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a-mythical-lady · 3 years

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Books and me.

14 years ago

(Age: 7)

It was bedtime and maa had just made my bed when I heard the front door open. Papa was home from work and I could hear bhai running to see papa and tell him random stuff. I bet papa listened to everything, despite being tired. After that, he came to my room, "Look what I got you" he said, and extended a book to me. I was confused as he had never brought me a book before. It was a book called Panchatantra. A story of an old rishi who gives life lessons to his five shishyas at the gurukul through stories about nature and animals. I was excited about getting my first book and begrudgingly, maa let me stay up later than usual. That night, sprawled on my bed, I was entranced and fascinated by all the different stories and scenes and talking animals. The next morning, I woke up by myself and finished the entire book by noon.

The next thing I know, I'm collecting comics and storybooks and getting addicted to them. Piling up tinkle comics, Archie's and Amar Chitra Katha was my only goal. Every train journey to my native place involved dragging papa to the railway station bookstore and getting myself a comic book for the train ride. I begged my parents to subscribe to storybooks along with the daily morning newspaper, and they relented after a lot of coaxing. Then, every Monday morning I'd wait eagerly for the newspaper boy to deliver my weekly dose of happiness with books of chacha Choudary, chandamama, and champak. Soon, this became an obsession that even my parents started noticing. Maa began hiding my copies of storybooks during the exams and giving them back only after all my exams were done. I began pestering papa to get me more and more books every day. Sometimes he would get me a double digest edition of tinkle and I'd be ecstatic and over the moon. It's amazing how something so small and silly used to make me so happy. I'd re-read the same books once I'd gone through my entire stash of new books. Out of desperation, I'd read anything I could lay my hands on. In school, we used to get all our term textbooks a month before the reopening of a new academic year and my English textbooks fell prey to this obsession of mine. I'd know all the lessons and stories by heart before the school year started. I think that was one of the reasons for the nerd label I got in school. I even started reading stories from the Bible, borrowing storybooks from another girl in my neighborhood. Little did I know that this was only the beginning.

10 years ago

(Age: 11)

One fine summer afternoon, bhai was busy watching tv in the living room and maa and papa were at work. We had free rein on the tv as it was the summer holidays and I had free rein on my books. I was lazing around in my room and started searching the entire house for something new to read. And finally, I found a book among bhai's things. It was probably a gift. It wasn't a comic book or a usual storybook. This one was an actual book. A novel. And it had no pictures. I was skeptical but boredom got the best of me and I decided to read a few pages to pass the time. It was a hardy boys book, written by Franklin W Dixon. After reading a few pages, my 11-year-old brain almost exploded with fascination. The style of writing, the mystery, the suspense of the entire book drew me in completely and I knew then, this was a turning point in my life where books are concerned. I felt almost grown-up. And so I read the 200 page novel with wide eyes and a bursting heart in 3 hours, without even getting up to pee. I went and told bhai about the new book I read. He laughed it off. I told maa and papa when they came back from work. "That's good beta", they said. I was disappointed that they didn't feel the same exhilaration that I did. Papa still got my books whenever I asked him. For the second time, I found myself collecting and piling up books. All of the hardy boys and Nancy drew collections. Once again, I was entranced, trapped yet alive like never before in a whole new world.

After that, a multitude of options lay before me. I dived headfirst into reading mystery and moved onto classics written by Charles Dickens, The Bronté sisters, Mary Shelly, and even a dash of Shakespeare. I fell in love with David Copperfield, Oliver twist, treasure island, Jane Eyre and Frankenstein.

But eventually, buying books so often became a chore and at the pace I was reading, with one book hardly lasting a day, we couldn't afford to buy as many books. So, then one day, maa and I set out on a goose chase all over the city looking for libraries where I could borrow books from. At last, we found an old government library inside an even older building that looked almost haunted. And as we bravely stepped into the barely holding up building, we only found old uncles reading newspapers and gossiping. Thankfully, there was a rack of English fiction. Just one single rack. Although mildly disappointed, I was determined to make do with that. I got myself a membership plan and my reading palette had its first taste of Indian authors. That one rack had a fair collection of young adult books, standalone contemporary novels which sated my hunger for quite some time. While other people gushed over my habit of reading books, my parents were a little concerned. But as I started writing my own speeches in school, improved in my speaking skills, I'm sure they were convinced and over time, I think they accepted this obsession of mine. Or at the very least, were forced to.

6 years ago.

(Age: 15)

My love for reading only grew and now I had a book beside me during breakfast, lunch, and dinner which my parents barely tolerated. I even started planting a book in every corner of my house for easy access, under the coffee table, by my bed, on my study table. While kids my age sneaked mobile phones under their pillows, I sneaked in books to read.

After a few years, I finally met a kindred spirit with a shared love for reading. He was older than me and introduced me to books by Dan Brown. I listened with rapt attention to the plot of the book and I immediately knew that my days of reading hardy boys and young adult books were over. It's crazy how transitioning between genres and different types of books made me feel older and mature over the years. Few pages into the Da Vinci code and I fell, hook, line, and sinker. I finished the entire 500-page book in a day. Back then, I was pretty adamant about having my own copies of books and collecting them, which I guess stemmed from my childhood obsession with collecting comics. Soon, I'd exhausted the books at the old library and had no other option but to trade in my precious books for second-hand books at a wholesale book store very far away from home. Because they were at a secondhand rate, I could now afford more books and although the pages were worn out and yellowed, I was happy. The already folded pages, notes in the corners of some pages jotted down by the previous owner made me feel oddly connected and attached.

Present-day

(Age: 21)

As I grew up and left my teenage years behind, life and boards got in my way and there were gaps when I couldn't read no matter how hard I tried. But once I found my way back to books. I knew what I was missing and knew that I would never stop reading again. I still read books by Dan Brown, Sydney Sheldon, and Nora Roberts. I found quite a few talented Indian authors. Books by Durjoy Dutta and Ravinder Singh made me fall in love with contemporary romance and light humor. I've moved on to reading books on my phone now. I miss turning pages of an actual book, but on the bright side, I get to read countless books anytime and anywhere I want. I've explored many genres over the years, murder and crime thrillers, romance, contemporary, dark fiction, and comedy, and read them accordingly when the mood strikes.

If there's one thing that has been a constant through my childhood, it has been books. Reading is a huge part of my life and very close to my heart. Words and writing mean so much to me. Books have been my solace, my safe place, my companions as I grew up, my fantasy land, and my hiding place all rolled into one. I've cried, loved, smiled, and laughed with books and I can't describe how utterly grateful I am to maa and papa for getting me my first book when I was just 7 and letting me explore my love for reading.

Although, there's one thing I'd like to admit. There's this one genre that I've never read - non-fiction and strangely, I'm still very skeptical about it. But you never know, over time I might come to like that as well!

MAJ

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tedddy-exe · 5 years

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Jonathan

Jonathan.

[Inspired off the movie Annie 1982. This book is an H20VANOSS. Other ships will be included]

Characters replaced

Annie – Jonathan

Sandy – Squirrel

Bryce – Molly

Ryan – Pepper

[All other characters will be the same, others have been added. I'd like to say this story is between 2010 to 2014]

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Chapter 3

'I think I'm going to like it here'

A nice fancy car rolled up the road on Hudson St, a black Mercedes-Benz S-Class to be exact, and it parked right outside the home for boys. Less fortunate people passed by eyeing the car in all its beauty, some looked in jealousy others in admiration. A few stood and looked as an well dressed up man came out the front seat and headed to the back door to open it, he walked around to the other side of the car and the man opened the door widely and a beautiful young woman stepped out, blue dress suit and a blue hat to match even her blue tie matched witch her white and blue outfit, her deep drown hair was tied back into a bun handing loosely out the hat.

She walked up the doors of the home for boys and ran the doorbell, a man walking by looked her up and down with an look of desire, she was definitely someone from a place with lots of money either working for someone or working her own business but the fact that she came all the way out here to an much more poor place made everyone think she much be working for someone, after ringing the bell she waited and looked at the children looking at her, she gave them an awkward smile. She ran the doorbell again a couple of shouts were heard "Alright, alright!", then the door swung open "Yeah?".

The woman standing there gave a smile, "Miss Hannigan, I'm Grace Farrell. The New York's board of orphans sent me". Miss Hannigan took a long stare at her before crying out- "OH! My goodness, why don't you come in?", her grin going as wide as possible, Grace nodded and replied her thanks "Thank you".

"Right this way" Miss Hannigan held the door open for her as Grace walking in carrying her bag. Grace looked at her surroundings with a look of shook before Miss Hannigan grabbed her forearm linking in her one and with a joyful voice, she said "Welcome to our happy home", Grace smiled at he and looked to the boys hanging around on the steps. "What did you say your name was?". Grace gave another smile, "Uh Grace Ferrell" Miss Hannigan nodded as in approving manner, "Grace, what a lovely name".

Grace looked around awkwardly for a moment, "Uh, I'm here to inquire about an orphan?".

Miss Hannigan put on a shocked face before grabbing Grace's shoulders, "Grace, wait, I can explain the whole thing! You see what, what happened" Miss Hannigan then began to rush Grace and herself forward, "That- that the child bribed Mr. Bundles to smuggle her outta here in the laundry basket!". Grace looked towards the flailing woman confused, "I knew I should've called and told him, but the truth is my brain threw a red and I called the cops instead! But the he's back now and everything fine, ho harm non felt, huh?".

Grace sorted herself out, "Hiss Hannigan, what on earth are you talking about?". That's when Miss Hannigan's feared face dropped and turned into a disinterested one, "Hold it sister, are you pedaling beauty products? Because if ya are I don't need no beauty products.", Miss Hannigan then reached for a cigarette putting it in her mouth and sitting on her chair behind a desk, kicking up her feet. "If that's what you're doing, you can pedal yourself outta here, sweetie".

Grace smiled, "Miss Hannigan, I am the private secretary to the Oliver Warbucks". Miss Hannigan sat up in her chair, "The Oliver Warbucks? Oliver Warbucks the millionaire?". Grace laughed and sat down on the chair in front of the desk "No, Oliver Warbucks the billionaire"

Miss Hannigan's feet dropped down with a bang, she put her head in her palm "Holy mother of Mary god".

"Mr. Warbucks's would like an orphan to spend a week away at his home, I'm here to select one". Something in the corner of Grace's eyes caught her attention, she looked beside Miss Hannigan to see a boy peeking out the closest with a finger in between his lips, it was no other than Jonathan.

"Well that's just wonderful!" Miss Hannigan started sorting out papers on her desk. "What kind of orphan do you have in mind?", "Oh well uhm, friendly", She looked to Jonathan ho nodded and raised his brow then to Miss Hannigan, "Intelligent". Jonathan smiled "Mississippi, capital M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I", Jonathan whispered, and Grace smiled back at him.

"And happy". Suddenly Jonathan let out a laugh, an loud crazy one filled with snorts and wheezes, Grace couldn't help but laugh too, Miss Hannigan hearing the two got up and shut the door to the room containing Jonathan, She glared at Grace and then returned to her seat missing it and falling to the ground. Grace let out a little 'oh', she arose from the ground, "how old" she blinked a few times "Oh, well age doesn't really matter... 13?", She saw Jonathan peak out from the closet again and saw him motion his hand upwards "14, 15, 16?", Jonathan's hand signaled a stop to go no higher, "yes 16, 16 will do just fine!".

Miss Hannigan nodded, "16, ok". "Oh, I am so sorry, I forgot to say Mr. Warbucks prefers freckled children", Miss Hannigan stared at her, "Freckled, yep no, don't got it".

Jonathan stepped out of the closest, Grace got up "Well, what about this child", She walked over to him hells clicking, she gently rested her hands on his shoulders, "Jonathan?", Grace nodded smiling at Jonathan and a big grin plastered on Jonathan's one, "Yeah, Jonathan". Miss Hannigan laughed waving her hand, "You don't want him".

"And why not"

"He's- He's a drunk"

"Uh-oh! No. Jonathan, how would you like to spend a week at Mr. Warbucks house?"

Jonathan smiled more, "Oh boy, I would love too, really, really love to!"

Miss Hannigan stood, pulling Jonathan away "Hold on a minute wait!", Her eyes burning with hate, "You can take an orphan, I mean any but Jonathan!".

"But why?"

"Because He's got it coming to him and I don't mean a week in the lab of luxury, This Brats got to learn his place!". Grace looked shocked, "Place?"

"Jonathan's entirely to cheeky!", Grace was appalled, "Mr. Warbucks likes cheeky children" She pulled him away, Miss Hannigan snatched him back "tough!", Grace pulled him back again, "I assume-", Both of them started bickering back and forth both an hand on each of Jonathan's arms.

"-He also told me about the people he had lined up for your job!", Suddenly Miss Hannigan stopped pulling at Jonathan. "I think it would be very easy for you to lose your job right now, don't you think?". She let go of his arm pushing him away, Grace grabbed his shoulders, "Leaping lizards!", Miss Hannigan did her usual and mocked his voice.

"C'mon Jonathan, Mr. Warbucks limo is waiting!". Grace collected her stuff walking, Jonathan followed only to stop, "Is okay if I bring my dog too?", Grace twirled around looking at Jonathan "Dog?".

Jonathan started patting his legs. "C'mere squirrel, come on", A German Shepherd came walking out of the from the closet, Squirrel's tan fur shook as he walked, you could easily see the darker spots in his coat. "He's really nice, really, really good. He never jumps up on people"- just then Squirrel jumps up onto her. "Oh no, Jonathan, that's a really sweet dog but I don't think it'll work Mr. Warbucks-", Jonathan cut her off, "Then I'm not coming".

Grace's smile dropped, "What?"

"She's going to send him to the sausage factory, she said it herself."

"I'm not a zone for dogs" She growled. "Well, we'll take him!", Jonathan's smile reappeared "Oh boy!". Miss Farrell took Jonathan's hand. Though Jonathan was 16, Grace noticed how much he sounded, acted and even looked like a 10-year-old!

He wasn't your average child to say at-least.

All the other kids waved from the windows of the orphanage, "Bye!" "Bye Jonathan!" "Goodbye!", Bryce was giving a big wave from the window and Ryan could be seen from behind the small child, the 17-year-old looking quite sad to see Jonathan go.

"I'll be back, and I'll bring presents!"

Grace helped the short male up into the car, he wasn't at all tall for his age either- 5,4. Jonathan didn't despise his height at all. Once seated in the car he rolled down the window and waved to Bryce and Ryan, "Bye Bryce, Bye Ryan!".

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class was driving up to a very big looking building, which to later Jonathan would learn that it is called a mansion.

A man at the gates pulled them open letting the car roll into the grounds, Jonathan looked out the window holding onto Squirrel with a 'wow' look on his face, he's never seen such a fancy place, it looked like the train stations Ryan talked about when he first arrived at the orphanage.

"Is this a train station, are we going on a train?" Jonathan yelped happily, "No sweetie, this is Mr. Warbucks home"

Grace jumped out the car Jonathan followed close behind as Squirrel also jumped out, Jonathan held onto the car door as he looked to the colored man that stood just outside the doors of the house. He held no expression, his white turban sat on top of his head with a red gem, he also had a nice traditional white and red outfit on with a red and deep orange-ish rope around his waist.

Squirrel started barking at the man, suddenly the man with barely any expression started making hand movements, Squirrel dropped to the ground and rolled onto his back.

"Woah", The man gave a slight smile. Jonathan jumped out from the car and grabbed Squirrel's leach.

"Jonathan, this is Punjab and Asp. Mr. Warbucks bodyguards"

Grace then laughed, "Come on now sweetheart, let's get you settled", They walked up the stairs and into the big hallway. Jonathan stopped for second to wipe his feet on the big carpet in front of him, Grace smiled taking off her hat. They passed a man working on a plant, He noticed Jonathan with a jump he got up and followed close behind.

In the hallway there was a gold rose table that help a vase with millions of pink roses and other pink flowers, Jonathan sniffed one from the vase. A woman fixing up the flowers gave a shocked face to the new comers.

Quiet music could be heard in the background.

A bunch of old men could be seen working on papers in the doorway open to the room. Jonathan peaked around the corner of the flowers to look at them, one of the working men dropped their book and all of them got up from their seats to look at the child, Jonathan gave a toothy smile, his gap in the front two showing off brightly, he let go of the flowers and kept walking with Squirrel, the people from the business room walked out and also followed close behind Jonathan and Grace.

After going through the next doors, Jonathan's eyes widened at the sight, pillars upon pillars engraved with style and balconies that people hung over doing duties. It must be the main hall.

Its roof was plastered with colored glass, after looking back down to the ground again and flash was saw.

Everyone once working had stopped to see the dirty child who had walked into the premises of Mr. Warbucks.

A fat looking butler cam walking up to them, his green suit showing he had much more importance than the others around.

He sneezed, "Into the zoo, Miss Farrell?".

Grace handed him her hat and bag; she shook her head. "Not recently Drake, has the organ been tuned?". And then they continued their walk.

"Yes miss".

"Pool heated".

"Yes miss".

"Tennis court net on?".

"Yes miss".

"Front Doors fixed?".

"Yes miss".

"Elevator oiled?".

"Yes ma'am".

"Computer keyboard prepared?".

"Yes ma 'dam" .

The man in green sneezed again.

"Are you allergic to dogs, Drake?".

"No, filth".

"Is dinner on its way, Mrs. Pugh?", a motherly looking woman swung her washing cloth around with a smile she replied, "Yes, I'm preparing his favorite. Texas grapefruit, Virginia ham, Idaho potatoes, Wisconsin cheese, Washington apples and baked Alaska". Jonathan smile at Mrs. Pugh, he had never heard any of the foods before, but he knew damn well it was going to be better than what Miss Hannigan gave him to eat.

Grace smiled and walked in front of the group of people standing by, "I have an announcement to make everyone, I have an announcement".

"This-", she pointed at the kid in front of her, "Is Jonathan and he'll be staying with us for a week."

Everyone then greeted Jonathan with smiles and hellos.

"This is his dog, Squirrel".

Jonathan waved back and then tightened his grip on Squirrel's leach, "Who'll be staying with me". The maids and butlers standing around giggled at his joke.

A lovely looking woman come over and politely asked, "Will I take your jacket, sir?". Jonathan gave her a baffled, "Will I get it back?", another woman looking a bit older took his jacket off with a smile. "Of course, sir!". The music that was playing in the background suddenly sounded like it was louder than before, Grace then bended over with her hands on her knees and with a smile she asked, "Now, Jonathan what would you like to do first?".

Jonathan put his pointer finger and his thumb to his chin giving a quick look around by spinning he stated, "The windows then floors", He started walking over to the bucket filled with water and cloth at the stairs, "Then that way if I drip-", He reached for the cloth in the bucket, "No, no, no Jonathan".

Grace put a hand on his arm pulling him away, "You don't understand", She pulled him back into the middle of the group.

"You don't have to do any cleaning while you're here with us".

"I won't, how am I gonna earn my keep?".

"Why, Jonathan your our guest", Grace held a hand onto his shoulder her out arm stretching out to the room, with an bright and lovely voice Grace started to sing with the music, "Cecille will pick out all your clothes", Cecille looked Him up and down, "Green is his best color, no, blue".

Another woman was introduced, "Your bath is drawn by Mrs. Greer", Mrs. Greer grabbed his shoulders crouching with a smile. "Soap, no, bubbles I think", Jonathan smiled widely, he loved bubbles!

"Annette comes in to make your bed", The woman who had taken Jonathan's denim jacket earlier stalked over, "The silk, no, the satin sheets, I think" .

Jonathan then was patted on the cheeks by Grace, "I think I'm gonna like it here!". He was then picked up by some butlers into the air as a maid started taking his measurements, a flash went off too and another photo was taken, someone else threw a big sheet of blue into the air.

The men then laid him on his back on their hands so that the main could get a look at his size, men and woman danced in the background very flowed, one maid cam up to Jonathan with a tray of cups for him to pick out, another gave him a pillow to test out. Two men dancing while cleaning knocked one over and he tumbled with an 'oh!'.

Grace then picked up the weightless boy and put him on the shoulder of the fallen man, he held onto Jonathan as two others pushed him along the ground, Grace walked backwards in front of them singing, "The pool is down the stairs".

She pointed to them, "Inside the house? Oh boy!" .

The were pushed into the next hallway as some ladies jumped in the air with their dust cleaners.

"The tennis court is in the rear".

"I never even picked up a racket".

"What?", She turned to Drake, "Have an instructor here a noon. Oh, and get that Don Budge fellow if he's available".

The man who tumbled earlier let Jonathan down from his shoulder and other ran off.

It was Jonathan's turn to sing.

"I think I'm gonna like it here".

Maids in the dinning room set up the tablet with followers and cutlery, they then put two hands down onto the table and kicked their lets into the airs spinning around. Squirrel then ran passed Mrs. Pugh who threw a plate into the air after Squirrel ran underneath the table, a butler behind caught it and whisked away. Both Jonathan and Mrs. Pugh looked under the dinning table.

More men came in lifting themselves into the air kicking their legs and Drake came in carrying a chair, Mrs. Pugh held Jonathan close to her. Drake set the chair down, Mrs. Pugh started singing now, "When you wake, ring for Drake. Drake will bring your tray", Squirrel then jumped onto the chair and Drake gave the dirty dog a glare.

Drake sang while glaring at the dog eating food off the plate, "When you're through Mrs. Pugh comes to take it away".

Jonathan heard a faint call of his name; He ran back into the hallway slipping and sliding on the clean floors. Grace and the others encouraged him. Grace caught him, Jonathan swung his leg up, giggling.

Grace planted him on the steps, both her and servants sang, "No need to pick up any toys". Jonathan started hopping up the stairs, "That's okay, I haven't any anyway". He then started running up them, everyone followed.

"No finger will you lift my dear", Both crouched grinning at each other. They both started running up the next flight of stairs. "We have but one request", a man fell while running up the stairs, "Please put us to the test".

Jonathan ran back down grabbing his hand and helping him back up on his two feet, Jonathan smiled at the man.

"I know I'm gonna like it here".

In his new bedroom, maids fixed him a new bed. While passing pillows to each other Jonathan arose from the covers, he sang again.

"Used to room in a tomb. Where I'd sit and freeze. Get me now, holy cow!"

He looked around at he ladies smiling at him, "Could someone pinch me please?"

In the bathroom, Drake was cleaning Squirrel. "Now hold still you little rascal", Squirrel barked and jumped out running with soap going everywhere.

Jonathan had gone back backstairs and started playing with the organ pressing any keys he could, making an unfriendly tune.

He looked over the balcony of where the organ was sitting and watched the men and woman belong dance and leap.

Swinging their legs and twirling, men tap danced. He too wanted to leap and twist like the girls down there one day.

Jonathan turned around, walking into another room that held one another balcony that looked on outside, out there was a gardener working on the bushes. He stood up and waved a big wave to Jonathan, "Hiya Jonathan!", He grabbed a yellow flower, "Got something for ya!". He jumped up with a spin of 3 times and then proceeded to climb up the lattice, He gave Jonathan the flower, "Here ya go, Jonathan!".

Jonathan sniffed it then put it in his hair.

Grace picked Jonathan up, pulling him away from the gardener.

They both stood at the top of the stairs, "We've never had a little boy, we hope you understand your wish is our command", Jonathan started walking down the stairs, "I know gonna like it here, I'm glad I could volunteer".

Grace laughed, "I'm glad, I say I'm glad that he volunteered".

All the servants meet Grace and Jonathan halfway down the stairs, "We know your gonna like it here". They lifted him up into the air, "I know I'm gonna like it here!"

They all gathered around Jonathan who was in the air, hands raised to him as he started shaking them one by one.

FLASH.

The camera went again.

#bbs crew #bbs delirious #bbs squad #bbs #delirious #h20 delirious #annie #annie au #banana bus squad #bbs ohm #bryce games #bryce mcquaid #fanfic #fanfiction #fic #h20vanoss #ohm #ohmwrecker

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cardboard-moon · 6 years

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40 Things You Never Wanted To Know About Me

You probably already know me decently well or else you wouldn’t be reading this, so instead of rehashing the basic (boring) “getting to know me” questions I dug a little deeper and asked myself about what’s really important. Here is the result: 40 Things You Never Wanted To Know About Me. Enjoy!

1. What Parks and Rec character am I?

While I could argue for almost everyone on the show I’m probably most like Ben Wyatt: a white, brunette, and sad man who eats soup alone on a park bench (minus his love of math and rollerskate kink)

2: Top 5 books?

To Kill a Mockingbird, The Secret History, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Help, 11/22/63

3: Top 5 movies?

Chinatown, Star Wars, Rear Window, National Treasure (nick cage can be good in small doses ok) and Nancy Drew (2007)

4: Top 5 shows?

Parks and Rec, B99, That 70′s Show, Mad Men, Arrested Development

5: Top 10 most iconic vines?

1) Chris is that a weed/Mary is that a police

2) Hi My Name is Trey I have A Basketball Game Tomorrow

3) Rebecca It’s Not What You Think

4) The one where the girl is just hitting elmo with a baseball bat

5) Anything Kermit but esp. the one where he falls off the building

6) You Know This Boy Got His Free Taco

7) 2 Bros Chillin in the Hot Tub

8) Waelcom to my Keeetchen we have bananis and avocadis

9) Whoever Threw That Paper Your Mom’s A Hoe

10) i spilled lipstick in your valentino bag (yOU SPILLED WHAHULAUG LIPSTICK IN MY VALENTINE WHITE BAG)

6: Where do I see myself in 21 years?

One of my dreams in life is to marry the heir to a prestigious winery out in wine country. I have a vision of myself at 39, waking up at 10 AM on a tuesday and standing on my private balcony in my state-of-the-art spanish stucco villa. i am drinking a chardonnay despite the early hour whilst i observe my grape empire in my silk negligee. the only event planned for the day is a portrait sitting for my rottweilers (4 of them), for which i have arranged spaces in the family’s private art gallery. i am aging well despite the harsh california sun and my partner and i have a trip to tuscany planned for the fall. it’s a charmed life and i never tire of eating grapes

7: Top 5 favorite cryptids

1) Nessie (Nessie is a true lady I believe in her)

2) Mothman (not real)/ el chupacabra (possibly real)

3) the kraken (definitely real)

4) Bigfoot (not real but a legend anyways)

5) the yeti (real only in russia)

8: Do I Believe in Ghosts

It’s a complicated topic and of course we will likely never know for sure but the short answer is yes. in my opinion though, what ghosts are is the important question: are they really the dead coming back to haunt the earth? are they just manifestations of energy that the mind interprets into recognizable shapes? hallucinations? or is it wish fulfillment and the reduction of tensions on a heavy conscience? our brains are capable of powerful things, but it begs the question as to whether if a human desperately wants something to be true does the human mind have the power to make it true? c. s. lewis mentioned once that he never understood the ghost debate since, given that ghosts are real, they have no real power over us or anything interesting to say. but i believe that just goes to show how the mystery is far often more important than the solution.

9: Best/Worst Month of the Year

Best: May/November (spring/fall in full swing, holidays, time off school, great atmosphere) Worst: August (too dang hot & start of school)

10: What is one of my embarrassing secrets

I didn’t learn how to tie my shoes until I was nine (velcro ftw)

11: What is my Dream Date

We go cryptid hunting in the woods and have a picnic in the dark; you supply dogs for entertainment and guardianship purposes, i supply drinks and the cryptozoological myths we are chasing. Afterwards we get gelato

12: Top 3 Presidents

(this is based solely on arbitrary opinion not policies) 1) Barry Obama 2) Lincoln 3) Millard Fillmore (his name is funny)

Honorable mention: jimmy carter (he was the only noncorrupt man in office for like 30 years before barry)

13: Top 3 Vice Presidents

1) John Adams, if nothing else but for the drama this man caused 2) Walter Mondale 3) the big boy JB

Honorable Mention: Nichard Rixon

14: Top 3 Secretaries of State

1) Madeline Albright 2) Henry Clay 3) Elihu P. Washburn

(note: secretaries of state have the funniest names, like Hamilton Fish (1869-1877) rest easy Mr. Fish)

15: Worst Activity they make you do in middle school PE

Middle school P.E. is the worst in general but I’m going to say either grading you on your shotput skills (?) or BMI (??) or just the tuesday run in general (luther kids know)

16: Top 4 Worst Scents

1) Washing a knife covered in peanut butter 2) Really cheap perfume that they sell in checkout lines at convenience stores 3) Olives 4) organic deodorant

17: Top 7 Conspiracy Theories

1) The Denver Airport is an underground military fallout shelter designed to protect the 1% from nuclear warfare

2) A Roman pope adjusted the Gregorian calendar so that his reign would fall on 1000 AD so we’re actually living in the year 1783

3) Paul McCartney is dead and was replaced prior to the Seargant Pepper album by a lookalike named Billy Shears

4) The state of Wyoming is a myth

5) Avril Lavigne died and was replaced back in the early 00’s

6) The Titanic sank because too many people went back in time to prevent it from sinking

7) Not to be cliche George Bush and the military-industrial complex orchestrated the 9/11 attacks (jet fuel can’t melt steel beams and all that)

18: Inside jokes with myself

I’m not usually a “gamer” but every year without fail someone introduces me to a game exactly at finals time and I get hooked and it ruins my gpa and study habits. This year it’s Stardew Valley, last year it was Dream Daddy and the year before that it was undertale and I blame Jojo for absolutely all of it bc they are usually the instigator. Anyway, every year I joke with myself about what game will derail my grades this year

19: Top 5 Worst Tactile Sensations

1) Putting tights or leggings on wet, hairy legs post-shower

2) Running fingernails along cardboard

3) Sweating in a turtleneck

4) Having wet, salty hair after swimming that drips down onto your back and makes the top of your shirt damp

5) Reaching into a bag of grapes and only finding really soft, slimy ones

20: Best Cat I’ve ever encountered

One time my friend and I were leaving Romancing the Bean and walking back to her car and the fattest, fluffiest, softest ginger cat I’ve ever seen came trotting up to us and flopped over at our feet. He was such a good boy!!! And so friendly with strangers!! He was very well groomed and just wanted some love, and whenever we stopped petting him he would jump up onto our legs and leave little wet paw prints everywhere, I wanted to kidnap him

21: Best dog I’ve ever encountered

All of them

22: Best squirrel I’ve ever encountered

My dad has befriended a squirrel named Nutty that likes to sneak into his office when the door’s open and steals peanuts. if the door is closed he’ll bang on it and scream until we acknowledge him

23: If I were a furry what would my fursona be

I do not know because I am not a furry. HOWEVER someone who is well-versed in furry matters told me once that I would be one of those long, nervous dogs like a greyhound maybe and tbh I could see it

24: Favorite/Least Favorite Disneyland Rides

My favorite has always been haunted mansion, except for the halloween season when it’s nightmare before christmas and then it’s thunder mountain. I just love the outside atmosphere of the house bc I’m a slut for that southern gothic architecture style. Worst is splash mountain because there’s no seatbelt and LOGICALLY i know I don’t need one but it doesn’t stop me from having a panic attack every time I get on and we go up the big hill as I worry about being flung from the toboggan across the park

25: Least favorite restaurant within 10 mile radius of my house

I live over by Porto’s so I am #blessed to be surrounded by some really dope food. However there is a hipster place a couple of blocks over in Toluca Lake that only serves bizarre food like fried chicken in maple syrup with waffle fries and it’s surprisingly bland, so the lack of taste combines with how expensive it is probably makes it the worst (it’s also forgettable bc I can’t even remember its name)

26: Rank of JBHS history department according to how good of a parent they would be

9.Mr. Bixler - I have never had this man so I can’t say shit. NA/10

8. Ms. Snowden - I’ve never had her either but I’ve heard enough about her between Burroughs and Luther to know that this woman is kind of scary, intimidating and uptight, all things I personally do not desire in a parent. 2/10

7. Mr. Hatch - I love Scott Hatch but he is a tremendous mess of a man. Judging by his wife’s instagram photos his idea of parenting is taking naps while cuddling his children and letting his wife do the rest of the hard work. Plus he seems like the type to be too wrapped up in his own melodrama and too busy hangin out with his best friend Edward Frankenbush playing Xbox to pay much attention to his kids. However, he did skip the first day of school to take his daughter to kindergarten so he gets points for that. 4/10

6. Mr. Lee - Mr. Lee is a very respectable guy who seems like he does a very good job providing for his family. He’s ranked as middle of the road because he’s a naturally private person so I can’t speak to his parenting tactics or personality much, however the few stories he shared about his daughter were very cute and he does the typical teacher/parent things like making her his screensaver on his computer. Overall, a very quality dad and man, 6.5/10

5. Mr. Fitz - Kyle Fitzgerald is similarly a mess of a man, but the difference between him and Scott Hatch is that he seems to make an investment in his kid. He always talks about current events in terms of what idiocy his poor daughter will have to put up with which shows his devotion to her well-being and survival in a confusing world. Also he brought her in to go swimming once while I was working at Verdugo and I got to see them having a great time on the splash pad and it warmed my heart. Great dad 7/10

4. Mr. Piper - Richard Piper is such a good father but in a detached way. He loves talking about his son and wife just as much as he loves talking about planes. The real kicker? When he talks about taking his son ON planes and geeking out over history together. He also asked all of his classes for people looking for tutoring work when his son was struggling in math which is so cute. Good guy Rick gets an 8/10.

2. (tie) Mr. Frankenbush and Ms. Hacker - Ed and Jan are both beautiful people. I know Ms. Hacker is #divisive but I personally am a big fan and would die to have her guidance in my daily life. She’s always interested in what’s going on in people’s lives and sure she’s definitely chaotic but it’s a loving chaos that’s only looking to help other people. I’ve not had the pleasure of having Mr. Frankenbush but he always is hanging out with his son Joey and they love coming to the Burroughs pool and playing water polo together; they spend a lot of time together since his wife works so much and they have such a buddy friendship. Both of these lovely people are super devoted and invested in the youth and would make great parents. 9/10

1. Mr. Clark - A god. We don’t deserve this man and I can’t sing his praises enough. Were were all lucky enough to be Greg’s children I don’t think evil would exist in the world. 11/10

27: Worst book I read for school

Hands down Tale of Two Cities since it’s the only one I’ve never finished. Dickens just doesn’t do it for me I guess plus I get really tired of the one dimensional characters and how much he romanticizes Lucy

28: Favorite little-known tidbit of history

When Richard Nixon went to Soviet Russia as Eisenhower’s VP during the cold war his secret service agents detected higher than usual amounts of radiation coming from Nixon’s hotel room, so they started talking loudly about it bc they knew the Soviets had planted buds and were listening. Within like an hour the radiation had vanished and they never heard anything about it again so man Soviet’s ain’t sly

29: 5 Places in Burbank That Are Definitely Haunted

1. Coral Cafe for obvious reasons, look up the ghost on youtube

2. The View seems like it would have some kind of el chupacabra-esque creature prowling around, maybe a mountain lion hybrid

3. Fry’s Electronics

4. The abandoned train station under the bridge

5. The LA river by the equestrian center

30: Rank of all the AP classes i took in order of entertainment value

9) AP Bio: I liked bio but the class wasn’t very entertaining. There’s not a lot of humor in bacteria and cells, and Mr. Van Loo is much more of a calming than a humorous and chaotic presence, so overall it takes the hit as the least entertaining class.

8) AP Stats: Math is similarly not very entertaining, but Mrs. Hollingshed’s erratic personality gives it the edge over Bio. Definitely more humorous than expected of a math class.

7) AP Econ: I bombed econ and business/money isn’t very entertaining but Jan Hacker made it so thanks to her chaos (love her though).

6) AP Euro: European history is incredibly iconic because, spoiler alert, Europeans are idiots and historically speaking everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I just wish I remember it since I think idiot sophomore Lily slept through most of the class so needless to say I didn’t soak up much of the entertainment value. If it were up to me I’d take it over again and maybe stay awake this time.

5) AP Lit: Lit was just as much challenging and intimidating as it was entertaining, so it balances out. Mrs. Caluya is notably iconic and the books we read were all pretty interesting so it gets a high vote from me.

3) (tie) Gov/APUSH: History is always entertaining in my eyes since people do stupid things out of pettiness. These two tie for different reasons: Mr. Piper is a great teacher and that mock trial we did for the industrial age was great, but the subject was also extremely entertaining overall. I loved reading about how John Adams made making fun of him illegal. Gov was mostly just entertaining because of Mr. Hatch and how salty his is about the government. His sarcastic comments about how corrupt everything is gave life to an otherwise pretty lifeless subject.

2) AP Lang: aka the class with no curriculum, or the Kuglen Hour. I love Mr. Kuglen so much and he is responsible for 99% of the amusement in the class. I somehow learned how to be a better writer by listening to him complain about Trump and everything else under the sun for an hour every day so it was well worth it. Also who doesn’t like a class where you read Dave Sedaris for homework?

1) AP Psych: Without question, this is the epitome of entertainment. Psychology is just a mishmash of people trying to figure out why humans are as stupid as we are and why we do dumb things. Add in all the iconic psychologists and history and a class led by salty Mr. Hatch and you have a recipe for an entertaining year.

31: Top 5 Iconic JBHS teachers that I NEVER had (no particular order)

Mr. Peebles: A quirky man who I would have loved were I any good at math whatsoever

Mr. Arakelian: Band kids hate him but the stories I hear are so frickin iconic that I wish I could be an honorary band kid for a day and see the horror firsthand. If you have Arakelian stories please send them my way I’d love to hear about your pain

Mr. Frankenbush: A sad boi who everyone should get to experience and I regret never having.

Dr. Madooglu: He was so kind to me after the failed anti-trump lunchtime protest last year and he didn’t even know me. I wish I could’ve experienced him as a teacher.

Mr. Clark: The man, the myth, the legend

32: List of some iconic swim horror stories

Charlie breaking his hand after he lost a race and punched the gutter as hard as he could

Some idiot JV boys smearing poop all over the Burbank High locker room

The entire JV team getting Burroughs swim banned from Islands

Me almost passing out at the Los Amigos meet last year after I didn’t eat or sleep all day

Everyone always feigning illness or injury to get out of swimming the 4x100 relay

Getting in trouble for watching boys volleyball practice instead of doing the weight room sets

Every. Single. 5AM morning practice before school.

When coach martin finally figured out how periods work and suddenly we couldn’t use that as an excuse for not swimming anymore

33: What Office Character Would I Be

A mix between Angela, Oscar, and Kelly (we love our dramatic icons)

34: #1 Thing I’d Bring With Me to a Desert Island

Castaway for instructional purposes

35: What Would I call my memoir

Schadenfreude

36: 7 Best Buzzfeed Unsolved Episodes (no particular order)

This is one of my favorite shows so these are my recommendations:

1. 3 Horrifying Cases of Ghosts and Demons - one of the very first and best episodes; a 45-minute special where the Boys investigate the Winchester house in San Francisco, the Island of the Dolls in Mexico, and the Sallie House in Kansas

2. The Strange Disappearance of D. B. Cooper - A man going by the name of Dan Cooper hijacked a plane, demanded money and passage to Mexico, and then at some point jumped out of the plane and was never seen again. To this day no one knows his identity or his fate despite some of the ransom money turning up in a river somewhere.

3. The Haunted Halls of Waverly Hills Hospital - Ryan and Shane explore an abandoned asylum in Pennsylvania and some creepy stuff ensues. One of the best supernatural episodes

4. The Thrilling Gardner Museum Heist - An almost hilarious story (with reenactments!) about a seriously inept security guard and the loss of some of the world’s most beloved paintings. This was one of the first episodes after they started making money and the production quality is off the charts

5. The Scandalous Murder of William Desmond Taylor - Another excellent reenactment story about one of Hollywood’s first and biggest scandals, the suspicious murder of a leading film producer.

6. The Enigmatic Death of the Isdal Woman - A woman’s body was found suspiciously burned in the European wilderness and no one knows who she is or how exactly she was killed. Watch if you like espionage!

7. The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy - An entire town seemingly rose up to murder a douchey, violent pedophile. One of the only episodes that’s actually happy?

37: 6 Things I would Have Changed About High School

1. Definitely would have joined yearbook as soon as I could

2. Wouldn’t have forced myself to swim for all 4 years; if the passion’s gone then you shouldn’t force it. It’s just a sign that you need to move on to better things

3. I would’ve taken more AP’s and maybe tried another stem ap class. I’ve always been self-conscious about how bad I am at math, but I’ve gotten a little better over the years and instead of being too afraid to challenge myself I would’ve liked to see how I could do and prove myself.

4. Worrying less about grades!! I killed myself over my grades for like three years and then I just kind of let myself go. I would have let myself have who knows how many more hours of sleep and taken the L on a couple of assignments; I’m still learning that my health is more important than perfection.

5. Meeting the right people! I wouldn’t have restricted myself to a few friends and would have branched out more by joinng stuff like JSA. It sucks meeting the right people your senior year and realizing that I was hanging out with the wrong people this whole time.

6. Spanish instead of French.

38: What Would I Name My Farm Animals if I had A Farm

I’d definitely name them all after female Shakespearian characters. My cows would be Hippolyta and Titania from Midsummer, my horse would be Desdemona from Othello, my chickens would be Gonereil, Regan, and Cordelia from King Lear and my goat would be named Gertrude from Hamlet

39: Most Useless Talent I Have

I have a really strong internal clock so when I don’t think about it too hard and guess intuitively I can usually predict how much time has passed/what time it is without looking at a clock. It’s really only useful for estimating how much time I wasted standing in the shower staring at the wall

40: Top Regret After Writing This:

Writing this instead of studying for my econ test in seven hours.

Thanks for reading!

#writer's project #thanks jen for assigning this i had fun

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iamsaha · 4 years

Text

Eyes of Stone

Content Warning: Sexual assault and rape.

“Good afternoon, Mary.” Areia, owner of Palace Books, did not look up from the large tome she was reading. She brushed her black hair out of the way of her face so that it would stop interrupting her.

“Good afternoon.” Mary let go of the door and it lazily closed. The bell rang again as it was passed, then the silent shop was filled with the click of a door shutting. Mary smiled. The bookstore looked as welcoming as always. Walls covered in shelves crammed to the brim with books. Shelves taking up space on the floor, also crammed to the brim with books. Right in front of the front entrance was a table featuring book recommendations. Areia had promised her that she could arrange one eventually. Mary put her coat on the rack behind the counter and leaned over Areia’s shoulder. “What are you reading?”

“A book not fit for mortal minds.” Areia shut the tome and looked at her employee with storm grey eyes. They were piercing and fierce, but not unkind. “How was your first day of class?”

“Boring.” Mary slumped onto the stool and opened the register to see if she needed to add any change to it. “All we did was go over syllabi. One class got right into lecture but that was algebra.” She looked at Areia. “I hate math.”

“Scorning an entire field of study is the practice of fools.” Areia shook her head. “You will approach the class with the same enthusiasm you approach history.”

“Yes, boss.” Mary sighed. Areia acted like her mother at times but it was welcome. “How was your day?”

“Normal.” Areia said. “Customers came and went. A shipment I was waiting on arrived. I need you to take stock of it and display the books on the table. I have also set aside the author’s other novels for you to display with the new one.” She stopped Mary who was moving to get up. “Not yet, child. You may do it this coming Friday night after we close. The book’s official release date is Saturday.”

“Oh. Alright.” Mary settled back down and began twisting her long green hair in her finger while she rested her elbow on the counter. Her roots were turning back to their normal brunette so she’d have to dye it again soon. “Did...Did He come in today?”

Areia turned slowly to face her employee and arched an eyebrow. “Who, pray tell, are you referring to with a capital letter? God?”

“N-no!” Mary blushed. She shouldn’t have asked. Areia didn’t understand, or approve of, such things as being interested in another human for anything beyond simple companionship.

“Ah. Then you are speaking of the boy who frequents our shop.”

“Maybe.”

Areia sighed. “No, Mary. The boy did not come. It is likely that he too had classes to attend. Is he not your age?”

“He looks it.” Mary nodded, unable to contain her smile. The Man she was talking about was tall, in shape, had curly brown hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a smile so sweet you’d want to live in his dimples. He was extremely polite, had the same interests as she did, and seemed to read with a voracious appetite. The perfect man, as far as Mary was concerned. Now if only she could learn his name.

“He also came to the shop two days ago. Even he would not have finished the pile of books he bought.”

“I know.” Mary said. “I was just hoping…”

“What? That I learned his name?”

“...yes.” Mary was as quiet as a mouse.

“Child I have no interest in learning his name. Even on your behalf.” Areia shook her head. “It is your hunt. You must take charge.”

Areia always used the weirdest metaphors. They made sense. But Mary wasn’t sure how much she liked referring to love as a hunt. At least Areia wasn’t outright preventing Mary from pursuing the Man. “Yes, boss.”

“Call me Areia.” The woman said, voice stern. “You know I dislike being called boss. It sounds impersonal.”

“But you are my boss.”

“Is that all that I am to you?”

After working in the shop since she was 15, Areia had indeed become more than just Mary’s boss. Confidant. Mentor. Friend. “No, Areia, you’re not.” Mary smiled and hugged her. “I can close the shop. You can go home if you want.”

“I will stay.” Areia patted Mary’s back and quickly kissed the girl’s forehead. “I am expecting a visitor and he has promised to come straight to the shop first.”

“Who?”

“My Uncle Peter.”

“The cruise ship captain?”

“Yes.” Areia nodded. “You have not met him but he does know of you.”

“And I know of him.” Mary said. Areia had said that she does not always get along with her uncle but she did like him enough to endure phone calls. Enough to visit him on his ship a year ago, even, leaving Mary in charge of the shop for a few days. It had been nerve wracking and Mary had lost many hours of sleep. But when Areia returned she brought souvenirs in the form of foreign snacks so Mary quickly forgot her trials and tribulations.

“In fact…” Areia seemed to be internally debating with something. With a sudden flash of her eyes, she came to a decision. “You can take today off. I’m here and it’s not as though we need two people on hand for a store as small as this. Don’t worry, I’ll still pay you for your shift.”

“But…” Mary frowned. “But why?”

“My Uncle is overly fond of women.” Areia said. Subtly was another thing she did not often use.

“Ohhhh…” Mary nodded slowly. Maybe this was why Areia did not always get along with her uncle. “I’m sure it’ll be fine, Areia. I can handle myself against a flirt.”

“If only that’s all that he was.” Areia muttered. “I insist, Mary. Go home. I don’t know why I didn’t suggest this sooner. There is a lot happening and it clearly slipped my mind.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Nothing you need to worry yourself about.” Areia said. “Off you go.”

“At least let me dust.”

“Mary.” Areia fixed her with a glare that was only terrifying and not at all maternal. “Home. Text me after you reach, as always.”

Mary bit back her protests and got off the stool. “Alright. Bye.”

Areia caught Mary by the elbow. “I apologize for being stern and abrupt.”

“It’s okay, Areia. You’re just being protective.” Mary smiled and hugged her before leaving. As the door shut behind her and the bells chimed her departure, Mary slipped her earphones in. It took her a few seconds to decide on a song to listen to but once she had, she set off on a leisurely stroll. If it was raining or if Mary was working an evening shift, Areia dropped her off in her car. As this was a nice, clear day with few clouds and the early afternoon, Mary was fine walking to her apartment. When she saw people on their bikes, Mary wished she had ridden her own but it wasn’t the worst thing ever to walk. This way, she could pick up coffee at the shop a few doors down without needing to worry about balancing it between her hands and the bike’s handlebars.

“After you, young lady.” A man held the coffee shop’s door open for her.

“Thank you.” She smiled at him. As she passed him, she got the faintest whiff of the sea. Curiosity and intuition took control of her so she stepped to the side once inside the shop and pretended to text someone on her phone, making sure the man took the spot ahead of her in line. Once he did, she casually stood behind him and put her phone away. He was tall, barrel chested under his collared shirt, had a salt and pepper beard, and… Olive skin. Just like Areia. She sniffed again, as subtle as she could manage. The sea. “Excuse me, sir?”

The man turned around and smiled, looking her right in the eye and making her aware of how small she was. “Yes?”

“Are…” Mary regretted her boldness. Areia had been protective for a reason. “Are you Areia’s uncle? She owns…”

“Palace Books!” The man finished for her. “And you are?”

“Mary. I work for her.”

“Mary! Of course. Should have known. She mentioned you when she visited.” He smiled. When he saw that the cashier was waiting on him, he turned to face her. “Sorry about that. One black coffee please. In the largest size you have.” He turned to Mary. “And you, my dear?”

“Oh no that’s okay I’m on my way…”

“I insist. Your Areia’s favorite.”

“Uhm.” Mary shifted. “Alright. A vanilla latte, please. Small.” Then, in a hurry, she added, “To go!”

“You won’t join me?”

“I have homework.” Mary said, hoping internally that sounded believable. “Areia would want me to keep on top of things. My semester just started.”

“Very well.” Peter smiled. He still made eye contact but Mary felt that he was using his periphery to check her out. Was he actually doing that? Or had Areia instilled paranoia in her by being so protective. “I’ll take mine to go as well.”

“Black coffee and a vanilla latte. Name?”

“Sid.”

Mary frowned. Wasn’t his name Peter? After he had paid and they were waiting to the side she caved to her doubts and asked. “I thought your name was Peter?”

“Ah. Is that the name Areia told you?”

“Huh?”

“Peter is my middle name.” He said. Little too casually. If that was even a thing. “I don’t often go by it. But Areia does call me that.”

“Ohhh.” She stood with her hands in her pockets to keep them from clenching but she formed fists anyway. Peter would definitely be telling Areia that he had bought her coffee. And Mary would definitely be getting in trouble the next time Areia saw her. She just had to follow the doubt she had. What was she? A detective?

“Black coffee and vanilla latte for Sid!” A heavenly voice rang out.

“That was quick.” Peter said. Then he noticed the barista holding the cups out to them. “Ahhh. You’re working here now?”

“Just in town for a little while. Wanted extra money.” The skinny man smiled. “Thought you didn’t recognize me. Took you long enough...I was standing right in front of you, Uncle.”

“Didn’t at first.” Peter took the coffees, handing one to a confused Mary. “Here for the reunion, Silas?”

“Yep.” Silas smiled at Mary. “Have a wonderful afternoon.”

Mary left, taking the smile as a dismissal. She had been coming to the coffee shop for years and had never seen that barista. Then again, he did say he was only in town for a little while. Why hadn’t Areia mentioned a cousin being in town as well? Or was he her brother? Whatever. She wouldn’t be curious.

“Don’t cause another fight with Areia.”

Peter raised an eyebrow. “Fight, Silas?”

“I saw how you looked at her, Uncle. Watching her go, eyeing her behind.” Silas said. “Leave her be.”

“I was simply admiring a beautiful woman.”

Silas sighed and shook his head. “Whatever. I’m going back to work.”

***

“You were explicitly told to go home.” Areia hissed once the customers had left the shop.

“I was just going in to get coffee.”

“Then what prompted you to ask a stranger if he was my uncle?”

“He smelled like the sea...”

“Then that should have been enough of a hint to you that he may be the man I did not want you meeting!” Areia snapped. “I was worried until you sent me the text saying you were home.”

“Areia he can’t be that bad…” Mary had been dreading this all day. When she had arrived at the shop an hour ago, it had been packed. It had bought her some more time to postpone the inevitable fury.

“He is.” Areia said firmly. “You are to stay away from him.”

“You just said he’s a flirt.”

“No. You presumed on your own that’s all he is.” Areia said. “Stay away from him.”

“Okay okay. Jeez.” Mary held up her hands in peace. After a moment, she spoke. “You didn’t mention you had other family coming to town.”

“Hmm?”

“Silas.” Mary said. “He’s working at the coffee shop a few doors down.”

“Silas?” Areia frowned. “Oh yes. Theo.”

“Peter called him Silas.” Mary said. She wondered if everyone in the family had multiple names. Did Areia?

“I call him Theo. Silas is a dreadful name.” Areia said. “My family is having a reunion. We try to have one as often as possible.”

“Ohhhhhh.”

“Yes. Awful affair. Wish we didn’t.” Areia said. “My father insists on it.”

“So I’ll be seeing others around town?”

“Hopefully not.”

“Excuse me?”

“If it is not yet clear to you, child, I am not fond of my family. Most of them.”

“Oh.”

“Indeed.” Areia opened her book. “You may begin dusting.”

While dusting, Mary wondered if there was a way to make peace with Areia. Go through the shelves making sure everything was in the right spot? Perhaps print out flyers advertising Palace Books to hand out on her campus? Or maybe… Mary stopped. Best thing to do was just to wait for Areia’s anger to pass. The woman was not easy to placate with gestures, no matter how genuine.

The bells rang.

“You!”

Mary looked up. Peter was smiling and lazily looking at the display. He winked at Mary before turning to Areia. “Evening, Areia. Evening, Mary.”

“What are you doing here?” Areia said stiffly.

“I came to say hello.” Peter chuckled.

“We are busy.”

“Really?” Peter pointedly looked around the empty bookshop. “Could have fooled me.”

“Mary come to the register.”

Mary obeyed without a word, finding comfort behind the tall counter. She regretted her short shorts the instant Peter had walked into the store so the counter provided cover. She hated that she had to hide herself like that. She should be able to wear what she wants!

“You may go home, Mary.” Areia said quietly, watching Peter. He was slowly making his way around the store. He would randomly pick up a book, thumb through it, then put it back in its place with a bored exhale. Between perusals, he would look at Mary.

“No.”

“Mary…”

“No, Areia.” Mary clenched her jaw. “I’m not going to run away just because a man is being weird and creepy with me. This is my job and I’m staying.”

“Oh child…” Areia sighed. “Fine. I cannot stop a woman from asserting herself.”

“Exactly.” Mary smiled. “Besides. All he’s doing is looking.”

“Do you recommend this book, Mary?”

Mary jumped. “Huh?”

“This book.” Peter shook it at her. “Do you recommend it.”

“It is a good read, Uncle.”

“I asked Mary.” Peter’s sea-blue eyes were fixated on Mary’s brown. “Do you recommend it?”

“I…” She looked at the title. “Yes but it focuses on the cultural impacts of the Vietnam War. Political impacts and such aren’t given much attention. If you’re fine with that, it’s a good book.”

“I’m a man of culture. I’ll buy it.” Peter placed the book in front of Mary and smiled. “Perhaps we can discuss it over coffee after I finish reading it.”

“Perhaps not.” Areia said.

“Areia.” Peter faced his niece, eyes turning as stormy as hers. “I am speaking to Mary.”

“And I am speaking to you.” Areia held his gaze. “You will not be meeting with her. I find it inappropriate and I will not stand for it.”

The two stared for an eternity. Areia’s jaw was clenched, as were her fists. Peter’s expression was calm, but his shoulders were broadened and he loomed over both of them. Mary found herself gripping the seat of the stool, looking between the two of them. Off in the distance, she heard the sounds of clashing metal and the screams of men. When she noticed what she was hearing she focused on it. That’s when the smell of blood filled her. Alarmed, she focused back on the two in front of her. Nothing. They were just glaring.

The moment ended.

“Fine.”

“I will have your word that you will not enter here while I am absent.”

“You have my word, Areia.” Peter spat. He turned and left, leaving the book on the counter.

“What the hell was that?” Mary exclaimed.

“An argument.”

“Not like any I’ve seen. It’s like you were at each other's throats!” Mary said. “I thought I could smell blood for God’s sake!”

“I will not have him pursue another one of mine.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing.” Areia said. “Does he know where you live?”

“No. Why would he?”

“I am making sure.” Areia said. “For as long as he is in town, I will be driving you home.”

Mary shivered. “Is he that bad?”

“Yes, child. He is.”

***

Whenever Areia was in the shop, Peter came by. He would ignore her and give most of his attention to Mary. Mary did her utmost to remain polite, though she shared Areia’s frustration. His persistence got more difficult to turn away each day. Each refusal made him want Mary more. His demeanor and the conversation he made did not show it. It was his eyes that gave away his desires. Mary felt as though he was undressing her with each casual glance, each friendly smile. Hiding behind the counter did not help nor did wearing concealing clothes. A lecher’s gaze cannot be stopped by cloth.

“The reunion is tonight.” Areia said after Peter left Friday afternoon. “We will be rid of him.”

“Thank God.”

“Not much use in that.” Areia said. “I am closing the shop early. I will drop you off and then go.”

“I still have to take stock of the shipment.”

Areia pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed deeply. “My mind is always scattered when they are here.”

“I’m like that too whenever my Aunt visits.” Mary smiled. “It’s okay, Areia. I’ll finish up then sleep over at a friend’s place.”

“Mary…”

“He promised he wouldn’t come by if you weren’t around.” Mary said. “Do you trust him to keep his word, at least?”

“Yes. He keeps his word.” Areia nodded. “He must.”

“Then it’ll be fine.” Mary said, hugging Areia to ease the woman. “I’ll also text you as often as I can.”

“If it comes to the worst,” Areia said. “Open the top right drawer of the desk in the stock room. You will find protection in there.”

“A gun?!”

“No of course not.” Areia shook her head. “What use would I have of a gun?��

“You said protection.”

“Guns are not the only protection. In fact, this one is better.” Areia said. “Ask no more. Only open the drawer if need be. Otherwise, leave it shut. Understand?”

“Yes, boss.”

“Mary.”

“Kidding.” She hugged Areia again. “See you.”

“See you.” Areia kissed Mary’s forehead.

After Areia left, Mary locked the shop and shut all the blinds so people wouldn’t see her working inside and ask to be let in. It did not take her long to clean up as the day had been fairly slow. Most of the mess had been made by Peter. Once that was done, she checked that the front door was locked then went into the stock room.

She ignored the call of the drawer for an entire hour while she was working. Then, while wondering what could be better protection than a gun, Mary opened the drawer. A bronze medallion on a necklace was all that was inside. Engraved on the face of the medallion was an owl, its wings stretched and talons bared. Mary smirked. Areia had never seemed the religious type. Especially one so religious to believe a medallion could be protection against a physical threat. She picked it up and examined it, wondering what religion it could be from. No clue. With a shrug, she put the medallion back in the drawer and shut it.

“Good evening, my dear.”

Mary screamed and stumbled back from where the voice had come from. Standing in the entryway that led in from the back alley, was Peter. “What are you doing here?!”

“I came to say hello.” Peter smiled and stepped inside. He shut the door.

“You’re not supposed to be here.” Mary backed up against the wall, flinching as he locked the door.

“Here?” Peter pointed his finger to the ceiling and made a circling motion, indicating the room they were in. “Or in there?” He pointed at the door leading into the shop.

Mary swallowed despite her dry mouth. “What do you want?”

Peter did not answer until he was close to her. The smell of the sea washed over her. It wasn’t subtle like when she had passed him in the coffee shop. It filled her this time. Forced itself on her, making her experience the vast presence of the sea. “You.”

“You’re scaring m-m-me, Peter.”

“That’s not my name.” He gripped her throat. “I would have you know my proper name. So that you may call it out.”

She screamed and tried to lunge for the desk. Anything to protect her. Anything.

“Not a chance.” He grabbed her by her hair and slammed her back against the wall. She grunted, stunned by her head smacking against it. “Should have put it on immediately.”

“Please…”

“Poseidon.”

“Ple-”

“Poseidon.” He repeated, squeezing her throat once again. “Say it.”

Mary did not say a word.

***

“Child?!” Areia called out as she ran into her shop. She frantically looked around the shelves though Mary would have answered immediately if she was in the room. She opened the stock room door in a rush and found who she was looking for. Mary was curled up against the far wall, hugging her knees. Sobbing. “Mary!”

“Poseidon came.” Mary shook as Areia held her. “Poseidon came into the store. You said.”

“His word.” Areia murmured. “He broke his word.”

“You said!” Mary screamed.

“I know I know.” Areia cried, holding Mary tighter. “I am sorry, child. I am sorry.”

Mary sobbed.

“Mary I am going to take you to my home.” Areia said. She took the medallion that Mary was clutching and put it around the girl’s neck. “With this upon you, you will be safe. Its power is weak. But it will last until I return.”

Mary sobbed. Then eventually nodded.

Areia lifted Mary and half carried, half walked the girl to her car. The drive was silent save for the muffled cries of Mary. When they got to the house, Areia asked if Mary wished to shower. Mary did not respond. Instead she laid down on the couch, gripping the medallion tightly. Areia left after placing a glass of water on the coffee table close to the couch. When she arrived at the home her father was renting for the occasion, Areia was no longer Areia.

Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and War, stormed into the backyard. She pointed her sword at a group of men. “POSEIDON!”

The party silenced. An old man with a pure white beard left the group and approached her, face stern. “Athena. Why are you armed?”

“He raped one of my children.” Athena screamed. “ONCE AGAIN HE HAS TORN DOWN THAT WHICH IS UNDER MY PROTECTION!”

“Athena!” The old man snapped, gripping her wrist. Electricity crackled around them. “Sheathe your sword.”

“Father he-”

“NOW!”

Athena put her sword away, still glaring at Poseidon. “You broke your word. You entered my shop while I was not there. You-”

“You will not enter here while I am absent.” Poseidon said. “Those were your exact words.”

Athena noticed her mistake immediately. ‘Here’ was too loose of a word. By her interpretation, ‘here’ meant her entire shop. By his, ‘here’ meant the room they were standing in while she made him promise. She should have made him promise not to harm her. She should have… Athena stopped herself. Hindsight did not help. “Father. Poseidon has raped a girl that works for me. Mary.”

“Did you?” Zeus looked at his brother.

Poseidon shrugged. “We had sex.”

“She refused you!”

“She never did.” Poseidon said. “Not once did she say no outright. Even when I made my advances in the shop she danced around it or you spoke for her.”

“Must a woman spell it out for you to understand?! Are her screams and tears not enough?!” Athena drew her sword once again. “Are you nothing more than a beast?!”

“Athena!” Zeus glared at her. “You will stop drawing your sword. This is your final warning.”

Athena looked at him, shocked. With that same face, she sheathed her sword “Father. You are siding with him? Once again?”

“The girl did not say no.”

“She did not…” Athena couldn’t believe her ears. Again. The same conversation. Different place. Different time. Same conversation. “Then what of the consequences? Her life is forever changed. Even if it was, as you ignorantly assume, just sex, she is aware of us now. Poseidon revealed his name to her.”

Zeus looked at him. “Did you?”

Poseidon shrugged.

“Fine.” Zeus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You may do with Mary what you did with the other one.”

“The other one?!” Athena grabbed the hilt of her sword but she didn’t dare draw it against Zeus.

“Yes. Med-”

“Stop. You are not worthy of speaking her name.” Athena held her hand up. “None of you are.”

With that, she left.

***

It took a week before Mary could talk to Areia properly. They did not speak of what happened. She was not ready to. But they did talk about who Areia truly was. “You’re Athena. The Athena.”

“Yes, child.”

“But you’re just stories from a religion long dead...”

“The religion isn’t fully dead. We are still here, correct? As for the stories, many of them are outright untrue or misconstrued. Inaccuracies due to the passage of time.” Areia said. “But we are all real. We have taken lives as mere mortals for convenience and enjoyment.”

“But you’re not mortal. Not actually.”

“No.”

Mary nodded slowly. She still wore the medallion. “And he is actually…”

“Yes. The God of the Sea.”

“Will he come for me again?”

“No.” Areia shook her head. She didn’t say Poseidon would not be interested in going for the same woman more than once. “You are safe from him.” Mary’s look was enough to tell Areia that she wasn’t believing it. “And I can make it so that no other man can hurt you.”

“...how?”

“Should you wish it, your gaze will turn a man to stone.” Areia said. “And your hair will be a thousand snakes whose venom can kill.”

“You’re going to turn me into Medusa?”

“Slightly. She could not control her gaze. And her hair appeared as snakes at all times. Medusa wished to be away from humanity entirely so I crafted her powers to ensure isolation. I do not think you are the same.” Areia said. “You will have to will those abilities into activating.”

“But this will also make you aware of all that has been hidden from you until now.” Areia said. “The creatures and people of mythology are more involved in your society than you would believe.”

“Okay…” Mary nodded and then shook her head. “Wait!”

“Yes, child?”

“Will this make me immortal like you?”

“Even I am not immortal. I will meet my end.”

“Let me rephrase, then. Will I last as long as you?”

“You will live longer than most humans. Sickness will evade you.” Areia said. “But you will die. Perhaps in your early 100s.”

“Okay.” Mary clenched her fists. “Make me Medusa.”

“No no. You will be Mary.” Areia cradled her cheek. “A woman of your own making.”

-Saha

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ourkenflood · 6 years

Text

Render unto Caesar

Sermon for Proper 24a / Matthew 22: 15-22

I am reading a book at the moment called “The Joy of ..... Tax”.

That’s T.A.X. – in case anyone misheard and thought I said some other three letter word ending in “X.” (Don’t pretend you didn't think it).

The first record we have a tax is from the ancient Babylonians. Even before there was money, as we understand it, people paid tax in goods – sheep and cows – and even in labour – a day’s work. It even looks like there were tariffs on imports – there is a record from around 1900BC of a person being imprisoned for smuggling. So, not only have we had tax for a long time, we’ve also had tax evaders.

One of the points made in the book is that tax is not just about money, but it is also a government and its values. And in liberal western democracies, where we elect governments on the basis of their tax promises; tax says a lot about society.

It is similar to a story that the former Bishop of Manchester, Bishop Nigel, told when he last visited here. He spoke a keen young man who goes to visit an old, wise Spiritual Director for the first time for guidance. They have a productive time together and mutually agree that it would be good to meet up again. And as the young man is leaving the Spiritual Director asks that him bring his last three bank statements with them next time. He is a bit taken a back. “Why should I bring my bank statements” he asks, after all he is there to talk of spiritual matters, of prayer, of inner discovery, and the stuff of heaven. So the Spiritual Director simply explains, “if you want to know the true values of a person, look at how they spend their money.”

I wonder what my bank statement says about me? How do I get my money and how do I spent it? I wonder what your bank statement says about you? What does it say of your priorities and what you truly consider to be important?

The reason I’ve started talking about tax is, of course, because today’s gospel is about a tax.

In particular, the tax concerned is not income tax or V.A.T. but a poll tax. You may remember the hatred of this tax, in some quarters, when it was temporarily introduced into Britain. But the riots in London were as nothing when compared with the rebellion that broke out in Palestine when the Roman governors began it there. Every man and women had to pay one denarius (that is the equivalent of one day’s pay) each year on top of all the other taxes.

One of the racist stereotypes that persists through the ages is of the money grabbing Jew. We can easily picture a character like Fagin from Oliver Twist, rubbing his hands together while gazing lovingly at a pile of coins. And like most racist images it breaks down when put against the facts.

The Jews of Jesus’ time were not opposed to this tax because they didn’t want to part with their money (or at least not to any greater extent than any of us want to part with money). The devout Jews of Jesus time were already paying a 10% tithe to the Temple, as many do to this day.

When we had a stewardship campaign a few years ago, the Diocesan Stewardship Officer told us that the average church goer in the Diocese of Manchester is donating about 3.5% of their income to the church. And yet we don’t keep promoting the stereotype of the money-grapping Anglican. But the simple fact is that, on average, a devout Jew is giving three times more than the devout member of the C of E.

The reason this tax was hated was because of who it was paid to – it went to the Romans, the foreign oppressor. This tax began the year Jesus was born. In fact the census that forced Mary and Joseph to travel Bethlehem was taken in order to begin this tax. In the 30 odd years it had been collected it was still despised.

In today’s gospel reading, the Pharisees and the Herodians are out to get Jesus. The previous day to this encounter, Jesus has cleansed the temple throwing out the money changers and stall holders. He was becoming a serious nuisance. They needed to either get rid of him or, at the very least, take him down a peg or two.

So they turn to the old problem of Roman tax. They much have thought they could really catch him out with this problem of the poll tax. They had a sure fire way of trapping him. So they begin by trying to lull Jesus into a false sense of security, they flatter him.

“Teacher,” they said ” we know that you are sincere, and teach the way of God in accordance with truth,” (Have you ever heard anything so grovelling?)

Then they put to him the supposedly innocent question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not”. This question was supposed to be one which would get Jesus into trouble no matter what he said.

First Jesus could have replied “Yes, it is lawful”. This would have meant he lost the support of many ordinary people.

Many people still thought the Messiah was to be a political figure, a warrior, who would drive out the Romans and that Jesus was this person. But if Jesus said they should pay their taxes, these people would desert him. This Jesus of Nazareth was clearly not a warrior King sent by God if he went round telling everyone to pay their taxes to the foreign oppressor.

He would also lose the support of any devout Jews who followed him. The roman coin, which had to be used to pay the tax, was a piece of idolatry and blasphemy. Not only did it have a picture of the roman emperor on it, but it also proclaimed that this emperor was divine. No self-respecting religious Jew would even touch such a graven image. So Jesus clearly could not say pay the tax.

But Jesus could not say do not pay the tax either. If he said this, the Herodians, who only had power because of Roman support, could have reported Jesus to the Romans on charges of treason and got rid of him that way.

It was supposed to be a no win situation.

So what does Jesus do?

First, he asks to see the coin. It is such a simple act, but it turns the conflict on its head. Those out to trap Jesus are suddenly themselves trapped by Jesus’ request that he see the coin. For what are these righteous and respectful Pharisees, the pillars of their community, doing with such a blasphemous object on their person? Suddenly the accusers (for that is what they really are) become the accused. Such an apparently innocent request, to see the coin, exposes their hypocrisy for all to see.

Jesus seems to have had a particular hatred of the hypocrisy of religious people:

“Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”, Jesus says elsewhere in the gospels. I always feel a little guilty when I read of Jesus gunning for the hypocrites, for if we are honest, who has not fallen into hypocrisy? We all fail to live up to the standards of goodness and honesty that we proclaim in our worship.

But then I remember the story of the Tax Collector and the Pharisee who go to the Temple to pray. The Pharisee stands in the middle of the Temple, thanking God loudly, that he is not like other people and a sinner, listing his acts of righteousness. The tax collector stands in the corner and simply says, “God be merciful to me, a sinner”. And it is the tax collector who goes home justified.

It is the Tax collectors utterly honest act of self-recognition before God that saves him from being one of the hypocrites. The problem with the opponents of Jesus was not so much that they failed to live up to their religious ideals, we all do that, but that they never acknowledged this before God. It was their lack of humility and honesty.

After asking to see the coin Jesus says his famous reply of “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Jesus’ double-edged command throws back the question of taxes to the accusers and issues a strong challenge.

Some people, reading this passage have proposed that Jesus was saying that the Church and the State should be kept separate. The affairs of religion and the affairs of politics are separate realms, or kingdoms, which should never meet. These are the emperor’s things over here, and these are God’s concerns, and they must be kept distinct and distant from each other. But the saying is too brief and specific to mean this.

There is a long tradition in the old testament of the prophets intervening in the political discourse of their day. If this phrase says anything to me, “Give to the Emperor the things that are the Emperor’s” it says that we should be good citizens of our societies. And being a good citizen in a liberal democracy means being informed and being involved.

In Jesus’ day there was an Emperor – a supreme ruler, a dictator. And in that society there was little choice but to pay your tax and do as you were told.

In our day we don’t have an Emperor. In a liberal democracy “giving to the Emperor” means giving our tax, but it also means giving our opinion, our intelligence, and our values. We have a Christian duty to stand up for God’s values in our society and we do this through the ballot box, and by making clear to our elected officials what our societies priorities and values should be.

If our bank statement says something about our values, then our government’s bank statement also reveals our society’s values. On the income side, what does it say about our society that poor and average earners pay a much greater percentage of income in tax than the wealthy. Yes, we told the rich pay more because income tax levels go up, but when you factor in things like, V.A.T., national Insurance, petrol duty, road tax etc etc, the rich pay proportionately less in tax. What is that saying?

On the other side of the balance sheet - where we spend our money as a society - what does it say about our society that our government is still pressing ahead with the roll out of Universal Credit when virtual every agency and expert is saying that it has already, and will, cause thousands of people to fall into debt and increase even more the number of homeless people our streets.

“Give to the Emperor the things that are the Emperors”, Jesus said, What are those “things”? Sometimes those things are our duty to give our society and government our loyalty. But sometimes it is our Christian duty to make clear our contempt and disgust at what is happening.

The second half of Jesus saying is, of course, “and to God the things that are God’s.”

This part of the saying was a challenge to Jerusalem, the Temple, the rulers and all the hypocritical underlings: give God back, what belongs to him. Jesus’ consistent accusation is that the religious leaders have failed to worship their true and living God. They have failed to live as God’s people as a witness to the world.

Only the day before, Jesus has caused a small riot in the Temple because the very place where Israel was supposed to come and give God the things of God, in worship, prayer and sacrifice, has become a den of robbers. So concerned with the small details of religion, status and power, the letter of the law, they have ceased to live out the spirit of their faith and give God the worship he deserves.

And this is a trap that not only the leaders of first century Judaism fall into. We all fall into it.

It happens easily when we turn inwards and stop looking outwards.

It happens all too easily when we start to think we have all the answers.

It happens most easily of all, when we forget our dependence on God, and think we don’t need God anymore.

Today’s gospel reading is not about Jesus delivering a theory on the division of Church from State or Politics and Christianity. The bible elsewhere, teaches us clearly that our faith clearly has political consequences. Neither is it about Jesus showing off how clever and intelligent he is in avoiding the trap of the Pharisees. Although, no doubt, this was one of the reasons why this particular story was remembered amongst the early Christians.

Today’s gospel is about exposing the religious hypocrisy which comes when we abandon being honest with ourselves and humble before our God and our neighbour. And it is about the ordering of our priorities and the promotion of God’s values - in our own personal lives and decisions, and also in our society and government. Amen.

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 7 years

Photo

1st July >> Mass Readings (except USA)

for

Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time or Saint Oliver Plunket, Bishop, Martyr (Ireland)

Blessed Nazju Falzon (Malta) or

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Red)

First reading

Genesis 18:1-15

The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My lord,’ he said ‘I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.’ They replied, ‘Do as you say.’

Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah.’ ‘Hurry,’ he said ‘knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.

‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son.’ Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well on in years, and Sarah had ceased to have her monthly periods. So Sarah laughed to herself, thinking, ‘Now that I am past the age of child-bearing, and my husband is an old man, is pleasure to come my way again!’ But the Lord asked Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Am I really going to have a child now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the same time next year I shall visit you again and Sarah will have a son.’ ‘I did not laugh’ Sarah said, lying because she was afraid. But he replied, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’

The Word of the Lord.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Luke 1:46-50,53-55

R/ The Lord remembered his mercy.

My soul glorifies the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour.

R/ The Lord remembered his mercy.

He looks on his servant in her nothingness;

henceforth all ages will call me blessed.

The Almighty works marvels for me.

Holy his name!

R/ The Lord remembered his mercy.

His mercy is from age to age,

on those who fear him.

He fills the starving with good things,

sends the rich away empty.

R/ The Lord remembered his mercy.

He protects Israel, his servant,

remembering his mercy,

the mercy promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his sons for ever.

R/ The Lord remembered his mercy.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. 2 Timothy 1:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death

and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia!

Matthew 8:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

He took our sicknesses away,

and carried our diseases for us.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 8:5-17

When Jesus went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘my servant is lying at home paralysed, and in great pain.’ ‘I will come myself and cure him’ said Jesus. The centurion replied, ‘Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured. For I am under authority myself, and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man: Go, and he goes; to another: Come here, and he comes; to my servant: Do this, and he does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, ‘I tell you solemnly, nowhere in Israel have I found faith like this. And I tell you that many will come from east and west to take their places with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of heaven; but the subjects of the kingdom will be turned out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’ And to the centurion Jesus said, ‘Go back, then; you have believed, so let this be done for you.’ And the servant was cured at that moment.

And going into Peter’s house Jesus found Peter’s mother-in-law in bed with fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He cast out the spirits with a word and cured all who were sick. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah:

He took our sicknesses away and carried our diseases for us.

The Gospel of the Lord.

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

----------

Saint Oliver Plunket, Bishop, Martyr (Ireland)

First reading

Ezekiel 34:11-16

The Lord God says this: I am going to look after my flock myself and keep all of it in view. As a shepherd keeps all his flock in view when he stands up in the middle of his scattered sheep, so shall I keep my sheep in view. I shall rescue them from wherever they have been scattered during the mist and darkness. I shall bring them out of the countries where they are; I shall gather them together from foreign countries and bring them back to their own land. I shall pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in every inhabited place in the land. I shall feed them in good pasturage; the high mountains of Israel will be their grazing ground. There they will rest in good grazing ground; they will browse in rich pastures on the mountains of Israel. I myself will pasture my sheep, I myself will show them where to rest – it is the Lord who speaks. I shall look for the lost one, bring back the stray, bandage the wounded and make the weak strong. I shall watch over the fat and healthy. I shall be a true shepherd to them.

The Word of the Lord.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 30(31):3-4,6,8,17,21

R/ Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

R/ Alleluia!

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a mighty stronghold to save me,

for you are my rock, my stronghold.

For your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

R/ Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

R/ Alleluia!

Into your hands I commend my spirit.

It is you who will redeem me, Lord.

As for me, I trust in the Lord:

let me be glad and rejoice in your love.

R/ Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

R/ Alleluia!

Let your face shine on your servant.

Save me in your love.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence

from the plotting of men.

R/ Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.

R/ Alleluia!

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 5:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy those who are persecuted

in the cause of right,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

Gospel

John 10:11-16

The good shepherd is one who will lay down his life for his sheep

Jesus said:

‘I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd is one who lays down his life for his sheep.

The hired man, since he is not the shepherd

and the sheep do not belong to him,

abandons the sheep and runs away

as soon as he sees a wolf coming,

and then the wolf attacks and scatters the sheep;

this is because he is only a hired man

and has no concern for the sheep.

‘I am the good shepherd;

I know my own

and my own know me,

just as the Father knows me

and I know the Father;

and I lay down my life for my sheep.

And there are other sheep I have

that are not of this fold,

and these I have to lead as well.

They too will listen to my voice,

and there will be only one flock,

and one shepherd.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

---------

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First reading

Genesis 3:9-15,20

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

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

‘Be accursed beyond all cattle,

all wild beasts.

You shall crawl on your belly and eat dust

every day of your life.

I will make you enemies of each other:

you and the woman,

your offspring and her offspring.

It will crush your head

and you will strike its heel.’

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

The Word of the Lord.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

1 Samuel 2:1,4-8

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

My heart exults in the Lord.

I find my strength in my God;

my mouth laughs at my enemies

as I rejoice in your saving help.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

The bows of the mighty are broken,

but the weak are clothed with strength.

Those with plenty must labour for bread,

but the hungry need work no more.

The childless wife has children now

but the fruitful wife bears no more.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

It is the Lord who gives life and death,

he brings men to the grave and back;

it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.

He brings men low and raises them on high.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust,

from the dungheap he raises the poor

to set him in the company of princes

to give him a glorious throne.

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

on them he has set the world.

R/ My heart exults in the Lord my Saviour.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia!

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

Blessed art thou among women.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-16,18-23

A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham:

Abraham was the father of Isaac,

Isaac the father of Jacob,

Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,

Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother,

Perez was the father of Hezron,

Hezron the father of Ram,

Ram was the father of Amminadab,

Amminadab the father of Nahshon,

Nahshon the father of Salmon,

Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother,

Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother,

Obed was the father of Jesse;

and Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife,

Solomon was the father of Rehoboam,

Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa,

Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat,

Jehoshaphat the father of Joram,

Joram the father of Azariah,

Azariah was the father of Jotham,

Jotham the father of Ahaz,

Ahaz the father of Hezekiah,

Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh,

Manasseh the father of Amon,

Amon the father of Josiah;

and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers.

Then the deportation to Babylon took place.

After the deportation to Babylon:

Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel,

Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel,

Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud,

Abiud the father of Eliakim,

Eliakim the father of Azor,

Azor was the father of Zadok,

Zadok the father of Achim,

Achim the father of Eliud,

Eliud was the father of Eleazar,

Eleazar the father of Matthan,

Matthan the father of Jacob;

and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary;

of her was born Jesus who is called Christ.

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph; being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

-----------

Blessed Nazju Falzon (Malta)

First reading

Genesis 12:1-4

The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.

‘I will bless those who bless you:

I will curse those who slight you.

All the tribes of the earth

shall bless themselves by you.’

So Abram went as the Lord told him.

The Word of the Lord.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 14(15):2-5

R/ The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

He who walks without fault;

he who acts with justice

and speaks the truth from his heart;

he who does not slander with his tongue.

R/ The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who does no wrong to his brother,

who casts no slur on his neighbour,

who holds the godless in disdain,

but honours those who fear the Lord.

R/ The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

He who keeps his pledge, come what may;

who takes no interest on a loan

and accepts no bribes against the innocent.

Such a man will stand firm for ever.

R/ The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 5:3

Alleluia, alleluia!

How happy are the poor in spirit:

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12a

How happy are the poor in spirit

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

0 notes

aegphotosuk · 6 years

Text

Inside Lighting Photography Non Profit Has Deadly Refugees Take Photographs

As a photographer, Sevilay Maria van Dorst relies on pictures from around the globe to stay on top of information events. But earlier this season, she found that despite all the harrowing pictures coming from this Syrian refugee crisis in Europe, she did not feel like she had a good grasp of what was unfolding out there. “I honestly was not sure what to think,” van Dorst, 32, says. “I thought, You know what? I’m likely to find myself what is going on. “

Ad – Continue Reading Below

So in early February, van Dorst packed her bags and left her home in Amsterdam to get Lesvos, Greece, an island broadly regarded as a ground zero for the crisis because of its place as a gateway to the rest of the continent. (Roughly 30,000 migrants came in there in February alone.) She made her way to the Moria refugee camp, which at the time had been home to about 4,000 refugees, in which the seriousness of the crisis was palpable. “In an instant, I knew things were worse than I had anticipated,” she states. “You notice their dread and a complete lack of understanding of what is going to occur. They have been moving from smuggler to smuggler, treated like creatures and another amount. But when I looked in their eyes, I realized they’d names, families, hopes, and fantasies. I thought, Oh, my God, you are not out of another world. You are me, and I’m you. “

“Once I looked in their eyes, I realized they’d names, families, hopes, and fantasies.”

Moved to assist in any way she could, van Dorst began teaching English to some of the kids through the camp’s chain-link fence, together with flip cards. (She had not obtained permission to work within the camp.) She had a handful of students on the very first day; over 70 people, including adults, also showed on the second. Eventually, the English courses evolved to photography courses. “I’m a photographer and an artist, therefore I look for answers through artwork,” says van Dorst. Soon, she had met with two other photographers, Oliver Zimmermann and Sebastian Gil Miranda, who’d also traveled to Lesvos to watch the crisis for themselves. Together, together with a translator, Amir Asadi, who had lately come to Greece as a refugee in Iran, they founded Inside Light, a project to educate young refugees photography as a way of boosting their sin.

Van Dorst teaches families English through the fencing at Moria refugee camp, May 2016

Over the next seven weeks, the Inside Lighting team passed disposable cameras under the fence and told the students, ages 9 to 16, to take photographs of beautiful things. “They see this location in a really negative manner, but once we ask them to look for things that are special, they start to understand their environment otherwise,” van Dorst explains. “You start to provoke positive thinking instead of, Oh, this is really lousy.” After the kids finished shooting, the photographers acquired their own pictures at a local store and returned to converse with them about their preferred sodas, while offering basic tips on makeup, light, and other methods. But in return, the kids shared stories of their lives back home. “It is remarkable to me how these refugees don’t have anything, but nevertheless wish to supply you with something, to teach you anything about their countries,” van Dorst states. So far, Inside Light has worked with over 50 kids; it intends to expand to other refugee camps in Greece and elsewhere the next year, and has established a fundraising effort.

What the kids decide to picture sometimes surprises van Dorst. After, a young boy whose dad had abandoned his family years ago was so enthused about a picture he had taken he pushed to his chest for several moments. After he finally set it down, van Dorst recognized he had taken a selfie. “Was this a mistake?” She inquired. “No,” he responded. “It is not a mistake–I’m beautiful.” The response made van Dorst speechless: “To understand he’d felt unlikable because his dad left and then see him told me I had done my job.”

To find out more or to contribute, visit ngotiator.org/product/donation.

This Report appears in the December Problem of Marie Claire, on newsstands November 15.

from Find fantastic photographer aegphotos.co.uk http://www.aegphotos.co.uk/inside-lighting-photography-non-profit-has-deadly-refugees-take-photographs/

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matthewtwelveministry-blog · 6 years

Text

The History of Joseph the Carpenter

In the name of God, of one essence and three persons.

The History of the death of our father, the holy old man, Joseph the carpenter.

May his blessings and prayers preserve us all, O brethren! Amen.

His whole life was one hundred and eleven years, and his departure from this world happened on the twenty-sixth of the month Abib, which answers to the month Ab. May his prayer preserve us! Amen. And, indeed, it was our Lord Jesus Christ Himself who related this history to His holy disciples on the Mount of Olives, and all Joseph's labour, and the end of his days. And the holy apostles have preserved this conversation, and have left it written down in the library at Jerusalem. May their prayers preserve us! Amen.1 1. It happened one day, when the Saviour, our Master, God, and Saviour Jesus Christ, was sitting along with His disciples, and they were all assembled on the Mount of Olives, that He said to them: O my brethren and friends, sons of the Father who has chosen you from all men, you know that I have often told you that I must be crucified, and must die for the salvation of Adam and his posterity, and that I shall rise from the dead. Now I shall commit to you the doctrine of the holy gospel formerly announced to you, that you may declare it. throughout the whole world. And I shall endow you with power from on high, and fill you with the Holy Spirit.2 And you shall declare to all nations repentance and remission of sins.3 For a single cup of water,4 if a man shall find it in the world to come, is greater and better than all the wealth of this whole world. And as much ground as one foot can occupy in the house of my Father, is greater and more excellent than all the riches of the earth. Yea, a single hour in the joyful dwelling of the pious is more blessed and more precious than a thousand years among sinners:5 inasmuch as their weeping and lamentation shall not come to an end, and their tears shall not cease, nor shall they find for themselves consolation and repose at any time for ever. And now, O my honoured members, go declare to all nations, tell them, and say to them: Verily the Saviour diligently inquires into the inheritance which is due, and is the administrator of justice. And the angels will cast down their enemies, and will fight for them in the day of conflict. And He will examine every single foolish and idle word which men speak, and they shall give an account of it.6 For as no one shall escape death, so also the works of every man shall be laid open on the day of judgment, whether they have been good or evil.7 Tell them also this word which I have said to you to-day: Let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor the rich man in his riches; but let him who wishes to glory, glory in the Lord.8

2. There was a man whose name was Joseph, sprung from a family of Bethlehem, a town of Judah, and the city of King David. This same man, being well furnished with wisdom and learning, was made a priest in the temple of the Lord. He was, besides. skilful in his trade, which was that of a carpenter; and after the manner of all men, he married a wife. Moreover, he begot for himself sons and daughters, four sons, namely, and two daughters. Now these are their names-Judas, Justus, James, and Simon. The names of the two daughters were Assia and Lydia. At length the wife of righteous Joseph, a woman intent on the divine glory in all her works, departed this life. But Joseph, that righteous man, my father after the flesh, and the spouse of my mother Mary, went away with his sons to his trade, practising the art of a carpenter.

3. Now when righteous Joseph became a widower, my mother Mary, blessed, holy, and pure, was already twelve years old. For her parents offered her in the temple when she was three years of age, and she remained in the temple of the Lord nine years. Then when the priests saw that the virgin, holy and God-fearing, was growing up, they spoke to each other, saying: Let us search out a man, righteous and pious, to whom Mary may be entrusted until the time of her marriage; lest, if she remain in the temple, it happen to her as is wont to happen to women, and lest on that account we sin, and God be angry with us.

4. Therefore they immediately sent out, and assembled twelve old men of the tribe of Judah. And they wrote down the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. And the lot fell upon the pious old man, righteous Joseph. Then the priests answered, and said to my blessed mother: Go with Joseph, and be with him till the time of your marriage. Righteous Joseph therefore received my mother, and led her away to his own house. And Mary found James the Less in his father's house, broken-hearted and sad on account of the loss of his mother, and she brought him up. Hence Mary was called the mother of James.9 Thereafter Joseph left her at home, and went away to the shop where he wrought at his trade of a carpenter. And after the holy virgin had spent two years in his house her age was exactly fourteen years, including the time at which he received her.

5. And I chose her of my own will, with the concurrence of my Father, and the counsel of the Holy Spirit. And I was made flesh of her, by a mystery which transcends the grasp of created reason. And three months after her conception the righteous man Joseph returned from the place where he worked at his trade; and when he found my virgin mother pregnant, he was greatly perplexed, and thought of sending her away secretly.10 But from fear, and sorrow, and the anguish of his heart, he could endure neither to eat nor drink that day.

6. But at mid-day there appeared to him in a dream the prince of the angels, the holy Gabriel, furnished with a command from my Father; and he said to him: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary as thy wife: for she has conceived of the Holy Spirit; and she will bring forth a son, whose name shall be called Jesus. He it is who shall rule all nations with a rod of iron.11 Having thus spoken, the angel departed from him. And Joseph rose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord had said to him; and Mary abode with him.12

7. Some time after that, there came forth an order from Augustus Caesar the king, that all the habitable world should be enrolled, each man in his own city. The old man therefore, righteous Joseph, rose up and took the virgin Mary and came to Bethlehem, because the time of her bringing forth was at hand. Joseph then inscribed his name in the list; for Joseph the son of David, whose spouse Mary was, was of the tribe of Judah. And indeed Mary, my mother, brought me forth in Bethlehem, in a cave near the tomb of Rachel the wife of the patriarch Jacob, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

8. But Satan went and told this to Herod the Great, the father of Archelaus. And it was this same Herod13 who ordered my friend and relative John to be beheaded. Accordingly he searched for me diligently, thinking that my kingdom was to be of this world.14 But Joseph, that pious old man, was warned of this by a dream. Therefore he rose and took Mary my mother, and I lay in her bosom. Salome15 also was their fellow-traveller. Having therefore set out from home, he retired into Egypt, and remained there the space of one whole year, until the hatred of Herod passed away.

9. Now Herod died by the worst form of death, atoning for the shedding of the blood of the children whom he wickedly cut off, though there was no sin in them. And that impious tyrant Herod being dead, they returned into the land of Israel, and lived in a city of Galilee which is called Nazareth. And Joseph, going back to his trade of a carpenter, earned his living by the work of his hands; for, as the law of Moses had commanded, he never sought to live for nothing by another's labour.16

10. At length, by increasing years, the old man arrived at a very advanced age. He did not, however, labour under any bodily weakness, nor had his sight failed, nor had any tooth perished from his mouth. In mind also, for the whole time of his life, he never wandered; but like a boy he always in his business displayed youthful vigour, and his limbs remained unimpaired, and free from all pain. His life, then, in all, amounted to one hundred and eleven years, his old age being prolonged to the utmost limit.

11. Now Justus and Simeon, the eider sons of Joseph, were married, and had families of their own. Both the daughters were likewise married, and lived in their own houses. So there remained in Joseph's house, Judas and James the Less, and my virgin mother. I moreover dwelt along with them, not otherwise than if I had been one of his sons. But I passed all my life without fault. Mary I called my mother, and Joseph father, and I obeyed them in all that they said; nor did I ever contend against them, but complied with their commands, as other men whom earth produces are wont to do; nor did I at any time arouse their anger, or give any word or answer in opposition to them. On the contrary, I cherished them with great love, like the pupil of my eye.

12. It came to pass, after these things, that the death of that old man, the pious Joseph, and his departure from this world, were approaching, as happens to other men who owe their origin to this earth. And as his body was verging on dissolution, an angel of the Lord informed him that his death was now close at hand. Therefore fear and great perplexity came upon him. So he rose up and went to Jerusalem; and going into the temple of the Lord, he poured out his prayers there before the sanctuary, and said:

13. O God! author of all consolation, God of all compassion, and Lord of the whole human race; God of my soul, body, and spirit; with supplications I reverence thee, O Lord and my God. If now my days are ended, and the time draws near when I must leave this world, send me, I beseech Thee, the great Michael, the prince of Thy holy angels: let him remain with me, that my wretched soul may depart from this afflicted body without trouble, without terror and impatience. For great fear and intense sadness take hold of all bodies on the day of their death, whether it be man or woman, beast wild or tame, or whatever creeps on the ground or flies in the air. At the last all creatures under heaven in whom is the breath of life are struck with horror, and their souls depart from their bodies with strong fear and great depression. Now therefore, O Lord and my God, let Thy holy angel be present with his help to my soul and body, until they shall be dissevered from each other. And let not the face of the angel, appointed my guardian from the day of my birth,17 be turned away from me; but may he be the companion of my journey even until he bring me to Thee: let his countenance be pleasant and gladsome to me, and let him accompany me in peace. And let not demons of frightful aspect come near me in the way in which I am to go, until I come to Thee in bliss. And let not the doorkeepers hinder my soul from entering paradise. And do not uncover my sins, and expose me to condemnation before Thy terrible tribunal. Let not the lions rush in upon me; nor let the waves of the sea of fire overwhelm my soul-for this must every soul pass through18-before I have seen the glory of Thy Godhead. O God, most righteous Judge, who in justice and equity wilt judge mankind, and wilt render unto each one according to his works, O Lord and my God, I beseech Thee, be present to me in Thy compassion, and enlighten my path that I may come to Thee; for Thou art a fountain overflowing with all good things, and with glory for evermore. Amen.

14. It came to pass thereafter, when he returned to his own house in the city of Nazareth, that he was seized by disease, and had to keep his bed. And it was at this time that he died, according to the destiny of all mankind. For this disease was very heavy upon him, and he had never been ill, as he now was, from the day of his birth. And thus assuredly it pleased Christ19 to order the destiny of righteous Joseph. He lived forty years unmarried; thereafter his wife remained under his care forty-nine years, and then died. And a year after her death, my mother, the blessed Mary, was entrusted to him by the priests, that he should keep her until the time of her marriage. She spent two years in his house; and in the third year of her stay with Joseph, in the fifteenth year of her age, she brought me forth on earth by a mystery which no creature can penetrate or understand, except myself, and my Father and the Holy Spirit, constituting one essence with myself.20

15. The whole age of my father, therefore, that righteous old man, was one hundred and eleven years, my Father in heaven having so decreed. And the day on which his soul left his body was the twenty-sixth of the month Abib. For now the fine gold began to lose its splendour, and the silver to be worn down by use-I mean his understanding and his wisdom. He also loathed food and drink, and lost all his skill in his trade of carpentry, nor did he any more pay attention to it. It came to pass, then, in the early dawn of the twenty-sixth day of Abib, that Joseph, that righteous old man, lying in his bed, was giving up his unquiet soul. Wherefore he opened his mouth with many sighs, and struck his hands one against the other, and with a loud voice cried out, and spoke after the following manner:-

16. Woe to the day on which I was born into the world! Woe to the womb which bare me! Woe to the bowels which admitted me! Woe to the breasts which suckled me! Woe to the feet upon which I sat and rested! Woe to the hands which carried me and reared me until I grew up!21 For I was conceived in iniquity, and in sins did my mother desire me.22 Woe to my tongue and my lips, which have brought forth and spoken vanity, detraction, falsehood, ignorance, derision, idle tales, craft, and hypocrisy! Woe to mine eyes, which have looked upon scandalous things! Woe to mine ears, which have delighted in the words of slanderers! Woe to my hands, which have seized what did not of right belong to them! Woe to my belly and my bowels, which have lusted after food unlawful to be eaten! Woe to my throat, which like a fire has consumed all that it found! Woe to my feet, which have too often walked in ways displeasing to God! Woe to my body; and woe to my miserable soul, which has already turned aside from God its Maker! What shall I do when I arrive at that place where I must stand before the most righteous Judge, and when He shall call me to account for the works which I have heaped up in my youth? Woe to every man dying in his sins! Assuredly that same dreadful hour, which came upon my father Jacob,23 when his soul was flying forth from his body, is now, behold, near at hand for me. Oh! how wretched I am this day, and worthy of lamentation! But God alone is the disposer of my soul and body; He also will deal with them after His own good pleasure.

17. These are the words spoken by Joseph, that righteous old man. And I, going in beside him, found his soul exceedingly troubled, for he was placed in great perplexity. And I said to him: Hail! my father Joseph, thou righteous man; how is it with thee? And he answered me: All hail! my well-beloved son. Indeed, the agony and fear of death have already environed me; but as soon as I heard Thy voice, my soul was at rest. O Jesus of Nazareth! Jesus, my Saviour! Jesus, the deliverer of my soul! Jesus, my protector! Jesus! O sweetest name in my mouth, and in the mouth of all those that love it! O eye which seest, and ear which hearest, hear me! I am Thy servant; this day I most humbly reverence Thee, and before Thy face I pour out my tears. Thou art altogether my God; Thou art my Lord, as the angel has told me times without number, and especially on that day when my soul was driven about with perverse thoughts about the pure and blessed Mary, who was carrying Thee in her womb, and whom I was thinking of secretly sending away. And while I was thus meditating, behold, there appeared to me in my rest angels of the Lord, saying to me in a wonderful mystery: O Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take Mary as thy wife; and do not grieve thy soul, nor speak unbecoming words of her conception, because she is with child of the Holy Spirit, and shall bring forth a son, whose name shall be called Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. Do not for this cause wish me evil, O Lord! for I was ignorant of the mystery of Thy birth. I call to mind also, my Lord, that day when the boy died of the bite of the serpent. And his relations wished to deliver Thee to Herod, saying that Thou hadst killed him; but Thou didst raise him from the dead, and restore him to them. Then I went up to Thee, and took hold of Thy hand, saying: My son, take care of thyself. But Thou didst say to me in reply: Art thou not my father after the flesh? I shall teach thee who I am.24 Now therefore, O Lord and my God, do not be angry with me, or condemn me on account of that hour. I am Thy servant, and the son of Thine handmaiden;25 but Thou art my Lord, my God and Saviour, most surely the Son of God.

18. When my father Joseph had thus spoken, he was unable to weep more. And I saw that death now had dominion over him. And my mother, virgin undefiled, rose and came to me, saying: O my beloved son, this pious old man Joseph is now dying. And I answered: Oh my dearest mother, assuredly upon all creatures produced in this world the same necessity of death lies; for death holds sway over the whole human race. Even thou, O my virgin mother, must look for the same end of life as other mortals. And yet thy death, as also the death of this pious man, is not death, but life enduring to eternity. Nay more, even I must die, as concerns the body which I have received from thee. But rise, O my venerable mother, and go in to Joseph, that blessed old man, in order that thou mayst see what will happen as his soul ascends from his body.

19. My undefiled mother Mary, therefore, went and entered the place where Joseph was. And I was sitting at his feet looking at him, for the signs of death already appeared in his countenance. And that blessed old man raised his head, and kept his eyes fixed on my face; but he had no power of speaking to me, on account of the agonies of death, which held him in their grasp. But he kept fetching many sighs. And I held his hands for a whole hour; and he turned his face to me, and made signs for me not to leave him. Thereafter I put my hand upon his breast, and perceived his soul now near his throat, preparing to depart from its receptacle.

20. And when my virgin mother saw me touching his body, she also touched his feet. And finding them already dead and destitute of heat, she said to me: O my beloved son, assuredly his feet are already beginning to stiffen, and they are as cold as snow. Accordingly she summoned his sons and daughters, and said to them: Come, as many as there are of you, and go to your father; for assuredly he is now at the very point of death. And Assia, his daughter, answered and said: Woe's me, O my brothers, this is certainly the same disease that my beloved mother died of. And she lamented and shed tears; and all Joseph's other children mourned along with her. I also, and my mother Mary, wept along with them.26

21. And turning my eyes towards the region of the south, I saw Death already approaching, and all Gehenna with him, closely attended by his army and his satellites; and their clothes, their faces, and their mouths poured forth flames. And when my father Joseph saw them coming straight to him, his eyes dissolved in tears, and at the same time he groaned after a strange manner. Accordingly, when I saw the vehemence of his sighs, I drove back Death and all the host of servants which accompanied him. And I called upon my good Father, saying:-

22. O Father of all mercy, eye which seest, and ear which hearest, hearken to my prayers and supplications in behalf of the old man Joseph; and send Michael, the prince of Thine angels, and Gabriel, the herald of light, and all the light of Thine angels, and let their whole array walk with the soul of my father Joseph, until they shall have conducted it to Thee. This is the hour in which my father has need of compassion. And I say unto you, that all the saints, yea, as many men as are born in the world, whether they be just or whether they be perverse, must of necessity taste of death.

23. Therefore Michael and Gabriel came to the soul of my father Joseph, and took it, and wrapped it in a shining wrapper. Thus he committed his spirit into the hands of my good Father, and He bestowed upon him peace. But as yet none of his children knew that he had fallen asleep. And the angels preserved his soul from the demons of darkness which were in the way, and praised God even until they conducted it into the dwelling-place of the pious.

24. Now his body was lying prostrate and bloodless; wherefore I reached forth my hand, and put right his eyes and shut his mouth, and said to the virgin Mary: O my mother, where is the skill which he showed in all the time that he lived in this world? Lo! it has perished, as if it had never existed. And when his children heard me speaking with my mother, the pure virgin, they knew that he had already breathed his last, and they shed tears, and lamented. But I said to them: Assuredly the death of your father is not death, but life everlasting: for he has been freed from the troubles of this life, and has passed to perpetual and everlasting rest. When they heard these words, they rent their clothes, and wept.

25. And, indeed, the inhabitants of Nazareth and of Galilee, having heard of their lamentation, flocked to them, and wept from the third hour even to the ninth. And at the ninth hour they all went together to Joseph's bed. And they lifted his body, after they had anointed it with costly unguents. But I entreated my Father in the prayer of the celestials-that same prayer which with any own hand I made before I was carried in the womb of the virgin Mary, my mother. And as soon as I had finished it, and pronounced the amen, a great multitude of angels came up; and I ordered two of them to stretch out their shining garments, and to wrap in them the body of Joseph, the blessed old man.

26. And I spoke to Joseph, and said: The smell or corruption of death shall not have dominion over thee, nor shall a worm ever come forth from thy body. Not a single limb of it shall be broken, nor shall any hair on thy head be changed. Nothing of thy body shall perish, O my father Joseph, but it will remain entire and uncorrupted even until the banquet of the thousand years.27 And whosoever shall make an offering on the day of thy remembrance, him will I bless and recompense in the congregation of the virgins; and whosoever shall give food to the wretched, the poor, the widows, and orphans from the work of his hands, on the day on which thy memory shall be celebrated, and in thy name, shall not be in want of good things all the days of his life. And whosoever shall have given a cup of water, or of wine, to drink to the widow or orphan in thy name, I will give him to thee, that thou mayst go in with him to the banquet of the thousand years. And every man who shall present an offering on the day of thy commemoration will I bless and recompense in the church of the virgins: for one I will render unto him thirty, sixty, and a hundred. And whosover shall write the history of thy life, of thy labour, and thy departure from this world, and this narrative that has issued from my mouth, him shall I commit to thy keeping as long as he shall have to do with this life. And when his soul departs from the body, and when he must leave this world, I will bum the book of his sins, nor will I torment him with any punishment in the day of judgment; but he shall cross the sea of flames, and shall go through it without trouble or pain.28 And upon every poor man who can give none of those things which I have mentioned this is incumbent: viz., if a son is born to him, he shall call his name Joseph. So there shall not take place in that house either poverty or any sudden death for ever.

27. Thereafter the chief men of the city came together to the place where the body of the blessed old man Joseph had been laid, bringing with them burial-clothes; and they wished to wrap it up in them after the manner in which the Jews are wont to arrange their dead bodies. And they perceived that he kept his shroud fast; for it adhered to the body in such a way, that when they wished to take it off, it was found to be like iron-impossible to be moved or loosened. Nor could they find any ends in that piece of linen, which struck them with the greatest astonishment. At length they carried him out to a place where there was a cave, and opened the gate, that they might bury his body beside the bodies of his fathers. Then there came into my mind the day on which he walked with me into Egypt, and that extreme trouble which he endured on my account. Accordingly, I bewailed his death for a long time; and lying upon his body, I said:-

28. O Death! who makest all knowledge to vanish away, and raisest so many tears and lamentations, surely it is God my Father Himself who hath granted thee this power. For men die for the transgression of Adam and his wife Eve, and Death spares not so much as one. Nevertheless, nothing happens to any one, or is brought upon him, without the command of my Father. There have certainly been men who have prolonged their life even to nine hundred years; but they died. Yea, though some of them have lived longer, they have, notwithstanding, succumbed to the same fate; nor has any one of them ever said: I have not tasted death. For the Lord never sends the same punishment more than once, since it hath pleased my Father to bring it upon men. And at the very moment when it, going forth, beholds the command descending to it from heaven, it says: I will go forth against that man, and will greatly move him. Then, without delay, it makes an onset on the soul, and obtains the mastery of it, doing with it whatever it will. For, because Adam did not the will of my Father, but transgressed His commandment, the wrath of my Father was kindled against him, and He doomed him to death; and thus it was that death came into the world. But if Adam had observed my Father's precepts, death would never have fallen to his lot. Think you that I can ask my good Father to send me a chariot of fire,29 which may take up the body of my father Joseph, and convey it to the place of rest, in order that it may dwell with the spirits? But on account of the transgression of Adam, that trouble and violence of death has descended upon all the human race. And it is for this cause that I must die according to the flesh, for my work which I have created, that they may obtain grace.

29. Having thus spoken, I embraced the body of my father Joseph, and wept over it; and they opened the door of the tomb, and placed his body in it, near the body of his father Jacob. And at the time when he fell asleep he had fulfilled a hundred and eleven years. Never did a tooth in his mouth hurt him, nor was his eyesight rendered less sharp, nor his body bent, nor his strength impaired; but he worked at his trade of a carpenter to the very last day of his life; and that was the six-and-twentieth of the month Abib.

30. And we apostles, when we heard these things from our Saviour, rose up joyfully, and prostrated ourselves in honour of Him, and said: O our Saviour, show us Thy grace. Now indeed we have heard the word of life: nevertheless we wonder, O our Saviour, at the fate of Enoch and Elias, inasmuch as they had not to undergo death. For truly they dwell in the habitation of the righteous even to the present day, nor have their bodies seen corruption. Yet that old man Joseph the carpenter was, nevertheless, Thy father after the flesh. And Thou hast ordered us to go into all the world and preach the holy Gospel; and Thou hast said: Relate to them the death of my father Joseph, and celebrate to him with annual solemnity a festival and sacred day. And whosoever shall take anything away from this narrative, or add anything to it, commits sin.30 We wonder especially that Joseph, even from that day on which Thou wast born in Bethlehem, called Thee his son after the flesh. Wherefore, then, didst Thou not make him immortal as well as them, and Thou sayest that he was righteous and chosen?

31. And our Saviour answered and said: Indeed, the prophecy of my Father upon Adam, for his disobedience, has now been fulfilled. And all things are arranged according to the will and pleasure of my Father. For if a man rejects the commandment of God, and follows the works of the devil by committing sin, his life is prolonged; for be is preserved in order that he may perhaps repent, and reflect that he must be delivered into the hands of death. But if any one has been zealous of good works, his life also is prolonged, that, as the fame of his old age increases, upright men may imitate him. But when you see a man whose mind is prone to anger, assuredly his days are shortened; for it is these that are taken away in the flower of their age. Every prophecy, therefore, which my Father has pronounced concerning the sons of men, must be fulfilled in every particular. But with reference to Enoch and Elias, and how they remain alive to this day, keeping the same bodies with which they were born; and as to what concerns my father Joseph, who has not been allowed as well as they to remain in the body: indeed, though a man live in the world many myriads of years, nevertheless at some time or other he is compelled to exchange life for death. And I say to you, O my brethren, that they also, Enoch and Elias,31 must towards the end of time return into the world and die-in the day, namely, of commotion, of terror, of perplexity, and affliction. For Antichrist will slay four bodies, and will pour out their blood like water, because of the reproach to which they shall expose him, and the ignominy with which they, in their lifetime, shall brand him when they reveal his impiety.

32. And we said: O our Lord, our God and Saviour, who are those four whom Thou hast said Antichrist will cut off from the reproach they bring upon him? The Lord answered: They are Enoch, Elias, Schila, and Tabitha.32 When we heard this from our Saviour, we rejoiced and exulted; and we offered all glory and thanksgiving to the Lord God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. He it is to whom is due glory, honour, dignity, dominion, power, and praise, as well as to the good Father with Him, and to the Holy Spirit that giveth life, henceforth and in all time for evermore. Amen.

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tintuc1231-blog · 7 years

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ĐỀ THI THỬ THPT QUỐC GIA – LẦN 1 Năm học: 2016 – 2017

Môn: Tieng Anh

Thòi gian làm bài: 60 phút ( không kể thòi gian giao dề)

Read the following passage and blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct word for each of the blanks in the following questions

Dining Etiquette in Japan: an honored guest sits an the entre of the table furthest from thr door and begins eating first. Learn to (1)…..chopsticks – never point them, never pierce them, and rest them on the chopsticks – rest when breaking (2)………drink or chat. It is good etiquette to try a bit of everything.

Dining Etiquette in Turkey: Meals are a (3)………….affair, conversations are friendly and loud. The head of the family of honored guest is served first. It is good etiquette to insist the kost senior is served first (4)………….of you. Asking for (5)………….food is a compliment. If taken to a restaurant, Turkish dining etiquette has strict rules that the one extended the invitation must pay.

Read the passage and blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to the following qusetions.

How can a plant kill?

People kill. Animals kill. Animals and people kill for food, or they kill their enemies. People and animals can move around and find something to kill. They can run away from an enemy. They can kill it if it is necessary. Many kinds of animals eat plants. The plants cannot run away from their enemies. Some plants make poison. If an animal eat part of the plant, it gets sick or dies. Animals learn to stay away from these plants. There are many kinds of plants that make poison. Most of them grow in the desert or in the tropics. Today farmers use kinds of poison come from petroleum , but petroleum is expensive. Scientists collect poisonous plants and study them. Maybe farmers can use cheap poison from plants instead of expensive poison from petroleum.

Question 6: Animals and people kill their………………..

A. A.plants B. poisons C. enemies D. farmers

Question 7: ……………….cannot move around.

A. Farmers B. Plants C. Scientists D. Animals

Question 8: An animal……………….if it eats a poisonous plant.

A. moves around B. studies the poison C. runs away D. gets sicks or dies

Question 9: Most poisonous plants grow in the deserts or in the………………

A. Arctic Circle B. laboratories C. farms D. tropics

Question 10: ………………use many kinds of poisons.

A. Farmers B. Scientists C. Workers D. Animals

Question 11: Most of these poisons come from………………….

A. deserts B. the tropics C. petroleum D. plants

Question 12: Scientists……………..poisonous plants.

A. use B. buy C. run away from D. collect

Question 13: Poison from plants is………….than poison from petroleum.

A. cheaper B. more expensive C. more afraid D. cooler

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that best combines each pair of sentence in the following questions.

Question 14: We listend to a speech last night. It was informative.

A. We listend to a speech last night what was informative.

B. We listend to a speech last night when it was informative.

C. We listend to a speech last night which was informative.

D. We listend to a speech last night on which was informative.

Question 15: I want to buy her a handbag on her birthday. I haven’t got enough money.

A. I’d buy her a handbag if I had few money.

B. I’d buy her a handbag if I had enough money.

C. I’d buy her a handbag if I have few money.

D. I’d buy her a handbag if I have enough money.

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word with the main tress diferent from that of the others three words in each question.

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the word or phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions.

Question 18: Pierre often helped her, and they devoted all their time to working in their laboratory.

A. dedicated B. sent C. offered D. gave

Question 19: It is a calculating machine which speeds up calculations: it can add, subtract, multiply, and devide with lightning speed and perfect accuracy.

A. goodness B. precision C. wonder D. loveliness

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the most suitable response to complete the following exchanges.

Question 20: A: This dish is really nice! B: …………………………..

A. Sure. I’ll be glad to. B. I’m glad you like it.

C. I guess you’re right. D. It’s my pleasure.

Question 21: A: “ What does Mike look like?” “…………………………………”

A. He’s an architect. B. He likes pop music.

C. He doesn’t like me. D. He’s tall and thin.

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the sentence that is closest in meaning to each of the following questions.

Question 22: “ Listen carefully”, he said.

A. He told us listen carefully. B. He told us to listen carefully.

C. He said us listen carefully. D. He told to us to listen carefully.

Question 23: They will build a new house in our town.

A. A new house will be build in our house. B. A new house will be built in our house.

C. Our town will be build a new house. D. Our town will be built a new house.

Question 24: This is the first time we have been to the circus.

A. We have never been to the circus before.

B. We haven’t been to the circus often before.

C. We had been to the circus once before.

D. We have been to the circus some times before.

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to show the underlined part that needs correction.

Question 25: After George had returned to his house, he was reading a book.

A B C D

Question 26: That is the man who he told me the bad news.

A B C D

Question 27: Some engineers have predicted that, within twenty years, automobiles will be

A B

make almost completely of plastic.

C D

Read the following passage and blacken the letter A, B, C, or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to the following questions

In 776 BC the first Olympic Games were held at the foot of Mount Olympus to honor the Greek’s chief, Zeus. The Greeks emphasized physical fitness and strength in their education of youth. Therefore, contests in running, jumping, discus and javelin throwing, boxing, and horse and chariot racing were held individual cities, and the winners completed every four years at Mount Olympus. Winners were greatly honored by having olive wreaths placed on their heads and having poems sung about their deeds. Originally these were held as games of friendship, and any wars in progress were halted to allow the games to take place.

The Greeks attached so much importance to these games that they calculated time in four –

year cycle called “ Olympiads” dating from 776 BC.

Question 28: Where were the first Olympic Games held?

A. behind Mount Olympus B. opposite Mount Olympus

C. at the peak of Mount Olympus D. at the foot of Mount Olympus

Question 29: Why were the Olympic Games held?

A. to honor Zeus B. to sing songs about the athletes

C. to stop wars D. to crown the best athletes

Question 30: Approximately how many years ago did these games originate?

A. 227 years B. 776 years C. 2,792 years D. 1,205 years

Question 31: Which of the following contests was not mentioned?

A. boxing B. discus throwing C. running D. skating

Question 32: How often were the Olympic Games held?

A. every four years B. twice a year C. every two years D. every years

Question 33: Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Winner placed olive wreaths on their own heads.

B. The games were held in Greece every four years.

C. Battles were interrupted to participate in the games.

D. Poem glorified the winners in song.

Question 34: What conclusion can we withdraw about the ancient Greeks?

A. They liked a lot of ceremony

B. they liked to fight.

C. They couldn’t count, so they used “ Olympiads” for dates.

D. They were very athletic.

Blacken the lettre A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the following questions.

Question 35: He asked me…………..the film called “ Star Wars”.

A. if I have seen B. I saw C. if I had seen D. whether had I seen

Question 36: They missed the ferry. It ……………..by the time they reached the pier.

A. has gome B. went C. would go D. had gone

Question 37: If I ……………..my passport, I’ll be in trouble.

A. lost B. lose C. would lose D. will lose

Question 38: …………………you known a liar, would you have agreed to support him?

A. If B. Had C. Did D. Since

Question 39: My bike,……………. I had left at the gate, had disappeared.

A. when B. - C. that D. which

Question 40: The medicine…………..had no effect at all.

A. the doctor gave it to me B. the doctor gave me

C. which the doctor gave it to me D. which given to me by the doctor

Question 41: Students normally enter university from the onwards and study for an………..degree.

A. academy B. academically C. academic D. academial

Question 42: It’s rude to…………..people while you are talking to them.

A. point at B. look at C. point out D. smile at Question 43: Military is…………………in this country. Every man who reaches the age of 18 has to serve in the army for two years.

A. unnecassary B. unnecassary C. compulsory D. illegal

Question 44: It is important to have someone you can …………..in.

A. talk B. confide C. know D. speak

Question 45: While studying, he was financially dependent…………..his parents.

A. of B. on C. from D. to

Question 46: When I looked around the door, the baby……….quietly.

A. is sleeping B. slept C. was sleeping D. had been sleeping

Blacken the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet ti indicate the word or phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the inderlined part in each of the following questions.

Question 47: And in 1891, the shy Marie, with her very little money to live on, came to Paris to continue her studies at the Sorbonne.

A. much B. many C. few D. a lot

Question 48: We managed to get to school in time despite the heavy rain.

A. later than expected B. as long as expected

C. earlier than a particular moment D. earlier enough to do something

Blacken the letter A, B, C, or D o your answer sheet to indicate the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the otherthree in each question.

…………………………….THE END…………………………….

>> TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO:

sach tu hoc tieng anh

sach tu hoc tieng han

sach tu hoc tieng han cho nguoi moi bat dau

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waitfour · 7 years

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30 Day of Prayer for Revival -

Day 12. "A necessary pre-cursor of any great spiritual awakening is a spirit of deep humiliation growing out of a consciousness of sin, and fresh revelation of the holiness and power and glory of God." - John R. Mott

2 Chronicles 7:14 - and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Lord, please grant me a fresh revelation of Your holiness, Your power, and Your glory that I might be humbled by a growing consciousness of sin. Please grant that same fresh revelation to all of Your people. Call to us, Lord. Call us to pray and seek Your face and turn from our wicked ways. As we humble ourselves, please hear from heaven and forgive our sin and heal our land.

Jesus is Tenderly Calling by Frances J. Crosby

Jesus is tenderly calling you home— Calling today, calling today, Why from the sunshine of love will you roam Farther and farther away?

Refrain: Calling today, calling today, Jesus is calling, is tenderly calling today.

Jesus is calling the weary to rest— Calling today, calling today, Bring Him your burden and you shall be blest; He will not turn you away.

Jesus is waiting, oh, come to Him now— Waiting today, waiting today, Come with your sins, at His feet lowly bow; Come, and no longer delay.

Jesus is pleading, oh, list to His voice: Hear Him today, hear Him today, They who believe on His name shall rejoice; Quickly arise and away.

Frances Jane Crosby, best known as Fanny Crosby, was born in New York in 1820. She became blind at the age of six weeks due to mistaken medical treatment during illness. At the age of fifteen she entered the New York Institution for the Blind. Having received a good education there, she then became a teacher in the institution in 1847, continuing until 1858. In 1858, she married Alex Van Alstyne, who was also a scholar in the same institution. While teaching at the institution, she met many notable people, including President Van Buren, President Tyler, Hon. Henry Clay, Governor Wm. H. Seward, General Winfield Scott, and others. Ms. Crosby had the honor of being the first woman whose voice was heard publicly in the Senate Chamber at Washington.

Though Ms. Crosby published four volumes of verses, her fame was mainly drawn from the writing of Sunday School songs and gospel hymns. In all, Ms. Crosby wrote about 8,000 hymns, only about 3,000 of which have been set to music. She began to write Sunday school hymns for Williams B Bradbury in 1864. After that time, she no longer wrote secular songs and supported herself by writing only hymns. She made very little money from her hymn writing. In those days, most of the money went to composers. However, her publishers did provide her with a little money to live on as she got older in order to sustain her. Ms. Crosby wrote under a variety of pseudonymns, or pen names: A.V., Mrs. A. E. Andrews, Mrs. E. A. Andrews, Mrs. E. L. Andrews, James L. Black, Henrietta E. Blair, Charles Bruce, Robert Bruce, Leah Carlton, Eleanor Craddock, Lyman G. Cuyler, D.H.W., Ella Dare, Ellen Dare, Mrs. Ellen Douglass, Lizzie Edwards. Miss Grace Elliot, Grace J. Frances, Victoria Frances, Jennie Garnett, Frank Gould, H. D. K., Frances Hope, Annie L. James, Martha J. Lankton [Langton], Grace Lindsey, Maud Marion, Sallie Martin, Alice Monteith, Martha C. Oliver, Mrs. N. D. Plume, Kate Smiley, Sallie Smith, J. L. Sterling, John Sterling, Julia Sterling, Ida Scott Taylor, Mary R. Tilden, Carrie M. Wilson, W.H.D.

Joyfully accepting her blindness, Ms. Crosby felt that had it not been for her affliction she might not have had so good an education, so great an influence, nor so fine a memory. She once told someone, “If I had been given a choice at birth I would have asked to be blind… for when I get to Heaven, the first face I will see will be the One who died for me.” She memorized many portions of the Bible, including the first four books of the Old Testament, and the four Gospels. This was a wonderful foundation for hymn writing as her hymns are full of the Bible.

She wrote her hymns quickly, and some of her most famous hymns were dictated almost as fast as the words could be taken down. An example of this is as follows: “In 1868, musician Howard Doane knocked on the door of Fanny’s apartment in Manhattan. ‘I have exactly forty minutes before I must meet a train for Cincinnati. I have a tune for you. See if it says anything to you. Perhaps you can commit it to memory and then compose a poem to match it.’ He then hummed the tune. Fanny clapped her hands and said, ‘Why, that says, “Safe in the arms of Jesus!”’ Those words might have soothed Fanny’s own mind as they have so many others, at the loss of a child [a child born to her after she married, died as a baby]. She had often used the phrase in comforting others: ‘Remember, my dear, your darling cherub is safe in the arms of Jesus.’”

This hymn, “Jesus is Tenderly Calling,” was published in 1883). It was possibly based on Hebrews 4:7 - He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” (quoting Psalm 95) Today, Jesus is tenderly calling to you? Are you listening? What is your answer to Him?

Other helpful companion scriptures to the song are:

Malachi 4:2, regarding the Sun of Righteousness

Luke 15:11-13, regarding the wandering prodigal son in a far country

Revelation 14:13, regarding our hope of eternal rest

Psalm 55:22, regarding bringing our burdens to Him

Mark 10:46-52, regarding finding healing from Jesus

2 Corinthians 6:2, regarding the accepted time of salvation

Romans 3:23 and 6:23, regarding the urgent need to do something about our sins

Hebrews 5:8-9, regarding our need to come to Jesus in humility and complete obedience

Matthew 17:3 and Hebrews 1:1-2, regarding listening to the voice of Jesus because God speaks to us through Him

Psalm 89:16, Philippians 4:4, and Acts 8:26-39, regarding how listening to Jesus and obeying Him brings us joy

References: A Hymn is Born - Bonner / Broadman Press 1959 A Song is Born - Taylor / Taylor Publications 2004 FindAGrave.com Great Christian Hymn Writers - Smith & Carlson / Crossway Books 1997 Stories of Hymns We Love - Rudin / John Rudin & Company, Inc. 1941 Then Sings My Soul #1 - Morgan / Thomas Nelson Publishers 2003 Then Sings My Soul #2 - Morgan / Thomas Nelson Publishers 2004 Then Sings My Soul #3 - Morgan / Thomas Nelson Publishers 2011 Treasury of Hymn Stories - Wells / Baker Book House 1945 Wikipedia.com

http://www.hymnary.org/person/Crosby_Fanny

https://hymnstudiesblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/26/quotjesus-is-tenderly-callingquot/

http://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bcrosby6.html

http://www.paperlesshymnal.com/tph/stories/fannyjcrosby/index.htm

#revival #restoration #renewal #calling #Jesus #home #wander #roam #humility #repentance #obedience

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comiconverse · 7 years

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Jason David Frank: Much More Than Mighty!

Power Ranger to Pop Culture Icon

Jason David Frank (JDF) was an undeniable presence at Big Apple Con (BAC) 2017. BAC certainly had their fair share of star power and I had the pleasure to interact with this fan favorite. Mr. Frank is best known for his roles in the Power Ranger universe, most specifically as Green Ranger Tommy Oliver. Recently though, he has been promoting his character Bloodshot for the soon to be released (Bat in the Sun Productions) Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe. It was at the Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe cast signing, during New York Comic Con 2016, where I first met Jason David Frank. I was fortunate to have our paths cross again at Big Apple.

Jason David Frank signs for fans at New York Comic Con. Credit: Linda Marie

Fan Affection

There is no doubt in my mind why Jason David Frank is so well-loved. As I meandered about the convention floor, I heard numerous stories from fans about how Mr. Frank had inspired their lives. He was much more to them than a hero on the TV screen. Mr. Frank doesn’t just show up for his fans, he takes the time to connect with them, all of them. While the line to meet JDF was quite daunting at Big Apple Con, there were never any complaints from those patiently waiting. In fact, the excited crowd started a chant of “JDF, JDF, JDF” at which time Mr. Frank paused to record a video clip to share on his social media. He continuously works hard to show love and appreciation for his fans.

Jason David Frank takes a selfie with his fans at Big Apple Con. Credit: facebook – jdfffn

Loving Life

As I approached Mr. Frank’s autograph area in hopes of obtaining some photos, I was taken aback as he addressed me directly. He immediately welcomed me into his world and was more than happy to have me there observing the kindness and warmth he shares. It was awesome to see such light and positivity emanating from a single individual. There is no way anyone could walk away from speaking with Jason David Frank and not feel better about themselves.

Jason David Frank engages his fans at Big Apple Con. Credit: Linda Marie

As I wrapped things up, I reached out to thank Mr. Frank for allowing me to be there and to wish him well. To my surprise and pleasure, he offered to spend a few moments with me for an interview. I was overjoyed and immediately accepted the invite. We were able to chat the following day after his enlightening Q&A panel. If you ever have an opportunity to hear Jason David Frank speak in person, just go.

Jason David Frank’s Comic Connection

During his panel, JDF not only spoke about his beloved Power Ranger characters and acting in general, he also spoke about his life. What impressed me the most about Mr. Frank was his humbleness, something he indicated is tough to do in Hollywood. He expressed how important it is to stay connected with those that love you and with yourself. It is clear that he recognizes how fortunate he is in life and yet focuses on remaining grounded. At one point, to the amusement of the audience, he stated “I put my spandex on one leg at time.”

Jason David Frank holds a Q&A at Big Apple Con. Credit: Linda Marie

Some other tidbits Jason David Frank shared during his panel were regarding his personal connection to the comic book realm. Growing up, JDF was a big fan of Marvel and his favorite character was Logan (Wolverine). In fact, at 18 yrs old, he sold his extensive Marvel collection for $11,000 to open his own school, Rising Sun Karate. His dismay at parting with the collection was apparent, though he is clearly happy with how his life turned out. Now he can secure all the comics he desires.

Keeping It Real

As I continued listening to Mr. Frank address the audience, I found myself most impressed with him as an individual. It was refreshing to hear his thoughts on money as it relates to the show business industry. JDF’s fan base is ultimately the chief factor in determining his course of action and he finds it offensive to be offered money to do something that is not in line with his beliefs. He feels that when money is offered to do a ‘shout-out’, it is deemed meaningless; there is no truth behind it. Mr. Frank’s high moral standards are forefront when making decisions regarding his career.

Jason David Frank requests a group photo after his panel at Big Apple Con. Credit: facebook – jdfffn

Hanging With A Hero

As JDF’s panel was coming to a close, he gathered everyone together for a big group photo. It was then Mr. Frank kindly took time to sit and chat with me for a few moments…

Linda: You are such an eloquent speaker. Very Inspiring.

JDF: Thank you. I really appreciate it. I probably don’t have the best grammar when I write and stuff but… I try, I do the best I can.

Linda: How did you get into acting? You talk about martial arts. How did that all come together?

JDF: I just ya know, being a little kid acting up the whole time, my mom said I should be an actor. I did some modeling when I was 12 for some TV magazines, and I can’t find those issues but I just liked it. I loved acting, I got into it, I was very passionate about it and honestly like Power Rangers was one of the first auditions that I did. I didn’t go and go and go and try and I’ve done auditions afterwards but yeah when I got Power Rangers at that age [19] it was like one of the first things and it just, I landed the role.

Diversity

Linda: Did you see yourself ever doing any other type of character?

JDF: I’m writing a movie now called Black Dragon. It’s about a coach that’s dealing with a lot of issues like alcoholism and stuff like that and he’s working with a kid that has autism. So it’s a really good acting movie but it’s funny because I like acting but if I would prefer to do movies I would rather do drama and stuff. I’ve done action my whole life so I think drama would be great.

Linda: Where did the martial arts come in?

JDF: When I was 4 years old just walking by a karate school and thinking that was something I wanted to do.

Linda: Do you do a lot of your own stunts? Do people try to prevent you from doing the stunts?

JDF: Yes. Yeah sure [they try to prevent him]. Power Rangers tried to prevent me from doing it but as far as Bloodshot they don’t want a stunt double. It’s too hard to get a guy to get into to character to do a stunt double.

Linda: I’d like to talk a little bit about Bloodshot since you brought it up. How did that come about? How did they approach you?

JDF: Aaron [Schoenke] with Bat in the Sun, I did quite a few shows with him with Bat in the Sun, and he’s the director of it and he told Valiant hey man this would be a good guy… and I had to kind of go through the hoops a little bit with Valiant. Dinesh [Shamdasani] was like he didn’t know in the beginning and he was happy he cast me afterwards but, it was Aaron [that] introduced me and I just didn’t want Aaron just doing a favor for me unless I fit the role and I just fit the role. I saw it, I was like this is perfect.

Linda: Did you have to do anything specific to prepare for it? Bloodshot is a little bit darker in comparison to the Power Rangers.

JDF: My mom was passing away at the time. That character I wouldn’t say is emotionless, he has emotion but it was just like that type of fight and fire in his eyes during that time. Also, I had to gain weight for it. I was about 210, I’m about 195 now so I put on about 15 lbs for it. Because I thought it was just gonna be over ya know so… but now I’m written in the show. I told Aaron and the guys I’ll be about 195 – 200, that’s it, that’s all I got. [With] the trainer at New York Comic Con, the Bloodshot trainer, I was about 190. So I looked fine. We haven’t seen the other stuff with me looking 210, the only difference was, I had to wear a bigger shirt. I couldn’t fit into my wardrobe so I had to get a bigger shirt.

Ninjak vs the Valiant Universe cast at New York comic Con 2016. Credit: Linda Marie

Linda: Can you tell me what’s in the pipeline, anything upcoming?

JDF: Yeah, ya know everything in Hollywood is like non-disclosure but I tell ya we got a lot of good stuff coming out… for my fans, for Valiant fans. It’s gonna be a lot of good stuff.

Linda: I’m excited for the Valiant stuff.

JDF: Yeah, me too. I really am too. It’s gonna be good.

Linda: Thank You!

I can’t thank Jason David Frank enough for taking the time to speak with me. The chance to sit with him was completely unexpected and thoroughly enjoyed. I wish him well with all his future endeavors and look forward to seeing him on the screen and at future conventions. Any fan of Jason David Frank is a fortunate fan indeed! Follow him on social media… Facebook: @jasondfrank, YouTube: jdfffn, Instagram: @jdfffn, and Twitter: @jdfffn.

Jason David Frank and Linda Marie at Big Apple Con. Credit: Linda Marie

Keeping You Comic Con-nected!

Linda Marie

Twitter: @LindaMW87, Instagram: @comic_con_crazy, Cosmunity: ComicConCrazy

The post Jason David Frank: Much More Than Mighty! appeared first on ComiConverse.

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tj-van-heerden · 7 years

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Praise and worship in the NT

Matt 2:11 [WEB] They came into the house and saw the young child with Mary, his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Opening their treasures, they offered to him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Matt 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”

Matt 6:13 Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

Matt 8:2 Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”

Matt 9:18 While he told these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.”

Matt 14:29-33 29 He said, “Come!” Peter stepped down from the boat, and walked on the waters to come to Jesus. 30 But when he saw that the wind was strong, he was afraid, and beginning to sink, he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got up into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 Those who were in the boat came and worshiped him, saying, “You are truly the Son of God!”

Matt 15:9 And in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine rules made by men.’ ”

Matt 15:25-28 25 But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.” 26 But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 27 But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” 28 Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Matt 21:16 and said to him, “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them, “Yes. Did you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing babies you have perfected praise?’ ”

Matt 28:9 As they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” They came and took hold of his feet, and worshiped him.

Mark 7:7 But they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’

Luke 2:37 and she had been a widow for about eighty-four years), who didn’t depart from the temple, worshiping with fastings and petitions night and day.

Luke 4:8 Jesus answered him, “Get behind me Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’ ”

Luke 18:43 Immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God. All the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Luke 19:37, 38 37 As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!”

Luke 24:51-53 51 While he blessed them, he withdrew from them, and was carried up into heaven. 52 They worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

John 4:23, 24 23 But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 9:35-38 35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?” 36 He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him.

Acts 8:27 He arose and went; and behold, there was a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was over all her treasure, who had come to Jerusalem to worship.

Acts 16:14 A certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, one who worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart to listen to the things which were spoken by Paul.

Acts 18:7 He departed there, and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue.

Rom 1:25 who exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Rom 15:7 Therefore accept one another, even as Christ also accepted you, to the glory of God.

Rom 15:11 Again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Let all the peoples praise him.”

1Cor 14:24, 25 24 But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed.

2Cor 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

Gal 1:3-5 3 Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father— 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Phil 1:10, 11 10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Phil 4:20 Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever! Amen.

Heb 1:3 His Son is the radiance of his glory, the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, who, when he had by himself purified us of our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,

Heb 13:15 Through him, then, let’s offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name.

Heb 13:20, 21 20 Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep with the blood of an eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus, 21 make you complete in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

1Pet 1:6, 7 6 Wherein you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved in various trials, 7 that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ—

2Pet 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.

Jude 1:25 to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Rev 1:6 and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father—to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Rev 4:9-11 9 When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One, to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!”

Rev 5:11-14 11 I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands; 12 saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!” 13 I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen!” Then the elders fell down and worshiped.

Rev 7:11, 12 11 All the angels were standing around the throne, the elders, and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before his throne, and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might, be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Rev 11:15-17 15 The seventh angel sounded, and great voices in heaven followed, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!” 16 The twenty-four elders, who sit on their thrones before God’s throne, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was; because you have taken your great power and reigned.

Rev 14:6, 7 6 I saw an angel flying in mid heaven, having an eternal Good News to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation, tribe, language, and people. 7 He said with a loud voice, “Fear the Lord, and give him glory; for the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and the springs of waters!”

Rev 15:2-4 2 I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who overcame the beast, his image,* and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 They sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God, the Almighty! Righteous and true are your ways, you King of the nations. 4 Who wouldn’t fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you only are holy. For all the nations will come and worship before you. For your righteous acts have been revealed.”

Rev 19:1-9 1 After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation, power, and glory belong to our God; 2 for his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great prostitute, who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” 3 A second said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke goes up forever and ever.” 4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, “Amen! Hallelujah!” 5 A voice came from the throne, saying, “Give praise to our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, the small and the great!” 6 I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! 7 Let’s rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let’s give the glory to him. For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready.” 8 It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 9 He said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.’ ” He said to me, “These are true words of God.”

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curlyhairedclarinetist · 7 years

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Anyone getting sick of these yet?

1: Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed? - Most of the time, it's open. 2: Do you take the shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotel? - No, but my mom does. 3: Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out? - Tucked in. My fiancé doesn't tuck them in and it drives me nuts. 4: Have you ever stolen a street sign before? - Nope. I'm as square as can be. 5: Do you like to use Post-It notes? - Just for little things like grocery lists. I'll write bigger stuff on my white board. 6: Do you cut out coupons but then never use them? - Does pulling coupons out of those dispensers at the grocery store count? Cuz I do that all the time. 7: Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees? - Aaah, I'd rather not do any of that! Maybe a bear? So it's one-on-one...Does playing dead actually work? 8: Do you have freckles? - No, but I think they're beautiful. 9: Do you always smile for pictures? - Unless I'm told we're doing a serious pose, yes. 10: What is your biggest pet peeve? - Lip smacking. 11: Do you ever count your steps when you walk? - No. My phone does that for me. I used to, back in the days of marching band. 12: Have you ever peed in the woods? - No. Although I'm gonna have to soon since I'm going camping this summer. 13: What about pooped in the woods? - See previous answer. 14: Do you ever dance even if there’s no music playing? - Literally all the time. 15: Do you chew your pens and pencils? - Not anymore. 16: How many people have you slept with this week? - Zero. 17: What size is your bed? - Full 18: What is your song of the week? - "Eating Food in the Shower" by Ninja Sex Party, and although I can't explain it, I've been diggin' "Don't Lose My Number" by Phil Collins. 19: Is it OK for guys to wear pink? - Why wouldn't it be? 20: Do you still watch cartoons? - All. The. Time. 21: What’s your least favorite movie? - I dunno. I guess Howard the Duck? 22: Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some? - If I had some, I wouldn't post online where I'd hide it... 23: If you’re a girl, bra size? If you’re a guy, pants size? - Uh, why is this a question? Next please. 24: What do you dip a chicken nugget in? - If anything, it's just ketchup. 25: What is your favorite food? Spaghetti. But tacos are a close second. 26: What movies could you watch over and over and still love? - The ones that come to mind right away are: The Breakfast Club, Nightmare Before Christmas, Miss Congeniality, Legally Blonde, and pretty much any musical and any Disney movie, 27: Last person you kissed/kissed you? - My mom. 28: Were you ever a Boy/Girl Scout? - Girl Scout. Didn't do anything though. 29: Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine? - Again, why does this need to be a question?! But no. 30: When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper? - I dunno, a couple years ago? I wrote a card to my fiancé. 31: Can you change the oil on a car? - No, but I could probably learn if push came to shove. 32: Ever gotten a speeding ticket? - Nope. 33: Ever ran out of gas? - No, but I came close a couple times. 34: Favorite kind of sandwich? - Chicken salad, frisco melt, or Philly cheesesteak. 35: Best thing to eat for breakfast? - Either bacon or cereal. 36: What is your usual bedtime? - I wish I had the discipline to sleep before midnight, but it's always 1-2 am. 37: Are you lazy? - EXTREMELY. 38: When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween? - Usually a witch. As I'm getting older, I usually dress up as my favorite fictional character. Last year, I dressed as Connie from Steven Universe. 39: What is your astrological sign? - Scorpio 40: Are you horny? - Not right now... 41: Do you have any magazine subscriptions? - Nope. I used to though: People, Entertainment Weekly, and Food Network. 42: Which are better, Legos or Lincoln Logs? - Legos? I dunno, I don't really play with either. 43: Are you stubborn? - Sometimes. 44: Who is better…Leno or Letterman? - Um, I've never watched either so I can't say... 45: Ever watch soap operas? - No. But I remember them being on while my friend and I were at her grandparents house. 46: Are you afraid of heights? - A little. 47: Do you sing in the car? - Loud and proud! 48: Do you sing in the shower? - I used to, but then I found out my parents could hear me. 49: Do you dance in the car? - If I'm stopped at a light or in slow traffic, yeah. 50: Ever used a gun? - Water guns, Nerf guns, all the time. An actual gun, no, 51: Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer? - It was either when I got my drivers license picture retaken when I turned 21, or when I got my passport picture taken. Does that count? 52: Do you think musicals are cheesy? - Some of the older ones, but that's why I love them. 53: Is Christmas stressful? - Sometimes. What's stressful is dealing with all the crowds and sold out everything. 54: Ever eat a pierogi? - Yeah. They'd serve them in my dorm's dining hall about every other week. 55: Favorite type of fruit pie? - Apple. Lemon meringue is a close second though. 56: Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid? - Embarrassing childhood story time! I wanted to be a model, but I specifically wanted to be a model on game shows that showed off the prizes. 57: Do you believe in ghosts? - Yes. I've had a couple encounters. 58: Ever have a deja-vu feeling? - All the time. 59: Take a vitamin daily? - No. I try to but it never lasts more than a week. 60: Wear slippers? - Yes! I got these cute ones at the Disney store but they're starting to fall apart. 61: Wear a bath robe? - Yes! I don't like towels, and I will pack bath robes with me when I travel. 62: What do you wear to bed? - T-shirt and sweatpants. If it's warm, t-shirt and boxers (yes, I like wearing men's boxers as pajama shorts) 63: First concert? - Peter, Paul, and Mary. 64: Wal-Mart, Target or Kmart? - I shop at Walmart most, just cuz is closest to my house. I like the other two if I'm nearby, which is rare. 65: Nike or Adidas? - I have no preference, but I wear Nike more. 66: Cheetos Or Fritos? - Cheetos. 67: Peanuts or sunflower seeds? - Both are good. I guess right now I have a peanut craving, so I'll say peanuts. 68: Ever hear of the group Tres Bien? - No, but I'll look them up sometime. 69: Ever take dance lessons? - When I was really young, yeah. From about ages 5-10. I had to stop cuz the studio I went to went out of business. We looked for others but they were either really expensive or we just flat out didn't like the people there. 70: Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing? - A computer engineer. That is his major... 71: Can you curl your tongue? - Yes. 72: Ever won a spelling bee? - Yep, in 8th grade. Didn't get far after that, lol. 73: Have you ever cried because you were so happy? -Yes. All the time. 74: Own any record albums? - No, but my dad does. 75: Own a record player? - Yes. 76: Regularly burn incense? - No. Just candles. 77: Ever been in love? - Yes, and I still am. 78: Who would you like to see in concert? - Pentatonix and Ninja Sex Party. 79: What was the last concert you saw? - Weird Al. It was an awesome concert!!! 80: Hot tea or cold tea? - Both are fine. 81: Tea or coffee? - Again, both are fine. I just drink coffee more. 82: Sugar or snickerdoodles? - Sugar cookies. 83: Can you swim well? - Kinda. I mean, I know how to not drown but I wouldn't join a swim team or something. 84: Can you hold your breath without holding your nose? - Yes. But if we're still talking about swimming, then no. I have to hold my nose underwater. 85: Are you patient? - Most of the time. 86: DJ or band, at a wedding? - Both are good. I'm thinking I might have a band at mine. 87: Ever won a contest? - Spelling bee, see above. Besides that, I've won a hula dancing contest at summer camp. 88: Ever have plastic surgery? - Nope. 89: Which are better, black or green olives? - Black olives. 90: Can you knit or crochet? - No. 91: Best room for a fireplace? - Probably living room/family room. 92: Do you want to get married? - Yes, and I will be next year. 93: If married, how long have you been married? - Not married yet. 94: Who was your HS crush? - I've always had crushes on friends. The 3rd time is the one that actually worked out. See question 92. 95: Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way? - No, I usually just pout lol. But I'm used to not getting my way. 96: Do you have kids? - Not yet. 97: Do you want kids? - Someday. I want 2-3. 98: What’s your favorite color? - Pink. 99: Do you miss anyone right now? - My fiancé and my best friends.

#q&a #pentatonix #ninja sex party #weird al yankovic #peter paul and mary #howard the duck #nightmare before christmas #miss congeniality #legally blonde #disney #spelling bee #scorpio #steven universe #eating food in the shower

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 6 years

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31st December (Sunday) >> Mass Readings (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada) for The Feast of The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary & Joseph.

(Liturgical Colour: White) Either First Reading Genesis 15:1-6,21:1-3 The word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’ ‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless...’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir.’ And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood.’ Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified. The Lord dealt kindly with Sarah as he had said, and did what he had promised. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time God had promised. Abraham named the son born to him Isaac, the son to whom Sarah had given birth. The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Or Alternative First Reading Ecclesiasticus 3:3-7,14-17 The Lord honours the father in his children, and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons. Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins, he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune. Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own, he shall be heard on the day when he prays. Long life comes to him who honours his father, he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord. My son, support your father in his old age, do not grieve him during his life. Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy, do not despise him in your health and strength; for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten but will serve as reparation for your sins. The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Either Responsorial Psalm Psalm 127(128):1-5 R/ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper. R/ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. R/ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life! R/ O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! Or Alternative Responsorial Psalm Psalm 104(105):1-6,8-9 R/ He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant for ever. Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works! R/ He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant for ever. Be proud of his holy name, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Consider the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face. R/ He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant for ever. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, the judgements he spoke. O children of Abraham, his servant, O sons of the Jacob he chose. R/ He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant for ever. He remembers his covenant for ever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. R/ He, the Lord, is our God. He remembers his covenant for ever. Either Second Reading Colossians 3:12-21 You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated. The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Or Alternative Second Reading Colossians 3:12-17 You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Or Alternative Second Reading Hebrews 11:8,11-12,17-19 It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going. It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore. It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead. The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Gospel Acclamation Hebrews 1:1-2 Alleluia, alleluia! At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son. Alleluia! Either Gospel Luke 2:22-40 My eyes have seen your salvation When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, – observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord – and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said: ‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised; because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’ As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected – and a sword will pierce your own soul too – so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’ There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him. The Gospel of the Lord R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ. Or Alternative Gospel Luke 2:22,39-40 When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him. The Gospel of the Lord R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

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