her from across the street. Wasn’t easy, but we did it.

Put simply, we’re both grumping terrified. She was worried because she can’t see Gramble’s barn from her hut, but I can still see the light, and it felt kinda nice to see her feel better when I told her he was okay. We talked about what we thought this was, and she said something about bugsnax covering up the entire sky. I really don’t think so, but she’s got a few loose screws, so I wasn’t gonna stress myself out being mean right now.

I asked her if she thought it’d be safer if more of us were in the same place, and she was one step ahead of me. Said she’d been planning to take her lantern and run for the barn to stay with Gramble, but every time she’s about to go, she can’t get herself to. I guess I get it, it doesn’t seem safe to try and run across town like that. I wanted to ask if I could join her, but I dunno if she’d be very happy with that. I dunno if I would be either.

“The following is another ripped out page that fit into this spot between the other pages.”

i can’t do this i can’t do this i can’t do this i want my sister i want my father i want anyone who still loves me to hold me it’s too cold it’s too dark

the lights have all gone out all i see is black even with my eyes open it feels like something is staring back

i want to rip out my eyes i want to claw apart my flesh i don’t want to be cold i don’t want to be cold i don't want to be cold

i would give anything to be home and have dad telling jessany and i a story i would give anything just to be warm and happy

“Research has yielded that the mentioned “Jessany” is Beffica’s older sister, who has lived in New Grump City for all of her life with the two’s father, Olivier Winkleberry. We have not yet told either member of her family about Beffica’s disappearance and presumed death.”

October 29th 1970

I’m with Wiggle now. I had only been awake for a few minutes when I heard someone screaming, but it wasn’t even screaming- it was a yelp, and then silence. I caught a glimpse of light in town when I looked out, but it was gone in a second. It was one of the boys, one with a deeper voice, but I don’t know who. Wambus and Triffany’s light has still been on since it happened, so it wasn’t him either. Whoever it was, I didn’t wanna be next.

Wiggle had heard it too, and when she called out to me first, I knew I had to ask if we could stick together. She was so desperate that she didn’t care that it was me, she held her lantern out and told me to come to her.

I’ve got my diary obvs, and my lantern and pen. But something weird happened while I was crossing the street.

First of all, I felt SUPER cold the moment I was out of my hut. I would’ve frozen if I wasn’t rushing to get to Wiggle’s hut next, but I swear if I was out there a second longer, I would’ve gotten hypothermia or something.

And my pen is really struggling to stay on now. A few hits on the desk, and it only lights up for a few minutes. It’s like going through the dark broke it or something.

Neither of us want to sleep at the same time after hearing that scream this morning, so we decided we’ll sleep in shifts. She’s asleep rn, but she’s about to wake up, and it’ll be my turn.

I want this to be over soon.

“We are unsure of the validity of the timeline anymore, given the irregular sleeping shifts mentioned on the previous page. However, it is all we have to go off of currently.”

“The following page is covered in wet stains and has a very large ink splatter at the bottom.”

October 30th 1970

Wiggle has been basically hysterical for the little bit we’re awake at the same time for. She’s not doing anything crazy, but she’s talking to herself, and I'm pretty sure she’s crying based on how much mascara is leaking down her eyes. I'm scared too, I can’t deny being grumping terrified, but for some reason I can’t cry. I’ve never been able to take big stuff like this, I guess I don’t think it’s real, but it’s super real to her. I feel bad, I think. But with two lanterns and double the light now, I feel more secure at least. I'm hoping it lasts long.

“The following passage was written in messier handwriting and less refined, sometimes incorrect cursive, as well as on the same page as the previous passage.”

what the fuck what the fuck what the FUCK i looked away and she was fucking GONE where the fuck is she

she was sleeping just a second ago where did she go what did she do

did she go to get gramble?? why???

she took her lantern with her i don’t feel safe i don’t feel okay

my pen is still struggling to stay on and i don’t know where she keeps the fuel for her lanterns

why am i all alone again why why why why WHY WHY DON’T FUCKING DO THIS TO ME DON’T DO THIS

“The handwriting returns to normal for the rest of the page.”

im okay im okay I’m Okay

She’s going to come back. She’ll be back, and she’ll have Gramble, and then there will be three of us. and it’ll all be okay

I’m so tired. I’m so cold. But it’ll be okay soon. I just need to rest and she’ll be back in the morning

Please.

“The following is the last torn out page that we could find, and it fits here. Unlike previous pages, this one is in an entirely different handwriting. After being compared to records, it is most likely Wiggle Wigglebottom herself that wrote this.”

the final song i ever sing will be my aria into the dark unknown

may light find everyone as the shining stars disappear

may this foul force have mercy on them all

“The rest of the page is full of nonsensical black scribbles.”

october 31

she’s not back it’s not okay i’m not okay i can’t do this i can’t survive this

the darkness is calling me to it. it’s taking everything around me into it too. wiggle’s lantern is gone, mine went out while i was asleep

all i have left is my pen

and it’s too cold to keep my paw moving

i’m sorry for being a terrible friend

i’m sorry for being a horrible daughter

i’m sorry for being a mean little sister

dad, jess i love you two so much

hold me one last time please

“This was the final page in the diary, and no other pages seemed to have been torn out or removed. We cannot determine the fate of Beffica Winklesnoot yet, however the pages imply insanity to have consumed her by some means.

Investigators have decided that most information inside this diary is not to be considered during the investigation and to instead all be marked down as insanity unless evidence can be found to support it. They will continue searching for evidence around Snaktooth Island in an attempt to determine what happened.

This is [&/:$):?/?/&@] signing off.”

#bugsnax #tori’s art tag #tori’s writing tag #beffica winklesnoot #wiggle wigglebottom #snorpy fizzlebean #floofty fizzlebean #shelda woolbag #gramble gigglefunny #triffany lottablog #wambus troubleham

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lindsaywesker · 2 years ago

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Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day.

Wow! Here we are again: Friday! Where did that week go? No, seriously, where did that week go?

First of all, many thanks to everyone that got involved with Throwback Thursday on my page. Yesterday’s word was LIE and the responses were very amusing! We’re all a bunch of liars!

On Saturday evening, once my working day is over, I will finally have a celebratory drink. I was so happy on Thursday morning, I wished strangers “Good morning!” on my way to the station. Just before April, I created a document on my PC called ‘WHU Fixtures’ because we were about to enter a frantic few months. Nine games in April, seven in May, one game in June, and I charted all the results: nine wins, six losses, two draws. Just like all fans, illogically, I kept checking the league table, trying to predict results, trying to predict the final table.

Big-up to all my fellow West Ham fans! Unless you support a team outside of the Top Six, you never really appreciate frustration. Last season, I actually heard Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea fans complaining! Give it a rest, mate! Try a relegation six-pointer, then you’ll understand real pain! In the meantime, I will just look forward to another season in the Premier League and another adventure in the Europa League.

Today is National Sex Day. Don’t believe me? Google it! June 9th. What does this mean? How can you celebrate this momentous day? Well, if there’s someone in your life that you love, like, desire or pine-for, today is the day to cum together in joyful union. Men, I am begging you, no ‘wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am’! Please, take your time and do it right! This is National Sex Day NOT Two-Pumps-And-Done Day!

Around this time, because The Trouble lost her twin sister on June 15th, 2007, she begins to play the music they made together: Prediction, Dazzle, released stuff, unreleased stuff. No one teaches us how to deal with grief. Since 2007, The Trouble has not had any real appetite for any kind of birthday celebration but, this year, finally, because she’s turning 60, we’re going to do some special things: family dinner on Saturday, Sip & Paint Party on Sunday. Whatever we do, it’s going to be quite emotional for her. If you know anything about twins, you know the remarkable bond they share and, if that bond is broken, the twin that survives goes through hell!

Really hope you can join me tomorrow at 1.00 p.m. for ‘The A-Z Of Mi-Soul Music’: The Letter N (Pt. 1). Doing The Letter N (Pt. 3) live from Summer Soulstice on Saturday, June 24th.

Have a fabulous and funky Friday! I love you all. You’re probably thinking, “You don’t even know me!” but, if people can hate for no reason, why can’t I love?

#mixcloud #mi soul #dj #music #new blog #lockdown #coronavirus #books #weekend #democracy #brexit #cronyism #election #radio

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 8 months ago

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15th June >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Saturday, Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saturday, Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: B(II))

First Reading 1 Kings 19:19-21 Elisha leaves the plough to follow Elijah.

Leaving Mount Horeb, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after Elijah. ‘Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you’ he said. Elijah answered, ‘Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?’ Elisha turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose, and followed Elijah and became his servant.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 15(16):1-2,5,7-10

R/ You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you. I say to the Lord: ‘You are my God.’ O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup; it is you yourself who are my prize.

R/ You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel, who even at night directs my heart. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.

R/ You are my inheritance, O Lord.

And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad; even my body shall rest in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead, nor let your beloved know decay.

R/ You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Psalm 118:18

Alleluia, alleluia! Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Alleluia!

Or: Psalm 118:36,29

Alleluia, alleluia! Bend my heart to your will, O Lord, and teach me your law. Alleluia!

Gospel Matthew 5:33-37 Do not swear: say 'Yes' if you mean Yes, 'No' if you mean No.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Saturday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

Either:

First Reading Genesis 3:9-15,20 The mother of all those who live.

After Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the woman you put with me; she gave me the fruit, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God asked the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman replied, ‘The serpent tempted me and I ate.’ Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle, all wild beasts. You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust every day of your life. I will make you enemies of each other: you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. It will crush your head and you will strike its heel.’

The man named his wife ‘Eve’ because she was the mother of all those who live.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

OR: --------

First reading Genesis 12:1-7 All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you

The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

‘I will bless those who bless you: I will curse those who slight you. All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you.’

So Abram went as the Lord told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. Abram took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had amassed and the people they had acquired in Haran. They set off for the land of Canaan, and arrived there. Abram passed through the land as far as Shechem’s holy place, the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘It is to your descendants that I will give this land.’ So Abram built there an altar for the Lord who had appeared to him.

OR: --------

First reading 2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-11,16 The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House

Once David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’ But that very night the word of the Lord came to Nathan: ‘Go and tell my servant David, “Thus the Lord speaks: Are you the man to build me a house to dwell in? I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you. I will give you fame as great as the fame of the greatest on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel; I will plant them there and they shall dwell in that place and never be disturbed again; nor shall the wicked continue to oppress them as they did, in the days when I appointed judges over my people Israel; I will give them rest from all their enemies. The Lord will make you great; the Lord will make you a House. Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established for ever.”’

OR: --------

First reading 1 Chronicles 15:3-4,15-16,16:1-2 They brought in the ark of God and put it inside the tent that David had pitched for it

David gathered all Israel together to bring the ark of God up to the place he had prepared for it. David called together the sons of Aaron and the sons of Levi. And the Levites carried the ark of God with the shafts on their shoulders, as Moses had ordered in accordance with the word of the Lord. David then told the heads of the Levites to assign duties for their kinsmen as cantors, with their various instruments of music, harps and lyres and cymbals, to play joyful tunes. They brought the ark of God in and put it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered holocausts before God, and communion sacrifices. And when David had finished offering holocausts and communion sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

OR: --------

First reading Proverbs 8:22-31 Before the earth came into being, Wisdom was born

The Wisdom of God cries aloud:

The Lord created me when his purpose first unfolded, before the oldest of his works. From everlasting I was firmly set, from the beginning, before earth came into being. The deep was not, when I was born, there were no springs to gush with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills, I came to birth; before he made the earth, the countryside, or the first grains of the world’s dust. When he fixed the heavens firm, I was there, when he drew a ring on the surface of the deep, when he thickened the clouds above, when he fixed fast the springs of the deep, when he assigned the sea its boundaries – and the waters will not invade the shore – when he laid down the foundations of the earth, I was by his side, a master craftsman, delighting him day after day, ever at play in his presence, at play everywhere in his world, delighting to be with the sons of men.

OR: --------

First reading Ecclesiasticus 24:1-4,8-12,18-21 From eternity, in the beginning, God created wisdom

Wisdom speaks her own praises, in the midst of her people she glories in herself. She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High, she glories in herself in the presence of the Mighty One: ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and I covered the earth like a mist. I had my tent in the heights, and my throne in a pillar of cloud. Then the creator of all things instructed me, and he who created me fixed a place for my tent. He said, “Pitch your tent in Jacob, make Israel your inheritance.” From eternity, in the beginning, he created me, and for eternity I shall remain. I ministered before him in the holy tabernacle, and thus was I established on Zion. In the beloved city he has given me rest, and in Jerusalem I wield my authority. I have taken root in a privileged people, in the Lord’s property, in his inheritance. Approach me, you who desire me, and take your fill of my fruits, for memories of me are sweeter than honey, inheriting me is sweeter than the honeycomb. They who eat me will hunger for more, they who drink me will thirst for more. Whoever listens to me will never have to blush, whoever acts as I dictate will never sin.’

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 7:10-14,8:10 The maiden is with child

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said:

‘Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means “God-is-with-us.”’

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 9:1-6 A Son is given to us

The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone. You have made their gladness greater, you have made their joy increase; they rejoice in your presence as men rejoice at harvest time, as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.

For the yoke that was weighing on him, the bar across his shoulders, the rod of his oppressor, these you break as on the day of Midian.

For all the footgear of battle, every cloak rolled in blood, is burnt, and consumed by fire.

For there is a child born for us, a son given to us and dominion is laid on his shoulders; and this is the name they give him: Wonder-Counsellor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace.

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 61:9-11 I exult for joy in the Lord

Their race will be famous throughout the nations, their descendants throughout the peoples. All who see them will admit that they are a race whom the Lord has blessed.

‘I exult for joy in the Lord, my soul rejoices in my God, for he has clothed me in the garments of salvation, he has wrapped me in the cloak of integrity, like a bridegroom wearing his wreath, like a bride adorned in her jewels.

‘For as the earth makes fresh things grow, as a garden makes seeds spring up, so will the Lord make both integrity and praise spring up in the sight of the nations.’

OR: --------

First reading Micah 5:1-4 He will stand and feed his flock with the power of the Lord

The Lord says this:

But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, the least of the clans of Judah, out of you will be born for me the one who is to rule over Israel; his origin goes back to the distant past, to the days of old. The Lord is therefore going to abandon them till the time when she who is to give birth gives birth. Then the remnant of his brothers will come back to the sons of Israel. He will stand and feed his flock with the power of the Lord, with the majesty of the name of his God. They will live secure, for from then on he will extend his power to the ends of the land. He himself will be peace.

OR: --------

First reading Zechariah 2:14-17 'I am coming', says the Lord

Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion; for I am coming to dwell in the middle of you – it is the Lord who speaks. Many nations will join the Lord, on that day; they will become his people. But he will remain among you, and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you. But the Lord will hold Judah as his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his very own. Let all mankind be silent before the Lord! For he is awaking and is coming from his holy dwelling.

Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1,4-8