#God's Best

[momentsbeforemass]

Something better

There’s almost always more than one way to do something.

There’s always the default, the way things kind of just happen. The way it goes, if no one really cares. If no one’s really trying. It’s okay. Sometimes.

Then there’s the nice way. It’s a little kinder, a little more thoughtful. It takes a little more effort. Sometimes it even produces a better result than the default way. But not always.

Much of the time, there’s really not much difference in what you end up with. Between the default way and the nice way.

For most of the problems, most of the situations in life, it usually comes down to a choice for us between the default way or the nice way.

Not because we’re opposed to something better. Sometimes we even hope for something better.

It’s just that those are usually the only options that we – as human beings – can see in a given situation.

It’s kind of like today’s Gospel. Where Joseph finds out that Mary’s pregnant.

Joseph is too kind to go with the default way. He’s going with the nice way. It’s a little gentler, a little more thoughtful. But in the end, it’s not much better than the default.

What makes Joseph different from most of us is that Joseph is open to better.

Even though he can only see the options of human wisdom, the default way and the nice way. Even though he doesn’t know what better would look like. Joseph is open to better. Why?

Because Joseph is listening to God.

Joseph doesn’t just hope for better. Joseph goes a step further. Joseph sets himself up to receive better.

What Joseph does is radical in its simplicity. And it works just as effectively for you and me as it does for Joseph.

Follow Joseph’s lead. Set yourself up for better.

Set yourself up for God’s best. By doing things God’s way.

Today’s Readings

#Default #Better #God's Best #God #Jesus #Catholic #Christian #Church #Joseph #Christmas #Moments Before Mass

[haroldhighballjordan]

sometimes I randomly think about the time a girl posted in this girls only Facebook group I’m in telling everyone how she broke up with her boyfriend and he lied saying that he lost the spare key she gave him, only to then break into her apartment when she wasn’t home and steal the cat they’d adopted while they were together, but then he denied having done this and she didn’t really have proof that he took the cat since he wouldn’t let her come into his place and look for it. And then another girl saw this post and knew her ex-boyfriend, and she was like “girl. I used to hook up with your mans back in xxxx and I still have his number. If you want, I’ll hit him up and get him to invite me back to his place and see if your cat’s there.” And the OP was like “bet.”

So this woman hit up homie dog, asked him out for drinks, went home with him, slept with him, and then woke up in the middle of the night and TOOK THE CAT. Like she had only said that she would confirm if the cat was there but then she took it upon herself to steal this woman’s cat back. Like she full on Trojan horsed this man and then hit up homegirl like “I got the goods. Where you wanna meet.” And then the two of them posted a photo of them together with the cat to the group.

And I just think women supporting women is so beautiful.

#the best part of all is that I also knew the ex boyfriend because he worked at this place my friend was the manager of #and I texted my friend like ‘yo have you heard about this cat situation’ #and she was like ‘I swear to god if one more person asks me about this fucking cat’ #it was the drama of the century #the whole city was up in arms over this cat

[camilleflyingrotten]

𝘖𝘩 𝘈𝘻𝘪𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘦…

#good omens #aziraphale #crowley #ineffable husbands #aziracrow #illustration #interpret it the way you like best #it’s God’s hands lmfao #digital art #procreate #my art

[maxgicalgirl]

Being a “Fun Fact !” kind of autistic is all fun and games until you get halfway through sharing an interesting tidbit and realize that it probably wasn’t appropriate to share in polite company and now you have to deal with the consequences :(

#autism #neurodivergent #adhd #fun facts #GOD I’m such an idiot #anyways now a 10 year old is out there looking up swear words online and it’s all my fault :( #I got so excited by the fact that I knew a fun fact #that I didn’t stop to think that maybe not everyone knows that fun fact for a reason :( #it’s like explaining how to successfully bury a body at a book club #or explaining the dangers of Scientology to your sister’s boyfriend the first time you meet him #or debating gay sex positions with your best friend in front of your mom #no matter how much I wish to be a beacon of knowledge in this world #sometimes there are things others just don’t want to know #and consciously that’s valid but the autism ? I does not care

[borealiszero]

People should make more doomed by narratives siblings relationship.

Like with lovers you can just sever it and not have it related to you ever again but with siblings how could you?

You grow up with them you raise them or they raised you you both know how unforgiving the world is to both of you? You would die for them but will hate them for doing the same and yet none of you would regret it and both of you know it. They could be the person you loath the most and miss the most cause you still remember how they sneaked a candy into your hands. You can sever the tie but you can never look away at what you've lost, at whom you've lost because fate doesn't allow you to be together, eating dinners in quiet peace, if only there's another life, another time, where i can make you another plate of pancakes i would im sorry im sorry im sorry —

#[borealis.txt] #sorry um. got feels again #just. aughhhhhhhhh #like genyas and sanemis relationship and the brothers in sctir #theyre so fuckin tragic cause god. aaaaaaaaaaaaa #'because my nemi is the best brother' WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME!!!!!! #edit: alright you guys can rb this again cause im feeling charitable

[chernozemm]

Crowley got a new packer for that grey sweatpants temptation

(he knows exactly what he’s doing)

#good omens #crowley #aziraphale #ineffable husbands #aziraphale x crowley #crowley x aziraphale #myart #god this was fighting me every step of the way #not my best but it has heart

[snek-eyes]

Can we go back to this for a sec? To Aziraphale having to explain the concept of being in love to the other angels? Because I cannot imagine what a trip it has to be, falling in love with someone when that is literally not something you are supposed to be able to do. When it is something you barely understand. When the object of whatever this is isn't supposed to be able to feel this way either, except as time goes on you start to realize it's happening to him too. And neither of you can actually talk to each other about it.

#here they are infected by humanity in the best way but at the same time it's also a trap because what can they do with it #The concept of falling in love for angels is useless at best and blasphemous at worst! #You're supposed to be devoted to God alone #and forget demons #they're from the same stock and anyway you're supposed to be out for yourself #v watches good omens #good omens meta #aziraphale

[olympain]

In 2017, Peter Capaldi wrote a comforting letter to a 9-year-old Doctor Who fan who was dreading to see his favourite Time Lord leave the show. At the 10th anniversary Letters Live show, Jodie Whittaker read the letter.

#jodiewhittakeredit #petercapaldiedit #dwedit #letters live #jodie whittaker #peter capaldi #doctor who #twelfth doctor #thirteenth doctor #original #*gifs #i jumped when i saw the notification for this video earlier like god that letter was everything #peter's letters are one of the best parts of experiencing dw

[letterstogiliw]

Oct. 13, 2023

Dearest giliw,

I took myself on a date today. I kinda feel lonely. I wonder when will we meet and what are we gonna eat on our first date. 🤣 I hope we have a lot of fun. I'm excited to laugh with you.

Please pursue me when we're both ready! :)

Patiently waiting,

Eve :)

#letterstogiliw #LTG Entry 01 #love letters #waiting season #God's best

[mobius-m-mobius]

#my man was NOT subtle 🤣😉

+ bonus: message received 😅

#mobius #loki #lokius #mcuedit #lokiedit #marveledit #loki spoilers #owen wilson #tom hiddleston #one look at loki like well the kids need a stepmom 😂 #running on alarmingly little sleep feeling like i dreamed this entire episode lmao??? #my man don out here smoother than the god of stories you love to see it 😭😭 #probable jet ski salesman of the year got the potential ruler of the multiverse down badder than imaginable we live in the best timeline #don #owenwilsonedit #marvel #dianagifs #loki s2 spoilers

[egophiliac]

IT WAS ERIC AFTER ALL!!!! I'm so glad we got to meet him (before Vil snaps him away with those Infinity Gauntlets) (can't wait to see what happens when we get the matching Infinity Tiara to go with them, there will be no survivors)

(sorry to be so slow/rough lately, just got a lot of stuff on the ol' brain at the moment! alas, if only I could spend all my time drawing incredibly stupid characters I mean I do but)

#art #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland spoilers #tapis rouge #i know these are not my best but by god i needed to draw ~daddo venue~ #he is a treat! can't wait for him to yell at us for screwing up a shoot or whatever the last-minute disaster will be #i am SO HAPPY it turned out to be about movies after all! ...i mean sort of anyway #i'll take what i can get (and i do enjoy twst trying to be all cute about snow whAHEM i mean beautiful queen) (i see you there twst) #(also to be fair it actually wasn't poisoned in historial-revisionism-twstland so i think we can trust this apple. a+ acting eric) #anyway we are still. very solidly in the 'stand around and talk about the wallpaper for three hours' part of the event. #but HEY we got to meet eric! i was not really expecting it to be him so i am VERY pleased #also god help me i did think the shopping montage as portrayed by a rhythmic where they literally SKIP down the street was hilarious #there's a lot of Choices that were made in this event and that was a good one

[momentsbeforemass]

A heart like God’s

The Lord’s Prayer. The Our Father.

If you want to know how to pray, this is literally Jesus’ answer to that very question.

So it’s no surprise that we pray it. All. The Time.

The only problem with that? When we pray something that much, it can get smooth. Like a river stone. Worn smooth by millions of gallons of water a day, over countless years.

Until there are no rough spots. Nothing to catch on.

Until the deeper meanings, the hard parts, pass by without notice.

Which why the end of today’s Gospel is so important.

After teaching us how to pray, Jesus makes clear one of the most important principles in the Lord’s Prayer. One we often miss in our worn-smooth praying.

“If you forgive men their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you.

But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

The thing is, the principle that Jesus is teaching isn’t limited just forgiveness. This is a principle for all of life. Here’s what I mean,

God wants us to be like Him, to have a heart like His. A heart that overflows in compassion for others.

It makes sense if we stop and think about it.

We can’t have hearts like God. If there’s no room in our hearts for anyone but us.

A few weeks ago, the daily Mass readings were from Genesis. They included Cain’s murder of Abel, and Cain’s question to God – “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The rest of the Bible? Especially the Gospels? It’s God’s long form answer to Cain’s question.

I’ll just give it away right now. Cain was wrong.

In our hearts, we know this. It’s why the spectacle of someone who talks loudly about their Faith but who harms others with their actions and their words is so grating, so jarring.

It’s so off the mark that even nonbelievers know it’s wrong.

Because we’re not called to be people who take care of ourselves. And no one else.

That’s not who God made us to be.

God made us to be like Him, to have a heart like His. A heart that overflows in compassion for others.

But the only way that works is if we live out who God made us to be.

Which is why we can’t expect to receive God’s blessings, if we’re not giving our blessings.

Today’s Readings

#Lord's Prayer #Our Father #Giving #Blessings #God's Best #God #Jesus #Catholic #Christian #Church #Moments Before Mass

[stilitrash]

The dynamic I never knew I wanted but definitely needed

#finn the human #simon petrikov #fionna and cake #finn mertens #adventure time #I love you #Finn but for the love of God STOP PUTTING THIS POOR OLD MAN IN DANGER HE HAS THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL STRENGTH OF A BABY DUCK #I love how Simon just goes along with it even if it sounds like the worst idea ever #Finn is so warm and supportive and caring with Simon #I'm soft #he deals with the situation horribly but HE'S TRYING HIS BEST

[jakejeffreyperalta]

sally jackson is literally the only person ever. she's so amazing. she's perfect. she's so kind it makes people cry. she listens to nirvana. she's beautiful. she fought a bull. she can cook. she's everyone's mother. she's a writer. she sings sad songs and applies them to her life and cries. she killed her abusive ex husband and sold him to get money for an apartment. she used to work at a candy store and bring percy samples of his favourite flavours. she shot a monster with a police gun in the middle of a war. she started making food blue because she's petty and she knew it would piss gabe off. she's an icon. she's the moment. no. 1 milf. no one's doing it like her.

#when i say she's literally the best character in the pjoverse i really really mean it #shes everything. everything #i love her to death #ALSO SALLY JACKSON MIXTAPE DROPPING WHEN I LOVE HER MUSIC TASTE SO FAR #COME AS YOU ARE WHILE MAKING STIR FRY??? JEALOUS GUY BY JOHN LENNON. OK QUEEN #pjo #percy jackson #percy jackson and the olympians #the chalice of the gods #chalice of the gods #sally jackson

[hajimedics]

I'M NOT YOUR DOLL AND I'LL THINK FOR MYSELF AND I'LL LIVE FOR MYSELF

#welcome home #welcome home puppet show #eddie dear #senjart #so #so. SO! #SO ABOUT TODAY'S UPDATE. WELL. #WELLLLLL! #eddie is happy. eddie is happy! #so excited for eddie's lobotomy arc #I have many MANY thoughts about today's update. by far the best one I should say #so much implications of the situation the puppets are in #how sally is so.... harsh towards eddie #and we got shown him having an outburst when hes left alone and doesnt know what to do #like he's so underappreciated but. delivering mails and making papercrafts are all he knows #his reison de'tre #his depersonalization on the armchair during the advertisement segment AND how frank reacted to it #he dropped the ''mr dear'' pretenses and called him ''eddie'' in such a concerned voice #AND MY GOD. RED FLAGS EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!! #PUPPET ON THE STRING THEORY REAL? SCRIPTS THEORY REAL? OR AM I JUST TWEAKING #HMMM HMMMMMMMMM #ANYWAYS I'LL THINK OF MORE STUFF TO ADD HERE ONCE IM NO LONGER SLEEPY

[mad-serotonin]

Take It Easy☀️

#haikyuu #hinata shouyou #haikyuu fanart #anime fanart #fanart #madsart #digital art #anime #I just finished the Haikyuu manga #good god #what am I supposed to do now???? #go work for all my hopes and dreams????? #literally the best manga ever #I’ve never felt so alive #so happy #I cried like 7 times #just between the nekoma match and the end #god #so good #a masterpiece #I’m so very proud of Hinata my baby