Just a little post to wish everyone a happy and safe holiday season. <3

Reposted from my mature account.

Hey everyone. Just a quick update as I begin another personal year. A lot has changed for me this past year, and even since my last update on Easter. And more changes to come; and I don't like change. xD Still I think it's for the better. While I'm not one to share personal troubles, I have suffered from depression most of my life, and social anxiety. Realising who I really am over the past year has helped immensely, and taking some time this past weekend for reflection has helped prepare me for what's to come.

One of the big things I wanted to do was thank everyone for the favourites and the watches. I think from here on I'll try to take the time to respond directly to new watches.

Also, anyone who is also following me on CYOC, I took up a chapter-a-day challenge there since I've allowed stress to prevent me from doing a lot of writing. Of course the challenge might just add more stress, but, I hope the commitment will help focus me. xD Like I said, the time for reflection has helped me.

Also, this is the feast dedicated to Mary as the Queen of Heaven. My Christianity is one of the things that has changed drastically, but I still venerate the saints, and that this feast falls on my birthday still has a lot of meaning for me. I need to find an easier name than "Feast of Our Lady Queen of Heaven" to refer to it by though. xD

Reposting this from my adult account:

Wishing everyone a happy Easter, or spring festival. ^^ And take the opportunity to say that I'm doing okay-ish. It's been a little over a year since my metamorphosis into Flame, and while I've come a long way, I still have a long way to go. I've decided to focus on CYOC for now, in trying to becoe consistent with writing every day. Once "real life" becomes a bit less chaotic -- or rather once I am more on top of things -- I will expand again from there.

As mentioned I am sharing my translations (from Jerome's Vulgate) of the Infancy Narratives -- the Biblical accounts of Jesus' birthday that form the core of the Christian holiday -- split into three journals, one for Matthew, one for Luke, one for John's prologue, all of which throw different lights on the tale.

This is the last, from John's prologue. It's sort of a "bonus round," since it is not generally considered an infancy narrative. However it does mention Jesus' birth. And it gives more perspective about what that birth means in the Christian Faith. This is the key and keystone of Christianity, what sets it apart from other religions -- the enormous proposition that the Logos, the Word, the Mind that shaped all things descended and was pleased to take on our humble flesh and live as a human among humans.

As with the other two, there is an element of tragedy. Christmas is a time of joy and gladness, but sorrow is never far in this life. But that is an intrinsic part of the message -- God's coming in our flesh to draw us to Him offers the promise that all sorrows are comparatively shallow and passing; while the joy is deep-rooted and eternal. In John's terse words, he sketches the rejection Jesus will face -- but also that joy that comes from accepting Light and Life.

~ Prologue of John's Gospel

In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God, Which was in the beginning with God.

All was made through Him, and without Him was made nothing that was made. In Him was Life; and Life was the Light of mankind. And the Light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness did not grasp Her.

She was the true Light, which illumineth every human coming into the world: She was in the world; even the world made through Him; and the world knew Him not. Unto His own He came, and they received Him not.

However, so many as did receive Him, He gave them power to become the children of God; to those who believe in His Name: who are born not from blood, neither by the will of flesh nor the will of a man; but are born from God.

And the Word was made flesh: and dwelt among us. And we saw His glory -- glory as of the only-begotten of the Father -- full of grace and truth.

(John 1:1-5, 9-14)

As mentioned I am sharing my translations (from Jerome's Vulgate) of the Infancy Narratives -- the Biblical accounts of Jesus' birthday that form the core of the Christian holiday -- split into three journals, one for Matthew, one for Luke, one for John's prologue, all of which throw different lights on the tale.

This one then is for Luke. Luke's account begins with the Annunciation, the message of Gabriel to Mary and Mary acquiescence to the role of mother of the Messiah. It then shows her encounter with Elizabeth. After covering the birth of John the Baptist (here omitted), the Gospel then portrays Jesus' birth in more detail than Matthew. I chose to end with the presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

It is again worth noting that all three accounts include an element of tragedy. In this case, the sorrow lies in the future, as Simeon prophesies the opposition Jesus will face and the agony Mary will feel on His behalf. Christmas is a time of joy and gladness, but sorrow is never far in this life. But that is an intrinsic part of the message -- God's coming in our flesh to draw us to Him offers the promise that all sorrows are comparatively shallow and passing; while the joy is deep-rooted and eternal.

~ Infancy Narrative of Luke's Gospel

The angel Gabriel was sent by God into a city of Galilee, the name of which was Nazareth; to a maiden betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the House of David. And the maiden's name was Mary.

And coming in, the angel said to her: "Hail, O full of grace! The Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women!"

She, upon seeing him, was disturbed by his speech; and she wondered: what manner of greeting was this?

And the angel saith to her: "Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found grace before God. Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a Son; and thou shalt call His Name 'Jesus.'

"Great shall He be, and He shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the seat of David His father; and He shall reign in the House of Jacob unto eternity; yea, of His Kingdom there shall be no end!"

But Mary said to the angel: "How can this be done? For a man I know not?"

And in response the angel said to her: "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee; and the virtue of the Most High shall overshadow thee! And therefore also the Holy Which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And lo, thy kinswoman Elizabeth hath herself also conceived in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren:

"For no word shall be impossible in the presence of God."

Then said Mary: "Lo, I am the slave girl of the Lord: let it be done unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her.

Mary, however, rising up in those days, went off with haste into the hill country, unto a city of Judas; and she entered into the house of Zaccharias and greeted Elizabeth.

And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe exulted in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled by the Holy Spirit; and she exclaimed with a great voice and said: "Blessed art thou amongst women! and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

"And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me! For lo, as soon as the voice of thy greeting fell on mine ears, the babe in my womb exulted for gladness! And blessed art thou, who hast believed; for those things that were told thee by the Lord shall be perfected!"

And saith Mary:

"My soul doth magnify the Lord;
Yea, my spirit exulted in God, my Saviour! --
For He respected the humility of His slave girl;
For lo, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed!
For He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and Holy is His Name!
And His mercy is unto generations upon generations for those in awe of Him.

By His Arm He wrought power:
He scattered the proud by the thought of their heart;
He deposed the mighty from their seat, and exalted the humble!
The hungry He sated with good food, and the rich He dismissed empty!
He hath taken up Israel, His boy, remembering His mercy;
As it was spoken to our fathers -- to Abraham and his seed for the ages!"

And Mary remained with her for about three months; and returned to her home.

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the entire globe should be described. (This description was first made by Cyrinus, governor of Syria.)

And all went to make their declaration, every one unto their own city; and Joseph also, from Galilee, went up from the city of Nazareth unto the city of David in Judaea that is called Bethlehem (for he was of the House and family of David); to make declaration, with the pregnant Mary, his betrothed wife.

And it came to pass while they were there that the days were fulfilled that she should bear; and she brought forth their firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger -- because there was no place for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds in that same region, keeping watch; and keeping the night's vigils over their flock, and lo! An angel of the Lord stood beside them, and the brightness of God shone about them! And they feared with a great awe.

And the angel said to them: "Be not afraid! For lo, I bear to you good tidings of great gladness that shall be for all people! For today is born to you a Saviour, He Who is the Christ, the Lord, in the city of David. And this shall be the sign for you: ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest! and on earth peace unto humans of good will!"

And it came to pass after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this word which was delivered; what the Lord wrought and showed to us!"

And they came quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And seeing, they understood concerning the message, what had been told them about this boy.

And all who heard also marvelled at those things told to them by the shepherds. And Mary conserved all these words, gathering them up in her heart.

And the shepherds went back, glorifying God and praising Him over all that they had heard and seen, even as it was told to them.

And afterwards, the eighth day being consummated that He should be circumcised, they called His Name 'Jesus;' as it had been declared by the angel before that He had been conceived in the womb.

And after her days of purification were fulfilled according to the Law of Moses, they carried Him unto Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. As it is written in the Law of the Lord, that "every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord." And to offer a victim, according as it is written in the Law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two dove chicks.

And behold, there was a human in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this human was righteous and in awe of God, awaiting the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Spirit was in him. And he had received an answer from the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death until he had first seen the Christ of the Lord.

And in the Spirit he came into the Temple. And when His parents brought in the boy Jesus, to perform the custom of the Law for Him, he also took Him into his arms. And he blessed God and said,

"Now dost Thou dismiss Thy slave in peace, O Lord, according to Thy word.
For mine eyes have seen Thy health,
Which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:
The Light for the revelation of the nations,
And the glory of Thy commonfolk of Israel."

And His father and mother were wondering at those things that were said of Him, and Simeon blessed them. And he said to Mary, His mother:

"Behold, this one is set unto the ruin and the resurrection of many in Israel, and unto a sign which shall be contradicted: And thine own soul a sword shall pierce, that from many hearts thoughts may be revealed."

And there was Anna the Prophetess, daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher; she was well advanced in her days. And she had lived seven years from her maidenhood with her man, and she was a widow for eighty-four years. She departed not from the Temple, serving night and day by fastings and beseechings.

She also at the same hour coming over confessed to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all who awaited the redemption of Jerusalem.

And after they had completed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned unto Galilee, to the city of Nazareth. And the boy grew, and waxed strong; in Him was both fullness of wisdom and the grace of God.

(Luke 1:26-56, 2:1-40 AVP)

As mentioned I am sharing my translations (from Jerome's Vulgate) of the Infancy Narratives -- the Biblical accounts of Jesus' birthday that form the core of the Christian holiday -- split into three journals, one for Matthew, one for Luke, one for John's prologue, all of which throw different lights on the tale.

So this first one will be for Matthew. Matthew's account begins with Joseph's discovery of his fiancée's pregnancy, then jumps to the visit of the Magi and the Slaughter of the Innocents by Herod. I think it's worth noting that all three accounts include an element of tragedy -- Christmas is a time of joy and gladness, but sorrow is never far in this life. But that is an intrinsic part of the message -- God's coming in our flesh to draw us to Him offers the promise that all sorrows are comparatively shallow and passing; while the joy is deep-rooted and eternal.

So, without further preamble:

~ Infancy Narrative of Matthew's Gospel

Now, the generation of the Christ happened thus: while His mother, Mary, was espoused to Joseph, ere ever they came together, she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. However Joseph, her man, since he was righteous and unwilling to traduce her, wished to divorce her discreetly.

But as he considered this, lo an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision, saying: "O Joseph, son of David! Be not afraid to accept Mary as thy wife, for That Which is born in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His Name 'Jesus:' for He shall save His people from their faults."

And all of this was done, that it might fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet, saying: "Behold a maiden shall be with child, and bear a son; and they shall call his name Emmanuel." (Which is interpreted as "God is With Us.")

And Joseph, arising from the vision, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and accepted his wife.

And he knew her not till she bore a Son, her firstborn; and he called His Name Jesus.

When therefore Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod the King, behold Magi from the east came to Jerusalem, saying: "Where is he who is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to adore him."

But King Herod, hearing this, was disturbed; and all Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he examined them about where the Christ was to be born.

But they said to him: "In Bethlehem of Judaea; for so it is written by the prophet: 'And thou, O Bethlehem, land of Judas; thou art far from the least of the princes of Judas; for from thee shall go forth the Leader who shall rule My people Israel.'"

Then Herod, privately calling the Magi, carefully learned from them the time when the star had appeared to them. And, sending them unto Bethlehem, he said, "Go, and inquire diligently for the boy; and when ye have found him, bring back word to me, that I, too, may come and adore him."

Who, when they had heard the king, departed; and behold the star which they had seen in the east went before them, until at last it came to stand above the place where the boy was.

And seeing the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great gladness; and entering the house, they found the boy with Mary His mother, and prostrating themselves they adored Him. And opening their treasures, they offered Him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

And having received instruction in visions that they should not go back to Herod, they returned into their own country by another way.

When they had departed, behold an angel of the Lord appeared in a vision to Joseph, saying: "Rise, and take the boy and His mother, and flee into Egypt; and stay there till such time as I tell thee. For it shall be that Herod shall seek the boy to destroy Him." Who arising took the boy and His mother by night and retired into Egypt; and stayed there until the death of Herod: so that it might fulfil what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "From Egypt I called My Son."

Then Herod, seeing that he was tricked by the Magi, was exceeding wrathful; and sending, killed all the male children from two years old and under that were in Bethlehem and all its borders; according to the time that he had extracted from the Magi.

Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Jeremias, saying, "A voice in Rama was heard, lamentation and great wailing; Rachel bewailing her sons; and she would not be comforted: because they are no more."

However, when Herod was dead, behold the angel of the Lord appeared in a vision to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Rise and take the boy and His mother, and go into the land of Israel; for they are dead that sought the soul of the boy."

Who, rising, took the boy and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. However, hearing that Archelaus reigned in Judaea in place of Herod his father, he was afraid to go thither; and warned in a vision went aside into the district of Galilee.

And arriving there, he dwelt in a city which is called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: that He should be called a Nazarene.

(Matthew 1:18-25, 2:1-23 AVP)

It's been a long and eventful year for me. Rejoining the fandom, creating a fursona and beginning to write adult material... and all the self-discovery that went along with that. Translating the Bible and coming to a deeper faith because of that.

At the moment, I am suffering from a bit of holiday melancholy. But I trust things will get better as I continue to grow and meet people.

Speaking fo translating the Bible, I polished up my translations of the Infancy Narratives to post on Furs For Christ. I decided I amy as well share them here as well. I was going to put them all in this one journal, but combined their pretty long, so I'll be splitting them up.

Which finally brings me to ask... I've been contemplating setting up a third account to post up said translations, with notes, as I finish them. This, the Amateur Vulgate Project, began last year as an attempt to see how Jerome, working in the fourth century, translated certain verses commonly seen as condemning... certain things. I was surprised, and eventually delighted, to see that his rendering checked out with the more liberal interpretation -- and in view of that fact that all English translations of the Bible more or less suck, I decided to do what I could with my limited Latin to give my own rendering of his Vulgate into English.

So now it's grown into a hopeful attempt to give a different look at those old books, which I think have been woefully misunderstood. If anyone reads this, I would very much like to hear your thoughts on whether it's worth sharing.

But regardless. MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy Yuletide to all!

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: For the first heaven, and the first earth, were passed away ... And I saw the city, the holy new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God prepared as a bride bedecked for her man."

"For as much as thou wert abandoned and hated, and there were none who passed through thee: so shall I set thee as the pride of the ages, as gladness unto generation and generation. And the children of those that humiliated thee shall come and bow down to thee; and they who slandered thee shall adore the prints of thy feet; and they shall call thee the city of the Lord: Sion of the Holy of Israel."
(Apocalypse 21:1-2, Isaias 60:15, 14 AVP)

Again, I am very late. Indeed practically out of time, for tomorrow a new liturgical year starts. I had it in mind that, as every week is liturgically an extension of the Sunday that opens it, it would not be too bad to be a day or too late -- but this is cutting it very close. ^^; So my apologies.

The last Sunday is so-called because it is the last Sunday of the liturgical year. There is in this significant difference between the East and West, as the Orthodox churches do not have the same season of Advent as the Western traditions (Catholic and Protestant), and their liturgical calendar begins with September. Moreover in the West the idea of the "last Sunday" has been transferred to the modern feast of Christ the King (instituted initially by the Pope for earlier in the year in 1925, but transferred by a later Pope to the last Sunday, where it is now observed by a number of Protestant denominations as well as the Novus Ordo rite of the Roman Church).

Either way though, it is an eschatological observance, meaning it looks forward to the end of the world. As such it is a time to look back over the previous year, and consider what we did well and what we could have done better, to make a "judgement" of our lives as it well -- not in a harsh spirit, but merely an honest one, with the firm hope of improving and being ready for the Last Judgement which we all look forward to.

And I do say "look forward to." Once upon a time the prospect of the end of the world and the Last Judgement frightened me, but not any longer. For, as St. James observes in his epistle, mercy far surpasses "judgement" or rigourous "justice:" God is not so concerned with what we have done, or what we believe, but with how much love is in our hearts. And so long as our hearts are open, it is His pleasure to nurture that love until we can fully embrace ourselves, each other and Him.

As it is written in the Gospels and in the Apocalypse of John (or Revelation : p ), the key for entry into Heaven is simple -- all it takes is the desire for it. "[W]hoso thirsteth, let them come who desire, that they may freely take of the water of life." (Apoc. 21:17) I did not wish these reflections to be controversial; but I will affirm now that all the rules and dogmas that so many Christians preach are, if not mistaken, at least of far less importance then the simple desire to love and be loved. There are no bars or locks on Heaven's gates; they stand open day and night, offering refuge to all who will love.

And what indeed is Heaven? To be sure, it surpasses our current ability to comprehend. But there are plenty of "hints" in Scripture that describe it as lush and alive -- one could not get further from the sterile "Heaven" of pop culture than the glowing, even erotic, depictions of Heaven in the Bible. Nor is it a disembodied "spiritual" union with God; as it is repeatedly emphasised, the new heaven and new earth shall be very material; our souls will be joined to new flesh, like our current bodies but more responsive to our desires and free from the taint of death and decay.

And finally, reviewing my chosen quotes; I remember a final point I wished to make. That as the Bible refer to cities as individuals, so too are individuals referred to as cities. Jesus, in encouraging His disciples, compared them to a "city seated on a mountain." And John, again in the Apocalypse, explicitly equates the new Jerusalem with a "man" or "angel." So the wondrous descriptions of God's city, in Revelation, Isaias and elsewhere, apply as much to God's desire to comfort and adorn His beloved souls as individuals, as to the place of their habitation.

So nay, the end is not something to fear. xD Indeed I think, that while the heaven and earth we know will pass away, in a sense there is no true "end;" and all good things will be restored in the Resurrection, and all wounded things healed.

But that is the future. For now this series is coming to an end. It was an interesting experiment in setting myself a project and carrying it through; and I hope the reflections have touched some hearts. But the liturgical year is over, and I do not intend to create a similar series for next year. Beyond that, who knows?

Until next time, and forever, may God bless you. ^^

"Moreover concerning the dead, that they rise again; have ye not read in the book of Moses, in what manner God spoke to him upon the blackberry bush? saying, 'I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.' He is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
~ Mark 12:26-27, AVP

This is very late. >< I apologise. On the Hallows weekend I had a real-life problem that drained all my energy, and then after the date had passed it was hard to recall that I still wanted to write this up.

All Saints was, for those who might not know, the first of November. Hence Halloween -- Hallow-e'en, All Hallows' Eve, the night of All Hallows, just as Christmas Eve is the night of Christmas and New Year's Eve the night of New Year's Day.

So first, a bit of etymology. xD "Saint" is derived from Latin sanctus, "holy," via French. "Hallow" is the native English equivalent, the noun and verb form of "holy." "A hallow" is a holy place, thing or person; "to hallow" means "to make holy, sanctify." The noun form is obsolete, I believe, surviving only in the antiquated "All Hallows"; the verb form is archaic but might still be encountered -- as in the traditional form of the Lord's Prayer.

So what does All Saints Day celebrate? The common Catholic perspective, as I recall, is that it is a commemoration of all the saints in Heaven -- partiuclarly those whose deeds went unrecorded. Pretty useful, especially since early hagiographers were blind to the merits of anyone outside of the clergy, or martyrs.

The practice in Western Christianity of commemorating all martyrs, later all saints, goes far back; but observing it on November 1 originated in Britain, before being confirmed and established throughout the Catholic Church by Pope Gregory IV. After the Reformation, the observance was retianed by the Anlgicans and Lutherans.

Eastern Christianity has similar observances, though on different days. To quote Wikipedia,

"The Eastern Orthodox Church and associated Eastern Catholic and Eastern Lutheran churches celebrate it on the first Sunday after Pentecost. The Church of the East and the Syro-Malabar Church and Chaldean Catholic Church, the latter of which is in communion with Rome, celebrates All Saints' Day on the first Friday after Easter Sunday. In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, All Saints' Day is on Nayrouz, celebrated on September 11. The day is both the start of the Coptic new year and its first month, Thout."

Now I think it a good thing to reflect upon the verses I quoted as my lead-in. Some feel it wrong to reverence the dead. But those who belong to God, as Jesus declares to the Sadducees, are not truly "dead." All Christians are united to each other by the Spirit of God, the Giver of Life. While they are departed from this world, we are still a single family, the one Body of Christ.

That said, the Bible does emphatically refer to all believers as sancti, "holy ones," "hallows," "saints." While I believe commemoration of the dead is good and healthy, reminding us at once that we too must prepare ourselves for our exit of this life, while also reminding us that death is not the end but the beginning, and nothing to be feared -- and also giving those who mourn a solemn outlet for their grief -- it is also worthwhile to see All Hallows as a tribute to all Christians, living as well as dead, and the victory of our Master Christ in bringing us together.

Finally, I would like to point out that the Bible supports the idea that people can come to know and love God after death. "Because Christ also died once for sins ... put to death in the flesh, but enlivened in spirit -- in which also coming, He preached to those spirits in prison, who aforetime had been unbelievers." (I Peter 3:18-20 AVP) So the number of saints may be far greater than we realise.

May God bless you all. ^^

Finally got around to properly updating my profile. I made a quick patch when I came to realise that I identified as non-binary, leaning towards feminine, but now it is properly updated and more "in line" with my adult gallery.

Initially Andrea, my "new" fursona, was created to host my adult gallery. But in daring to make her I realised that she was me far more than "Flammifleure" -- who since evolved into Boniface, now a secondary fursona representing my male side. Once I made the connexion with Andrea, I decided to abandon the idea of different fursonas "running" different galleries -- Andrea is who I am, and I wish for no such separation between the different spheres of my writing.

During my prolonged absence, among other things, I have been working on development of a high fantasy setting that I hope will be the stage for numerous "cycles." For the foreseeable future, this gallery's main purpose will be to host lore and character profiles for that setting -- Eden -- as well as little vignettes that I do not mind sharing for free.

"Thy flashing lightnings illumined the globe of earth."
~ introit to the Mass of the Transfiguration, form Psalm 76:19

Today is the feast of the Transfiguration, when Jesus took His closest companions up with Him onto a mountain, and was changed before them well He spoke with two leading prophets from ancient history.

To be honest I was caught completely off-guard by this, and have nothing prepared. Rather than trying to scrape somehting together, I will just offer a brief a opinion, and then quote the text from my own translation of the Gospel of Matthew.

The purpose of the vision was, I believe, to give hope. First to the Apostles who witnessed it, to fortify them during the upcoming trials of Jesus' arrest and crucifixion. But also for those who came later -- such as ourselves -- it was recorded to gave us a foretaste of Heaven, a promise that we too are destined to be transfigured and glorified in our flesh with the angels and prophets; provided we hear the Voice of our Lord.

And after six days Jesus took unto Himself Peter and James, and John his brother; and led them separately into a towering mountain. And He was transfigured before them: and His face shone resplendent as the Sun; and His garments became white as snow. And lo, there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking with Him.

Then Peter responding said to Jesus: "O Lord! It is good for us to be here; let us -- if Thou wilt -- make here three tents; one for Thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias --"

Then even as he spoke, behold a shining cloud overshadowed them; and lo, a Voice from the cloud, saying: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased: Hearken ye to Him." And hearing it, the disciples collapsed upon their faces and feared exceedingly.

And Jesus came nigh and touched them, and said to them: "Rise, and be not afraid." And they, lifting up their eyes, saw no-one except Jesus, alone.

And as they were coming down from the mountain, Jesus ordered them, saying, "Tell the vision to no-one, until the Son of Man is risen again from the dead."
(Matthew 17:1-9)

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and make His countenance to shine upon you. ^^

Just a little tribute to one of my patron saints, Theodora, who rose from the position of actress and courtesan to become Empress of the Roman (Byzantine) Empire as consort to her husband, Justinian I.

She is considered a saint by both the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox traditions. Among her achievements were promoting women's rights, directly helping poor women, influencing her husband to religious tolerance (the Empire was split by strife between the Orthodox and Miaphysite -- Oriental Orthodox -- factions), and having the Hagia Sophia built.

She is also credited with inspiring her husband to face and quell a rebellion, saying that it was better to die as emperor than live as a coward; "the purple makes an excellent shroud." Although she predeceased him, his love for her was such that he continued to pursue the policies she inspired after her death. (Justinian I is also considered a saint.)

"I am come to cast fire upon the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?"

Haaaappy Pentecost everyone!

Pentecost began as a Jewish holy day, the Feast of Weeks, celebrated fifty days after Passover -- pentekoste meaning "fiftieth" in Greek, and the Feast of Weeks (Shavuot) being see referred to in Greek Jewish texts. It was while commemorating this festival that the gathered disciples of Jesus received the Holy Ghost, as described in Acts 2.

The figures used to describe the manifestation of the Holy Spirit here are wind, and fire. Wind is often used of the Holy Spirit not so much because He is invisible, like wind; but because He is the source of life, and breath is symbolic of life. Hence indeed the word for "soul" in many languages is linked to that for breath or wind -- anima, spiritus, ghost/Geist, pneuma, chi/qi.

In the beginning, God bestowed on man a living soul. However, the life of this soul came from God, as John states in the prologue to his gospel. So when man turned from God, he lost the source of this life, leading to it gradually fading away, leaving a "dead" soul and a dead body. Pentecost then marks the beginning of the restoration of this life, as the Spirit of God is joined to our souls in Baptism, comforting them with the prospect of the Resurrection in which the life-giving Spirit will reunite them with their bodies in eternal bliss.

Fire, on the other hand -- fire is heat and light. It also can be said to represent life, but more specifically the passion of life. The ardour of God for His creatures, His burning desire to unite with them and glorify them. As Jesus says in my quote, it is His desire to kindle this fire also in mankind, that we too should love ourselves and our neighbours, recognising our goodness and desiring to see it blaze brightly, unimpeded by fear or malice.

Arise; shine forth, O Jerusalem! For thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee! For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and fog shall cover the people; but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen in thee."
Isaias 60:1-2

"Ye are the light of the world. A city set upon a mountain cannot be hidden; neither do folk light a lamp and place it under a bushel-basket, but upon a lampstand, that it may give light to all who are in the house. Thus let your light shine before mankind, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

We are, each of us, the city that God loves; the dwelling where He wishes to make His abode. It is His passionate to restore us from whatever misery we find ourselves in, that our glory may reflect His glory.

"For as much as thou wert abandoned and hated, and there was none who passed through thee: so shall I set thee as the pride of the ages, as gladness unto generation upon generation."
Isaiaas 60:15

Final note, Pentecost closes out the Easter season, though I believe Eastertide continues throughout the octave (inclusion of Trinity Sunday). The rest of the liturgical year comprises the Season After Pentecost, liturgically focused on the present -- the season of the world in which we are to spread the fire of God's love, and warm the hearts of our fellow men with good news.

May God bless and keep you, and kindle in your lives the fire of His love!

Ascension Thursday, 2021
"O ye men of Galilee, what do ye marvel at, gazing at the sky?" (Acts 1:11)

Today is Ascension Day, the completion of Christ's life on Earth. Having completed His mission, He returns to Heaven, so that His disciples can grow and learn (with the help of the Holy Ghost) to stand on their own feet.

I will briefly state that I wonder that anybody should suppose that "Heaven" in the theological sense is located in the sky. Of course, Jesus rose into the sky; what else would He do? We naturally associate the sky with the gods, because both are "superior" to us. But even as I child I understood that "Heaven" was a different dimension -- or better, plane of existence -- and that at some point Jesus passed through a portal from the material heaven to the Kingdom of Heaven.

However, as soon as I translated today's quote, what struck me was the humour of the Bible. Many -- far too many -- translations are stiff, overly formal, even sour. I am reminded of a Monty Python clip a friend recently shared, where God says that the Psalms are depressing. To which I can only say they've never read the actual Psalms -- only the distorted English versions.

No indeed, the Bible is bursting with life and the praise of life, and much of the New Testament is filled with humour -- if you want to see it. And why not? God and the angels love us, but they surely are amused by our childish antics. So here I imagine the angel laughingly chiding the disciples for gaping at the clouds -- perhaps for making the same babyish mistake I mentioned above. The clouds aren't going to do you guys any good, go about your business.

Easter Sunday and Eastertide

"On the third day the friends of Christ coming at day-break to the place found the grave empty and the stone rolled away. In varying ways they realised the new wonder; but even they hardly realised that the world had died in the night. What they were looking at was the first day of a new creation, with a new heaven and a new earth; and in a semblance of the gardener God walked again in the garden, in the cool not of the evening but of the dawn."
~ G. K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man

Happy Easter! After today I can take a break from writing these. xD

Easter is, with Christmas, one of the two great feasts of the Christian faith. It is an event that sets Christianity apart from other religions. For most religious, they deal either with a remote mythical past or with universal truths. Christianity, however, makes an outrageous claim -- that a man was God Incarnate, and that to prove this he came back to life after being executed. It is not proposed as a parable or myth, but as an historical event, the be believed in -- or rejected -- based on the testimony of the historical record.

"And if Christ be not risen again, then is our preaching vain: and your faith is also vain." (I Cor. 15:14)

Without the truth of this event, there is no point in calling oneself Christian; St. Paul assures of that. But the entire meaning of the event may not be appreciated: Christ rises in the flesh, and resumes living -- eating, talking, travelling. It is a promise that Heaven is not some ethereal, "spiritual" utopia, but the renewal -- the reinvigoration -- and perfection of the life we know. Our bodies shall be transformed, in ways we can scarce imagine, though I believe we can expect to reflect what we wish; but we will still be enfleshed.

When this will be we do not know. In the meantime we must still deal with the ignorance and suffering that are the consequences of evil. But at the same time, the Kingodm of God is at hand, already present to lift up our hearts and make our burdens light with the knowledge that God loves us and the hope that, after the travail of this life and its mortal end, we shall rise again with Christ unto immortality.

About the date of Easter there can be no doubt, as it is intrinsically linked to the Jewish feast of Passover. Yet I fancy God chose this date, so to bless the springtide of the north and comfort the winter of the south with the promise of spring. As the earth is renewed in the spring, so was the whole Earth renewed by the Resurrection, looking forward to the final renewal.

"Each Sunday of the season is treated as a Sunday of Easter." (Wikipedia entry on Eastertide) Strictly speaking, o course, every Sunday is a little Easter -- that's why most Christians observe it as the "new sabbath", to commemorate the New Creation just as the old Sabbath commemorated the old Creation. But, as with Christmas, the Easter season is an extension of the holiday. I hope the exultation of this day remains with us throughout the season, which ends on Pentecost.

Until then. <3

"My courage is withered, dry as baked clay, and my tongue cleaveth to my palate; and Thou hast dragged me down to the dust of death.
For the hounds have surrounded me, a great pack…
Save me from out of the lion's mouth; and my lowliness from the horns of the unicorns!"

For Good Friday, I thought I would comment on Psalm 21*, one of my favourites, which is quoted by Jesus form the cross and prophesies of the Crucifixion.

As to why it's so special to me, the lines above show why. The imagery of fox-hunting has long haunted me, considering I identify as a fox, and when I first saw these lines, that is immediately what I thought of. And since the psalm is applied to Jesus, I have since always pictured Him as a fox, exhausted, torn, dust in His coat as He tries lays half-braced on his forelegs, where ringed by dogs and behind them, in shadow, unicorns with eyes and horns shining with malice -- representing the elite who condemned Him, and their servants -- and behind them still the fallen angels.

Now, I recently discovered in translating Jerome's Vulgate that the Hebrew title of the psalm is "For the Victor: For the Morning Stag." And I can respect that imagery as well, stags being quarry as much as foxes. But I will obviously always cherish the image of Jesus as a fox. I believe, as He is all things to all people, we all may imagine Him in the way that is most meaningful, and nothing could bring Him closer than seeing Him as my own therian self.

And yes, I daresay the original psalm meant the rhinoceros. But I prefer the image of the fantasy unicorn as the opponent of the hunted, because they symbolise beauty, purity, goodness -- all the qualities which the leaders of God's people should have had, which they perverted. And honestly, I find beauty turned to evil to be far more heart-piercing than size or strength.

And finally, yes, this is a "Song for the Victor." For while it begins "My God, why hast Thou abandoned me?" as the poet in the person of the hunted deer -- or fox -- questions why God let him come to this state, in the end God does hear his plea, snatching him away at the last minute from the hunters, and ends by declaring that he shall praise God for His compassion and teach all following generations to do likewise.

So I commend it to the furry fandom for its rich animal imagery, and without prejudice to those animals hunting the speaker -- Jesus died forgiving His enemies, and that all creatures might be reconciled together in Him.

*Psalm 22 in many modern Bibles, following the division used in Hebrew; I follow the Septuagint's numbering. The verses I translated myself, blending the rendering St. Jerome gives of the Hebrew and Greek versions.

Palm Sunday and Holy Week, 2021
"And when he had entered Jerusalem, the entire city was shaken, saying, 'Who is this man?'"

Most are, I suppose, familiar with palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, though not perhaps every detail. For instance, this comes right on the hells of His raising Lazarus, which infuriating the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin, who refused to believe the miracle, blaming the credulity of the ignorant mob, and planning to kill both Jesus and Lazarus to put an end to the madness.

Or the voice that St. John records coming from Heaven, which the people heard -- though seemingly did not understand -- regarding it as thunder or an angel.

At any rate, this is Jesus' due; as rightful heir to the earthly throne of Israel, as head of the human race, and as God Incarnate. But, presuming it is true that riding a donkey symbolised peace, it is a singular tragedy that nobody noticed it at the time. For everybody expected Jesus to begin an insurrection, drive out the Romans, and proceed to conquer the world -- or, in the case of the elite, begin an insurrection which the Romans would crush and wipe out the Jews in the process.

But, as Jesus explains repeatedly, that is not His plan. His goal is to bring God to men, and men to God, healing the rift between heaven and earth. Not only can violence not accomplish that, the political world as a whole has nothing to do with it -- the best that princes and presidents, senates and parliaments can do is get out of the way. What a pity it took Christians so very long to learn that -- nay, some have yet to learn it.

This is also the first day of Holy Week, the crisis of world history in the Christian view. God fights Satan, "prince of the world" due to men turning their back on love, and the forces of evil seem to prevail at first through the use of violence, but love prevails in the end as it is stronger than death. The week has a number of observances to commemorate different points in the struggle:

- Spy Wednesday: Commemorating the anointing of Jesus by Mary (presumed to be Mary Magdalen) while Judas Iscariot agrees to hand him voer to the Sanhedrin
- Maundy Thursday: Commemorating the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist; the name is a corruption of mandatum, the Latin for "command(ment)," from Jesus" reiteration of the need for love and gracious care impelled by love.
- Good Friday: The paradox of Christianity, the death of God and the triumph of Christ, remembering with mourning, and knowing that all mourning will end.
- Holy Saturday: A day of reflection, as the tragedy has played out and we wait for what Tolkien termed the eucatastrophe -- the unexpected stroke that turns despair into hope and anguish into passionate joy.

Feast of the Annunciation, 2021
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived of the Holy Ghost.

Happy Lady's Day.~

Today marks the Feast of the Annuntiation; that is, the announcement from Gabriel to Mary that she had been chosen to be the mother of God the Son, and her acceptance and Jesus' subsequent conception. It falls nine months before Christmas -- March 25 - December 25 -- because that is the interval of pregnancy. Whether the date of the Annunciation determined the date of Christmas; or Christmas determined the date of the Annunciation; or both actually do reflect reality; is now not truly knowable, and not of importance.

The name (Our) Lady's Day presumably is due to it being the oldest major holy day associated with Mary, at least in English. It is, by Wikipedia, very old, always having been observed on March 25 since the earliest records. Apparently, there were a number of beliefs entwined around this date -- that it was the date of Jesus' death, and that a prophet was supposed to die the same day as either his birth or conception. Also it was believed that the spring equinox coincided with God's creation of the world; hence also He began His renewal of creation on the same date.

That is more noteworthy to me, as it is the purpose of liturgical time, to reintegrate heaven and earth in our daily lives. Thus, while the Church calendar begins with Advent, this marks another beginning, a second chance if you will to make a fresh start and accept God's Word into yourself after the example of Our Lady.

In closing, I note something that saddens me. I have a liturgical calendar according to the rite I am observing, the revision of the Tridentine Rite of 1962. According to that calendar, the celebration of the Annunciation, despite being one of the primary feasts of the Church, does not take precedence over the Lenten fast. This to me a grievous error -- I do not mean on the part of the calendar, which I think is correctly printed; but on the part of the Church that set the rules, and it is the worse for being deeply entrenched.

That is, the error that Christianity is primarily about suffering, ascetism and self-affliction. This is not so; Christianity is to be a religion of happiness, of great merriment, a perpetual wedding-feast, for as it is written "we have the Bridegroom with us." This is not to deny the value of fasting, but should be a temporary exercise, a practice to be used as seems good for us.

For "sufficient to the day are the evils thereof;" Christians need not go adding hardships to their lives in a misguided attempt at "mortification." Our primary business is to rejoice, and to show our happiness to the world, that others may also enter the feast of love and rejoice in the bounty of God.

While I believe each should choose for himself whether to observe Lent or the feast of the Annunciation (and I'm so late it kind of doesn't matter >< ), I would encourage the observance of the feast. For if Lent and Passiontide represent the ills of the world, the Annunciation very appropriately represents God coming into the world to heal those ills and so lift our spirits.

Last year, I started a thread on Furs For Christ to share thoughts on the Church's calendar claled "Living in Liturgical Time." As I explained there, the liturgical calendar helps us integrate the natural world and our everyday lives with our faith. Which I think is the more important as I think Christianity has, in the West, become more and more of an abstraction.

Since the FFC website is currently down, I decided to start posting here. And might keep posting here even after it's back up; so I hope any non-Christian followers I might acquire can put up with it.

Also, this is late. Passiontide starts on Passion Sunday, or I presume sundown on the previous Saturday; and now it would be, liturgically, Wednesday. ><

Now, Passiontide, the two weeks of Passion Week and Holy Week, is the season of deepest mourning for the Church, the third and final stage of the Lenten cycle that begins with Septuagesima, and the ultimate rup up to the cataclysm of Good Friday. Statues and other religious imagery are veiled (in accordance with the traditional Gospel of Passion Sunday, in which Jesus "hid himself" from the Sanhedrin's guards); the Gloria is no longer said in the Introit. Ritually the church is commemmorating the death of God, and the sins and errors that led to it, and still lead to it figuratively: that is, the killing of God's love on earth by greed, malice and arrogance. (And just plain ignorance.)

Incidentally this year the Feast of the Annunciation falls during Passiontide, so I'll (hopefully) be making another post soon.