#vestments for the Priesthood

[voytovichich]

I kinda want to conceptualize the Berathian and Woedican Aedyran clergy.

This is a rough sketch of the Berathian presbyter’s/priest's vestments in the person of my watcher (she was in fact a very ambitious Berathian presbyteress).

I imagine that in the Aedyr Empire and the Vailian Republics could be entire systems of priesthoods that would organize religion and even monetize it. You know, with hierarchy, competition, corruption, etc.

[talonabraxas]

Solar Logos Talon Abraxas

"The Greeks believed that Apollo, Bacchus, Dionysos, Sabazius, Hercules, Jason, Ulysses, Zeus, Uranus, and Vulcan partook of either the visible or invisible attributes of the sun. The Norwegians regarded Balder the Beautiful as a solar deity, and Odin is often connected with the celestial orb, especially because of his one eye. Among the Egyptians, Osiris, Ra, Anubis, Hermes, and even the mysterious Ammon himself had points of resemblance with the solar disc. Isis was the mother of the sun, and even Typhon, the Destroyer, was supposed to be a form of solar energy. The Egyptian sun myth finally centered around the person of a mysterious deity called Serapis. The two Central American deities, Tezcatlipoca and Quetzalcoatl, while often associated with the winds, were also undoubtedly solar gods.

In Masonry the sun has many symbols. One expression of the solar energy is Solomon, whose name SOL-OM-ON is the name for the Supreme Light in three different languages. Hiram Abiff, the CHiram (Hiram) of the Chaldees, is also a solar deity, and the story of his attack and murder by the Ruffians, with its solar interpretation, will be found in the chapter The Hiramic Legend. A striking example of the important part which the sun plays in the symbols and rituals of Freemasonry is given by George Oliver, D.D., in his Dictionary of Symbolical Masonry, as follows:

"The sun rises in the east, and in the east is the place for the Worshipful Master. As the sun is the source of all light and warmth, so should the Worshipful Master enliven and warm the brethren to their work. Among the ancient Egyptians the sun was the symbol of divine providence." The hierophants of the Mysteries were adorned with many insignia emblematic of solar power. The sunbursts of gilt embroidery on the back of the vestments of the Catholic priesthood signify that the priest is also an emissary and representative of Sol Invictus." -Manly P. Hall

The Solar Logos is inherently the Avatar Christos Matrix, which is the fourth triad of intelligence that holds the higher frequency bands of the 10th, 11th and 12th dimensions in our Universal Time Matrix. The triadic identity of the Avatar Matrix is required to link into the Soul Matrix in order to directly ascend back into the Universal Mind and Cosmic Logos. This level of consciousness embodiment is now possible from within any section of the time matrix. The Avatar Christos is the energetic reality of experiencing Unity with God, embodying the Unity Logos as an intelligent consciousness field, where enlightened extradimensional contact begins for working in Universal Service for the Cosmic Sovereign Law of One.

[orthodoxadventure]

Praying the Bible in the Liturgy

Orthodox Christians are not merely to read the Bible; we are also to pray the Bible. This takes place most clearly and completely in the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom on a Sunday to Sunday basis. Yes, there are two readings from the New Testament during the Liturgy -- an Epistle reading from one of the Letters of the apostles, Paul, Peter, James and John or other apostolic writings; and a Gospel reading from one of the four evangelists -- but we pray the Lord's prayer and also sing verses from the Book of Psalms. In the priest's blessing, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all," we hear St. Paul's final farewell to the Church in Corinth (2 Corinthians 13:13); and in the choir's singing of "Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Sabaoth, Heaven and Earth are full of Your glory," we hear the song of the angelic cherubim first heard by the Old Testament prophet Isaiah in the Temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 6:1-5). The prayers of the Liturgy are full of biblical imagery and shot through with hundreds of Biblical quotes. In fact, the late French Orthodox theologian, Paul Evdokimov (1902-1970), once calculated that there are 98 quotations from the Old Testament and 114 quotations from the New Testament woven into the prayers of the Liturgy. The language of the Liturgy is the language of the Bible! To come to Liturgy attentively is to learn to pray the Bible!

But more than this: the priesthood, the vestments, the altar, the tabernacle, the oil lamps, the incense, and so much else of the Church's structures for worship are taken from the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly Exodus, Leviticus and the Book of Psalms, and are seen as the Christological fulfillment of the worship of the people of ancient Israel in both the synagogue and the Temple as described in the New Testament's Letter to the Hebrews. Every aspect of the Old Testament Passover/Exodus has been fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Christ and this is what we celebrate at each Divine Liturgy!

[Source of text: The Divine Liturgy of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom (with Commentary and Notes)]

[apenitentialprayer]

Le Sacre de Jesus a Bethanie, by Robert Leinweber

When He was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on His head. There were some who were indignant. "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have Me. She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing My body for burial. Amen, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her."

The Gospel According to Mark (14:3-9)

Who does not know that Mary Magdalene anointed the head of Christ with the oil spilling over from her alabaster box? What, I ask, is this bounty of the Lord? What is this dignity of women, by which He should offer His head as well as His feet for anointing by none but women? What, I ask, is this privilege of the weaker sex by which a woman should anoint the supreme Christ, who was already anointed from conception with all the ointments of the Holy Spirit? As if by consecrating Him as King and Priest with bodily sacraments, she makes Him "the Christ," meaning "the Anointed One." There are examples of anointing by patriarchs and priests in the Old Testament. But these show that men imprint the sacraments with figures, whereas the woman worked on the very Truth itself, as the Truth actually attests, saying: She has wrought a good work on Me [Mark 14:6, Matthew 26:10]. Thus Christ Himself, who is the Head, was anointed by a woman, whereas Christians now, who are the members, are anointed by men. Consider therefore the dignity of this woman by whom the living Christ was twice anointed, on His feet and also on His head, and from whom He received the sacraments of kingship and priesthood. These anointings by a woman demonstrate the unique dignity of Christ's kingship and priesthood. Look at how He received the sacrament of kingship from a woman, although He refused to accept the kingdom offered to Him by men and He fled from those who wanted to force Him to be King [John 6:15]. The woman conferred the sacrament of a heavenly kingdom and not an earthly one, for He later said Himself: My kingdom is not of this world [John 18:36]. When bishops anoint kings and priests today, they strut around in gilded vestments, even though those whom they bless are often cursed by God. Yet it was a humble woman, with no special clothing or ceremonial, who conferred these sacraments on Christ, nor by the office of prelacy but by the merit of her devotion. He held this action in such high esteem that He decided it should be included in the Gospel itself, so that the praise of the woman who had done this should be preached everywhere where the Gospel is preached as a memorial of her [Mark 14:9, Matthew 26:13]. Nowhere else do we read of the services of any other persons whatsoever being commended and sanctioned by the Lord's authority in this way.

excerpts from Peter Abelard, On the Authority and Dignity of the Profession of Nuns, trans. Betty Radice. Different translation found here. Bolded statement's original Latin:

Lapidem olim patriarcha, templum nunc et altare pontifex oleo sanctificat. Viri itaque sacramenta figuris imprimunt. Mulier vero in ipsa operate est veritate.

[monsignorjohn]

(hamish linklater, 80 (appears 30s), cis male, he/him) welcome to crockett island JOHN PRUITT (PAUL HILL) from MIDNIGHT MASS. you work as a PRIEST, and have been here for A FEW WEEKS. you are known to be CONFIDENT, but also DECEPTIVE. you call to mind A WOODEN CRUCIFIX ON A WALL, GOLD VESTMENTS, A BLOODSOAKED SHIRT.

Hi everyone! I'm Sophie, and I'm one of the admins of FlanaganHQ. I'm usually in the GMT timezone, but Tarin and I made this group while I'm staying with her for the holidays. We both love Mike Flanagan's projects, and this idea of this group came to us while we were watching TFOTHOU together (a rewatch for me, first watch for her!) I work with very old books for a living, which is as cool as it sounds. I work full time, so my activity might be spotty, but I'll try to be on of an evening when I can. I also write a lot of pretentious words, so never feel pressured to match my rambling replies, which will definitely become more rambling once I get used to writing John.

With that out of the way, let me introduce you to my hot priest vampire son. This is not written with any seriousness at all, because I struggle with intros:

For those of you who missed Midnight Mass, or haven't recently rewatched it, Father Paul Hill is the new priest on Crockett Island, sent by the diocese to replace Monsignor John Pruitt, the aging pastor who's been on the island for as long as anyone can remember. Pruitt was last seen on a pilgrimage in Jerusalem

Spoiler alert: Paul is Pruitt. While on the pilgrimage, he got lost in a sandstorm and took shelter in a cave, where he was attacked by a winged creature that drank his blood and force fed him its blood. With its leathery bat wings and glowing gold eyes, Pruitt obviously thought it was an angel. As the creature drank from him, he fell unconscious from blood loss

When he awoke, the years had washed away. He was now a young man, in his 30s. His memory and mental faculties had returned to him, and he saw this as a miracle, bestowed on him by the angel

He returned to Crockett with the angel in a trunk, Dracula style, and posed as Father Paul Hill, sent as Monsignor's replacement. Knowing the angel's blood is a source of miraculous healing, he is diluting the communion wine with it, feeding it to the residents of the island who attend Mass. This is resulting in the healing of serious physical injuries and minor ailments. To the Christians of Crockett, a religious revival is happening at St Patrick's

John is a liar and a manipulator, but his intentions are good. He's essentially my favourite kind of character — morally grey as a foggy sky, with a lean towards "evil" acts for his own ends

I will be filling in his childhood and youth as I write him and learn more about him, but for now, here’s what I have: his older sister Alice died of polio when he was a boy, and this turned him towards God and eventually led to him entering the priesthood. He came to Crockett in his early 20s after travelling to South America on mission, and remained there for the rest of his life. According to the newspaper on his wall, he moved to the island 8 years prior to the restoration of St Patrick’s, which seems to have happened in the 1950s. This would track with Mildred’s mention of “the war” in episode 7, and Alice Pruitt dying of polio

During his youth, he broke his vow of celibacy and had a daughter, Sarah, with Mildred Gunning, who was married at the time (someone bring me Mildred please and thank you). The two of them have never acknowledged Sarah as John's child, but he has watched her grow up from afar

I will be essentially going AU from around episode 3 onwards in order for others to take more creative liberties with characters in the show. Though I will refer to him in his internal dialogue as "John", others know him as "Paul" or "Father Paul"

I think this is all you need to know for the time being! Feel free to pop into my IMs to plot, or hit me up on Discord. I look forward to writing with everyone!

[big-ole-katydid]

“Hang on babe, I think I’m getting a call . . . ”

I reach into my pocket but, instead of my phone, I procure a rosary. I am now clad in liturgical vestments, complete with a clerical collar and cincture.

“ . . . to the priesthood.”

I spend the remaining 46 years of my life serving as the only priest in a small fishing settlement. Members of the community bring me theological questions, and over the years they all become convinced that the Sea is God. I do not contradict them, but instead come to internalize their beliefs. We sprung forth from the Sea, and we will one day return to Her embrace. We baptize our Young in Her shallows and we lay our Dead to rest in Her depths. I die peacefully and my body is prepared with sand and seaweed before being cast out in a sinking rowboat, delivering me as a meal to Her fishes and crustaceans.

[tough-bit-of-fluff]

Alyona Ascended - "If your character became a god" Prompt

Alyona Amariyo

(Ahl-YOH-nuh Uh-MAH-ree-yoh)

The Call To Adventure

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Domains: Luck, Travel, Freedom, Community

Goddess of adventure, improvisation and adaptability, storytelling, friendship, last-minute rescues, whimsy, and joie de vivre. Worshiped primarily by adventurers, but also writers, poets, tinkerers, and other creatives, celebrants, strangelings, and anyone looking for a way out of their current circumstances, whether physically or metaphorically. 

Alyona asks her worshippers to consider their stories from a different perspective, and adherents can often be found in the tallest treetops or deepest dungeons, aboard airships headed to faraway lands, donating their time to worthy causes, flinging themselves into frenetic dance and revelry, or anywhere else they can “lose themselves to find themselves.” 

The hierarchy amongst her priesthood is virtually nonexistent, being a passionately egalitarian sect. Vestments of office take “dress for the type of day you want to have” to the extreme, ranging from eccentrically layered leathers and fabrics, only wearing what has been gifted or found, to cosplay of popular characters from stage shows, or invention of a completely new identity. More than one ne’er-do-well has adopted the guise of an Alyonan priest or priestess in order to avoid capture, only to discover that the “office” was a better fit than wanton criminality, and took up the role in earnest.

Alyonans have virtually as many stories about their goddess’s frankly somewhat unbelievable exploits as there are adherents, and there is no agreed-upon central holy text. Alyona herself smiles upon these improvised stories and fabrications as a wonderful means of instruction, self-expression, and spreading of joy, so long as they are not used to unfairly castigate and harm others. 

Alyona Amariyo is on friendly terms with most other gods in her pantheon, irrespective of alignment. She takes a special interest in mentoring newly-promoted demigods to more fully empower them to act as agents in their own right, even if it seems likely they will come to work against her. Alyona’s demeanor is one of an enthusiastically good-natured and patient teacher, regardless of another’s beliefs, but at her core, she has little patience for tyranny and oppression. Tyrannical deities and Powers of Law and Evil in particular have come to regret underestimating Alyona and her adherents after a millennia-long campaign of pranks, sabotage, and compassionate but firm opposition have delayed, if not thwarted, their machinations again and again. 

Followers of Alyona are encouraged to adapt their religious observations to their own lives and means, and communities separated by only a few days’ travel may have wildly different rites and rituals. Worshipers treat their prayers as a conversation with a forthright and loving friend, and are sometimes heard to respond aloud to themselves “for” her. On this act of mingled theater, reframing of perspective, and self-love, Alyona smiles, of course; for what could suit her sensibilities better, or please her more?

Adherents are discouraged to seek after mystical signs, and asked to look instead to the positive changes in their own lives as evidence of Alyona Amariyo’s care and support, but it is said that when you find or make a new friend when you thought you were alone, when you fail in a way that leads to greater success down the road, or when a stranger joins in singing a song you just made up, she is especially near.

Alyona’s holy symbol is of wildly mismatched gears nevertheless turning harmoniously, to emphasize the importance of both community and diversity of experience. It also serves to remind followers that they likely already have at hand what they need to solve a problem or attain their goals; they simply have to let go of their preconceived notions about what success and the path towards it look like.

~*~*~*~*~

A friend posed this question in a Discord server and I ran with it old-school D&D Deities & Demigods style. If you make an entry for your character, please tag me, I want to read it!

[scobbe]

Yes, but the whole structure is, like everything else, shaped by gender. Just on the surface level, nuns almost always wear a covering of some sort over their hair as part of their habit, where monks, obviously, do not.

Historically, nuns were not allowed to pursue the same depth of education or freedom of movement as monks. The friars of St. Francis made a point of being out among the people, whereas the sisters of St. Clare, which St. Francis helped to found, were cloistered.

What I love about the priesthood is that as far as education, vocation, and even vestments go, there is absolute equality for the sexes in the Episcopal church (at least by regulation if not absolute in practice everywhere.) But the priesthood is not the complete commitment and conversion of life monasticism is.

As I just read from a monk who is also a priest yesterday, the priesthood is how he loves people but being a monk is how he loves God.

I still have enough hangups about gender I can’t at all picture myself as a nun.

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

The Poor Man's Morning Portion

by Robert Hawker

Morning Meditation for July 23rd

"One like unto the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle." - Revelation 1:13

My soul, thou art going this morning to the throne of grace, art thou not? Pause then, and behold Jesus as John saw him, for the church’s joy, in his priestly vestments; for remember he is still a priest upon his throne, and by the oath of Jehovah, abideth a priest for ever. Nay, my soul, be not afraid, draw nigh; hark, surely he calls. Methinks he speaks to thee’ Behold me! behold me! See, I am thine intercessor. For this cause I wear these priestly garments; and as the high priest of old represented me, I appear in them down to the foot, and the golden girdle round and beneath the breast. What is thy cause? What blessings and praises hast thou to offer for past grace? And what supplications for present and future favours? Behold my vesture dipped in blood. Think of the everlasting efficacy of my righteousness: and for whom should I make intercession but for transgressors?’ Fall down, my soul, with holy reverence and godly fear. Jesus will do by thee as he did by John. He will lay his right hand upon thee, and say, "Fear not." Oh precious, precious Lord, thou art, indeed, he that was dead, and now livest for evermore. Arid thou livest to see the fruits of thy great salvation faithfully and fully applied to every one of thy redeemed. Thy priesthood is for ever. Thy intercession unceasing. I do behold thee, Lord, by faith, even now standing with the blood of the covenant in thine hand, and presenting me, even me, poor, wretched, worthless me, as one of the purchase of this blood. Do I not hear thy voice in those soul-reviving words, "Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me? Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with where I am?" Oh glorious, gracious, Almighty High Priest[ thou art, indeed, "a priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec." Oh ye trembling souls! ye who have any cause this day to bring before the court of heaven, look unto Jesus, look within the veil, see Jesus there; look steadily, though humbly, and behold his hands, his side; Zion is still engraven on his palms. Nay, do we not see, may we not read our very names, as the high priest bore the names of Israel on his breast, while his hands are lifted up to bless! Yes, Jesus takes up our cause, bears our persons, and all our concerns. And how shall either fail, while he "is able to save to the uttermost, all that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession."

[landsofaruin]

Faunius, God of Shepherds and Love

"Many of the members of The Family are unique and powerful but none so much as the Lord of Shepherds. His power is mighty but often neglected by my brothers in the priesthood, he is treated as simply the god of the flock, the minor son of Moros, Bearer of Death and Ieustius, the Word of Justice. So true then is his great irony, the dichotomy of civilization and the Wild. My brothers have ignored the truth that those among the fanatics of this god know, he is a lord of multiples. He is keeper of the beasts AND the Lord of the Wilds, providing freedom for those who have none. He of the Wildheart can see into his followers, for he too was once mortal due to the jealous wrath of the Dragon Goddess, dreaded, Hierona. Great Faunius is more than a god, he is a savior, guiding Altrians back to their ancestral state of wild creatures. He can release all you hide inside yourself, no fear, no pain, only the wild pleasures of the world around us. His groves embody an untamed wild, flowers bloom even in the desolate snow, animals flock and make merry, Daimon of nature embody the elements around the sacred grove and his followers make a joyful sacrifice in his name, a fruit of the loins. Joyful union. I have forsaken my priestly flock for the ascetic vestments of the Sylvanium his Veratatum (fanatical ascetics of a god) I will drink in the love of nature and life, make merry with all i meet, and spread the nectar of my god to those who would be left behind. I will spend my nights in union with my lord, his hands upon my soul like no other, Praise he of the Wildheart, Praise the Lord of the Wilds, Praise Faunius!" "Graffiti of the heretic" a poem by former Hierophant Dio, 500 PI

[yhwhrulz]

Charles Spurgeon's "Faith's Checkbook" Devotional: February 25th

“Set Apart ”

Isaiah 61:6

This literal promise to Israel belongs spiritually to the seed after the Spirit, namely, to all believers. If we live up to our privileges, we shall live unto God so clearly and distinctly that men shall see that we are set apart for holy service and shall name us the priests of the LORD. We may work or trade as others do, and yet we may be solely and wholly the ministering servants of God. Our one occupation shall be to present the perpetual sacrifice of prayer, and praise, and testimony, and self-consecration to the living God by Jesus Christ.

This being our one aim, we may leave distracting concerns to those who have no higher calling. "Let the dead bury their dead." It is written, "Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vine-dressers," They may manage politics, puzzle out financial problems, discuss science, and settle the last new quibbles of criticism; but we will give ourselves unto such service as becomes those who, like the LORD Jesus, are ordained to a perpetual priesthood.

Accepting this honorable promise as involving a sacred duty, let us put on the vestments of holiness and minister before the LORD all day long.

Copyright Statement These files are public domain.

[thedhananjayaparkhe]

WOTD AND QOTD

Word of the Day sacerdotal Example In this postmodern free-for-all it is hard to envision much of a sacerdotal role for the literary scholar. Definition adjective associated with the priesthood or priests Synonyms:  hieratic, hieratical, priestly “hieratic gestures” “priestly (or sacerdotal) vestments” of or relating to a belief in sacerdotalism “sacerdotal emphasis on the authority of…

[dungeonmastertyrant]

Acolyte

You have spent your life in the service of a temple to a specific god or pantheon of gods. You act as an intermediary between the realm of the holy and the mortal world performing sacred rites and offering sacrifices in order to conduct worshipers into the presence of the divine. You are not necessarily a cleric performing sacred rites is not the same thing as channeling divine power. Choose a god a pantheon of gods or some other quasi-divine being and work with your Dm to detail the nature of your religious service. Were you a lesser functionary in a temple raised from childhood to assist the priests in the sacred rites? Or were you a high priest who suddenly experienced a call to your god in a different way? Perhaps you were the leader of a small cult outside of any established temple structure or even an occult group that served a fiendish master that you now deny.

Skill Proficiencies: Insight and Religion

Languages: 2 of your choice

Equipment: A holy symbol (a gift to you when you entered the priesthood) a prayer book or prayer wheel, 5 sticks of incense, vestments, a set of common clothes, and a pouch containing 15 gp.

Feature: Shelter of the Faithful

As an acolyte you command the respect of those who share your faith and you can perform the religious ceremonies of your deity. You and your adventuring companions can expect to receive free healing and care at a temple shrine or other established presence of your faith though you must provide any material components needed for spells. Those who share your religion will support you (but only you) at a modest lifestyle. You might also have ties to a specific temple dedicated to your chosen deity or pantheon and you have a residence there. This could be the temple where you used to serve if you remain on good terms with it or a temple where you have found a new home. While near your temple you can call upon the priests for assistance provided the assistance you ask for is not hazardous and you remain in good standing with your temple.

Source: Player's Handbook

[ofyearnings]

name: braxton dunn. // age: late 30's. // gender: cis male. // pronouns: he/him. // occupation: priest. // romantic: panromantic. // sexual: pansexual. // position: switch. // faceclaim: richard madden.

braxton dunn, an enigmatic figure cloaked in the vestments of priesthood, presents a paradoxical existence. behind the façade of religious devotion lies a character marked by sadism and manipulation. while occupying the esteemed position of a priest, braxton has never truly embraced the tenets he espouses. instead, he cunningly exploits the authority bestowed upon him by his title to elevate his social standing. his ambitions, shrouded in charm and guile, weave a complex narrative that blurs the lines between devotion and deception.

[multiversetravelingjournalist]

The Ousted Father

Before his departure from the church, before being declared anathema by his former superiors; The Ousted Father was testified as being one of their most devout zealots. An accomplished Exorcist with a grasp of the written word that his peers confess envy of. So devout that he gave up any chance of fatherhood for he had no intention of ceasing his practice.

Which made it all the more shocking when he publicly declared inconsistencies between the word and practices of his own fellows, declared to have studied "forbidden knowledge" with "blasphemous" justification that it was allowed by the word. such practices and views turned his fame into infamy in the eyes of his brothers.

After failing to "correct" his misguided views, there were talks among the brotherhood about his inevitable excommunication. But before having the chance to even issue such, The Father pinned his declaration of separation on the entrance of a heavily visited temple. Claiming that he can no longer associate himself with the church. Yet will continue his practices with the approval of the word. under all which he provided directions to a temple he will now be residing. by the time a member could tear down the declaration, many goers would claim to have read the full text, including directions to the unsanctioned temple.

Said temple and surrounding grounds was deconsecrated and supposedly abandoned. yet The Father claimed to have met those living under its ill-kept roof who only sought the guidance and acceptance touted by the faith, his faith. yet due to their "sullied" nature of being half-species were denied so. when asked the father would confess feeling pride in these fellows for hanging on despite their ostracism. they would be his first disciples, ordained by him under authority of the word. Without recognition from the priesthood.

And that was only the beginning of his growing infamy. testimonies and accusations from former brothers have been compiled into a list of The Father's "ill practices". such accusations include, but are not limited to:

Providing shelter/sanctuary to a Succubus.

Acknowledging then officiating the "false" claims of said succubus as a sister of the faith. without recognition from the priesthood. Which includes training her on the word. an action claimed "impossible" by the church.

Providing sustenance to said succubus via his own blood. with justification of her being starved upon her arrival and that she would have died soon if not fed. all this done in accordance with "forbidden knowledge" that he claims were allowed by the word.

Taking in a "problematic" young priest who has testimonies to his own ill-practices. such that had found him drifting from temple-to-temple before meeting the Father.

Upon the said priest's reveal of having a "Relationship" with an Incubus, The Father offered to provide "council" between them. said "council" includes the sharing of "forbidden knowledge" and hearing the priests confessions - that he refused to share with the interrogating priests on the grounds of "promised privacy" provided in the word. All which the Priest accepted.

Humoring said priest's "profanity" of the sacred vestments by allowing him to continue wearing "licentious garments" underneath them. Said garments, the priest confessed, having been provided by the aforementioned incubus.

Overlooking "Unsightly behavior" between the priest and incubus on temple grounds and within the temple itself. despite the prior claims of such being deconsecrated. furthermore, facilitating the behavior by guiding temple goers away from the areas where such would take place. in other words, carrying out his duties outlined in the word within "inappropriate" environments while allowing "appropriate" areas to be "defiled" by such activities. The father claims that his duties do not require such under guidance of the word.

Refusing the entrance of Ordained priests and exorcists into his temple on the grounds of "promised sanctuary" under the word. Physically preventing them from forcing their way in and encouraging his disciples to avoid them. going so far as to hide them away whenever they show up.

All of this along with countless accusations of continued "unsanctioned" practice of the faith's services, wearing the vestments as father of the faith, and preaching "blasphemy" to the locals.

Attempts were made to "counteract" his "heretical" beliefs. but for some reason, either fail or bolster his growing presence. When asked, The Father claims to have no intention of ceasing his practices.

[the-hem]

Chapter IV − Meditation on Om as Fearlessness and Immortality. From the Chandogya Upanishad, the Exploration of the Mysteries of the Priesthood.

1 The syllable Om, called the Udgitha "celebration", should be meditated upon; for people sing the Udgitha, beginning with Om. Now follows the detailed explanation of this syllable.

 2 The gods, afraid of death, entered upon the threefold knowledge. They covered themselves with the metrical hymns. Because they covered (acchadayan) themselves with the hymns, the hymns are called chandas.

3 As a fisherman might observe a fish in shallow water, so death observed the gods in the Rik, the Yajus and the Saman. They too came to know this, rose from the Rik, the Yajus and the Saman and entered the Svara (Om) alone.

 4 When a man has mastered the Rig−Veda he loudly utters Om; he does the same when he has mastered the Sama−Veda and the Yajur−Veda. The Svara is the syllable Om; it is immortal and fearless. The gods, by entering it, became immortal and fearless.

5 He who, knowing this, sings the praise of the syllable Om enters this same syllable, called the Svara, which is immortal and fearless. Having entered it, he becomes immortal as the gods are immortal.

Chapter 4 is not about chanting OM, nor is it about fearlessness or immortality. The key word in this chapter is acchadayana, which means to clothe.

We are building on the power of speech and the combinations of its fuel, the Light of Awareness and the Prana, the Divine Atmosphere to communicate Homage or Udgitha to self and parishioners.

The power of speech “clothes” the Direct Experience of Life in its costumes. The more refined and resonant our language is regarding with what I will call the “Objective Grace” of Creation, the more brilliant the wardrobe.

The fabric and the pattern come from one’s biases. God’s Biases are best, but we have to have them too. To fail in this means to be a corpse.

Objective Grace is the knowable and provable Fact a Gracious and Merciful God with an incomprehensible scope for beauty runs things around here.

All of His Biases are filtered through this Scope and then projected through the matter and energy vestments of creation and This is the result.

Through inquiry into this using Speech and language we can know, understand, interact with and do amazing things within It.

Reflect on this for a moment; How God clothes His ideas and dreams in space, the four elements, energy and moves them about using all phenomena, and we through centuries of inquiry into how it all works can indeed partner with Him in enjoyment of it. If we want, and not all of us do.

Not all of us can; not all of us want others to have or love the opportunity. Many of the plants, animals, and people left on the planet earth are desperate for enough of the basics; certainly few have peace of mind about much of anything.

We cannot clothe this kind of despair in Udgitha, that is not its purpose. Svara, the voice, also the pen, can however use all the accumulated wisdom of the World’s Spiritual Teachers to move us into a frame of mind where we want and can motivate people to visualize Udgitha and collaborate and build optimism.

The Teacher who wrote this Chandogya Upanishad referred to the Vedas- the Rik, the Sama, Yajur, etc  but they were probably the only books of instruction on this. We have many more – the Qu’ran, the Gospels, the Sutras, Bhagawad Gita, etc.

Just as fish live immersed in the water, the Rishi says the mind must be immersed in these Tributaries of Understanding. They are not static, and like the Grace of God connects all of us in their depths.

Meditation on This removes fear; as for what is immortal? Here is what I was taught, try not to be too incredulous. Your mind came into existence spontaneously; it will end just the same.

By lacking a cause and also the ability to leave you with any perceptible effects of yourself, you are said not exist at all. That which can never exist can never die, and is therefore….eternal.