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eastertag · 3 years

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Virgil Tracy, your head will be mine

@thunderbirds-are-fab gift for @rachfielden-xo

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Happy Easter to @rachfielden-xo who asked for a gift featuring midnight, hypnotised, and a villain in disguise - involving Virgil?! I’ve done my best with your prompts (had to take a bit of liberty with the hypnosis theme especially) but I hope that you enjoy this fic! For some non-essential context, I imagine this takes place before Season 3, but definitely after Season 1 and most of Season 2. Now, here’s some private musings from the best disguised villain in Thunderbirds as he plots his next nefarious scheme…

Midnight was the hour of change. If you were a believer of superstition or fairytales (in other words, a fool or a child) then this was because midnight held some sort of magical power. If you were more logical about it, then you realised that midnight was when today became yesterday and tomorrow became reality. A time when past mistakes could be put to bed, and new ideas rise from the ashes like brilliant newborn phoenix. The Hood liked midnight. In the stillness of the night he could meditate in peace, letting all his frustrations melt away like yesterday’s snow, and find a new world of opportunity ready to bloom just beneath the surface.

Midnight was the hour of change.

Dawn was the hour of the executioner.

The Hood had never truly been short of a plan or a scheme to follow. How could he? Such a wickedly intelligent individual could never be less than three steps ahead of everyone else. There were no failures, only outcomes that led to other opportunities. A mastermind was never put off by any perceived obstacle, and relished in the challenge of attempting what no common criminal would dare to pull off. Why rob a bank when you could acquire one? He only aimed for the biggest prizes, the finished products, for they were the most rewarding prizes. There was nothing quite like walking into the world and just taking whatever your heart desired.

Of course, aiming high meant sometimes walking away empty handed. He could live with that. What made it harder was having someone standing in your way, interfering with your plans just for the sake of something petty, like ‘fairness’ or ‘justice’… He even had a name for people like that: International Rescue.

The Zero-X incident. That had been one such… setback, and a reminder that even a lone Tracy was still a competent adversary. But that had been Jeff, and Jeff wasn’t here anymore. Without their patriarch he’d dared to hope that International Rescue would be at their weakest, but predictably their reaction had been to close ranks and increase their guard. They rarely worked alone anymore, more often than not teaming up two or more at a time unless greatly overstretched, and always keeping in near-constant communication with each other. He’d worked so hard to worm his way past their defenses, to insinuate himself into the heart of their systems, and he’d come so close… he’d been there. Right there! On that island, with the Thunderbirds in his grasp, so close…

After that he’d tried to pretend that he hadn’t wanted it after all, but the thought of how close he’d come still crossed his mind. Still lingered, begging for reconsideration. Ultimately, in his contemplation, he’d come to realise that it wasn’t the technology, the place, the machines that he needed to infiltrate in order to assume control.

It was the family.

Tanusha had been the obvious point of entry for obvious reasons, but ultimately he had to accept that she was of no use to him now. She’d spent too long in the heart of that family, now too much ingrained into their cult of ideals and selfless sacrifice to ever contemplate the freedom he offered her. He’d learnt that the hard way. Nevertheless, he had to be impressed with the strength of her convictions – she never let past attachments distract her from future goals, and she never gave up. Just like him, really. Family after all.

This time he would take another approach. After all: if you can’t beat them, join them! How had he, the Hood, master of disguise, never considered it before? Perhaps it was too daring even for him, to think that he could walk into such an intimate group and assume his place amongst them – pretend to be a Tracy? And yet, the thrill of getting caught was possibly what emboldened him. What was the worst that could happen? Every setback he’d encountered so far had been recoverable. What did he have to lose?

So who then? To target the Grandmother as the weakest opponent felt unsportsmanlike, and it would hardly do credit to his reputation if he resorted to kidnapping old ladies and dressing up as them to fool their grandchildren. Little Red Riding Hood indeed.

The little engineer, then? Also a physically unthreatening foe, only a challenge to snatch and replace as he never seemed to leave the security of the island.

So that left the sons themselves.

He had to admit that he was wary of the oldest. Perhaps it was that he so reminded him of his father – the same fearlessness and honour-bound determination, but with the added unpredictability of a fiery temper not yet dampened by age. Although it had been amusing to look that one in the eyes and see the raw-edged fury, the temptation of revenge straining to break free of its moral bondage… No, there was too much risk in aiming directly for their leader again.

The Spaceman was out of the question. Space was not, he had to admit, the Hood’s favoured environment. To attack one’s enemy on their native territory without tactical advantage was foolhardy, and even with his skills he had to doubt his likelihood of being able to infiltrate Thunderbird 5 undetected. He’d rather not attract the attention of a certain murderous AI.

The little blonde ones… how many were there again? Too many. Too loud and annoying, certainly. He couldn’t even begin to think of how draining it would be to impersonate one of them, even just for a day. Although his ability for disguises was second to none, he preferred to choose more stoic characters to play. The less you had to talk, the less chance your façade would be broken.

So that left just one. Calmer, quieter, and far too caring. No doubt he would be strong and capable on his own, but he was also soft-hearted – a weakness the Hood knew how to exploit. It was easy to lure those who came running towards a cry for help too readily, like a moth to the flame or a fly to the spider’s web. A form of hypnosis, if you think about it. Yes, he could see it now… A minor distress call, small enough that he would go alone, involving heavy lifting… they would utilise Thunderbird 2 for that for sure. He’d come alone and reach out to that pathetic, begging little voice in the dark, and before he knew it the trap would be sprung. Then Virgil would come out again, mission accomplished, flying home, nothing to report…or so it would seem. Just play it subtly, play it slow so no-one suspected, and then he’d be in. On the inside of that island, of International rescue, like never before with so many delicious new opportunities to get whatever he wanted.

Yes. He’d begin sculpting the hologram mask immediately. He did his best work at midnight…

Virgil Tracy, your head will be mine.

#thunderbirds #thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds 2004 #thunderbirds fanfiction #thunderbirds 1965 #Virgil Tracy #Scott Tracy #alan tracy #Gordon Tracy #John Tracy #easterTAG #submission

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smileforsmilez · 3 years

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List of Tunnels Mech songs and dances, etc

- Carry the 'Axe. A mining shanty that's common among the Ice Mechs as they mine frozen energon crystals. It entails that as one should work with all the spark while being cautious and the final verses encourages the miners to always return home.

- Song of Fire. A lullaby sung across the forges of Core Smiths to their young. (Among all the songs in the forge, this was Rodimus' favourite.)

- Remember Jack. This is more of a short nursery rhyme for young Sea Jacks. Reminding them to mind their manners, watch over one another and to be brave no matter what.

- Stockades Song. This song was written by a poetic Sea Jack named Jetstream who suffered empurata but still had the confidence to write. This song being the most popular for its playfully catchy tune yet grim theme. It's sung regularly among fellow Tunnels Mechs to honour the ones lost to the Stockades merciless ways.

- Ravine Chant. Written by the same Sea Jack, this song has the same playful tone and entails the more optimistic side of being trapped in a deep ravine that's surprisingly rich in wildlife. Sung often during travels.

- Arisen. A very old song said to have originated from the earliest days of Cybertron. They say the song talks of the Tunnels Mechs rising to the surface when the stars call for them. The song is more of a marching song sung while walking.

- Home Once More. Is a song dedicated to a family of Ice Mechs who'd gone missing during an ice wave, leaving the grandparents of the family all alone in their large home. They reminise the days their home would be filled with noise. The three younglings playing around, the soft spoken carrier who cared for them all and their only son, the sire who helps them whenever he can. The song beckons them to return and make their house feel like home once more in soft gentle tones.

- Dream Together. The traditional Core Smith proposal song. For the classiest of mecha to make their move. More modern versions have been made to be shorter and precise but nothing beats the original dramatic flare.

- The Tunnels Path. A dance and song written by a surface mech who fell in love with a Tunnels Mech. He wrote the song in his beloved's point of view, painting her as an enchanting beauty straight out of a fable. Much like an elf to a human. The dance formed around the instrumental song contained moves that would bring out the best of any mech regardless of frame type, practically dedicated for mixed couples. The dance is easy to learn and is performed solely by mixed couples. It represents unity among them and bonds that go beyond the boundaries of the tunnels.

- Flickering Waltz. A dedicated and dramatic dance designed by a Core Smith choreographer out of spite against a surface mech colleague that may resemble the dancing flickering flames. Known by both the surface and the tunnels as a difficult form to master and smugly designed to be much easier for speed frames, especially those who worked in the forge. This dance is a choreographed to say " Kiss my aft." in the most flashy way possible.

- Ribbon Dance. This dance is performed by Ice Mech youths during festivals. Each mech would have a white ribbon with their name written on it. They would hold each other's ribbons in pairs, often switching partners and exchanging ribbons. The ribbons would be returned by the end of the dance and are then commonly given to the mech of their interest. (Optimus would always hide away as soon as the dance ends.)

- Does it matter?. This song talks about how people should be minding their own business. Sometimes the lyrics are changed by the singer to fit the situation but the chorus remains the same. " What does it matter to you?" The tone is more casual and often a little melodic with much sarcasm. ( This song is a favourite for private or quiet mechs)

- Impossible Quarry**. Veiled as a two tales of two different groups of four hunters each, hunting down a legendary beast but ultimately failing in their respective hunts is actually a warning to those who have ambitions to hunt the impossible and is split into two parts :

The first part told of a beast that is described as extremely agile, escaping traps and making its own to get back at the hunters. With a slim frame that's as green as emeralds, described with a faceplate white as ash and locked in an everlasting smile. The beast was said to be a prize many had sought and attempts to kill or capture it have always ended up in failure. The beast was cheeky, always taunting its hunters and was always just out of reach. Until for the first time, it was caught. The hunters had placed a very clever trap, making the beast realize that they weren't playing, not anymore. It made its escape as soon as the hunters let their guard down and the never ending hunt continued for their impossible quarry.

The second part entails of a different beast hunted by a different group. The beast was described as a great calamity as it had slain every hunter who dared crossed its path, a designated sign of bad luck upon the sight of its energon coloured armour. The hunters dreamed of hunting down the great beast to show their clan how strong they were. The beast was extremely strong, it was intelligent to know when to finish a fight or when to run. The first choice usually being the case. But at the time, the beast had been hibernating and was peaceful enough to befriend a small, kind, avianoid. The black robotic bird was then caught by the hunters to catch the beast. The beast, having just awaken from hibernation, allowed himself to be captured. The leader had been close to kill the beast in front of his clan, or so it had seemed. The song ends with the leader of the hunters scarred horribly and the beast continues to live free with his avianoid friend close by his side. And so, no one else dared to hunt the impossible quarry.

**This is written as both an easter egg and a teaser for two of Minecraft's greatest all time players. I watched a few videos and could only sum them up as the impossible quarry. I hope you can guess who.

(If you have any more suggestions you can comment below)

#tfa au #transformers #tfa underground city au #transformers animated #tfa optimus prime #tfa rodimus prime

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kemetic-dreams · 4 years

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The Ancient Pagan Origins of Easter

Easter is a festival and holiday celebrated by millions of people around the world who honor the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred three days after his crucifixion at Calvary. It is also the day that children excitedly wait for the Easter bunny to arrive and deliver their treats of chocolate eggs.

The date upon which Easter is held varies from year to year, and corresponds with the first Sunday following the full moon after the March equinox. It occurs on different dates around the world since western churches use the Gregorian calendar, while eastern churches use the Julian calendar.

While Easter, as we know it today, was never a pagan festival, its roots and many of its traditions have associations with ancient pagan customs and beliefs.

According to the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “The word Easter is of Saxon origin, Eastra, the goddess of spring, in whose honour sacrifices were offered about Passover time each year. By the eighth century Anglo–Saxons had adopted the name to designate the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.” However, even among those who maintain that Easter has pagan roots, there is some disagreement over which pagan tradition the festival emerged from. Here we will explore some of those perspectives.

Resurrection as a Symbol of Rebirth

One theory that has been put forward is that the Easter story of crucifixion and resurrection is symbolic of rebirth and renewal and retells the cycle of the seasons, the death and return of the sun.

According to some scholars, such as Dr. Tony Nugent, teacher of Theology and Religious Studies at Seattle University, and Presbyterian minister, the Easter story comes from the Sumerian legend of Damuzi (Tammuz) and his wife Inanna (Ishtar), an epic myth called “The Descent of Inanna” found inscribed on cuneiform clay tablets dating back to 2100 BC. When Tammuz dies, Ishtar is grief–stricken and follows him to the underworld. In the underworld, she enters through seven gates, and her worldly attire is removed. "Naked and bowed low" she is judged, killed, and then hung on display. In her absence, the earth loses its fertility, crops cease to grow and animals stop reproducing. Unless something is done, all life on earth will end.

After Inanna has been missing for three days her assistant goes to other gods for help. Finally one of them Enki, creates two creatures who carry the plant of life and water of life down to the Underworld, sprinkling them on Inanna and Damuzi, resurrecting them, and giving them the power to return to the earth as the light of the sun for six months. After the six months are up, Tammuz returns to the underworld of the dead, remaining there for another six months, and Ishtar pursues him, prompting the water god to rescue them both. Thus were the cycles of winter death and spring life.

Dr Nugent is quick to point out that drawing parallels between the story of Jesus and the epic of Inanna “doesn't necessarily mean that there wasn't a real person, Jesus, who was crucified, but rather that, if there was, the story about it is structured and embellished in accordance with a pattern that was very ancient and widespread.”

The Sumerian goddess Inanna is known outside of Mesopotamia by her Babylonian name, "Ishtar". In ancient Canaan Ishtar is known as Astarte, and her counterparts in the Greek and Roman pantheons are known as Aphrodite and Venus. In the 4th Century, when Christians identified the exact site in Jerusalem where the empty tomb of Jesus had been located, they selected the spot where a temple of Aphrodite (Astarte/Ishtar/Inanna) stood. The temple was torn down and the So Church of the Holy Sepulchre was built, the holiest church in the Christian world.

Dr Nugent points out that the story of Inanna and Damuzi is just one of a number of accounts of dying and rising gods that represent the cycle of the seasons and the stars. For example, the resurrection of Egyptian Horus; the story of Mithras, who was worshipped at Springtime; and the tale of Dionysus, resurrected by his grandmother. Among these stories are prevailing themes of fertility, conception, renewal, descent into darkness, and the triumph of light over darkness or good over evil

Easter as a celebration of the Goddess of Spring

A related perspective is that, rather than being a representation of the story of Ishtar, Easter was originally a celebration of Eostre, goddess of Spring, otherwise known as Ostara, Austra, and Eastre. One of the most revered aspects of Ostara for both ancient and modern observers is a spirit of renewal.

Celebrated at Spring Equinox on March 21, Ostara marks the day when light is equal to darkness, and will continue to grow. As the bringer of light after a long dark winter, the goddess was often depicted with the hare, an animal that represents the arrival of spring as well as the fertility of the season.

According to Jacob Grimm’s Deutsche Mythologie, the idea of resurrection was ingrained within the celebration of Ostara: “Ostara, Eástre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing, whose meaning could be easily adapted by the resurrection-day of the christian’s God.”

Most analyses of the origin of the word ‘Easter’ agree that it was named after Eostre, an ancient word meaning ‘spring’, though many European languages use one form or another of the Latin name for Easter, Pascha, which is derived from the Hebrew Pesach, meaning Passover.

Easter and Its Connection to Passover

Easter is associated with the Jewish festival of Passover through its symbolism and meaning, as well as its position in the calendar. Some early Christians chose to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on the same date as Passover, which reflects Easter having entered Christianity during its earliest Jewish period. Evidence of a more developed Christian festival of Easter emerged around the mid-second century.

In 325 AD, Emperor Constantine convened a meeting of Christian leaders to resolve important disputes at the Council of Nicaea. Since the church believed that the resurrection took place on a Sunday, the Council determined that Easter should always fall on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. Easter has since remained without a fixed date but proximate to the full moon, which coincided with the start of Passover.

While there are distinct differences between the celebrations of Pesach and Easter, both festivals celebrate rebirth – in Christianity through the resurrection of Jesus, and in Jewish traditions through the liberation of the Israelites from slavery.

The Origins of Easter customs

The most widely-practiced customs on Easter Sunday relate to the symbol of the rabbit (‘Easter bunny’) and the egg. As outlined previously, a hare was a symbol associated with Eostre, representing the beginning of Springtime. Likewise, the egg has come to represent Spring, fertility and renewal. In Germanic mythology, it is said that Ostara healed a wounded bird she found in the woods by changing it into a hare. Still partially a bird, the hare showed its gratitude to the goddess by laying eggs as gifts.

The Encyclopedia Britannica clearly explains the pagan traditions associated with the egg: “The egg as a symbol of fertility and of renewed life goes back to the ancient Egyptians and Persians, who had also the custom of colouring and eating eggs during their spring festival.” In ancient Egypt, an egg symbolised the sun, while for the Babylonians, the egg represents the hatching of the Venus Ishtar, who fell from heaven to the Euphrates.

So where did the tradition of an egg-toting Easter Bunny come from? The first reference can be found in a German text dating to 1572 AD: “Do not worry if the Easter Bunny escapes you; should we miss his eggs, we will cook the nest,” the text reads. But it wasn’t until the tradition made its way to the United States via the arrival of German immigrants, that the custom took on its current form. By the end of the 19th century, shops were selling rabbit-shaped candies, which later became the chocolate bunnies we have today, and children were being told the story of a rabbit that delivers baskets of eggs, chocolate and other candy on Easter morning.

In many Christian traditions, the custom of giving eggs at Easter celebrates new life. Christians remember that Jesus, after dying on the cross, rose from the dead, showing that life could win over death. For Christians, the egg is a symbol of the tomb in which the body of Jesus was placed, while cracking the egg represents Jesus' resurrection. In the Orthodox tradition, eggs are painted red to symbolize the blood Jesus shed on the cross.

Regardless of the very ancient origins of the symbol of the egg, most people agree that nothing symbolizes renewal more perfectly than the egg – round, endless, and full of the promise of life.

While many of the pagan customs associated with the celebration of Spring were at one stage practised alongside Christian Easter traditions, they eventually came to be absorbed within Christianity, as symbols of the resurrection of Jesus. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the March equinox.

Whether it is observed as a religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, or a time for families in the northern hemisphere to enjoy the coming of Spring and celebrate with egg decorating and Easter bunnies, the celebration of Easter still retains the same spirit of rebirth and renewal, as it has for thousands of years.

#easter #kemetic dreams #Jesus Christ #german #christian #egyptians #babylonian #babylonian mythology #march #april #eggs #easter bunny #ancient egypt

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atlantatorchnews · 3 years

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Dr. King and the KING of Kings

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1 Timothy 6:13-16: “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” Revelation 19:16: “And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King Of Kings, And Lord Of Lords.” This message is important to me because I came to faith in Jesus Christ through the efforts of a white, independent Baptist church in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, that for many years did not accept black members, but in the late ‘70s was led to start a black church while I was in the Air Force and stationed at Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi, at the age of nineteen. As I interacted with the leaders and members of that church, and even the pastor of the black church plant, I heard some negative things about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that I had never heard before. Some people tried to discredit him by suggesting that he was not a true minister of the Gospel, and even that he did not have a genuine relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. They viewed him as just a mere social worker, with some even claiming that he was a Communist. Even some of the blacks in that young church did not think too highly of Dr. King. I must admit that I did have concerns and questions about this matter because I was raised in the black Baptist church and the black Pentecostal Holiness church, with my dad being a Baptist preacher and my mother being a Pentecostal preacher, and yet I had never heard a clear presentation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ on how to be saved until I was nineteen-years-old, and a young man named Michael Lewis, who had gotten saved through this church plant that an all-white independent Baptist church had started, came to my dorm room and showed me what was commonly called the Romans Road to salvation from the book of Romans in the Bible. Up until that point, no one had asked me the question, if I were to die today, where would I go, heaven or hell? Thankfully, the Lord allowed me to keep an independent mind about the matter through all of that, and I came to see Dr. King as God’s man for that particular time in this nation’s history to help deliver both blacks and whites in this country from the ignorance of racism and prejudice. I even learned later that Dr. King tried to get into a white conservative Christian seminary, but he was rejected because of his race. However, based on his words and his life, it seems as though Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did know the King of Kings — the Lord Jesus Christ. Not only that, but the faith, courage, and fortitude that he showed (and that he inspired others to have) as he led the very dangerous Civil Rights movement speaks of a man who knew Jesus Christ as his Savior and had an abiding faith in God.

According to the book,

Parting the Waters: America in the King Years

, by historian Taylor Branch: In 1934, when a guest minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta made a strong pitch for the salvation of young souls, Martin Luther King Jr. watched his sister rise to make the first profession of faith in Christ. Impulsively, as he later confessed, “I decided that I would not let her get ahead of me, so I was the next.” Also in his book, Strength to Love, Dr. King wrote: “Bound by the chains of his own sin and finiteness, man needs a Saviour (Jesus Christ). Man cannot save himself, for man is not the measure of all things and humanity is not God.” We see here that, contrary to what some thought of King, he did not believe that man could get to Heaven by doing good works. He believed that he and everyone needed a Savior — Jesus Christ. He also said, “Only through an inner spiritual transformation do we gain the strength to fight victoriously the evils of the world in a humble and loving spirit.” That sounds like what Jesus Christ called being “born again” when He told Nicodemus in John 3:3 & 7, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” As a teenager, King wrote these words in a paper called “The Negro and the Constitution”: “We cannot be truly Christian people so long as we flaunt the central teachings of Jesus: brotherly love and the Golden Rule.” In a sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in 1967, King said, “I’ve learned that to be a follower of Jesus Christ means taking up the cross. And my Bible tells me that Good Friday comes before Easter. Before the crown we wear, there is the cross that we must bear.” And, in his famous sermon, “A Knock at Midnight”, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The church today is challenged to proclaim God’s Son, Jesus Christ, to be the hope of men in all of their complex personal and social problems.” Dr. King certainly spoke as a man who knew Jesus Christ. His core philosophy of love and nonviolence was rooted in the teachings of the King of Kings, Jesus Christ. Dr. King is dead now, and based on his own words and testimony, we can only say that he is in Heaven with the Lord Jesus Christ having served his generation as a Moses in modern times. It is not enough to honor Dr. King alone because evidently it was the power of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, in his life that caused Dr. King to lead and help both blacks and whites in this nation overcome the ignorance of racism and prejudice. If you truly want to honor Dr. King during this time of remembrance regarding his life, you need to make the decision to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior so that you can do great things in your generation as King did in his, for the Bible says, we ‘can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us.’ If you want to know Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, please listen closely, and take the following steps before it is eternally too late: First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Fourth, accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2:8,9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Fifth, accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (Jesus Christ, John 3:16). Sixth, with these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9,13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Finally, if you are willing to trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour, please pray with me the following prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and I want to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen. If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your new-found faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” Believe by faith. Share the faith. And keep the faith! God Bless You!

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orthodoxydaily · 3 years

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Saints&Reading: Sun, Apr., 25, 2021

PALM SUNDAY IN JERUSALEM, 2021

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Orthodox Christians marked Palm Sunday in Jerusalem, the beginning of the Holy Week leading up to Orthodox Easter.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III attended the vigil in Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection.

Some faithful wore masks and held palm fronds to symbolise how worshippers greeted Jesus over 2,000 years ago as he triumphantly returned to Jerusalem.

HOMILY ON PALM SUNDAY BY ST. GREGORY PALAMAS

In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee, said God through Isaiah (Is. 49:8). It is good today to speak these words of the apostle to your charity: Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2). Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us work the works of light. Let us walk honestly as in the day (Rom. 13:12-13). The commemoration of Christ’s saving passion is at hand, and the new, great spiritual Passover, which is the reward for dispassion and the prelude of the world to come. Lazarus proclaims it in advance by coming back from the depths of Hades and rising from the dead on the fourth day just by the voice and command of God, who has power over life and death (Jn. 11:1-45). By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, children and simple people sing praises in advance to the Redeemer from death, who brings souls up from Hades and gives souls and bodies eternal life.

What man is he that desireth life and to see good days? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile: depart from evil and do good (Ps. 34:12-14; compare 1 Pet. 3:10-11). Evil means gluttony, drunkenness and dissolute living. Evil means love of money, being greedy for gain, and injustice. Evil means vainglory, arrogance and pride. Let everyone turn aside from such vices and do those things which are good. What are they? Self-control, fasting, chastity, righteousness, almsgiving, forbearance, love, humility. That by so doing we may worthily partake of the Lamb of God Who was sacrificed for our sake, and so receive the earnest of incorruption, and keep it as an assurance of the inheritance promised to us in heaven. Is it hard to do what is good, and are the virtues more difficult than the vices? That is certainly not how I see it. The drunken, self-indulgent person subjects himself because of this to more sufferings than someone who restrains himself; the licentious person suffers more than someone chaste; someone striving to become rich more than someone who lives in contentment with what he has; the person seeking to surround himself with glory than someone who passes life in obscurity. Since, however, the virtues seem more difficult to us because of our love of comfort, let us force ourselves. The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, it says, and the violent take it by force (Mt. 11:12).

All of us, eminent and lowly, governors and governed, rich and poor, need diligence and attention to drive these evil passions away from our souls, and introduce the whole range of virtues in their stead. Farmers, shoemakers, builders, tailors, weavers, and in general all those who earn their living by their own effort and the work of their hands, provided they throw out of their souls the desire for riches, glory and pleasure, are truly blessed. These are the poor to whom the kingdom of heaven belongs. It was on their account that the Lord said, Blessed are the poor in spirit (Mt. 5:3). The poor in spirit are those whose spirits, or souls, are free from boasting, love of glory and fondness for pleasure, and therefore either choose to be poor in external things as well or else courageously bear involuntary poverty. Those who are rich and comfortable, and enjoy fleeting glory, and in general all who long to be like them, will yield to more harmful passions and fall into other worse traps of the devil, which are more difficult to deal with. When someone becomes rich, he does not lay aside his desire for riches, but increases it, grasping at more than he did before. In the same way, pleasure lovers, power seekers, the dissolute and the debauched increase their desires rather than renouncing them. Rulers and eminent men increase their power so as to commit greater injustices and sin.

That is why it is difficult for a ruler to be saved or for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. How can ye believe, it says, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? (Jn. 5.44). But if any of you are well off, or eminent or rulers, do not be dismayed. You can, if you wish, seek the glory of God and exert force on yourselves to stop the impetus towards becoming worse, to practice great virtues and to drive away great evils, not just from yourselves, but from many other people, even against their will. Not only can you act honestly and chastely yourselves, but there are many ways in which you can prevent those who want to be unjust and licentious from doing so. Not only can you show yourselves obedient to Christ’s Gospel and His teachings, but you can also bring those who are minded to disobey into subjection to Christ’s Church and its leaders according to Christ. This you are able to do, not just by means of the power and authority allotted to you by God, but by becoming an example of all that is good to those below you. For subjects become like their rulers.

Everyone needs diligence, force and attention, but not to the same extent. Those exalted in honor, wealth and power, and those who concern themselves with words and the acquisition of wisdom by means of them, even if they wish to be saved, are in need of greater force and diligence, since they are less obedient by nature. Exactly this can be clearly seen in the reading from Christ’s Gospel yesterday and today. The miracle performed on Lazarus openly proved the one who did it to be God. But whereas the people were convinced and believed, the rulers at that time, that is to say, the scribes and Pharisees, were so far from being persuaded that they raged against Him even more, and resolved in their madness to hand Him over to death, although everything He had said and done plainly declared Him to be the Lord of life and death. No one can say that the fact that the Lord lifted up His eyes at that time and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me, was an obstacle to their regarding Him as equal to the Father, since He went on to say, I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they might believe that thou hast sent me (Jn. 11:41-42). So that they might know He was God and came from the Father, and also that He did not work miracles in opposition to God, but in accordance with God’s purpose, He lifted up His eyes to God in front of everybody and spoke to Him in words which make it clear that He who was speaking on earth was equal to the heavenly Father on high. In the beginning when man was to be formed, there was a Counsel beforehand. So now also, in the case of Lazarus, when a man was to be formed anew, there was a Counsel first. When man was to be created the Father said to the Son, Let us make man (Gen. 1:26), the Son listened to the Father, and man was brought into being. Now, by contrast, the Father listened to the Son speaking, and Lazarus was brought to life.

Notice that the Father and the Son are of equal honor and have the same will. The words are in the form of a prayer for the sake of the crowd standing by, but they are not the words of prayer but of lordship and absolute authority. Lazarus come forth (Jn. 11.43). And at once the man who had been dead four days stood before Him alive. Did this come about by the command of the life-giver or His prayer? He cried with a loud voice, again on account of the bystanders, since He could have raised him not only by using His normal voice, but just by His will alone. In the same way, He could have done it from afar and with the stone in place. But instead He came to the grave and spoke to those present, who took away the stone and smelt the stench. Then He cried with a loud voice. He raised him in this manner so that by means of their sight (for they saw Him standing at the grave), their sense of smell (for they were aware of the stench of the man four days dead), their sense of touch (for they used their own hands to take away the stone beforehand from the grave, and afterwards to loose the grave-clothes from his body and the napkin from his face), and their hearing (for the Lord’s voice reached the ears of all), they all might understand and believe that it was He who called everything from non-being into being, who upheld all things by the word of His power, and who in the beginning by His word alone made everything that exists out of nothing.

The simple people believed Him in every respect, and did not keep their faith quiet, but began to preach His divinity by deeds and words. After the raising of Lazarus on the fourth day, the Lord found an ass, and, when His disciples had made it ready, as the evangelist Matthew tells us (Mt. 21:1-11), He sat upon it and entered Jerusalem, as had been foretold in Zechariah’s prophecy: Do not fear, O daughter of Zion: behold thy king cometh unto thee: he is just and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass (Zech. 9:9; Mt. 21:5). The prophet shows by these words that this king in the prophecy is the only true king of Zion. “Your king,” he says, “does not arouse fear in those who see him. Nor is he an oppressor or an evildoer accompanied by shield-bearers and spear men, trailing behind him a host of foot-soldiers and cavalry, passing his life in greed for gain, demanding taxes and tributes, and unpleasant and harmful labors and services. By contrast, His banner is humility, poverty and lowliness, and He enters mounted upon an ass, without any human pretensions at all. He is the only righteous King who righteously saves. He is meek, and meekness is His distinctive work.” The Lord said of Himself, Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart (Mt. 11:29).

So the King who had raised Lazarus from the dead entered Jerusalem sitting upon an ass. Everyone, children, men, old people, immediately spread their garments in the way. They took palm-branches, which are symbols of victory, and went to meet Him as the life-giver and victor over death. They fell at His feet and escorted Him in procession, singing together, not just outside but also inside the precincts of the Temple, Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest (Mt. 21:9). “Hosanna” is a song of praise directed to God, which means, “Save us.” The additional words “in the highest” show that He is not only praised on earth, nor only by men, but also by the heavenly angels on high.

The people not only sang His praises and called Him God, but they subsequently opposed the scribes and Pharisees’ evil purpose against God and their murderous allegations. For the latter were mad enough to say of Him, “This man is not of God, and since he doeth many miracles, if we let him thus alone and do not put him to death, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation” (compare Jn. 9:16 and 11:47-48). But what did the people say? Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh (Mk. 11:9-10). By saying, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” they showed that He was from God the Father and that He came in the name of the Father. As the Lord said of Himself, I came in the name of my Father (compare Jn. 5:43) and I proceeded forth and came from God (Jn. 8:42). On the other hand, by saying, “Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh,” they showed that this was the kingdom in which, according to prophecy, the Gentiles too, and indeed the Romans, were to believe. For this king was not just Israel’s hope, but also the expectation of the Gentiles, according to Jacob’s prophecy: Binding his foal unto the vine, where “foal” refers to the Jewish people who were subject to Him, and his ass’s colt unto the branch of the vine (Gen. 49:11). The branch of the vine is the Lord’s disciples, for the Lord said to them, I am the vine, ye are the branches (Jn. 15.5). By this branch, the Lord binds to Himself His “ass’s colt,” namely the New Israel of the Gentiles, who become sons of Abraham by grace. If, asked the people, this kingdom in which we have put our faith is the hope of the Gentiles too, why should we fear the Romans?

Those who were childlike in innocence but not in intelligence were inspired by the Holy Spirit to offer up to the Lord a faultlessly perfect hymn, and bore witness that, as God, He had brought Lazarus back to life after he had been dead for four days. When the scribes and Pharisees, on the other hand, “saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the Temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased and said unto the Lord, Hearest thou what they say?” (Mt. 21:15-16). In fact, it would have been more appropriate for the Lord to put the same question to them, Can you not see, or hear or understand? To refute those who were complaining that He tolerated songs of praise that were fitting for God alone, He replied, Yes, I hear those who, invisibly enlightened by Myself, declare such things about me. But these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out. Have you never read the prophecy that, ‘Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise’? (Ps. 8:2; Mt. 21:16). This was another amazing fact, that simple, uneducated children should speak perfectly of the divinity of God made man for our sake, and that their voices should take up the angelic hymn. At the Lord’s birth the angels sang, Glory to God in the highest (Lk. 21:4), and now at the time of His entry into Jerusalem the children offered up the same hymn, Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest (Mt. 21:29).

Let us all, young and old, rulers and subjects, be childlike in innocence, that God may empower us to make a public show of the trophies, and carry aloft the symbols of victory, not just of victory over the evil passions, but over visible and invisible enemies, and may we find the grace of the word to help in time of need (compare Heb. 4:16). The young colt which the Lord deigned to ride for our sake prefigured, although it was only one, the Gentiles’ obedience to Him and we, governors and governed alike, are all Gentiles come from them.

In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, nor Greek, nor Jew, but all, according to the holy apostle, are one (Gal. 3:28). In the same way, in Him there is neither ruler nor subject, but by His grace we are all one in faith in Him, and belong to one body, His Church, whose head He is. By the grace of the all-holy Spirit we have all drunk of the one Spirit, and have all received on e baptism. We all have one hope and one God, who is above all, and through all, and in us all (Eph. 4:6). So let us love one another. Let us bear with one another, seeing that we are members one of another. As the Lord Himself said, the sign that we are His disciples is love. When He departed from this world, the fatherly inheritance He left us was love, and the last prayer He gave us when He ascended to His Father was about love for one another (Jn. 13:33-35).

Let us strive to attain to this fatherly prayer and let us not lose the inheritance He left us nor the sign He gave us, lest we should also lose our sonship, our blessing and our discipleship. If that happens, we shall fall away from the promised hope and be shut out of the spiritual bridechamber. Before His saving passion, when the Lord entered the earthly Jerusalem, not just the people, but also the true rulers of the Gentiles, the Lord’s apostles, spread their garments in His way. In the same manner, let us all, rulers as well as subjects, lay down our natural garments before Him, by making our flesh and its impulses subject to the spirit, that we may be made worthy not only to see and worship Christ’s saving passion and holy resurrection, but to enjoy communion with Him. For if, says the apostle, we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection (Rom. 6.5).

To which may we all attain by the grace and love towards mankind of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom belong all glory, honor and worship, together with His Father without beginning and the life-giving Spirit, now and for ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

St. Gregory Palamas

April12/April25

The Monk Isaac the Syrian (560)

The Monk Isaac the Syrian lived during the mid-VI Century. He arrived in the Italian city of Spoleto from Syria. The monk asked permission of the church wardens to remain in the temple and he prayed in it for all of two and an half days. One of the church wardens began to reproach the monk with hypocrisy and struck him on the cheek. The punishment of God then befell the church warden. The devil threw him down at the feet of the saint and cried out: "Isaac, cast me out!" Just as the monk bent over the man, the unclean spirit fled.

News about the occurrence quickly spread throughout the city. People began to throng to the monk, offering him help and the means for building a monastery. But the humble monk refused all this. He left the city and settled in a desolate place, where he built himself a small cell. Around the ascetic gathered disciples, and thus was formed a monastery. When his disciples inquired of the elder, why he had shunned the gifts, he answered: "A monk in acquiring possessions is no longer a monk".

The Monk Isaac was endowed with the gift of perspicacity. About this Saint Gregory Dialogus (Comm. 12 March) relates in his "Conversations about the Lives and Miracles of the Italian Fathers". One time the Monk Isaac bid the monks to leave behind their spades in the garden for the night, and in the morning he asked them to prepare food for the workers. It seems that robbers, as many as there were spades left behind, had come to rob the monastery. The power of God forced them to change their evil intent. They took in hand the spades and began ardently to work, such that at the arrival of the monks all the ground had been dug up. The monk greeted the toilers and invited them to refresh themselves with food. Then he gave them an admonition to quit their thievery, and gave them permission always to come openly and make use of the fruits of the monastery garden. Another time there came to the monk wanderers, attired in rags, and they besought clothing of the saint. He bid them to wait a bit, and sent a monk into the forest, where in the hollow of a tree the wanderers had hidden their fine clothes, wanting to deceive the holy hegumen. The monk dispatched brought back the clothes, and the Monk Isaac gave them to the wanderers. Seeing, that their fraud was uncovered, the moochers fell into great distress and shame. It happened likewise, that a certain man sent the monk his servant with two baskets of food. The servant hid one of these baskets along the way. The monk took the offered basket and quietly said: "I accept the gifts, but thou however ought not to touch the basket hidden by thee – into it has creeped a snake, and if thou reach out thy hand, it wilt bite thee". Thus wisely and without malice the saint unmasked the sins of people, desiring salvation for all. The Monk Isaac died in the year 550. This saint mustneeds be distinguished from another ascetic, the Monk Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Ninevah, who lived during the VII Century (Comm. 28 January).

John 12:1-18

1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.2There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.3Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,5Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.7 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always. 9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.10But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also,

11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.12The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!"14Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt."16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

Philippians 4:4-9

4Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things .9The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #ancientchristianity #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscriptures #gospel #wisdom

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 3 years

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8th April >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Easter Thursday

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

Acts of the Apostles 3:11-26

You killed the prince of life: God, however, raised him from the dead

Everyone came running towards Peter and John in great excitement, to the Portico of Solomon, as it is called, where the man was still clinging to Peter and John. When Peter saw the people he addressed them, ‘Why are you so surprised at this? Why are you staring at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or holiness? You are Israelites, and it is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, who has glorified his servant Jesus, the same Jesus you handed over and then disowned in the presence of Pilate after Pilate had decided to release him. It was you who accused the Holy One, the Just One, you who demanded the reprieve of a murderer while you killed the prince of life. God, however, raised him from the dead, and to that fact we are the witnesses; and it is the name of Jesus which, through our faith in it, has brought back the strength of this man whom you see here and who is well known to you. It is faith in that name that has restored this man to health, as you can all see.

‘Now I know, brothers, that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing; this was the way God carried out what he had foretold, when he said through all his prophets that his Christ would suffer. Now you must repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, and so that the Lord may send the time of comfort. Then he will send you the Christ he has predestined, that is Jesus, whom heaven must keep till the universal restoration comes which God proclaimed, speaking through his holy prophets. Moses, for example, said: The Lord God will raise up a prophet like myself for you, from among your own brothers; you must listen to whatever he tells you. The man who does not listen to that prophet is to be cut off from the people. In fact, all the prophets that have ever spoken, from Samuel onwards, have predicted these days.

‘You are the heirs of the prophets, the heirs of the covenant God made with our ancestors when he told Abraham: in your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed. It was for you in the first place that God raised up his servant and sent him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 8:2,5-9

R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! What is man that you should keep him in mind, mortal man that you care for him?

R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Yet you have made him little less than a god; with glory and honour you crowned him, gave him power over the works of your hand, put all things under his feet.

R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

All of them, sheep and cattle, yes, even the savage beasts, birds of the air, and fish that make their way through the waters.

R/ How great is your name, O Lord our God, through all the earth! or R/ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Sequence

Victimae Paschali Laudes

Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise. The sheep are ransomed by the Lamb; and Christ, the undefiled, hath sinners to his Father reconciled.

Death with life contended: combat strangely ended!

Life’s own Champion, slain, yet lives to reign.

Tell us, Mary: say what thou didst see upon the way.

The tomb the Living did enclose; I saw Christ’s glory as he rose!

The angels there attesting; shroud with grave-clothes resting.

Christ, my hope, has risen: he goes before you into Galilee.

That Christ is truly risen from the dead we know. Victorious king, thy mercy show!

Gospel Acclamation

Psalm 117:24

Alleluia, alleluia! This day was made by the Lord: we rejoice and are glad. Alleluia!

Gospel

Luke 24:35-48

It is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead

The disciples told their story of what had happened on the road and how they had recognised Jesus at the breaking of bread.

They were still talking about all this when Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you!’ In a state of alarm and fright, they thought they were seeing a ghost. But he said, ‘Why are you so agitated, and why are these doubts rising in your hearts? Look at my hands and feet; yes, it is I indeed. Touch me and see for yourselves; a ghost has no flesh and bones as you can see I have.’ And as he said this he showed them his hands and feet. Their joy was so great that they still could not believe it, and they stood there dumbfounded; so he said to them, ‘Have you anything here to eat?’ And they offered him a piece of grilled fish, which he took and ate before their eyes.

Then he told them, ‘This is what I meant when I said, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses, in the Prophets and in the Psalms has to be fulfilled.’ He then opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘So you see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.’

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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astrogeoguy · 5 years

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The Full Thunder Moon gets Eclipsed, Evening Gas Giant-Gazing, and the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Arrives!

(Above: Features visible on a full moon are labelled on this image by Michael Watson of Toronto. The Apollo Mission landing sites are the red numerals. Apollo 11 was sent to study the dark, bluish basalts of Mare Tranquilitatis.)

Hello, Summer Stargazers!

Here are your Astronomy Skylights for the week of July 14th, 2019 by Chris Vaughan. Feel free to pass this along to your friends and send me your comments, questions, and suggested topics. I repost these emails with photos at http://astrogeoguy.tumblr.com/ where all the old editions are archived. You can also follow me on Twitter as @astrogeoguy! Unless otherwise noted, all times are Eastern Time. Please click this MailChimp link to subscribe to these emails. If you are a teacher or group leader interested joining me on a guided field trip to York University’s Allan I. Carswell Observatory or the David Dunlap Observatory, visit www.astrogeo.ca.

I can bring my Digital Starlab inflatable planetarium to your school or other daytime or evening event. Contact me, and we’ll tour the Universe together!

The Moon and Planets

This week, a big, bright moon will dominate evening skies all over the world – perfect for reminding us to celebrate humankind’s first steps upon it 50 years ago this Saturday, July 20 when Apollo 11 landed on the moon. Besides that, there are plenty of other celestial doings to look at. Here are the Skylights!

When the bright, nearly full moon rises over the southeastern horizon at 8:30 pm local time on Monday evening, the medium-bright, yellowish planet Saturn will be positioned 2.5 finger widths to the left (celestial east) of it. The pair will cross the sky together during the night and will easily fit within the field of view of your binoculars. If you watch the pair over several hours, starting at dusk, you will see the moon’s orbit carry it closer to the planet and the rotation of the sky lift Saturn above the moon. Observers in eastern Melanesia, southern Polynesia, Easter Island, and central South America will see the moon cover (or occult) Saturn.

The July full moon will happen at 5 pm EDT on Tuesday. Also known as the “Buck Moon”, “Thunder Moon”, or “Hay Moon”, this one always shines in or near the stars of Sagittarius (the Archer) or Capricornus (the Sea-Goat). When the moon approaches its full phase, all of the regions where the Apollo astronauts explored are illuminated by sunlight. Each of the six crewed Apollo Missions was sent to a different region of the moon in order to carry out experiments and to bring back rock samples that help us determine the age and composition of the moon’s surface. For safety reasons, Apollo 11 was sent to the flat and relatively featureless terrain of Mare Tranquillitatis “Sea of Tranquility”. Later missions landed in more rugged regions with complex geology. Visually, Mare Tranquilitatis is darker and bluer than the other mare – due to a higher Titanium content in the basalt rocks that created it.

This full moon will also feature a partial lunar eclipse. The northern portion of the moon will pass through the southern edge of Earth’s umbral shadow and become darkened. At greatest eclipse, the moon will be in Sagittarius and positioned 7.5 finger widths east of Saturn. The entire eclipse will be visible from most of Africa, the Middle East, and western India. South America will see the later stages of the eclipse after moonrise, and Australia and Southeast Asia will see the eclipse set in progress. None of the eclipse will be visible from North America. Maximum eclipse occurs near Maputo, Mozambique at 21:30:46 UT. Remember that lunar eclipses are completely safe to watch without eye protection.

(Above: This is the arrangement of the sky that was seen by observers near Toronto at the moment Neil Armstrong was stepping on the moon - at 10:56:15 pm EDT.)

After Tuesday, the moon will wane in phase and rise later – passing through the stars of Capricornus and then Aquarius (the Water-Bearer) on the coming weekend. Unfortunately, the moon will rise very late on the anniversary date.

Mars is steadily fading from view as it slips downward towards the evening sun. Your best chance to see it will be low in the north-northwestern sky before about 9:30 pm local time. Thankfully, we’ve got the two big gas giant planets to view in evening this summer.

The incredibly bright object gleaming in the southeastern evening sky is Jupiter! This week, Jupiter will be visible from dusk to about 3 am local time. Even a backyard telescope can show Jupiter’s two main equatorial stripes and the four Galilean moons named Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede. They always appear in a rough line flanking the planet. If you see fewer than four, then some are either in front of Jupiter, or hidden behind it.

(Above: On Monday, July 15, the waxing gibbous moon will land near Saturn, as shown here for 10:30 pm EDT. Jupiter is off to the west.)

From time to time, the small, round black shadows cast by the Galilean moons become visible in amateur telescopes as they cross (or transit) Jupiter’s disk. Europa’s shadow will be transiting Jupiter from 9:09 to 11:38 pm EDT on Tuesday with the Great Red Spot, and Io’s shadow will cross on Saturday, July 20 from 8:54 to 11:06 pm EDT.

Due to Jupiter’s rapid 10-hour rotation period, the Great Red Spot (or GRS) is only observable from Earth every 2nd or 3rd night, and only during a predictable three-hour window. The GRS will be easiest to see using a medium-sized, or larger, aperture telescope on an evening of good seeing (steady air). If you’d like to see the Great Red Spot in your telescope, it will be crossing the planet on Tuesday evening from 8 to 11 pm EDT. More GRS viewing opportunities will occur from 9:45 pm to 12:30 am on Thursday night, and after dusk on Sunday.

Yellow-tinted Saturn will remain visible all night long during August. Its position in the sky is just to the left (east) of the stars that form the teapot-shaped constellation of Sagittarius (the Archer). Saturn is quite a bit dimmer than Jupiter. To find it, look about 3 fist diameters to the lower left (east) of Jupiter. Dust off your telescope! Once the sky is dark, even a small telescope will show Saturn's rings and several of its brighter moons, especially Titan! Because Saturn’s axis of rotation is tipped about 27° from vertical (a bit more than Earth’s is), we can see the top surface of its rings, and its moons can appear above, below, or to either side of the planet. During this week, Titan will migrate counter-clockwise around Saturn, moving from Saturn’s upper left tonight (Sunday) to below the planet next Sunday. (Remember that your telescope will flip the view around.)

For night owls, distant and dim, blue Neptune is in the southeastern pre-dawn sky, among the stars of Aquarius (the Water-Bearer). The planet will be rising shortly at about 11:30 pm local time this week. You’ll find the magnitude 7.9 planet sitting a thumb’s width to the left (east) of a medium-bright star named Phi (φ) Aquarii.

Blue-green Uranus will be rising at about 1 am local time this week. It is sitting below the stars of Aries (the Ram) and is just a palm’s width above the head of Cetus (the Whale). At magnitude 5.8, Uranus is bright enough to see in binoculars.

(Above: Venus will soon vanish into the pre-dawn twilight. for now you can still look for it low in the ENE, as shown here at 5:30 am local time.)

Similar to Mars, Venus is barely bright enough to see within the pre-dawn twilight sky that surrounds it, but it is sitting very low in the northeast - sinking ever-closer to the rising sun. Venus will be rising at about 5 am local time all week.

Finally, Pluto reaches peak visibility today – but invisible to backyard telescopes.

Some Moonlight-Friendly Sights

If you missed last week’s suggestions for objects to look for on moonlit nights, I posted the sky charts here.

Public Astro-Themed Events

At 7:30 pm on Wednesday, July 17, the RASC Toronto Centre will hold their free monthly Recreational Astronomy Night Meeting at the Ontario Science Centre, and the public are welcome. Talks include The Sky This Month (presented by me), imaging planets while at southern locations, and solar science. These meetings are also streamed live on RASC-TC’s YouTube channel. Check here for details. Parking is free.

Every Monday evening, York University’s Allan I. Carswell Observatory runs an online star party - broadcasting views from four telescopes/cameras, answering viewer questions, and taking requests! Details are here. On Wednesday nights they offer free public viewing through their rooftop telescopes. If it’s cloudy, the astronomers give tours and presentations. Details are here.

On Tuesday, July 16 and Thursday, July 18, starting at 11 am, U of T’s AstroTour planetarium show will be a Kids Summer Break Show. Find tickets and details here.

At 3:30 pm on Tuesday, July 16, the Agincourt Library will present a free public talk by Max King from the University of Toronto’s Astronomy & Astrophysics department entitled Mission to Pluto, From Napkin to New Horizon. Check here for details.

On Tuesday, July 16, starting at 7 pm, U of T’s AstroTour planetarium show will be Our Musical Universe. Find tickets and details here.

(Above: One of few photographs of Neil Armstrong on the moon, taken by Buzz Aldrin.)

The 50th Anniversary of humankind’s first steps upon another world is here! Here is a list of the places around town where you can join experts and fellow “lunatics” to honour Apollo 11 this Saturday night, July 20.

On Tuesday, July 16, starting at 8 pm, York University’s Allan I. Carswell Observatory will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 with a free film and star-gazing on the Arboretum roof! Details are here.

Ontario Science Centre: Apollo 11 50th Anniversary on Saturday from 10 am to 10 pm features many moon and space activities and presentations, stargazing – and a Canadian astronaut! Regular admission and parking fees apply, except for the star party. Details are here.

Aga Khan Museum: Moon Landing Festival on Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 10 pm features art, live music, talks, and stargazing. Free! Details are here.

U of T’s Dunlap Institute: SpaceTime on Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 pm features all-ages fun, talks, games, and giveaways. Free! Details are here.

The next RASC Family Night at the David Dunlap Observatory will be on Saturday, July 20. There will be sky tours in the Skylab planetarium room, space crafts, a tour of the giant 74” telescope, and viewing through lawn telescopes (weather permitting). The doors will open at 8:30 pm for a 9 pm start. Attendance is by tickets only, available here. If you are a RASC Toronto Centre member and wish to help us at DDO in the future, please fill out the volunteer form here. And to join RASC Toronto Centre, visit this page.

Keep looking up, and enjoy the sky when you do. I love questions and requests - so, send me some!

#moon #Apollo 11 #Neil Armstrong #Buzz Aldrin #Micheal Collins #partial lunar eclipse #Jupiter #Great Red Spot #Saturn #constellations #stars #planets

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awesomelizziethewriter-blog · 5 years

Text

Essay on Irish Identity

In order to do this essay the following books were used and consulted : “The Question of Irish Identity in the Writings of William Butler Yeats and James Joyce” by Eugene O'Brien , “Yeats's Nations:Gender , Class and Irishness” by Marjorie Howes,“The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce” by Derek Attridge , “Nationalism in Ireland” by George Boyce , “Celtic Revivals” by Seamus Deane , “The Cambridge History of Irish Literature” by Margaret Kelleher , and “The Course of Irish History” by T.W. Moody.

In this essay I will address the issue of Irish Identity and its history and I will also briefly mention how James Joyce and William Butler Yeats influenced Irish identity. The Irish literary revival was a milestone in the creation of the Irish identity as Kevin Whelan believed that by using an idealized past to destroy a decadent present , people would create a binding image of identity.

The use of the celtic notion of tradition as an embodiment of the past became the foundation upon which the notions of Irish identity were built. According to Eugene O'Brien , “the difficulties of contemporary history , the binarism of Protestant and Catholic ,loyalist and republican , unionist and nationalist , English speaking and Irish speaking could be “annealed” in the enculturation of Irish sounding names of the land and in an appeal to a pre-historical notion of Celtism”. The latter revival was an attempt to provide a paradigm of Irish identity which included religion, language and celtism. From the earlier revival the Celtic heroism became a traditional theme of identity which was admired by both catholics and protestants alike . Heroism , warrior honour , courage and loyalty to one's country were used to characterize the fundamental identity of the Irish revival , as did the very image of Ireland before the invasion by England ,as a prelapsarian Eden. The literature that was produced by this vision of identity is focused inwardly on the received traditions and ideas of “Irishness” and it caused great political implications on the notion of identity that came with the Gaelic revival.

These elements were combined to form a centre towards which all writings were directed and the apotheosis of this aestheticizing of political matters was later found in the writings of Pearse , who was one of the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising (Rebellion). Pearse's writings gave voice to the essence of Irish identity ,and the aestheticization of political ideas was a typical revivalist trend. The past had already defined Irishness , and the contemporary function of literature was to preserve all the passed down traditions.The relationship between people , language and land was seen as motivational which was definitely a defining factor in the creation of the notion of Irish identity and this notion allied to similar ideas of language and religion functioned as a centre in terms of a structure of ideas.

In James Joyce's book entitled “ Portrait of an artist as a young man” , the character of Davin stands as a synecdoche for Irish nationalism. He carries around a book with him which is essentially a Fenian manual of arms which tells us that Davin is a member of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. This group believed that the Irish people wanted to separate themselves from Britain and that the Fenians were right to accomplish this by force. James Joyce ended up rebelling against this fundamentalist strand in Irish republicanism. The Gaelic , Celtic , Irish and Catholic “nexus” of Irish identity is a construct because it was created by a selective reading of history as people focused on key aspects of that tradition so that it appeared to be the essence of Irishness. By constantly looking inwards towards this essentialized centre people ended up turning their backs to all outside influences which prevented them from making any progress and develop new ideas. This focus on the past meant that identity was always on the defensive against modernity and developments.

However , literature was in fact a major example of the power of language. James joyce's character of Stephen Dedalus feels the call of other cultures and he clearly wants to leave Ireland but not as a way of escape but as a way to express “the uncreated conscience of his race”. The meeting of Stephen and Davin is paralleled by the events of the late eighteenth century where the Defenders and the United Irishmen collided as they were both determined to achieve political independence for Ireland but they had a very different view on Irish identity. The United Irish definition of Irish identity was a secular one where all Irish people were to be united in terms of their common Irishness as opposed to their differing political and religious allegiances. The Defender's view of identity was the exact opposite as they believed that to be Irish one had to be Catholic. The insurrectionists of 1916 led by Pearse invoked Tone and the United Irishmen as progenitors of Irish republicanism. There is a particular passage in James joyce's work entitled “ Portrait of an artist as a young man” where we can see that it portrays an image of a fixed Irishness and an Ireland which needs to be protected against all outside influences. In “Dubliners” Joyce uses the character of Miss Ivors to imply that if someone is interested in anything outside of Ireland than that person is not Irish. One of the main problems in Irish identity was the language, because in the nineteenth century the English language had replaced the Irish language as the general means of communication in Ireland. Historically speaking , it is believed that the Celtic inhabitants of early Ireland spoke some form of Irish , and in the later centuries , Irish was the spoken language of that country , so the Irish language is the real language of Irish myth and history. By the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries the Gaelic poets used the Irish language as a symbol of the continuity between their situation and the central role of the poet in Gaelic society. We can see that the very act of writing in Irish was their attempt at preserving their sense of poetic and cultural pre-invasion purity. The opposition of Irish and English language soon became an idealogical one , because people who chose the English language were embracing the foreign culture , and those who chose the Irish language were embracing the continuity of the past. Therefore , the term “Irish revival” refers to a movement which came into being in Ireland towards the end of the nineteenth century and it usually encompasses the term “Gaelic revival”. The difference between these two revivals is that the first one refers to all things Celtic , and the second one refers to to the Irish language. The literary revival refers to the creation of a literature that validated a separate Irish identity. According to Eugene O'brien , “ the real Ireland was envisaged as Gaelic and it was here that the political agenda of the revivalists came into focus”, therefore we can assume that what was involved in this matter was the hidden politicization of the learning of the irish language , as this language was not just a means of communication but a “transcendental” signifier of an attitude towards Irishness which saw the Irish race as a “syncretism of Gaelic , catholic and nationalist with very little room in Ireland for any that were outside of that trinitarian value structure”. So , we can assume that both the Gaelic and the Irish language revival movements planted the seeds for the cultural , religious and political exclusion of the Protestant tradition in Ireland. As we have been able to see, the idea of a separate identity is very difficult to categorize but towards the end of the nineteenth century the language problem was becoming a major issue again as people wanted to separate de English language from the Irish language. The key figures in the literary revival were Yeats , Synge , and Lady gregory , and they all wrote in english so it is safe to say that they established a “benchmark” for all future expressions of Irish identity. They all tried to invoke the fundamental markers of identity , old Irish myths and the topography of the landscape, and from then on the mythic material of Ireland was read in translation. However , by writing in English about these Irish subjects they were also acknowledging the presence of an “other” in the origin of the Irish identity.

When Yeats and Joyce voiced an alternative Irishness , they took an ethical stand by introducing “an alterity into Irishness as it was defined in terms of sameness , as well as offering an implied critique of essentialist conceptions of identity”.

When Yeats wrote his early poems , he dealt with Greece and India as opposed to the “Celtic twilight” so we can see that instead of dealing with Irish concerns he preferred to look back to classical Greece where he believed that the beginnings of western civilization could be found. In fact , we can even make the same case when it comes to James Joyce , as he also located his narratives of Irish life in greek mythology by using the myths of Daedalus and Ulysses in two of his works : “ A portrait of an artist as a young man “ and “Ulysses”.

At the time when Yeats first began to write , the Celtic aspect of Irishness was of great importance and he tried to express some sense of this Irishness so that he could participate in the Irish cultural and literary revival, and as I have previously mentioned , by writing about these Irish subjects in English he was offering to “deanglicize” Ireland.

He wanted to create a “golden bridge” between the old and the new so that he could both bring the past to present and reinvent the past . So he decided to write about Celtic legends from the past , as he saw them as examples of an “ur-irishness” that could work as a unifying banner. Therefore , we can say that in some way Yeats's espousals of nationalism and patriotism were removed from the green Irish essentialism and that he based his hopes of nationhood on the creation of a new frame of reference for defining that nationhood (by transforming his essentialist concept of nationality he was able to set himself apart from the other revivalists). When he adopted a Celtic mythology in the English language he achieved a negative definition of Irishness that served as a paradigm for a new type of identity , and he also managed to avoid the unpleasant realities of the socio-cultural and religious divisions in contemporary Irish society , and by writing his Celtic pantheon in English he redefined the sense of Irishness that was part of these Celtic narratives. So as we can see , his vision of Irishness was much more inclusive than the Gaelic revivalists.

In James Joyce's novel entitled “Dubliners” , he epitomized an Ireland which was far removed from the mythopoeic Celtism of the revival. In his short stories the definitions of Irishness are micrological in their concern with the daily business of urban living and they also “usher into the debate about identity the issue of social class and the alienation of labour”. So as we can see , “Dubliners” has very little to do with Celtic , Gaelic or even Irish language issues , as the author Eugene O'brien says : “ the macrocosmic questions of identity are subsumed beneath the diurnal detritus of the microcosmic details of lower middles-class living in Dublin”.

So in conclusion , both Yeats and Joyce saw Irish identity in terms that were very different from the Gaelic and Celtic revivalists , as their attitude towards the Irish community was ethically driven and they were adamant in leaving some space for alterity. These fantastic authors sought to define Irishness in a negative way by refusing the “reified” essentialism of the revivalist mentality and we can see that the relationship between Irish Identity , History and the writings of both of these authors was ethically grounded in that the Irishness enunciated by them opens up a space for alterity and for a notion of identity that is very different from itself.

Bibliography :

“The Question of Irish Identity in the Writings of William Butler Yeats and James Joyce” by Eugene O'Brien ;

“Yeats's Nations:Gender , Class and Irishness” by Marjorie Howes; “The Cambridge Companion to James Joyce” by Derek Attridge; “Nationalism in Ireland” by George Boyce;

“Celtic Revivals” by Seamus Deane; “The Cambridge History of Irish Literature” by Margaret Kelleher; “The Course of Irish History” by T.W. Moody;

“The Portrait of an artist as a young man” by James Joyce; “Dubliners” by James Joyce.

#english literature #irish #english lit major

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sonofhistory · 6 years

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Those Executed For Involvement In the Irish Easter Rising in 1916

Francis Sheehy-Skeffington (died age 37)

Sheehy-Skeffington tried to organise a citizen police force to stop looting on the Tuesday of the Rising. Heading home, he was arrested in for no reason by British troops. Capt JC Bowen-Colthurst used him as a hostage while attacking the shop of Alderman James Kelly, at the top of Camden Street. Bowen-Colthurst destroyed the shop with grenades, and shot dead a 17-year-old boy before marching Sheehy-Skeffington and two journalists to Portobello Barracks. The next morning, they unaware they were going to be shot to death until moments before it occurred. They were executed the next morning on April 26th, 1916. Those involved attempted to cover up what they did.

Thomas “Tom” Clarke (died age 58)

Clarke was stationed at headquarters in the General Post Office during the Easter Week. Clarke wrote on the wall of the house after surrender on April 29th, "We had to evacuate the GPO. The boys put up a grand fight, and that fight will save the soul of Ireland." He was arrested after the surrender. He and other rebels were taken to the Rotunda where he was stripped of his clothing in front of the other prisoners. He was later held in Kilmainham Gaol. He was court-martialled and sentenced to death. Before his execution, he asked his wife Kathleen to give this message to the Irish People:

"My comrades and I believe we have struck the first successful blow for freedom, and so sure as we are going out this morning so sure will freedom come as a direct result of our action . . . In this belief, we die happy."

He was then executed by firing squad on May 3rd, 1916.

Patrick Pearse (died age 36)

Easter Monday, April 24th 1916, it was Pearse who read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from outside the General Post Office, the headquarters of the Rising. Pearse was the person most responsible for drafting the Proclamation, and he was chosen as President of the Republic. Six days after he issued the order to surrender. He was court-martialled and executed by firing squad on may 3rd, 1916. He was said to be whistling as he came out of his cell to be killed. The day before his death he wrote:

"When I was a child of ten I went down on my bare knees by my bedside one night and promised God that I should devote my life to an effort to free my country. I have kept that promise. As a boy and as a man I have worked for Irish freedom. The time, as it seemed to me, did come, and we went into the fight. I am glad we did. We seem to have lost. We have not lost. To refuse to fight would have been to lose, to fight is to win. We have kept faith with the past and handed on a tradition to the future."

Thomas MacDonagh (died age 37)

MacDonagh's battalion was stationed at Jacob's Biscuit Factory. Despite MacDonagh's rank and the fact that he commanded one of the strongest battalions, they saw little fighting. MacDonagh received the order to surrender on April 30th, though his battalion was prepared to continue. Following the surrender, MacDonagh was court martialled, and executed by firing squad on May 3rd, 1916. In his last message to the Irish people he wrote:

"I, Thomas MacDonagh, having now heard the sentence of the Court Martial held on me today, declare that in all my acts, all the acts for which I have been arraigned. I have been actuated by one motive only, the love of my country, and the desire to make her a sovereign, independent state."

Joseph Mary Plunkett (died age 28)

Following the surrender Plunkett was held in Kilmainham Gaol, and faced court martial. Seven hours before his execution, he was married in the prison chapel to his sweetheart Grace Gifford, a Protestant convert to Catholicism, whose sister, Muriel, had years before also converted and married his best friend Thomas MacDonagh, who was also executed for his role in the Easter Rising. Grace never married again after his death on May 4th, 1816. Days before his sentence Plunkett had written in a letter to Grace:

"Listen--if I live it might be possible to get the Church to marry us by proxy- there is such a thing but it is very difficult I am told. Father Sherwin might be able to do it. You know how I love you. That is all I have time to say. I know you love me and I am very happy."

Edward “Ned” Daly (died age 25)

Daly's battalion, stationed in the Four Courts and areas to the west and north of the centre of Dublin, saw the most harsh fighting of the rising. He was forced to surrender his battalion on April 29th by Patrick Pearse. He was executed by firing squad on May 4th 1916. Men in his battalion spoke of him as a good leader.

Michael O’Hanrahan (died age 38)

O’Hanrahan was second in command of Dublin's 2nd battalion under Commandant Thomas MacDonagh. He fought at Jacob's Biscuit Factory, though the battalion saw little action other than intense sniping throughout Easter week. O'Hanrahan was executed by firing squad on May 4th 1916 at Kilmainham Jail. His brother, Henry O'Hanrahan, was sentenced to penal servitude for life for his role in the Easter Rising.

William “Willie” Pearse (died age 34)

Willie followed his brother into the Irish Volunteers and the Republican movement. He took part in the Easter Rising in 1916, always staying by his brother's side at the General Post Office. Following the surrender he was court-martialled and sentenced to be executed. It has been said that as he was only a minor player in the struggle it was his surname that condemned him. However, at his court martial he rather exaggerating his involvement. On May 3rd, William was granted permission to visit his brother in Kilmainham Gaol and to see him for the final time. While Willie was en route, Patrick was executed first and they never saw one another again. Willie was executed on May 4th, 1916.

John MacBride (died age 47)

In 1905 MacBride joined other Irish nationalists in preparing for an insurrection. Because he was so well known to the British, the leaders thought it wise to keep him outside their secret military group planning a Rising. He was in Dublin early on Easter Monday morning to meet his brother Dr. Anthony MacBride, who was arriving from Westport to be married on the Wednesday. The Major walked up Grafton St and saw Thomas MacDonagh in uniform and leading his troops. He offered his services and was appointed second-in-command at the Jacob's factory. After the Rising, MacBride, following a court martial under the Defence of the Realm Act, was shot by British troops in Kilmainham Gaol, Dublin.

He was executed on May 5th 1916, two days before his forty-eighth birthday. Facing the British firing squad, he said he did not wish to be blindfolded, saying:

"I have looked down the muzzles of too many guns in the South African war to fear death and now please carry out your sentence."

He is buried in the cemetery at Arbour Hill Prison in Dublin.

Executed two days before his 54th birthday on May 5th.

Éamonn Ceannt (died age 34)

After the unconditional surrender of the 1916 fighters, Eamonn Ceannt was detained. While Ceannt was being picked for trial, volunteer James Couhlan remembers him being determined in looking after the welfare of “the humblest of those who had served under him”. Ceannt was tried under court martial as demanded by General Maxwell. May 2nd, Ceannt was sent to Kilmainham Gaol to face trial and execution.

Written a few hours before his execution from cell 88 in Kilmainham Gaol, he wrote:

“I leave for the guidance of other Irish Revolutionaries who may tread the path which I have trod this advice, never to treat with the enemy, never to surrender at his mercy, but to fight to a finish...Ireland has shown she is a nation. This generation can claim to have raised sons as brave as any that went before. And in the years to come Ireland will honour those who risked all for her honour at Easter 1916.”

Ceannt was held in Kilmainham Gaol until his execution by firing squad on May 8th 1916. He is buried at Arbour Hill.

Michael Mallin (died age 41)

When Connolly was inducted into the Irish Republican Brotherhood in January 1916. On Easter Monday Mallin departed from Liberty Hall at 11:30am to take up his post at St Stephen's Green with his small force of ICA men and women. Upon arriving at the park they evacuated it, dug trenches, erected kitchen and first aid stations, and constructed barricades in the surrounding streets. Mallin planned to occupy the Shelbourne Hotel, located on the north-east side of the park, but insufficient troops prevented him from doing so. The next morning under intense machine gun fire Mallin ordered his troops to retreat to the Royal College of Surgeons on the west side of the park. The garrison remained in the barricaded building for the remainder of the week.

Mallin surrendered on April 30th 1916. The garrison was taken first to Dublin Castle then to Richmond Barracks, where Mallin was separated for court-martial. At his court-martial he downplayed his involvement. In his statement, Mallin stated:

“I had no commission whatever in the Citizen Army. I was never taken into the confidence of James Connolly. I was under the impression that we were going out for manoeuvres on Sunday . . . Shortly after my arrival at St Stephen's Green the firing started and Countess Markievicz ordered me to take command of the men as I had been so long associated with them. I felt I could not leave them and from that time I joined the rebellion."

Mallin was found guilty and transported to Kilmainham Gaol for his execution. He was executed May 8th 1916. The night before his execution he was visited in his cell by his mother, three of his siblings, his pregnant wife and their four children. In his last letter to his wife, who was pregnant with their fifth child, Mallin said:

"I find no fault with the soldiers or the police [I ask you] to pray for all the souls who fell in this fight, Irish and English . . . so must Irishmen pay for trying to make Ireland a free nation."

He wrote to his children:

“Una my little one be a Nun Joseph my little man be a Priest if you can James & John to you the care of your mother make yourselves good strong men for her sake and remember Ireland”

His funeral mass took place at the Dominican Church in Tallaght on May 13th, 1917. People from the procession clashed with police outside the church with two policemen injured.

Con Colbert (died age 37)

In the weeks leading up to the Rising, he acted as bodyguard for Thomas Clarke. During Easter Week, he fought at Watkin's Brewery, Jameson's Distillery and Marrowbone Lane. They were marched to Richmond Barracks after surrender, where Colbert would later be court-martialled. Transferred to Kilmainham Gaol, he was told on Sunday May 7th he was to be shot the following morning. He wrote no fewer than ten letters during his time in prison. During this time in detention, he did not allow any visits from his family; writing to his sister, he said a visit "would grieve us both too much".

The night before his execution he sent for Mrs. Ó Murchadha who was also being held prisoner. He told her he was "proud to die for such a cause. I will be passing away at the dawning of the day." Holding his bible, he told her he was leaving it to his sister. He handed her three buttons from his volunteer uniform, telling her "They left me nothing else," before asking her when she heard the volleys of shots in the morning for Éamonn Ceannt, Michael Mallin and himself would she say a Hail Mary for the souls of the departed. The soldier who was guarding the prisoner began crying according to Mrs. Ó Murchadha, and recorded him saying "If only we could die such deaths."

Colbert was shot by firing squad the next morning on May 8th 1916.

Sean Heuston (died age 25)

Heuston was the Officer Commanding of the Volunteers in the Mendicity Institution on the south side of Dublin city. Heuston was to hold this position for three or four hours, to delay the advance of British troops. This delay was necessary to give the headquarters staff time to prepare their defences. Heuston was arrested after the surrender and transferred to Richmond Barracks. O May 4th 1916, he was tried by court martial. May 7th 1916, the verdict of the court martial was communicated to him that he had been sentenced to death and was to be shot at dawn the following morning.

Prior to his execution he was attended by Father Albert in his final hours. Father Albert wrote an account of those hours up to and including the execution:

“…We were now told to be ready. I had a small cross in my hand, and though blindfolded, Seán bent his head and kissed the Crucifix; this was the last thing his lips touched in life. He then whispered to me: ‘Father, sure you won’t forget to anoint me?’ I had told him in his cell that I would anoint him when he was shot. We now proceeded towards the yard where the execution was to take place; my left arm was linked in his right, while the British soldier who had handcuffed and blindfolded him walked on his left. As we walked slowly along we repeated most of the prayers that we had been saying in the cell. On our way we passed a group of soldiers; these I afterwards learned were awaiting Commandant Mallin; who was following us. Having reached a second yard I saw there another group of military armed with rifles. Some of these were standing, and some sitting or kneeling. A soldier directed Seán and myself to a corner of the yard, a short distance from the outer wall of the prison. Here there was a box (seemingly a soap box) and Sean was told to sit down upon it. He was perfectly calm, and said with me for the last time: ‘My Jesus, mercy.’ I scarcely had moved away a few yards when a volley went off, and this noble soldier of Irish Freedom fell dead. I rushed over to anoint him; his whole face seemed transformed and lit up with a grandeur and brightness that I had never before noticed.”

Father Albert concluded:

“Never did I realise that men could fight so bravely, and die so beautifully, and so fearlessly as did the Heroes of Easter Week. On the morning of Sean Heuston's death I would have given the world to have been in his place, he died in such a noble and sacred cause, and went forth to meet his Divine Saviour with such grand Christian sentiments of trust, confidence and love.”

Thomas Kent (died age 50)

During the Easter Rising, the Kent residence was raided in a gunfight lasted for four hours. Eventually the Kents were forced to surrender. Thomas and William was tried by court martial on the charge of armed rebellion. His brother was acquitted, but Thomas was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad in Cork on May 9th 1916. He was buried in the grounds of Cork Prison.

Sean Mac Diarmada (died age 33)

September 1915, he joined the secret Military Committee of the IRB. In 1914 he said:

"the Irish patriotic spirit will die forever unless a blood sacrifice is made in the next few years.”

Due to his disability, Mac Diarmada took little part in the fighting of Easter week, but was stationed at the headquarters in the General Post Office. Following the surrender, he nearly escaped execution by blending in with the large body of prisoners. He was eventually recognised by Daniel Hoey of G Division. Following a court-martial on May 9th, Mac Diarmada was executed by firing squad on May 12th. In his final letter he wrote:

"Miss Ryan, she who in all probability, had I lived, would have been my wife".

She and her sister, Phyllis also visited Kilmainham Gaol before his execution. Before his execution, Mac Diarmada wrote:

"I feel happiness the like of which I have never experienced. I die that the Irish nation might live!”

James Connolly (died age 47)

Connolly considered the rest of the leaders too bourgeois and unconcerned with Ireland's economic independence. During the Easter Rising, Connolly was Commandant of the Dublin Brigade and was de facto commander-in-chief. Following the surrender, he said to other prisoners:

"Don't worry. Those of us that signed the proclamation will be shot. But the rest of you will be set free."

Connolly was not held in gaol, but in a room at the State Apartments in Dublin Castle, which had been converted to a first-aid station for troops recovering from the war. Connolly was sentenced to death by firing squad for his part in the rising. On May 12th 1916 he was taken by military ambulance to Royal Hospital Kilmainham, across the road from Kilmainham Gaol, and from there taken to the gaol, where he was to be executed. Visited by his wife, and asking about public opinion, he commented:

"They will all forget that I am; an Irishman."

Connolly had been so badly injured from the fighting but the execution order was still given and he was unable to stand before the firing squad; he was carried to a prison courtyard on a stretcher. His absolution and last rites were administered by a Capuchin, Father Aloysius Travers. Asked to pray for the soldiers about to shoot him, he said:

"I will say a prayer for all men who do their duty according to their lights."

Instead of being marched to the same spot where the others had been executed, at the far end of the execution yard, he was tied to a chair and then shot. His body (with other leaders) was put in a mass grave without a coffin. The executions of the rebel leaders deeply angered the majority of the Irish population, most of whom had shown no support during the rebellion.

Sir Roger Casement (died age 51)

October 1914, Casement sailed for Germany via Norway. Casement spent most of his time in Germany seeking to recruit an Irish Brigade from among more than 2,000 Irish prisoners-of-war taken in the early months of the war and held in the prison camp of Limburg an der Lahn. His plan was that they would be trained to fight against Britain in the cause of Irish independence. Casement did not learn about the Easter Rising until after the plan was fully developed. The German weapons never landed in Ireland; the Royal Navy intercepted the ship transporting them.

Casement departed Germany in a submarine. In the early hours of April 21st 1916, three days before the rising began, the German submarine put Casement ashore. Suffering from a recurrence of the malaria, and too weak to travel, he was discovered at McKenna's Fort and arrested on charges of treason, sabotage and espionage against the Crown.

"He was taken to Brixton Prison to be placed under special observation for fear of an attempt of suicide. There was no staff at the Tower [of London] to guard suicidal cases."

At Casement's highly publicised trial for treason, the prosecution had trouble arguing its case. Casement's crimes had been carried out in Germany. During the trial, Casement’s personal diary detailed his homosexual encounters was uncovered. The British government circulated fake reports to portray Casement as a sexual deviant. Casement tried to appeal the violation of his human rights and against his conviction and death sentence. On the day of his execution, Casement was received into the Catholic Church at his request. He was attended by two Catholic priests. One said of Casement that he was:

"a saint… we should be praying to him [Casement] instead of for him".

Casement was hanged at Pentonville Prison in London on August 3rd 1916. His last word was “Ireland”.

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stairnaheireann · 6 months

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The Proclamation Sculpture | Dublin

‘Proclamation‘ by Rowan Gillespie is an outdoor sculpture honouring the leaders of the Easter Rising, and the authors of the Irish Proclamation of Independence. It stands impressively across the street from Kilmainham Gaol where the proclamation signatories were executed in 1916. Fourteen figures stand in a megalithic circle, at the centre of which is a plaque containing a copy of the…

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#1916 Easter Rebellion #1916 Easter Rising #Dublin #History #History of Ireland #Ireland #Irish History

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i-prescribe · 3 years

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James Crawford Neil a Poet.. This is the man that would have been my Grandad but never was, because of the tragic love story of my Granny Gypsy, the sister of Maire Nic Shiubhlaigh . She was the Mother , of my Father . On his way home from visiting her, he was murdered, I was always told it was by the Black and Tans, but my brother found a report writte in his own words that suggest it was a looter. , who I hope one day will publish them, somehow, in some form to honour that talented life and the unfinished love story, the link below does tell the bones of the story. The Father had all his love letters, to Granny Gyp and had always intended to do something with them, They are now with my BrotherDave Kenny Crawford Neil as we were told , tried to marry Gypsy when he was dying in Hospital but they wouldnt allow it...... Dave took my fathers book. The splendid years and revised it a few years ago, to great success and interesting to read , the two voices of father and son, in the same book. It was Maire s History and story told to my Dad. He was 18 when it was started , he went on to become a career News Journalist and Dave took it on, and further, also becoming the Journalist in the family, with most of the talents of Granny Gyp and Maire for music and the fathers talent for writing and possibly the spiritual gift of Poetry from the Grandfather that nearly was..... Although, we were all brought up with equality as a norm, I believe because of the powerful women in my Fathers life , which was not of its time and Im including my Mother as well, there had been alot of talk about me becoming a Journalist through the tried and tested method of copy boy or in my case girl. Dave ended up starting his career as a copy boy. I didn't want to be a Journalist . I am the eldest. It had been talked about alot. Maires potrait is hanging in The Abbey Theatre as she was not only a Heroine for her part in The Rising , but an accomplished Abbey Player. Granny Gyp was also an actress and another sister Annie Walker. I got Gyps talent for dance and dramatics 📷 So the next time someone asks a Kenny , why we are so dramatic 📷, I think we have form............

The revised TheSplendidYears is still available, telling the story of Maires Role in the founding of the Abbey and also her role as leader of Cuman Na Mban . Interesting stuff , Powerful Women, are not a new thing, Ladies , the Dna of our Ancestors, runs through us all, GeneticsBaby Itsathing

Hopefully Dave will let the World hear Granny Gyp and Crawford Neils , story.

I'd like to say , that's only one half of the story, of Wild Women , in the Kenny Family. My mothers side is equally Heroic, albeit a different story, Oddly connected through Spirit and an Ancestral scheme. We must tell our stories and know our truths , as they are already written and past through Unions, to be carried on or for lines to finish a story and finally ascend . DivineUnions

Dave wrote about Gyp here

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/the-abbey-actress-and-the-pacifist-poet-a-tragic-easter-rising-love-story-1.2626384

You can buy the book here, kindle and paperback versions available

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Splendid-Years-Memoirs-Abbey-Actress-ebook/dp/B01J1V6NK4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.newisland.ie/.../splendid-years-memoirs-abbey...

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littleroma · 6 years

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That’s a week over guys, a day late

Last week was busy. I was on holiday from Tuesday to Sunday in Galway. Remember how I’d mentioned that we’d been having really good weather here the past few weeks? I didn’t pack a jumper, because I thought hey it’s been beautiful, I won’t need a jumper, it’s June. Haha Roma, it’s Ireland, we were literally staying on a stretch of coastline called the Wild Atlantic Way. The weather wasn’t that great.

Sure, it was good on the Tuesday when we arrived there after driving down, but by that stage we had been in a car for four and a half hours, we were tired. Then on Wednesday, the weather changed. It was really windy and driving rain. We were driving round the hills of Connemara. We visited Padraig Pearce’s cottage, Pearse was one of the guys killed after the Easter Rising of 1916. The cottage, his cottage was just three rooms, but it was out in the sticks and inspirational to look out the door and see what drove Pearse in his beliefs. It was sad listening to some of the history of Ireland, because for the most part the history has either been unlucky or outright tragic.

The Easter Rising was not popular at the time, because not a lot of people were interested in Irish Independence while the Great War was going on over in Europe. Parts of Dublin were trashed when the British were attempting to arrest these guys. But when the British arrested them and took them to prison, they very quickly executed the leaders and any of the Rebels. I think I remember that one guy was allowed to get married in prison to his childhood sweetheart before he was executed. Another, James Connolly, was tied to a chair before he faced a firing squad. The fact that the British Army were so quick to execute the rebels lent sympathy to the rebels and got people talking about why they had been fighting.

That night, I got sick, I had a bit of diarrhoea and vomiting. Not the most pleasant. But my younger brother graduated with a First Class Honour in Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Software Engineering. I’m all proud of him.

Because I had been sick Mum and I did not go out on the Thursday. On the Friday we went into Galway City which was beautiful. Weather was a bit shite though. Saturday Dad was doing a big cycle, the reason were holidaying down there, but afterwards we looked round a nearby craft village. It was so windy.

Yesterday, I was at an appointment but more importantly we got a new puppy! Her name is Luna and I am completely in love with her. She is so soft and cuddly. She is a bit more confident than Lily was and wants to play all the time. She doesn’t like being left alone. Every time I look at her, I always hear the song ‘Lust For Life’ by Iggy Pop in my head.

I can’t remember which photos I cross posted from my Instagram but there’s a load on there.

#vimizim #enzyme replacement therapy #health #disability #drug infusion #Galway #holiday #proud sister #puppy love #I love my two doggies

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gospelmusic · 3 years

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Catholic Daily Reading + Reflection: 21 February 2021 - The Start Of A New Humanity

Sunday, February 21, 2021 First Sunday of Lent (B) Office- Psalter Week 4 and Ordinary for Lent Vestment: Violet Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mystery (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); NO GLORIA Rite of Election or Enrollment: Today Mother Church celebrates the “Rite of Election or Enrollment of Names” for the Catechumens who are to be admitted to the Sacraments of Christian Initiation at the Easter Vigil.. Theme of the Sunday: The start of a New Humanity. The theme linking the three readings today is the destruction of the world ruled by evil, and the beginning of a new world. The first reading presents this theme through the story of the flood that purified the world of sin and gave rise to a new people. The second reading takes up the theme of the flood and applies it to Baptism, the sacrament that marks the birth of a new person. The gospel tells us that the victory over sin began with Jesus who defeated evil during his life. By following him, the new Adam, we can become a new people.

FIRST READING

God’s covenant with Noah, delivered from the waters of the flood. A reading from the Book of Genesis (Genesis 9:8-15) God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “this is the sign of the covenant which I make between me and you every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.” The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 25:4-5ab.6 and 7bc. 8-9 (R. cf. 10)

R/. All your paths, O Lord, are mercy and faithfulness, for those who keep your covenant. O Lord, make me know your ways. Teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth, and teach me; For you are the God of my salvation. R. Remember your compassion, O Lord, And your merciful love, For they are from of old. In your merciful love remember me, Because of your goodness, O Lord. R. Good and upright is the Lord; He shows the way to sinners. He guide the humble in right judgement; To the humble he teaches his way. R. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

SECOND READING

“Baptism now saves you.” A reading from the Letter of Saint Peter (1 Peter 3:18-22) Beloved: Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit; in which he went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him. The word of the Lord. VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Matthew 4:4b Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.

GOSPEL

“He was tempted by satan, and the angels ministered to him.” A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:12-15) At that time: the spirit drove Jesus out into the wilderness. And he was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered to him. Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of God, and saying, “the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel.” The Gospel of the Lord.

PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Alive through the waters of baptism. PRIEST: Through baptism, we share the life of the Risen Lord, and the season of Lent reminds us of our need to readjust our vision of what the Christian life really means We pray to our Father for the grace to follow his Son more closely. READER: For the Church, the one Ark of Salvation, (pause) through the waters of baptism, may she continue to bear her members above the false standards of a selfish world, just as Noah’s Ark bore him and his family above the waters of the deluge (pause) We pray to the Lord: who has given us new life we pray Oh Lord. For the leaders of our country, (pause) may they proclaim true Christian standards and values, so that the people are encouraged in the practice of their faith (pause) . We pray to the Lord: who has given us new life we pray Oh Lord. For persecuted Christians everywhere, (pause) may they be renewed in faith and love, so that, enduring all things patiently, they may still proclaim Jesus as Lord (pause). We pray to the Lord: who has given us new life we pray Oh Lord. For all baptized Christians, especially this community, (pause) may we recall our own baptism so effectively that our lives of prayer and penance this Lent will flow from an awareness of our new life as Christians (pause). We pray to the Lord: who has given us new life we pray Oh Lord. In silence, we make our private petitions to our Father, who chose us in Christ. PRIEST: Father, you saved us through the waters of baptism. We offer our new life of grace to you this Lent, in humble service and dedication. Through Christ our Lord. Amen

Today’s Reflection

In today’s Gospel Jesus goes into the desert, Lent, a desert experience, revives our Christian life through traditional practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. During these forty days, returning to basics, we make a fresh start to breathe new life into our Christian identity. Our Sundays this Lent centers on covenant. In the Old Testament the old covenant was made and renewed. Now, in Christ, a new covenant is given to us; we were made part of it at baptism. Christ covenant, like that of a faithful spouse, is for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health. Can we say this of our response? Sometimes, drifting from the Lord, we look for love in the wrong places and are inevitably disappointed. Prayer, fasting and acts of charity are ways of assessing and reviving our fidelity to Christ. The Lord is faithful to us. Are we faithful to Him?

Personal Devotional for Lent

If your waking up is not by your power, then, whenever you wake up you must go on your knees and acknowledge the greatness of the one who makes you not only to wake up, but gives you the power to run around. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Heavenly Father, I give you thanks from the depth of my heart for giving me this day. It is only by your power that it is possible for me to wake up from sleep. May all glory and honour be to your name forever. Amen. I offer myself to you, lead me in all I will do. Bless and favour the work of my hands so that I will be fruitful. Give me the grace to seek holiness in all I do. Help me to love my neighbour as myself and to be kind to them always. Through my actions may the hungry have something to eat, the thirsty have something to drink, the naked have something to wear, the sick and those in prison get the consolation they desire. Amen. Work hard and put your trust in the Lord for He will see you through. May this day be a blessed and favourable one for you. Amen.

Let Us Pray

Lord Jesus Christ, take all my freedom, my memory, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your love and your grace are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord Jesus, and I ask for nothing more. Amen.

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