#David's righteous branch

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

David's Righteous Branch

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.

Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will return them to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any go missing, declares the LORD.

Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.

So behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of Egypt.’ Instead they will say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives, who brought and led the descendants of the house of Israel up out of the land of the north and all the other lands to which He had banished them.’ Then they will dwell once more in their own land.”

As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words. For the land is full of adulterers— because of the curse, the land mourns and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up— their course is evil and their power is misused.

“For both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.

“Therefore their path will become slick; they will be driven away into the darkness and fall into it. For I will bring disaster upon them in the year of their punishment,” declares the LORD.

“Among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness. They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”

Therefore this is what the LORD of Hosts says concerning the prophets:

“I will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.”

This is what the LORD of Hosts says:

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They keep saying to those who despise Me, ‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, ‘No harm will come to you.’

But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see and hear His word? Who has given heed to His word and obeyed it? Behold, the storm of the LORD has gone out with fury, a whirlwind swirling down upon the heads of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back until He has fully accomplished the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand this clearly.

I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied. But if they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and turned them back from their evil ways and deeds.”

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?”

“Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD.

“Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.

“I have heard the sayings of the prophets who prophesy lies in My name: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ How long will this continue in the hearts of these prophets who prophesy falsehood, these prophets of the delusion of their own minds? They suppose the dreams that they tell one another will make My people forget My name, just as their fathers forgot My name through the worship of Baal.

Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD. “Is not My word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that smashes a rock?”

“Therefore behold,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words they attribute to Me.”

“Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, ‘The LORD declares it.’ ”

“Indeed,” declares the LORD, “I am against those who prophesy false dreams and retell them to lead My people astray with their reckless lies. It was not I who sent them or commanded them, and they are of no benefit at all to these people,” declares the LORD.

“Now when this people or a prophet or priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you are to say to them, ‘What burden? I will forsake you, declares the LORD.’

As for the prophet or priest or anyone who claims, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ I will punish that man and his household.

This is what each man is to say to his friend and to his brother: ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ But refer no more to the burden of the LORD, for each man’s word becomes the burden, so that you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of Hosts, our God.

Thus you are to say to the prophet: ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and ‘What has the LORD spoken?’

But if you claim, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ then this is what the LORD says: Because you have said, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ and I specifically told you not to make this claim, therefore I will surely forget you and will cast you out of My presence, both you and the city that I gave to you and your fathers. And I will bring upon you everlasting shame and perpetual humiliation that will never be forgotten.” — Jeremiah 23 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 4:16; Genesis 18:20; Genesis 49:1; Exodus 32:34; Leviticus 5:1; Deuteronomy 13:1-2; Deuteronomy 18:20; 1 Kings 18:18; Job 13:4; Psalm 69:20; Isaiah 11:11; Isaiah 13:1; Isaiah 30:10; Isaiah 43:5-6; Isaiah 43:18-19; Jeremiah 6:13; Jeremiah 7:14-15; Jeremiah 9:12; Jeremiah 14:14; Jeremiah 20:11; Jeremiah 25:32; Jeremiah 33:3; Jeremiah 36:31; Matthew 1:21; Matthew 2:2; Matthew 7:15; Matthew 11:24; John 6:39; John 10:8; John 12:35; Acts 17:20; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 1 Corinthians 3:12-13; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 10:4-5; Galatians 1:7-8; Hebrews 4:13; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Revelation 8:11; Revelation 11:8

[thecallofthecrow]

Okay, We Gotta Talk Real Quick

MASSIVE TRIGGER WARNING: RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND HATRED, MISINFORMATION, AND QUITE HARMFUL RHETORIC

Before you doomscroll further down this post, please take your eyes on to this article written by the New York FUCKING Times and who they platformed: https://archive.is/7ESf2

Go on, take your time, I'll wait, I got all day.

Well, maybe depending on who people side with I might not.

Oh, you're finished? Well allow me to retort.

It's not Paganism's fucking fault for Donald Trump.

"Oh look at Kuro getting political all of the su-"

Bitch I'm only getting political because the fight was brought to us. If I'm not gonna stand up for my own then who is? You? The guy/girl/enbie next to you having their rights taken away day by day by a movement that is moving forward at an accelerated rate to the point where people are so scared?

Right, now that we have that out of the way...

Okay, so, we caught heat from the New York Times, and one particular man by the name of "David Brooks" who interviewed one "Tom Holland" (no not that one, your sexy man is safe with Zendaya). Put both of these assholes on your "shitstirrers looking for an infight" list and put them both on your "return to sender" list.

Now, I might be filled with a bit of Crow Mama's battlefury, or Adsagsona's (arguably righteous in this case) fury at the very idea that her follower (ya crow here) could be targeted by psychos like these in the coming storm ahead.

I live in a Blue State now, hooray! What's not hooray is if other people who are Blue don't stand up for us and disavow this kind of rhetoric instantly, because most of us who are walkers of this path ain't got shit to do with any of this. And now we're catching heat from a supposedly righteous website and news editorial for... Trump?

Okay, let's take a step back.

How about we argue the points themselves since I've found Christians - particularly Catholics and the less chill branches - hate when you do that. I'm going to be taking quotes from the article, so trigger warning again for strong religious intolerance, AND HELL MAYBE SOME OTHER SHIT I MISSED, IDFK. Do however keep in mind that this was an opinion piece and may not reflect the values of the other writers of the New York Times, but they platformed these shitters so it's fair fucking game now motherfuckers.

Point 1.

"If there is one word to define Trump’s atmosphere, it is “pagan.” The pagan values of ancient Rome celebrated power, manliness, conquest, ego, fame, competitiveness and prowess, and it is those values that have always been at the core of Trump’s being — from his real estate grandiosity to his love of pro wrestling to his king-of-the-jungle version of American greatness." ~ David Brooks, Paragraph 2

Okay, so, Pagan values? Ancient Rome? Do you think... Do you think modern Pagans are like, into that shit for one? There are Roman and Gallo-Roman Pagans who celebrate their deities but what the fuck do you mean we "celebrate the values of power, manliness (lol I know more female Pagans than men for one), conquest (???), ego (okay that one can be fair in certain circles and covens), fame (lol), competitiveness, and prowess?" You think we're going around trying to take Constantinople back or something? I mean, that was done under checks notes Constantine, who decriminalized Christian practices in Rome and is largely responsible for the Christianization of Rome.

There's an argument to be made that they did take over the Gaul regions while still practicing Pagan practices, but they were pretty chill with just uniting their gods together and sending them on their way. A LOT OF FUCKING PEOPLE DIED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, and don't get me started on what that did to the Celts and the Western Germanics, but that's a problem for later.

Power

Our own power. The power within us, and our brothers, sisters, and enbieren. Those who cannot fight for themselves. We stand for those people and ourselves, and manifest our power within ourselves.

Do people abuse it? Fuck yeah, I see people reblogging curse content all the time (and I worship the lady associated with a lot of those curses) but you don't see me going out of my way to overpower the government for the sake of some holy righteous mission for my Goddesses.

I'm just some Crow loving asshole who runs a Tumblr blog out there to help baby and middle tier witches trying to find their way, and give a bit of advice here and there. Like, fuck, man, I use my power for the good of other people, whatever power I have.

Manliness

Like I said in the quote, I know waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more female witches and general pagans than male. Maybe it's confirmation bias, but a lot of Pagans these days that are kicking around are either Wiccans, ex-Wiccans, or descended from Wiccans. Wicca wouldn't be where it is without those brave women who kicked reason to the curb and chose their lane to fight and stand in. They chose the lives they decided to live. And even today, a male witch like me is looked at almost as an oddity.

Do I know male witches who have manliness as one of their virtues? Yeah, but that doesn't dominate their personality. I see more Deus Vult Christians who idolize manliness than witches and pagans. And trust me, I know a lot of them.

Conquest

Point me on a fucking map to a place Wiccans, Pagans, Witches, you name the Pagan branch that has been taken by us. Oh, you can't, can you? That's right, because we ain't about fuckin' conquest you fucking blathering idiot. And you're only talking about the Roman Pagans who follow that particular sect, but we'll get to the Hellenists later who you throw under the bus in the same fucking breath you blithering narcissistic psycho.

Ego

Okay this is the only one I refuse to argue against, because let me be real with y'all for two seconds, you feel me?

WE AS A RELIGIOUS SUBSECTION HAVE A PROBLEM WITH LETTING SOME OF THE MOST EGOTISTICAL JACKASSES RUN THE NARRATIVE.

Okay, storytime. When I was a Hellenist (no shade to you guys, alliances and pantheons change, let the process happen) I was gaslit constantly by a pseudocoven that was more like a group of the worst fucking people my ex and I knew, and they were CONSTANTLY making claims they couldn't back up about being the very essence of deities and shit.

You can say "but Kuro you claim to talk to your Goddesses what does that make you?" Insane. It makes me In-fucking-sane, but if you're a follower of this blog you're well aware of my mental fucking illnesses by now. I could be talking to Goddesses, it could very well be my imagination. I call it communing and channeling. Because I believe it.

Does that make me some "super special awesome privileged witch that gets to only talk to his Goddesses?" No, they probably commune, and I know they do if we go back to Izzy from the Morrigan's Oracle (follow her on YouTube!) she communes with The Morrigan and Brigid. She also communed with Kali. Shit if I know who else my Goddesses talk to (although Adsagsona is a little more predictable because she sticks to me like glue and has me do stuff for her every day because I'm probably her only modern worshipper, let's be real). I'm not special just because I connect with my Goddesses. You could probably do it too if you try. You might be doing it and not know it.

My partner put it best, "I'd call anyone who claims to hear Angels or Jesus, or God insane just as I call you insane (lovingly)." We're all fuckin' crazy here, every one of us that follows a religion. What matters is what you manifest and that you manifest good for the world, and that it returns to you.

Fame

I don't really know any non-authors (who don't go by pseudonyms) outside of Tumblr who are really "famous" outside a certain frame or subset of communities. Back where I lived there was this shop that was well liked and stuff, but they barely made it to get their lease for another year through community support. This was in a red state, so YMMV but there are no "famous Pagans" really that are of any relevancy outside our relatively small circle.

Competitiveness

Bro who the fuck are we the Pagan Olympics? Are there competing Green Witches seeing who can grow the best plant (I mean plant shows but that's beside the point). Do we have curse offs? See who can fucking curse the other person better? Where is this value coming from? Nowhere, that's where.

Covens can get bitchy, and they might have spats with "Rival Covens" but that's like, nothing, and I would say a large majority of Pagans these days, in at least the US, are solitary practitioners or family practitioners.

Prowess

Bro do you like, not want to be good at stuff? Is a Christian value laziness or something because last I checked every goddamn worthwhile human being on this goddamn rock wants to be good at something. Nothingburger statement.

Point 2

Holy shit, are we just now getting to Point 2? I feel like I've written a longer post than the NYT on this shit already, gods damn.

"The pagan ethos has always appealed to grandiose male narcissists because it gives them permission to grab whatever they want. This ethos encourages egotists to puff themselves up and boast in a way they find urgently satisfying; self-love is the only form of love they know." ~David Brooks, Paragraph 3 (Oh sweet Brigid we're only on Paragraph 3, Goddess above).

The "PAGAN ETHOS"

Bro we can't agree on shit, and half the shit we agree on is contradicted by someone else. The "Pagan Ethos" at this point seems to be "Survive another fucking day in a rapidly growing place that doesn't want us," and that's just the US. There is no "Singular Pagan Ethos" that at least I know of. Bro, what Pagans are you talking to? Who is feeding you all this? Go to another fucking church cuz your Pastor has either drank a little too much of the Satanic Panic Kool Aide or this is some overt psyop made to make us feel unsafe, and I'm leaning towards the former.

There are many paths we as Pagans walk, and each is individual to their own practice. To say there is a Pagan Ethos is to say there is a singular path where there is none. We aren't a massive sect, we aren't a massive force, we are a small minority of religious people following individually guided ways of life that differ from each other. I see like fifteen curse reblogs a day and I say nothing and move on cuz that's not my path (As much as Sona wants it to be).

In short, there is no "Pagan Ethos." If you wanted one, take the Wiccan Rede by the way. How does that go again? Oh yeah, that's right.

"Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill: An ye harm none, do what ye will."

That's the short of it.

Point 3

"The pagan culture is seductive because it lures you with images of heroism, might and glory. Think of Achilles slaughtering his enemies before the walls of Troy. For a certain sort of perpetual boy, what could be cooler than that? But there is little compassion in this worldview, no concept that humility might be a virtue. There is a callous tolerance of cruelty." ~David Brooks, Paragraph 4 (this is taking too long).

Pagan culture and cruelty being in the same paragraph is hilarious. Everyone I've met aside from the pseudocoven has been pretty chill. No one aggressive or mean, aside from my buddy's mom who is uh, her own can of worms. She's also a Lugh worshipper, and he flat out told me to fuck off so uh...

To the Underworld with me I suppose. An Morrigan gets a little laugh every time I tell the story.

Anyway, humility is totally a Pagan virtue. We are but specs on this earth and, as far as I know, are trying to make things better however we can. We know we are not gods (well some of us do LOL). We try to give back to Earth the best we can.

And don't get me started on the Druids, that's like, their whole thing. Modern Druidism isn't like, animal sacrificing and shit. Hell, most Druids will tell you if you see a dead animal part in a forest, leave it the FUCK alone. Let nature take back what she grew and all that.

So like, where is this whole herosim, might, and glory thing come from?

Heroes and Heroics

So, being a Celt Pagan myself, we have quite a few tales of glory and adventure. Being a worshipper of Rhiannon, I got that Mabinogi strapped to me the whole way through. It's very confusing, give it a read! It's moderately easier to understand than House of Leaves :D

Jokes aside, we tell tales of virtuous, and often hubris driven heroes and caution ourselves to live better lives than them, and hope we never enter their shoes, but to put it bluntly, be prepared to put your tale in history.

Let's take me, your local schizophrenic who is the last person you should be taking advice to on positive mental health qualities!

I'm pretty much prepared to die at every given corner, but I'm paranoid as fuck, as are many Pagans who read that article right now. Trump's people comin' for us, now the other side.

"Clowns to the left of me, Jokers to the right! Here I am, stuck in the middle with you."

~Stealers Wheel, 1972

And I don't mean this as an "Orange Man Bad" post, I honestly think Bo Burnham (I'll shut up about him eventually I promise) put it best;

"Every politician, Every cop in the street Protects the interests of the pedophilic Corporate Elite!" ~Socko (as played by Bo Burnham), ""INSIDE", 2020

Don't trust a fucking word any politician says ever. You'll stay safer that way and you won't feel betrayed when a news paper column platforms a psycho and another psycho trying to spread misinformation and lies about you and yours in the name of stopping the opposition. I think every politician - left, right, middle, whatever - is out for their own personal gain so while I'm framing a lot of this as anti-Trump keep in mind, I'm an unhinged lunatic who hates every politician who does nothing but stand by as my people get hurt and do nothing about it because their fake lies and pretty prayers don't protect shit when it comes to people in the street being hurt, killed, or worse.

Stay your own ally. Take care of your community. Vet people. Don't trust these motherfuckers and their pretty lies. Okay next section.

Point 4

"Tom Holland is a historian who wrote several fine books of classical history, like “Persian Fire.” Gradually he became more and more appalled by many of those ancient pagans — those Caesars who could slaughter innocent human beings by the hundreds of thousands while everyone thought this was totally fine." ~David MOTHERFUCKING Brooks trying to gaslight you that everyone was just cool with the stuff Caesar was assassinated for, Paragraph 5 oh my god why am I even entertaining this at this point?

Caesar

Complicated figure in Roman history, blah blah blah got fucking stabbed by a bunch of people in the biggest proof that group projects are carried by a few people who are actually dedicated to the bit in history. Fun fact, Caesar was attacked by a bunch of people, like, the assassination was public and a lot of people were involved, but only a few of them actually stabbed him. Fun facts.

So you're making us believe that Roman Pagans were just like, cool with Caesar slaughtering "thousands" of innocent human beings without a complaint, not even one in the complaint box.

"Oh, slow day in Rome huh? What? Caesar went and personally slaughtered thousands of innocent people? Fuck yeah, fuck those bitches. High Roman Five." ~Some Roman Figure Living in David Brooks' head as a voice through history.

You think people were so chill with him killing "thousands" of "innocent human people" and that the assassination was COMPLETELY UNRELATED to his policies huh? Is that really the hill you're going to die on? Alright, let's cut the bullshit and get to the facts.

Tom Holland is a historian who wrote several fine books of classical history, like “Persian Fire.” Gradually he became more and more appalled by many of those ancient pagans — those Caesars who could slaughter innocent human beings by the hundreds of thousands while everyone thought this was totally fine.

Rome Under Caesar

I'm gonna try to use the least amount of sources as possible but we're getting into history so there's a lot of accounts and sources, HONESTLY you should probably just read Caesar's Wikipedia page and follow the sources here because it'll be 9999x less schizophrenic than this, tbh.

According to fucking history.com (https://www.history.com/articles/julius-caesar-ancient-roman-dictator-importance for those curious) Caesar did a lot to shape the world after him, and honestly, motherfucker had it coming for a lot of reasons but we'll get to that.

Appointed Governor of the Northern Territory of Gaul in 58 B.C.E. No biggie by itself but he then proceeded to expand Rome's control all across Europe, including the very way to the Atlantic and parts of the English Channel. Obligitory fuck France.

55 B.C.E (count backwards in B.C.E. remember?) he literally built a bridge across the Rhine in 10 days because he was a madlad whose madlad capacity could not be contained.

So let's ask you, David Brooks, are these Gauls the innocents he was slaughtering? I mean they weren't bothering no one (ignoring each other, the Western Germanics, each other again, goddamn they just wanted smoke) but they were Pagans so THAT'S probably not the problem you have, because they were ancient Pagans and according to you any innocents were just killed by Pagans so Caesar good for controlling those bitchass Pagans right? Right? No? Okay, let's continue.

3. Civil War by crossing the Rubicon that was the entire opposite of Civil because Caesar was just kinda like that. You're standing at the Rubicon River dividing Gaul and Rome and some motherfucker just brings an entire legion across it. What are you going to do? Well, fight across Spain, fucking Greece got involved, North Africa somehow found itself in the middle of it, prompting Pompey to retreat to North Africa where uh.

They weren't fucking wanted so you guess what happened to them.

So, if we're keeping track, David Brooks, that's a lot of dead Pagans. I mean leading an entire legion of Pagans across the Rubicon to slaughter a bunch of Roman Pagans and force them into North Africa (which you don't give a single fuck about don't even try to pretend). Then there was a battle in Greece in 48 B.C.E. that forced Pompey to retreat, again, to Egypt, but ya know, Egypt in the olden days. So you don't care, right? No innocents dead yet according to you. We on the same page? I'm not seeing where you're finding all these innocents you're complaining about him slaughtering. According to you, they're all Pagans so who cares, right?

4. Pompey was assassinated at the behest of Ptolemy XIIi., BECAUSE HE WANTED HELP AGAINST CLEOPATRA VII. Hmm very interesting. I wonder how that turned out for him.

Oh uh, Ptolemy was defeated in 47 B.C.E. because Caesar's forces showed up, then put Cleopatra and her 12 year old half-brother in charge, but she was in the HBIC so who cares, right? Pagan on Pagan violence according to you. Then Cleopatra gave birth to Ptolemy XV who was joked to be Caesarion WHICH prompted Cleopatra and Caesarion in 46 B.C.E. to move to a villa on the banks of the Timber River, where Caesar visited his lover frequently in apparently violating the law, but that was a Pagan law so who cares, right David Brooks? Thus it was bad and you don't care.

5. Okay so we're getting to the Dictator part in a minute but uh, there's some interesting history with Celo after that but we'll get to it.

46 B.C.E., he declared himself according to HISTORY.COM by the way as "Dictator for Life." Yeah. That's a doozy. You know, just declaring yourself the eternal ruler of a place, sure couldn't go horribly wrong, right? When in history has a despotic ruler who treats his subjects as mere afterthoughts ever gone wrong. Now I see you looking up what happened before the Bolshivek Revolution (February Revolution - the Russian Civil War, from 1917 to fucking 1922 by the way) and I'm just gonna keep it short and say the Emperor of fucking Russia wasn't a great guy no matter how much the Russian Orthodox Church argues for it and I'll take that to my fucking dying days.

So, back to Caesar-

"Your Tumblr post is longer than the fucking OpEd you're criticizing and you're only on the fifth paragraph, can we not speedrun this?"

It's my hyperfixation and specialty and I make the rules.

Back to Dictator for Life Caesar.

Did some stuff like granting stuff to retiring soldiers and redistributing land to the poor and canceling debts. Pretty popular stuff if you ask me and I fail to see where the innocents were getting slaughtered this? Isn't the whole Christian thing, especially US Christianity, about being good to people who give something as sacred as their lives up for their nation and giving to the poor? That's a pretty good move, but it sure as fuck kicked up a hornets nest against the elites.

To quote Socko again,

"No shit."

So, he minted coins with his image, made his birthday a public holiday, and literally, and you can fact check this, ruled Senate from an actual fucking, and I mean ACTUAL FUCKING Golden Throne.

UHH. I'm starting to see some problems with this guy but we haven't reached the murdering innocents parts.

6. Wow a calendar. Cool. So, cool facts again, Rome ran off a 355 Lunar Calendar. Pretty baller if you ask me, because running things off of the moon is pretty cool and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Goddess above here comes the Julian calendar with Sosiggenes. Fuck you man. 365 1/4 days with a leap year every four years? Man, maybe I should hate this guy MORE than I do. I mean that's pretty fucked up, changing shit off a lunar calendar, something that as we know is very important to Christians, a lunar calendar, based on the moon, the moon they have nothing to do with, the moon they don't worship gods of, the moon that-

Yeah I'm overdoing the bit. I am convinced through my own mental illness that Caesar did this just to piss me off thousands of years later. Fuck you and your calendar Caesar and Sosigenes, shove it. This all officially went into effect in 45 B.C.E. on Jan 1st. Sound familiar? Yeah we fucking use that shit but it had to be edited because by the 1500's that shit was 10 days off the seasons, which is kinda bad from the predominantly agricultural forces of the world while the New World and THEIR Pagans were more worried about, I dunno, fucking the invading colonialists and Spanish Inquisitions. Priorities people. So since people were so butthurt over a poorly thought out calendar system that was stupid from the get go and mattered only in Europe at the time, Pope Gregory XIII modified the calendar by just saying "You know what? God says fuck those ten days and only one out of every centennial years would be leap years." And to show how butthurt the Eastern Orthodox Church was about Pope Gregory XIII's decision, some parts of it still use it.

Oh and they renamed the birth month of Caesar, Quintuilis, to Julius which became July. So that's why we shoot Fireworks off every July 4th and traumatize people with PTSD, animals, and all sort of other people with mental illnesses and disabilities every year /jk kinda sorta it's complicated.

7. So, so far Caesar has killed other Pagans for the sake of killing other Pagans because they didn't want him in charge and gave stuff to soldiers and the poor. Where's the problem here, David Brooks? Note he didn't include a source on Caesar just mindlessly slaughtering "thousands of innocents a day and no one cared" because OpEds can obviously be filled with as much misinformation as the publication is allowed to get away with. And goddamn do they run the gambit in this.

Yeah, he went pretty nuts later with all the honors and crazy shit, having statues erected in his honor in temples which actually probably pissed off more of the Pagans than anyone else. And David Brooks' definition of innocents only seems to include Christians affected rather than the Pagans who were killed cuz.... They were in a war? Over land? Classic shit every world leader, but especially the Vatican has pulled for hundreds of years. So why do you care when CAESAR does it, eh? He's done more to piss off the political elite and rich and- ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Okay. I see.

Anyway, so they ended up killing him, on the Ides of March, or the 15th of March for those of you who aren't history buffs or care about stupid bullshit no one has cared outside of history obsessed people and Roman Larpers who forgot that Caesar was largely uh, not a Christian at all or even existed at the same time that it was popular in Rome. Mark Antony played everyone for fools, because the public really liked Caesar so when I said no one gave a shit earlier I was kinda wrong. The public turned on the conspirators and drove them out, but they still got the fuck away with it so point stands.

Caesar and why David Brooks thinks he just murdered swaths of innocents for no reason

Good question, next question.

Point 5

"The callous tolerance of cruelty is a river that runs through human history. It was dammed up, somewhat, only by millenniums of hard civilizational work. The pagan ethos — ancient or modern — always threatens to unleash brutality once again. The pagan ethos does not believe that every human was made in the image of God, does not believe in human equality, is not concerned about preserving the dignity of the poor. It does not care much about the universal feelings of benevolence, empathy and faithfulness toward one another, which, it turns out, are absolutely required for a democracy to function.

We seem to be entering a pagan century. It’s not only Trump. It’s the whole phalanx of authoritarians, all those greatness-obsessed macho men like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping. It’s the tech bros. It’s Christian nationalism, which is paganism with worship music. (If you ever doubt the seductive power of paganism, remember it has conquered many of the churches that were explicitly founded to reject it.)

If paganism is a grand but dehumanizing value system, I’ve found it necessary, in this increasingly pagan age, to root myself in anything that feels rehumanizing, whether it’s art or literature or learning. I’ve found it incredibly replenishing to be spending time around selfless, humble people who are still doing the work of serving the homeless, mentoring a lost kid who’s joined a gang. These days I need these moral antidotes to feel healthy, resilient and inspired."

~David Brooks, again forgetting to take his meds that day in Paragraphs 7-9

I sped up the process a bit but also because all three of these paragraphs are reliant on each other to make their point or get really ANY point across, because David Brooks is a terrible fucking writer. I wonder who that reminds me of. Someone who rhymes with dadrawobdabro. Couldn't be me.

Authoritarianism and Christianity

So like, did we completely bypass Caesar and swing forward to Vladamir Putin and Xi Jinping and Donald Trump like we're completely missing the parts where a very Christian Rome fell apart due to infighting and also a few barbarian hordes here and there? Like holy fuck, yeah, XI Jiping can get fucked and so can Putin but like, what does Putin identify (poorly) as? According to Theos (https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2022/02/16/essay-on-vladimir-putin for those interested, but fair warning for your witchy eyes you're gonna be bombarded the fuck out of Christian shit in your ads for the next million years so stay vigilant), he's part of the Russian Orthodox Church, or the Moscow Partiarchate which in Russian is "fuck you I'm not copypasting that." This shit goes back to Valdamir the Great and the clergy at, wow, would you believe that? Constantinople, wow, full circle. Where else did you see Constantinople in this post?

So what other Authoritarian Leaders are of some Judeo-Christian Religion hmmmmmmmmmmmm? Oh, most of them. Wow, surprising, it's almost like there's a pattern, or I haven't taken my meds and I'm just seeing things where there aren't. Which if you look at history and my med schedule you'd know obviously I've taken my meds and that history has been filled with Authoritarian as fuck leaders claiming to be some sort of Christian outside of like, Japan in some places, China because they're weird, and the good old USSR who claimed I guess that Religion was wrong until it wasn't the tactic anymore, the Iron Curtain fell (ask me about my opinions about the USSR I SWEAR I'M FUN AT PARTIES), and an ex-KGB GOOD BOI Putin took office as RUSSIAN ORTHODOX MIND YOU.

It's almost like religion can be used as a tool to control narratives and paint people as enemies and assign any moniker to them to dehumanize them and make them the obvious enemy you need to rise up against. Post 9/11 it was Muslims, now it's Pagans fucking apparently according to the New York Times. Yeah, that New York Times. You know, the New York Times, the same one that publishes actual articles about things depending on your political leanings that you'd be inclined to read if you're of a personal persuasion or stupid enough to pay to read a website for the same news you'll probably see summarized and discussed far more fun and less civilized on /pol/ if you take ANY of that seriously, Reddit if you're feeling like seeing someone call someone something close to a slur but skirting the rules as close as possible, Twitter if you just want to watch the world burn like Heath Ledger's fucking Joker, or a Tumblr written by a schizophrenic Pagan if you really have nothing better to do.

You want someone to blame for this fucking Tumblr post that isn't me because I have better things to do than read hate comments when I'm working on shit in the lab? Email the New York Times and get mad at them, not me.

"Increasingly Pagan Age"

This is an issue of what the Japanese call "Shittobukai" or 嫉妬深い if you can read moon runes. It translates loosely to "Deep Jealousy" and is used freely in Mori Calliope's song "Holy嫉妬" (Holy-Shitto for those who are not Japanese or well versed in the complex systems of kanji like your dumbass friend Kuro who spent hours when he first heard the song and kept looking for the right word for what it meant) (also wow Mori Calliope? Kuro's not cool anymore, he listens to Mori Calliope.)

People are looking for different paths, not just Pagan paths mind you, in the year of their lord 2025 C.E. Some go Muslim, some go Jewish, some people pick Hinduism, and others pick other paths like atheism, agnosticism which I will sit here and argue for hours is it's own territory of it's own, or shit like Buddhism or Taoism. Fuck, I have the equivalent of the Taoist bible sitting on my desk because it teaches you to be more chill and doesn't interfere with my religion. Buddhism, Taoism, stuff like that doesn't interfere really with religion so much as it offers you another lens to look at it through.

There are Christian Buddhists. There's probably a Hindu Taoist somewhere, IDK, they don't post much on English Twitter so I wouldn't know? Or Tumblrs I follow for that matter? IDK, find your own path.

Point being, we're in an age where the Christian domination that has lasted hundreds of years is coming to an end as they are losing their majority more and more every day. So who else to blame but those damn Pagans? Clearly every Christian lead off the path who becomes a Muslim, Jew, or Atheist was caused BY A PAGAN, right David Brooks? That's your logic? It's not like we're growing by that much. Paragraphs 7-9 make it sound like we're fucking becoming a majority when by far there are not as many western Pagans as there are Hindus. We are a miniscule minority. In America, only 3% of people identify openly as Pagan, ya Crow kinda included but I've been forced temporarily for a bit back into the Broom closet for reasons, partly because my partner's mother is a Presbyterian pastor and coming to visit with a man from I believe Cameroon who is also heavily Christian aligned. I don't even think my partner has told her she's an atheist let alone that I'm a Pagan, and honestly Sona is saying some scary shit about what she's going to do if her mom gets some idea to look into the office closet (she quite frankly doesn't want her in the same space as her bell, as in the office, so she's a little unhinged today but she had a good time with me taking pictures of East Coast flowers, but we missed the blooming season sadly, so next year Sona, I promise, Partner wants to go show me the DC blooms and you'll love it aside from, well, being in DC).

So, yeah, that's an open 3%. Give or take a few percent due to people stuck in the broom closet for a VARIETY OF REASONS, we'll be generous and say 5% or 6%. I'm feeling generous and say there are double the amount of identifying Pagans in the US, David Brooks, because by now I've outwritten your shitty article and I'm only up to Paragraph 9 of your's. I need to give you SOME advantage.

However, ha ha! By giving you this generous offer of 6% I have made your points seem utterly deranged and deluded, which honestly you didn't need much help with but I might as well push that little bit further! You're threatened by 6% of the population and blame someone you outnumber by 57% according to the Pew Research Center (https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-landscape-study-religious-identity/) for the worsening of the country and, to go a little further into your article to get some of the guff out of the way, that Jesus is needed to save your over 60% majority from the evil 6% of Pagans. Unless you're like, severely dyslexic and think that says 666% of Americans are Pagan, so allow me to make it clear - I am giving you six (6) (vi) (六) percent. I know you can't read kanji, or probably another language other than the very American English you know, which don't feel bad, because I can't either, but at least I went to the effort of putting it out there for you so you don't get confused, because you are clearly blind if you think the world at the reported 3% or my supposed doubled amount by counting broom closeted pagans which there are DEFINITELY not that amount of but again, it's about generosity. You feel that Jesus is needed to save you in these times of an "increasingly Pagan world" when we are barely a dot on the map compared to you. Get some fucking perspective you total psycho path.

Point 6 (six) (vi) (六)

"For the Romans, the cross was a symbol of their power — their power to crucify. The early Christians took the cross as their symbol, too, but as a symbol for compassion, grace and self-sacrificial love. Christianity is built on a series of inversions that make paganism look pompous and soulless: Blessed are the meek. Blessed are the poor in spirit. The last shall be first. The poor are closer to God than the rich. Jesus was perpetually performing outrageous acts of radical generosity, without calculating the cost.

The Judeo-Christian ethos showed the world something loftier than paganism. As G.K. Chesterton put it in “The Everlasting Man,” “One of the strange marks of the strength of Christianity is that, since it came, no pagan in our civilization has been able to be really human.”

Judaism and Christianity confront paganism with rival visions of the good. The contrast could not be starker. Paganism says: Make yourself the center of the universe. Serve yourself and force others to serve you. The biblical metaphysic says: Serve others, and you will find joy. Serve God, and you will delight in his love."

~David Brooks, once more losing his fucking mind over the Romans in Paragraphs 12-14

"Shitto-Shitto-Bukai, just ain't worth the time so kick it." ~Mori Calliope

So, now you're blaming Jews? What happened to Caesar and his Pagan ways being the reason Rome sucked? Oh, I guess that doesn't help your narrative here, so you dropped it for fucking Jews. Okay, so I'm not their friend any more than I am you are, or you are theirs, so I don't reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally give a shit?

But then you ally with them for "Judaism and Christianity confronting paganism with rival visions of the good." So I guess it's water under the bridge. I really don't know what you're smoking David Brooks, but you must be getting the good shit from the dispensary you spend your money you drew from that second salary from the Facebook thing at (https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/david-brooks-nyt-facbeook-income-b1812701.html for those curious about good old Davie Brooks).

Then you go ahead and throw us under the bus and say we are self-serving and wholly self-absorbed when that couldn't be the opposite of the matter. Are you aware of what lengths I go to to revere and worship my Goddesses? I go out of my comfort zone because of the Morrigan and better myself to better serve her. For Brigid I try to aid nature and make it beautiful, was inspired to aid the growth of plants and the health of the earth for her sake, for Rhiannon I began breaking down why I feared the night and found some hard truths, but she repays me in kind with guidance on staying calm in stressful night situations and in kind I became less hostile to people who mean me no harm at night in my neighborhood, thus helping the neighborhood as I stopped feeling the need to take a bat out and threaten anyone I saw. For Sona, I take beautiful photos of things she's never seen, and with my broken, battered body do things for her pleasure to show her a side of the world, a whole entire new world to her, that she's never seen. I go out and sit on a rock and talk to her, much like you talk to Jesus in your prayers, but to someone who has gone unworshipped in hundreds if not thousands of years man. I gave her a bell, a meaning, a reason to keep going, a promise of spreading her joy to various parts of the continental US because for now I can't get on planes easily.

Do your prayers to Jesus and Big G God for likely things that would make you happy have any less meaning or joy or pleasantness than me with my disabled body getting on the fucking ground to take a picture of a tree Adsagsona was enraptured by? You seem to think so. It wasn't out of self service. It was to make my Goddess happy, how you make your God and your Lord happy every day through your actions, through your prayers, so you say. But no, I'm the bad guy because Orange Man in Office and obviously that couldn't have happened if God was willing. It had to be my Goddesses, the Gods and Goddesses my friends and fellow Pagans worship, the fault of an "increasingly Pagan world" because "God would never let this happen if he had anything to say about it."

You make excuses for why a coin toss election lost without the realization that man has free will, and people with similar beliefs to you, who, by the way, make up a large majority of the country instead of the "6%" of Pagans that probably voted Blue anyway, voted FOR ORANGE MAN. When do you accept blame and repent for the supposed sins of your brothers and sisters who you refuse to blame for Orange Man instead of innocent Pagans, those same innocents you claimed Caesar slaughtered by the thousands and the Roman populace "didn't care?"

Point 7

"You may be a person of faith or a person of no faith, but which moral atmosphere do you want to live in? The cultural atmosphere you immerse yourself in will slowly form who you are. I don’t fault those pagans for sucking down all those muscle-building diet supplements, but I know the kind of nourishment I need these days for the strength of my mind and the health of my soul.

Apparently, I’m not alone. Something’s going on in our culture. The decline of religious participation, which was so rapid between 2010 and 2020, seems to have stopped. There has been a relative surge in religious interest among young men. According to research by the evangelical Christian polling group Barna, 66 percent of Americans say they have made a personal commitment to Jesus — a 12-percentage-point jump since 2021.

Similar things may be happening in Europe. In France the Catholic Church saw a 45 percent increase in new catechumens this Easter compared with last year, and it has baptized more than 17,000 people, the highest yearly number of entrants in over 20 years. According to an April report by the Bible Institute, the percentage of British adults age 18 to 24 who attend church at least monthly increased from 4 percent in 2018 to 16 percent today, including a 21 percent gain among young men. I’ve been predicting a revival among the religious left, but that seems not to be happening. The Christian resurgence in Britain is not among the progressive mainline denominations; it’s primarily among Catholics and Pentecostals, with two million more people attending church than six years ago."

~David Brooks schizoposting about fucking muscle-building diet supplements for some reason? Is this about fucking Alex Jones or did you just get out of the psych ward? No shade if you did, been there, but come on man this is insane. Also Paragraphs 15-17

Contradictions

So, you're saying this is an "increasingly Pagan world," then in the same article contradicting yourself by saying both the amount of Christians have gone up and Church attendance is actually higher than it has been in some time (since 2021), and I'll take you at face value on that because the only person I can ask is someone I really don't want to nor knows why I would be asking (Partner's mother, who doesn't know about the Pagan shit and needs to NOT know). I also don't want to bother bringing more sources than I need to and most of the stuff will be hearsay and if you can pull numbers out of your ass then I can too.

Well let me give you some numbers too. The stores of Pagan owners in the US are doing fine, and the one back home I'm not naming not out of shade for them but for my own anonymity got another year on their lease by working hard for their dream and are launching Oracle decks this year they made themselves with their own art and own meanings to their own cards. They worked hard at this. I'll probably be buying this Oracle deck just to support them, and guess what David Brooks? Instead of the generous offer your website tried to give me for a subscription to the New York Times, I'll just go ahead and buy a personalized hand-made grimoire by that shop just to support them, as a personal "fuck you" from me to you and a "thank you" from you and your cronies at the New York Times to the Pagan community. We'll even count it as your apology, so yet again I'm being generous and giving you and them a two-for-one! Isn't that great?!

There's like six Pagan shops in my immediate area. They aren't suffering. In fact, they're doing great. They've been here, they're staying here, the community here has been great and welcoming so far, even though they are not by any means organized. So fuck you, David Brooks. I'm done playing nice. Now we're coming out with talons out, baby.

Point 8 (HOLY FUCK IT'S ALMOST OVER)

"This movement was already underway before Trump was elected to a second term. It’s a response to a series of gods that failed: The belief that science and tech could solve our quest for meaning. The belief that we can live like hyperindividualists and still experience a sense of communal belonging. The belief that the right B.M.I. could lead to purpose and peace.

Are we on the cusp of a new religious revival? The evidence is still much too flimsy and fresh to justify that kind of sweeping assertion, so color me skeptical. I think it’s more accurate to say that there is currently a great spiritual yearning in the populace, which the religious institutions have not yet risen to meet.

But I do think we’re on the cusp of a great cultural transition. On the one hand, the eternal forces of dehumanization are blowing strong right now: concentrated power; authoritarianism; materialism; runaway technology; a presidential administration at war with the arts, universities and sciences; a president who guts Christianity while pretending to govern in its name.

On the other hand, there are millions of humanists — secular and religious — repulsed by what they see. History is often driven by those people who are quietly repulsed for a while and then find their voice. I suspect different kinds of humanists will gather and invent other cultural movements. They will ask the eternal humanistic questions: What does it mean to be human? What is the best way to live? What is the nature of the common humanity that binds us together? As these questions are answered in new ways, there will be new cultural movements and forms.

As the theologian Dallas Willard put it, there has been, over the past decades of neglect, a loss of moral knowledge. We came to a spot in 2024 in which 77 million Americans took a look at Trump’s moral character and didn’t have a problem with what they saw. But the consequences of those character failings are becoming evident in concrete ways.

New winds are going to blow."

~David Brooks, ending his schizoposting about 3% of the population by deflecting things on humanists, paganisms, tech, and so on in Paragraphs 19-24.

Okay, okay. We're finally at the end. Fucking finally, I can do something better with my time, holy motherfucking shit. HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLY SHIT.

Failed Gods

I'm just going to go for the throat on this one, and say that out of those 77 million voters that voted for Trump, a lot of them identify, pretty fucking blatantly, as Christians and good God fearing citizens of the United States of America and Jesus' Strongest Warriors. Do you know how many crosses, fish, and other Christian iconography paired with either a Trump 2024 bumper sticker or MAGA hat?

Trick question, I have numbers and I'm actually going to use sources because you are a piece of shit who can't be bothered to cite anything.

(https://baptistnews.com/article/how-trump-and-harris-fared-with-faith-voters-in-2024/)

This is Baptist news. Same warnings about your search history, ads, and some really fucking weird shit they say in the article. They break down the Christian vote by for some fucking reason White Born-Again's and just Whites in general.

They don't even like Trump, they have an article on their front fucking page that says we're "Living in the Upside Down from Stranger Things" 100 days into Trump's presidency. And they said according to them, 76% of White Christians, which by the way, David Brook is a White Christian, just take a look at his face on his article as my source. Fuck's sake man, your own demographic lost 76-24. That's like if the Chicago Bulls won a game against the LA Lakers by 152-48. With half-senile Jordan as their lead and Prime Lebron facing him down (I'm using NBA instead of WNBA even though that has better examples for reasons, don't ask). Dude, you lost not just by double, not just by triple, but by 3.16 times Dude you lost nearly pi times the amount of votes of your own demographic and you're blaming 3% of the populace for it. What the fuck man? No, seriously, answer me, what the fuck?

I want you in my comments, David Brooks, explaining how 3% of the populace is responsible for your own demographic, not counting Black, Latino, or otherwise Judeo-Christians, losing 76% to 24%. Are you kidding me dude? This is ridiculous.

TL;DR - Fuck you David Brooks. Let me leave you with words I was told a long time ago by someone so much wiser than I.

"Instead of looking for enemies without, look within." You might find a lot more of them that way.

With All the Love IN MY HEART For All of my Pagan Siblings and fellow Little Crows and Little Birds Catching Strays from the New York FUCKING Times, Kuro.

P.S. I cannot stress this enough, fuck you David Brooks and fuck your publication for publishing you. You are not a good Christian and maybe you should start acting like one.

[walkswithmyfather]

“Jesus in the Old Testament” By Bible Love Notes:

“Don't miss the wonderful list that shows how God was "whispering" about Jesus in every Old Testament book!”

“After His resurrection, Jesus met two disciples walking to a village called Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). They didn't recognize Jesus, but "beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself" (Luke 24:27).

Christ's redemption was part of God's plan from the beginning (Genesis 3:15). When we recognize this important truth, it enhances our understanding and appreciation of both Old and New Testaments.

Enjoy this list of "whispers" (clues, foreshadowings) that God placed in each Old Testament book, preparing us for the coming of Jesus.

In Genesis Jesus is the Seed of the Woman

Exodus…………………...Our Passover Lamb

Leviticus……………………..Our High Priest

Numbers........Guiding Pillar of Fire and Cloud

Deuteronomy……….The Prophet Like Moses

Joshua………………..The Mighty Conqueror

Judges…...…....………....…...Our Rescuer

Ruth………………...Our Kinsman Redeemer

1 & 2 Samuel……......…..The Seed of David

Kings & Chronicles…….....….Our Mighty King

Ezra & Nehemiah…..Re-builder of Our Broken Walls

Esther………………….....Our Way of Escape

Job……………...Our Hope in Times of Trouble

Psalms…………..…..Our Shepherd and Sacrifice

Proverbs & Ecclesiastes…….…..Our Wisdom

Song of Solomon…Our Lover and Bridegroom

Isaiah…………………...Our Suffering Savior

Jeremiah……………....The Righteous Branch

Lamentations…..…Prophet Who Weeps for Us

Ezekiel………..The Watchman Who Warns Us

Daniel……..The 4th Man in the Fiery Furnace

Hosea………………….Our Faithful Husband

Joel…............Our Baptizer in the Holy Spirit

Amos……………………..Our Burden Bearer

Obadiah……………..The One Mighty to Save

Jonah…………....The Sender of Missionaries

Micah……..The Messenger of the Good News

Nahum………..The Avenger of the Righteous

Habakkuk……....The One Crying for Revival

Zephaniah & Haggai….Giver of Another Chance

Zechariah…….…………...The Pierced Son

Malachi.........Sun of Righteousness w/ Healing in His Wings

As you read through the Bible, remember that you are reading the greatest story ever written—the story of mankind's inexcusable fall and God's Unreasonable Love.

💙💙💙

I did not create this list. I compiled and edited it from various non-copyrighted lists.”

There are a lot of links to devotions on this webpage. Check them out!

[avengers-21]

today’s verse ✨

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭5‬ ‭KJV‬‬

[antiochianorthodoxcumberlandmd]

Daily Scripture Readings and Lives of the Saints for Thursday, June 26, 2025

Fast Day (Fish Allowed)

Feasts and Saints celebrated today:

David the Righteous of Thessalonika

Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin

Readings for today:

St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 8:22-27

Matthew 10:23-31

David the Righteous of Thessalonika

Reading from the Synaxarion:

Saint David, who was from Thessalonica, lived a most holy and ascetical life. For some years, he took up his dwelling in the branches of an almond tree, exposed to all the elements and extremes of the weather. He reposed in peace during the reign of Saint Justinian the Great, in the sixth century.

Apolytikion of Righteous David in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

The image of God, was faithfully preserved in you, O Father. For you took up the Cross and followed Christ. By Your actions you taught us to look beyond the flesh for it passes, rather to be concerned about the soul which is immortal. Wherefore, O Holy David, your soul rejoices with the angels.

Kontakion of Righteous David in the Second Tone

An Angel on earth, and stranger to all earthly things, thou madest a tree thy dwelling like an eagle's nest, whence, O David, thou didst soar up to Heaven, where thou didst find that Tree which in Eden we lost of old. Remember us all, who keep thy memory.

The content on this page is under copyright and is used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion of Righteous David (c) Narthex Press

Kontakion of Righteous David (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin

Reading from the Synaxarion:

According to one tradition, this icon was painted by Saint Luke the Evangelist. It was formerly situated in the famous Church of Blachernae in Constantinople. In 1383, it appeared upon the waters of Lake Ladoga, whence it travelled miraculously through the air to the city of Tikhvin; there, it remained by the River Tikhvinka, and a monastery was built to shelter the icon. In 1613-14 this monastery miraculously withstood the many attacks of the Swedish invaders. In the early twentieth century it was brought to America and was returned to Russia in 2004. The holy icon is renowned for a great many miracles wrought through it by the all-holy Mother of God, especially for the healing of children.

Apolytikion of Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin in the Fourth Tone

Today thy most venerable icon, O Lady, hath shone in Heaven upon us like a most brilliant sun, enlightening the world with rays of mercy, which great Russia and America received from on high most reverently as a divine gift, and they glorify thee, O Mother of God, as the Queen of all, and joyfully magnify Christ our God Who was born of thee. Pray to Christ, O our Lady and Queen, O Theotokos, that He keep all Christians unharmed by all assaults of the enemy, and that He save them that venerate His divine image and thy pure icon with faith, O Virgin who knewest not wedlock.

Kontakion of Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

Let us run, O ye peoples, to the Virgin Queen, the Theotokos, thanking Christ our God; and gazing tenderly at her miraculous icon, let us fall down and cry to her: O Lady Mary, having visited this land by the wonderous appearance of thy venerable icon, keep all Christians in peace and prosperity, and make them heirs of the heavenly life; for to thee we cry with faith: Rejoice, O Virgin, salvation of the world.

The content on this page is under copyright and is used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

Reading (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery - Brookline, MA

Apolytikion of Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Kontakion of Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin (c) Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Brookline, MA

Prayer Before Reading Scripture

Shine within our hearts, loving Master, the pure light of Your divine knowledge and open the eyes of our minds that we may comprehend the message of Your Gospel. Instill in us also reverence for Your blessed commandments, so that having conquered all sinful desires, we may pursue a spiritual life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You. For You, Christ our God, are the light of our souls and bodies, and to You we give glory together with Your Father who is without beginning and Your all holy, good, and life giving Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

Epistle Reading

The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 8:22-27

Brethren, we know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Gospel Reading

The Reading is from the Gospel According to Matthew 10:23-31

The Lord said to his disciples, "When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father's will. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you a re of more value than many sparrows."

[coolksaposts]

David's Righteous Branch …4I will raise up shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any go missing, declares the LORD. 5Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. 6In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The LORD Our Righteousness.…

[scotianostra]

Eunice Guthrie Murray was born on 21st January 1878 in Cardross.

Eunice Murray was the daughter of a well-known Glasgow lawyer, Dr David Murray and Frances Porter Murray, Murray was one of the founders of the Glasgow Ladies Higher Education Society in 1876, both her parents were both supporters of the women's movement, her mother, Frances was born in New York, and raised in Scotland, was a suffragette. Frances’s parents both of whom were active abolitionists, emigrated to Glasgow in 1844.

Murray attended the progressive St Leonard School in St Andrews, where she became involved in philanthropic activities. She was active in the local branch of the League of Pity, volunteered regularly at a local settlement, and was an advocate for temperance. On 9th November 1896 she recorded reading about the formation of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, commenting

‘I should like to join such a society for the question of the emancipation of my sex is a stirring one and leads to vital matters’.

Given her background it is hardly surprising that along with her mother and her sister, Sylvia Murray, she joined the Women’s Freedom League. The WFL had a strong presence in Scotland, and from 1909 onwards Murray was the secretary for ‘scattered members’—all those who did not live in Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Dundee. Eunice was one of the three Scottish members on the WFL’s national executive committee and in 1913 was described as president for Scotland of the WFL.

The Women’s Freedom League was a non-violent militant group most famous for first chaining themselves to railings and leading the 1911 Census boycott. Inspired after attended the International Women’s Suffrage Alliance in Budapest in 1913, Eunice Murray was arrested for obstruction when she tried to address a meeting near 10 Downing Street on women’s suffrage.

Unlike the Pankhursts’ Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) and the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), the WFL continued to campaign for the women’s suffrage throughout the First World War. Murray was an active feminist who had published numerous leaflets on women and their position in society such as The Illogical Woman. Like many feminists, Murray argued for the vote based on the unique roles of men and women. She observed, ‘We have always held, and hold now, that it is because men and women are so different, and not because they are so alike, that we require the vote.

In 1918, women in Britain finally won their right to vote and stand in general elections, if they were over 30 and met minimum property qualifications, and Eunice was quick to take advantage of this major breakthrough and stood as a candidate in Glasgow, Bridgeton in the 1918 election, the only Scottish woman in the first election open to women in 1918, she was unsuccessful, coming third. The results being Coalition Liberal Alexander MacCallum Scott 10,887, Labour James Maxton 7,860 and Independent Eunice Murray 991.

The election was held in the midst of the Spanish Flu epidemic with 327 deaths in the Glasgow that week, compared to 386 the previous week. Schools and docks were closed when half a million Glaswegians took to the polls, of which just over one-third were newly enfranchised women. In response to a claim that all women candidates were pacifists she wrote to the Spectator on 23rd November 1918, ‘I believe that the war we have just fought and won was a righteous one, and that it was the duty of newly enfranchised women to support the country’.

The election saw the defeat of the Asquith Liberals and the landslide of the Coalition Liberals. Murray was not deterred by her defeat and went to on to have an active political life. Elected as councillor in 1923 to Dunbartonshire Council, Murray was also the founder and President of the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute in the area.

Eunice Murray died on 26th March 1960 having led an active and inspirational life and today we remember her as the first women to break the barrier in Scotland to stand as an MP.

[scribeforchrist-blog]

Wrapped in Love 

MEMORY VERSE OF THE WEEK

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+ Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways, submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

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VERSE OF THE DAY 

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+ Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.

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** SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ; HERE’S SOME CHRISTIAN TRUTHS **

I AM STRONG 

I AM FEARLESS 

I AM COURAGEOUS 

I AM LISTENING 

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READ TIME: 9 Minutes & 6 Seconds

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THOUGHTS:

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   So, we can debate when Jesus was born and fuss about whether Christmas isn’t his birthday, but today, we are focusing on Jesus and his birth; his birth was incredible, and how he came into this world was amazing. God used a virgin to bring his son into the world, someone that was pure for a pure human being; Jesus was confirmed through different verses in the Bible that he was coming to the world.

 • Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

 

•Jeremiah 23:5: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land

 

•Hosea 11:1 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son

    Jesus came here for the sinner, when he was born his birth was done not with royal linen or gold everywhere he was simply born in a manger. “Luke 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.

  A lot of us need all these things before we do anything, but not Jesus; he just needed a place to enter, and he did. and as he grew, he grew to do his father's work even as a child, his parents lost him one day because he wanted to teach. He told his mother I was about my father's business; he knew then what his calling was. 

  Luke 2:49-50 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

Do you know your calling? Do you know that Jesus called us all to do something? My calling might not look like yours, but we all are called to do something amazing in his name. Jesus knew what he must do; you see that he must be about his father’s business, which means he must teach and save the world; a lot of us don’t want to do his will; we don’t want to do the calling he has placed on us because we feel we can’t do it, but when God placed a calling on us he will give us the strength and power to do it, our power is finite, but he is infinite. 

  Verse 52: Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and all the people.

  His wisdom grew as he grew, and many people were astonished by what he knew because he grew up locally in the town, and some saw him as just Jesus, the carpenter’s boy.

  Matthew 13:55;57 Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. (57) They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.

  As he was here, many people refused to listen to him; they were offended he was even teaching; they felt he couldn’t be the Messiah because he was the son of a carpenter. No matter where you come from or your past sins, God wants to use you; a lot of people don’t understand our journey, a lot of people don’t understand the passion you have for the love of God, but that’s okay what’s the most important thing is God, not our emotions leading  us. 

  John 15:6   If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned

  This week, we learned about our connection with God and how we must continue to have a stable connection with God and how to do this, we must pray and read our word; a lot of us don’t want to go through this and put the time in with God, we want all the blessing, but not the blesser we want all the gift but no studying and God wants us to always be in our word.

   James 1:12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

   When we start to study and allow God to use us, we will be attacked, but we shouldn’t be surprised because of what Jesus went through. Jesus had people who were cruel to him, but he still pushed forward through the words and mistreatment, and we must do the same. 

  Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.”

  While we are going through it, we must know we aren’t alone; it might feel like it , but we aren’t. God wants us always to know we are never alone and that we can wait on him! I can be in the worst place in my life, and I know he understands me, and I know that he won’t allow me to endure by myself. 

  Joseph endured so much, but the lord was with him every step of the way. God made sure he had favor even with people around him; when we allow God to use us and we walk in him, he will make our enemies our footstool; a lot of us won’t wait for God to move; we do it ourselves, and we should always wait on God in our hard time.

   Psalm 56:3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

  Fear can make us feel like we are all alone, but fear is a tactic the enemy uses to keep us stagnant in the plan of God; sometimes, we can think we are moving, but we aren’t because we have allowed fear to take over sure plenty of people in the Bible, we’re afraid. Still, they didn’t let their fears stop them from doing the will of God. We must stop allowing fear to run our lives and start letting God control what’s happening in our lives; when we let God conquer our fears, we can better handle what’s happening around us. 

    *** Today, we reviewed what we learned this week about the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born in a manger. A lot of us wouldn’t set foot in a manger, but he did; he was born there, the lord wanted when he came into this world that it be simple, and it was, he could’ve came into this world draped in gold, and in the best place to stay in but that would’ve taken away from the beauty of who he is and why he came here. 

  As he got older, he started to do what he was called to do, and many of us know our calling, but because it’s not what we want, we refuse to do it. God has called us all to do something in our lives, whether to preach, teach, or be an usher; whatever it is, we must do it for his glory.

   We might be fearful of what that is and fearful of doing it, but whatever he’s given to us, we can do it in his strength, not our own. We do it in him and for him; that’s why we must ask for a fresh anointing to go into the world and teach about him every day. We all have been afraid, but we can all conquer it if we keep our hand in his hand. If you feel that you have allowed fear to take over or have a calling on your life that you haven’t started, go and talk to God today, and he will extinguish all your fears and point you in the right direction.  ©Seer~ Prophetess Lee

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PRAYER

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Heavenly Father, thank you for today, thank you for giving us , health, and strength. Lord, we need you so severely we ask you to be with us and help us to understand that you can conquer anything that comes our way; Lord, we ask you to give us a fresh anointing so that we may teach the way you want us to teach preached the way you want to preach we do everything in your will. We can’t do it alone. We ask you right now to cover us in your blood, help us to apply this lesson to our lives, and help us to be more like you in Jesus' name, amen.

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REFERENCES 

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+ Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you

 

+ Psalm 34:4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears

 

+ Luke. 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger because there was no place for them in the inn.

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FURTHER READINGS 

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 Proverbs 21

Isaiah 37

Hosea 12

Lamentations 13

Joshua 24

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[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

18th December >> Mass Readings (GB)

18th December 

(Liturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I))

First Reading Jeremiah 23:5-8 ‘I will raise up for David a righteous Branch.’

‘Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The LORD is our righteousness.” ‘Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, “As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt”, but “As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.” Then they shall dwell in their own land.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 72(71):1-2. 12-13. 18-19. ℟ cf. 7

R/ In his days shall justice flourish, and great peace for ever.

O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice, and your poor in right judgement.

R/ In his days shall justice flourish, and great peace for ever.

For he shall rescue the needy when they cry, the poor who have no one to help. He will have pity on the weak and the needy, and save the lives of the needy.

R/ In his days shall justice flourish, and great peace for ever.

Blest be the LORD, God of Israel, who alone works wonders, ever blest his glorious name. Let his glory fill the earth. Amen! Amen!

R/ In his days shall justice flourish, and great peace for ever.

Gospel Acclamation Dux domus Israel

Alleluia, alleluia. O Adonai and Ruler of the House of Israel, who gave the law to Moses on Sinai; come and redeem us with outstretched arm. Alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 1:18-24 Jesus was born of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, son of David.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to send her away quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel’ — which means, God with us.

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[gtunesmiff]

JEREMIAH S.O.A.P. ~ CHAPTER 23

Thursday, 6/20/24

SCRIPTURE:

"Look, the days are coming" — this is the Lord ’s declaration — “when I will raise up a Righteous Branch for David.  "He will reign wisely as king and administer justice and righteousness in the land.  "In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.  "This is the name He will be called: The Lord Is Our Righteousness." ~ Jeremiah 23:5-6

OBSERVATION:

The days are coming...

The days are here...

The kingdom is at hand...

Jesus...

APPLICATION:

Be saved...

Dwell securely...

PRAYER: (including verses 23 & 24)

Saving Father God - Forgive me for thinking, let alone trying to hide where I know You can see me anyway... for thinking You are far away instead of close at hand... Afterall, You fill the heavens and the earth, and I see Your majesty everywhere when I look beyond my own selfishness... Thank You for Your grace and for Jesus - for saving me and allowing me to dwell - to live specifically with You - in the security of Your love and mercy... In Jesus's Name, and for Your glory and honor...

Yours, in and through and because of Him...

𝖌

<))><

[mental-health-and-jesus]

8-12-2024 | Bible App | Prophecies

‘“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” she says to him who lacks judgment. “Come, eat my bread and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your folly behind, and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”’ ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭9‬:‭4‬-‭6‬

‘And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”’ Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭15‬

‘The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.’ Genesis‬ ‭49‬:‭10‬

‘Then a shoot will spring up from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit.’ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬

‘Your house and kingdom will endure forever before Me, and your throne will be established forever.”’ ‭‭2 Samuel‬ ‭7‬:‭16‬

‘For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.’ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬

‘Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He will reign wisely as King and will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is His name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.’ Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭5‬-‭6‬

‘I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. And I will hold accountable anyone who does not listen to My words that the prophet speaks in My name.’ ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭18‬:‭18‬-‭19‬

‘Since that time, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face’ ‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭34‬:‭10‬

‘But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come forth for Me One to be ruler over Israel — One whose origins are of old, from the days of eternity.’ ‭‭Micah‬ ‭5‬:‭2‬

‘“Behold, I will send My messenger, who will prepare the way before Me. Then the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to His temple—the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight—see, He is coming,” says the Lord of Hosts.’ ‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬

‘Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭9‬:‭9‬

‘Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.’ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭7‬:‭14‬

‘Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in His hands? Who has bound up the waters in His cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name, and what is the name of His Son— surely you know!’ ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30‬:‭4‬

‘Then the eyes of the blind will be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer and the mute tongue will shout for joy. For waters will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.’ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35‬:‭5‬-‭6‬

‘“I, the Lord, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring prisoners out of the dungeon and those sitting in darkness out from the prison house.’ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭6‬-‭7‬

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’ ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭118‬:‭22‬

‘Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.’ Zechariah‬ ‭12‬:‭10‬

‘Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the Lord.’ Zechariah‬ ‭11‬:‭12‬-‭13‬

‘He will not grow weak or discouraged before He has established justice on the earth. In His law the islands will put their hope.”’ Isaiah‬ ‭42‬:‭4‬

‘He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”’ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭49‬:‭6‬

[walkswithmyfather]

Mark 11:7-10 (FBV). [7] “They brought the colt to Jesus, put their cloaks on it, and Jesus sat on it. [8] Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others laid down leafy branches that they'd cut in the fields. [9] Those leading in the front and those that were following were all shouting, “Hosanna! Bless the one coming in the name of the Lord. [10] Bless the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!”

“Hosanna!” by In Touch Ministries:

“The Lord provides what we need—even when it's not what we want.”

The people didn’t realize the significance of their words: “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they called out as Jesus rode by. “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9).

We know the day as Palm Sunday. But for the Jews, it was the day to choose a lamb for the annual Passover sacrifice. Years before, when His people were still in bondage, God warned that death was on its way to afflict every household, whether righteous or wicked. The Lord, however, provided a way out: All who took shelter under the blood of a spotless lamb would live.

So for years, God’s people brought sacrifices and prayed, Save us, please, as blood spilled from every offering. But the blood of bulls and lambs couldn’t fully purify them (Hebrews 10:4). The people of God were covered but not cleansed.

Then came that Palm Sunday, when the people were celebrating an earthly ruler they assumed would break the heavy yoke of Rome. They wanted freedom. But God had a freedom of a much more beautiful kind on His heart. His people thought they were choosing their king, but God was choosing their Lamb.

“Save us, please!” is answered today the way it was then: We were redeemed “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).”

[the-drokainian]

‭Jeremiah 23:1-6 ESV‬

[1] “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. [2] Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. [3] Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. [4] I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. [5] “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. [6] In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Triumphal Entry

As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent out two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt beside her. Untie them and bring them to Me. If anyone questions you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

“Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and laid their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them.

A massive crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

The crowds that went ahead of Him and those that followed were shouting:

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Hosanna in the highest!”

When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’”

The blind and the lame came to Him at the temple, and He healed them. But the chief priests and scribes were indignant when they saw the wonders He performed and the children shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked.

“Yes,” Jesus answered. “Have you never read:

‘From the mouths of children and infants

You have ordained praise’?”

Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where He spent the night.

In the morning, as Jesus was returning to the city, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.

When the disciples saw this, they marveled and asked, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

When Jesus returned to the temple courts and began to teach, the chief priests and elders of the people came up to Him. “By what authority are You doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave You this authority?”

“I will also ask you one question,” Jesus replied, “and if you answer Me, I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. What was the source of John’s baptism? Was it from heaven or from men?”

They deliberated among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will ask, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we are afraid of the people, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they answered, “We do not know.”

And Jesus replied, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.

But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went.

Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing.

‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go.

Which of the two did the will of his father?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in a righteous way and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.

When the harvest time drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his share of the fruit. But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third.

Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group. But the tenants did the same to them.

Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard returns, what will he do to those tenants?”

“He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and will rent out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him his share of the fruit at harvest time.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed.”

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they knew that Jesus was speaking about them. Although they wanted to arrest Him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded Him as a prophet. — Matthew 21 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 4:24; Exodus 30:12; Genesis 49:11; Leviticus 1:14; Ruth 1:19; 2 Samuel 14:7; 2 Kings 9:13; Psalm 8:2; Psalm 118:22; Psalm 118:26; Proverbs 26:5; Song of Solomon 8:11; Isaiah 5:1-2; Isaiah 5:3; Isaiah 8:14; Isaiah 28:13; Isaiah 28:16; Isaiah 56:7; Isaiah 62:11; Jeremiah 7:11; Jeremiah 8:13; Jeremiah 26:8; Jeremiah 37:15; Matthew 4:28; Matthew 7:7; Matthew 8:10-11; Matthew 9:27; Matthew 11:9; Matthew 11:25; Matthew 13:3; Matthew 16:7; Matthew 17:20; Matthew 20:24; Matthew 20:34; Matthew 22:4; Matthew 26:6; Matthew 26:55; Mark 11:1; Mark 11:7-8; Mark 11:12; Mark 11:20; Mark 11:23; Mark 11:27; Mark 12:1-2; Luke 20:5; Luke 20:16; John 7:30; 1 John 3:22

[orthodoxydaily]

Icon, Saints&Reading: Friday, December 22, 2023

december 9_december 22

THE CONCEPTION BY SAINT ANNA, OF "WHENCE IS CONCEIVED THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD"

The Gospels and other books of the New Testament do not mention anything about Saint Anna, the mother of the Theotokos. According to Tradition, the priest Matthan (Matthew 1:15), a resident of Bethlehem, had three daughters: Mary(1), Sobe (Sobḗ), and Anna. Mary was married in Bethlehem, where she gave birth to Elizabeth, the mother of Saint John the Baptist.

The Holy Righteous Anna was the youngest daughter of the priest Matthan, who was from the tribe of Levi, of the family of Aaron. Her husband, the Holy Righteous Joachim was from the tribe of Judah, from the house and family of King David. According to the ancient promise, the Messiah was to come from the lineage of King David (Luke 2:4).

The couple lived in Nazareth of Galilee. Every year, they gave two-thirds of their income to the Temple in Jerusalem, and to the poor. By God's Providence, the holy couple had no children until their old age. They were greatly saddened by this, since the Jews considered childlessness a great misfortune and a punishment from God. They prayed fervently for the Lord to give them children.

On a certain feast, when the Israelites were bringing gifts to God in the Temple at Jerusalem, the High Priest, believing that the childless Joachim did not have God's blessing, refused to accept gifts from him. Saint Joachim was grief stricken. He consulted the genealogy of the twelve tribes of Israel and ascertained that all righteous men had offspring, including Abraham, when he was a hundred years old. Without returning home, Saint Joachim went into the wilderness and spent forty days there in strict fasting and prayer, entreating God's mercy for himself, and washing away his disgrace with bitter tears.

Saint Anna thought that she was to blame for their sorrow. One day saw a nest with barely fledged chicks in the branches of a laurel tree, she wept and prayed for the gift of a child, promising to bring the infant to God as an offering. As soon as Saint Anna spoke these words, an Angel of the Lord told her that her prayer had been answered, and revealed that she would have a daughter named Mary, through whom all the peoples of the world would be blessed. Rejoicing, Saint Anna hastened to the Temple in Jerusalem, in order to give thanks to God. She repeated her vow to dedicate the child to Him. An Angel came to Saint Joachim in the wilderness with the same news and commanded him to go to Jerusalem. There, the Righteous Anna conceived and gave birth to the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Orthodox Church does not accept the teaching that the Mother of God was exempted from the consequences of ancestral sin (death, corruption, sin, etc.) at the moment of her conception by virtue of the future merits of her Son. Only Christ was born perfectly holy and sinless, as Saint Ambrose of Milan teaches in Chapter Two of his Commentary on the Gospel of Saint Luke. The Holy Virgin was like everyone else in her mortality, and in being subject to temptation, although she committed no personal sins. She was not a deified creature removed from the rest of humanity. If this were the case, She would not have been truly human, and the nature that Christ took from her would not have been truly human either. If Christ does not truly share our human nature, then the possibility of our salvation is in doubt.

Saint Anna has been honored since ancient times. We infer this from various Fathers of the Church, and also from ancient hymns in honor of the mother of the Theotokos. In the year 550, Emperor Justinian dedicated a temple in Constantinople to Saint Anna.

Part of the Saint's left hand is located in Stavronikita Monastery on Mount Athos. Part of the Saint's incorrupt left foot is located in Saint Anna's Skete on Mount Athos. Part of the Saint's incorrupt right foot is located in the Monastery of Koutloumousiou on Mount Athos.

Fragments of the Saint's Holy Relics are to be found in Saint Anna's Monastery at Lygaria in Lamia, and also in the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian at Sourotis.

Some of the Saint's incorrupt flesh is in the Roman Catholic International Crusaders Collection of Holy Relics. The Saint's wrist is to be found in the Roman Catholic church of Saint Paul "Outside the Walls" in Rome.

Many icons of the Conception by Saint Anna show the Most Holy Theotokos trampling the serpent underfoot. Saints Joachim and Anna are usually depicted with hands folded in prayer; their eyes are also directed upward and they contemplate the Mother of God, who stands in the air with outstretched hands; under her feet is an orb encircled by a serpent (symbolizing the devil), which strives to conquer the universe by its power.”

There are also icons in which Saint Anna holds the Most Holy Virgin on her left arm as an infant. On Saint Anna’s face is a look of reverence. A large ancient icon, painted on canvas, is located in the village of Minkovetsa in the Dubensk district of Volhynia Diocese. From ancient times this Feast was especially venerated by pregnant women in Russia.

1 This Mary is the mother of Saint Anna, and the grandmother of the Theotokos. She is commemorated on the Sunday of the Forefathers.

Source: Orthodox Church in America_OCA

THE ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, NAMED "UNEXPECTED JOY"

The “Unexpected Joy” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is painted in this way: in a room is an icon of the Mother of God, and beneath it, a youth is kneeling in prayer. The tradition of healing some youth from a bodily affliction through this holy icon is recorded in the book of Saint Demetrius of Rostov, The Fleece of Prayer [See Judges 6: 36-40]. The sinful youth, devoted to the Theotokos, prayed one day before the icon of the All-Pure Virgin before committing a sin. Suddenly, he saw that wounds appeared on the Lord’s hands, feet, and side, and blood flowed from them. In horror he exclaimed, “O Lady, who has done this?” The Mother of God replied, “You and other sinners, because of your sins, crucify My Son anew.” Only then did he realize how great was the depth of his sinfulness. For a long time, he prayed with tears to the All-Pure Mother of God and the Savior for mercy. Finally, he received the unexpected joy of the forgiveness of his sins. The most famous miracle-working copy of this icon is kept at the Church of Prophet Elias "Obydennago" in Moscow.  This icon was initially kept in the Kremlin church of Sts. Constantine and Helen, at least from the times of Empress Anna Ioannovna (niece of Peter the Great). The church was razed by the communists in 1928, but the icon was spirited away and saved to the Resurrection church in Sokolnikah, Moscow.  In 1944, Patriarch Sergei transferred the icon to the church of the Prophet Elias, and Patriarchs Alexei I, Pimen, and Alexei II all would come to quietly and humbly pray in the evenings before this wonderworking icon.  May we all gather and pray, "Rejoice, Who bestows upon sinners Unexpected Joy"! 

GALATIANS 4:22-31

22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. 23 But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, 24 which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar- 25 or this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children- 26 but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all. 27 For it is written: "Rejoice, O barren, You who do not bear! Break forth and shout, You who are not in labor! For the desolate has many more children Than she who has a husband." 28 Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. 29 But, as he who was born according to the flesh then persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what does the Scripture say? "Cast out the bondwoman and her son, for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." 31 So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free.

LUKE 21:37-22:8

37And in the daytime He was teaching in the temple, but at night He went out and stayed on the mountain called Olivet. 38 Then early in the morning all the people came to Him in the temple to hear Him.

1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude. 7 Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover must be killed. 8 And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat."

[notesapp-neurotic]

What is Narcissism?

nar·cis·sism

/ˈnärsəˌsiz(ə)m/

noun

excessive interest in or admiration of oneself and one's physical appearance.

selfishness, involving a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a need for admiration, as characterizing a personality type.

PSYCHOANALYSISself-centeredness arising from failure to distinguish the self from external objects, either in very young babies or as a feature of mental disorder.

The word also derives from the Greek myth of Narcissus. A God whose standard was far too high for anyone to reach… that is, besides himself, of course. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses tale of Narcissus, a nymph named Echo fell tragically in love with Narcissus. When she advanced him, Narcissus did not comply. Heartbroken, Echo ran away into the woods, and for years her crying was  heard from acres  throughout the land, all until that was the only thing left of her. Echo's home-girl Nemesis(the goddess of reputation) heard of this, and cursed Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection, ..since that was the only thing he ever paid attention to anyway. When Narcicuss was at the lake, flirting with his reflection, truth daunted on him that he could never actually have a physical relationship with himself… so he committed suicide… the big guy felt big lows.

Widely used as an insult on some of the most atrocious people. Perhaps even used to describe some of the people in your own life. Narcissism has been looked down on by society, and even deemed a mental illness for hundreds of years… and no one is safe. It has spread to the brains of every influencer who is obsessed over their looks. It could be your ex’s, or friends. Parents, relatives… it is noted as a horrible, and toxic connotation of selfishness and greed. For thousands of years, our communities have depended on each other to help one another improve as a whole . If you did not serve in your community, you were looked down upon, or even ignored completely. Even  people who just thought differently were considered narcissists, all because they didn't help the community improve in the way the “officials”  knew how.  Soon, individual thinking became a rebellion because it was so taboo, and Individuality won free rein over the people. The era of supermodels, artists, and inventors were at the summit. Unfortunately, there was a plateau somewhere because the narcissists who branched out, and created a new world, soon created the narcissists who use “self care” and sexuality to earn more money for their already multi million dollar businesses. The ones who thought outside the box, not only paved the way for the dreamers, but also the manipulators who memorized the exact script  used to get their way. They thought outside the mob, and observed for their own interest, without empathy. Now, notice how I used the word ‘narcissist’  both as a negative adjective, and a positive adjective… 

I had a teacher tell me that “Narcissism is neither good, nor bad. It just depends on what you do with it.” Highly influential artists like Andy Warhol, Cleopatra, Eartha Kitt, and Davie Bowie  were all considered narcissists, but look at how each of them created a new world for everyone who came after.  They trusted their inner intuitive instincts, and removed themselves from the crowd for the better. They expressed themselves over, and over in deep interest in themselves, in order to learn about other people. Andy Warhol's art was for him to explore his own sexuality, which inspired many to explore, and to express their sexuality  in their own way. Eartha Kitt was simply a confident woman who knew who she was, and what she wanted, and she was described as a narcissist. Cleopatra, highly  intelligent,  had an image she showed to her people in order to gain respect. David Bowie put on an image to make way  for the free spirited.  Each of these major, iconic historical figures thought selfishly, to believe selflessly. 

Then there is the negative narcissist. The righteous one. The one with the mind of an artist and free soul,  but with the sacral chakra of a dictator. The taker, the manipulator. The apathetic. This narcissist is smart, and aggressive, and a little bit of a sociopath. They use their image to control others, and to always grab the attention, and validation from any poor soul who happens to get near them. The fallen angels. The demons. The ones God said “no, no” about. This narcissist is empty, and although always filled with new, and fantastic ideas…each one is for the success of one party, but at a huge expense for another. The obsessed, the ones with temporary confidence, until they actually become who they boast about.  A fraud.  These remind me of politicians.. Some… some. 

Now the  teacher who taught my class and I about Narcissism, was our teacher who taught us about the cultural balinese performance of masks called Topeng,  a tradition that dates back from 896 AD. Topeng tells stories that are hundreds of years old, played by the same characters, by the same people for decades. These actors are dedicated to their characters for life, as well as their own.  It is an incredibly honored art, used in healing retreats across Indonesia to help unblock the subconsious. When the actor puts on a mask or tapel, they transform and  take on the spirit of the character within the mask. The tapel, is charged by intentions. First, the mask is carved by an expert, and then for months after the actors training, and after countless mediations and ceremonies, they are allowed to put on the mask. When you  start to move with the mask on,  naturally, your body and psychology  will adapt to the mask's spirit. You will see the world through the eyes of the character, even if  you do not agree with them.

My first wild experience with the  mask was a surprise. Our teacher handed us a velvet bag, each with our own archetypal mask inside. We were asked to stare at our bag, and to send the mask our energy and then to imagine that it was sending it back. Next, we were told to not look at the masks when taking it out, and to keep it face down when putting it over our face. None of us knew which mask we had on. We moved for an hour in the room, all crawling or jumping, or strutting. Yelling, or laughing, growling, or snarling.. Hey! It's an acting school, what do you expect? 

Suddenly, I started to feel very strange.  I looked around at everyone, and expected them all to be as well, but none were. Everyone was fighting, and the ones who were  laughing, were the ones who pitted everyone else against each other. I noticed that two of my peers were pushing one another, arguing in babble. (You don't use words in masks when you interact with other characters.)

 I approached them in distress, as if I were a stressed out mother wanting her sons to stop competing with one another. If you don't know this about me, I am naturally very timid due to my wretched anxiety. I tried to stop my peers from hurting one another, but I was too afraid to get in between. I became overwhelmed with all the hate around me, and I couldn't understand why there was so much of it. I didn't have the strength to stop it.The idea of any evil in this world began to frustrate me, and at that moment I couldn't understand why it even existed. I ran from one person to the other, yelling at them to wake up. To wake up, and to see how beautiful life is supposed to be, and how they need to enjoy it before it is too late. That all the battles they have now, don't matter nor have they ever , and nor will they ever, but no one was listening. I already don't feel like I'm listened to in my everyday life, and being in a position where I felt like I could help but with no one listening, and with my lack of confidence, I gave up. I  broke down.  I cried, with drool pouring out onto the floor.   My teacher came behind me, and rubbed my back harshly to activate my spine, which activated the chakras, and activated the  character even more.  I was screaming in agony and in pain. 

At the end of class each of us discussed our own experiences. When it got to me,  I told everyone. My teacher responded and said, “You went to each character and felt like a mom. Your two peers who were fighting had the King and the Warrior mask. Those two always come at eachother's throats, just like brothers. You felt like a mom to them, and does a mom have a higher rank over her kids?” he asked. I nodded. My teacher continued, “Back when these archetypes were created, the king had a higher rank over the warrior, but God was above them both.” He smiled, "the mask you  have… is the Priest.”

 The reason why I was crying was because there was something in me that refused to surface. Again, like in my first entry, movement releases trauma in the body. Moving the body unlocks the physical traumas, the mask unlocks the mental ones. Forever,  I thought I resisted the mask  because I was being cleansed of some sort of demon, or because my grandfather was a preacher, and I had some sort of religious guilt, but really,... it was because I wasn’t courageous enough.

(Working with the masks also helps an actor unblock their subconscious so they can find  a part of themself that relates to the character that they are playing, who happens to be the complete opposite of who the actor was actually brought up as.  I say” brought up as”, and not “who they are” because our “self” mostly consists of words, judgments or beliefs passed down from family.)

After the experience, it left me in even more awe over energy, intentions, performing, and the use of oneself. It also made me highly interested in the concept of narcissism, and how narcissistic I was, and how the world is now. How, before this class,  I was stuck to only one way of thinking, or how with other things, I changed my way of thinking in order to please someone. Both examples of narcissism.

1.  I refused to connect with others, 

and 2. because I wanted someone to like me. 

I made it a personal goal of mine to break my narcissism and ego . Narcissism, to be made clear, is who you think you are. Who you portray yourself as, the one dimensional you. Ego is what you believe you can do. Everyday I’d do something that I was normally afraid to do. Mind you, I've jumped 14,000 ft out of a plane,and I  perform in front of people everyday, but for some reason introducing myself to strangers one on one makes me want to die on the spot. So I started small, like going to the movies by myself,  going first in class, taking myself out on a date. Anyway I did it. I wore all  black for a while before too, so I started to wear clothes that made me stand out again. I also stopped fixing my hair right away after movement class, and stopped worrying about my makeup spreading. When I have an in depth, heartbreaking scene in class, my mascara always runs. Now I've just stopped fixing it.  I don’t  care when my mascara is all over the place, it means I did well. It meant I fucking gave it my all, and now I wear my smudged mascara as a badge of pride. With movement… I have very long hair, and I sweat a lot too. After movement, people would say ”your hair!” in amusement because it would look as if  a tiger had given me a bath. Again, I didn't care. I was giving it my all, and I didn't think a lot of it.   When I stopped, I noticed that a lot more people cared about the way I looked than I did. There were little things, but I found it funny that people even cared to audibly state stuff like that.. like..I know what I look like… I choose to look like this lol.

I'm not blind , I'm working.  

I began to find it a very funny observation from people, considering we all had the same classes, and learned about  the same topics on how to stop giving a fuck.  It was every class too…Its funny how long we take to normalize things. 

What really stuck with me .. were those comments from others. Harmless words that in truth don't affect me in an offensive way, but a in a peculiar confusing way. It brings me back in time to when I supposed to care, but had to pretend I didnt.  Those who had trapped me into one way of thinking for such a long time. In grade and middle school, or in mine anyway, because it was a super small uniform school…  if you stood out you were pretty much harassed… being the top student, being the dumbass, ect, ect (and also the first 10 years of anyone's life becomes the setup for the rest of it, i went to that school since I was three)   I took what others said as negatives, because others looked at it as negatives. I fixed myself up because thats what they liked. I genuinely thought that that is what i was supposed to do.

 I let other people's narcissism affect mine. I realized… fuck, I actually do care alot  about how people see me, or how they thought of me.. Only because they care! And the people before them! I started to catch myself judging others because I, MYSELF, would NEVER be caught DEAD acting or dressing, or whatever like them. That I was the righteous narcissist.  I realized that even the most genuine people could be narcissists too, but again,  that's not even a bad thing! But they acted like bad people because that is  how they received the word!  That was what was expected of them. 

What's bad is ignoring the truth about yourself, and continuing to hold yourself up to an imaginary pedestal simply because you do not  understand the other person's point of view. This goes with EVERY topic. Serious, or not. Heart wrenching, or not. Good and Evil, Evil or Good.  If you refuse to look at the intentions on both sides you are resisting evolution. Continuing to judge one another, continuing to belittle their hunting abilities in a world where it's most important, leaves them with nothing to eat. No, it does not mean to AGREE, or even to allow specific situations to keep happening like abuse, or wars, or chaos in general, but to find what it is that's good. Find what is good, and build off of it. Law of humility. Find the essence, find what, or how to transform their violence into passion, and their evilness into creativity, expression, and to where it harms no one but opinions.  If manifesting is real, which it has been proven to be, why aren't we  collectively manifesting actual peace? 

Imagine there was a church, that wasn't actually a “church”, but a temple or something where everyone, no matter your religious ,spiritual, or political beliefs, could go and come together to just meditate?

“Sitting around the campfire, singing kumbaya isn't going to do shit!”

Well fuck, I mean, if it takes months of ceremonies and mediations to CREATE AN ACTUAL SPIRIT, then do any of us really understand energy? Are we really being taught the extensiveness of science? And why the hell is spirituality not being taught hand in hand with it??? Those "you'll be in my prayers" might actually mean something. Meditating together,  as well as action might actually help… just a little bit. Fuck… why  cant we all just get over ourselves?  Why can't we all get over our narcissism and really try and understand each other. Understand the world deeper, the universe deeper. You are not one way of thinking, and believe it or not, a person could be the most stubborn person on the planet, but who knows who they would be in an unexpected situation. Think...who would you be if this happened? Or that? Who would you be in this family or in this life? How would you imagine yourself in any, and every situation you come across?.How would you honestly handle it? Who would you truly be? Instead of hiding from the dark,  light a goddamn candle. 

Be so full of yourself that you see yourself in everyone, and they in you.