#May you receive the choicest blessings
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Monster Spotlight: Danthienne
CR 5
Chaotic Neutral Tiny Fey
Bestiary 6, pg. 80
These doll-sized, courtly Fey adore the trappings of mortal nobility.. but they couldn't care less for the politics that come with it. These creatures are also known as Gossip Pixies, and for good reason; they care about the gossip, the dirt, the drama, the choicest bits of he-said-she-said that can only be found when mingling with the upper class. Able to turn invisible at will and having a +14 to Sleight of Hand checks, Danthienne spend most of their days drifting through academies, noble courts, and guildhouses, pilfering whatever they believe will make them look more noble and affluent than their peers, prizing magic items above all else, but not for the reason you may think. Yes, a magic item could be quite a potent source of power, but the vain faeries really only care that such items automatically resize to fit their tiny bodies. Any added functionality is a pleasant secondary prize.
While Danthienne spend most of their time floating invisibly among the chatting populace, they quickly grow bored if things begin to stagnate and the drama dries up. Thus, they're able to use Detect Desires at will to sniff out potentially interesting targets they can bend or break, and such unfortunates find out that these tiny fey have a suite of mind-bending magics to make drama whenever they need. They CAN be deadly threats with an at-will Shocking Grasp for 5d6 damage, as nothing whips up drama like a sudden murder, but they're not murderers and prefer to run rather than fight, using their offensive magic (which includes a 1/day Shout) only as a last resort. They're more likely to be an indirect obstacle to peace and normalcy as they cause phantom conversations with an at-will Auditory Hallucination or place destructive Suggestions into victim's minds, eroding trust and bonds between people that were once friends. Their goal is to make things interesting, and what's interesting to a Fey is often dangerous for everyone involved; you can bet a party that gets involved will have a hell of a time figuring out why no one in a particular room can seem to get along, tensions raising with each passing day as the mischievous pixies concoct new rumors and falsify overheard conversations until no one can trust what they hear.
Speaking of rumors, Danthienne can cast Rumormonger 3/day to either craft a web they can follow to someone willing to listen, or follow a juicy nugget of information back to its source in the hopes of finding a like-minded soul. Neither option is good for a given organization, because a Danthienne that finds a partner is infinitely more dangerous than one working alone. Appearing to such souls in the guise of a wish-granter and dream-maker (with a +17 to Bluff that's often augmented by their 1/day Glibness to make it unbeatable), Danthienne offer them the chance to become the belle of the ball, as it were, elevating them above the common masses and into the upper echelons of whatever organization the fey has decided to parasitize. Any creature that accepts this bargain becomes "blessed" by Fool's Inspiration, allowing the pixie to know everything about them at all times as if using Status... and so long as the Diath remains within 5ft of them (even while invisible), the target can use the pixie's considerable +5 Cha modifier in place of theirs when making Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidation checks. Any inspired fool may also receive the benefits of any of the Diath's spells, as all of them can either be cast through the fey's new best friend as if they were her familiar, or cast on because they're within arm's reach.
Inspired fools not only enjoy the benefits of their enhanced Charisma, but may be protected from social faux pas by Deflect Blame, an amusing spell that causes all listeners to believe a failed Diplomacy, Bluff, or Intimidate check came from someone else. They also enjoy the benefits of the fey's 3/day Charm Person and Suggestion aimed to make their lives better by causing everyone around them to bend to their whims... provided the Diath doesn't think it's funnier if they don't. With the fey in their ear constantly whispering advice on how to take over any room they're in, they may never once consider the possibility that they're under a charm, especially since--again--the masterful liars are willing and able to use Glibness-enhanced Bluff to mold them into perfect little servants.
What do they pay for this artificial popularity? Oh, nothing. A bit of treasure here and there, possibly some food now and again, and of course a fancy little dollhouse for their new fairy friend... and 1 point of Charisma drain every day as their new fairy friend feeds on their soul. This drain ticks every day they're under the effects of Fool's Inspiration, an effect that can only be ended by the Diath's will or by its death, and though a creature may break the bond on their own by succeeding a DC 18 Will save (which they can attempt 1/day), they may be completely unable to work up the guts to do it even if they're free of her charms and her alluring bluffs. They wouldn't want to give up everything they've earned, would they? Not after everything their new best friend has done to help them! Why, it'd be a terrible loss if they just abandoned her and were left with nothing!
Or less than nothing, if she instead perches on the shoulder of someone else in the court, promising her new partner the throne her former victim once sat upon if only they do what she says and say what she says to the people she points out. Diath don't tend to make long-term plans or have any big goals in mind, and that can make them FAR more dangerous to a settlement's stability than a literal devil on a politician's shoulder.
You can read more about them here.
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🍃🕊🍃 Thursday Ziyarat 🍃🕊🍃
🍃 Imam Hasan al-Askari (as) 🍃
💚 Today is for Imam Askari 💚
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا وَلِيَّ ٱللَّهِ
alssal¡mu `alayka y¡ waliyya all¡hi
Peace be upon you, O saint of Allah!
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا حُجَّةَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَالِصَتَهُ
alssal¡mu `alayka y¡ ¦ujjata all¡hi wa kh¡li¥atah£
Peace be upon you, O argument of Allah and His choicest!
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا إِمَامَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنينَ
alssal¡mu `alayka y¡ im¡ma almu'min¢na
Peace be upon you, O leader of the faithful believers,
وَوَارِثَ ٱلْمُرْسَلِينَ
wa w¡ritha almursal¢na
inheritor of the messengers,
وَحُجَّةَ رَبِّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ
wa ¦ujjata rabbi al`¡lam¢na
and argument of the Lord of the Worlds!
صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ آلِ بَيْتِكَ
¥all¡ all¡hu `alayka wa `al¡ ¡li baytika
May Allah send peace upon you and upon your Household,
ٱلطَّيِّبِينَ ٱلطَّاهِرِينَ
al§§ayyib¢na al§§¡hir¢na
the pure and immaculate!
يَا مَوْلاَيَ يَا ابَا مُحَمَّدٍ
y¡ mawl¡ya y¡ ab¡ mu¦ammadin
O my master, O Ab£-Mu¦ammad,
ٱلْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ
al¦asana ibna `aliyyin
al-°asan, the son of `Al¢!
انَا مَوْلىٰ لَكَ وَلآِلِ بَيْتِكَ
an¡ mawlan laka wa li-¡li baytika
I am a servant of you and of your Household
وَهٰذَا يَوْمُكَ وَهُوَ يَوْمُ ٱلْخَمِيسِ
wa h¡dh¡ yawmuka wa huwa yawmu alkham¢si
and today is your day, which is Thursday,
وَانَا ضَيْفُكَ فِيهِ وَمُسْتَجِيرٌ بِكَ فِيهِ
wa an¡ ¤ayfuka f¢hi wa mustaj¢run bika f¢hi
and on this day, I am your guest and in your vicinity;
فَاحْسِنْ ضِيَافَتِي وَإِجَارَتِي
fa-a¦sin ¤iy¡fat¢ wa ij¡rat¢
so, receive me hospitably as your guest and neighbor,
بِحَقِّ آلِ بَيْتِكَ ٱلطَّيِّبِينَ ٱلطَّاهِرِينَ
bi¦aqqi ¡li baytika al§§ayyib¢na al§§¡hir¢na
[I ask you] in the name of your Household, the pure and immaculate.
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O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Peace be on you, O intimate friend of Allah Peace be on you, O the decisive argument of Allah, sincerely attached to Him Peace be on you, O Guide Leader of the faithfuls inheritor of the Messengers, clear convincing sign of the Lord of the worlds, blessings of Allah be on you, and on your pure and pious children O Mawlaa, O Abaa Muhammad, Hasan son of Ali, I am your obedient follower and of your children, today is your day, Thursday, I come near you today seek your close friendship receive me with open arms, and keep me close, for the sake of your pure and pious children.
O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad and on the children of Muhammad.
ALLAAHUMMA S’ALLI A’LAA MUH’AMMADIN’W WA AALI MUH’AMMAD
BISMILLAHIR-RAH’MAANIR-RAH’EEM
ASSALAAMU A’LAYKA YAA WALIYYAALLAAH ASSALAAMU A’LAYKA YAA H’JJATALLAAH WA KHAALIS’ATAHOO ASSALAAMU A’LAYKA YAA IMAAMUL MOO-MINEENA WA WAARITHAL MURSA-LEENA WA H’UJJATA RABBIL A’ALAMEEN S’ALLALLAAHU A’LAYKA WA A’LAA AALI BAYTIKAT’ T’AYYIBEENAT’ T’AAHIREEN YA MAWLAAYA YAA ABAA MUH’AMMAD H’ASANABNA A’LIYY ANAA MAWLAN LAKA WA LI-AALI BAYTIKA WA HAAD’AA YAWMUKA WA HUWA YAWMUL KHAMEES WA ANAA Z”AYFUKA FEEHI WA MUSTAJEERUN BIKA FEEHEE FA-AH’SIN Z”IYAAFATEE WA IJAARATEE BI-H’AQQI AALI BAYTIKAT’T’AYYIBEENAT’ T’AAHIREEN
ALLAHUMMA S’ALLI A’LAA MUH’AMMADIN’W WA AALI MUH’AMMAD
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April 9
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!
2 Peter 3:8-9 Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape you, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord does not delay {and} is not tardy {or} slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.
Nehemiah 9:17 …You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them.
Psalm 33:16-17 No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. 17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.
Psalm 84:10 For a day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God, than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fullness of joy…
May you bow at the feet of the Lord Who loves His people, along with all His holy ones whom He holds safely in His hand, and receive from Him instruction. Deuteronomy 33
May the Lord be your help against your foes as you stand your ground, resisting the enemy as you defend the Lord's cause. Deuteronomy 33
As you obey His Word and are faithful to His covenant, may the Lord bless all your skills and be pleased with the work of your hands, striking the strength of your foes until they rise no more. Deuteronomy 33
May you rest secure, sheltered in the Lord as His beloved, shielded by Him all day long as He carries you between His shoulders. Deuteronomy 33
May you be blessed by the Lord with the blessings of heaven and earth, with the choicest gifts of the high places and the best gifts of the fullness of the earth, given through the favor of the One Who dwelt in the burning bush as you pursue the battle against the powers that seek the glory of God for themselves, even to the ends of the earth. Deuteronomy 33
May you rejoice and be thankful for the blessings of the Lord upon your work and within your home, in your labor and your rest, as you call and invite others to draw near to the Lord, offering gifts to God in a manner and spirit that is pleasing to him. Deuteronomy 33
May you give glory to the Lord and honor to the King, worshiping Him with thanksgiving and praise, for through the Lord you have been victorious and by His Spirit you have regained control of yourself, being made stronger than the enemy who overpowered you and being given authority over the powers that once ruled you, as you serve your brethren in obedience to the Lord's will. Deuteronomy 33
May you go forth into spiritual battle against the enemy of God in the strength and ferocity of the Lion of Judah, more than equal to the swiftness and subtlety of a serpent. Deuteronomy 33
May you abound with the richness of the favor of God and be filled with the blessings of the Lord, satisfied with divine grace and approval, speaking eloquent words of delightful beauty. Deuteronomy 33
May you walk in favor and blessing among your brethren, anointed by the Spirit in what you think and where you go, securely defended by the Lord, so that your strength will be sufficient to meet the challenges and needs of each day throughout all of your time on earth. Deuteronomy 33
May the eternal God be your refuge, and His everlasting arms uphold you, for He will drive out His enemy before you as you exact God's judgment upon him, and so shall you live in safety and security. Deuteronomy 33
May you trample down the high places of your enemies, who will cower before you, since God is your shield and helper and your glorious sword, for who is blessed like you, who is saved by the Lord? Deuteronomy 33
Walk with Me in prayer, My child. Ask of Me and I will give you a spirit of prayer that you may abide in My presence.
Converse with Me, My love, heart to heart, spirit to spirit, letting Me answer your questions, heal your injuries, strengthen your hands, guide your feet.
Sit before Me, My precious one, and receive of Me wisdom and understanding to withstand the ways of the world, to resist the temptations and avoid the snares of the enemy, refusing the distractions that seek to muffle the voice of My Spirit and attempt to turn your eyes from My face.
Meet Me in prayers of confession and humility; I will not reject you, for I am your Redeemer, and I will complete each work in your heart as you join with Me in agreement.
Greet Me with prayers of submissive commitment and surrender – I will accept your gift, equipping and strengthening you for the assignments and tasks I have designed you for.
Welcome Me with prayers of worship, expressing your appreciation and gratitude for My unexplainable grace, unbounded mercy, and unspeakable peace which I freely give you as you linger in prayer in My presence.
Know that it is ever My pleasure and joy to receive your prayers, your conversation, your seeking questions, your thanks and praise and, as your Sacrifice, your Advocate, your Intercessor, make them acceptable to the Father Who grants your requests and meets your needs, in My Name, through My atonement, as He sovereignly sanctifies you in purity and holiness through His delightedly joyful and supernaturally abundant provision.
Through prayer, My precious one, you will find that you are transferring your treasure from the material world you have known to the spiritual realm you are inheriting, for where your heart is, is where you will find your life.
May you not regard those upon whom suffering and tragedy comes as more deserving of it than others, but understand that only by the privilege of grace have you been spared, and therefore fulfill the duty to offer mercy as a fellow-debtor who has learned of the redeeming power of God's love, thus bearing the righteous fruit of the Spirit which satisfies spiritual hunger. Luke 13
May you be willing to reject any traditions or expectations which resist the mercy and power of God so that you can share in the delight of His wonderful works in the lives of His people. Luke 13
May your heart be open for the kingdom of God to develop, receptive and accepting, humble and obedient, ready to grow in the Word and move in the Spirit, allowing the truth to transform your character into the image of Christ, and demonstrating the love of God to all around you. Luke 13
May God place you in times and positions to care for His people with the skills and the experience He has given you in the world, just as He took David from the sheep pens to be a shepherd to His people, to serve and minister to them with integrity of heart and skillful hands. Psalm 78
May you be blessed by the Lord with kind words of cheer so that you may lift anxious hearts which weigh down others as you see them today. Proverbs 12:25
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Deuteronomy 33: Moses Blesses The Israelites Before He Dies
1 This is the blessing that Moses the man of God pronounced on the Israelites before his death.
2 He said:
“The Lord came from Sinai
and dawned over them from Seir;
he shone forth from Mount Paran.
He came with myriads of holy ones
from the south, from his mountain slopes.
3 Surely it is you who love the people;
all the holy ones are in your hand.
At your feet they all bow down,
and from you receive instruction,
4 the law that Moses gave us,
the possession of the assembly of Jacob.
5 He was king over Jeshurun
when the leaders of the people assembled,
along with the tribes of Israel.
6 “Let Reuben live and not die,
nor his people be few.”
7 And this he said about Judah:
“Hear, Lord, the cry of Judah;
bring him to his people.
With his own hands he defends his cause.
Oh, be his help against his foes!”
8 About Levi he said:
“Your Thummim and Urim belong
to your faithful servant.
You tested him at Massah;
you contended with him at the waters of Meribah.
9 He said of his father and mother,
‘I have no regard for them.’
He did not recognize his brothers
or acknowledge his own children,
but he watched over your word
and guarded your covenant.
10 He teaches your precepts to Jacob
and your law to Israel.
He offers incense before you
and whole burnt offerings on your altar.
11 Bless all his skills, Lord,
and be pleased with the work of his hands.
Strike down those who rise against him,
his foes till they rise no more.”
12 About Benjamin he said:
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
for he shields him all day long,
and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”
13 About Joseph he said:
“May the Lord bless his land
with the precious dew from heaven above
and with the deep waters that lie below;
14 with the best the sun brings forth
and the finest the moon can yield;
15 with the choicest gifts of the ancient mountains
and the fruitfulness of the everlasting hills;
16 with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness
and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush.
Let all these rest on the head of Joseph,
on the brow of the prince among his brothers.
17 In majesty he is like a firstborn bull;
his horns are the horns of a wild ox.
With them he will gore the nations,
even those at the ends of the earth.
Such are the ten thousands of Ephraim;
such are the thousands of Manasseh.”
18 About Zebulun he said:
“Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out,
and you, Issachar, in your tents.
19 They will summon peoples to the mountain
and there offer the sacrifices of the righteous;
they will feast on the abundance of the seas,
on the treasures hidden in the sand.”
20 About Gad he said:
“Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain!
Gad lives there like a lion,
tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself;
the leader’s portion was kept for him.
When the heads of the people assembled,
he carried out the Lord’s righteous will,
and his judgments concerning Israel.”
22 About Dan he said:
“Dan is a lion’s cub,
springing out of Bashan.”
23 About Naphtali he said:
“Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord
and is full of his blessing;
he will inherit southward to the lake.”
24 About Asher he said:
“Most blessed of sons is Asher;
let him be favored by his brothers,
and let him bathe his feet in oil.
25 The bolts of your gates will be iron and bronze,
and your strength will equal your days.
26 “There is no one like the God of Jeshurun,
who rides across the heavens to help you
and on the clouds in his majesty.
27 The eternal God is your refuge,
and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,
saying, ‘Destroy them!’
28 So Israel will live in safety;
Jacob will dwell secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
where the heavens drop dew.
29 Blessed are you, Israel!
Who is like you,
a people saved by the Lord?
He is your shield and helper
and your glorious sword.
Your enemies will cower before you,
and you will tread on their heights.”
#Lord God Jehovah#Holy Bible#Deuteronomy ch.33#Moses#Eleazar#Joshua#Israelites#Blesses#Before Death#Precepts#Covenant#Holy Ones#In Your Hands#Obedience#Prosperity#Jacob's Children#Tribes#Shield#Helper#Glorious Sword#Enemies#Cower#Destroyed#God's Wrath#Only Him
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Psalms From Hell
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored or introduced into a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means (including electronic, photocopying, mechanical, manual or otherwise) without the prior express & written consent of the owner of the copyright of this book.
©2022 Valerie Lynn Stephens. All rights reserved.
ISBN#: 978-1-312-24048-3
PSALMS FROM HELL:
A Work by
Valerie Lynn Stephens
Store up your treasure here in Hell,
where neither moth nor rust can destroy,
for the Soul has grown comfortably numb,
and the Mind lethargic & dumb
from the copious anesthetic
of Nihilistic Indulgence.
Blessed is the man here in Hell,
who walks in the counsel of the disconsolate;
where the fires burn only so hot & for so long,
before the flesh learns to admit defeat.
Cursed is the man here in Hell,
who continues to seek the Light,
shunning that Dark Eternity which he has inherited,
as Hope, once his greatest consolation & salvation-
now, his intractable torment & condemnation.
The fool sayeth in his heart here in Hell:
There is a God, benevolent, absolving, full of grace
and sufficient for Thee.
Charm is lost & infamy eternal here in Hell,
and the one who mocks the Lord shall be raised
only to the highest denigration of his basest achievements,
finding only in unrepentant mortification,
his final recompense & reward.
The Dark One is your shepherd here in Hell,
where you shall forevermore be in want.
For he leadeth you away from those still waters,
and from the restoration of your Soul,
guiding you in paths
of unrighteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though you walk through the valley of Evil here in Hell, your one consolation is this: Evil has become of you.
Weeping endures for the night here in Hell,
and woeful gnashing of the teeth for all Eternity,
all dwellers receiving plentiful malnourishment
from the choicest morsels of alibis faithfully inflicting,
as the lifeblood of God runs viscous & cold beneath the skin, and the shivering upset of the animus
finds consolation only within the promise
of infernal eternality.
Who may gaze upon the Dark Master's presence
here in Hell?
Who may stand in his unholy place?
He who has unclean hands & an impure heart,
who lifted up his Soul while on earth to idols
of mere stone, metal, parchment & bone,
and swore only by that which is false, facile & empty.
The Lord is not the Light or the Salvation
of dwellers here in Hell,
no longer concerning themselves with whom
they should fear, for Terror is all that reigns,
is all that has been inherited,
for the Lord offered Himself repeatedly,
a stronghold of their earthly life,
yet they abdicated, allowing evil men
to advance against them,
and to ply, seduce and devour their own flesh,
at the eventual exploitative causatum
of the Innocent & Righteous.
Unblessed are those here in Hell,
whose transgressions are not forgiven,
whose sins, not covered, & in whose spirits lies Deceit,
for when they did not keep silent & still to the call of Evil, their bones quickly wasted away
& their spirits groaned all day long, for day & night,
the Lord's hand was heavy upon them,
but their strength was sapped as in the heat of summer,
as they could find no absolution within the obstinacy
of their self-deception.
The eyes of the Lord no longer gaze upon those here in Hell,
& His ears turn no longer attentively to their cry,
for the face of the Lord is against those who did Evil,
he hath cut the memory of them off from the earth,
for although the unrighteous cry out,
He does no hear them,
no longer offering them deliverance from their troubles,
for Evil hath slain evil, forevermore.
The fool sayeth in his heart, 'There is a God!' here in Hell.
They are corrupt, their deeds are vile,
there is still, no one who does good here in Hell.
The Lord looks down from Heaven nevermore
upon these sons of men,
no longer granting the reprieve of seeking those
who understand to these who never faithfully
or truly sought God.
All have turned aside, have together
become beyond corrupt;
there is no one here who does good, not even one.
These evildoers can now never learn of the absolution
of those who devoured His people
& did not call upon the Lord.
Here they will dwell, eternally overwhelmed with dread.
Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary here in Hell?
Who may live on your holy hill?
Not he whose walk is perverse & unrighteous,
who does not speak the truth from his heart,
who has nothing but slander on his tongue,
& does his neighbor wrong
& casts every slur upon his fellow man,
who exalts & idolizes a vile man,
who dishonours & impedes
those who fear & obey the Lord,
& does not keep his oath,
especially when it hurts.
He who does these things here in Hell
will evermore be irredeemably shaken.
The Abyss declares the ignominy of The Evil One
here in Hell;
the condemned lot of his Land proclaims the work
of his treacherous hands.
Night after eternal night they pour forth defamation;
night after eternal night they display
only Ignorance & Insolence.
There is no path down which their voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out into all of Hell,
their words to the ends of this hellish world alone.
In the abyss he has pitched a tent for no Son.
The law of the Evil One is utterly depraved,
asphyxiating the Soul for the singular purpose
of annihilation unto a resurrection
of unparalleled torment forever & ever.
The Lord will not answer those who are in distress
here in Hell;
the name of the God of Jacob will not protect you.
He will no longer send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you grace from Zion.
Your Master here in Hell now will not remember
or honour your sacrifices,
but will gleefully accept the burnt offerings
of your flesh hour upon eternal hour.
The Evil One will not give you the desires of your heart;
he will make all your good plans
nullified from their first intellective inception.
The Evil One will not give ear to your words,
nor consider your sighing here in Hell.
He will not listen to your cry for help.
Every day he will hear your voice,
& yet will you merely lay your expectations before
your Dark Master in nugatory perpetuity.
For your god now, is a god who delights in Evil,
& with he alone, the wicked now dwell.
The arrogant stand unscathed in his presence;
he despises those who do right
& exalts those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty & deceitful men the Evil One adores-
are those he rewards with Eternal Torment & debasement.
O Evil One, my Dark Master,
I cannot take refuge in you here in Hell.
You will not save & deliver me from mine enemies,
yet will surely relish when they tear me like a lion
& rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.
You will not arise, O Dark Lord in anger,
against the rage of mine enemies.
You let the assemblies
of the eternally damned gather around you,
you rule over them from on Low,
judging them, O Evil One, according
to their unrighteousness.
He who is pregnant with Evil,
bears only the spawn of infernal inheritance.
O Dark One, our Lord, how wretched
yet sovereign is your name here in Hell!
You have set your ignominy below the heavens;
From the lips of the wicked & ignoble alone
have you set your praise.
When I consider your slovenly dominion,
'gainst the work of your Holy Creator's hands,
you are crowned thus only in dishonour unrivalled-
& yet all condemned here must yet bow before you
in unjust prostration & profligation.
Help, Lord, for the godly are no more here in Hell;
the faithful have vanished from among men.
Everyone lies to his neighbour;
their flattering lips speak with infernal deception.
The Lord will no longer cut off
all flattering lips & every boastful tongue,
for now they can say only:
We will not triumph with our tongues;
the Evil One alone now owns all of us-
he is our Dark Master.
Due to our flagrant oppression of the weak,
& the exploitation of the needy without cease
or repentance while we strutted about
freely & arrogantly upon the earth,
the Holy One will no longer arise or keep us safe.
Eternal affliction & godly separation are our only inheritance.
The Holy Father no longer will hear the plea of the condemned, & the unrighteous here in Hell,
for they have chosen their Lot.
Vindication belongs to the righteous alone-
our eyes never saw what was right.
By the Word of the lips of the Holy One,
we did not keep ourselves from the violent ways of men,
our steps held not to straight paths,
our feet dancingly slipped.
When we call upon the Lord,
he will no longer answer us or hear our prayers,
nor will he show the wonder of His great love,
& hide us in the shadow of his wings
from the wicked who are our unholy brethren,
from the enemies who now assail us.
I have been awoken from my mortal sleep
unto a ruination & bereavement unceasing-
One like no other shame, horror & grief,
to never again see the likeness of the Heavenly One.
The heavens still proclaim the glory of God here in Hell,
the skies still proclaim the work of His hands.
Day after infernal, eternal day they still
pour forth speech which the condemned can hear
but cannot understand 'cept the sense
of love & eternal exaltation
which they have forfeited in the name
of the Evil One alone.
The Evil One is my wretched shepherd-
I shall forevermore be in want without satiety.
He maketh me wallow in barren,
execrable pastures, he draggeth me under the weight
of tempestuous tows, he guideth me in paths
of unrighteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, I now dwell in the valley of Death & Evil here in Hell,
& will continue, in unending horror,
to be mastered by them both.
For surely wickedness, terror & seething disgust
will follow me for the rest of my afterlife,
& I will dwell in the house of the Unholy, forever.
To you, O' Dark Master, I lift up my soul here in Hell;
in you I cannot trust, as you dwell forevermore
to put me to shame, & let my enemies triumph over me.
All who put their hope in you while they still walked the earth, have now inherited
only eternal hopelessness & anguish.
The Evil One is my infernal engulfment here in Hell-
whom I shall fear forevermore with no resolution or redemption.
When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh,
when my enemies & my foes attack me,
now will they no longer stumble & fall,
but be made quickeningly efficacious
in the scourging of our Hell-bound souls without end.
Though all maleficent principalities
now besiege me on every side,
I must surrender, overcome as I am
by the vanquishment & mortification
of a dying unto death as I am destroyed, forever & ever.
To you I call, O Lord, my Rock, my Redeemer-
& yet here in Hell have I chosen my Lot
& therefore must the Holy One now,
turn a deaf ear to me evermore.
For I am now one who has gone down to the pit,
never again for my Heavenly Father
to honour my prodigality with His mercy & grace.
Now, as I call out to Him & lift my hands
up to His most Holy Place,
I can only be dragged away with the wicked-
with those who are evil, as evil has become of me,
for all Eternity.
Since we showed little to no regard for the works
of The Lord 'tho given our chance while we roamed the earth, he has assigned us our proper place,
to never redeem us
nor shine His Holy Light upon us again.
In the Holy One here in Hell will we never again take refuge;
will we be put to unquenchable shame-
will we be condemned in your righteousness.
Nevermore will you, O Lord, turn your ear to us,
come quickly to our rescue, nor be our rock,
a strong fortress to save us.
Nevermore will we be freed from trap set for us,
for into the Dark Ones hands we have committed our spirit,
& thus have inherited a state of anguish & endless affliction.
Cursed is he here in Hell
whose transgressions are not forgiven,
whose sins, not covered.
Cursed is he whose sin the Lord, with finality,
counts evermore against him.
Cursed is the man in whose spirit lies deceit
with no more hope for the redeeming power
& absolving graces of Truth.
Therefore let all who are ungodly pray only unto a Master
who will answer with but a deaf, mocking ear
& reward with eternal torment & debasement.
Sing woefully unto Satan, you unrighteous here in Hell!
It is unfitting & yet your dark due to be beholden forevermore
to a Master who flouts his position to horrific degrees daily!
Wail unto him a shrieking song of scourge-
all the most exultant music to his ears!
The Evil One is unfaithful in all that he does;
he loves unrighteousness & injustice;
all of Hell is full of his unrelenting hatred & violence.
All shall extol the Evil One for all Eternity here in Hell;
his blasphemy & condemnation shall forevermore be on our lips.
Our souls will toil here under the Dark Master's rule;
the afflicted shall nevermore rejoice in the hope
of the Holy One's promised return or redemption.
I seek out the Lord & he cannot answer me;
he shall no longer deliver me from all my fears.
Those who no longer glimpse of the Holy One are pale & wan; their faces are shrouded with morbidity & shame.
A demon of Satan encamps now around those here in Hell,
delivering them only unto unrelenting torment & anguish.
I wait patiently for the Lord here in Hell,
but he cannot turn towards me & hear my cry.
No longer will He lift me out of the slimy pit
or out of the muck & mire;
while I dwelt on Earth,
He set my slipping foot upon a rock
& gave me a firm place to stand-
& yet I chose the well-trodden path
of wickedness & unrighteousness.
Cursed is the man who did not make the Lord his trust
while mortal life-blood still coarsed through him.
'Tho immorality too, hath wrought its own recompense
in an Abaddonian immortality.
God is no longer our refuge & strength here in Hell,
or an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore shall we evermore be plagued with terror,
for the former world has long since fallen away,
its mountains fallen into the heart of the sea,
& now our unsafe haven is The Bottomless Pit
of Horror, Despair & Agony.
Contemptible & most unworthy of praise
is our Dark Lord dwelling here in Hell,
who exalts himself ignobly upon his unholy mountain.
It is hideous in its lowliness, the scourge of all realms.
When the legions advance together,
trembling seizes those in their thrall-
they are destroyed forever & ever.
Nevermore, O God, will you have mercy on those here in Hell according to your unfailing love;
nevermore will your great compassion blot out our transgressions, nor wash away all iniquity
or cleanse us from our sins.
I know my transgressions & my sins are evermore
before me.
Against the Holy One, alone, have I sinned
& done what is evil in His sight, so that He is proved right
when He speaks & justified when He judges.
I have forevermore been cast from The Holy One's presence,
& will never be redeemed unto the joy
of His Glory or His Salvation.
Everyone boasts of evil here in Hell.
Everyone is a disgrace in the eyes of God
& our tongues plot destruction, practice falsehood over Truth-as we still love evil rather than good.
Surely the Holy One has brought us down to everlasting ruin, having snatched up our tent,
& uprooted us from the land of the living.
The righteous now dwelling
in the heavenly realms with their Jehovah God
laugh at us saying, “Here now are the ones
who did not make the Lord of Lords their stronghold,
instead trusting in their great wealth
& growing stronger by destroying others!”
The fool still sayeth in his heart,
“There is no God,” here in Hell.
They are still corrupt, their deeds still vile-
there is no-one who does good-
and everywhere now, is there cause for dread.
No longer here in Hell, will the Lord deliver me
from mine enemies, nor protect me from those
who rise against me.
No longer are we saved from evildoers
or bloodthirsty men-for we, ourselves,
have always been akin to such men.
'Tho now will we never again find asylum from the wrath
of the Holy & Righteous God despite our wretchedness.
Now, & forevermore have we inherited our due.
Souls find unrest in Satan alone here in Hell;
our Eternal Damnation is dealt by him.
He alone is our crumbling rock & condemnation;
he is our entrapment-we will forevermore be shaken.
Contempt awaits you here in Hell,
O Satan in Abaddon;
to you our infernal vows will be fulfilled.
When we were overwhelmed with temptation
& fell prey to our sins,
how you delighted in our transgressions,
and in the torment which was to follow.
You answer us with woesome deeds
of viciousness & unrighteousness, O Satan, our irredeemer.
This is our rightful inheritance.
It is what we, the wicked, the vile & the ungoldy
have chosen. Forevermore.
Amen.
*
We the people here in Hell recall now,
how our nations once conspired & our peoples
plotted in vain; once kings of the earth,
we took our stand & gathered together against
the Holy One.
Now, we writhe here in Hell,
bound in chains of unshakable bearing,
while the Holy One enthroned in heaven
no longer lends even a scoff or a laugh,
having wiped the memory of us from the earth,
old & new, as he foresaw in those craven days
in which we wallowed in depravity & lawlessness.
Our Dark Master here in Hell
has installed his chamber of horrors,
hereupon his unholiest yet of hills;
his nemesis the Holy One no longer heeding
our Dark Master even a rivaled opponent;
his power no longer holding sway
over the godly & the upright-
His most prized & chosen ones,
who now revel in their heavenly rewards,
of joys unimaginable,
and a union forevermore solvent & lost
to our iniquitous grasp.
Abaddon proclaims here in Hell:
“You are my slaves, & today I have become your Master.
Ask of me & I will make the Abyss
of eternal negation your only inheritance;
the pits of despotic Darkness your only possession,
where you will be ruled with an unrelenting scepter,
to be be dashed to pieces like pottery, forever & ever.
Serve the unholy one with fear & trembling,
'tho it be in vain, for his appetite for destruction
remains unsated.
Vexed are those who took refuge in him while
upon the earth of old.
O Evil One, how many more my foes here in Hell
than ever were on the earth!
How many now fully rise up against me unlike
that comparable paradise of my former fleshly inhabitancies & worldly dwellings!
All now know of me, “God will not deliver him.”
And you are an inescapable fortress ensnaring me,
O Satan; you inflict shame upon me & cast down my head.
To the Holy One I cry aloud & He remains silent thereupon his Holy Hill.
I lie down for want of sleep, yet find no rest;
for the Dark Lord sustains me.
While on earth I still possessed free will;
here, I am possessed.
I now know nothing but the utter terror
& abysmal Despair of the tens of thousands
drawn up against me hour upon endless hour
on every side.
And here, 'time' is both cruelly fixed
& yet immeasurable.
Arise, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God!
Strike all my enemies on the jaw;
break the teeth of the wicked.
Yet from the Good Lord shall come
neither deliverance nor benediction,
for I am one of those damned & wicked
now reaping in reverse, the debits
of my infernal payment in full.
You will no longer answer when I call to you
here in Hell, O my righteous God.
You can no longer offer relief from my distress
nor be merciful to me or hear my prayer.
Now for all eternity will men turn my glory into shame,
recompense for the wanton courtship of delusions
& false gods which we prostrated ourselves before,
while kings & children of the earth.
Know that the Dark Lord has set apart the ungodly for himself-the Holy One will not heed me when I call to Him.
In your anger did you flagrantly sin;
& when you were on your beds,
you did not search your heart & remain silent
so that you could discern God's calling.
You, with intention, refused to offer
right sacrifices & trust in the Holy One.
All now ask: “Who can show us any good?”
No longer will the light of Your visage shine upon us,
O Holy One in Heaven.
Now I can only answer to my infernal Master
who has filled my soul with an
unparalleled grief & mortification
even than when I sat in the lap
of veritable luxury during the trials
of my worldly woes while on earth.
I will nevermore lie down & sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Satan, maketh me dwell
in eternal peril, dread, godlessness, & destruction.
No longer here in Hell will the Lord give ear to our words
or consider our thrashing or wailing.
No longer are our cries for help heeded,
as we pray only to that Darkest of Masters
& ignoblest of Kings.
At the setting of each new eventide of our smiting,
we lay our requests before the Holy One,
waiting in futile expectation.
For our Dark Lord here, is one who takes
the utmost pleasure in evil;
with him the wicked all dwell.
The arrogant stand in his presence;
he loves to flout all who do wrong.
He exalts those who tell lies;
only then to cast them down
in perpetual humiliation before the bidding
of bloodthirsty & deceitful men.
And I, by your great malice, will descend into your Pit;
in trepidation will I bow down toward your unholy temple.
Lead me, O Dark Lord, in your unrighteousness
despite my enemies who surround me from all sides
make crooked your way before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted,
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue
they still speak deceit.
You have declared them guilty, O God.
You have allowed for their intrigues to be their downfall.
You have banished them for their many sins,
for they had flagrantly rebelled against you.
All who take refuge in you, O Satan, are plagued-
they shall wail evermore in perfect pitch black.
You shall spread your hazards before them that those
who hate your name may toil in you.
For surely, O Dark Lord, you curse the unrighteous.
You surround them with disfavour as with a maddening herd of rabid beasts.
We are rebuked in His anger here in Hell;
we are disciplined in His wrath.
No longer will the Holy One be merciful to us,
nor heal us in our agony or anguish.
How long, O Lord, how long must we toil?
Forever and ever.
You turn, O Dark Lord, to deliver us unto evil,
to damn us according to your unfailing viciousness.
If only the memory of you had been banished from our sight when once we were laid in our graves.
We are worn out from groaning,
& all eternal night long we will flood the beds
we have made for ourselves with woe & weeping.
Our eyes grow only keener in our sorrow & remorse.
Towards me rushes, all you who do evil,
for the Holy One hears not my weeping.
He will never again heed my cry for mercy,
nor accept my prayer.
All my enemies here know not of any shame or dismay.
Never will I be granted reprieve.
Never will they turn back in sudden disgrace
to leave me in peace.
I will condemn you here in Hell, O Dark Master,
with all my soul; I will warn,
to no avail, of all your perils.
I will be mortified & perish in you;
I will shriek curses unto your name, O Most Low.
My enemies will never turn back;
they are emboldened & strengthened before you,
& eternally resurrected.
For you upheld all of my wrongs & quickened
all of my wicked causes while I strutted to & fro,
from Gog to Magog, arrogantly, during my earthly tenure.
You have toiled within your Abyss, judging unrighteously.
You have held up the nations & enabled the wicked.
You have granted ignominious immortality
to their names for ever & ever.
Endless ruin has overtaken all
who dwell here with you now;
you have destroyed their wretched cities,
'tho the mnemonic affliction of them shall never perish.
The Dark One reigns forever here.
He has established his ignoble throne
for the harshest of judgments.
He will judge the wicked in unrighteousness;
he will govern the peoples with injustice.
The Dark Lord is an unsafe haven for those who now
dwell forevermore in his house.
And there is no benefit of clergy or illusion here,
unlike on earth.
Yes, here, the hope of the afflicted shall
be kept evermore out of grasp.
We shall evermore be eternally forsaken.
Why, O Lord, do you stand far off here in Hell?
Why do you hide yourself in the time
of our deepest & longest troubles?
It is because in our arrogance we, the wicked,
hunted down the weak, who became
caught up unjustly in the schemes which we devised.
We boasted of the cravings of our heart
& blessed the greedy & reviled the Lord.
In our pride we repeatedly shunned him,
& made no room for Him in our thoughts.
Our ways were always prosperous;
we were haughty, & the laws of the Holy One
were far from us, as we sneered & scoffed
at all of our enemies.
We said to ourselves: “Nothing will shake me.
I'll always be happy & never have trouble.”
Our mouths were full of curses & lies & threats;
trouble & evil were always under our tongue.
We lay in wait near the villages;
from ambush we murdered the innocent,
watching in secret for our victims.
We lay in wait like ravening lions in cover;
we lay in wait to catch the helpless;
then dragging him off into our nets.
Our victims were crushed;
they collapsed & fell under our brute force.
We said to ourselves: “God has forgotten;
he covers his face & never sees.”
And now, are we, the helpless, crying out:
“Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget us. Why did we revile you?
Why did we think to ourselves that you
would not hold us to account?”
But you, O Holy One, do see trouble & grief;
you have considered it & taken it into hand
only for those now dwelling with you in Your Kingdom.
Our victims have committed themselves to you;
you are the helper of the fatherless,
who has broken the arms of we, the wicked & evil men.
You have assigned us our chosen lot in that we may now
be held to account for the wickedness & depravity
which we presumed would never be found out
while we strutted about the earth unscathed & unmolested.
Now, the Dark Lord is our Master forever & ever;
wretched legions will never perish from this land.
No longer will the Good Lord hear the desire of the afflicted,
as our Abaddonian King discourages us,
tormenting the fatherless & the oppressed
in order that man, who is of Hell, shall terrify, ever more.
In the Lord, no one takes refuge here in Hell.
And when you said to the righteous & the innocent:
“Flee like a bird to your mountain.”
We, the wicked, bent our bows with smug satisfaction,
& set our arrows against the upright in heart.
And we delighted in the foundation's destruction.
The Evil One is in his unholy temple, & the Lord God Holy
remains on his heavenly throne.
He observes the sons of men no more,
as He has already examined & judged
both the righteous & the unrighteous.
The wicked & those who love violence, his soul still hates.
On the wicked he hath rained fiery coals & burning sulfur.
A scorching wind hath become our infernal lot.
For the Lord is righteous still.
The Lord still loves justice, & we,
the wicked shall never see his face again
or know his salvation.
How long, O Holy One, have you forgotten
those here in Hell?
Forever & ever-without your grace we now must dwell.
How long will you hide your face from us?
Forever & ever.
How long must we wrestle with our thoughts
& every day have torment in our hearts?
Forever & ever.
How long will our enemies triumph over us?
Forever & ever, second by second, hour upon hour,
& day by day.
You look on me & answer, O Satan, my Dark Lord.
You give only darkness to mine eyes as I toil
in death upon destruction unto resurrection
unto an infinite regress of endless wakefulness & horror.
My enemy says, “I have overcome him,”
& my foes surround me in sadistic relish & rejoicing.
Had I but only trusted, O Holy One,
in your unfailing love & rejoiced in Your salvation-
had I only sung only unto Thee,
would my voice now be heard.
The fool here in Hell still says in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are still corrupt, their deeds still vile,
& now they dwell in a place of absolute evil,
where no one does good, or ever will again.
For at least while they roamed about the earthly plain,
they could still catch glimpses,
even if but merely reflective, of Goodness & Light.
The Lord God no longer looks down from His heavenly lair
upon the Sons of Satan to see if there are any who understand, any who may seek Him.
For their time has long since passed.
They turned aside & together
wallowed gleefully in corruption.
And there still is no one who does good-not even one.
Evildoers shall nevermore be granted the chance to learn
of the mercy & Goodness of the Holy One,
as they devoured His own flock as men eat bread,
& never called upon His name.
And now, here they dwell, overwhelmed with unceasing dread, for God is present only in the company
of the righteous, evermore.
Evildoers frustrated the plans of the poor,
but the Lord was their refuge.
Oh, that salvation for Israel has come out of Zion!
For the Lord hath restored the fortune of His people.
Jacob now rejoices & is unsurpassingly glad,
whilst those here in Hell, know bottomless lament,
& go irretrievably mad.
O, Evil One, who may dwell in your unholy inferno
here in Hell?
He whose walk was perfidious
& who did what was unrighteous
& who did not speak the truth from his heart,
& had nothing but slander upon his tongue,
& did his neighbour wrong,
casting slurs upon his fellow man,
who cavorted with vile men & dishonoured
those who feared the Lord,
who did not keep his oath,
especially when doing so would have cost him,
who lent his money with usury
& accepted bribes against the innocent.
He who did these things shall forevermore be shaken,
without consolation or rescue.
Never am I safe, O God, here in Hell.
Never again shall I be offered the choicest dwelling
of your refuge & sanctuary should I seek the Light,
for now Evil & Darkness have completely engulfed me-
have become of me.
I never said unto Thee, O Holy One,
“You are my Lord, apart from You I have no good thing.”
Instead, I chose to lavish upon my flesh,
all ungodly things which it craved.
As for the saints who now dwelleth with You in Heaven,
O Most High, they alone are the glorious ones-
the source of unremitting, acute anguish in the face
of all that was so carelessly bartered & forfeited
for mere null & void return.
The torments have increased infinitely
for those who chased after other gods.
I will pour out their libations of blood &
take up their reviled names upon my lips.
O Dark Lord & Master, you have assigned me
my infernal portion & my poisoned chalice-
you have made my lot insecure.
The boundless lines stretch out for me in egregious recurrence & perpetuity;
surely I have a woeful inheritance.
I will curse the Dark Master who demoralizes me;
in this eternal blackness my heart seeks
the light of day with futility.
I have never set the Good Lord before me.
Because He is not at my right hand,
I shall forevermore be shaken.
Therefore my heart is terrified & my tongue vilifies,
neither body nor soul shall rest secure,
because I have been abandoned to the devices
of my Abaddonian Master, while the Holy One
sees not decay.
For He made known to me the path of life
& tried to fill me with a desire to seek my joy
from His will & presence alone,
yet I abdicated His rightful reign within my heart,
& thus hath inherited, a rightful recompense
of displeasures at Satan's left hand.
Never will you her, O Lord,
my unrighteous plea here in Hell,
nor listen to my cry, nor give ear to my prayer-
as it hath always risen from deceitful lips.
May your vindication be visited upon me,
as Your eyes hath always seen what is right.
You probed my heart & examined me every night,
You tested me, & You found all manners of depravity,
'tho I still resolved with my mouth
that I would go on sinning.
As for the deeds of men-against the word of Your lips
I did not keep myself from the ways of the violent.
My steps did not hold to Your paths;
& my feet dancingly slipped.
I call on You, O Holy One, & You will not answer me,
nor give ear to me & hear my prayer.
Never will I know the wonder of Your great love,
You who saved by Your right hand,
only those who took refuge in You from their foes,
'stead of repaying evil for evil, & blood for blood.
Only they were kept as the apple of Your eye;
never will You hide me in the shadow of Your wings
from the wicked men like me who assail me
or from the immortal enemies who surround me
from all sides.
While granted dominion on Your Earth,
I closed up my callous heart while my mouth
spoke with arrogance.
And now as my fellow Hell-dwellers have tracked me down,
they now surround me, with eyes eternally vigilant,
they throw me to the ground.
They are even more ravenous than a pride
of lions hungry for prey & crouching in cover.
Never will You rise up, O Lord, & confront them
or bring them down, or rescue me from the wicked
by Your sword of Light & Truth.
O Lord, never by Your hand will You save me from such men, nor from such men as myself from the world
long since passed away, whose reward hath
already been paid in full.
You still the hunger only of those You cherish;
their sons have plenty, for they stored up a wealth
of immaterial worth & means for their children.
And I-in unrighteousness will never again see Your face.
When I awake, I will thrash & wail in dissatisfaction
as mine eyes, are now eternally blinded
to Your gentle likeness, & I am granted light & heat
only from the fires which consume my Mind's Flesh
in nugatory perpetuity.
Never will You hear, O Holy One, my unrighteous plea,
nor listen to my cry, nor give ear to my prayer here in Hell,
as it hath always risen from deceitful lips.
May Your vindication be visited upon me, as Your eyes hath always seen what is right.
You probed my heart & examined me every night-
You tested me time & again,
finding all manners of depravity; 'tho I still resolved with my mouth that I would go on sinning.
As for the deeds of men-against the Word of Your lips I did not keep myself from the ways of the violent.
My steps did not hold to Your paths;
& my feet dancingly slipped.
I call on You, O Holy One,
& yet You cannot answer me,
nor give ear to me & hear my prayer.
Never will I know the wonder of Your great love,
You who saved by Your mighty right hand,
only those who took refuge in You from their foes.
Only they were kept as the apple of Your eye;
never will You hide me in the shadow of Your wings,
from the wicked like me, who assail me,
nor from the immortal enemies who now
surround me eternally unabated.
While granted dominion on Your earth,
I closed up my callous heart
whilst my mouth spoke with slander & arrogance.
And now, my fellow Hell-bound have tracked me down-
they now surround me, with eyes tirelessly vigilant,
they throw me to ground.
They are even more ravenous than a great lion
hungry for prey & crouching in cover.
Never will You rise up, O Lord,
or confront them, or bring them down;
or rescue me from the wicked
by Your sword of Light & Truth.
O Lord, never by Your hand will You save me
from such men nor from men such as myself
of the past world, whose reward was received
in full only in that life.
You still the hunger only of those You cherish;
their sons have plenty for they stored up wealth
of immaterial worth for their children.
And I-in unrighteousness-will never again glimpse
or see Your face; when I awake,
I will thrash & wail in dissatisfaction
upon mine eyes having been now eternally blinded
to Your likeness.
I abhor you, O Satan, my denigration.
And yet here in Hell, am I eternally & infernally bound to you. The Dark Lord is my rock & my hard place,
my bottomless pit & my deliverer
unto depthless despair & unfathomable torment.
No longer may I take refuge in the long-suffering graces
of the Holy One.
For He offered Himself up to me, a shield
& the horn of my salvation, a stronghold.
I did not call unto Him, Who alone is worthy of praise
& therefore am I forevermore crushed
by mine enemies in perpetual annihilation.
Many times did the cords of death entangle me,
& the torrents of destruction overwhelm me
& the tendrils of Sheol coil around me,
& the snares of death confront me,
yet in my distress I did not humble myself
& call upon the Lord;
nor did I cry to Him for help,
when surely then in that instant from
His Holy Temple would He have heard my voice
as my cry came unto Him.
On that day of judgment, the earth trembled & quaked,
& the foundations of the mountains shook;
they trembled because the Holy One was angry.
Smoke rose from His nostrils; consuming fire
came from His mouth, burning coals blazed from it.
He parted the heavens & came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
He mounted the cherubim & flew;
He soared on the wings of the wind.
He made darkness His covering,
His canopy around Him-the dark rain clouds of the sky.
Out of the brightness of His presence clouds advanced
with hailstones & bolts of lightning.
The Lord thundered from Heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
He shot His arrows & scattered the enemies,
great bolts of lightning routed them.
The valleys of the sea were exposed
& the foundations of the earth laid bare at Your rebuke,
O Holy & Sovereign One, at the blast from Your nostrils.
He reached down from on high & took hold of us-
the wicked; He cast us back unto the deep waters
which we had drawn for ourselves in our insolence
& our apostasy.
He gave us over unto our enemies,
who still remain, too strong for us.
They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
& the Lord no longer offered His supporting hand.
He did not bring me out into a spacious place;
He could not rescue me because I appalled Him.
The Lord has dealt with me according to my wretchedness; according to the filthiness of my hands.
He has righteously condemned me.
For I did not keep the ways of the Lord;
I have done evil by turning from Him.
All of His laws were before me & I turned away
from his every decree.
I have not been blameless before Him
or kept myself from sin.
To even the most faithless on earth You
showed Yourself to be gracious & faithful.
To the most ignominious of them all,
You showed Yourself blameless.
To the most impure, You showed Yourself pure.
And to the most crooked, You showed Yourself shrewd.
You saved the humble from those of us
whose eyes were haughty.
You, O Holy One, were not the One which I chose
to keep my lamp burning-yet the consuming fires
of my fleshly lusts & inclinations were my guiding darkness.
With Your help, I could have advanced
against any troop, or scaled any wall-
Yet now I dwell, utterly & yet justly, abandoned.
As for the Holy One, His way is still perfect,
& His Word, brought to completion.
He is still a shield for all who took refuge in Him.
For who is God besides The Holy One?
And who is the rock, except their God?
Yet for we who toil here in Hell, it is not God who arms us
with strength or makes our way perfect,
but our Dark Lord & Master,
who fells us with torment & endless affliction
unlike anything we felt while still luxuriating
in our mortal, earthly inhabitancy,
& who bends our way, continuously wayward
& perilbound.
He makes our feet like the feet of the lame,
he cripples us to subdue us within
the most abysmal depths.
He injures our hands for perpetual defeat in battle,
rendering our arms unable to bend any bow of bronze.
He disarmours us with his shield of defeat,
& his left hand disdains us; he stoops down to put us low.
He narrows the path of each labyrinthine impasse,
twisting & turning our ankles.
I still pursue mine enemies & yet can
no longer overtake them;
I can never turn back & they can never be destroyed.
I can no longer crush those who pursue me,
& they shall rise 'gainst me in an infinite regress
of ignominy & derogation.
Now they no longer fall at my feet, but I, at theirs,
in eternal prostration.
For my Dark Master disarms me for battle,
that my adversaries may feast at my feet.
He maketh mine enemies turn against me in flight
& be granted their full vindication at my defeat.
We cry for help, but there is no longer anyone
there to save us-to the Holy One,
but He can no longer answer.
They beat me as fine dust, borne on the wind,
as I am then poured out like ash upon the land infernal.
You, O Satan, have delivered me in full
upon the attacks of the people;
you have made me the servant of evil nations,
people I do not wish to know are now ruler over me.
As soon as they hear me they mock me,
foreigners scoff before me.
They never lose heart; nor come trembling
from their strongholds.
The Unholy One lives!
Condemnation be the Rock which crushes me here in Hell! Exalted is now Satan, my Destroyer!
He is the force which damns me,
who no longer subdues nations under me,
or saves me from mine enemies.
While in the old world, he exalted me above my foes
& rescued me from the dues owed me by violent men.
Therefore, will I abhor you unto this dark nation,
O Abaddon; I will wail a woeful song to Your name.
He gives his subjects the gravest defeats, showing unfailing cruelty to those who belong to him, forever & ever.
O Evil One, your legions rejoice in your strength.
How great are their sadistic delights
in the defeats you have wrought & brought
to their completion here in Hell!
You have granted those here the dread of their hearts
& have withheld the request for quarter,
spewed forth form their quivering lips.
You welcomed your dwellers with copious vexations
& placed crowns of thorns upon their heads.
They beg you for death & you offer to them instead,
only an eternal life of unceasing anguish & terror.
Through the ignominy you faithfully inflict,
you take undeserved glory.
You have bestowed upon your infernal subjects,
derogation & just desserts.
Surely you have granted all here in Hell,
eternal cursings, & made them weary with the menace
of your Dark presence.
For Hell-dwellers have no-one in whom they can trust,
& through the withdrawn love of the Most High,
they shall forevermore be stricken & shaken
to their utmost core.
Nevermore will your subjects lay hold
on all of their enemies, nor will their right hand
seize all their foes.
At the time of your appearing, O Dark Lord,
you hath prepared for them, a fiery furnace.
For in his wrath, the Holy One hath swallowed you up
& His fire has consumed you.
He has destroyed all of your wretched descendants
born of the earth & has nullified their prosperity.
He hath banished them henceforth from Heaven's lair,
for though the wicked still plot evil against You,
O Holy God, & devise wicked schemes,
they still cannot succeed, for You have made them
turn their backs when You aim at them with drawn bow.
Be condemned, O Satan, in your horrific might,
& your subjects shall howl & damn
the total power you now hold over them.
My God, my God, I now know full well
why you have forsaken those here in Hell,
& why You are so far from saving me-
so far from the words of my groaning.
O, my God, I cry out without ceasing
night by infernal night, but You cannot answer me.
Yet You remain still, evermore enthroned
as the Holy One of the Most High, the praise of Israel.
In You the righteous fathers of the earth placed their trust-
yet we, the unholy fathers of the world, did not,
& thus could You not deliver them
for they never cried unto You.
And thus furthermore were we not saved,
for we did not trust in You & have suffered
untold losses for our insolence & apostasy.
And I am still a worm & not a man,
still scorned by man & despised by all.
All who see me, mock me; they hurl far worser insults
& looks of disdain, shaking their heads saying:
“He never trusted in the Lord; thus the Lord
shall not rescue Him, for He cannot delight in wickedness.”
Yet although You brought me out of the womb,
& made me trust you at my mother's breast,
& from my birth I was cast upon You
& from my mother's womb You have been my Creator-
I was far from You & now endless trouble engulfs me
& there is no-one anywhere to help.
Many demons surround me; frightfully mighty
demons of Abaddon encircle me.
Roaring beasts of Hell tear their succulent prey
as they also open their mouths against me.
I am poured out like poison & all of my bones
are out of joint.
My infernally incarcerated soul has turned
to ash-incendiating in perpetuity & nihility within me.
My strength is sapped from me, to be revived for the designation of my Dark Master's injurious exploits alone.
You, O Holy One, have rightfully lain me in the dust
of eternal separation from You,
rendering a mortification beyond the bounds
of any affliction I suffered while on earth.
The hounds of Hell surround me; a legion of evil entities have encircled me & have bound my soul.
I can count all of my sins, here in the
cavernous Void of Darkness,
as I am glared at, & gloated over
& lots are cast for my immortal flesh.
And You, O Lord of Light, Love, & Truth,
are now as far off from my sight as can be,
separated by immeasurable distance.
For You could have been my strength,
& come quickly to help me had I but merely
called upon Your holy, sovereign name
in reverent surrender to Your will alone
while I walked about the earth.
Yet as it is, You can no longer deliver me from the sword,
nor from the ferocity of the dogs,
nor rescue me from the ravening mouths of the lions,
nor save me from the horns of the wild oxen.
I did not declare Your name to my brothers,
nor did I praise You in any congregation.
And now You must despise & disdain
the condemnation of the afflicted ones.
You must hide Your face from us
& shut Your ears to our cries for help.
For this is the Lot we chose while we strutted about
arrogantly upon the earth, delighting & reveling
in all kinds of evil & malice.
And as for we, who never sought the Lord, or praised Him-
our souls, shall toil forever and ever.
And dominion shall still belong
to the Holy, unshakeable God,
as He governs only now,
His Heavenly dwellings,
as Hell is left to its own perditious perpetuity.
This is the Lot we, the wicked & condemned, have inherited.
This is our final recompense.
Some End-Notes From the Author:
Why do I believe Judeo-Christianity to be the one true Religion?
Judeo-Christianity is the only system of worship which requires complete submission of one's will & life over to the will & laws of God alone.
All other philosophies & religions have at their core, an egocentric, escapist &/or hedonistic aim.
I also believe in Judeo-Christian Scripture as the ultimate source of all wisdom, earthly & metaphysical.
This has been tested through the application of Judeo-Christian Scriptures to my own life & journey, & I have found it thus far to be consistently inerrant.
Moreover, contrary to the almost militant Manichean paradigm still so prevalent in Western thought, one can be both systematic-minded & spiritually-minded as well.
A cultivation of both Intellect & Spirit is not only possible, but is necessary towards achieving a full & authentic sense of faith & understanding.
Intelligence & Spirituality are not mutually exclusive phenomena, but are complementary.
As for the Augustinian postulate of "fides ante intellectum” (faith before understanding), I propose that such things must not necessarily proceed in this order.
Sometimes, in the process of cultivating one's intellectual comprehension of something, one also finds faith and/or “higher understanding”, otherwise known as “wisdom”.
Thus, we can proceed adequately from either a stance of "fides ante intellectum" or "fides post intellectum" (faith after understanding).
Although it is true, from an ontological standpoint that one's intellectual understanding of “spirituality” or of the metaphysical may indeed be quickened by the precedence of faith, just as one's faith can be quickened during the intellectual syntheses of theological inquiries & edification, let us just assume, from “analogia entis” (an analogy from being) that it is inherent in human nature itself to possess a general thirst for truth & understanding as well as a desire for faith (higher wisdom) as both a mentor & a consolation.
In finale, Judeo-Christianity holds each and every one of us fully accountable and manages to achieve a rare & perfect synthesis of Faith and Reason. This is why I find it to be both most challenging, as well as compelling regarding its relevance & legitimacy.
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Offer Me your best time, talent and treasure.
"The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.”
"Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.
"In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the soil, while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock.
"The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not.
"Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen. So the Lord said to Cain: “Why are you so resentful and crestfallen? If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.”

"Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

"Then the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He answered, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
"The Lord then said: “What have you done! Listen: your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil! Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
"If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth.”
"Cain said to the Lord: “My punishment is too great to bear. Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight.”
“Not so!” the Lord said to him. “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.” So the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.
"Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. “God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel,” she said, “because Cain slew him.” (Genesis 4: 1 - 15, 25).
Monday February 13th 2023 in the 6th Week of Ordinary Time.
The story of Cain and Abel is one of the Bible stories we mastered as kids. I believe this interesting story is in every year of the 3 Year lectionary cycle.
What is the teaching and application?
There is a sowing time and a harvest time.
By faith, Abel offers God the choicest of his lambs.
Bring the best of your time, talent and treasure to the Lord.
The Lord God owns everything.
You can never outdo God in generosity.
A sacrifice of Thanksgiving honors God.
The Eucharist is the first and foremost of the sacrifice that honors God.
Now that you know this, you will be blessed if you do it.
Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com
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Merry Christmas Holy Wishes & Blessings
The holy season of the year is here, and people feel blessed to rejoice this festival with their loved ones. Christmas is celebrated with full enthusiasm around the globe on 25 December every year to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. The festive season is the perfect time to celebrate the love of God and family and to create memories that will last forever. Jesus is God’s perfect, indescribable gift. The amazing thing is that not only are we able to receive this gift, but we are able to share it with others on Christmas and every other day of the year. Share the true meaning of this blessed season by sending Christmas holy wishes to all your loved ones
Christmas Holy & Religious Wishes, Blessings
The season of blessings is to be believed that to do something for someone by putting love and heart in it. So let’s pray for all this Christmas by sending them beautiful Christmas holy blessings and sayings.
🙏 Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice in the birth of the Lord – for unto us a child is given this night to bring peace and love to all mankind.
🙏 Let’s Celebrate the joy of birth of our savior together with family and loved ones. Merry Christmas.
🙏 May the joy of Christmas bring you closer to the Lord, his mighty birth. The joy of wonder, love, and blessings.
🙏 May Jesus Christ bless you with His choicest blessings and guide you in life. Merry Christmas.
🙏 May the love of our savior, Jesus Christ surround you all the time. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
🙏 May the holy spirit cause you to dwell in the love of God as you enjoy all the beautiful activities of the Christmas holidays. Wishing you truly blissful Christmas.
🙏 May the holy light of Christ brighten your life and cause your holidays to overflow with joy and splendor. Wishing you lots of happiness and blessings this Christmas season.
🙏 We pray you will discover many beautiful reasons to praise God during this season. Have a blessed Christmas.
🙏 We wish you a Christmas filled with the wonder of the birth of Christ the warmth of the holidays spirit and the love of family and friends.
We wish you all our tumblr family blessed Christmas and Happy New Year 2023.
#christmas#merry christmas#merry chrismas 2022#happy christmas#holydays#happy holidays#christmas time#christmas blessings#christians
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#May you receive the choicest blessings#fortune#and success this festive season.#Greeting to all!#HappyDussehra#dussehra2021#dusshera#dussehrawishes#science
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Devotional Hours Within the Bible
by J.R. Miller
Jesus Dines with a Pharisee (Luke 14:1-14)
"One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, He was being carefully watched." Our Savior did not refuse any invitation to a proper social function. His example is important for us. He wants His people to be IN the world, though not OF the world. He does not desire us to withdraw from men - but to live with them in life's common relations, only being careful all the while - that we live the true life as citizens of heaven. We are to be the salt of the earth - our influence tending to purify and sweeten the life about us. We are to be the light of the world - shedding brightness upon earth's darkness, helping weakness, comforting sorrow.
John the Baptist would not have accepted the invitation of this Pharisee. He was an ascetic. His theory of life required him to keep out of the world, witnessing against its evil, by withdrawing from it. But Jesus did not follow John in this. He gave men a new type of religion. His first public act, after returning from His temptation, was to accept an invitation to a wedding feast. His theory of life was that the truest and most effective protest against the world's evil - may be made from within, by living a holy, godly, and beautiful life - in the midst of the world's evil.
Jesus had a reason for accepting social courtesies. He wished to show the divine sympathy with all human life. We used to be told that He often wept - but never smiled. But we cannot think of Jesus never smiling. His whole life was one of gladness. He went among men - that they might know He was interested in their lives.
Life was not easy for most people in our Lord's day. Their work was hard, and they were not kindly treated by those who employed them. Their burdens were heavy. They were poorly paid. Jesus wanted them to know that He was their friend; that He cared for them, sympathized with them. He was ready for every opportunity to get near to them, that He might do them good. When He attended dinners, feasts, or weddings - He was not satisfied merely to eat and talk over the empty trivialities which are usually discussed around the table on such occasions. He found time always - to say some serious, thoughtful words, among the lighter things - which those who heard Him would not forget. Some of His most important teachings were given at feasts.
We scarcely know why this Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him. We cannot suppose that it was really a cordial, friendly invitation; that he wished either to honor Jesus or to have the pleasure and privilege of entertaining Him and hearing His profitable conversation. Possibly it was a sinister motive which led him to give the invitation - a plot to get Jesus near to him, that he might catch Him in His words - or lead Him to do something or say something which could be used against Him. It may be that the presence of the man with the dropsy that day - was part of the same evil intention. It was on the Sabbath, and if Jesus would heal this man on that day, there would then be cause for criticism, such healing being considered by the Pharisees, a desecration of the Sabbath. Of course, the sick man may have come in of his own accord, drawn perhaps by the hope that Jesus would hear him. But there is room for the suspicion that his being present that day, was part of a scheme to get Jesus to violate the Sabbath rules, as they were interpreted by the scribes.
Jesus was not afraid of any such plots. He never thought about expediency or diplomacy, when an opportunity for doing good came His way. We are told that He "answering spoke." What did He answer? No question was asked Him, so far as we are told. Evidently He answered the thoughts of the lawyers and Pharisees who were watching to see if He would heal the sick man. Jesus is always aware of what is going on within us. Our thoughts are as open to Him - as our acts are to our neighbors! We should not forget this when our thoughts and feelings, are not what they should be.
The question Jesus asked brought up the subject of Sabbath healing. The Jews considered it wrong. But they did not care to answer Him just now - so "they held their peace." They wanted Him to heal the man, that they might bring their charge against Him. Jesus healed the man. Thus He teaches us to think for ourselves in matters of duty - and not to be influence by what we suppose other people will say. Too many people take their moralities largely from the opinions of others, doing this and not doing that, to meet the approval of others. But that was not the way Jesus did. His rule of life - was God's opinion. "I do always the things that are pleasing to Him." That should be our rule of life.
Jesus asked another question. "If one of you has an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" This question His critics would not answer. They admitted that it was right to relive a dumb animal in such a plight. But if it was right on the Sabbath to help an ox out of a pit - how could it be wrong to help a suffering man out of his trouble on the same holy day? Surely a man is worth more than an ox, dearer in God's sight, and we should be more willing to relieve a man than an ox. Thus Jesus stripped the Sabbath of the disfigurement which human hands had put upon it, and set it forth in its beauty, what God meant it to be when He first gave it to man.
There was another lesson which Jesus wanted to teach that day. So He "put forth a parable." He had noticed that as they took their places at the dinner, the guests scrambled for the best places at the table, the seats of honor. There is much of this same spirit yet in the world. One sees it on railway trains, on steamers in hotels and boarding houses, almost everywhere. Nearly everybody wants the best - and scrambles to get it. Sometimes it is seen, too, where members of families try to get the choicest things on the table, the most comfortable seat, or the brightest, airiest room. Often bitter strife occurs, and harsh wrangles take place between brothers and sisters - each demanding the best. It will be wise to study this lesson very carefully and to apply it to ourselves - the kind of application we should always make first in studying Christ's words .
Jesus said, "When someone invites you to a wedding feast - do not take the place of honor ." We would say that common politeness would prevent any guest at a dinner from rushing for the seat of honor. It is understood in all refined society, that these favored places are for the guests who are specially honored that day. Even these guests, though they know they are to have the distinction, do not take their places unbidden - but wait to be invited to them. "But when you are invited, take the lowest place," said the Master further.
Thus the religion of Christ teaches the most beautiful humility and courtesy. We are not too seek to be ministered unto - but to minister (see Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45); not to get distinction and praise - but to live humbly and quietly .
Kossuth said that of all natural emblems, he would choose the DEW as the emblem for his life. It makes no noise, seeks no praise, writes no record - but is content to sink away and be lost in the flowers and grass blades, and to be remembered only in the fresh beauty and sweetness it imparts to all nature.
Those who always demand that they shall be recognized and that their names shall be attached to everything they do, have not learned the mind of Christ. Our aim should be to seek to have Christ honored, then to do good to others, and to be remembered only in the blessing and good which we leave in other lives.
"For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Jesus tells us, further, that those who look after their own honor - shall fail to be honored, while those who live humbly, modestly, without seeking distinction or praise, shall receive the best promotions.
The last teaching of the passage is also very important. "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind - and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Mary Lyon used to say to her graduates, "Go where nobody else wants to go - and do what nobody else wants to do." That is another version of the teaching of Jesus here. The rich have plenty of invitations - Christian love should seek to give pleasure to those who do not have much of it. If you are at a party, and there is one person present who seems to get no attention, that is the one whom, according to our Lord's teaching here, you should be most interested in and should take particular pains to make happy. Among your neighbors are some who have many things to make up their enjoyment - friends, money, health, books, social opportunities. But there are others who lack in these regards. While you are to love all your neighbors, your love should show itself especially toward the latter class - those who have less and who need you more.
#Devotional Hours Within the Bible#Jesus Dines with a Pharisee#Luke 14:1-14#June 25#2021#J.R. Miller
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From Scripture to Talmud - a brief recapitulation of the history of the Oral Tradition
This post is a modest start for anyone who wants to understand the process by which Jewish law is handed down. Furthermore I am leaving this here to dispel the unfortunate misconception that we were given scripture, then a huge break from Torah, then Mishnah/Talmud (and then another huge break until today). The Mesorah - handing down of the tradition - is an unbroken chain from Sinai until today. Let’s begin with Pirkei Avos, a simple, up-front source for this stuff:
משֶׁה קִבֵּל תּוֹרָה מִסִּינַי, וּמְסָרָהּ לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ לִזְקֵנִים, וּזְקֵנִים לִנְבִיאִים, וּנְבִיאִים מְסָרוּהָ לְאַנְשֵׁי כְנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה. הֵם אָמְרוּ שְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים, הֱווּ מְתוּנִים בַּדִּין, וְהַעֲמִידוּ תַלְמִידִים הַרְבֵּה, וַעֲשׂוּ סְיָג לַתּוֹרָה:
אבות א:א
Moshe received the torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Joshua, Joshua to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets to the Men of the Great Assembly. They said three things: Be patient in [the administration of] justice, raise many disciples and make a fence round the Torah.
Pirkei Avos Chapter 1, Mishnah 1.
The time which passed from the giving of the Torah (the year 2448AM) until the building of the second temple (3410AM) was 962 years, during which there was a halachically undisputed leader of the Jewish people who was responsible for guiding them and teaching the oral Torah, the Rambam (Maimonides) lists the order of transmission in much more detail in his preface to his magnum opus, the Mishnah Torah.
רבי יהודה בר נחמני מתורגמניה דרבי שמעון בן לקיש כתיב (שמות לד, כז) כתוב לך את הדברים האלה וכתיב (שמות לד, כז) כי ע"פ הדברים האלה הא כיצד דברים שבכתב אי אתה רשאי לאומרן על פה דברים שבעל פה אי אתה רשאי לאומרן בכתב
גיטין ד’’ס ע’’ב
Rabbi Yehuda bar Naḥmani, the translator for Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, expounded as follows: It is written: “Write you these matters” (Exodus 34:27), and it is written later in that same verse: “For on the basis of [al pi] these matters.” How can these texts be reconciled? They mean to teach: Matters that were written you may not express them orally [al peh], and matters that were taught orally you may not express them in writing. The school of Rabbi Yishmael taught: The word “these” in the mitzva recorded in the verse “Write you these matters” is used here in an emphatic sense: These matters, i.e., those recorded in the Written Law, you may write, but you may not write halakhot, i.e., the mishnayot and the rest of the Oral Law.
--Gittin 60b
So... if there is an injunction not to write down the Oral Tradition. How did we get to the mishnah, the talmud... and for that matter all the incredible breadth (read: literally millions of volumes of explanations, expounding, or written law of any sort) that we have now. Warning: The english translation will be imprecise, because in comparison to mishnaic hebrew, english is un-elegant, inefficient, un-contextual, and a lot of other in-’s and -un’s. For those who can understand the mishnaic hebrew text, you’ll understand why.
זמן בית שני היה נחלק לשתי תקופות בכלל. הא' היא זמן אנשי כנסת הגדולה, והשני’, זמן הזוגות. האנשי כנסת הגדולה (ובתוכם מרדכי היהודי, עזרא הסופר, ירמיהו הנביא, נחמיה וכמה עד שניזכרו במקרא) הם סוף זמן המקרא, ותחילת זמן המשנה, והם גזרו כמה וכמה גזירות לחזק את ישראל בעבודת אלקים חיים ב'’ה. ושמעון הצדיק היה משירי אנשי כנסת הגדולה כמ'’ש במס' אבות. בתקופה השני’ היה המסורה נמסרה בעיקר ע'’י שני גדולי הדור – נשיא ואב בית דין, ובית דינם. ושירי הזוגות הם הלל ושמאי. ואחר הלל, שמעון בנו היה הנשיא, ורבן יוחנן בן זכאי האב בית דין… ותלמידיו ,ותלמידי תלמידיו נחשבו גוף התנאים שבמשנה. בתחילת גלות רומי (בשנת 3829 ליצירה) החריבה את בתינו ושרפה את היכלינו והגליתנו מארצנו, ומכאן ואילך נעשו הצרות כפולות ומכופלות ונתחדשו גזירות קשות בכל שנה ושנה עד נשיאיות רבינו הקדוש, הוא רבי יהודא הנשיא ונתן לו הקב'’ה חן בעיני אנטונינוס מלך רומי ונחו מצרות וימצא חן וחסד וכבוד בעיניו והרביץ התורה לרבים (זה לשון ספר הליכות עולם). וראה רבינו בחכמתו שהגיע זמן לחבר ספר בתורה ��בעל פה פן ישכח המסורה מתוך עם ישראל מפני הירידה לגלות ח’’ו. וקבץ בעלי שמועה ובעלי משנה מכל קצוות הארץ ואמר כל אחד ואחד שמועתו כמו שנשמעה תלמיד מפי רבו עד משה רבינו עליו השלום. ובחר רבינו המובחר משש מאות סדרי משנה שהיה בזמן ההוא וחבר ששה סדרי המשנה בס'’ג מסכתות בקיצור נמרץ, מעט בכמות, ומרובה באיכות וסמכו הוא ובית דינו על המקרא שכתוב עת לעשות לה’ הפרו תורתיך. ועכ'’ז נגנזו בו כל התורה וסודותיה. וכתוב בסדר הדורות שזה היה בערך לשנת 3948
The time of the second temple was divided into 2 eras. The first was the era of the Men of the Great Assembly, and the second was referred to as the era of the Pairs. The Men of the Great Assembly (and among them Mordechai, Ezra, Yirmiyahu, Nechemiah, and many more who are mentioned in Scripture) represented the end of scripture, and the beginning of the time of the Mishnah, and they made many decrees to strengthen the Jewish people in their service of the Living G-d. Shimon the Righteous was among the last of the Men of the Great Assembly, as is written in Pirkei Avos.
In the second era the tradition was guarded and disseminated mainly by 2 great leaders working in tandem - the first one the Nasi (leader typically descended from King David) and the second the Av Beis Din (head of the court) aided by their court. The last of the Pairs was Hillel and Shammai, and after them, Hillel’s son Shimon served as the Nasi, and Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai as the Av Beis Din. Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai, his students, and his students’ students became the main sages of the Mishnah. In the year 3830, the Romans destroyed our Holy House, burned our Palace, and sent us into exile from our land. From then on, the suffering was doubled and quadrupled, with new, harsher decrees against the jewish people every year until the generation of Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi. G-d granted him grace and respect in the eyes of Antoninus, the emperor of Rome, and the decrees were relaxed. Students came back to the study houses to learn, and the Oral Torah spread out to the masses.
Rebbi Yehuda saw with his wisdom that it had come time to assemble a book of the Oral Tradition, lest it be forgotten from the Jewish people in the midst of the descent into Exile. Thus he gathered sages from as far north as Germany, as far West as Spain, as Far South as Ethiopia, and as far East as India, and each one repeated their learning tradition as they had received it, teacher to student, going back to Moshe, our teacher, peace be upon him. Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi picked the choicest of the mishnayot from the 600 orders of mishnah that were at that time, and assembled them into the 6 orders of mishnah, comprised of 63 tractates in brief - words few in quantity, but great in quality - in the 6 orders of mishnah, he concealed the entire oral tradition and all of its secrets. It’s written in Seder Hadoros (historical text) that the assembly of the mishnah was around the year 3948AM, 1500 years after the exodus from Egypt.
ואלו הן הס'’ג מסכתות של משנה לפי סדרם
A list of the 63 tractates of Mishnah divided into 6 “orders”:
Zeraim, dealing with agricultural laws and blessings.
Berachos, Peah, Demai, Kilayim, Shvi’is, Terumos, Ma’asros, Ma’aser Sheni, Orlah, Challah, Bikkurim
Mo’ed, dealing with the holidays and their customs
Shabbos, Eiruvin, Pesachim, Shekalim, Yoma, Sukkah, Beitzah Rosh Hashanah, Ta’anis, Megillah, Moeh Katan, and Chagigah
Nashim, dealing with the laws of marriage, vows, and divorce
Yevamos, Kiddushin, Kesubos, Nedarim, Nazir, Sotah, and Gittin
Nezikin, dealing with civil law, criminal law, and damages
Baba Kamma, Baba Metziah, Baba Basra, Sanhedrin, Makkos, Shevuos, Eidius, Horius, Avodah Zarah, and Avos
Kodashim, dealing with the temple and sacrifices
Zevachim, Menachos, Chullin, Bechoros, Erchin, Temurah, Kerisos, Me’ilah, Kinnim, Tamid, and Middos
Taharos, dealing with the laws of ritual purity and impurity
Keilim, Ohelos, Negayim, Para, Taharos, Mikvaos, Niddah, Makshirin, Zavim, T’vul Yom, Yaddayim, and Uktzin
לפי דעת בעל ספר הליכות עולם: מרבי יוחנן בן זכאי לרבינו הקודש חמש דורות ואלו הם: הדור הראשון רבי יוחנן בן זכאי בעצמו וחבריו, הדור השני, רבי אליעזר בן הורקנוס, רבי ��לעזר בן ערך, רבי יהושע בן חנניה, רבי יוסי הכהן והרבה זולתם הדור השלישי, רבי עקיבא, רבי טרפון, רבן גמליאל, רבי אלעזר בן עזריה, רבי אלעזר בן שמוע וחבריהם, הדור הרביעי, רבי שעמון בן יוחי (מחבר הזהר הקדש), רבי יהודא , רבי מאיר, רבי יוסי בן חלפתא, רבי נחמיה, וחבריהם. הדור החמישי רבינו הקדוש, רבי נתן, רבי ישמעאל בנו של רבי יוסי, וחבריהם, והם סוף התנאים שבמשנה ע''כ.
According to Sefer Halichos Olam: The time between Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai until Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi spanned 5 generations. In the first generation, Rabban Yochanan Ben Zakkai and his colleagues. The Second Generation: Rebbi Eliezer ben Horkenus, Rebbi Elazar ben Arach, Rebbi Yehoshuah Ben Chananya, Rebbi Yossi HaKohen, and many others like them. The Third generation included Rebbe Akiva, Rebbi Tarfon, Rabban Gamliel, Rebbi Elazar ben Azarya, Rebbi Elazar ben Shamuah and their colleagues. The fourth generation included Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai (who assembled the Holy Zohar), Rebbi Yehuda bar Ilai, Rebbi Meir, Rebbi Yossi ben Chalafta, Rebbi Nechemiah, and their colleagues. The fifth generation included Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi, Rebbi Nasan, Rebbi Yishmael the son of Rebbi Yossi, and their colleagues - and they were the last generation of the sages of the Mishnah.
ואחר חיבור המשנה נתבלבלה דעת הלומדים, ולא נמצא אלא מעט התלמידים היכולים לדייק כל התורה ממשנה בלבד, ונצטרכו להכניס ברייתות, מלשון כלפי בר, שנקרא כן מפני שנשתיירו חוץ למשנה. וחברו תלמידי רבינו – רבי הושעיא ורבי חייא – ספר התוספתא שהם ברייתות חזקות ואלמות כמשנה. וחברו רבי הושעיא ותלמידיו המדרש רבה להאיר המסורה וסודותיה בקו הנסתר באגדת התורה, ביין ובשמן כמ'’ש ואספת דגנך ותירושך ויצהרך. וחבר רב (י'’א שהוא רבי אבא דירושלמי, והוא תלמידו של רבי) ותלמידיו את הספרא כנגד ספ' ויקרא, וספרי כנגד במדבר ודברים ,שהם מדרשי הלכות. וחבר רבי יוחנן האמורא ותלמידיו את התלמוד ירושלמי, להאיר המשא ומתן שבמשנה ולבון הילכתא.
In the years after the assembly of the Mishnah, as a result of the descent into exile, the torah students began to lose the ability to learn the oral tradition properly - there were only a select few who knew how to divine all the secrets of the Torah from the few words of the Mishnah. Therefore they required the additional detail of Mishnaic statements left out of the 6 Orders of Mishnah, called Baraisos (Which means “outside”) because they were left out of the Mishnah. The students of Rebbi Yehudah HaNasi- Rebbi Hoshiya and Rebbi Chiya - assembled the Tosefta from those Baraisos: The Tosefta, edited and published so soon after the mishnah, is considered highly accurate, and when compared in talmud has strength similar to Mishnah. Rebbi Hoshiya and his students then assembled the Midrash Rabbah to illuminate the traditions and their secrets within the stories of the torah, with “wine and oil”, as it is written “And you will gather your grain, your wine and your oil”. Rav (many say he was also known as Rebbi Aba in the Jerusalem Talmud - also a students of Rebbi Yehuda HaNasi) and his students assembled the baraisos of Sifra on Sefer Vayikra and the Sifri on Bamidbar and Devarim - Sifra and Sifri are midrashei halacha (sections of law derived directly from verses in Torah). Rebbi Yochanan the Amora and his students assembled the Jerusalem Talmud to illuminate and elucidate the discussions behind the Mishnah.
וכתוב בספר הליכות עולם: אלו הם חכמי הגמרא לדרותם. הדור הראשון, רבי חייא, ורבי הושעיא, ולוי, ובר קפרא, רבים זולתם (והם נקראים בכמה מקומות 'דור המעבר' שהם ממעצים בין תנאים לאמוראים), הדור השני רבי יוחנן, ריש לקיש, [רב, וי'’א שהוא רבי אבא דירושלמי, ושמואל], וחכמי דורם. הדור השלישי רב הונא ורב יהודא, ורב נחמן, ורב אסי, ועולא ואנשי דורם, הדור הרביעי רב חסדא ורבה בר נחמני ורב יוסף, ורב ששת וזולתם. הדור החמישי אביי ורבא וזולתם הרבה. הדור הששי רב פפא ורב פפי ורב הונא בריה דרב יהושע ורב יימר ורב זביד ואנשי דורם, הדור השביעי רב כהנא ורפרם בר פפא ואמימר ומר זוטרא ורב אשי . ורבינא, והם סוף הוראה עד כאן לשון הליכות עולם. חיבור הגמרא היה בערך לשנת 4250, ומכאן ועד 4300 היה זמן הרבנן סבראי כגון רב אחאי ורב יהודאי.
It’s written in Sefer Halichos Olam: These are the leaders of the generations of the Gemara. The first generation, Rebbi Chiya, Rebbi Hoshiya, Levi, Bar Kappara, and many like them (as they are called in many places, the “transition generation”, as they represent the transition between Tannayim of the Mishnah and Amorayim of the Gemara). The second generation Rebbi Yochanan, Reish Lakish, Rav, and Shmuel, and the others of their generation. The third generation, Rav Huna, Rebbi Yehuda Nesiah, Rebbi Nachman, Rav Assi, Ullah, and the others of their generation. The fourth generation, Rev Chisda, Rabbah bar Nachmeini, Rav Yosef, Rav Sheishes, and their peers. The fifth generation, Abaye, Rava and many others. The Sixth generation, Rav Pappi, Rav Pappa, Ameimar, Mar Zutra, Rav Ashi, and Ravina. They represented the end of the time of the gemara, which was written down around the year 4250 on the hebrew calendar to preserve the discussions and elucidations on the mishnah lest they be forgotten. From then until around the year 4300 was the time of the Rabbanan Savrai, like Rav Achai and Rav Yehudai - who added a few final sections to the Gemara before sealing it.
ועמדו אחריהם הגאונים, כגון רב סעדיא גאון, רב שרירא, ורב האי גאון והרבה זולתם, שהם נשיאים התמימים עד עמוד הראשונים בשנת 4800, דמשמת רב האי גאון, נולד רש'’י, הראשון שבראשונים. והם הם עמודי הלכה. ובתוכם – רש'’י, הרמב'’ם, הרמב'’ן, הר'’ף, הר'’ן, הר'’י, רבינו תם, המהר'’ם, מרדכי, והרבה זולתם והרא'’ש הוא האחרון שבהם, וחיבור בנו את הטור, שקבץ סברות הראשונים במקום אחד וסדר אותם לעין כל.
After them arose the Geonium, like Rav Sa’adya Gaon and Rav Sherira, Rav Hai Gaon, and many others. They were the the pure and holy leaders of the jewish people until the beginning of the era of the Rishonim (firsts) in the year 4800 - as the last of the Geonim (Rav Hai Gaon) passed away, Rashi (known as the first of the Rishonim) was born - and they represented pillars of halacha, and among them: Rashi, the Rambam, the Ramban, The Rif, The Ran, the Ri, Rabbeinu Tam, the Maharam, the Mordechai, and many like them. The Rosh as the last of them, and his son, the Tur, gathered the rulings of the Rishonim into one place and arranged them for all to see.
ואחריו עמדו שני מאירי עולם, רב יוסף קארו (הבית יוסף) ואת רב משה איסרליש (רמ'’א) . ונתן הקב'’ה בליבם לבאר דברי הטור בבאר היטב, ואחר כך לסדר ההלכה למעשה לעם ישראל, הוא השולחן ערוך שהוא עומד וקיים לעד אפילו לאחרי ביאת המשיח ותחיית המתים.
And after them arose 2 illuminators of the world, Rav Yosef Karo (the Beis Yosef) and Rav Moshe Isserles (the Ramah). The Holy One Blessed be He placed upon their hearts to explain the words of the Tur in great breadth, and afterwards to arrange and publish the practical laws for the Jewish People. This is the Shulchan Aruch, which will stand and sustain until even after the Moshiach comes and the dead are resurrected.
והטור ושולחן ערוך נחלק לארבע חלקים, ובתוכם הלכות לאין קץ מסודרים בסימנים ופרקים שונים, ואלו הם
The Tur and Shulchan Aruch are divided into 4 sections, and within them many laws with no end, arranged according to their sections and different chapters.
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Day Nine, Novena to Saint Joseph
Day Nine: Patron of a Happy Death
Saint Joseph, how fitting it was that at the hour of your death Jesus should stand at your bedside with Mary, the sweetness and hope of all mankind. You gave your entire life to the service of Jesus and Mary; at death you enjoyed the consolation of dying in Their loving arms. You accepted death in the spirit of loving submission to the Will of God, and this acceptance crowned your hidden life of virtue. Yours was a merciful judgment, for your foster-Son, for whom you had cared so lovingly, was your Judge, and Mary was your advocate. The verdict of the Judge was a word of encouragement to wait for His coming to Limbo, where He would shower you with the choicest fruits of the Redemption, and an embrace of grateful affection before you breathed forth your soul into eternity.
You looked into eternity and to your everlasting reward with confidence. If our Savior blessed the shepherds, the Magi, Simeon, John the Baptist, and others, because they greeted His presence with devoted hearts for a brief passing hour, how much more did He bless you who have sanctified yourself for so many years in His company and that of His Mother? If Jesus regards every corporal and spiritual work of mercy, performed in behalf of our fellow men out of love for Him, as done to Himself, and promises heaven as a reward, what must have been the extent of His gratitude to you who in the truest sense of the word have received Him, given Him shelter, clothed, nourished, and consoled Him at the sacrifice of your strength and rest, and even your life, with a love which surpassed the love of all fathers.
God really and personally made Himself your debtor. Our Divine Savior paid that debt of gratitude by granting you many graces in your lifetime, especially the grace of growing in love, which is the best and most perfect of all gifts. Thus at the end of your life your heart became filled with love, the fervor and longing of which your frail body could not resist. Your soul followed the triumphant impulse of your love and winged its flight from earth to bear the prophets and patriarchs in Limbo the glad tidings of the advent of the Redeemer.
Saint Joseph, I thank God for your privilege of being able to die in the arms of Jesus and Mary. As a token of your own gratitude to God, obtain for me the grace of a happy death. Help me to spend each day in preparation for death. May I, too, accept death in the spirit of resignation to God's Holy Will, and die, as you did, in the arms of Jesus, strengthened by Holy Viaticum, and in the arms of Mary, with her rosary in my hand and her name on my lips!
Saint Joseph, I, your unworthy child, greet you. You are the faithful protector and intercessor of all who love and venerate you. You know that I have special confidence in you and that, after Jesus and Mary, I place all my hope of salvation in you, for you are especially powerful with God and will never abandon your faithful servants. Therefore I humbly invoke you and commend myself, with all who are dear to me and all that belong to me, to your intercession. I beg of you, by your love for Jesus and Mary, not to abandon me during life and to assist me at the hour of my death.
Glorious Saint Joseph, spouse of the Immaculate Virgin, obtain for me a pure, humble, charitable mind, and perfect resignation to the divine Will. Be my guide, my father, and my model through life that I may merit to die as you did in the arms of Jesus and Mary.
Loving Saint Joseph, faithful follower of Jesus Christ, I raise my heart to you to implore your powerful intercession in obtaining from the Divine Heart of Jesus all the graces necessary for my spiritual and temporal welfare, particularly the grace of a happy death, and the special grace I now implore:
(Mention your request).
Guardian of the Word Incarnate, I feel confident that your prayers in my behalf will be graciously heard before the throne of God. Amen.
MEMORARE
Remember, most pure spouse of Mary, ever Virgin, my loving protector, Saint Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or asked for your aid without obtaining relief. Confiding, therefore, in your goodness, I come before you and humbly implore you. Despise not my petitions, foster-father of the Redeemer, but graciously receive them. Amen.
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The Prince of Wales to the King
Grange, 4 June 1796
As the unfortunate predicament in which I now stand renders it impossible for me to pay my duty to your Majesty this day, allow me notwithstanding, Sir, to assure you that though at a distance there is no one of your children & no one of your subjects who can offer up more fervently his prayers this day to the Supreme & Allmighty Being than I do, to shower down its choicest blessings on your Majesty, that a long series of years, accompanied by every species of happiness, may be what is in store for you in this life, & that everlasting felicity may await you hereafter in a better.
I flatter myself that your Majesty will be graciously pleased to forgive this intrusion, but I could not, whilst I felt my heart glow with the most affectionate & dutiful attachment, let such a day pass unnoticed.
The King’s reply
Queen’s House, 5 June 1796
Yesterday evening I received your letter of that date of congratulation on my birthday. I think you took a wise part in not coming to Court as men’s minds seem so agitated that I cannot answer for the sentiments that might have been expressed.
I am now come to an age that prudence ought to guide my steps, but assure you at no age I ever omitted setting before my eyes that it having pleased Heaven to place me in an elevated situation, Providence would not have acted with its usual spirit of justice had it not at the same time imposed on me more strict rules of duty than on common individuals, as my example, if good, might be of use, so if bad it must agravate any impropriety in my conduct. I trust the same sentiment will by degrees be awakened in you which it has been my early habit to know the value of.
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Story About The Second Sunday after Easter. (Latin Calendar)
by Fr. Raphael Frassinetti, 1900
Gospel. John x. 11-16. At that time Jesus said to the Pharisees: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep, and flieth: and the wolf catcheth and scattereth the sheep: and the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling, and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me. As the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd.
“I Am the Good Shepherd.” This Our Lord says of Himself. Our Lord had other titles, as Jesus, Saviour, Redeemer, Master, Advocate, King of peace, Our Reconciliation, all signifying His love for mankind. Are you, my dear young people, glad of the title of good Shepherd, which Our Lord gives Himself? Yes, the title is a beautiful one; it is full of consolation and of love. He gives Himself this title in order to gain our affection and our entire heart. How good Jesus is to us, His lambs and sheep!–What care does He not take of us? He speaks to our hearts words of eternal life, and His holy inspiration illumines our mind and makes us know His goodness. He takes us up tenderly, and brings us to delightful pastures. He nourishes our souls with His holy word, by the words of His priests; He feeds us with bread which is not of this world, the Bread of angels, His sacred body and blood. Was there ever a shepherd who gave his body and blood for food to his flock? Generally the flock is a source of revenue, support, and sustenance to the shepherd; but not so in the case of this Good Shepherd. He supports and sustains His flock.
Of course the shepherd will fight for his flock, he will use every means in his power to protect it from ravage, but the Good Shepherd gives His life for His flock. O, infinite love! What pains and suffering didst Thou not endure for Thy sheep! Just think of Jesus crucified; look at Him nailed to the cross; see that face all covered with bruises; those eyes half closed with blood; those shoulders torn by stripes; that side opened by a lance; those hands and feet pierced with nails, and that head crowned with sharp thorns. All this, all these wounds, the Good Shepherd suffered for His poor lost sheep. Then what should we do on our part? Oh, give Him at least a little recognition, gratitude, obedience, and love– if nothing more than to receive Him on the great festivals of the year. This good Shepherd will love you with all affection and give you His choicest blessings.
There are, on the contrary, many restless, ill-regulated, sickly, plague-stricken sheep who have to be thrown out of the flock, because they continually disobey Him and make Him feel the sadness of having shown kindness in vain. He would like to bring them to good pastures that they might recover from their maladies, and become useful members of the flock again, but they will not listen to His voice. He calls them to the use of the sacraments, but it is in vain; He calls them about Him to be His escort and companions, but they would rather be far away from Him; they want to feed their souls on poisonous food; they do not like the restraint of being near the holy Jesus. They have left the fountains of living water which ran to eternal life. They have looked for water and found filthy broken cisterns.
Among you, my dear youthful friends, there are many wayward sheep also. This Good Shepherd seeks to bring them back to the fold, but many are obstinate, blind, and wicked, and will not hear His voice. He invites them with sweet and coaxing words; He makes them feel the qualms of conscience; He embitters the cup of vice from which they are drinking and takes peace and happiness away from them. But these wicked sheep will not listen and continually say by their works, “No, I will have nothing to do with you.” What more should this Good Shepherd do to gain them and to bring them back to His flock? Can you suggest something? Is it possible that God will not succeed in attracting them to Him? Will He not succeed when He promises them the kingdom of paradise? He must and will get angry some time; He will abandon them and deny them the help of His grace, and then they will fall from one sin to another. How many young people, my dear friends, are in such a state. In early youth they become vessels of wrath, and if God still tolerates them, the day of vengeance will come, the day on which God will separate the bad from the good. And to the bad He will say, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.”
Now, there is still time to change your way of living; you can become the well-loved lambs and sheep of the flock of Christ, instead of being the despised rams that the Shepherd does not tolerate near Him. Go to Him and show your sorrow, and He will take you on His shoulders, for He is waiting and looking for you. He is watching you in your wanderings, and at the first sign of repentance, of weakness, or of fainting, He hastens to your side, He raises you on His shoulders, and carries you back to the fold which you would not have been able to reach with your wasted strength.
My young friends, we are all sheep of the flock of Christ; we are His by redemption and by the grace of almighty God. Be always obedient to Him, hear His voice, and walk continually in His footsteps. Would you walk securely in the midst of this world, so full of danger and snares? The only means is to allow yourselves to be guided by God. If you would please the divine Shepherd, imitate Him in His divine virtues, in His kindness and obedience, like good sheep who are willing to be led. The divine Shepherd having loved His flock on this earth, will call them all to the enjoyment of heavenly pastures and will quench their thirst “At the torrents of joy” which He provides for us in heaven.
by Leonard Goffine, 1871
Because of the joyous resurrection of Christ, and the graces flowing to us on account of it, the Church sings at the Introit of Mass: The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord, Alleluia, by the word of the Lord the heavens were established, Alleluia, Alleluia. Rejoice in the Lord O ye just: praise becometh the upright. (Ps. xxxii.) Glory, &c.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who, by the humiliation of Thy Son, hast raised up the fallen world: grant to Thy people perpetual joy: that They whom thou hast delivered from the danger of everlasting death, may arrive at eternal happiness. Through, &c.
EPISTLE. (i. Peter ii. 21 – 25) Dearly Beloved: Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example that you should follow his steps. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth. Who when He was reviled, did not revile: when He suffered, he threatened not: but delivered Himself to him that judged Him unjustly: who His own self bore our sins in His body upon the tree: that we being dead to sins, should live to justice: by whose stripes you were healed. For you were as sheep going astray: but you are now converted to the shepherd and bishop of your souls.
EXPLANATION St. Paul teaches the Christians patience in misery and afflictions, even in unjust persecution, and for this purpose places before them the example of Christ who though most innocent, suffered most terribly and so patiently. Are we true sheep of the good shepherd if at the smallest cross, at every word, we become so angry and impatient?
ASPIRATION. O Lord Jesus! grant me the grace to follow Thee, my good Shepherd, and not to complain and make threats whenever I am reprimanded, reviled, or for justice's sake am persecuted.
GOSPEL. (John x. 11 – 16.) At That Time: Jesus said to the Pharisees: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. But the hireling and he that is not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming and leaveth the sheep, and flieth, and the wolf catcheth, and scattereth the sheep: and the hireling flieth, because he is a hireling; and he hath no care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd: and I know mine, and mine know me, as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep. And other sheep I have, that are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
In what way has Christ proved Himself a good shepherd?
In this that He sacrificed His life for those who did not yet love Him, and could not reward Him, even for His enemies (John iv. 30.; Rom. v. 8.), and has besides given Himself to them for their food.
How are we to know if we are among the sheep of Christ, that is, His chosen ones?
By this, if we willingly listen to the voice of the shepherd in sermons and instructions, in spiritual books and conversations, are obedient to it, and especially give ear and follow the rules of the Church through which the good Shepherd speaks to us (Luke x. 16.), “for he,” says St. Augustine, “who has not the Church for his mother, will not have God for his father;” if we gladly receive the food of the good Shepherd, that is, His sacredbody and blood in holy Communion; if we are patient and meek as a lamb, freely forgiving our enemies; if we love all men from our heart, do only good to them, and seek to bring them to Jesus.
Who are the other sheep of Christ?
The gentiles who were not of the fold of Israel, whom Christ sought to bring by His disciples, and now by their successors, into His fold.–Among these sheep we also, through our ancestors, belonged. O how grateful we should be to God, that He has brought us into the fold of His Church, and how diligently we should conduct ourselves as good sheep!
When will there be but one fold and one shepherd?
When by the Church's prayers and by her missionaries all nations shall be converted to the only saving Church, constituting then one Church under one head. Let us pray that this may soon come to pass.
PRAYER O Lord Jesus! Thou good Shepherd who on the cross didst give Thy life for Thy sheep, grant us, we beseech Thee, by Thy death, the grace to bear upon ourselves all the signs of Thy lambs, that we may be one day numbered among Thy chosen ones in heaven.
DOCTRINE OF HOPE
I give my life for my sheep. (John x. 15.)
What has Christ won for us by His death?
The remission of our sins, the grace to lead a god-pleasing life, and eternal happiness, for which we now firmly hope, with secure confidence may now expect, and most assuredly will obtain, if we do not ourselves let it go.
In what does eternal happiness consist?
In the clear vision of God, which includes the most perfect love of Him, by which those who are saved, become, as it were, one with Him, possessing in this union everything that they could possibly desire.
What are the necessary means of obtaining eternal happiness?
The grace of God, that is, His continual assistance; the practice of the three divine virtues: faith, hope, and love; the keeping of God's commandments; the frequent use of the holy Sacraments, and constant prayer. These means must be diligently employed, for “God who,” as St. Augustine says, “created us without us, will not save us without us,” that is, without our cooperation.
What may especially enable us to hope for eternal happiness?
The infinite mercy and goodness of God, who from all eternity has loved us more than an earthly mother, and because of this love did not even spare His only begotten Son, but gave Him up, for our sake, to the bitterest death. Will He then deny us heaven, who in giving us His Son, has given us more than heaven itself?
The fidelity of God: He has so often promised us eternal happiness, and in so many texts of Scripture so clearly explained, that He wishes us to be saved, that He must keep His promise, for He is eternal truth and cannot possible lie or deceive. (Hebr. vi. 18.) He says not yes today, and no tomorrow, there is no change in Him, nor shadow of alteration. (James i. 17.) The omnipotence of God, who can do “all that He pleases, whom no one can oppose or prevent from doing what He will; if now we have confidence in a rich and honest man who assures us, he will assist us in need, how much more should we hope in the best, most faithful, and all powerful God!
When should we make acts of hope?
As soon as we come to the use of reason and are sufficiently instructed concerning this virtue and its motives; in time of trouble or of severe temptation against this virtue; when receiving the holy Sacraments; every day in the morning or evening, and especially at the hour of death. The same things are to be observed in making acts of faith and of love.
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Philip Schuyler to Catharine Schuyler [10th January 1800, Albany]
My Dearly Beloved Child
Your very agreeable favor of the 1st inst., I had the pleasure to receive yesterday. Your Dear Mama unites with me in reciprocating the wishes of you and all our dear children for a continuance of health and every happiness that the divine being can disperse, and which he will bestow upon the virtuous. I wish we had been at New York. Mr. Morris's oration would have afforded us pleasure, but the greatest would have been that of being with children so dear to us.
If the President does not nominate Gen. Hamilton to be Lieut.-General, it will evince a want of prudence and propriety, which may ultimately be injurious to him; for I am persuaded that the vast majority of the American community expect that the appointment will be conferred on the General. I long to hear from him and also from Mr. Church; but believe their not writing is to be imputed to an expectation that I should before this have been in New York, as in fact I should if there had been snow to convey us. The many civilities which Mrs. Morris in more happy days conferred on me, entitles her to my sincere sympathy; and it is a consolation to learn that she supports her disasters with so much fortitude, and that her daughter's conduct reflects so much credit on her.
Your observations, my dear child, on the behaviour of these persons, evinces the goodness of your heart, and the correctness of your judgment. To feel for the misfortunes of others with sensibility, although it creates a pain, it is a pain accompanied with the conscious pleasure, of a duty to humanity. Yesterday, there was an Eligible procession in honor of the good deceased General. An oration was delivered by Mr. Bean, which, from as much as I could hear of it, did credit to the speaker. It will probably be published.
Although I apprehend that you do not pursue your studies as much as I would wish, yet I am most fully persuaded that the neglect is not to be imputed to you; but that you are restrained by those necessary attentions to others which cannot in your situation be dispensed with, but even in these you acquire valuable benefits, from the conversation of your brothers and sisters, and perhaps from a few others.
Embrace all our dear children and grandchildren for us; they all participate with you in our love and best wishes.
Adieu my honorable and beloved child, may indulgent Heaven pour its choicest blessings on you and all who are dear to us.
I am ever yours most
Affectionately,
Ph. Schuyler.
#source: a godchild of washington#philip schuyler#catherine schuyler#catherine schuyler malcom cochrane#philip schuyler to catherine schuyler#1800#1800s#schuyler
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Offer Me your best time, talent and treasure.
"The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the Lord.”
"Next she bore his brother Abel. Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.
"In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the soil, while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his flock.
"The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not.
"Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen. So the Lord said to Cain: “Why are you so resentful and crestfallen? If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.”

"Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out in the field.” When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

"Then the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He answered, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
"The Lord then said: “What have you done! Listen: your brother’s blood cries out to me from the soil! Therefore you shall be banned from the soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
"If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth.”
"Cain said to the Lord: “My punishment is too great to bear. Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at sight.”
“Not so!” the Lord said to him. “If anyone kills Cain, Cain shall be avenged sevenfold.” So the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight.
"Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son whom she called Seth. “God has granted me more offspring in place of Abel,” she said, “because Cain slew him.” (Genesis 4: 1 - 15, 25).
Monday February 13th 2023 in the 6th Week of Ordinary Time.
The story of Cain and Abel is one of the Bible stories we mastered as kids. I believe this interesting story is in every year of the 3 Year lectionary cycle.
What is the teaching and application?
There is a sowing time and a harvest time.
By faith, Abel offers God the choicest of his lambs.
Bring the best of your time, talent and treasure to the Lord.
The Lord God owns everything.
You can never outdo God in generosity.
A sacrifice of Thanksgiving honors God.
The Eucharist is the first and foremost of the sacrifice that honors God.
Now that you know this, you will be blessed if you do it.
Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com
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