#they are so father-daughter coded i love them sm

[lovelydrusilla]

patrick "you are the queen of my heart, grace" jane

[r--kt]

Do you like Kakashi's dogs? Let's talk about why there are eight of them.

another example of naruto's ✨cultural code✨

contents | the eight dog warriors chronicles · legacy · eight confucian virtues. also look at the cuties love them sm

Naruto Vol. 10 CH 90

[ one dog is wonderful, I'm saying as the owner of a sweet little york terrier. two dogs are good, they won't be bored together. three dogs? yeah, cool! how are you going to walk them though? four? yes... look, maybe we have to draw the line h- wha- EIGHT? Excuse Me!? ]

surely, it's worth starting with the fact that eight is a lucky number in Japanese culture — everybody watched Hachi. of course, this is not the only cultural detail where the eight is mentioned. I want to pay special attention to a thing that I didn't know about until I googled it, and this is clearly what Kishimoto was doing homage to with Kakashi's eight ninken.

The Eight Dog Warriors Chronicles

Better known as Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. and it's not just some kind of book, it's a novel, consisting of 106 booklets written by Kyokutei Bakin in XIX century. Hakkenden is considered the largest novel in the history of Japanese Literature. this is one of the main representatives of the gesaku genre, which includes works of a frivolous, joking, silly nature. further I will emphasize a few more times how damn popular this work is and how often it is reflected in culture.

here are some illustrations for these books

now let's talk about the plot. It's weird, but it's weird at samurai-dogs-story level so stay here.

In brief, the story tells about the commander Satomi Yoshizane, whose native lands were attacked by the army of a man, whose forces surpassed those of Satomi, and the samurai in despair swore to a dog named Yatsufusa that the dog would get his beloved daughter Fuse as a wife if he chewed that man's throat. surprisingly, the dog not only understood the owner, but also fulfilled his wish! after that the commander refused to keep the promise. however, Fuse, true to her word of honor, went with Yatsufusa to the mountains and became his wife. upon learning that his daughter was pregnant, Satomi, in a rage, sent a samurai to kill Yatsufusa and bring Fuse home. she stood up for the dog anyways and died with him. at that moment, eight pearls with hieroglyphs that denoted the foundations of Confucian virtue burst out of her womb. (...cheers for mythology, I guess)

Soon, eight dog warriors who were Fuse's spiritual children were born in different parts of Awa province. after going through hardships, they got together and became vassals of the Satomi clan, then won the battle, and soon reached peace.

some more illustrations made by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. from left to right: Inukawa Sōsuke (the dog warrior), Inumura Daikaku (the dog warrior), Princess Fuse (their mother).

the novel mainly tells about each individual warrior dog and his shenanigans in a funny adventurous way. huge fame has led to excerpts from Hakkenden being staged at the Kabuki Theater and mentioned in the anime and manga, such as Inuyasha, Dragon Ball, as it turned out, Naruto and so on. there's also a lot of films and video games.

The eight virtues

these are loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, love, honesty, justice, harmony, and peace.

they relate more to Chinese culture, but basically Hakkenden was inspired by it too. since I did not read the whole novel, I would still like to mention at least the values on which it is based, and which were embedded in the symbolism of this story. It's quite interesting to apply this to Kakashi's dogs. gives them more weight and depth.

It is also interesting to note that the reason why Fuse gave birth to dogs was also that her father was cursed earlier in the story in a way that his descendants would become depraved like dogs. in Japanese culture, dogs embody the duality of character: the same mentioned filth and depravity, and devotion and bravery. so as samurai. but this is a different conversation, more related to Kakashi and his dog poetry.

Did you get here? Here's an additional discovery for you✨

Pakkun's name (パックン) is derived from the Japanese onomatopoeia “pakupaku” (パクパク) which reflects the sound of munching.

Kakashi, that's very sweet of you.

thank you for reading this to the end ♡

[unreal-unearthing]

001: The Originals 👀

Thanks sm for asking!

Favorite character: Hard to choose because i love so many of them. I feel like every time I watch it I end up with a new favorite. The first time I watched the show I was an Elijah girlie (all that class and poise and honor with brutality and violence rippling just below the surface is so compelling). But overall I think I'd have to go with Marcel, I just find him as a character so fascinating and tragic. He's introduced as a character whose life on the plantation contrasts with the life of opulence the Mikaelsons are living in New Orleans. He's brought out of slavery by them and given everything - money, education, power, influence, status, the finer things in life - but it's ALWAYS contingent on him keeping them happy and doing what they want. Every attempt he makes to free himself ends up backfiring. And despite this he always finds a way to make it work. They leave him to die when they flee New Orleans and he still manages to build a kingdom that even Klaus is envious of when he returns. I also think the way he's caught between being too New Orleans to really be a Mikaelson but also too much a Mikaelson for New Orleans is really interesting.

Least Favorite character: Hmmmm.... it may be the obvious answer to say Mikael, since he is just so hateable. (also don't hate me but I did find Klaus kind of annoying after a while)

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): I actually didn't have much shippy feelings about this show (I also just don't have much shippy feelings in general) - i much prefer familial or platonic dynamics so i'm going to answer that way, with some of my favorite relationships and dynamics but not necessarily romantic or sexual. 1) I was a SUCKER for HayleyxElijah from the very beginning, probably the only romantic ship I really cared about while watching 2) Aya x Elijah in like... a super fucked up way. The centuries of history, resentment, and sexual tension....... The next three are all platonic/familial relationships I love: 3) Camille and Vincent had a really interesting dynamic (also I just think Vincent is severely underrated) 4) Marcel and Davina's father-daughter thing was really sweet and compelling and 5) Klaus and Elijah's relationship was the heart of the show.

Character I find most attractive: They are all so attractive lol. But probably Elijah. Maybe Aya as well.

Character I would marry: Vincent! He is so husband-coded. He's truly one of the most underrated characters on the show.

Character I would be best friends with: Honestly I think it would be fun to be a third in Davina and Josh's friendship. I think they're having more fun than the other characters. (And I love how Davina is so small but so full of rage and we have a lot of shared interests re:music). Or Hayley because I think she needs more female friends lol.

A random thought: We should've had more Aya.

An unpopular opinion: I think it would've been a better ending if all the Mikaelsons had died in the finale. For so many seasons the theme was that despite how long they'd cheated death, all things must eventually die. I think it would have been thematically better - and i LOVE a good and well-written tragedy. I have a longer post about this in my drafts.

My canon OTP: Haylijah

Non-canon OTP: Hayley x Rebekah (listen... this show would've been better with more femslash)

Most badass character: hmmmmm... They kinda all are, but i'm tempted to say Hayley (especially after she becomes a hybrid) or Elijah (there's something about the way he can do that kind of damage and then still look pretty put together that I find VERY badass).

Pairing I am not a fan of: I really did not like marbekah, despite really loving both Marcel and Rebekah. I just didn't like it - I think loving Rebekah is inseparable from Marcel's desire to be part of the Mikaelson family and she's basically his aunt .

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): So so so so many (specifically characters of color Julie Plec you will pay for your crimes) but I think Vincent is one of the better examples of this. I think he deserved a better ending than he got. Also Hayley because in the last season she became basically JUST hope's mom and didn't really have anything else going on.

Favourite friendship: Hmmmm... I think Cami had really great friendships with everyone that I enjoyed a lot (Vincent, Hayley, Davina, Marcel) I also think thats just a really interesting group of people - just bunch of people with strong connections to New Orleans or the bayou who are sort of caught up in the Mikaelsons' wake.

[elliot-bees]

*One Day at a Time rant*

I’m rewatching One Day at a Time and I want Penelope and Schneider to get together so bad. Like at first they tried to go with the family/frenemy relationship, but by the end of s1 the y have the biggest chemistry build up😭. Like for Elena’s Quince and the whole end of s1 where Victor is there and Schneider acts more like a dad than Victor. Then in s2 just for the first episode the way Elena and Schneider are just so father-daughter coded. And how Alex and Schneider are just always so father-son coded. And when Schneider relapse and Penelope is there for him and he listens to her and she helps him, like how she tried to do with Victor but it just builds more chemistry between them because Schneider actually cares for the family more than Victor does bc he gets better, for them, not for another woman. And when Penelope is in her depressive episode she goes to Schneider. It’s just all so, ahhhhhh! I love Schneider sm and I love the idea of them together 😭😭😭

[coeurdastronaute]

Atlantis 7

Previously on Atlantis

The house was a tiny speck on the jagged cliffside overlooking the sea on three sides and surrounded by tall pines, swaying in the breeze. Ever-vigilant, the lighthouse stood tall, casting its lights as far as it could, warning the ships of the rocks and the dangers. A plume of smoke wafted up toward the clouds, adding to the thick cover. The long stretch of wooden planks led down to the docks, carefully maneuvering through the crags and cliffs. A rusty old pick up slept outside of the clapboard cabin while the drizzle started to weigh down the tree branches. 

The pair of travelers climbed the steps just as the first drops began to drench the world, and by the time they knocked on the door, it was raining in sheets and blurring the lines of the mountains and sea. 

“You going to leave your son and granddaughter out in the rain, old man?” the King of Atlantis asked with a smile as the old lighthouse keeper answered their knocks. 

“Maybe the son,” he retorted before quickly hugging the tall girl who smiled at him despite the weather. “Get in, get in. You’re on land now, no need to be soaking wet all of the time.” 

The hearth was warm and inviting. The two travelers made themselves at home, taking off the raincoats and letting them drip into a puddle by the door. Lumbering and eclipsing the old man, Arthur took a seat by the window as it did its best to let in some of the breeze to the stagnant room. The older he got, the quicker the home seemed to shrink around his frame. He chuckled to himself to watch Lexa duck slightly to avoid an exposed beam in the ceiling. 

The old man smiled, wrinkles picking up and spreading around his eyes. He’d been waiting for this day from the moment he held his granddaughter in his arms for the first time. And every time the world pushed back against the already skittish Atlantis, he saw his connection to his son and granddaughter pushed and strained-- not because they grew distrustful of him, but rather that it was nearly impossible for them to see him when they had to protect their country. 

“You’ve been doing good work, son. How’s everything at home?” 

“It’s never easy, but we get on alright. Now things are calm, but waiting. Something’s coming, we just don’t know when. Could be months, could be decades.” 

“I hope it’s decades,” he muttered as he moved around the kitchen. 

Lexa took her time looking around the house. It’d been years since she’d been there, but when she ran her fingertips along the soft, worn wood of the mantle, she smiled and remembered it all. It was an adjustment to be on land, to feel the itchy fabric of her father’s old sweater, to feel the salt of the sea instead of the current of it in her lungs. But she believed in the tactility of memory. 

She half-listened to her father and grandfather talk and catch up. Already in the back of her head, she felt a need to fulfill her desire to see Clarke. But the nagging fear of a girl she met nearly three months ago for just three days, not wanting anything to do with her, that was a lot for Lexa to try to ignore. It didn’t matter though. Clarke said she’d be close, and Lexa trusted that. She trusted the feeling in her muscles that seemed to tug her in that direction. 

“I’m eager to see it all,” Lexa turned back to the conversation, catching her name and picking up on what they were talking about rather quickly. “I have a friend I’d like to see.” 

“Friend, hm.” Her father gave her a look but just took another sip of his iced tea. 

“You’ll have plenty of time. I have a few things planned. Want to show you around the docks,” her grandfather explained, rubbing his palm along the few days growth of silver beard. “You sure you can’t stick around to show your kid all your favorite spots?” 

“I would, Pop,” Arthur sighed. “But Meera is focusing on the Spindrift, and I’m stretched pretty thin at the Palace and League duties. I already told Lex I’d stop in as often as possible to show her some things.” 

“I’ll be fine. I can observe and experience with little guidance,” she promised the pair as they looked at her with a slight, genetically similar glance if skepticism. “I’m a highly trained fighter and received top marks from my studies. I’ll be fine.” 

“I have a whole slew of projects for you to help me out with around here.” 

“That’s code for free labor and lifting heavy things,” her father informed her as she took a seat with them at the table. “I, too, spent many an afternoon working on projects.” 

“Girl is going to run a country, she should know how to patch a roof and change a tire,” the elder defended himself. 

“If it’s okay, I’d actually like to see if I can find Clarke--”

“Her friend,” Arthur supplied.

“How do you know anyone from Land?” her grandfather furrowed. 

“Lexa rescued her first damsel.” 

“Oh,” he nodded, thinking it over. “Must be in our genes. Your grandmother was just a damsel once upon a time.” The look that clouded his face was somewhere between joy and pain, both simultaneously and tinged with the other. 

“Maybe the only time in her life,” Aquaman chuckled. “She hated that story.” 

“It was one of my favorites.” 

The father and son smiled at each other before looking away, thinking innately about the woman who’d been gone for a few too many  years already, the Queen, the wonderful mother, the unbelievable wife. Lexa never knew her except for stories, and she was excited to hear more, though she knew to be careful. Her grandfather was a quiet man, who did not waste his words, nor did he speak if he wasn’t ready with one of them. 

“Why don’t you settle in for the night?” her father tried. “Reach out to Barnes in the morning and see if you can get some information.” 

“I already did. I just want to see--”

“Oh, let her go,” her grandfather smiled, softer to his granddaughter than he’d ever been to his son. “Damsels are a rite of passage, and you know better than to keep one waiting.” 

“Thanks,” Lexa popped up from her chair happily. She kissed her grandfather and father’s cheek before making her way out the door. “Barnes should be here any minute. Love you both!” 

“You were never that nice to me growing up,” Arthur gave his father a look as he took another sip. 

“I’m a grandpa,” he shrugged. “I’m supposed to indulge my granddaughter.” 

“Show her everything, Pop. I need her to understand what it means to be of two words.” 

“I will, but it’s not true.” 

“What isn’t?” 

“She’s not of two words. She’s pure Atlantean. You can show her all of this, but we should be feeding her compassion and leadership, not trying to attach some emotional connection to a world she has visited twice since she was a toddler.”

“You know that we couldn’t bring her. Things were complicated. The Land-- they didn’t want--”

“I know, I know,” he waved his hand to stop the growing rage in his son’s chest. “But Lexa is more like Meera than like you, and she won’t have the same experiences. You have to be ready for that.” 

Aquaman took a deep breath before running his hand through his hair, longer than he normally kept it. He missed the silence of the sea at times like that. 

“I need her to believe in the connection of Atlantis to the Land,” he sighed. “It’s vital for everyone’s survival, and if she doesn’t believe it, Atlantis will lock itself away again, now when there are more threats than ever.” 

“Then perhaps a damsel is exactly what she needs.” 

It was a simple and ingenious solution to the problem Arthur never thought to consider, but he turned those words over in his head and slowly nodded as he saw their wisdom. 

“Your mind is wasted on this lighthouse. You should be ruling Atlantis.” 

“I’m okay right here.”

“You got any beer hidden around here? I could use some advice on a few more things, old man.” 

“I’m going to add Counselor to the King of Atlantis to my business card.” 

In a movement, the lighthouse keeper and father of kings and grandfather of princesses pushed himself up from his chair at the table and dug through the small fridge before emerging with two cold bottles. 

“Like you have a business card.” 

“If I had one.” 

His son just shook his head and tossed the bottle cap on the table between them. There were few places he felt more comfortable or at home, and he was happy for his daughter. 

XXXXXXXXXX

Only at its grand opening, had Lexa seen the grandeur and majesty of her mother’s pet project, the Spindrift. Waving and curved, it glowed in the sunset that dipped below the clouds on its quest for the horizon. The sea calmed as the storm gave way, and the Spindrift was cast in its golden light. After a quick explanation of where a certain damsel might be working, Lexa excused herself from Barnes and made her way through the halls. 

Her mother was home, while her father was on Land, so there was no risk of seeing her, though for some reason, Lexa felt as if she were sneaking. 

But then she found her, on her first day on land, in her first few hours, close by and waiting, or at least around. Paused by the door, Lexa watched, just to make sure. But it was certainly Clarke. Lexa knew from the blonde shade in her hair, and she knew by the way her shoulders stood tall, and she knew by the slope of her neck as she worked, and the way she tapped her pencil against her jaw while she thought about something. 

It was Clarke. 

With a sigh, she closed her notebook and laptop before taking a moment to look out of the window and toward the expanse of the sea. Her face betrayed little as she looked out and thought or perhaps didn’t think. But with a resigned sense of drive, she stood and began shoving things into her backpack before tossing it on her shoulder. 

Lexa felt her nerves grow as she realized she was about to be recognized. It was something else entirely to be viewed by someone. But sure enough, blue eyes met her own, and Clarke looked at her and let the image process. 

“Lexa?” she asked, head cocking slightly to the side, as if she didn’t want to let herself believe it, as if there was an active force within her deeming this moment impossible. 

The princess smiled and stood a little straighter. Gone were Clarke’s old clothes, and gone was the dirt and bruises. Instead, her hair was a little shorter, and her body seemed sturdy and full of life again, something it was casually missing often in Atlantis. 

“You’re here late,” Lexa offered, attempting to break the quiet while they stared at each other. 

“You’re here.” 

“You said you’d be close.” 

She wasn’t ready to expect that Clarke would take a step forward, her eyes still questioning and her hands eager to make sure this mirage was real and flesh and blood and alive. Lexa crossed her arms behind her back, returning to the proper structure. 

“Have you eaten?” 

It wasn’t the question Lexa expected, though she wasn’t sure what question she’d thought to expect. 

“You were my first stop after my grandfather’s. I don’t know my way around land that well.” 

“I’m honored.” 

“Care to show me around?” Lexa offered with a grin as she extended her elbow willingly, waiting for Clarke to take it again, as she had in the Hanging Gardens. 

Clarke just nodded and accepted Lexa’s arm. 

XXXXXXXXXX

“You cut your hair.” 

“What? Oh, um, yeah… I… yeah,” Clarke nodded as she felt the ends of her hair, now firmly above her shoulders whereas when she’d been in Atlantis it went nearly to her elbows. “I needed a bit of a change, plus it’s summer. I like it short in the summer.”

At the pizza place on the corner of Main Street, the pair sat in a small booth in the back, away from the last round of customers. The candle on the table glowed behind its red holder, flickering quietly between them. Lexa couldn’t help but stare intently at the girl across from her. It was impossible not to. So much was familiar, but she was also aware that she missed her, as weird as that were to sound. 

“I like it. You look… you  look very good,” 

Clarke couldn’t help but blush a little despite not wanting to do it. She didn’t know what to do with all of Lexa’s honesty. 

“I can’t believe you’re here,” Clarke shook her head and toyed with the straw in her cup. “It feels kind of weird, doesn’t it?” 

“Because I don’t have a royal guard or a fancy palace and my Atlantean uniform?” 

“I meant that you’re on land, but yeah, those things are also weird. I only know royal Lexa.” 

“There’s only one of me, Clarke,” Lexa shook her head and smiled to herself as the waiter slid a steaming pizza in front of them. “Thank you.” 

There was no real way to tell Lexa why it was so weird for Clarke to see her there, but she didn’t want to waste any time explaining it, not when the princess was right there. It was too good, and too nice. 

“Keep your anchovies on your side, please. They are the worst.” 

“How can you say that?” Lexa furrowed and took a huge piece, holding it high before taking a large bite. “It’s so good.” 

“No way.” 

“I think you’d like it. Give it another shot.” 

“I’m happy with my veggies, thanks.” 

Clarke watched the princess shrug and take another bite, smiling as she struggled to chew, but enjoyed every second of it. Mid chew she met Clarke’s curious glance and smiled, so utterly free from her duties and the restraint Clarke was accustomed to seeing. It was a new kind of freedom that Lexa flexed under, and Clarke couldn't help but laugh a little before taking a normal sized bite. 

“How is everything back home? When I left you looked like something bad was happening.” 

“Not my best farewell.” 

“It fit.” 

Lexa smiled before taking another bite. 

“I have a cousin, Roan. He’s part of a terrorist organization called Children of Poseidon. They’re intent on eradicating the world of the land and swallowing it with the ocean. They want to dethrone my father and return the royal line to pure Atlantean blood.” 

“He sounds like kind of a dick.” 

“He is, but he always stayed in line, until--”

“That day,” Clarke nodded. “You were an idiot for taking me back to Atlantis with this happening. I could have ruined everything.” 

“My dad likes to say it’s genetic.” 

“Being an idiot?” 

“Yeah,” Lexa confessed, earning a laugh from the girl who sat across from her and refused to try anchovies. She found herself looking at Clarke as she laughed, savoring it until pizza cheese dripped onto her hand. 

“So Roan attacked something when I was leaving? Was he hoping to delay the opening of the Spindrift?” 

It wasn’t often that Lexa was used to speaking so candidly, nor with someone who understood these kind of things without her having to explain it the whole way. 

“He was trying to send a message, delay the Spindrift, prove that my father was weak. Your standard terrorist agenda.” 

“Right right, the usual.” 

“Nothing to worry about, Clarke. I’m quite good at keeping everything under control and my father is a great king.” 

“I’m not worried,” Clarke shrugged. “Did you catch him?” 

“Not yet. Which is why we figured my visit to land might be a good time. In case he tried anything.” 

It was easy to forget that Lexa was a superhero imbued with mythical and ancient powers, and the hope of an entire civilization. She was just a girl eating pizza. But as she finished, she sat up and stretched, and her broad shoulders stretched her sweater, and Clarke saw how imposing she was. Her face had the ancient kind of tilt to it, the long cheeks, the sharp jaw, the regal green of her eyes. She was beautiful in the ways that all myths were beautiful. 

“So what is your plan, princess? You know, while you’re here with the air-breathers.” 

“My grandpa has some projects for me to work on, but mostly I’ll be experiencing.” 

“Experiencing?” 

“Yeah,” Lexa smiled and leaned closer. “I want to see everything you have to offer.” 

“I don’t know if it compares to what you showed me.” 

“Pizza was a great start.” 

“Do you think I could see you more, while you’re here?” Clarke asked, unsure of what it would mean if she couldn't. Unsure of how she felt about it all. 

“I was hoping you would. I… I wanted to see you so badly… I would like to see you more, if you have time.” 

With the news of it, Clarke nodded and wiped her fingers in her napkin. She was ready to quit her job and devote herself full time to becoming a tour guide. 

“It’s the least I could do for the princess of Atlantis.” 

“Just Lexa is fine.”

“Just Lexa it is.” 

The pair shared another smile, and Clarke wondered if she’d looked anywhere else the entire dinner, instead completely enraptured by Lexa. It was impossible to deny it, and when she was close, it felt positively… well, mythical.

NEXT

[doc-pickles]

i won’t hesitate (for you) chapter four

Jo is happy, at least she feels like she is. When someone from her past shows up, will her and her daughter's world ever go back to normal? Or will things change for good?

“Harper baby you gotta stop crying, please I’ve tried everything,” Jo is crying alongside her daughter as she attempts to calm her down. She was fed and changed and had burped even, but the colicky two month old wouldn’t calm down. “I’m sorry bubba. I’m trying as best as I can and I really wish your daddy was here to help, but it’s just us.”

Harper calmed down for a moment, looking up at Jo, before she opened her mouth and projectile vomited onto her mom’s shirt. 

“Lovely. This is just what I needed,” Jo groaned, propping Harper on the pillows of her bed as she changed her shirt. She glanced over to Alex’s dresser, laying untouched and dusty in the corner, and walked over to it. She opened the bottom drawer, digging through the clothes before she found what she was searching for. 

Jo pulled the ratty Iowa State shirt over her head, pausing for a moment longer than she probably should as she took in the scent that still lingered in the fabric. 

“Okay see Harper girl, everything is gonna be okay,” Jo picked her daughter up again, cradling the infant against her body as her screams lowered more and more until she was fast asleep. “It’s okay, you and I? We got this. We’re gonna be okay.”

It’s another two hours before the code is lifted and still an extra thirty minutes before the elevator begins to move again. Jo sat with her head leaning against Alex’s shoulder when the elevator moved and the doors opened, revealing that they had been 15 feet from the surgical floor the whole time. Bailey and Meredith stood in the doorway now, both looking relieved and confused. 

“Jo!”

“Meredith!”

“Karev?”

“Bailey.”

“Alex…”

“Mer…”

“Jo,” Bailey’s voice was calm and steady. “Downstairs just called, your daughter is fine. Shooter was on the psych floor, the hospital is up and running again.”

Jo thinks she began laughing, that’s what she heard at least, but then she felt the wet tears streaming down her face and she’s not quite sure what’s happening. She let out a relieved sigh as she turned to Alex, who was grinning widely. 

“Told you she’d be fine,” Alex reassured her. 

“Oh my god. You told him about Harper in an elevator. In my freaking elevator,” Meredith interrupted. She paused, leaned into the elevator and sniffed loudly before glaring at the duo. “You two had sex in my elevator?!” 

Alex and Jo both began to laugh at Meredith’s face, loud peels of laughter ringing through the elevator    as Bailey and Meredith stared on with unamused looks on their faces. 

“Well when you’re done giggling like a teenager, you’re free to go,” Bailey directed the words toward Jo. “I’m sending everyone home, you’ll be on call but you’re of no use to me right now. Go get your kid. Alex, I assume that I’ll see you on Monday morning in my office.”

Bailey walked away, leaving Meredith looking in on the duo still sitting in the elevator. She looked from Jo to Alex, meeting eyes with her best friend that she hadn’t seen in almost three years. 

“You owe me a huge explanation, Evil Spawn,” Meredith grinned as she turned away from the elevator. “Give my goddaughter kisses from Auntie Mer!”

Jo stood and yelled a goodbye to Meredith before pressing the button for the first floor, standing in front of the door anxiously as the elevator began to go down. 

“Glad to see some things never change,” Alex laughed, standing behind Jo and resting his hands on her shoulders. “She’s fine Jo, you heard Bailey. Harper is okay.”

Jo found herself nodding, but she felt like she wasn’t in control of her body as her and Alex walked through the quiet lobby and hallways towards the daycare. There was a crowd of parents standing outside the door, each waiting nervously for their child to appear. Jo’s nervous energy prompted her to bounce on her feet as she craned her neck to try and see her daughter. 

“Mama!”

Jo’s head whipped around, seeing a blur of pink stripes and brown curls flying towards her. Harper’s feet were moving through the crowd and towards Jo, who knelt down to catch her daughter. 

“Oh Harper girl, you’re okay,” tears poured down Jo’s cheeks as she hugged Harper to her chest. “I was so scared. You’re okay, you’re here.”

Jo was so focused on the feeling of relief coursing through her body that she didn’t even realize that Harper was talking. Jo pulled back, her heart skipping a beat as she heard the word her daughter was saying. 

“Daddy. Daddy, daddy!”

Harper lifted one finger to point directly at Alex, who stood shell shocked looking at the little girl. She definitely looked like a Karev and she knew who he was. There was no guessing, no hoping, no trying too hard to impress her. Harper knew that Alex was her dad. Alex dropped to his knees next to Jo, gathering both girls into his arms and breathing out a sigh of relief. 

“I am never leaving this death trap hospital again,” Alex muttered the words into Jo’s hair. “Not even if God himself comes down to smite me.”

+

After assuring Meredith she was okay and checking in with Bailey one more time, Jo and Harper were ready to leave Grey Sloan for the day, Alex right beside them. As Jo buckled Harper into her car seat, Alex could see that the hectic morning had worn her down. He quickly swiped her keys and jumped in the driver's seat, Jo slumping into the passenger's seat a minute later, eyelids heavy as she propped her head in her hand. 

“Don’t fall asleep yet, you gotta get me to your place,” Alex rested a hand on Jo’s thigh, looking her over with a smile. “I haven’t been here in two years and I’ve got no clue where you live.”

“The loft,” Jo was smiling, but it didn’t come up to her eyes. “I… we still live in the loft.”

Alex nodded quietly, knowing that Jo wanted to say more but couldn’t at the moment. He set off on the familiar path from Grey Sloan to the home he once shared with Jo. 

Both Jo and Harper fell asleep on the ride back, probably from the stress and emotion of the day. Parking in front of the loft, Alex walked around the car and lifted Harper out of her car seat and took her upstairs, unlocking the loft door and looking around the still familiar home.

Jo had set up an area on the far side of the loft with a crib and dresser for Harper, pink and purple curtains draped across the little corner to shield her off from the rest of the room. There was a basket of toys on the floor next to the couch and a highchair at the dining table, safety locks on the cabinets and a baby fence around the TV stand. All small signs that Jo had drastically changed her life to conform to the little girl in Alex’s arms. 

“She has pajamas in the top drawer of her dresser,” Alex turned around, staring at Jo who now stood behind him. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked like she’d been dragged through the mud. 

“I've got her, why don’t you take a shower,” Alex nodded his head toward the bathroom as Jo eyed him warily. “I’m a peds doctor, I know what I’m doing Jo.”

Jo yawned and nodded at him, her feet moving slowly towards the bathroom. Alex carried Harper over to her corner and pulled out a pair of pajamas. He glanced up at the photo on the wall and grinned brightly. 

It was of him and Jo on their wedding day, both smiling widely with a joy he can still remember feeling. The picture had been on his work desk, he had looked at it every morning before he started his day and now so did his daughter. Jo’s neat block printing was painted on the bottom of the frame, brandishing three simple words. 

Mommy and Daddy. 

Alex isn’t entirely sure how he changed and dressed Harper without completely losing it., but he rocked the little girl, his daughter , back to sleep and set her in her crib gently. He turned the sound machine in the corner on and closed the curtains around Harper’s crib. 

When he’s done, Jo is walking out of the bathroom dressed in pajamas and looking a little better than she had before. She moved silently, straight towards Alex and into his embrace. Her arms squeezed him tightly as she buried her head into his neck, his own arms coming up to pull her closer to him. 

“You wanna know why I’m not mad at you,” Jo’s words are soft, but Alex is hanging on her every word. “You gave me the best gift I could’ve asked for. Harper is my life and I knew deep down that if you felt even a fraction of the love I feel for her for those kids, I could understand why you left. 

“I should’ve called you and told you, no matter what happened with us I should’ve told you about Harper. I tell her about you all the time, clearly she knows what you look like,” Jo laughed softly and looked up at Alex, her hand coming up to rest on his cheek, covering the angry red mark from earlier in the day with her palm. “I was upset at first, that you had left, even though a part of me understood why you did it. I spent a lot of time being angry at you, but when I looked into her eyes for the first time, I knew I could never stay mad at you after what you had given me. We obviously have a lot to talk about and work out, but I want you in Harper’s life.”

“And yours?”

“And mine,” Jo grinned, standing on her toes to brush her lips against Alex’s. “But I really wanna sleep more than anything else.” 

“You realize it's only noon right?”

“And you saw the day I had,” Jo raised her eyebrows at Alex, a small grin playing on to her face. “There was a shooter in the hospital, my daughter was all alone while we were on lockdown, I was trapped in an elevator, and the love of my life and father of my child     dropped back into my life unexpectedly. All before noon. That’s a long day in my book.”

“Oh so I’m the love of your life now,” Alex laughed as he wrapped his arms around Jo, lifting her up and walking her over to her bed. “Well I’ll give you some good news. You’ll never have to worry about me popping up unexpectedly ever again because I'm not leaving ever again. I swear.”

Jo stared at Alex, her smile dropping into a frown. One of the last things he had said before he left her was just that, that he was never going to leave. In fact, he had said that to her so many times over the course of their time togethe, it had been a cornerstone of their relationship . The angry part of Jo’s heart screamed at her, saying that she should be mad and screaming at him and to push Alex away and she’s not quite sure that she can keep pushing that feeling down. 

“Well we’ve all heard that line before,” Jo huffed as she settled in under the covers, looking up at Alex. “I can’t… I want you here Alex but I can’t get hurt again. Last time I had nine months to get over you leaving before I had to worry about someone else more than myself. But this time if you leave me, if you leave us… Harper is two. When Ellis started preschool and left daycare, she cried for a week because she only saw her on the weekends. Neither of us can take you leaving again. She can’t and I…”

Jo let her head drop to the pillows below her, a sigh escaping her as she blinked back tears. She’d had enough crying for the day, had felt more emotions before noon than she had in what felt like years. She is not a beggar, had never begged for anyone to stay or to love her or to protect her. But Alex is different and Jo couldn’t stop the words as they slipped out of her mouth. 

“Please don’t hurt me again. I don’t need you to promise me anything, I just… I need you here for the long haul,” Jo forced a smile onto her face, then pulled the covers back and patted the spot next to her. “Now come over here, this bed gets cold in the winter.” 

Alex took his shoes off, shed his jacket and pants and crawled into bed beside Jo, who sidled up to him and cuddled into his side instantly. His arms pulled her closer and his lips pressed against her temple lightly. 

“You belong here, right here with me,” Jo’s words were a whisper as her eyelids fluttered closed. “Alex?”

“Hmm?”

“You get to wake up with her, you missed the four months of colic.”

[medea10]

My Review of Angels of Death

[min-jimin-ie]

liberosis pt.2 - jimin x reader

⇢ pairing: jimin x reader

⇢ genre: angst / action

⇢ length: 1.0k words

⇢ summary: when people’s hearts are broken, they change. maybe for the worse.

jimin's normally slow paced and quiet footsteps were fast paced and thundering as he neared the headquarters. Fists unusually clenched, knuckles white against his tanned skin, it felt like the faster he walked and the harder he clenched his fists the easier it would be to forget everything that had happened.

his thoughts were completely thrown into a hurricane with new information. jimin had always felt that twinge of guilt remembering [name]'s face when he told her the truth, when he told her how he had betrayed her and sold her out to the gang. he remembers her facial expression changing and compared it to flipping to a new page in a book and then suddenly wanting to go back.

he tried to forget, he really did. he thought that maybe it was the same as the saying 'fire puts out fire' and he fought the pain with more pain. he drank, thinking that the beer and expensive wine could drown his stomach and also his heart in the process.

jimin reached the gang headquarters and storms in, taking a smoking namjoon by surprise. paying no attention to the fact that said person was the leader, he walked right up to him and grabbed his leather jacket, the zipper pushing painfully against jimin's knuckles.

"why the fuck didn't you tell me that [name] was part of exo?!" He nearly screamed at namjoon. namjoon only let out a small reaction, raising his eyebrow at the fuming man.

"we have no info on that, how are you sure that a person from your past is part of exo? as far as we know, they're only twelve lead members."

jimin thought back on the memory and narrowed his eyes.

"she appeared at Omelas with that kai behind her like a guard even though she looked ready to kill zico."

jimin let his hand down and namjoon tidied up his jacket, shooting a dirty look at him.

"well, maybe she's the daughter of some higher up in the SM Guild, since that's where exo branches off from." Namjoon said, busy going through different manila files he had on exo.

jimin remembered the whole reason he had betrayed her and a strangled cough leaves his mouth as he tries to register what's going on. he had used [name] to get intel about the Starship Mafia because her father had been a higher up there -

"Her father's a higher up executive of Starship! Maybe they came to an agreement and are siding together and that's why I saw [name] with kai!" He blurted out.

jimin was angry.

livid.

the comment caught namjoon by surprise and he nearly fell off the chair. adjusting his glasses, he looked at jimin with a ferocity jimin hadn't seen in years.

"we're going to the exo headquarters in block 13, get ready."

•

jimin's been to the exo headquarters on plenty of missions before, so the fact that their hideout was underground didn't bother him as much as before. the entrance was through a large hotel with clandestine doors and one little hotel room, number 365, with an elevator installed, leading straight down to the pits of the headquarters.

namjoon is hacking through the software to get into the room, a little bead of sweat running down his forehead while he struggles to change the algorithm. 

“damn, maybe that xiumin guy changed the algorithm,” jimin commented, running his fingers through his hair as he watched namjoon trying different things. 

“yeah, it must’ve been xiumin, that fucking bastard,” namjoon muttered, focusing on the variety of numbers and codes that were flying through the screen. soon enough, namjoon hacked into the security cameras that exo used to track invasions and drug deals. 

jimin leaned in to look, and his breath caught in his throat as he watched a digital [name] walking around the spacious recreation room. he could see jongdae “chen” doing some drugs, probably ecstasy if he guessed right. 

“fucking shit, sehun, guess who i ran into today!” an overly hyped up [name] casually said as said sehun walked in, tossing her a cigarette. 

jimin’s eyes could barely resist widening as she lit up the cigarette and took a long drag from it, sighing. 

namjoon didn’t care about what type of relationship jimin had with the girl, he just needed to investigate. they both stared at the screen, keeping an eye out for any possible sign of someone coming near them. 

“yo why are you ignoring me bitchy sehun, i was just about to give you one hell of a report on what i did today--” [name] said, raising an eyebrow although she didn’t look mad. 

“oh let me guess, no one because you can’t get laid?” he sassily replied, taking a seat next to her, and jimin and namjoon snickered at the burning remark. 

“fuck you, i got laid plenty of times this week, it’s you that’s still hung up over whats-her-name.” she laughed offhandedly, and jimin tenses up. namjoon notices and sends him a look. 

“oh come on leader, i got over that slut years ago, stop bringing that fucker up.” he said, and namjoon’s eyes widened. 

“he referred to her as leader!” he half-shouted, half-screamed, and jimin was too surprised to send him a glare for being loud. 

she looked amused. 

“ah now now, sehun. you shouldn’t have called me that when two really nosy guests are here.” she smiled a smile that looked too evil for a human being and her eyes landed straight on the ‘hidden camera’. 

“fuck fuck fuck she’s onto us but how the fuck -” 

she sends a knife flying, and before jimin or namjoon can process what happened, the device stops working. jimin is panicking but he sees the look on namjoon’s face and decides to do what’s best at the moment - 

run. 

how on earth did she know hey were listening and what had happened to sweet [name] that he loved and betrayed?

[i-am-very-very-tired]

Home News US Home Sport UK Showbiz US Showbiz Australia Home Femail Health Sci & Tech Video Money Travel Discount Codes Login | Join now Desktop site Femail Share this articleFacebook Twitter e-mail SMS WhatsApp How can I cure rhinitis? By Dr Rosemary Leonard 00:00 BST 09 Oct 1993, updated 09:09 BST 24 Apr 2002 Facebook Twitter e-mail SMS WhatsApp 0 comments In allergic rhinitis, the lining of the nose becomes inflamed in response to breathing in certain substances, known as allergens. Often, as in your case, the throat is affected too. The most common allergens to cause rhinitis are pollens, which lead to the classic symptoms of hayfever in spring and early summer. Some unlucky people, though, like you, get rhinitis all the year round - a condition known as perennial rhinitis. The most common allergens that provoke perennial rhinitis are house dust mites, animal fur, feathers and mould spores (which, incidentally, are the also the most common causes of asthma). Skin prick testing can help to identify the worst culprits, so ask your doctor if this could be arranged for you. Meanwhile, replace pillows and duvets that contain feathers with ones filled with polyester, cover your mattress with a special anti-allergic cover, and don't let furry animals in your bedroom, or any rooms where there are soft furnishings. The best treatments for allergic rhinitis are steroid nasal sprays, such as Beconase or Flixonase, which help prevent the allergic response responsible for the inflammation. They must be used regularly, every day, for best effect, and you may have to continue with treatment for years. Anti-histamine tablets can help too - it's worth trying different brands to find which ones suits you best, then get a large supply on prescription from your GP. The most specific treatment for allergic rhinitis is immunotherapy. This involves repeated injections of a tiny amount of allergen, with the aim of desensitising your immune system. 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[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2020. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.ServantsOfTheWord.org

Meditation: When danger lurks what kind of protection do you seek? Jesus came to free us from the greatest danger of all - the corrupting force of evil which destroys us from within and makes us slaves to sin and Satan (John 8:34). Evil is not an impersonal force that just happens. It has a name and a face and it seeks to master every heart and soul on the face of the earth (1 Peter 5:8-9). Scripture identifies the Evil One by many names, 'Satan', 'Beelzebul - the prince of demons', the 'Devil', the 'Deceiver', the 'Father of Lies', and 'Lucifier', the fallen angel who broke rank with God and established his own army and kingdom in opposition to God.

The Lord Jesus frees us from Satan's power

Jesus declared that he came to overthrow the power of Satan and his kingdom (John 12:31). Jesus' numerous exorcisms brought freedom to many who were troubled and oppressed by the work of evil spirits. Jesus himself encountered personal opposition and battle with Satan when he was put to the test in the wilderness just before his public ministry (Matthew 4:1; Luke 4:1). He overcame the Evil One through his obedience to the will of his Father.

Some of the Jewish leaders reacted vehemently to Jesus' healings and exorcisms and they opposed him with malicious slander. How could Jesus get the power and authority to release individuals from Satan's influence and control? They assumed that he had to be in league with Satan. They attributed his power to Satan rather than to God. Jesus asserts that no kingdom divided against itself can survive for long. We have witnessed enough civil wars in our own time to prove the destructive force at work here for the annihilation of whole peoples and their land. If Satan lends his power against his own forces then he is finished. Cyril of Alexandria, a 5th century church father explains the force of Jesus' argument:

Kingdoms are established by the fidelity of subjects and the obedience of those under the royal scepter. Houses are established when those who belong to them in no way whatsoever thwart one another but, on the contrary, agree in will and deed. I suppose it would establish the kingdom too of Beelzebub, had he determined to abstain from everything contrary to himself. How then does Satan cast out Satan? It follows then that devils do not depart from people on their own accord but retire unwillingly. “Satan,” he says, “does not fight with himself.” He does not rebuke his own servants. He does not permit himself to injure his own armor bearers. On the contrary, he helps his kingdom. “It remains for you to understand that I crush Satan by divine power.” [Commentary on Luke, Homily 80]

Jesus asserted his authority to cast out demons as a clear demonstration of the reign of God. God's power is clearly at work in the exorcisms which Jesus performed and they give evidence that God's kingdom has come.

Being clothed in God's strength

What kind of spiritual danger or harm should we avoid at all costs? Jesus used the illustration of a strong man whose house and possessions were kept secure. How could such a person be overtaken and robbed of his goods except by someone who is stronger than himself? Satan, who is our foe and the arch-enemy of God, is stronger than us. Unless we are clothed in God's strength, we cannot withstand Satan with our own human strength. What does Satan wish to take from us - our faith and confidence in God and our readiness to follow God's commandments. Satan is a rebel and a liar. Satan can only have power or dominion over us if we listen to his lies and succumb to his will which is contrary to the will of God. Jesus makes it clear that there are no neutral parties in this world. We are either for Jesus or against him, for the kingdom of God or opposed to it.

There are ultimately only two kingdoms in opposition to one another - the kingdom of God's light and truth and the kingdom of darkness and deception under the rule of Satan. If we disobey God's word, we open the door to the power of sin and Satan's influence in our lives. If we want to live in true freedom from the power of sin and Satan, then our "house" - our mind and heart and whatever we allow to control our appetites and desires - must be occupied and ruled by Jesus Christ where he is enthroned as Lord and Savior. Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to God and to his Word?

Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

What is the unforgivable sin which Jesus warns us to avoid? Jesus knows that his disciples will be tested and he assures them that the Holy Spirit will give them whatever grace and help they need in their time of adversity. He warns them, however, that it's possible to spurn the grace of God and to fall into apostasy (giving up the faith) out of cowardice or disbelief. Why is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit reprehensible? Blasphemy consists in uttering against God, inwardly or outwardly, words of hatred, reproach, or defiance. It's contrary to the respect due God and his holy name. Jesus speaks of blaspheming against the Holy Spirit as the unforgivable sin.

Jesus spoke about this sin immediately after the scribes and Pharisees had attributed his miracles to the work of the devil instead of to God. A sin can only be unforgivable if repentance is impossible. If people repeatedly closes their eyes to God, shuts their ears to his voice, and reject his word, they bring themselves to a point where they can no longer recognize God when he can be seen and heard. They become spiritually blind-sighted and speak of "evil as good and good as evil" (Isaiah 5:20).

The Holy Spirit heals and transforms us

To fear such a state of sin and spiritual blindness, however, signals that one is not dead to God and is conscious of the need for God's grace, mercy, and help. There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who refuses to acknowledge and confess their sins and to ask God for forgiveness, spurns God's generous offer of mercy, pardon, grace, and healing. Through their own stubborn pride and willfulness, they reject God, refuse his grace and help to turn away from sin, and reject the transforming power of the Holy Spirit to heal and restore them to wholeness. God always gives sufficient grace and help to all who humbly call upon him. Giving up on God and refusing to turn away from sin and disbelief results from pride and the loss of hope in God.

What is the basis of our hope and confidence in God? Through Jesus' death on the cross and his victory over the grave when he rose again on the third day, Satan has been defeated and death has been overcome. We now share in Christ's victory over sin and Satan and receive adoption as God's sons and daughters. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord enables us to live a new life of love and freedom from slavery to sin. The Lord Jesus is our refuge and strength because he makes his home with us (John 15:4) and gives us the power and help of the Holy Spirit. Do you take refuge in the Lord and allow him to be the Ruler of your life?

"Lord Jesus, you are my hope and salvation. Be the ruler of my heart and the master of my home. May there be nothing in my life that is not under your lordship."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2020.

 

GOOD VERSUS BEST

  David "reigned for forty years: seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem over all Israel and Judah." —2 Samuel 5:4-5  

David took his kingship to a higher level when he moved from Hebron to Jerusalem. He was told that it was impossible to reach that level, but he did the impossible (2 Sm 5:6-7). Then he "grew steadily more powerful, for the Lord of hosts was with him" (2 Sm 5:10).

The Lord wants to take your good marriage and turn it into a great one. You don't know how that's possible. Just pray with your spouse for a great marriage and watch the Lord do a miracle.

You've chosen to be single for the Lord, and you serve the Lord with love and enthusiasm. Now the Lord is calling you to cross over into a new dimension of community life and ministry.

You're retired by the world's standards, but the Lord is ready to move you into the major ministry of your life. You've had a good life in Hebron. Now it's time to enter Jerusalem.

You're a loving, committed parent. You've done a good job of raising your children. Yet now you can disciple your children for the Lord. Come up higher; cross the threshold; enter a new dimension.

Don't let the good keep you from the best. Leave the security of Hebron for the challenges of Jerusalem.

  Prayer: Father, may I leave behind not only the bad but also the good so as to follow You. Promise: "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." —Ps 89:21-22 Praise: St. Angela gathered a group of lay women to teach girls to be good and holy women, wives, and mothers. After her death, this group became the Ursulines.   (For a related teaching, order, listen to, or download our Risen Life Series: four CDs starting with or two starting with on our website.)  

  Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from December 1, 2019 through January 31, 2020.

†Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 2, 2019.  

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2020. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.ServantsOfTheWord.org

Meditation: What draws us to the throne of God's mercy and grace? Mark tells us that many people were drawn to Jesus, including the unwanted and the unlovable, such as the lame, the blind, and the lepers, as well as the homeless such as widows and orphans. But public sinners, like the town prostitutes and corrupt tax collectors, were also drawn to Jesus. In calling Levi, who was also named Matthew (see Matthew 9:9) to be one of his disciples, Jesus picked one of the unlikeliest of men - a tax collector who by profession was despised by the people.

Why did the religious leaders find fault with Jesus for making friends with sinners and tax collectors like Levi? The orthodox Jews had a habit of dividing everyone into two groups - those who rigidly kept the law of Moses and its minute regulations and those who did not. They latter were treated like second class citizens. The orthodox scrupulously avoided their company, refused to do business with them, refused to give or receive anything from them, refused to intermarry, and avoided any form of entertainment with them, including table fellowship. Jesus' association with sinners shocked the sensibilities of these orthodox Jews.

When the Pharisees challenged his unorthodox behavior in eating with public sinners, Jesus' defense was quite simple. A doctor doesn't need to visit healthy people; instead he goes to those who are sick.  Jesus likewise sought out those in the greatest need. A true physician seeks healing of the whole person - body, mind, and spirit. Jesus came as the divine physician and good shepherd to care for his people and to restore them to wholeness of life.The orthodox Jews were so preoccupied with their own practice of religion that they neglected to help the very people who needed care. Their religion was selfish because they didn't want to have anything to do with people not like themselves.

Jesus stated his mission in unequivocal terms: I came  not to call the righteous, but to call sinners. Ironically the orthodox were as needy as those they despised.  All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The Lord fills us with his grace and mercy. And he wants us, in turn,  to seek the good of our neighbors, including the unlikeable and the trouble-maker by showing them the same kindness and mercy which we have received. Do you thank the Lord for the great kindness and mercy he has shown to you?

"Lord Jesus, our Savior, let us now come to you: Our hearts are cold; Lord, warm them with your selfless love. Our hearts are sinful; cleanse them with your precious blood. Our hearts are weak; strengthen them with your joyous Spirit. Our hearts are empty; fill them with your divine presence. Lord Jesus, our hearts are yours; possess them always and only for yourself." (Prayer of Augustine, 4th century)

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2020.

 

GREAT SINNERS BECOME GREAT SAINTS

  "As He moved on, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus at his tax collector's post, and said to him, 'Follow Me.' Levi got up and became His follower." —Mark 2:14  

Levi, also called Matthew, was one of the apostles, an evangelist who compiled the first book of the New Testament, a missionary, and a martyr. Matthew was also a great sinner. Jesus implied that Matthew was spiritually sick (Mk 2:17). Even after Jesus had transformed Matthew's life, Matthew abandoned Jesus on the cross. Yet Matthew repented, received the Holy Spirit at the first Christian Pentecost (Acts 2:4), and became a great saint.

Each of us are called to greatness. We are called and privileged to do our unique part in God's plan of salvation. By God's grace and our faith, we can do even greater things than Jesus did (Jn 14:12). As adopted sons and daughters of God (see Rm 8:15), we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people He claims for His own" (1 Pt 2:9). It is an understatement to say we are called to greatness.

Nonetheless, like St. Matthew, we have sinned before and even after our conversions. By our sins, we have done our part in contributing to Jesus' sufferings on the cross (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 598). Yet the Lord is calling us to repentance. He wants to give us a new Pentecost in which He will restore us to greatness and lead us to greater greatness. Like Matthew, let us rise from the ruins of sin to the glorious greatness of the sons and daughters of God.

  Prayer: Father, fulfill every detail of Your plan for my life. Promise: "You are to govern the Lord's people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies round about." —1 Sm 10:1 Praise: Butch spent years as a drug dealer, but he converted to the Church. Now he works with drug-addicted persons to show them the healing love of Jesus.   (For a related teaching on Effects of Sin, order, listen to, or download our or on our website.)  

  Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from December 1, 2019 through January 31, 2020.

†Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 2, 2019.  

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2020. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.ServantsOfTheWord.org

Meditation:What is the Gospel of God which Jesus came to preach? The word "gospel" literally means "good news". When a king had good news to deliver to his subjects he sent messengers or heralds throughout the land to make a public announcement - such as the birth of a newborn king or the victory over an invading army or occupied force. God sent his prophets to announce the coming of God's anointed King and Messiah. After Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan and anointed by the Spirit he begins his ministry of preaching the Gospel - the good news that the kingdom of God was now at hand for all who were ready to receive it.

God rules over all

What is the kingdom of God? The word "kingdom" means something more than a territory or an area of land. It literally means "sovereignty" or "reign" and the power to "rule" and exercise authority. The prophets announced that God would establish a kingdom not just for one nation or people but for the whole world. The Scriptures tell us that God's throne is in heaven and his rule is over all (Psalm 103:19). His kingdom is bigger and more powerful than anything we can imagine because it is universal and everlasting (Daniel 4:3). His kingdom is full of glory, power, and splendor (Psalm 145:11-13).

In the Book of Daniel we are told that this kingdom is given to the Son of Man (Daniel 7:14,18,22,27). The Son of Man is a Messianic title for God's anointed King. The New Testament word for "Messiah" is "Christ" which literally means the "Anointed One" or the "Anointed King". God sent us his Son not to establish an earthly kingdom but to bring us into his heavenly kingdom - a kingdom ruled by truth, justice, peace, and holiness. The kingdom of God is the central theme of Jesus' mission. It's the core of his gospel message.

As soon as John the Baptist had finished his testimony, Jesus began his in Galilee, his home district. John's enemies had sought to silence him, but the gospel cannot be silenced. Jesus proclaimed that the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Jesus takes up John's message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the gospel - the good news he has come to deliver. What is the good news which Jesus delivers? It is the good news of peace (restoration of relationship with God - Ephesians 6:15), of hope (the hope of heaven and everlasting life - Colossians 1:23 ), of truth (God's word is true and reliable - Colossians 1:5), of promise (he rewards those who seek him - Ephesians 3:6)), of immortality (God gives everlasting life - 2 Timothy 1:10), and the good news of salvation (liberty from sin and freedom to live as sons and daughters of God - Ephesians 1:13).

Two conditions for the kingdom - repent and believe

How do we enter the kingdom of God? In announcing the good news, Jesus gave two explicit things each of us must do to in order to receive the kingdom of God: repent and believe. When we submit to Christ's rule in our lives and believe the gospel message the Lord Jesus gives us the grace and power to live a new way of life as citizens of his kingdom. He gives us grace to renounce the kingdom of darkness ruled by sin and Satan, the father of lies (John 8:44) and the ruler of this present world (John 12:31). That is why repentance is the first step.

Repentance means to change - to change my way of thinking, my attitude, disposition, and life choices so that Christ can be the Lord and Master of my heart rather than sin, selfishness, and greed. If we are only sorry for the consequences of our sins, we will very likely keep repeating the sin that is mastering us. True repentance requires a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) and sorrow for sin and a firm resolution to avoid it in the future. The Lord Jesus gives us grace to see sin for what it really is - a rejection of his love and wisdom for our lives and a refusal to do what is good and in accord with his will. His grace brings pardon and help for turning away from everything that would keep us from his love and truth.

To believe is to take Jesus at his word and to recognize that God loved us so much that he sent his only begotten Son to free us from bondage to sin and harmful desires. God made the supreme sacrifice of his Son on the cross to bring us back to a relationship of peace and friendship with himself. He is our Father and he wants us to live as his sons and daughters. God loved us first and he invites us in love to surrender our lives to him. Do you believe that the gospel -the good news of Jesus - has power to free you from bondage to sin and fear?

Like fishermen - we are called to gather in people for the kingdom of Christ

When Jesus preached the gospel message he called others to follow as his disciples and he gave them a mission - "to catch people for the kingdom of God." What kind of disciples did he choose? Smelly fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work:  he chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.

When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not think we have nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you believe that God wants to work in and through you for his glory?

Jesus speaks the same message to us today: we will "catch people" for the kingdom of God if we allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine through us. God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the gospel. Paul the Apostles says, But thanks be to God, who in Christ Jesus always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing (2 Corinthians 2:15). Do you witness to those around you the joy of the Gospel and do you pray for your neighbors, co-workers, and relatives that they may come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and grow in the knowledge of his love?

"Lord Jesus, you have called me personally by name, just as you called your first disciples, Simon, Andrew, James, and John. Help me to believe your word and follow you faithfully. Fill me with the joy of the gospel that your light may shine through me to many others."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2020.

 

THIS IS THE LIFE

  "This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the gospel!" —Mark 1:15  

The goal of the rest of our lives is to displace the culture of death with a civilization of love and life. This will probably be done not primarily by popes, presidents, judges, generals, or billionaires. Of course, the lives of prestigious people are important in God's plan (see Rm 13:7). However, the Lord typically chooses to change the world through teenagers like Mary, carpenters like Joseph, toddlers like Samuel, weeping women like Hannah, loving husbands like Elkanah (see 1 Sm 1:5), and manual laborers like the early apostles (Mk 1:16ff). "God chose those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise; He singled out the weak of this world to shame the strong. He chose the world's lowborn and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were something" (1 Cor 1:27-28).

God's way of changing the world is the "little way" proclaimed by St. Therese, the "Little Flower," and by many other saints. This means that the little things of our everyday lives are very important in God's plan. Because we are adopted children of God, the love and faith we show in the details of life will turn the world right-side up. Because we have been baptized into the body of Christ (see 1 Cor 12:13), everything we do has universal, everlasting significance.

Let us rejoice in our awesome dignity and consequent responsibility. Let us live earth-shaking, world-changing, simple lives charged with love.

  Prayer: Father, I am Your child. May I build Your kingdom wherever You put me. Promise: "They abandoned their father Zebedee, who was in the boat with the hired men, and went off in His company." —Mk 1:20 Praise: St. Hilary was the son of noble pagan parents. He received a thorough education, but his quest for truth went unsatisfied until he studied Holy Scripture. He converted to the Faith at age 30. As bishop, he was a staunch defender of the divinity of Jesus.    

  Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from December 1, 2019 through January 31, 2020.

†Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 2, 2019.  

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements

[seekfirstme]

The following reflection is courtesy of Don Schwager © 2019. Don's website is located at Dailyscripture.ServantsOfTheWord.org

Meditation: How does God reveal his favor to us? In the psalms we pray, "Lord, show me a sign of your favor" (Psalm 86:17). In the Old Testament God performed many signs and miracles to demonstrate his love and mercy for his people, such as their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and the miraculous crossing of the Red sea on dry land (Psalm 78:43-53). When Ahaz, king of Judah and heir to the throne of David (735 B.C.) was surrounded by forces that threatened to destroy him and his people, God offered him a sign to reassure him that God would not abandon the promise he made to David and his descendants. King Ahaz, however, had lost hope in God and refused to ask for a sign of favor. God, nonetheless, gave a sign to assure his people that he would indeed give them a Savior who would rule with peace and righteousness (Isaiah 7:11ff).

The new era of salvation begins with the conception and birth of Jesus

We see the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28).

His kingdom will have no end

As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21). This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God’s promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most High" and "King" and his name shall be called "Jesus" (Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).

Mary is a true hearer of the Word of God

How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust.

Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the "mother of God" because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb.  When we pray the Nicene Creed we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: "For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man".

If we say "yes" to God we can live a grace-filled life

God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?

"Heavenly Father, you offer us abundant grace, mercy, and forgiveness through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to live a grace-filled life as Mary did by believing in your promises and by giving you my unqualified 'yes' to your will and plan for my life."

The following reflection is from One Bread, One Body courtesy of Presentation Ministries © 2019.

 

THE TIME IS FULFILLED

  "Rejoice, O highly favored daughter! The Lord is with you." —Luke 1:28  

Rejoice unto the Lord for the time is fulfilled, the time long awaited by King David when his throne would be established forever (2 Sm 7:16); the time awaited by St. Paul when God's mystery, kept hidden for hundreds of years, would be revealed (Rm 16:25); the time awaited by God's people and fulfilled in Mary when she conceived by the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). What joyous expectations have been fulfilled in the birth of Jesus!

So often we seek joy, peace and comfort in unusual places — corrupt society, decadent living, material security, envious activity, or jealous possessiveness. Mary found joy in allowing God's Word to be done unto her (Lk 1:38). David found joy in listening to the prophet Nathan and doing God's will (2 Sm 7:17ff). Paul found joy in the wisdom of God (Rm 16:27). Can we do less than they? Joy is found in service and obedience — not primarily to humankind, but above all to God and His Son Jesus Christ. If we serve Jesus, we must necessarily serve our fellows. If we merely serve our fellows, we may not be serving Jesus.

As Christmas quickly approaches, we must have the joy of the shepherds in our hearts (Lk 2:10) for we know the time is now fulfilled — the time for Jesus to give us true joy and true peace, the time to preach His name to all people, the time to be an evangelist for His sake.

  Prayer: "This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand! Reform your lives and believe in the gospel!" (Mk 1:15) Promise: "The virgin shall be with Child, and bear a Son, and shall name Him Immanuel." —Is 7:14 Praise: "O Key of David, O royal power of Israel controlling at Your will the gate of heaven: come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead Your captive people into freedom."    

  Rescript: In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") for One Bread, One Body covering the period from December 1, 2019 through January 31, 2020.

†Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 2, 2019.  

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements