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miajolensdevotion · 1 year

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Lifegoals; Succeed In Finances

WELCOME

Money Matters; What is your personal principle about finances? Share one learning experience of it.

WORD:

Luke 12:15 New International Version (NIV) says

15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

We all want to be successful in our finances & we often equate it with having lots of money. the Bible, however, tells us that true financial success has practically nothing to do with how much or how little money we have. instead, in God's economy, it is all about character. This means that true success begins with the heart-our being determines our doing. But because of our sinful nature, we long to fill our heart with more money & other material things in order to be successful. This is only to find out later on that unless we have JESUS CHRIST, there is NOTHING IN THIS WORLD that will ever be enough. The truth is ONLY JESUS CAN SATISFY OUR LONGINGS & CAN FILL IN that vacuum in our heart. Jesus Christ's warnings implore us to beware & be on guard against any form of greed-that insatiable desire to have more.

Luke 12:15 New International Version (NIV) says

15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”

Money is not the problem, but the love & longing for money is.

1 Timothy 6:9-10 New International Version (NIV)

9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

To succeed in what truly matters to God, we need to learn three aspects of true financial success.

PERSPECTIVE OF FINANCIAL SUCCESS

1. God owns everything.

Psalm 24:1-2 New International Version (NIV) says

Psalm 24

Of David. A psalm.

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 2 for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.

Psalm 50:10-12 New International Version (NIV) says

10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it.

If we could only compute the monetary value of all the earth, the universe & everything in it, can we even imagine how rich God really is? All the produce of the land, sea & heavens are HIS. He does not need anything from us & He owes us nothing. IT IS ALL HIS.

2. God is our source.

Philippians 4:19 New International Version (NIV) says

19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Since God owns everything, obviously HE IS ABLE TO SUPPLY ALL OUR NEEDS (NOT OUR GREED). This is what is in the heart of God. WHEN WE HAVE A TRUE TOTAL COMMITTED PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM,we can see our Heavenly Father providing for all our needs. More so, God is the source of our strength that allows us to produce wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:17-18New International Version (NIV) says

17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

3. God is our Master.

Matthew 6:24 New International Version (NIV) says

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

We cannot serve two masters. GOD MUST BE THE ONLY ONE SITTING ON THE THRONE OF OUR HEART.HIS PLANS FOR US ARE MUCH BETTER THAN OURS OR ANYONE ELSE'S. If we believe that GOD OWNS EVERYTHING, if we TRUST THAT HE IS THE SOURCE OF ALL THINGS & if we truly want to serve Him as our Master with a grateful heart, then it will surely impact our use of money.It all begins with having the right perspective.

PRACTICES FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS

How can we apply the right perspective into practice?

1. TITHING.

roverbs 3:9-10 New International Version (NIV) says

9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

The whole purpose of tithing is to honor God as the owner & source of everything by putting HIM first. God is teaching us to honor HIM so that He can bless us. But if we are robbing HIM with our tithes & offerings we withhold HIS blessings.

Moreover, the blessing of God is not only what He gives but also what He does not allow to happen for our protection.

Malachi 3:8-11 New International Version (NIV) says

8 “Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes and offerings. 9 You are under a curse—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. 10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. 11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,” says the Lord Almighty.

2. REPAYING DEBTS.

Romans 13:8 New International Version (NIV) says

Love Fulfills the Law

8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

Having debts is not a grave sin, but the Bible has nothing good to say about debts. Our goal is to owe anyone nothing because God does not want us to be a slave to the lender.

Proverbs 22:7 New International Version (NIV)

7 The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.

To borrow & not to pay is wicked.

Psalm 37:21 New International Version (NIV)

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;

Jesus came to set us free to be what He wants us to be, not to be enslaved by greed or by debts.

3. PRAYER, PRAYER.

1 Thessalonians 5:17New International Version (NIV) says

17 pray continually,

Every financial decision is a spiritual decision. If we believe that God owns everything then we would want to ask Him permission, guidance & wisdom in all financial matters.

4. GIVING.

Luke 21:1-4 New International Version (NIV) says

The Widow’s Offering

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Giving is on top of tithing. The story of the poor widow teaches us that everybody can give. God is a giving God, He gave His only Son because He so loved us. More important than how much we give is how we give-whether we do not grudgingly or our of compulsion but with a cheerful heart.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8New International Version (NIV) says

Generosity Encouraged

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

5. STEWARDSHIP

Proverbs 30:25 New International Version (NIV) says

25 Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;

This refers to saving, budgeting & accountability. The tiny ants can teach us to prepare in summer before winter. When faced with financial decisions, calculate the cost beforehand.

Luke 14:28 New International Version (NIV) says

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?

Live below your means. Financial success is all about faithfulness to our Master.

Matthew 25:23 New International Version (NIV) says

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

PRACTICES FOR FINANCIAL SUCCESS

The blessing of true financial success is the very PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST in every area of our lives. He alone can give us the pleasures of PEACE & CONTENTMENT; two things we all surely long to possess more than money. There is more to life than our accumulated material possessions & that is peace.

Matthew 6:25-26 New International Version (NIV) says

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

This peace of God surpasses all understanding & guards our hearts & minds.

Philippians 4:6 New International Version (NIV) says

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Contentment is a sense of sufficiency & being grateful for what we have.

1 Timothy 6:6-7 New International Version (NIV) says

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

After all, we brought nothing into this world & we cannot take anything out of it either. In the end, Jesus Christ alone is enough for us.

Mark 10:45 New International Version (NIV) says

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

John 19:30 New International Version (NIV) says

30 When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:(PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE ANYMORE HERE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCE, BECAUSE WE ARE NOW AT THE PRESENT TIME)

1. What is the warning of Jesus Christ in Luke 12:15? Why did He warn us to be on guard against greed?

answer:In the Luke 12:15, Jesus Christ warn me of being greed about money; He warn me to be on guard against greed because He know that even during His time, people is greed about their income

2. Does your life show peace & contentment in financial matters? How do you say so?

answer:Yes, My life show peace & contentment in financial matters; I say so by giving my tithe every week even during our MIDWEEK SERVICE

3. How do you intend to begin & share the pleasures of financial success with others?

answer: I intend to begin & share the pleasure of financial success with others by telling them what I am doing

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 3 years

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5th October >> Mass Readings (USA)

Tuesday, Twenty Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Faustina Kowalska, Religious

Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest.

Tuesday, Twenty Seventh Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

Jonah 3:1-10

The Ninevites turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil he had threatened.

The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you.” So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD’s bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day’s walk announcing, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed,” when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in the ashes. Then he had this proclaimed throughout Nineveh, by decree of the king and his nobles: “Neither man nor beast, neither cattle nor sheep, shall taste anything; they shall not eat, nor shall they drink water. Man and beast shall be covered with sackcloth and call loudly to God; every man shall turn from his evil way and from the violence he has in hand. Who knows, God may relent and forgive, and withhold his blazing wrath, so that we shall not perish.” When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 130:1b-2, 3-4ab, 7-8

R/ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to my voice in supplication.

R/ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

If you, O LORD, mark iniquities, LORD, who can stand? But with you is forgiveness, that you may be revered.

R/ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Let Israel wait for the LORD, For with the LORD is kindness and with him is plenteous redemption; And he will redeem Israel from all their iniquities.

R/ If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, who can stand?

Gospel Acclamation

Luke 11:28

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 10:38-42

Martha welcomed him into her house. Mary has chosen the better part.

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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

Saint Faustina Kowalska, Religious

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the memorial)

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

Either:

First Reading

Deuteronomy 10:8-9

The Lord himself is our heritage.

Moses summoned all of Israel and said to them: “At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to be in attendance before the LORD and minister to him, and to give blessings in his name, as they have done to this day. For this reason, Levi has no share in the heritage with his brothers; the LORD himself is his heritage, as the LORD, your God, has told him.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or:

First Reading

1 Kings 19:4-9a, 11-15a

Go outside and stand on the mountain before the Lord.

Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert, until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it. He prayed for death saying: “This is enough, O LORD! Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree, but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat. He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake and a jug of water. After he ate and drank, he lay down again, but the angel of the LORD came back a second time, touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat, else the journey will be too long for you!” He got up, ate, and drank; then strengthened by that food, he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.

There he came to a cave, where he took shelter. Then the LORD said to him, “Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD; the LORD will be passing by.” A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountains and crushing rocks before the LORD— but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake– but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake there was fire– but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?” He replied, “I have been most zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts. But the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life.” The LORD said to him, “Go, take the road back to the desert near Damascus.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or:

First Reading

1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21

Elisha left and followed Elijah.

The LORD said to Elijah: “You shall anoint Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, as prophet to succeed you.”

Elijah set out and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat, as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen; he was following the twelfth. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, “Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye, and I will follow you.” Elijah answered, “Go back! Have I done anything to you?” Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them; he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh, and gave it to his people to eat. Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Either:

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. or R/ Blessed are they who delight in the law of the Lord. or R/ The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.

Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked Nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, But delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night.

R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. or R/ Blessed are they who delight in the law of the Lord. or R/ The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.

He is like a tree planted near running water, That yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does, prospers.

R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. or R/ Blessed are they who delight in the law of the Lord. or R/ The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.

Not so, the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes.

R/ Blessed are they who hope in the Lord. or R/ Blessed are they who delight in the law of the Lord. or R/ The just will flourish like the palm tree in the garden of the Lord.

Or:

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart and slanders not with his tongue.

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; By whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the LORD.

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed.

R/ The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Or:

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 16:1-2ab and 5, 7-8, 11

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul. He guides me on right paths for his name’s sake.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth. Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear and be glad.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name. I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame. When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Fear the LORD, you his holy ones, for nought is lacking to those who fear him. The great grow poor and hungry; but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.

I will bless the Lord at all times. or Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 103:1bc-2, 3-4, 8-9, 13-14, 17-18a

O bless the Lord, my soul!

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

O bless the Lord, my soul!

He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills, He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

O bless the Lord, my soul!

Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.

O bless the Lord, my soul!

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him, For he knows how we are formed; he remembers that we are dust.

O bless the Lord, my soul!

But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity to eternity toward those who fear him, And his justice toward his children’s children among those who keep his covenant.

O bless the Lord, my soul!

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7b-8, 9

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands. His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed.

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia.

Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever. Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just.

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice; He shall never be moved; the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia.

An evil report he shall not fear; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear till he looks down upon his foes.

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia.

Lavishly he gives to the poor, his generosity shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory.

Blessed the man who fears the Lord. or Alleluia.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; Your children like olive plants around your table.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 131:1bcde, 2, 3

In you, Lord, I have found my peace.

O LORD, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things, nor with things too sublime for me.

In you, Lord, I have found my peace.

Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me.

In you, Lord, I have found my peace.

O Israel, hope in the LORD, both now and forever.

In you, Lord, I have found my peace.

-------- ________

Gospel Acclamation see Matthew 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom. Alleluia, alleluia.

________

EITHER: --------

Gospel Matthew 19:3-12 For the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.

Some Pharisees approached Jesus and tested him, saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?” He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.” They said to him, “Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?” He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery.” His disciples said to him, “If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” He answered, “Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:17-30 Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor; then come, follow me.

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.” Peter began to say to him, “We have given up everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.”

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 10:17-27 Go, sell what you have and give to the poor; then come, follow me.

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 9:57-62 I will follow you wherever you go.

As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 12:32-34 Your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom.

Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”

Or:

Gospel

Luke 14:25-33

Everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’ Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops? But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms. In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, Priest

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the memorial)

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

Either:

First Reading

Exodus 32:7-14

Then he spoke of exterminating them, but Moses, his chosen one, withstood him in the breach to turn back his destructive wrath. (Psalm 106:23).

The LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once to your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, for they have become depraved. They have soon turned aside from the way I pointed out to them, making for themselves a molten calf and worshiping it, sacrificing to it and crying out, ‘This is your God, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ I see how stiff-necked this people is,” continued the LORD to Moses. “Let me alone, then, that my wrath may blaze up against them to consume them. Then I will make of you a great nation.”

But Moses implored the LORD, his God, saying, “Why, O LORD, should your wrath blaze up against your own people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with such great power and with so strong a hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains and exterminate them from the face of the earth’? Let your blazing wrath die down; relent in punishing your people. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and how you swore to them by your own self, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky; and all this land that I promised, I will give your descendants as their perpetual heritage.’” So the LORD relented in the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Or:

First Reading

Deuteronomy 10:8-9

The Lord himself is his heritage.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

OR: --------

First reading 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-13a There–anoint him, for this is he!

The LORD said to Samuel: “Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice, Samuel looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’s anointed is here before him.” But the LORD said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The LORD said, “There–anoint him, for this is he!” Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David.

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 6:1-8 Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?

In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they veiled their faces, with two they veiled their feet, and with two they hovered aloft. “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts!” they cried, one to the other. “All the earth is filled with his glory!” At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it and said, “See, now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 52:7-10 All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings glad tidings, Announcing peace, bearing good news, announcing salvation, and saying to Zion, “Your God is King!” Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry, together they shout for joy, For they see directly, before their eyes, the LORD restoring Zion. Break out together in song, O ruins of Jerusalem! For the LORD comforts his people, he redeems Jerusalem. The LORD has bared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; All the ends of the earth will behold the salvation of our God.

OR: --------

First reading Isaiah 61:1-3a The Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly.

The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn; To place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit.

OR: --------

First reading Jeremiah 1:4-9 To whomever I send you, you shall go.

The word of the LORD came to me thus:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

“Ah, Lord GOD!” I said, “I know not how to speak; I am too young.”

But the LORD answered me,

Say not, “I am too young.” To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak. Have no fear before them, because I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

Then the LORD extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,

See, I place my words in your mouth!

OR: --------

First reading Ezekiel 3:17-21 I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel.

The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, you shall warn them for me. If I say to the wicked man, You shall surely die; and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his wicked conduct so that he may live: the wicked man shall die for his sin, but I will hold you responsible for his death. If, on the other hand, you have warned the wicked man, yet he has not turned away from his evil nor from his wicked conduct, then he shall die for his sin, but you shall save your life. If a virtuous man turns away from virtue and does wrong when I place a stumbling block before him, he shall die. He shall die for his sin, and his virtuous deeds shall not be remembered; but I will hold you responsible for his death if you did not warn him. When, on the other hand, you have warned a virtuous man not to sin, and he has in fact not sinned, he shall surely live because of the warning, and you shall save your own life.

OR: --------

First reading Ezekiel 34:11-16 As a shepherd tends his flock, so will I tend my sheep.

Thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will look after and tend my sheep. As a shepherd tends his flock when he finds himself among his scattered sheep, so will I tend my sheep. I will rescue them from every place where they were scattered when it was cloudy and dark. I will lead them out from among the peoples and gather them from the foreign lands; I will bring them back to their own country and pasture them upon the mountains of Israel in the land’s ravines and all its inhabited places. In good pastures will I pasture them, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing ground. There they shall lie down on good grazing ground, and in rich pastures shall they be pastured on the mountains of Israel. I myself will pasture my sheep; I myself will give them rest, says the Lord GOD. The lost I will seek out, the strayed I will bring back, the injured I will bind up, the sick I will heal, but the sleek and the strong I will destroy, shepherding them rightly.

-------- ________

EITHER: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 16:1-2a and 5, 7-8, 11

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.” O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

I bless the LORD who counsels me; even in the night my heart exhorts me. I set the LORD ever before me; with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

You will show me the path to life, fullness of joys in your presence, the delights at your right hand forever.

You are my inheritance, O Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. In verdant pastures he gives me repose; Beside restful waters he leads me; he refreshes my soul.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

You spread the table before me in the sight of my foes; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for years to come.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 40:2 and 4, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God.

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 21-22, 25 and 27

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

The favors of the LORD I will sing forever; through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness. For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”; in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant: Forever will I confirm your posterity and establish your throne for all generations.”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him, and through my name shall his horn be exalted. He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the Rock, my savior.’”

For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands. Sing to the LORD; bless his name.

Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Announce his salvation, day after day. Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.

Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; give to the LORD the glory due his name!

Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Say among the nations: The LORD is king. He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity.

Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 106:19-20, 21-22, 23

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Our fathers made a calf in Horeb and adored a molten image; They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock.

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea.

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

Then he spoke of exterminating them, but Moses, his chosen one, Withstood him in the breach to turn back his destructive wrath.

Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4

You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.”

You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.”

You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.”

You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”

You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

OR: --------

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 117:1bc, 2

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. or Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples!

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. or Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. or Alleluia.

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Gospel Acclamation Matthew 23:9b, 10b

Alleluia, alleluia. You have but one Father in heaven; you have but one master, the Christ! Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Matthew 28:19a, 20bc

Alleluia, alleluia. Go, and teach all nations, says the Lord; I am with you always, until the end of the world. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Mark 1:17

Alleluia, alleluia. Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: Luke 4:18

Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: John 10:14

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the good shepherd, says the Lord; I know my sheep, and mine know me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: John 15:5

Alleluia, alleluia. I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord: whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: John 15:15b

Alleluia, alleluia. I call you my friends, says the Lord, for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me. Alleluia, alleluia.

Or: 2 Corinthians 5:19

Alleluia, alleluia. God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia, alleluia.

________

EITHER: --------

Gospel Matthew 9:35-38 The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.

Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 16:13-19 You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church.

Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 23:8-12 The greatest among you must be your servant.

Jesus spoke to his disciples: “Do not be called ‘Rabbi.’ You have but one teacher, and you are all brothers. Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven. Do not be called ‘Master’; you have but one master, the Christ. The greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”

OR: --------

Gospel Matthew 28:16-20 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.

The Eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 1:14-20 I will make you fishers of men.

After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

OR: --------

Gospel Mark 16:15-20 Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.

Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 5:1-11 At your command I will lower the nets.

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of them, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 10:1-9 The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

OR: --------

Gospel Luke 22:24-30 I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me.

An argument broke out among the Apostles about which of them should be regarded as the greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’; but among you it shall not be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves. It is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

OR: --------

Gospel John 10:11-16 A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd.”

OR: --------

Gospel John 15:9-17 I no longer call you slaves; I have called you friends.

Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. “I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”

Or:

Gospel

John 21:15-17

Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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mrlnsfrt · 4 years

Text

The Cure for Spiritual Lethargy

(This is not a Christmas post, though it also applies to Christmas)

It is December and all around me I hear Christmas songs and see Christmas decorations. This is the time we usually talk about God’s great gift, the gift of Sis Son! This post is about God’s great gift, but more specifically this post will focus on our response to God’s gift. When we think of the birth of baby Jesus, of His eternal humiliation to live and die in this sinful world, do we stop to think about what our proper response should be? I do, I often think about this. In my post Reflecting on my life - 2020 (and also Who I am) I mention how I grew up as a believer. This means I do not remember learning about Jesus, I always knew. So Christmas and calvary are stories that I have known from my earliest memories. This presents a unique challenge for me because how do I react to a story that I already know? Maybe some of you are on a similar boat. You know the story, so this extraordinary story, one that has the power to transform lives, becomes rather ordinary due to familiarity. I can’t change the story, I shouldn’t. So how do I keep it fresh in my heart? How should I react to God’s desire to be with me? (I have several posts on God with us)

In this post, I would like to outline some things we can do to keep our relationship with God from growing stale.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord is coming, For it is at hand: - Joel 2:1 NKJV

There are so many different things related to Jesus coming. How are we supposed to feel?

“Now, therefore,” says the Lord, “Turn to Me with all your heart, With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.” So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. - Joel 2:12-13 NKJV

One of the things we are called to do is to turn to God with our whole hearts. This cannot be done outwardly only. Cold formalism and religiosity spell spiritual death. Never trust your dress and behavior, those can be shaped by outside pressures. What is the state of your heart? Do you long for Jesus? Of is Jesus just a cultural artifact in your social and personal life?

Can I be completely honest with you? This next part concerns me. This next part troubles me, personally.

Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room. - Joel 2:15-16 NKJV

As you probably know, I am a pastor, a spiritual leader. Yet I have no idea how to sanctify the congregation. I can blow a trumpet, I can call for a fast, if it wasn’t for COVID I could even try to gather the people and assemble the elders. But here is the thing. How often are we willing to do this? When was the last time you tried fasting and praying? When was the last time you were concerned with your standing before God? I am not talking about your good works or obedience. I am talking about your love for God. Do you really love Him? If you do, how often are you concerned about His mission for your life? How often are you concerned about showing your love for Him through all that you do? Do we come together as a church, as a family, and seek God? Is that how I sanctify the congregation? Do I encourage and invite everyone to humble themselves and seek God?

If you keep reading, Joel 2 is not all doom and gloom.

“So I will restore to you the years that the swarming [k]locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. - Joel 2:25-27 NKJV

God ultimately promises restoration. Ultimately God provides for His people. My concern here is not with God. My main concern is with me being asleep in my relationship with God, and not even realize that my love for Him is growing colder each day as I simply go through the motions. My understanding of Joel is that there was a great need for spiritual reformation before the people would be ready for the day of the Lord.

I believe we need faithful men and women, who are sensitive and obedient to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the teachings of the Bible, and will proclaim this warning to the world. God gave us prophecy in the Bible for a reason.

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. - 2 Peter 2:19-21 NKJV

Do we seek the knowledge of God more than all hidden treasures? Do we count it “better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold?” (Proverbs 3:14) God is willing to reveal to us the great things of the kingdom.

The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. - Psalm 25:14 NKJV

So, are we are seeking God, at all?

The Birth of Jesus

Think of the Christmas story. At the time of Christ's first advent the priests and scribes of Jerusalem, who had access to all the prophecies, might have recognized the signs of the times and proclaimed the coming of the Messiah. The prophecy of Micah designated His birthplace (Micah 5:2); Daniel specified the time of His advent (Daniel 9:25).

God committed these prophecies to the Jewish leaders; they were without excuse if they did not know and declare to the people that the Messiah's coming was at hand. Their ignorance was the result of sinful neglect. - The Great Controversy 313

Today, we have the Bible available to us. We all have access to the word of God. Yet how much time do we dedicate to its study?

Could Christians become so absorbed in their ambitious strife for place and power that we lose sight of the divine honors given us by God? Do we get so caught up chasing after worldly things that we forget our responsibility of sharing the gospel and helping those in need?

Imagine this with me.

People have been waiting for the Messiah since Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden (someOne is coming). The elders of Israel should have been studying the prophecies concerning Jesus. With profound and reverent interest they should have been studying the place, the time, the circumstances, of the greatest event in the world's history—the coming of the Son of God to accomplish the redemption of humanity. All the people should have been watching and waiting that they might be among the first to welcome the world's Redeemer.

“But, lo, at Bethlehem two weary travelers from the hills of Nazareth traverse the whole length of the narrow street to the eastern extremity of the town, vainly seeking a place of rest and shelter for the night. No doors are open to receive them. In a wretched hovel prepared for cattle, they at last find refuge, and there the Saviour of the world is born.” The Great Constorversy p313

Imagine, God is born among us, and we miss it.

The majority of the people were distracted. The religious leaders were seeking earthly power and honor and missed the most anticipated event in the history of the world (up to that point). This season, as we think about the birth of Jesus, this ought to be a sobering thought. The majority of people missed the birth of Jesus.

Imagine the angels with me.

Imagine heavenly angels who had seen the glory which Jesus shared with the Father before the world was. Now imagine these same angels looking forward with intense interest to His appearing on earth as an event filled with the greatest joy to all people. Imagine the angels who were appointed to carry the glad tidings to those who were prepared to receive it and who would joyfully make it known to the inhabitants of the earth.

This is unbelievable! But Christ had stooped to take upon Himself human nature; He was to bear the infinite weight of misery as He would make His soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10). Nevertheless, the angels desire that even in His humiliation the Son of God might appear before men with dignity and glory befitting His character. Would the great men of earth assemble at Jerusalem to greet His coming? Would legions of angels present Him to the expectant company?

Imagine, all of heaven excited about the birth of Jesus, meanwhile here on earth, virtually nobody, is anticipating this incredible event. Everyone is just going through the motions…

Imagine the angel, disappointed, about to return to heaven and report that no one was available to receive the good news. Then at last the angel discovers a group of shepherds who are watching their flocks by night, and, as they gaze into the starry heavens, they are contemplating the prophecy of a Messiah to come to earth and longing for the advent of the world's Redeemer. Finally! Here is a company that is prepared to receive the heavenly message! And suddenly the angel of the Lord appears, declaring the good tidings of great joy. Celestial glory floods all the plain, an innumerable company of angels is revealed, and as if the joy were too great for one messenger to bring from heaven, a multitude of voices break forth in the anthem which all the nations of the saved shall one day sing: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:14)

“Oh, what a lesson is this wonderful story of Bethlehem! How it rebukes our unbelief, our pride and self-sufficiency. How it warns us to beware, lest by our criminal indifference we also fail to discern the signs of the times, and therefore know not the day of our visitation.” - The Great Controversy 315

But if you’re familiar with the story you know that those shepherds were not the only ones that the angels found watching for the birth of the Messiah. In a distant land, there were also those that looked for Him; they were wise men, rich and noble, the philosophers of the East. As students of the natural world, the Magi had seen God in His handiwork. They then studied the Hebrew Scriptures and learned of the Star to arise out of Jacob, and with eager desire they awaited His coming, who should be not only the “Consolation of Israel,” but a “Light to lighten the Gentiles,” and “for salvation unto the ends of the earth.” Luke 2:25, 32; Acts 13:47.

What does this story tell you about God? These men were not Jews, yet, they sought light, they sought God, and light from the throne of God illumined the path for their feet. What a tragedy that the priests and rabbis of Jerusalem, the appointed guardians and expounders of the truth, were shrouded in darkness. And how wonderful that the Heaven-sent star guided these Gentile strangers to the birthplace of the newborn King.

Jesus came not just for the Jews, not just for the middle-east, He came to save all.

When Jesus was born as a baby, the Jewish religious leaders should have been the first to lift their voices and proclaim the birth of Jesus, the first to warn the people to prepare for His coming. “But they were at ease, dreaming of peace and safety, while the people were asleep in their sins.”(Great Controversy 315)

Jesus described His church like the barren fig tree, covered with pretentious leaves, yet destitute of precious fruit. There was a boastful observance of the forms of religion, while the spirit of true humility, penitence, and faith—which alone could render the service acceptable to God—was lacking. Instead of the fruit of the Spirit the church was full of pride, formalism, vainglory, selfishness, and even oppression.

Israel, at the time of the birth of Jesus, was like a backsliding church who closed their eyes to the signs of the times. God did not forsake them, His faithfulness did not fail them; but they were the ones who departed from Him, and separated themselves from His love. As they refused to comply with the conditions, His promises were not fulfilled to them.

This is what happens whenever we neglect to appreciate and improve the light and privileges which God bestows. Unless we follow on in His opening providence, accepting every ray of light, performing every duty which may be revealed, religion will inevitably degenerate into the observance of forms, and the spirit of vital godliness will disappear. This truth has been repeatedly illustrated in the history of the church. God requires of His people works of faith and obedience corresponding to the blessings and privileges bestowed. Obedience requires a sacrifice and involves a cross; and this is why so many of the professed followers of Christ refused to receive the light from heaven, and, like the Jews of old, knew not the time of their visitation. Luke 19:44. Because of their pride and unbelief the Lord passed them by and revealed His truth to those who, like the shepherds of Bethlehem and the Eastern Magi, had given heed to all the light they had received. (The Great Controversy 316)

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” - Luke 19:41-44 NKJV

#Christmas #second coming

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warofthecovens · 6 years

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Welcome Xinyan Huang to War of the Covens.

Full Name: Countess Xinyan Huang Alias: None Nickname: None Age: 234 Birth Year: 1278 Race/Species: Vampire Gender: Female Birthplace: China Nationality: Chinese Personality Description: A sadistic and inhuman woman, Xinyan enjoys having power and control. Her enthusiastic and childish nature hides a monster. She believes herself and other vampires gods and humans as nothing more then cattle. Despite her outward confidence and power; she is very Cowardly. If a situation goes bad, she either runs or puts herself on the winning side.

Backstory: Born to two pure blooded vampires in China, Xinyan was raised to be a thief for her parents. She grew up with the best training she could get, despite this. She still lack Major progress in her combat skills. When she reached adult hood, her parents were killed and their empire was taken over by a other coven of vampires. She forced to flee. Xinyan made her way out of China towards where the story takes place. Leaving a trail of bodies in her wake. After arriving, she hoped to use the civil war between the two covens to take control however she decided to enter into the one of the covens and raising in the ranks. And then at the last minute, taking over the coven and winning the war.

#warofthecovens #rp #group rp #vampire rp #discord rp #discord

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dfroza · 3 years

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Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for September 5 of 2021 with Proverbs 5 and Psalm 5, accompanied by Psalm 78 for the 78th day of Astronomical Summer and Psalm 98 for day 248 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 5]

My son, stay focused; listen to the wisdom I have gained;

give attention to what I have learned about life

So you may be able to make sensible judgments

and speak with knowledge.

You see, the lips of a seductive woman speak honey-sweet words;

they are smooth like oil and enticing.

But in the end, she is bitter,

turning the stomach and rotting the soul;

she cuts as deep as a double-edged sword.

She leads you down a path that can only end in death;

her steps lead eventually to the grave.

She does not travel the road to life and truth.

She follows a wandering path—

a rocky, pit-filled road that twists and turns—and she doesn’t even know it.

So, my children, listen to me.

Do not stray from my advice.

Stay away from her, far away from her path;

don’t even go near her door

Unless you are ready to hand over your reputation to someone else,

unless you want to spend the rest of your years at the mercy of some cruel person.

If you do, strangers will help themselves to your wealth,

and everything you have worked hard to acquire will end up in someone else’s hands.

Your life will end with groanings of remorse, of opportunities missed,

and your flesh and bones will be eaten up with sorrow, regret for worthless efforts.

Then you’ll say, “Why did I hate being taught?

Why did I turn my back on correction?

I disregarded all that my teachers said to me;

I turned my ear away from my instructors!

Now I am on the edge of complete and utter ruin

in the midst of the community.”

Here’s what you should do to be satisfied:

go home and drink in the pleasures of your own cistern, your wife;

enjoy the sweet, fresh water that has been there all along, flowing from your own well.

Take care. Should your own springs, your body, be freely shared?

Should your streams of water satisfy anyone in the streets? Absolutely not!

They should be kept pure for you and you alone,

not for sharing with strangers.

May your fountain, your sex life, be blessed by God;

may you know true joy with the wife of your youth.

She who is lovely as a deer and graceful as a doe—

as you drink in her love,

may her breasts satisfy you at all times.

My son, why get caught up in some other woman

and embrace the breast of a stranger?

You see, the Eternal sees our ways before Him.

He watches every move we make and knows where those paths lead.

The wicked will be snared by their own wrongdoing.

Their flaws will tie their own hands, and they will be dragged through life by the cords of their sins.

Because they have no discipline, their spirits die and their bodies will soon follow;

because they are immensely foolish, they wander lost and confused.

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 5 (The Voice)

[Psalm 5]

For the worship leader. A song of David accompanied by flutes.

Bend Your ear to me and listen to my words, O Eternal One;

hear the deep cry of my heart.

Listen to my call for help,

my King, my True God;

to You alone I pray.

In the morning, O Eternal One, listen for my voice;

in the day’s first light, I will offer my prayer to You and watch expectantly for Your answer.

You’re not a God who smiles at sin;

You cannot abide with evil.

The proud wither in Your presence;

You hate all who pervert and destroy what is good.

You destroy those with lying lips;

the Eternal detests those who murder and deceive.

Yet I, by Your loving grace,

am welcomed into Your house;

I will turn my face toward Your holy place

and fall on my knees in reverence before You.

O Eternal One, lead me in the path of Your righteousness

amidst those who wish me harm;

make Your way clear to me.

Their words cannot be trusted;

they are destructive to their cores.

What comes out of their mouths is as foul as a rotting corpse;

their words stink of flattery.

Find them guilty, O True God;

let their own devices bring them ruin.

Throw them out, and let them drown in the deluge of their sin,

for in revolt they brazenly spit in Your face.

But let those who run to You for safety be glad they did;

let them break out in joyful song.

May You keep them safe—

their love for You resounding in their hearts.

You, O Eternal, are the One who lays all good things in the laps of the right-hearted.

Your blessings surround them like a shield.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 5 (The Voice)

[Psalm 78]

Lessons from History

Asaph’s poetic song of instruction

Beloved ones, listen to this instruction.

Open your heart to the revelation

of this mystery that I share with you.

A parable and a proverb are hidden in what I say—

an intriguing riddle from the past.

We’ve heard true stories from our fathers about our rich heritage.

We will continue to tell our children

and not hide from the rising generation

the great marvels of our God—

his miracles and power that have brought us all this far.

The story of Israel is a lesson in God’s ways.

He established decrees for Jacob and established the law in Israel,

and he commanded our forefathers to teach them to their children.

For perpetuity God’s ways will be passed down

from one generation to the next, even to those not yet born.

In this way, every generation will set its hope in God

and not forget his wonderful works but keep his commandments.

By following his ways they will break the past bondage

of their fickle fathers, who were a stubborn, rebellious generation

and whose spirits strayed from the eternal God.

They refused to love him with all their hearts.

Take, for example, the sons of Ephraim.

Though they were all equipped warriors, each with weapons,

when the battle began they retreated and ran away in fear.

They didn’t really believe the promises of God;

they refused to trust him and move forward in faith.

They forgot his wonderful works and the miracles of the past,

even their exodus from Egypt, the epic miracle of his might.

They forgot the glories of his power at the place of passing over.

God split the sea wide open, and

the waters stood at attention on either side

as the people passed on through!

By day the moving glory-cloud led them forward.

And all through the night the fire-cloud stood as a sentry of light.

In the days of desert dryness, he split open the mighty rock,

and the waters flowed like a river before their very eyes.

He gave them all they wanted to drink from his living springs.

Yet they kept their rebellion alive against God Most High,

and their sins against God continued to be counted.

In their hearts they tested God just to get what they wanted,

asking for the food their hearts craved.

Like spoiled children they grumbled against God,

demanding he prove his love by saying,

“Can’t God provide for us in this barren wilderness?

Will he give us food, or will he only give us water?

Where’s our meal?”

Then God heard all their complaining and was furious!

His anger flared up against his people.

For they turned away from faith and walked away in fear;

they failed to trust in his power to save them when he was near.

Still he spoke on their behalf, and the skies opened up;

the windows of heaven poured out food,

the mercy bread-manna.

The grain of grace fell from the clouds.

Humans ate angels’ food—the meal of the mighty ones.

His grace gave them more than enough!

The heavenly winds of miracle power blew in their favor,

and food rained down upon them;

succulent quail quieted their hunger as they ate all they wanted.

Food fell from the skies, thick as clouds;

their provision floated down right in front of their eyes!

He gave them all they desired, and they ate to their fill.

But before they had even finished,

even with their food still in their mouths,

God’s fiery anger arose against them,

killing the finest of their mighty men.

Yet in spite of all this, they kept right on sinning.

Even when they saw God’s marvels,

they refused to believe God could care for them.

So God cut their lives short with sudden disaster,

with nothing to show for their lives but fear and failure.

When he cared for them they ignored him,

but when he began to kill them, ending their lives in a moment,

they came running back to God, pleading for mercy.

They remembered that God, the Mighty One,

was their strong protector,

the Hero-God who would come to their rescue.

But their repentance lasted only as long as they were in danger;

they lied through their teeth to the true God of the Covenant.

So quickly they wandered away from his promises,

following God with their words and not their hearts!

Their worship was only flattery.

But amazingly, God—so full of compassion—still forgave them.

He covered over their sins with his love,

refusing to destroy them all.

Over and over he held back his anger,

restraining wrath to show them mercy.

He knew that they were made from mere dust—

frail, fragile, and short-lived, here today and gone tomorrow.

How many times they rebelled in their desert days!

How they grieved him with their grumblings.

Again and again they limited God, preventing him from blessing them.

Continually they turned back from him

and provoked the Holy One of Israel!

They forgot his great love, how he took them by his hand,

and with redemption’s kiss he delivered them from their enemies.

They disregarded all the epic signs and marvels they saw

when they escaped from Egypt’s bondage.

They forgot the judgment of the plagues that set them free.

God turned their rivers into blood, leaving the people thirsty.

He sent them vast swarms of filthy flies that sucked their blood.

He sent hordes of frogs, ruining their lives.

Grasshoppers consumed all their crops.

Every garden and every orchard

was flattened with blasts of hailstones,

their fruit trees ruined by a killing frost.

Even their cattle fell prey, pounded by the falling hail;

their livestock were struck with bolts of lightning.

Finally, he unleashed upon them the fierceness of his anger.

Such fury!

He sent them sorrow and devastating trouble

by his mighty band of destroying angels;

messengers of death were dispatched against them.

He lifted his mercy and let loose his fearful anger

and did not spare their lives.

He released the judgment-plagues to rage through their land.

God struck down in death all the firstborn sons of Egypt—

the pride and joy of each family.

Then, like a shepherd leading his sheep, God led his people

out of tyranny, guiding them through the wilderness like a flock.

Safely and carefully God led them out, with nothing to fear.

But their enemies he led into the sea.

He took care of them there once and for all!

Eventually God brought his people to the Holy Land,

to a land of hills that he had prepared for them.

He drove out and scattered all the peoples occupying the land,

staking out an inheritance, a portion for each of Israel’s tribes.

Yet for all of this, they still rebelled and refused to follow his ways,

provoking to anger the God Most High.

Like traitors turning back, they forsook him.

They were even worse than their fathers!

They became treacherous deceivers, crooked and corrupt,

and worshiped false gods in the high places,

bringing low the name of God with every idol they erected.

No wonder he was filled with jealousy and furious with anger!

Enraged with anger, God turned his wrath on them,

and he rejected his people with disgust.

God walked away from them and left his dwelling place at Shiloh,

abandoning the place where he had lived among them,

allowing his emblem of strength, his glory-ark, to be captured.

Enemies stole the very source of Israel’s power.

God vented his rage, allowing his people to be butchered

when they went out to battle,

for his anger was intense against his very own.

Their young men fell on the battlefield and never came back.

Their daughters never heard their wedding songs,

since there was no one left to marry!

Their priests were slaughtered and their widows were killed

before they had time to weep.

Then all at once the Almighty awakened

as though he had been asleep.

Like a mighty man he arose, roaring into action!

He blasted into battle, driving back every foe,

defeating them and disgracing them for time and eternity.

He rejected Joseph’s family, the tribe of Ephraim.

He chose instead the tribe of Judah

and Mount Zion, which he loves.

There he built his towering temple,

strong and enduring as the earth itself.

God also chose his beloved one, David.

He promoted him from caring for sheep

and made him his prophetic servant.

God prepared David and took this gentle shepherd-king

and presented him before the people

as the one who would love and care for them

with integrity, a pure heart, and the anointing

to lead Israel, his holy inheritance.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 78 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 98]

A song.

Compose a new song, and sing it to the Eternal

because of the unbelievable things He has done;

He has won the victory

with the skill of His right hand and strength of His holy arm.

The Eternal has made it clear that He saves,

and He has shown the nations that He does what is right.

He has been true to His promises;

fresh in His mind is His unfailing love

for all of Israel.

Even the ends of the earth have witnessed how our God saves.

Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth.

Let your joy explode into song and praise;

Make music to the Eternal with the harp;

sing a beautiful melody with the harp and chorus.

With trumpets and horns,

fill the air with joyful sounds to the King, the Eternal.

Let the sea rumble and roar, and all the creatures it holds shout praise;

let the whole world and all those who live in it join the celebration.

Let the rivers applaud

and the mountains join in joyful song

In the presence of the Eternal because He is coming

to judge the earth.

He is coming,

and His judgment will be what is right for the world

and just to all people.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 98 (The Voice)

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jcinktinder · 3 years

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AFFLICTION

Darkness over the Emerald City. Here among the throngs that thrive after dark, walk those who embrace it. A city now divided between territories, loyalties, and subterfuge. All beneath the blind eyes of the human cattle who live and work within its sea-bordered land. Were's now build and settle into their own lands, prepared to defend them from the Vampires and even those humans who armed with the weak knowledge of internet and rumor hunt. Where do you fit? Will you fall victim to the rule of coven and Prince? Will you guard the forests and drive back threats? Or will you strive to fill the ranks of the Anarch in these nights? Welcome to Emerald City Noir, Seattle USA Affliction Lore / Application / Advertising JCINK Premium / LGBTQ+ Friendly / 18+

#jcink premium #open rp #supernatural rp #fantasy rp #horror rp #3 years #submission

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rpclassifieds · 3 years

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Darkness over the Emerald City. Here among the throngs that thrive after dark, walk those who embrace it. A city now divided between territories, loyalties, and subterfuge. All beneath the blind eyes of the human cattle who live and work within its sea-bordered land. Were’s now build and settle into their own lands, prepared to defend them from the Vampires and even those humans who armed with the weak knowledge of internet and rumor hunt. Where do you fit? Will you fall victim to the rule of coven and Prince? Will you guard the forests and drive back threats? Or will you strive to fill the ranks of the Anarch in these nights? Welcome to Emerald City Noir, Seattle USA Affliction Lore / Application / Advertising JCINK Premium / LGBTQ+ Friendly / 18+

#advertisement #jcink premium #original rp #fantasy rp #horror rp #modern fantasy rp #submission

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dailyaudiobiblechronological · 3 years

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4/9/2021 DAB Chronological Transcription

1 Samuel 4-8

It's the ninth day of April. I'm Jill. Welcome to Daily Audio Bible Chronological, we center ourselves on the word of God, it's the main thing we do around here and it is my joy to be on this journey with you. As we dive daily into the word of God, we have turned the page from yesterday. We are listening for what the Lord may speak to our hearts, to our spirits as we listen to his word read fresh daily. We're reading first Samuel chapters four through eight today, and we are in the Christian Standard Bible. Commentary:

Reading today from "God of your Story", the loss of the Ark of the Covenant to the Philistines demoralized the children of Israel, but the Philistines didn't have an easy time of it either. At first it seemed that the Philistines, God, Dagon had defeated the God of the Hebrews. The ark was transported to Dagon's temple and one of the five major capital cities of Philistia, Ashdod. Ashdod sits on the Mediterranean coast and still exists today after the arrival of the Ark, Dagon's statue was found face down before the ark on two consecutive mornings. And then skin tumors began breaking out among the people. In fear for their lives, the leaders decided to transport the ark inland to Gath, another of their capital cities. The ruins of Gath also exist today and continue to be excavated. Gath was the hometown of the giant Goliath. Unfortunately, those living in and around Gath suffered the same outbreak of the skin tumors. Next the ark was taken north to Ekron, yet another of the great Philistine cities that remain as an archeological site. But the people there were terrified of what Yaweh might do to them. They begged that the ark be returned to the Hebrew people and that is what happened. The Philistines prepared a guilt offering made of gold reliefs of their tumors as well as golden rats, and loaded the ark onto a cart, sending it away. They reasoned that if the cattle pulling the cart returned to Israel, then it was in fact the God of Israel who was angry with them. The cows went straight back into Israeli territory, ending their journey at Beth Shemesh, which also still exists and is undergoing continued archeological study. Obviously, the people of Beth Shemesh were overjoyed to receive this national treasure, an emblem of their heritage and relationship with the Lord. But this joy was short lived. After multiple sacrifices, 70 men looked inside the ark and died. Who was able to stand in the presence of the Lord, this Holy God, they cried out. 1 Samuel 6:20. The power of the Almighty God was not something to be trifled with, and his commands were to be obeyed. As grim as the situation was for both the Philistines and the inhabitants of Beth Shemesh, the entire episode solidified Samuel's leadership. Through that leadership, all the idol worship was cleansed from Israel, and the Philistines were subdued. The children of Israel had once again returned to the God who had called them out of Egypt and planted them in their homeland. And then lastly, the people want a king. And Samuel appoints his sons as judges over Israel. However, they're dishonest. They took bribes and they perverted justice. So the elders gather and they determine that Samuel is old and that his sons are corrupt. The people again demand a king, and Samuel considers their demand to be wrong. So he prays and the Lord tells him, listen to the people and everything they say to you. They have not rejected you. They have rejected me as their king. They're doing the same thing to you that they have done to me since the day I brought them out of Egypt until now by abandoning me and worshiping other gods. And then the Lord tells Samuel to warn them about the customary rights of the king and how he will reign over them. So he does. And he reminds them of the rights of a king. And the people refused to listen to Samuel. No, they said we must have a king over us. Then we'll be like all the other nations. Our king will judge us, go out before us and fight our battles. Samuel listens and repeated their words to the Lord. And the Lord tells Samuel, listen to them appoint a king for them. Major cliffhanger today. We will turn the page tomorrow and see how the story continues for now. Prayer:

Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for the journey of faith. Thank you for the journey of walking with you, loving you, serving you, and for the opportunity to let our lives be a reflection of your love. We hear the demands of the people and we hear the demands of our own voice. We've made our demands known clearly to you. We've slammed our fist down, telling you what you need to do for us, telling you how you should do it, and disregarding the advice, disregarding the voice of wisdom in our own lives. Forgive us, Father. We reach towards your hand to walk in communion with you rather than reaching towards your hand, waiting for a handout. And thank you that you always reach back. Thank you for walking with us. Thank you for picking us up when we fall down. And thank you for putting us on the right path when we lose our way. Thank you for listening and hearing us, even though we fail to listen to you. Open our ears once again to hear your voice. And I pray this in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Daily audio Bible or Daily Audio Bible Chronological. That is the main place around here. Of course, you guys know by now Daily Audio Bible Kids is the New Testament read every year- this year by Ezekiel. And then we have several other languages available you may not know about. You can find those on the app. If you'd like to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, we thank you so much for your partnership. If you're giving by mail, it's P.O. Box one nine nine six Springhill, Tennessee, three seven one seven four. Or you can give at the give icon up at the top right hand corner of your mobile app, or look for the give icon on the website. If you have a prayer request, if you're praying for somebody else that has already called in, you can do that by hitting the red circle up at the top right hand corner of your mobile app. Or call eight one hundred five eight three two one six four. That's it for me today. We turn the page together tomorrow. I look forward to it. I'm Jill. Until then, love one another.

Community Prayer Line:

Good morning DABC. I just wanted to come on and thank Sunrise for that beautiful prayer. Today is April 6th and she was praying for women and families, for their children who walked away or stepped away. And just families who have fallen apart, separated. Lord God, I'm having the same issues with my family. And I know that that's not what you're about. You are about unity and love and good things. Lord, I just pray for my children. I pray that they will always come back to you that they're praying to if they're not in church, that they're seeking you still. And Lord, that you would put the right people in their lives, lead them, guide them in all the things that they're doing. I need to let go and let you. I know moms want the best for their children all the time, and that's all we want for our families. Lord, if there's some sin that I need to deal with in me, show it to me in my heart. If there's unforgiveness and hurt, Lord, forgive me and help me to have the fruits of the spirit that our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, especially. Father, we just ask you to help us all Lord. I love this family. I love Jill. I love all the people that call in and pray for all of our children and our families to stay together and pray together in Jesus name. Amen.

This is the first time I have called in. Not really sure how to get it to Chronological, but that is what I've been listening to. Thank you, Jill, for your dedication. I'm really enjoying your daily comments. In fact that is why I'm calling, because my daughter is struggling with a drug addiction. And you reminded me the other day. While I'm playing catch up because I'm still in March that I have to keep reminding her of whose she is and giving her positive feedback of the things she does right. And not focus on the things she does wrong. So you made me reach out to her and give her a positive feedback today, and I thank you for that because she responded well to me with some positive information. And I just want to thank you for that. I'm praying for DAB and I'm loving the Daily Chronicle reading because I've never done it chronologically. Be blessed. Have a great day. Bye. Hello DABC. This is Carissa from Santa Fe, New Mexico. I am asking for prayer to have my back completely healed. So for the last four years I've been dealing with excruciating sudden stabbing pains in my tailbone area. And these spasms that bring pain will come and go from week to week. But when it, when my back does spasm like this, it brings such severe pain to the point of where I can't walk, I can't sit, I can't lay down. There's no one position that I can stand for very long. Otherwise it'll start to bring on the pain again. And I just kind of have to let things subside and work itself out so that I can relieve some of that pain. Anyways, I got imaged just a couple of weeks ago and I found out that I actually have a fractured sacrum and a bulging disk. So I'm scheduled for injection therapy and I will say that I am terrified of what they're gonna have to do. But I just would really love prayer for this therapy to cure my back so that I could get back to normal. I will keep you guys updated. Thank you so much.

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dolly-decadatia · 4 years

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12/3 S.C notes Chap 7 continued

South- fire 🔥: the element of transformation, of passion and change, success, health, and strength. An oil lamp or piece of lava rock can be used as well.

West: water 💦- a cup or bowl of water can be placed in the west. Water is the realm of the emotions, of the psychic mind, love, healing, beauty and emotional spirituality

The altar should go in the center (according to Scott) but you have to be flexible about the amount of space you have. Some of us have to place it in a corner or against a wall. I for one currently live in a shitty trailer and will be moving into a tiny rv once my lease is up. It behooves me to not fixate on “my altar MUST be dead ass center in the circle.” A lot of us probably have similar poverty related space constraints.

Generally the altar is set up facing north (but see my thoughts above).

Take his altar set up with a huge grain of salt. He’s gendered it. He says the left is goddess, the right god and he’s gendered inanimate objects to reflect cis genitalia and assigned them to the left or right. Cis pussy to the left, cis dick on the right. It’s not so much transphobic as it is just weird and creepy. I probably want to completely design my own altar lay out to avoid this weird dick and pussy fixation. I need to double check how LaVey had his set up. It’s been a really long time since I actually practiced Satanism and I don’t remember his set up. I know he has a straight up phallus on his supply list but imo having. A representation of genitalia that looks like genitalia is less weird and creepy that randomly deciding Wands and athames are cocks and cocks somehow automatically are male. I think LaVey’s phallus was supposed to represent lust or something. Idk, I need to reread it. Don’t quote me.

If you’re working magic in the circle ⭕️, all necessary items should be within it before you begin, either on the altar or beneath it. Never forget to have matches handy, and a small bowl to hold the used ones. He says it’s “impolite” to throw them in the censer or cauldron but until I see someone I respect say that I’m ignoring it.

Chapter 8: The Days of Power

Here, I’m copy pasting notes I already took from the internet while I was waiting for the book to arrive. I skimmed through Scott’s chapter to see if there was anything to add but there wasn’t. These are my first draft of what May end up being my holidays/ Sabbaths/ whatever I choose to call them. They’re not done so don’t judge them too harsh yet:

“Wheel of the year” ideas

January- New Years

February- Valentine’s Day

March- bad things happened to me-day of healing ?

April- wedding anniversary and t date

June- my birthday

Aug- partner’s birthday

October- Halloween and dating anniversary

December Krampusnacht

9 in total this draft

Does not seem seasonal at all so “wheel of the year” isn’t a great name at all.

I do like some of the seasonal things but I’m having trouble figuring out how to incorporate them. Even when I was Wiccan I didn’t understand the significance of celebrating an agricultural cycle.

Wiccan wheel:(copy pasted with commentary)

Yule- When is Yule: December 20-23

Themes: rebirth, quiet introspection, new year, hope, setting intentions, celebration of light

In most traditions, Yule is the Sabbat that begins the Wiccan Year.

(I think January 1st makes more sense to me. As far as the winter holiday goes- I resonate with Krampusnacht and there’s nothing about Krampus that screams “new year” to me.)

This is the Winter Solstice—the shortest day and longest night we will experience in the Northern Hemisphere.

Yule, a fire festival, is a time of celebrating the return of the light. From this point forward, the days will gradually grow longer again, until we reach the height of the Sun’s power at the Summer Solstice.

Although we will still see comparatively little of the Sun’s light for several more weeks, this Sabbat reminds us to have patience—the waning half of the year is over, and warmth, growth, and light will reign again!

(This part resonates with me because I have seasonal affective disorder and the light returning is very meaningful personally.)

it is a relatively quiet, indoor holiday, as people gather within the warm shelters of their homes to be merry and give thanks. As a Yule ritual, many decorate their altars with evergreen branches, such as cedar, pine, hemlock and spruce, as well as bright sprigs of holly, pinecones, and other festive winter flora.

Food for simple feast/ gingerbread and ???

Candles are paramount to this Sabbat, of course, with Yule traditions emphasizing the colors red, green, white, and gold. Images of the Sun are also appropriate. Those lucky enough to have a fireplace can burn a sacred Yule log, but you don’t need an actual hearth to brighten up your home with candles galore! Interestingly, many traditions which are generally thought of as belonging to Christmas—including the Yule log, a decorated tree, wreaths, and even caroling—are actually rooted in pre-Christian pagan traditions. So it’s quite likely that you’ve already been celebrating Yule for years, with or without your knowledge!

Imbolc- This cross-quarter day—midway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox—is a welcome milestone for many who eagerly await the warmer months.

(So do I need to celebrate the coming warmth in December? Wouldn’t this make more sense- or would it make even more sense to wait for the spring equinox to really say “fuck you”’to winter?)

celebrated on February 2nd. As a holiday celebrating beginnings and renewal,

(Seems like a beginnings and renewal holiday would be relevant to me but maybe I should do that on my t day)

Imbolc is often chosen as a time for initiation, whether it be through a coven or through a self-dedication ritual.

(Also seems like a tday thing) It is also a time for ritual cleansing after being shut indoors, largely inactive, for the past few months. (My t day is in April when spring is either here or near and that imagery can make sense then too) The ability of the Sun to cleanse and purify is recognized in various ways. Some people light several candles in each room of the house, or, in a more modern version of this tradition, turn on every lamp to set the old energy “ablaze” with the power of light. Some Witches will leave their ritual tools out in direct sunlight as one of their Imbolc traditions to cleanse and charge them—particularly metal tools and treasured crystals or mineral stones.

Traditional candle colors for Imbolc are white, yellow, orange and red, and altar decorations include fresh Spring flowers, besoms (small decorative ritual brooms) and figurines or images of young animals.

(The stated foods are all Imbolc specific and don’t make sense for me turning parts of it into my tday festival)

Ostara- (there do not appear to be any themes in Ostara that would be relevant or useful to my practice)

Beltane April 30 or May 1

Themes: passion, mischief, sensuality, sexuality, (rawr) beauty, romance, fertility,(eew) vitality, abundance

Celebrated on May 1st, Beltane marks the transition point from Spring to Summer. This is a heady time of lust, passion and fertility, marking the return of vitality to both the Earth and the Sun. Blossoms on the trees are giving way to robust leaf growth, young animals are growing into maturity, and the daylight continues to lengthen and strengthen as we move toward the full power of Summer. Love and commitment are themes of this Sabbat, along with abundance and creativity. Handfastings are traditionally held at Beltane.

(Wedding anniversary is April 14. Can possibly borrow some Beltane themes for that)

Beltane is a very sensual Sabbat in many traditions, celebrating sexual energy

One distinct custom in England and elsewhere that has never died out entirely is dancing around the Maypole—a tall, wooden pole said to represent male virility. Typically, people gather flowers and green branches to decorate the Maypole, or else use brightly colored ribbons. Many groups incorporate this tradition into their Beltane celebrations.

Fire is also a big focus at Beltane—so much so that many places host a Beltane fire festival. In ancient Irish culture, from which the name of the Sabbat is borrowed, people lit giant sacred fires on this day to purify and protect their cattle from illness. The cattle were driven between two fires to ritually cleanse them and connect them with the Sun. It was also considered good luck for people to jump over a bonfire at this time, and this is another Beltane ritual that is often found in celebrations.

The word “beltane” actually comes from an ancient Celtic word meaning “bright fire,” so it’s highly appropriate to include fire of some kind in your festivities. If, like many Wiccans, you don’t have the means to build a fire either indoors or outdoors, you can still decorate your altar with images of fire. If you have a mini-cauldron, place it over a few scraps of red and orange paper for a symbolic fire right on your altar!

Other ways to celebrate Beltane include making a “wedding feast” . Breads and cereal grains, oatmeal cookies and dairy foods are all traditional Beltane treats. Include seasonal spring vegetables as well for a true feast. Gather flowers and green leaves to decorate your altar with. Many people like to create a “mini-Maypole” for their altar and decorate it with ribbons. If you have long hair, braid it as a symbol of the union between (my partner and I) weaving in some wildflowers or tree blossoms if you like. Traditionally, couples would spend the whole night outdoors, romping in the fields and forests, but if this isn’t practical, take a long walk with your sweetheart somewhere out in nature. The important thing is to make sure you spend some time outdoors on this day! (we like nature and we got married on the beach so this is very useable)

Midsummer June 20-22 (oh hey thats so close to my birthday!)

Themes: abundance, growth, masculine energy, (love that for me) love, magic

This is the longest day and shortest night of the year, marking the pinnacle of the Sun’s power to fuel the growing season. From here on out, the Sun will set a little earlier each night until Yule, and so we recognize and give thanks for its warmth.

The crops are reaching their full maturity and the forests are bursting with lush growth. In just a few short weeks, the harvest season will begin, but for now we pause to celebrate the manifestation of what was planted in the early weeks of Spring. The warm sunlight is a welcome contrast to the cold and dark of Winter, and we bask in its comforts. T

To celebrate this Sabbat, you can decorate your altar with summer flowers, herbs and fruits, and summer colors like yellow, green and blue. This is a traditional time for rites of re-dedication as well as divination related to love and romance. Keep at least one candle lit throughout the day to honor the Sun, and if possible hold your rituals at noon, when the Sun is at its highest point in the sky. Have an outdoor picnic feast to bask in the warmth of the day, and eat fresh fruits and vegetables—ideally from a farmer’s market or harvested from your own garden. This is a good time for magic related to masculine energies and any situation that needs to be “fired up” in your life.

Lammas: August 1 or 2

Themes: first fruits, harvest, gratitude, benevolent sacrifice, utilizing skills and talents

(I don’t know what to do here. When I was Wiccan, this was one of my faves because I am obsessed with autumn but all the mythology here in the description is harvest related and I am not a farmer or about gratitude. Gratitude is lovely and I want to incorporate it into my practice but doing gratitude amongst the fall foliage aesthetic makes me think of American Thanksgiving which is super gross. This is going to need a lot of thought.)

Lammas rituals are related to harvest and gratitude, and recognizing the manifestations of our intentions that have unfolded so far during the course of the year. Bread-making is a common way to mark the holiday, as it represents bringing the seeds of intention into full fruition. People also might make a corn dolly—a traditional poppet made from straw—for use in ritual and magic. Decorate your altar with the colors of summer and fall—yellow, orange, red, green and brown. Use harvest imagery like scythes and baskets and, of course, loaves of bread. A Lammas feast should definitely involve bread, as well as late-summer fruits and vegetables, corn, and other grain dishes. Spellwork related to securing abundance and a happy home is particularly powerful at this time.

(see what I mean? What do I do here? Also I just glanced at the date and its early august which is hotter than the surface of the sun in the modern south where i am trapped. It doesn’t start feeling autumny down here until mid november. This one needs a lot of work)

focus their celebrations on giving thanks for their skills and talents as well as for the grain harvest, but the emphasis is on gratitude all the same.

Mabon: September 21-24- Autumn (or Fall) Equinox.

Themes: harvest, gratitude, abundance, balance, preparation, welcoming the dark

(wait, how is this different from lammas? I think this is the one I was actually thinking about when I said “this was one of my faves when I was actually wiccan.” My bad. Ok, I’m dumb but in my defense why do they have 2 back to back autumn colored gratitude holidays???)

Mabon falls on the Autumn Equinox and is the second of the three harvest festivals (Lammas, Mabon, and Samhain). Just like Ostara on the opposite side of the Wheel of the Year, at Mabon the days and nights are of equal length. Though temperatures may still be warm during the day, summer has truly come to an end. The leaves on deciduous trees have begun to turn colors and fall to the ground, (not in my state, homie) and there is a chill in the evening air. The days were longer than the nights until this moment, and after this the nights will begin their reign.. In these modern times, most of us are not involved in agriculture, but we can still take a moment to rest from our labor and relax, appreciating all that we have. It is a time to recognize the need for balance between work and play.

But how should you celebrate Mabon? For starters, Mabon rituals can include decorating your altar with acorns, pine cones, seasonal fruits and nuts, and/or a few of the first colored leaves that drop from the trees. (yes this was deffo the one I was thinking of, not Lammas) As with Lamas, harvest imagery like scythes and baskets can be used. (no wonder I mixed them up. They’re practically twins.) Candles and altar cloths in autumn colors like rusty red, orange, brown, and gold are appropriate. If you have a feast, whether solo or with others, include seasonal vegetables like onions, potatoes, carrots and other root vegetables. Spellwork related to protection and security is appropriate now, as are workings for self-confidence, prosperity, harmony and balance. If you are one who struggles with seasonal depression during the fall and winter months, (YUP) use this time to set an intention for inner peace and strength. You might make and charge a talisman for this purpose, to accompany you through the next two seasons. (OOH i LIKE THAT)

When is Samhain: October 31 or November 1

Themes: death, rebirth, divination, honoring ancestors, introspection, benign mischief, revelry

The third and final harvest festival on the Wheel of the Year is Samhain, observed on October 31. This Sabbat marks the end of the growing season and the beginning of Winter, which must be prepared for now in earnest. Herbs are dried for winter storage, fruits and vegetables are canned and preserved, and root vegetables are dug up and stored so they may nourish us through the cold months. The word “Samhain” comes from the old Irish and is thought by many to translate as “Summer’s end.”

While the cycles of life and death are implicitly recognized at every Sabbat, Samhain is when the necessary role of death is formally honored. The nights grow noticeably longer with each day. The God retreats now into the shadows of the dark season, symbolically dying back to the Earth before being reborn again at Yule. Many Wiccans and other Pagans consider this to be the most important day on the Wheel, a time when the veil between the spirit world and the mundane world is at its thinnest. Our ancestors and loved ones on the Other Side are said to be more easily able to visit with us and make their presence known at this time.

Samhain is arguably the most visible Sabbat in the mainstream world, thanks to the parallel holiday of Halloween. Many of the Halloween traditions celebrated in contemporary cultures today have grown out of customs dating back to pagan times. As far back as ancient Greece, people were leaving offerings of food to their ancestors, which is echoed in the modern tradition of trick-or-treating. The practice of leaving root vegetables hollowed out with lighted candles inside, to guide spirits visiting on Earth ultimately led to today’s jack-o-lanterns. Witches, of course, have always been part of mainstream Halloween lore.

. We also honor our ancestors and invite them to visit with us. You might decorate your altar with pictures of your deceased loved ones in addition to fall foliage, apples and nuts, dried herbs and even jack-o-lanterns. Many people will leave a plate of food and drink out for any spirits who happen to wander by. Samhain is one of the most powerful nights of the year for spellwork and divination. Magical workings related to just about anything will receive an extra boost, but waning-moon work will have the most potent effect. Banishings, protection spells, clearing of obstacles and astral projection are particularly favored. Scrying, tarot reading, rune casting and any other form of divination you practice will bring you very clear results, as well as possibly a visit from an ancestor or spirit guide. Be open to doing inner work as well—reflecting on what you’d like to let go of and what you’d like to improve in yourself over the coming year.

(Ok now I’m going to be repetitious and re paste my list of significant dates and combine my thing with the wheel if applicable. Ran out of time midway through that so I’ll put it into tomorrow’s study notes)

#atheist witch #witch journey #beginner witch #secular witchcraft

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dailyaudiobible · 7 years

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02/04/2018 DAB Transcript

Exodus 19:16-21:21, Matthew 23:13-39, Psalms 28:1-9, Proverbs 7:1-5

Today is the 4th day of February. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I'm Brian and it’s wonderful to be here with you, because here we are, at the threshold of a brand-new, shiny, sparkly week. Like, everything is out in front of us. The old week is over, the new week has come, and we get to choose our going to live into this week. And thankfully we have this daily rhythm to allow the Scriptures to speak into how we’re going to navigate this week. So, we'll pick up where we left off, of course, as we do every day. And we’re in the wilderness at the mountain of God and Moses is preparing the people to meet their maker. We’ll read from the Good News translation this week. Exodus chapter 19 verse 16 through 21, verse 21 today.

Commentary:

Alright. Let’s go back to Mount Sinai and what we read from the book of Exodus today. The people have gathered around the mountain. God has come down in dramatic fashion and communication has begun. God is beginning to formalize what the culture is supposed to look like. Okay. So, the children of Israel were in Egypt for 430 years. So, everyone that was alive that came out of Egypt had come out of slavery. That’s all they knew. They were then led into the wilderness where they were not and could not be self-sufficient and were learning utter dependence on God. And God, in transforming them from slaves to chosen people, has begun to speak and to initiate laws that would govern the culture. And we’re reading the Torah. So, we’ll be spending plenty of time reading through the law. So, I want us to have a bit of context as we go into this, because it is so easy to take our time, our culture, wherever we are, and back read it into this. And we have to understand, this is like 3500 years ago. So, we’ll take one example from today's reading and just use that as a way of getting context. And that is Exodus 21, slaves. Right? Because we can take our modern culture and understanding and back read it into this and read the treatment of slaves and go like, yikes! Slavery is a plague on the human race, what is this doing in the Bible? So, let’s try to access what we’re talking about here. The first thing that happens when God comes down upon the mountain is that we see the 10 Commandments being given. So, this is the first thing God is issuing, essentially the foundation for everything. The next thing that God wants clear is that there are no other gods. There is no other place to give their worship and allegiance and heart. And then the very next thing that he talks about, so at the top of the list here...and believe me…as we go through the law…there's all kinds of stuff here…so…like…we're at the very, very beginning of this. At the top of the list here is the treatment of slaves. Okay. This is something that was never discussed before. These people were slaves and they were slaves for life without any rights. So, the first thing that we have to notice is that slavery, as the children of Israel understood it, is not going to be part of the story for the Hebrew people going forward. And the word slave, itself, has its own baggage that we back read as well. So, you know, if we lived say, 200 years ago, we would understand this word a certain way. If we lived 400 years ago we would understand it a different way. We live now and we understand it a certain way. But the word slave can also be accurately translated as servant, bond servant, hand maiden, maid servant, etc. So, we’re not talking about sneaking into a foreign land with ships at the ready and capturing people, putting them in chains, sailing them to a different land, in a different country, and then selling them for life with no rights as basically cattle or property. Remember, this is exactly what these people are walking out of. So, going back to what's being initiated in law, see that no one is slave for life doesn't want to be. So, no one is a servant, a worker, maidservant, a bondservant, with no way out. So, essentially what's being instituted here are parameters prohibiting that. All servants were to be set free in the seventh year. So, a person could agree to a six-year employment contract, if we want to try to move into modern vernacular. But this was comprehensive because they would go to work…and there were not, like, corporations, and that kind of stuff. There were farms, agriculture, builders, tradesmen, this kind of stuff. And when they would come into this kind of an arrangement, then they would also be given a place to live, food, all of this. So, it's an investment on both sides. So, when something’s sold, especially when it refers to a person, not selling the person, and all rights to the person, and the person's body, and welfare for life without rights, they’re essentially selling a contract or a covenant for six years of the person's work. So, if a servant enters into this arrangement with someone for a six-year term and they marry someone while they're there, someone who is also under the employee of this person and it comes to the seventh year, they can leave, but them leaving doesn't cancel whatever's remaining in time with the spouse. They have to finish their agreement, their contract, their covenant. And if the couple loves the arrangement and they could live the rest of their lives in this arrangement, then that can be arranged for. The servant isn't just saying, I'm selling myself to you without any rights forever and ever and you can treat me or my kids or whoever however you want. It's an investment on both sides. The person may be saying, for life I will serve in this capacity, I will serve in this household, I will serve here, I love you, I will be here. But on the other side of that is a commitment to care for and provide for for life, including elderly years. So, this is very, very different than the kind of slavery or human trafficking that we would associate with now. This law is in place to keep that from happening.

And then there's some discussion about female slaves or servants. And we have to understand the history here, the culture here. Marriages were arranged. Now, I know in our, like, western way of thinking that's just not something that we practice and we can bristle. But again, we can't back read our culture into a culture 3500 years ago. That's how things were done. How we do things now is how we do things now. Culture is constantly, constantly on the move, always changing. So, if we’re going to go back this far and look at what an arranged marriage looks like, we have to understand that this is a family centric culture. So, a person's individual identity is found within the family. Families stayed together for generations. They all stayed together because that's how they could survive. That's how there could be enough people to do the work involved in providing food and shelter for everyone. So, when a woman married a man, she was leaving one family and joining another family. So, there was way more at stake than love. One family would lose this person and their labor and their work for the whole family. She would be leaving and joining another family, where she would then labor and work for that other family. She’d become a part of the other family, an important part of that new family. And she would have children and bare children into that new family, expanding that new family. So, when you're thinking of this in terms of survival, then this would be arranged. A price would be set for that value. And that money or goods or whatever the arrangement was would be transferred to the family who was losing her to compensate the whole family for her loss, because she's going to be going over and joining a new family and all of her efforts are going to benefit this new family. So, we can read words like, if she is sold to someone who intends to make her his wife, but he doesn't like her than she is going to be sold back to her father. Her master cannot sell or to foreigners because he has treated her unfairly. We can go, like, yuck, and I don't like the culture, I don’t like that arrangement, I don't like how that works. Fine! But we don't live then. We don’t have like four generations of people living in one complex, one family compound farming and shepherding in order to survive, but they do. And, so, this is actually protection. Someone can’t just make an arranged marriage, pay the price, decide they want out, and then no longer look at the arrangement as a covenant and a life commitment. But, rather, actually, sell her to foreigners, where she won't have any rights, where she will literally be a slave with no way out. That is now against the law.

So, we can look at these things, but we have to understand them in their context and understand that what's actually happening here is dramatic steps forward, protections that didn't exist in the nations around them. This is a new thing. So, the long and short of the story is, when we back read our current culture into a culture that it is on a different continent, likely, at a radically different time, we can bristle up. And different cultures at different times have used all of this for much manipulation and injustice. But that's not what's going on here in the Bible. We have to remember, these people were slaves. They don’t have a culture outside of slavery. Justice has been nebulous, at best, for them. And now it's being defined.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You, once again, for another day, another step forward in Your word. And as we move through the law there will we plenty of things that we can't really associate with, because they're not really in existence in the culture that we live in. And Father, we thank You that scholarship can give us context and we can understand that You are transforming people from slaves to chosen, people of God. And we invite You to continue to do that work in our souls. Come, Holy Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, it’s home base, it’s where you find out what’s going on around here.

Looking at the calendar, a couple of days from now, on the 7th, which is Wednesday. Wednesday evening, I will be speaking in Bakersfield California at New life Church. Looking forward to that. Hope you can come out and say hello. You can get the details dailyaudiobible.com. Hope to see you there.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible in the common mission that we share, to read God's spoken word aloud every day, fresh, for anyone who will listen to it anywhere on this planet, any time of day or night, and to continue to build community around that rhythm, if that's life-giving to you, then thank you for your partnership in being life-giving so that it exists. Thank you profoundly, humbly. There's a link at dailyaudiobible.com on the homepage. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that’s it for today. I’m Brian I love you and I’ll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Good morning guys this is Jen in SoCal, a.k.a. Prayer Warrior Princess. I heard Shannon in Texas calling today, which is the 26th, Friday for her son Jadrian, and I also wanted to let Elizabeth in British Columbia know, and the older sister of the younger adopted brother know that I have been praying for you and will continue to do so. These are special prayer request to me. I wanted to first share, really quickly, before I pray, that when we have wayward kids it creates a parental identity crisis for us. And often we are focused, hyper focused, on fixing our kids and that perpetuates the lies about our identity. So, instead of desperately asking repeatedly what to do about my kid, our question needs to be, tell me who I am in the midst of this trial. And I think it’s no accident that Brian was teaching today about identity and the great I Am and Moses. So, Father, in the name of Jesus, you are the God of identity, You are the I Am. So, I pray that You would trade these lies for truth, trade blame for how You approve of us, trade shame for how You cherish us, trade fear for how we are loved by You, alienation for intimacy with You, condemnation for the knowledge, security, of exoneration in Christ, desperation for contentment, estrangement for connection with the Holy Spirit, brokenness to build our faith, and empathy and compassion, and striving. Release us to receive from You as You broadcast to us. In Jesus’ name.

Hi, this is David from England. I’m just ringing to reach out to Joe the Protector from Georgia, who was asking for prayer for his daughter Madison. I want to encourage you Joe. I was in a psychiatric unit less than one month ago. And I don’t believe it was the medical care that I got there, it was very secular. A few staff did believe in the Lord Jesus, but not the majority by any means. But God reached down into the darkness that I was in there. And I just want to encourage you through that, that it’s not necessarily the care, the Medicaid care, but it’s that our God can break into the darkness. I pray this in Jesus name. Psalm 84:6 for you.

Good morning DAB family. It’s January 27th and the Holy Spirit has led me to call. I’m calling due to the call from Shannon from Texas that was podcast on January 26th in regard to her son Jadrian. Shannon, that could’ve been me a year and half ago. I was having the exact same issues with my son. And miraculously God came to me. After praying, and praying, and praying, He came to me and he told me what I needed to do. I don’t know if you are on the DAB Facebook site, but I left my testimony for you there yesterday. My name is Bonnie R. and I’m in Ohio and you can go in there and read that testimony and I would ask that you reach out to me, message me, however you can do that. I’m praying for you. I’m heartbroken for you. I remember everything that I went through. And God answered my prayers. I need you to know that. Because I listened, He heard and I obeyed. My son’s life has turned around and our relationship is wonderful. There’s no more raging, cursing, you know, emotional abuse. It was horrific. And I can hear in your voice that you’re going through the same thing. I want you to know, I’m praying for you and I know God will be there to answer your prayers. I know your enduring a lot right now. Just stay strong in your faith. Go to Him. Be patient, be still, and listen and He will let you know what you need to do for yourself and your son. I know you can do that. Thank you for listening and thank you DAB family for all your encouragement during all these times of trouble that…

Hello. This is John from Central Point Oregon. Today is January the 27th and I just wanted to reach out to my brother in Minnesota, who came across some people in a snowstorm that needed some help and he made excuses and put off getting involved. I just want to encourage you brother, you’re not the only one that’s gone through that. I’ve been guilty of that myself. And it was interesting that I heard your request today as we were going through the dialogue between God and Moses, and how he had made excuses as well, as we have all. So, I just want to let you know just like God said, you know, I will give you the things to say, you know. The question, who gave man the mouth to speak? It is I. Same thing with us. You know. Like he said. God will provide. And, so, I want to say that I pray in agreement with you, that God will provide for future opportunities. Not to lose heart to look forward to future opportunities to reach out and help. And I also want to just really quickly ask for prayers for moving forward with my own spiritual walk with God. Because I’ve been faltering…

Hi. This is Donna from California and I’m calling for Jordan from Michigan who called January 23rd about your job in a secular school. What you described really resonates a lot with me because I, too, work for a secular school, in my case a university that’s also my alma mater. I’ll get fortified over the weekend and on Monday all strong and by Friday, I’m depleted from being in a system with so much that is contrary to the things of God. It too makes me vulnerable to temptation. A couple of things that have really helped me, one is a Scripture from Colossians, chapter 3 verses 23 and 24 from the Contemporary English Version, that says, do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself and not just your earthly master. In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really serving and you know He will reward you. It also helps me knowing there really are people there who need the light of Christ. And if I focus on that I don’t have to worry about this big powerful institution and its politics and all. I just let God take care of that. A smile, a kind word, can mean more than we know. Remember God has placed us in these places that are hostile to Him for a reason, that we may be salt and light. We may be the only glimpse of hope that they see. Lord, I pray that You meet Jordan in this coming workweek and in the things that are causing him to stumble. Help him reach for You in those moments and know that You are reaching back and that You’ve got hold of him. Help him know this deeply, in his innermost being. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Hey, how you doing family. It’s Dale B. calling. Darrell, I heard your call about your son and you live in Depew. That’s not too far from me. I’m just letting you know that it really sounds like you’re doing everything you can and that’s all you can do. Keep praying. Janet in Texas, I want you to walk to the light and look to the feelings that you have in your stomach. You know what’s right and what’s wrong about your son. And you know, hey, you don’t have to listen to that. When he swears, just say to him, don’t talk to me that way, I don’t like it and walk away. Now, Mr. Lopez, in New York, your grandmother may be blind but how wonderful that she took you in. And you already have wisdom at your age so don’t worry. Everything will keep coming. Joe, it was your daughter’s birthday yesterday. I’m happy that Madison turned 19. I pray for her depression and to help you keep going. I also want to do a quick shout out to Tony. Tony remember when they used to keep this prayer line open for longer than two minutes? It’s been a long time buddy. Keep the faith and keep calling. I love you guys. Talk to you later. Bye-bye.

Hey Daily Audio Bible family. It’s Sheila from Massachusetts. And I want to start by saying I love you. I love our community. I love everybody and it. It’s amazing without even seeing people’s faces that I can have such strong feelings and a sense of connection to the people that are part of our family. Today, basically, I want to talk and pray for Pelham and Molly in their marriage. Pelham and Molly, I’ve been with you all for many, many years as a family member praying for you, praying for you and you trying to get pregnant the first time, praying for you after the loss of a child, I was praying for you, Molly, when you got pregnant the second time for a healthy delivery and pregnancy. You’ve been through some ups and some downs and sometimes when we are in the middle of a down it feels like everything is falling apart and it’s the worst time, but the two of you have strong marriage, marriage and God, a marriage blessed in that, and the evil one will twist those marriages. Pelham when I heard you say your family was falling apart it broke my heart. You guys have just work so hard to have the family that you have. Center on God and I rebuke the evil one in the name of Jesus who is coming over the marriage of Molly and Pelham. I rebuke the evil one who is trying to put discourse and divide in them. Brother and sister, stand strong in the Lord. Remember, I love you are the strongest words there are. And the two of you have had plenty of love throughout the years. In Jesus name I pray for you. Amen.

Hey Daily Audio Bible this is Rebecca from Michigan. You guys… Today is January 28th. My parents are married 62 years today. But that’s not what I called you about. What I called you about is, you guys been praying for me…you all from Christmas. Well, I don’t think it ended, because today somebody just did it again, where I went to go get something to eat at Olga’s kitchen, and somebody said, have a good day, and the next thing you know, the waitress came and said your meals paid for. You can go when you’re done. I’m like, wow, I think I got the favor of God on me. I don’t know if you guys have been sending bolts of lightning up to God, but I heard bolts of lightning goes up when you pray. I don’t know if that’s true, but the angels of God…I’ve been thinking about the angels of God going up to God and lifting prayers up to Him…and I pray all those prayers you guys have been praying. People are getting healed. I pray for financial favor. I pray that you guys have God’s miraculous works in your life and favor, supernatural favor is in your life, because of all the prayers and blessings you sent to me. I love you guys. Thank you for your prayers. Keep up the good prayers. I really am appreciating this. I’m enjoying my life. I can’t believe it. I’m actually enjoying life this year. It’s just so awesome. I can’t wait to see what God has planned for me next. Bye.

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 4 years

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7th November >> Mass Readings (Except USA) Saturday, Thirty First Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Willibrord, Bishop and Missionary

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saturday, Thirty First Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

Philippians 4:10-19

With the help of the One who gives me strength, there is nothing I cannot master

It is a great joy to me, in the Lord, that at last you have shown some concern for me again; though of course you were concerned before, and only lacked an opportunity. I am not talking about shortage of money: I have learnt to manage on whatever I have, I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength. All the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships. In the early days of the Good News, as you people of Philippi well know, when I left Macedonia, no other church helped me with gifts of money. You were the only ones; and twice since my stay in Thessalonika you have sent me what I needed. It is not your gift that I value; what is valuable to me is the interest that is mounting up in your account. Now for the time being I have everything that I need and more: I am fully provided now that I have received from Epaphroditus the offering that you sent, a sweet fragrance – the sacrifice that God accepts and finds pleasing. In return my God will fulfil all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as only God can.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 111(112):1-2,5-6,8,9

R/ Happy the man who fears the Lord.

R/ Alleluia!

Happy the man who fears the Lord,

who takes delight in all his commands.

His sons will be powerful on earth;

the children of the upright are blessed.

R/ Happy the man who fears the Lord.

R/ Alleluia!

The good man takes pity and lends,

he conducts his affairs with honour.

The just man will never waver:

he will be remembered for ever.

R/ Happy the man who fears the Lord.

R/ Alleluia!

With a steadfast heart he will not fear.

Open-handed, he gives to the poor;

his justice stands firm for ever.

His head will be raised in glory.

R/ Happy the man who fears the Lord.

R/ Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Acts of the Apostles 16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Or:

2 Corinthians 8:9

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus Christ was rich,

but he became poor for your sake,

to make you rich out of his poverty.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 16:9-15

Use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and laughed at him. He said to them, ‘You are the very ones who pass yourselves off as virtuous in people’s sight, but God knows your hearts. For what is thought highly of by men is loathsome in the sight of God.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

—————————

Saint Willibrord, Bishop and Missionary

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the memorial)

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

First Reading

Exodus 32:7-14

Moses pleads with the Lord his God to spare Israel

The Lord spoke to Moses, ‘Go down now, because your people whom you brought out of Egypt have apostatised. They have been quick to leave the way I marked out for them; they have made themselves a calf of molten metal and have worshipped it and offered it sacrifice. “Here is your God, Israel,” they have cried “who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘I can see how headstrong these people are! Leave me, now, my wrath shall blaze out against them and devour them; of you, however, I will make a great nation.’

But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘why should your wrath blaze out against this people of yours whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with arm outstretched and mighty hand? Why let the Egyptians say, “Ah, it was in treachery that he brought them out, to do them to death in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth”? Leave your burning wrath; relent and do not bring this disaster on your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, your servants to whom by your own self you swore and made this promise: I will make your offspring as many as the stars of heaven, and all this land which I promised I will give to your descendants, and it shall be their heritage for ever.’

So the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 88(89):2-5,21-22,25,27

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord;

through all ages my mouth will proclaim your truth.

Of this I am sure, that your love lasts for ever,

that your truth is firmly established as the heavens.

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one;

I have sworn to David my servant:

I will establish your dynasty for ever

and set up your throne through all ages.

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘I have found David my servant

and with my holy oil anointed him.

My hand shall always be with him

and my arm shall make him strong.

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

‘My truth and my love shall be with him;

by my name his might shall be exalted.

He will say to me: “You are my father,

my God, the rock who saves me.”’

R/ I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 23:9,10

Alleluia, alleluia!

You have only one Father, and he is in heaven;

you have only one Teacher, the Christ.

Alleluia!

Or:

Matthew 28:19,20

Alleluia, alleluia!

Go, make disciples of all the nations.

I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.

Alleluia!

Or:

Mark 1:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Follow me, says the Lord,

and I will make you into fishers of men.

Alleluia!

Or:

Luke 4:18

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Lord has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,

to proclaim liberty to captives.

Alleluia!

Or:

John 10:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;

I know my own sheep and my own know me.

Alleluia!

Or:

John 15:5

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the vine,

you are the branches.

Whoever remains in me, with me in him,

bears fruit in plenty,

says the Lord.

Alleluia!

Or:

2 Corinthians 5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 28:16-20

Go and make disciples of all nations

The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

————————————-

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the memorial)

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

First Reading

Genesis 3:9-15,20

The mother of all those who live

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

Then the Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you have done this,

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,

all wild beasts.

You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust

every day of your life.

I will make you enemies of each other:

you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring.

It will crush your head

and you will strike its heel.’

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

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

1 Samuel 2:1,4-8

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

My heart exults in the Lord.

I find my strength in my God;

my mouth laughs at my enemies

as I rejoice in your saving help.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

The bows of the mighty are broken,

but the weak are clothed with strength.

Those with plenty must labour for bread,

but the hungry need work no more.

The childless wife has children now

but the fruitful wife bears no more.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

It is the Lord who gives life and death,

he brings men to the grave and back;

it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.

He brings men low and raises them on high.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust,

from the dungheap he raises the poor

to set him in the company of princes

to give him a glorious throne.

For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,

on them he has set the world.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee!

Blessed art thou among women.

Alleluia!

Or:

cf. Luke 1:45

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed is the Virgin Mary, who believed

that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.

Alleluia!

Or:

cf. Luke 2:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed is the Virgin Mary,

who treasured the word of God

and pondered it in her heart.

Alleluia!

Or:

Luke 11:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy are those

who hear the word of God

and keep it.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary,

and most worthy of all praise,

for the sun of justice, Christ our God,

was born of you.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy is the Virgin Mary,

who, without dying,

won the palm of martyrdom

beneath the cross of the Lord.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 12:46-50

My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven

Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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kpopfanfictrash · 7 years

Text

Iron Crown (II)

Author: kpopfanfictrash

Pairing: You / Jinyoung

Rating: R

Warning: Vampire!AU

Word Count: 5,037

Summary: As the Crown Princess of Vitus, your land has always been peaceful. When your power-hungry Uncle decides to stop paying the tithe though, things take a turn for the worse. The vampires who reside in the mountains are not happy and in retaliation - they set their sights on you.

I owe it to my people, to my brother, to the land I left to save them. I owe it to them to meet this Vampire King and determine what he wants. Dressing quickly, I put on the ruby dress laid out for me. I style my hair as well, braiding it in a simple plait before re-draping my circlet atop my head. Satisfied with my appearance, I raise my chin in the mirror.

It is time for their King to meet a Princess.

The walk from my room is silent. Jaebum walks a few paces before me, which is a odd, but then I don’t know where I’d run even if I had the chance. The entire place is built of rock, hewn from the inside of the mountain and I can’t remember the direction from whence we came. Each hallway is similar, the same polished floor spread in all directions.

The walls are the same, as are the lights. We pass no vampires on our way and at first this confuses me, until I remember. They’re all in Vitus. Resolve hardening, my tiny kernel of anger starts to grow. Heels echoing as we walk further and further into the mountain.

When Jaebum glances back at me, I can’t help but recoil. His eyes continue to take me by surprise – the vibrancy of them, their color. By now, I should expect it but the sight is just so unnerving, in an otherwise human face. Albeit an incredibly pale and gorgeous face – but a human one, nonetheless.

Then Jaebum turns, and I see those eyes and it reminds me. Reminds me of the blood, the destruction, the chaos. Of his immense power and strength. I can’t expect Jaebum to be human, can’t expect him to think like one because he is not.

My Uncle was foolish to underestimate them. He must have thought that because the Volucri feed on people, they’re like animals. He thought they would rage on Tamar because this would be their first instinct but no – the Volucri appear to be very much in control of themselves. They waited, struck our heart while we slept in a fashion which indicates they’re more intelligent than we are. Of course they are, they’ve had god knows how many centuries to think about it.

Gathering my wits together, I study the vampire before me. “When will the rest of your coven arrive?”

“You know we’re called a coven,” Jaebum muses, not as a question.

I nod. “You’re not as mysterious as you think you are.”

“No?” Jaebum seems amused. “That’s good to know.” At the end of the hall there’s a door, one woven of silver and copper. Jaebum slides this open, gesturing for me to step inside.

I walk past, careful to keep my head high.

Jaebum shuts the door behind us. There’s a round disc in the wall and when Jaebum presses this, the room starts to rise. I gasp, clutching my skirt with both hands and Jaebum starts to laugh. He watches me, from where he leans casually against the wall.

I wonder if the Volucri have magic. I don’t think so, but at this point I’m taking nothing for granted. I once thought no one would ever hit me. I once thought my parents would live forever. Once thought I’d never, ever see a vampire. There are many things I once thought which have proven to be false.

I close my eyes, breathing in as the room rises and attempting to fight back my nausea. Jaebum watches with interest, saying nothing until the room slows to a stop. “We’re here,” he announces, stepping before me.

This room exits into another and I see now why we traveled so far. We’re in the top of the mountain, a singular room carved from a crater. A ceiling of glass spans the roof, forcing my breath in my throat. For the first time since I’ve arrived, I realize how fast Jaebum must have run to get here.

It’s still night outside, the sky dark as ink above us. I went to sleep shortly after the sun set and was awoken only a few hours later. Even if my kidnapping occurred before midnight, we must have run quickly to get here. I didn’t realize in my room, too busy struggling to comprehend what has happened to understand the significance.

Strangely enough, I don’t feel tired. Perhaps it has something to do with the mysterious sleep Jackson bestowed, or maybe I’m just too scared to feel anything other than awake. Whatever the reason, my eyes are wide as I step forward.

The room is circular, lamps hung along the wall in even intervals. The vast majority of this room is lit by starlight, the mountain being open to the stars above. Their pale light cascades over us all, casting the space in a silvery pall.

It’s beautiful, in a cold, distant kind of way. My eyes lower, realizing Jaebum has come to a stop before me. The room is mostly empty but for a raised dais at it’s center. Atop this rests a throne, though I cannot see its inhabitant.

To either side stand sentries. Jackson, I recognize. He smiles fleetingly and I notice his fangs aren’t out – I didn’t know they could be retracted. On his other side is another recognizable vampire – Mark, Jaebum called him. He stares at me without blinking, his expression cold. A shiver crosses my spine and I realize his presence means the rest of the coven has returned.

The attack on Vitus is over – for now.

I snap to when I realize that Jaebum is speaking – belatedly, my gaze refocuses as he steps aside. I can see the dais now. A man sits on a metal throne, one leg crossed lazily over the other. No, not man - vampire. Their King is immaculate. Dark hair pressed beneath a carved metal crown. Skin pale, lips full as they curl into a smile. Rather like Mark, the King doesn’t blink. His eyes are a darker shade of red than the rest and they don’t leave my face as he rises.

“Welcome,” he says, his voice just as deep as his gaze. The vampire takes a step forward. “Welcome to my city of Domum. I am Jinyoung, leader of the Volcuri.”

“King,” Mark corrects, still looking at me.

Jinyoung waves a hand, unconcerned. From the corner of my eye, I see when other vampires enter the room. None I recognize from the fight and my heart pounds at their overwhelming numbers. It seems this fear makes me foolish because before I can stop myself, my gaze finds the King. “Can it be called a welcome, if you’ve kidnapped me?”

Jaebum pales, more than usual.

The corner of Jinyoung’s mouth lifts, almost a smile. “Would you have come, had I offered you an invitation?”

My hands tremble, so I press them to my thighs. “Likely not.”

“Then you see.” Jinyoung steps from the dais, tone light. “We arrive at a similar impasse.” Cocking his head to the side, his gaze sweeps my body. “You’re taller than I thought you would be.”

I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. Rather than answer, I shrug.

Jinyoung nods, looking away. His gaze finds Jaebum and he frowns. “What of the town?” he asks, suddenly brusque. “Status report.”

I realize Jaebum is Jinyoung’s second in command. I’m not sure why I didn’t realize this earlier, since his attire suggests as much. Simple, clean-cut, utilitarian. The only thing missing is a sword by his hip, but this is explained when he smiles. Jaebum himself is a sword.

“The attack went smoothly,” he informs. “The walls were easily breached, the Lord Protector went to Tamber a few days prior.”

Jinyoung doesn’t seem surprised by this. “Yes, our spies were certain of that piece of information. What of the casualties?”

“Minimal.” Jaebum’s lips tighten. “Kept to the list and anyone who got in the way.”

My hands clench. It’s getting harder and harder to keep quiet. How dare they stand before me and discuss the murder of my people? It’s horrifying. As I think this, Jinyoung’s gaze finds mine.

“Yes, angel?” He tilts his head. “You seem like you have something to say.”

Freezing, I try and wipe my expression clean. “No.”

Jinyoung steps around Jaebum. His footsteps echo in the cavernous room and when he comes to a stop, I find it necessary to tilt my head back in order to see him. If I thought Jaebum was intimidating, it’s nothing compared to him. Jinyoung exudes power, radiating from every line in his hardened body. “You’re displeased,” he says, his voice soft. “Displeased by the method with which you were brought here?”

I nearly snort, catching myself just in time. Not soon enough, though.

Jinyoung’s smile widens. “Don’t be shy on my accord, angel.”

“It’s ironic,” I manage to say, my teeth gritted. “To say minimal casualties when to me, any human casualty is too many. They’re my town, my people and you slaughtered them like cattle.”

From a spot behind Jinyoung, Jackson winces. On his other side, Mark smiles, something like excitement in his red eyes.

Jinyoung doesn’t notice either of them. “Human casualties?” He ponders this. “And what of mine? If one of my Volcuri had died, would you mourn them? I think not. For that matter.” Jinyoung’s gaze darkens. “Isn’t it your army which marches for my very doorstep?”

Words stick in my mouth, my throat gone suddenly dry. “It’s… not my army.”

“No?” Jinyoung’s gaze moves upwards. “The crown on your head says otherwise.”

I have no answer to that. “Why am I here?” I ask, changing the subject. I am still alive and if I am, it’s because the Volucri need me this way.

Jinyoung doesn’t answer immediately, looking sideways. “Were there any losses sustained in battle?” he asks Jaebum.

Jaebum shakes his head. “No losses, Majesty.”

Nodding, Jinyoung’s gaze returns to mine. “You are here as leverage,” he says simply.

My jaw drops. “Excuse me?”

Jinyoung turns towards his throne. As he walks away, his black cloak sweeps across the floor. “You are the Princess of Vitus,” he informs, waving his hand. “Next in line for the throne. You will be held in Domum until your Uncle agrees to reinstate the tithe.”

At Jinyoung’s words, my body stiffens. My blood chills, a fact which has nothing to do with the temperature of the room. “Fools,” I say, barely able to get the word past my lips.

Mark’s lip curls, a growl in his throat.

My gaze darts to him, then away. Of all vampires present, Mark scares me most. This might seem contrary, given Jinyoung’s dominance but at least their King seems capable of control. Mark has barely spoken to me, but every look is laced with poison.

Jackson glances from me to Jinyoung. “Why call us fools?” he asks.

“Because.” My hands drop, voluminous skirts settling to the floor. “My Uncle won’t care. You’ve only helped him by kidnapping me. One less voice to silence himself. He’ll take your act and use it against you. By now he’s probably told my people I’m dead. Said you drained me of my blood and draped my body over a wall.”

I can’t see his face, by the muscles of Jinyoung’s back tighten. “You lie.”

“I do not.”

Jinyoung disappears, reappearing so quickly I’m forced to take a step backwards. “You’re human,” he hisses, eyes flashing. “Of course you would lie to save your own skin.”

“Not in this,” I snap, the words bitter. For a second I forget who I’m arguing against and take a step closer. “My Uncle doesn’t care,” I laugh. “He killed my mother and father for the throne, why stop there?”

Something hard crosses Jinyoung’s face and for a moment, he looks horrified. Anger and confusion war before he once more dons a mask of indifference. Jinyoung continues to watch me as Jaebum clears his throat.

“Majesty,” Jaebum says, waiting until Jinyoung turns. “There are… bruises up and down her torso.”

An indignant blush crosses my cheeks. “When did you see my torso?”

Behind Jaebum, Jackson makes a noise. “It was my fault,” he protests, stepping forward. “I’m sorry Princess, I let go of you for a second and –”

When Jinyoung holds up a hand, Jackson falls quiet. “Go,” he breathes, glancing at Jaebum. “Wait until dusk and then deliver the message, see what the Lord Protector says. We will determine how to proceed from there.” Turning towards his throne, Jinyoung hesitates. “Take her to her rooms before the sun rises.”

Nodding once, Jaebum turns away.

Jinyoung walks forward. Staring at the sky before glancing over his shoulder. “There is more at stake here than you know, angel.” Slowly, he exhales. “Sleep now, we’ll talk in the evening.”

I narrow my eyes at him but he doesn’t see. “Fine,” I say, not waiting for his response. I turn, barely a second passing before a dark shape materializes at my side. When I see Mark, I stiffen. He smiles, more a baring of teeth than anything else.

Without saying word, he opens the door. Allowing me entrance before walking following. The grate closes behind us and as we descend, I lean away from him. Before the throne room disappears, I see Jackson take a step forward. See Jinyoung shake his head, lowering it to his hands and I frown in confusion. Taking a step back, I run into Mark, who grunts in response.

“Touch me again,” the vampire intones, lip curled, “and I’ll forget that I just ate.” His eyes are bright, filled with promise and I swallow.

I’ve been reckless. Lulled into a false sense of security by the fact that no one here has tried to harm me They’ve given me a place to sleep, a bath to use but I can’t forget what they are. Vampires who exist on human blood and shadow. As soon as I stop being of value to them, they’ll kill me.

Mark doesn’t speak and rather than look at him, I scan the halls. Searching for an escape route but finding none. The entire place is empty and finally, my curiosity overwhelms me. “Where is everyone?” I ask. “Why is Domum empty? Where is the coven?”

Mark doesn’t look at me. “Does it matter?” As we reach my room, he slowly opens the door. “Eager for more vampires?”

Stepping past him, I refuse to let his words get to me. “It’s strange, that’s all.” I shrug. “I prefer to face my enemy head-on, than be stabbed back.”

Mark considers, contemplative before answering. “Most slept as soon as we returned to Domum. We are vampires,” he reminds me. “We sleep during the day.”

“Right.” I scan my room. In the distance I see the edge of the world lightening. Not long now before the sun rises. “But still – it’s not yet day. Shouldn’t there be someone about?”

Mark steps closer, his gaze bright. “You don’t have great instincts of self-preservation, do you?” When I don’t respond to this he laughs, turning away. “This entire wing is empty. Jinyoung did it on purpose, knowing you’ll be safer this way.”

“Why would he care that I’m safe?” I’m taken aback by this.

Mark’s eyes gleam red. “Do you think he became King by accident? Jinyoung has been a vampire for centuries, he is not some weakling to give in to bloodlust whenever it strikes. He’s more intelligent that your smartest human. He knows if you die, it starts a war.” Mark cocks his head to one side. “Fighting should always be a last resort. He knows some of the younger vampires don’t share his sense of control and if they found you – well, it wouldn’t be pretty.”

Its odd Mark sounds so reasonable. Granted, he says everything with a blood-red stare and hardened gaze, but I can’t help but agree. Agree, except for – “It’s not quite true, is it?” I ask, words quiet.

“Pardon?” Mark’s fangs slide out. “Which part is a lie, mortal? Choose wisely.”

Though my hands tremble, I stare back at him. “You’ve already fought us,” I point out. “You’ve already shed blood. Entering my castle in the dead of night to butcher civilians.”

Mark just stares before slowly, his fangs sink back into his gums. “Ask Jinyoung,” he mutters. “Ask about Amir. Ask him why our people sit huddled in this mountain rather than their own homes. Then you may call us butchers.”

I want to ask more, want him to clarify but over his shoulder I see that the horizon is very light. “Mark,” I warn. I don’t know why I do it. I’m not sure why I don’t let him burn but, all I know is there’s pain in his eyes and for some reason I feel responsible.

I nod at the window. When Mark sees this, his eyes widen. He glances back to me once, gaze curious before disappearing to the hallway. “Thank you,” he intones, tilting his head to one side.

When the first ray of light enters, Mark is gone. The door shuts as well, though I didn’t see it close. Immediately, I run forward. I can’t help but try and escape – it would be foolish to just assume I’ve been trapped. The door doesn’t budge though, locked firmly from the outside. Though I tug and pull, there’s no way out and I’m forced to admit I’m stuck.

Even the glass in my window is thicker than stone. I rap it once, wincing at the wavy lines which indicate depth. It must be made this way due to the thin atmosphere – or maybe because this room is built to hold people in. Designed as a prison, because that’s what it is to me.

Despite the silken sheets, I’m still being held hostage. This thought is so infuriating, so maddening that for a moment all I do is scream. Hands balled into fists as I release my frustration. I yell, cursing my Uncle, cursing the Volucri, cursing this hellhole of a mountain I’m trapped in. When my voice is hoarse and I no longer have energy to rage, I collapse face-first on my bed.

The surface is velvet and silk and I run a finger lazily along the edge of a tassel, wondering why I’ve been given such lavish accommodations. I can’t find a suitable reason though, and so I slowly curl into a ball. All of a sudden, I realize how tired I am.

The past twelve hours seem like a dream and I wonder if maybe they were. Maybe I’ll awake soon to find there was no raid on the castle, that I’m warm and safe in my bed. Youngjae will join me for breakfast and we’ll further our plans for later.

Youngjae. My stomach clenches realizing I have no idea whether he’s alive or dead right now. The second thought isn’t something I can even consider though, so I push this frantically away.

Even my imagination is not this vivid, though. I could never have imagined the speed of Jaebum, the snapping of Mark’s fangs. Couldn’t have imagined the strange, magnetic presence of Jinyoung. Nor the way those burnt, crimson eyes consumed me completely.

Those eyes swim before me, haunting my thoughts while I drift into sleep.

I don’t know if it’s the light’s disappearance or the sound of someoen knocking which wakes me. Either way, I lift my head from my pillows and groggily look at the door. Whomever’s there sounds impatient, their sounds loud and hurried. Rolling off the bed, I adjust my circlet in the mirror. My hair fallen from its plait and my cheeks are red but I shake my head, deciding I just don’t care.

Before the door, I tilt my head. “I can’t open it,” I grumble, wondering if the person on the other side is ignorant or just stupid.

A low voice chuckles. “I know. I thought it would be impolite to enter without knocking.”

I blink at door. “Jinyoung?”

There’s an exhale. “So informal,” he mutters. “But yes, Jinyoung. May I come in?”

Slightly confused as to why he’s asking, I shrug. “Do I have a choice?”

“Not really. Step away from the door.”

Once I’m clear, the door swings forward. Jinyoung stands on the threshold, surveying my room with crossed arms. The sun has dipped below the horizon, illuminating night and moon. A single star appears and Jinyoung’s eyes trace its shape before looking away.

Quicker than I can see, the door shuts behind him. Jinyoung leans against this, casually surveying me. Ignoring him, I walk over to the bed. Sitting on its edge with all the grace I can muster.

Jinyoung watches me, a slight smile on his lips. “I trust you slept well,” he says, red eyes gleaming.

I raise both eyebrows. “We’re going to discuss my sleep patterns?”

Jinyoung steps into the room. He’s dressed simply now, cloak gone in favor of a plain, white tunic. A black leather belt cinches his trousers and there are boots on his feet. The only thing of value he wears is that dull, metal crown.

My gaze lingers. “An interesting crown,” I say.

Jinyoung’s eyes are bright and I wonder absently if he’s fed since I saw him last. “Iron,” he says, watching my expression. “Iron and silver, to represent humans and earth. We’re forged of both.” Looking away, he crosses to the window.

My eyes follow. “We?”

“Vampires,” Jinyoung answers, not looking in my direction. Instead he stares out over the mountaintops. “We were human once, and now we’re not.”

I know this, but it’s odd to hear him talk about it. Odd to watch him stand there, hands laced casually behind his back. Facing away, he looks human. It’s not hard to imagine him so. Once he moves though, his very body betrays him. Jinyoung moves so gracefully it’s impossible for him to be anything but what he is. I find myself staring for far longer than I should.

“How,” I pause. “How did you become a vampire, Jinyoung?”

“It’s been a long time since someone spoke my name so freely.” Jinyoung doesn’t speak at first. Then he sighs. “It was a long time ago. My human memories are weak but I know I was poor. Know I was cold, know I was starved.” A shiver crosses my spine and I watch, confused when he continues. “The vampire who turned me was no better, though.”

Silence falls, one which lengthens the longer I let it. “Mark said,” I pause, unsure if this is the time to bring it up. “Mark said to ask about Amir?”

Jinyoung’s shoulders stiffen. “Ah.” He turns. “Your Uncle was not entirely truthful, was he? He did not explain what the first attack would be.”

I should feel something besides numbness, but I don’t. It’s not surprising to me that my Uncle had other plans, that he kept these from me and the people. I turn away. “What was the first attack?” I ask, the words dull.

“Vampires are complicated,” Jinyoung says, rather than answer. “We have many factions, even within the Volucri. There are some who don’t want peace with the humans, ones who prefer to rip out your throats and limbs.” At my horrified expression, Jinyoung smiles serenely. “There are others though, particularly the ones in power, with more foresight. Amir was a town of such vampires.”

“Was?” I ask, my thoughts caught on the word. “What happened to them?”

Jinyoung steps away from the window. “Two nights ago, your Uncle poisoned Amir’s water supply. Many vampires died. It was this attack which drove us to your capital, not the refusal to pay the tithe.”

When my gaze finds his, I rather wish it hadn’t. He’s looking at me with anger, but also sadness. A sadness which lengthens the longer Jinyoung sees me. His body is unnaturally still and I find myself at a loss of what to say.

“I – I,” I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

Jinyoung doesn’t move, doesn’t blink. “The woman Mark loves is from Amir. She nearly died in the attack.”

“Oh,” is all I can say. Glancing down, I stare at the blood pounding in my veins. “That explains his dislike of me.”

It’s stunning to hear him talk of love. He’s a vampire, an archaic demon of the night. How can he know something so gentle?

Jinyoung’s laugh brings my gaze to his. “That’s all?” he seems incredulous. “Y/N, vampires and humans have been fighting for centuries. The peace I brokered with your grandparents was a first, tenuous step towards peace but Mark is much older than that. There are many reasons from him to hate you,” he says, a flicker of amusement across his face.

I stare as his age sinks in. Gaze tracing his porcelain skin, I linger at his eyes before scooting forward. “I’ve always wanted to ask,” I breathe. “If you don’t drink blood from our citizens, where do you feed from?”

This has always concerned me. If the Volucri don’t drink from us, then from whom? Do they descend upon Jasper, steal their citizens in the dead of night? This guilt used to eat me alive, since I often wondered if it was because of us there was suffering elsewhere.

Jinyoung seems to understand my implication and his lip curls. Faster than I can see, he’s before me. Arms pinning me on either side, face inches away. I freeze beneath him, fear morphing into something else entirely. Somewhat dazed, I recognize the thrum of excitement in my veins. Pulse pounding so loudly, that I know he must hear.

Jinyoung tilts his head, eyes finding the skin at the curve of my neck. “I drink from those who offer,” he says, lips curving into an exquisite smile.

Staring back at him, I’m alarmed by the excitement his words stir. My legs are pressed to his, his body inches away and I wonder what it would be like to have those lips touch my own. His teeth graze my neck. Sinking into my body and – Jinyoung chuckles, pulling back.

“I’m not here to hurt you,” he says. “You’re safe until your Uncle resumes paying the tithe.” Glancing sideways, Jinyoung pauses. “It’s best not to leave this wing, though. There are other vampires who aren’t as open-minded as I am.”

“Like Mark?” I ask, thrown by the removal of his presence.

Jinyoung’s eyes find mine. “Mark?” He quirks a brow. “Mark was the one who convinced me humans are more than just prey.” Jinyoung laughs at my expression. “That was a long time ago. Had Fal not almost died in Amir,” he reminds me, raising his eyebrows. “You would likely have had a much different reception from him.”

“Fal?”

“The woman.”

“Oh,” I murmur, a flush staining my cheeks. Then, “There are woman vampires?”

“Of course.” Jinyoung walks to my wardrobe, opening it and surveying its contents. “Women and men – no children, though. Vampires are created, not born.” Jinyoung is calm rummaging through the dresses. “There are some who would hurt you, just because you’re human. They’ll rip out your throat and drain you dry. I may drink blood only from those who desire, but others have no such qualms.”

I draw my legs beneath my body. “Why,” I say, unsure why I ask. “Why do you have qualms?”

Jinyoung pauses mid-way through the rack. “I haven’t always had a choice in life,” he admits. His voice is soft. “I like to give others the consideration I was not.” Resuming motion, he shrugs. “Unless of course, there’s no other option.”

“Right.” Jinyoung will give me a choice – until he cannot. Slowly, I push myself off the bed. “My Uncle will not agree to your terms.”

Jinyoung freezes, the silver of his crown bright on his dark hair. “You may be right,” he muses. “However, I cannot rule out that option until Jaebum returns.” Jinyoung turns. His expression is curious. “It’s been a long time since I saw Vitus. The picture you paint is not what I imagined.”

“It’s not,” I say bluntly. “The year has been chaos. Murder. Treason. All at the hands of my Uncle, the Lord Protector.”

Jinyoung’s eyes darken, to the point where they’re more black than red. “Indeed,” he murmurs. “I look forward to meeting this Uncle of yours.”

His tone makes me shiver and I realize that I’m staring. Turning away from him, I walk over to the mirror. I smooth my hands over my dress. When I look up, I see Jinyoung watching me in the reflection.

“I suppose it’s untrue,” I breathe, struggling to sound casual. “That vampires can’t be seen in mirrors.”

Jinyoung reappears beside me, so quickly I gasp. Rather than respond, he touches my arm. Though I twist, his grip is like iron and he gently lifts my sleeve. I’m unable to meet his gaze when my bruises are revealed.

There’s a long silence, one where Jinyoung just stands there. His chest rises and falls, almost like breathing. I make a mental note to ask him more when slowly, his gaze meets mine. “He will pay for this,” Jinyoung says, each word full of venom.

All I do is stare, nodding when Jinyoung lowers my sleeve. His fingers drift over my skin before suddenly letting go. Jinyoung steps backwards. Shaking his head, expression clouded. “I’m sorry,” he admits, brows pulling together. “I didn’t mean to –“

“Jinyoung,” I exhale. There’s a buzzing in my head, fire in my veins when I ask, “How does one become a vampire?”

Jinyoung stills. “Why do you want to know?”

The longer I stare, the more my resolve hardens and I tilt my head to one side. “Call it curiosity.”

As though in a trance, Jinyoung steps closer. “Well,” he murmurs, scanning my body. “It’s a delicate process. You need vampire blood in your system,” he tells me, eyes darkening as I nod. “You need vampire blood, and then you must die.”

“Die?” I don’t know why the thought doesn’t repulse me. “How?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Jinyoung’s fingers descend to gently trace my wrist. “You could bleed out,” he explains, hand finding my collarbone. Thumb brushing skin as my eyes flutter shut. “Your neck could be snapped.”

When my eyes open, I see him step behind me. “You could be stabbed,” Jinyoung whispers, head bending until all I see is dark hair. Dark hair and iron crown while his lips graze my neck. I shiver, not unpleasantly. “There are so many way to die, angel. But then – you live.”

Behind me, his red eyes snap open.

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