Catherine of Siena

“Come to me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

If we don’t know what Jesus is talking about, it sounds like a day off. Maybe the best day off ever. Because it’s God’s version of a day off, right?

Not exactly.

What Jesus is talking about is rest from the very thing that makes us heavy laden. When you and I weigh our hearts down with the desire to be someone we’re not.

When we look at other people and say in our hearts, “Why can’t I do what she does?” “How come I don’t get to do that?” “When is it going to be my turn?”

We weigh our hearts down. When we compare ourselves to others like that, we make ourselves heavy laden. And every day – even our day off – becomes a burden.

Because we’re missing what Jesus is saying. So here’s the rest of it.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart; and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

The yoke that Jesus is talking about is not the waste of comparison, or the burden of competition.

The truth is that as long as you compare yourself and your situation to others, you will never be anything but miserable. Because there will always be someone more successful, more talented, more celebrated than you are. This is the burden that Jesus wants you to drop.

Jesus is calling you to follow Him.

Let’s be clear, Jesus is not calling you to follow Him by being someone else. Jesus is calling you to follow Him, by being you.

Before you were ever formed in your mother’s womb, He planned for you to be here. For a moment such as this. That you are you, and that you are here now, is no accident.

And He has already given you everything you need to fulfill the purpose that He has for your life.

This is what Jesus is calling you to take upon you.

The more you live true to that purpose. The more you use what He has given you, to do what He has called you to do.

The closer you follow Him. The lighter it all becomes. The less life weighs you down.

It’s the secret of the great saints. It’s the change of heart that will change the world.

It’s what St. Catherine of Siena was talking about when she said - “Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.”

Today’s Readings

so how about that durge

DP x DC: The Most Dangerous Card Game

Ok so Danny has essentially claimed earth as his. And he is fully aware that there are constant threats to the planet. Now he can’t stop a threat that originates on earth (that’s something he’ll leave to the Justice league) but he can do something about outside threats. Doing some research on ancient spells, rituals, and artifacts, he cast a world wide barrier on the planet to protect it from hostile threats so they cannot enter. This will prevent another Pariah Dark incident. However, barriers like this come at a price. You see, there are two ways to make a barrier. Either make one powered up by your own energy and power (which would be constantly draining) or set up a barrier with rules. The way magic works is that nothing can be absolutely indestructible. It must have a weakness. The most powerful barriers weren’t the ones reinforced with layer after layer of protective charms and buffed up with power. Those could eventually be destroyed either by being overpowered, wearing them down, or by cutting off the original power source. No, the most powerful barriers were the ones with a deliberate weakness. A barrier indestructible except for one spot. A cage that can only be opened from the outside. Or that can only be passed with a key or by solving a riddle. So Danny chooses this type of barrier and does the necessary ritual and pours in enough power to make it. And he adds his condition for anyone to enter. 

Now the Justice league? Find out about the barrier when Trigon attempts to attack, they were preparing after he threatened what he would do once he got to earth. How he would destroy them. The Justice league tried to take the fight to him first but were utterly destroyed, so they retreated home to tend to their injuries, and fortify earth for one. Last. Stand. Only when Trigon makes his big entrance…he’s stopped.

The Justice league watch in awe as this thin see-through barrier with beautiful green swirls and speckled white lights like stars apears blocking Trigon and his army’s advance. The barrier looks so thin and fragile yet no matter how hard the warlord hits, none of his attacks can get through and neither can he damage said barrier. That’s when Constantine and Zatanna recognizes what this barrier is. Something only a powerful entity could create. For a moment, the league is filled with hope that Trigon can’t get through yet Constantine also explains that it’s not impenetrable. And clearly Trigon knows this too for he calls out a challenge. 

And that’s when, in a flash of light, a tiny glowing teenager appears. He looked absolutly minuscule compared to Trigon and yet practically glowed with power (this isn’t a King Danny AU though).

And that is when the conditions for passing the barrier are revealed. And the Justice realize that the only thing stopping Trigon and his army from decimating earth. The only way he can get through….is by beating this glowing teenager in a card game. 

Not just any card game though. The most convoluted game Sam, Danny, and Tucker invented themselves. It’s like the infinite realms version of magic the gathering, combined with Pokémon, and chess. And Danny is the master. So sit down Trigon and let’s play.

(The most intense card game of the Justice league’s life).

After Danny wins, this happens a few more times with outer word beings and possibly even demons attempting to invade earth, yet none have been able to beat the mysterious teenager in a card game. Constantine might even take a crack at it and try to figure out how to play. He’s really bad though. Every time this happens, the Justice league worry that this might be the time the teenager looses. Yet every time, he wins (even if only barely). 

Meanwhile, Danny, Sam, and Tucker have gotten addicted to the game and play it almost daily. Some teachers might seem them playing the game are are like ‘awww how cute’ not realizing this game is literally saving the world. Jazz is just happy they aren’t spending as much time on their screens playing Doomed.

C'MON TO THE THEATER!

I love these guys so much. forget NRC, I want to attend their terrible disaster school for disaster children that might actually be plastered on top of the smoking remains of an actively sinking ship. I may or may not actually learn anything, but I will have the time of my life.

guys, i think the hermits are going to accidentally start a prank war again. because just like last time, a game of telephone has begun. first, false made iskall's build into ''false beans,'' her shop from the previous season. however, to give herself plausible deniability, she signs it with "love, Joel. x" due to his username, smallishbeans.

next, iskall sees this, and completely believes it. he thinks it was joel who pranked him, and as he says to pearl while showing off the sign, which he kept even after tearing the prank down, "joel gave me a kiss." in his most recent video, he pranks joel by sending him loads of anonymous messages in order to completely spam and fill his inbox, preventing him from getting any more mail, with notes such as "thinking about you. x"

of course, joel is going to have absolutely no context for this, because he didn't make the initial prank. so who is joel going to assume sent him all those messages while he was away on holiday? well, i have a guess.

etho.

Context: Israel “allowed” aid in the forms of flour bags to be airdropped into Gaza, waited for hundreds to congregate, and then opened fire into the crowd of desperate, starving Palestinians. 150 Palestinians were killed. Hundreds more wounded. This is being called “The Flourbag Massacre”.

source

Meanwhile, over on the other side…

continuing that "maya tries to contact claire" post, i present you the post-Spirit of Justice follow-up

Let the revenge games begin.

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Hot devils (that you know) in your area

“If you need religion to be a good person...”

The other day, I did something that I rarely do. I read the comments.

There was one that stood out. It was deeply negative, full of personal attacks and slander (if you’re Catholic clergy, this sort of thing comes with the territory).

What made it stand out was the way that it closed. With what I’m sure the author considered to be a show-stopper – an unanswerable condemnation of both me and religious faith in general.

“If you need religion to be a good person, then you’re not a good person.”

I literally laughed out loud, said (out loud), “you get it!” And laughed some more.

Because that is exactly the point.

I am not a good person.

A quick look past the thin veneer of habit and manners reveals my deeply flawed character. Someone who is at bottom vain, petty, vicious, greedy, condescending, and vengeful.

Left to my own devices, that is exactly who I would be.

It’s not someone I want to be around.

And it’s not someone I want to be.

If you ever wonder why I keep writing and preaching about your interior life, about the Sacraments, about the habits of faith? About becoming who God made you to be? About not letting anything get between you and God?

This is why.

And I know I’m not alone. Because – if we’re honest – none of us are good persons.

I am a Catholic because I am well-aware of who I would be if I were not.

Today’s Readings

Rick + giving Michonne gifts What are you up to, Grimes? I'm just working with what I got.

bonus:

you ever think abt what if you gave a girl your whole life but she didnt even want it? you gave her your life to protect her and she threw you away?? what if even after that you still took care of her the best you could???? and then when you next see her shes not even her???? because you gave her your whole life to save her but you couldnt protect her?????? wouldnt that fuck you up?????? wouldnt that be so painful????????? you ever think about that?????

look at the full size image for better quality:>

more masquerade stuff! things really went from 0 to 1000 in, like, thirty seconds.

(sorry if none of these make sense outside of my head)

whatever happens, please don’t break

listen im ace and im pro kink at pride and whatever, but the way some of yall are wording your posts in response to the backlash against it is uh. really taking me back to the ace shitcourse era.

yall know theres nothing wrong with being a "virgin", right? that its not inherently shameful to have not had sex, to never have sex, even if youre not ace, even if you do want to have sex someday, like, its fine that you haven't had sex?

maybe if your problem is that theyre trying to police your behavior and shame you for expressing your sexuality, you can say that? instead of resorting to "haha stupid virgin gets no bitches" like my god. do you not hear how fucking regressive that attitude is? i know, i know, youre "joking".

get a better joke