Podcasts about Gehenna

In this episode, I sit down with Benjamin Guerry - guitarist, vocalist and founding member of The Great Old Ones - at Fortress Festival 2025 for a discussion of their latest album, “Kadath”, French black metal, his love of H.P. Lovecraft and his perspective on who reigns supreme as the greatest metal frontman of them all. Then, on the weekly news rant I give you my verdict on new singles by Lord Belial, Biohazard, Abigail Williams, Nailed to Obscurity, and Till Lindemann.  I also answer your questions, including my top 5 favourite releases of 2025 so far, my ideal retirement (!) and the albums I'm most looking forward to for the remainder of the year.  PLUS: the black metal album cover that's got every man, woman and their dogs' attention, and a follow-up to last week's comments about My Dying Bride.   Please support the bands featured on this clip The Great Old Ones: https://thegreatoldones.bandcamp.com/   Warhammer 666: https://warhammer666kult.bandcamp.com/  Gehenna:  https://gehennadarknessshallrise.bandcamp.com/      Subscribe for weekly black and death metal interviews, news rants, and track reviews! Follow me on X, Instagram and Facebook, and check out the other podcasts by the Horsemen Of the Podcasting Apocalypse:  Horrorwolf 666, Iblis Manifestations, Everything Went Black, Necromaniacs and The Sol Nox Podcast.

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 5:27-32 - Jesus said to His disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church Saint Anthony, pray for us! Bishop Sheen quote of the day DO NOT counterprotest this Saturday, 14 June 2025, at the 1,500 locations planned by the marxist leftists 2, 3, 4) Sam Shamoun on everything you ever wanted to know about Islam, Part 2

Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Matthew 5:20-26 - Jesus said to His disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven." You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny." Bishop Sheen quote of the day 2, 3) Father Juan Gutierrez on a miraculous healing that occurred to him 4) Leftist violence planned for the 14 June 2025 anti-ICE "We Don't Do Kings protests"

Gospel Matthew 5:27-32 Jesus said to his disciples: "You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. "It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” Reflection This is one of those passages that talks about the difference between the law and being one who follows the law, or being someone who has the integrity of the law within their heart, and they don't have to worry about what the rules are, but they just simply know what they need to do. They understood it. That's the heart of this passage, I believe. If you have integrity, if you have the spirit in you animating you, you will do the right thing. Closing Prayer Father, we tend to lean upon our logic or our own capacity to make ourselves do what we're supposed to do. And that's not in any way, shape or form what God has established as his kingdom. We're transformed people, we're different, we are awakened to a reality that is now the heart of who we are. Bless us with this gift and we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesus said to his disciples:"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.But I say to you,everyone who looks at a woman with lusthas already committed adultery with her in his heart.If your right eye causes you to sin,tear it out and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.And if your right hand causes you to sin,cut it off and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body go into Gehenna."It was also said,Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you,whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)causes her to commit adultery,and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Mt 5:27-32Jesus said to his disciples:"You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery.But I say to you,everyone who looks at a woman with lusthas already committed adultery with her in his heart.If your right eye causes you to sin,tear it out and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.And if your right hand causes you to sin,cut it off and throw it away.It is better for you to lose one of your membersthan to have your whole body go into Gehenna."It was also said,Whoever divorces his wife must give her a bill of divorce.But I say to you,whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful)causes her to commit adultery,and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Read OnlineIf your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body go into Gehenna. Matthew 5:29–30This imagery of tearing out your eye and cutting off your hand is clearly meant to get our attention. Though we can be certain that Jesus is not actually suggesting we mutilate our bodies, we should not hesitate to prayerfully ponder this imagery so as to understand the truths Jesus is speaking.Saint Augustine, in reflecting upon this passage, states: “By the eye we must understand our most cherished friend…” Augustine further points out that Jesus specifically mentions the “right eye” as a way of denoting those friendships that have a “higher degree of affection” (Serm. in Mont. i. 13.). Thus, although friendship—especially very close friendship—is a gift, sometimes those close to us can become a source of sin or an occasion of sin. In that case, they are not truly friends, and it might be better to limit or even end that relationship rather than to allow it to lead us into sin.Think about the people in your own life. Though we must love all people with the love of God, friendship is more than love. Friendship establishes a special bond with another and opens you up to their presence and influence in your life. When you establish a friendship, you allow another a certain influence in your life. When that influence is good, then the friendship produces much good fruit. But when that influence is evil, then that friendship becomes a danger to the good of your soul. In that case, it may need to be torn out or cut off so that you are not drawn into serious sin or even the occasion of sin.When a friend in your life becomes an occasion of sin to you, your love for them must remain, but it must also change. Love, in this case, may take on the form of a loving rebuke, a withdrawal of your own heart, or a limiting of your interactions. But this is love. By analogy, when a person sins against God, their relationship with God also changes. God withdraws His friendship. He is less present to the person, and their internal communion diminishes or even ends when the sin is serious. This is not a lack of love on God's part; it is simply the effect of sin. So also in our relations with another, when the grace of God is not mutually given and received between two people, then friendship in the truest sense is not possible. True friendship is always centered in God's grace and dependent upon it. Therefore, when God is excluded from a relationship, that relationship must change from a true friendship to a relationship that imitates God's love for a sinner. Mercy, compassion and forgiveness must continually be offered, but interior communion and unity will end. But this is love.Reflect, today, upon those in your life whom God has given you to love. First, reflect upon those relationships that do have God at the center. These relationships will become true friendships and will produce an abundance of good fruit in your life. Rejoice in these friendships and give thanks to God for them. Second, reflect upon any relationship that does not bear good fruit. As you do, prayerfully consider how you approach that relationship. Do you attempt to maintain a “friendship” even though God is not able to be the center of that relationship? If so, ponder how God is calling you to change that relationship so that it more fully reflects the love God has for you and for that other person in your life.My Lord and true Friend, I thank You for loving me with a perfect love. I pray that I will always be open to that love so that my unity with You will ever deepen. I also pray that I will be an instrument of Your love to others. Please give me the grace to love everyone in my life in the way that You love them, nothing less and nothing more. Jesus, I trust in You.Image:  El Salvador beneint by Lluís Ribes Mateu, license CC BY-NC 2.0Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. "You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Reflection One of the ways in which I love to talk about the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, is that it is a kind of resonance, a kind of energy that flows out of us. And nothing is more clear in terms of the intention of Jesus that we enter into a kingdom called the kingdom of understanding and compassion and forgiveness. That we recognize one another as partners in this work, and that we all fail. And how wrong it is to start picking at each other and blaming each other for mistakes that are made and not understanding we all share the same human nature and the same struggles. Why call a brother a fool when all of us are at times foolish? Closing Prayer Father, you tell us over and over again that you can awaken in us an intention. And it overrides the common experience we have with one another when we are critical and judgmental and demeaning to one another because of weaknesses. Just give us the strength we need to be more honest and more real. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesus said to his disciples:"I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses thatof the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven."You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment,and whoever says to his brother,Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,and there recall that your brotherhas anything against you,leave your gift there at the altar,go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,and the judge will hand you over to the guard,and you will be thrown into prison.Amen, I say to you,you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

+ Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 5: 20 – 26Jesus said to his disciples,“I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”The Gospel of the Lord

Mt 5:20-26Jesus said to his disciples:"I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses thatof the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven."You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment,and whoever says to his brother,Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,and there recall that your brotherhas anything against you,leave your gift there at the altar,go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him.Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,and the judge will hand you over to the guard,and you will be thrown into prison.Amen, I say to you,you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

Greg trash-talks about Gehenna.  Episode 1275 Greg's new book: Inspired Imperfection Dan's new book: Confident Humility Send Questions To: Dan: @thatdankent Twitter: @reKnewOrg Facebook: ReKnew Email: askgregboyd@gmail.com Links: Greg's book:"Crucifixion of the Warrior God" Website: ReKnew.org  

Read Online“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.” Matthew 5:21–22The passage quoted above gives us three deepening levels of sin that we commit against another. These sins were new teachings not contained in the Old Testament. By this teaching, Jesus' call to radical holiness and love of neighbor is made very clear.The first level of sin is simply to be “angry” interiorly. The sin of anger is an interior attitude of disgust toward another. Jesus says that the consequence of having anger toward another is that you will be “liable to judgment.” The second level of sin is when you say to another “Raqa.” This Aramaic word is difficult to translate but would include some form of expression of one's anger toward another. It would be a derogatory way of saying to another that they are unintelligent or inferior. The third level of sin Jesus identifies is when you call another “fool.” This word is an even stronger expression of Raqa and would be a verbal criticism of them, indicating that the person is a lost soul in a moral sense. It's a strong moral condemnation of another that is expressed.So, do you struggle with anger? Jesus' calling to freedom from all levels of this sin is a high one. There are many times in life when our passion of anger is stirred up for one reason or another, and that passion leads to one of these levels of sin. It's a common temptation to want to condemn another with whom you are angry in the strongest way possible. It's important to understand that this new teaching of Jesus is truly not a burden when understood and embraced. At first, it can seem that these laws of our Lord against anger are negative. That's because lashing out at another gives a false sense of satisfaction, and these commands of our Lord, in a sense, “rob” us of that satisfaction. It can be a depressing thought to think about the moral obligation to forgive to the point that disordered anger disappears. But is it depressing? Is this law of our Lord a burden?The deep truth is that what Jesus teaches us in this passage is, in many ways, more for our own good than that of others. Our anger toward another, be it interior, verbally critical or all-out condemning, can be hurtful toward the person with whom we are angry, but the damage these forms of anger do is far worse for us than them. Being angry, even interiorly, even if we put on a happy face, does great damage to our soul and our ability to be united to God. For that reason, it is not this new law of our Lord regarding anger that is the burden, it is the anger itself that is a heavy burden and a burden from which Jesus wants you free.Reflect, today, upon the sin of anger. As you do, try to see your disordered anger as the real enemy rather than the person with whom you are angry. Pray to our Lord to free you from this enemy of the soul and seek the freedom that He wants to bestow.My merciful Lord, You call us to perfect freedom from all that burdens us. Anger burdens us. Help me to see the burden that my anger imposes upon me and help me to seek true freedom through the act of forgiveness and reconciliation. Please forgive me, dear Lord, as I forgive all who have hurt me. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Fra Angelico, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Thursday, 5 June 2025   Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. Matthew 10:29   “Not are sold two sparrows – assarion? And one from them, not it will fall upon the earth without your Father” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus instructed the apostles not to fear those who can kill the body but not the soul. Instead, they were told to fear Him who is able to destroy both in Gehenna. Now, as words of encouragement to them, He says, “Not are sold two sparrows – assarion?”   The strouthion, sparrow, is first mentioned here. The word is a diminutive that signifies a little bird, but especially the sparrow. Alfred Edersheim supposes that what Jesus is referring to may be the birds used in purification noted in Leviticus 14 –   “Then he shall kill one of the birds in an earthen vessel over running water; 51 and he shall take the cedar wood, the hyssop, the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times. 52 And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird and the running water and the living bird, with the cedar wood, the hyssop, and the scarlet. 53 Then he shall let the living bird loose outside the city in the open field, and make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.” Leviticus 14:50-53   As for the price, the assarion was a small Roman coin of little value, like our penny today. It was equal to a tenth of a drachma. The point, then, is that two little birds were sold for almost nothing in the markets of Israel. Despite this, Jesus continues, “And one from them, not it will fall upon the earth without your Father.”   Jesus uses the word aneu. It is related to the negative particle a and carries the sense of “without,” as in apart from or without the knowledge of. Little birds of little value in the markets are still known intimately by the Father. Jesus will continue His words so that we understand why He has said this right after the words He just said in the previous verse.   Life application: How often the God of the Bible is considered a hateful ogre by people of the world. They hear words of judgment and condemnation, and they immediately place themselves in opposition to Him, as if He has no right to judge that which offends His perfection.   People accuse God of not caring when a friend, brother, child, or even a dog dies. And yet, it is understood by all that everything dies. Why is God to blame if one person dies before another? Isn't there a set time for all things?   But when something personally offends our sensibilities or harms our relationships, God is suddenly to blame, and He is castigated as an unfair, unloving, and uncaring Creator. Because of this, people claim that they don't believe in the God that they have come to hate. How unclear in thought is that!   But the Bible teaches that God created. If He did, it was for a reason. A simple look around at the majesty and beauty of the creation tells us that God cares about what He has done. Every need has a fulfillment, even if it is unattainable at times. Things work logically and harmoniously.   And for the things that are broken, like man lost in sin, the Bible tells us that God is working through a plan to correct these things. God is not incompetent, as many claim. The common question is, “If God is good, why is there evil in the world?” It is as if God must remove evil right now in order to be good. Thank goodness that is not the case! If it was, we would be removed ... right now.   Rather, God is using the evil in our world to accomplish a good purpose. As this is true, then the answer to the question is, “God will remove the evil. He just has not done it yet.” This is what the Bible proclaims will come to pass.   As this is so, those who don't come to God in the manner He has laid out will remain in a state of evil. Now, whose fault is it when they are eternally removed from Him? God has sent His Son into the world to make all things new. In rejecting the Son, the “new things” are, by default, rejected.   Be sure to help people to think clearly. If the world has evil, we are a part of that evil. If evil is to be removed, it must be removed from us, or we must be removed from God. He has given us the choice. Let us think wisely and soberly about our situation before God.   Lord God, how grateful we are to You for having sent Jesus to redeem us from this world of sin and death. We know that these things will continue and that we will suffer heartache and loss until the day You come for us. Help us to work through these trying times, trusting in You and holding fast to Your promises in the meantime. Amen.  

Wednesday, 4 June 2025   And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28   “And you fear not from those killing the body, and the soul not being able to kill. But more you fear the ‘being able also soul and body to destroy in Gehenna'” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His apostles, “What I tell you in the darkness, you speak in the light, and what to the ear you hear, proclaim upon the roofs!” He now continues with this line of instruction, beginning with, “And you fear not from those killing the body, and the soul not being able to kill.”   Jesus introduces a new word, apokteinó, to kill outright. Figuratively, it means to destroy or put to death. It is derived from apo, from, and kteinó, to kill. Thus, it is more forceful than the word kill. Despite that, English translations generally say kill, not making a distinction between the words.   The words of Jesus, even without being finished, provide the hope of life beyond this earthly life. Otherwise, if the body died, the soul would die too. As Jesus is the promised One of God, His words then refute the doctrine of the Sadducees, who claimed there is no resurrection (Matthew 22:23, Acts 23:8).   Either this would be the case, or the soul that lived after the body would be forever separated from the body, something the Bible doesn't teach. As such, their doctrine was completely unscriptural.   Jesus told the apostles to boldly herald His instruction using the idea of proclaiming it from the housetops to make the point poignant. However, His words now are intended for them to understand that there may be consequences for this. Those who hear may be upset to the point that they would come after them and kill them for their words.   Despite this, and even if this were the case, the soul would remain alive, even with the body in a state of death. Understanding this, He next says, “But more you fear the ‘being able also soul and body to destroy in Gehenna.'”   Throughout the church age, these words have been fretted over by mushy scholars who cannot fathom that God would send someone to destruction, failing to realize that the God of the New Testament is the same God of the Old Testament. The coming of Jesus changes nothing in His nature.   Rather, Jesus was sent to save men, but not all men will be saved. The words clearly point to this fact. What would be the point of the apostles going forth to obtain converts if nobody were to face Gehenna? It would mean that those who received their message would be on the same footing as those who rejected it and killed them.   To get around this, these misdirected souls say that the words are speaking not of God but of the devil, as if the devil has the power to destroy those who are not saved by God. This would only move God back one step from the destruction process as He is ultimately in control of all things.   Or it would mean that God is actually not in control of all things and unable to save the souls He sent Jesus into the world to save. It would mean that God's plan for redeeming humanity was only partially effective.   In Job, Satan was prohibited from taking Job's life, demonstrating that God is even in control of that part of the equation. In the New Testament, we are implored to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11), be sober and vigilant when considering the devil (1 Peter 5:8), and resist the devil (James 4:7).   Hebrews 2:14 says that the devil holds the power of death. This is true. Man fell because of the work of the devil. In that act, sin entered the world and death through sin (Romans 5:12). Life terminating in death is the default state of man. But the devil has no power beyond that.   Rather, the word says in James 4:12 that there is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. In Revelation 20:10, the devil is cast into the Lake of Fire. Only after that does it say that Death and Hades were cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:14) and that anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:15).   Clearly, Jesus' words here are referring to God in judgment against unrepentant man (see Revelation 21:8). The devil does not possess this power. Rather, he only holds the power of death over those who are not redeemed. Jesus, having prevailed over death, has secured eternal life and freedom from death for those who are saved through Him.   As such, we are not to fear those who can kill our bodies but not our souls. We are to fear God, who alone has the ability to destroy body and soul. Additionally, the words here, when rightly considered, confirm the doctrine of free will. There are those who will accept the word and those who will reject it. Otherwise, what would be the point of the apostles sharing the word in the first place?   Life application: Although this verse in Matthew doesn't specifically explain if there is eternal punishment or not, the Bible makes it clear that God doesn't just throw people into the Lake of Fire where they are incinerated and terminated (the doctrine of annihilationism).   Rather, the Bible explains elsewhere that hell is eternal. This is not intended to “scare people into heaven.” Rather, it is a truth that the Bible proclaims. Focusing too much on hell causes one to miss the wonder of God's grace found in the giving of His Son for us.   We are not saved to go to heaven, we are saved from our default position, which is condemnation (John 3:18, etc.). Heaven is a result of being saved by God through the precious blood of Jesus Christ. Tell people today about the grace of God that has redirected human souls to the glorious path of life and restoration! Tell people about Jesus!   Lord God, how grateful we are to You for Your wonderful plan of salvation through the giving of Christ Jesus to redeem us to Yourself. We stand in awe of what You have done. Forever and ever we will praise You for the marvel and majesty of Jesus Christ our Lord. Halleluiah and Amen.

Death is humanity's greatest fear, but Christians have a profound reason for hope. This message explores the often-overlooked truth that Jesus descended to Hades after His crucifixion, not as a captive but as a conqueror. Learn why the phrase 'He descended into hell' in the Apostles' Creed is significant and how this moment marks the definitive defeat of death. Discover the biblical evidence for this victory, including the earthquake that shook the foundations of the earth, the tombs that opened, and the saints who were raised to life. This teaching clarifies the difference between Hades (the place of the dead) and Gehenna (hell), explaining how Jesus' descent demonstrates the incredible depths of His love for humanity. Find out why believers can face mortality without fear, how baptism connects us to Christ's death and resurrection, and practical ways to live in the freedom of knowing death has been defeated. Perfect for anyone struggling with fear of death, questions about the afterlife, or seeking deeper understanding of Christ's complete victory.

Why do purgatory and hell exist? The Catechism teaches us today about the existence and the meaning of purgatory and hell. We learn that purgatory is a transitional state of purification while hell is the state of permanent separation from God. Fr. Mike reminds us that nobody drifts into heaven because “we cannot be united to God unless we freely choose to love him.” Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 1030-1037. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Welcome back to the podcast! Join us today as we talk about eternity. Eternity is not just a vague spiritual concept—it's a concrete reality taught throughout Scripture. Everyone will spend eternity somewhere, and the Bible gives us a clear roadmap to understand what happens after we die.--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --How Eternity Works: A Biblical Breakdown of the AfterlifeEternity is not a vague hope—it's a concrete reality. Every human being will live forever in one of two places, and the Bible tells us everything we need to know about what happens after we die. Let's walk through what Scripture reveals about the nature of the afterlife, judgment, and how to prepare for the day we take our final breath.Understanding the Biblical Concept of the Afterlife1. Sheol and Hades: The Temporary Realm of the DeadIn the Old Testament, Sheol is described as the “realm of the dead”—a shadowy place where both the righteous and unrighteous awaited judgment. In Greek, the word used is Hades. Jesus gives us a vivid picture of this realm in Luke 16:19-31, telling the story of a rich man in torment and a poor man named Lazarus resting in “Abraham's bosom.”“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead.” (Luke 16:22-23 NLT)This story reveals three key features of Sheol:A place of torment for the unrighteousA place of comfort for the righteousA great chasm separating the two, uncrossable after death (Luke 16:26)Peter refers to another compartment—Tartarus—a gloomy prison for fallen angels awaiting judgment (2 Peter 2:4). This concept shows the complexity of the pre-resurrection afterlife.2. Jesus Changes Everything: The Cross and the Empty TombAfter His death, Jesus didn't just remain in the grave—He descended to the realm of the dead. He told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)Peter writes that Jesus “preached to the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19), and Paul echoes that Jesus “led a crowd of captives” to Heaven (Ephesians 4:8). Paradise was emptied and relocated—those who had died in faith now dwell directly in God's presence.“We are... willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8)Today, believers go straight to be with Jesus. Hades remains only as a place of waiting for the unrighteous dead.3. Gehenna: The Final Destination of JudgmentThe term Gehenna—used frequently by Jesus—refers to the Valley of Hinnom, a site associated with...

Welcome back to the podcast! Join us today as we talk about eternity. Eternity is not just a vague spiritual concept—it's a concrete reality taught throughout Scripture. Everyone will spend eternity somewhere, and the Bible gives us a clear roadmap to understand what happens after we die.--The PursueGOD Truth podcast is the “easy button” for making disciples – whether you're looking for resources to lead a family devotional, a small group at church, or a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Join us for new episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Find resources to talk about these episodes at pursueGOD.org.Help others go "full circle" as a follower of Jesus through our 12-week Pursuit series.Click here to learn more about how to use these resources at home, with a small group, or in a one-on-one discipleship relationship.Got questions or want to leave a note? Email us at podcast@pursueGOD.org.Donate Now --How Eternity Works: A Biblical Breakdown of the AfterlifeEternity is not a vague hope—it's a concrete reality. Every human being will live forever in one of two places, and the Bible tells us everything we need to know about what happens after we die. Let's walk through what Scripture reveals about the nature of the afterlife, judgment, and how to prepare for the day we take our final breath.Understanding the Biblical Concept of the Afterlife1. Sheol and Hades: The Temporary Realm of the DeadIn the Old Testament, Sheol is described as the “realm of the dead”—a shadowy place where both the righteous and unrighteous awaited judgment. In Greek, the word used is Hades. Jesus gives us a vivid picture of this realm in Luke 16:19-31, telling the story of a rich man in torment and a poor man named Lazarus resting in “Abraham's bosom.”“Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead.” (Luke 16:22-23 NLT)This story reveals three key features of Sheol:A place of torment for the unrighteousA place of comfort for the righteousA great chasm separating the two, uncrossable after death (Luke 16:26)Peter refers to another compartment—Tartarus—a gloomy prison for fallen angels awaiting judgment (2 Peter 2:4). This concept shows the complexity of the pre-resurrection afterlife.2. Jesus Changes Everything: The Cross and the Empty TombAfter His death, Jesus didn't just remain in the grave—He descended to the realm of the dead. He told the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43)Peter writes that Jesus “preached to the spirits in prison” (1 Peter 3:19), and Paul echoes that Jesus “led a crowd of captives” to Heaven (Ephesians 4:8). Paradise was emptied and relocated—those who had died in faith now dwell directly in God's presence.“We are... willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:8)Today, believers go straight to be with Jesus. Hades remains only as a place of waiting for the unrighteous dead.3. Gehenna: The Final Destination of JudgmentThe term Gehenna—used frequently by Jesus—refers to the Valley of Hinnom, a site associated with...

Listen to the FULL episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/128901088 Listeners sent us 49 pages of questions and comments—and in this bonus episode, we tackle some of the best. We explore whether Paul's theology rewrote the faith, how James and Paul define “salvation” differently, and why First Timothy might not even be Pauline. We also dive into whether Jesus really talked about hell more than heaven, what “saved through childbearing” could mean, and why Acts and Galatians paint two conflicting timelines of Paul's journey. Other highlights include: Did Paul influence the Gospels? Why doesn't Paul quote Jesus? Is Acts trying to legitimize Paul? What even is Gehenna, and should we rethink hell? Where do Nate and Shelby land with their own faith? Plus, an honest conversation about community, politics, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and how to live together with deep differences. Thoughts, questions, stories? Please email  contact@almostheretical.com Become a member and get: 1. Bonus episodes and aftershows 2. All full-length, ad-free episodes 3. Access to Heretical Together (our private community of 350+ listeners) Become a member: almostheretical.com/premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's episode, we dive into part 3 of our series on Hell - challenging traditional beliefs about hell, unpacking Jewish and early church perspectives, and exploring why fear has no place in the gospel. We share listener feedback, address theological criticism, and ask some hard but necessary questions about God's love, judgment, and what it really means to follow Jesus.Whether you're curious, skeptical, or wrestling with your own faith journey, this conversation is meant to open dialogue - not shut it down.00:00 - Welcome & Podcast Intro00:23 - The Purpose Behind These Conversations01:16 - Feedback and Questions from Listeners02:04 - Responding to Online Criticism03:30 - Coloring Books, Theology, and Humor05:06 - Nearly 100K Downloads & Gratitude05:41 - Preaching About Hell at Church06:54 - Why We Talk About Hell Publicly07:59 - Announcing the New Ebook on Judgment & Wrath08:42 - Week 3: What the Hell Series Intro09:27 - Recap of the Four Hell Words in Scripture10:04 - Diversity of Jewish Thought on the Afterlife11:19 - Olam Haba & Resurrection Beliefs11:59 - Gehenna as Temporary Purification12:48 - Recommended Deep Dive: John Crowder Teaching13:35 - God's Fire as Healing, Not Harm14:12 - Powerful Quotes About God's Wrath14:52 - Fire Reveals the True Self16:00 - The Real Goal: Removing Fear from Theology17:04 - Biblical Love Casts Out Fear17:16 - A Biblical View of Hell as Earthly Experience18:19 - Hell as Earthly Suffering, Not Afterlife Threat19:02 - 70 AD vs. Afterlife: What Was Jesus Talking About?19:49 - Hell Shouldn't Be in Gospel Presentations20:56 - Adam vs. Jesus: Who Holds More Power?21:25 - Paul's Gospel Never Mentions Hell22:10 - What the Disciples Did—and Didn't—Say About Hell23:16 - No NT Precedent for Hell in the Gospel23:49 - Old Covenant vs. New Covenant Logic Breakdown24:46 - Jesus as High Priest vs. OT Priests25:12 - Challenging Question: Is Eternal Hell Logical?26:04 - The Tragic Case of Andrea Yates27:06 - Atonement Theory Breakdown: Did Jesus Suffer Hell?28:13 - Jesus Defeated Death—Not Suffering in It28:42 - God Is Love, Not Death and Torture29:18 - Defining Hell: No Longer Being Able to Love29:35 - Empowerment to Manifest Heaven30:15 - Manifesting Heaven or Hell: You Choose30:49 - Closing Reminder: You Are Loved

In this lesson I close out the three part mini-series covering the timetable of Yeshua's death and resurrection by looking at the popular text in which he says he'll spend three days and nights in the heart of the earth. How does that fit in with a preparation day death and first day resurrection? Listen to learn about proper interpretation of Scripture, idioms in the Bible, and how we should not be throwing people into Gehenna for disagreeing on most doctrines.

Join us for week two on our conversation about hell.00:00 - Welcome and Podcast Intro00:23 - Celebrating Feedback from Last Episode01:46 - Shoutouts to Supporters and Hill City Church03:09 - Theology Must Lead to Love04:26 - Personal Encouragement and Emotional Funk05:45 - Why We're Talking About Hell: Removing Fear06:59 - Challenging Harmful Beliefs and Church History08:05 - Clarifying Early Church Views on Hell09:53 - Foundations and Origins of Hell11:05 - Gehenna and Jesus' Use of Fire Metaphors11:51 - Understanding Destruction and Restoration12:48 - Wrestling with Free Will and God's Mercy13:55 - Did Jesus Really Talk About Hell More Than Anything?15:04 - Unpacking Gehenna, Hades, and Hell Translations17:02 - Exploring the Four Words Translated as Hell18:47 - Jesus' Context for “Gates of Hades”20:17 - Tartarus and Its Misunderstood Meaning21:40 - Deep Dive into Gehenna23:12 - 70 AD Destruction and Jesus' Warnings25:01 - Prophetic Warnings from Jeremiah and Isaiah27:01 - Symbolism Behind “Worms” and “Unquenchable Fire”28:53 - James and the Tongue Set on Fire by Gehenna30:21 - The Importance of Studying End Times (Eschatology)32:07 - Final Thoughts on Debate and Interpretation33:39 - Key Question: Does Your Belief Serve You Well?34:55 - Ending in Love, Not Fear

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

River of Life is an inter-denominational, interracial, Spirit-filled church located in the heart of Wakulla County, Florida. We share the sermons from our services in the hopes they'll reach others determined to worship God in spirit and truth.

Justin Horval, host of the wildly popular Dead By Dawg Youtube channel and one of the founders of the legendary Hells Headbangers joins the podcast for the first time this week. No wimps or posers are spared as J-Dawg runs the gamut of his upcoming Dead By Dawg Fest, the evolution of his channel, the early days of Hells, bodybuilding and more. Then it's on to this week's News Rant, where I'm joined by my good friend Svartalv of Nocturnal Breed, Gehenna and Engangshammer.  We round up the latest singles by Conan, Obsidian Tongue, In The Woods and Nightfall for judgement, while Svartalv gives me the low-down on all his musical endeavors.     Please support the bands featured on this episode PROFANATICA: https://profanatica-us.bandcamp.com/  ATTIC: https://attic-vanrecords.bandcamp.com/  NECROPHAGIA: https://necrophagia.bandcamp.com/    Get your DEAD BY DAWG FEST tickets here:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dead-by-dawg-fest-volume-1-tickets-948328133977    Get your daily J-Dawg fix on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@justinhorval8491    Visit Hells Headbangers Online Store here: https://shop-hellsheadbangers.com/ 

Waweru promotes isolationism, Liam wonders if lizards have emotions, and we claim it's impossible to learn without school.Reseune Educational Publications: Approved for 80+  Discussion of personal and political violenceRemember to subscribe in your preferred podcasting portal and Support the show. Support the show

This is Empires of the Future, conversations to encourage the Church in a time of change.  Sheol, Death, and the Grave “There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, ‘Enough!': the grave, the barren womb, land, which is never satisfied with water, and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!'  Proverbs 30:15 “Sheol”, here translated “the grave” is a complex concept in the Bible.  What did Old Testament believers (and non-believers) think when they spoke of “Sheol”?  What are Christians to think about the afterlife?  What is the relationship between the Hebrew “Sheol”, Greek “Hades” and “Gehenna”, and English “Hell”?  We consider all these questions and more in this episode of Empires of the Future.  "The Empires of the future will be Empires of the Mind." - Winston Churchill

Waweru says foreign names aren't real, Liam claims dance is solved problem, and we wonder how much surveillance a growing child needs.Reseune Educational Publications: Approved for 80+  Discussion of the emotional abuse and manipulation of childrenRemember to subscribe in your preferred podcasting portal and Support the show. Next week we're discussing Gehenna parts 1-6!Support the show

Today's Topics: 1, 2, 3, 4) Gospel - Matthew 5:20-26 - Jesus said to His disciples:  “I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,  will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Bishop Sheen quote of the day

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you,  unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa,  will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Reflection Jesus had such a hard time with the judgment against him from the scribes and the Pharisees, and he's warning his disciples that they should not ever fall into the trap of judgment against someone. It's like he's saying, you have to understand that the kingdom of God is about a flow of energy that goes between God in Jesus, to other people, and when that is not a loving, forgiving, nurturing presence, the kingdom cannot happen. So whether you've offended someone or someone has offended you, whatever is causing division among you before you can truly be a worshiper of God, you need to make peace with everyone. Closing Prayer Father, one might say that forgiveness is one of the major teachings that we have coming from the lips of Jesus. It is the mark of whether or not we are in the kingdom of God. Bless us with awareness of that and motivate us, perhaps by the very selfish notion that we would want to be treated better. Why do we treat someone in a way that is less than we would want? It's one of the key teachings of the kingdom and we need to follow it. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses thatof the scribes and Pharisees,you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.“You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brotherwill be liable to judgment,and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,and whoever says, ‘You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar,and there recall that your brotherhas anything against you,leave your gift there at the altar,go first and be reconciled with your brother,and then come and offer your gift.Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge,and the judge will hand you over to the guard,and you will be thrown into prison.Amen, I say to you,you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

It is the Final Nights in the World of Darkness. As Gehenna comes for vampires (and a coterie of Camarillan Kindred face a rising threat 120 miles away in New Haven), other ancient terrors stir with designs on the corruption and destruction of the world.In the Atlantic Ocean a global threat begins to spread its tendrils towards the eastern seaboard of the United States. A group of Imbued--normal humans touched by an unseen force to stand against the darkness--must come together to find this threat and stop it before it's too late for the entirety of the land-dwelling world.Content Warning: Thalassophobia; death; gore; violence; gunshots; asphyxiation; sounds of choking; language; harassment; threats of violence; implied domestic violence; implied threats to children; chapodiphobia; loss of self; loss of self-control; mind control; gaslighting; alcohol use; smoking; language;CastStoryteller: Rob MuirheadDallas McCoppin: Garrett GabbeyJohn Spencer: Tim DavisSopheia "Pheia" Quinn: Erika WebbNiyati "Nat" Chowdhurani: Rebecca SteigelfestTodd Keating: Lex LopezRecordingRebecca SteigelfestEditingRob MuirheadMusicSadness Room by Denis Goncharov, pixabay.comArtLogo: Rob MuirheadCharacter Art: Jay Steel, BlueSkyKo-Fi: ko-fi.com/pathofnightYouTube: YouTube.com/@pathofnightFacebook: Facebook.com/PathofNightPodcastTwitter: @PathofNightPodBluesky: pathofnight.bsky.socialEmail: pathofnightpodcast@gmail.com

On this week's episode, we have Dethlores of Gehenna as our Unsigned band of the week. Plus we have L.A. Project and Vortex as our Hard/Heavy bands of the week and we have rock and metal news with stories on Faster Pussycat, Mastodon, In Vain, The Damned, Volbeat, Sleep Token, and much more. Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter.com/pedal_radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook.com/eddiespedaltothemetalradioshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram.com/pedaltothemetalradioshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠pedaltothemetalradioshow.blogspot.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠youtube.com/pedaltothemetalradio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@pedalmetalradio.bsky

  Today's Topics: 1) Gospel - Mark 9:41-50 - Jesus said to His disciples: ""Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. ""Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ""Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."" Memorial of Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor of the Church Saint Gregory, pray for us! 2, 3, 4) Matthew McKenna on his articles: How to Compare Religions, and, Understanding the Mass and the Male-Only Priesthood with St. Bonaventure https://catholicexchange.com/how-to-compare-religions/ https://catholicexchange.com/understanding-the-mass-and-the-male-only-priesthood-with-st-bonaventure/

Gospel Mark 9:41-50 Jesus said to his disciples: ""Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. ""Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,   it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed   than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled   than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. ""Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."" Reflection Jesus continues his desire to make sure his disciples understand the heart of ministry. It's not about being great, it's about being humble. Being a servant. So he uses these three images of amputation, which is a very strong point, but what he's really saying is your hand, it's about doing things, so if you ever think that you have to do things perfectly and better than anyone else, you're in trouble. It'd be better to be limited. If your foot is your problem, it's about where you are supposed to be. Do you want to be at the top of the heap? Is that the whole issue? Better to be unable to get to the top and amputate your foot. And if your eye is your problem, do you think you need to see everything, understand everything, and be the wisest person in the room? No. Better to be unable to see fully. All of it is about being transformed by accepting our weaknesses. Our weaknesses is often what makes us the greatest. You put salt on a wound, it burns. Fire is an image of a burning, a purification. It's interesting that Jesus is telling his disciples that when you experience an inability to do things, that can be a blessing and you can have peace, knowing greatness is not about doing, it's about being. Closing Prayer Father, those of us who are ministers. Those of us who are in charge of people's spiritual journey, we are often looked upon as being the ones who know everything, or who achieved everything, and nothing is further from the truth. We're as human and is frail as anyone in our communities, and when we accept that, and when we are honest about that, then there is the gift of being a true minister. Someone who brings hope, someone who brings peace. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends of the Rosary,With the hand, we reach out and grasp things. With the foot, we set ourselves on a definite path. We are the hands and feet of Christ on search. But if we fail because we place our energies on grasping at finite things or walk on pursuing glory, honor, power, or pleasure, what is our value for the Kingdom of Heaven?Rather than human organs, we are souls meant for union with God. We are created to seek for the Divinity. That's a well-spent life. So the question is, are we willing to spiritually puck out our eyes and abandon pleasure-oriented lives?Christ Jesus invites us in the Gospel (Mark 9:41-50) to pursue a life of perfection.“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.It is better for you to enter into life maimed   than with two hands to go into Gehenna,into the unquenchable fire.And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.It is better for you to enter into life crippled   than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eyethan with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.”“Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!+ Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York• February 27, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Jesus said to his disciples:""Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drinkbecause you belong to Christ,amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.""Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,   it would be better for him if a great millstonewere put around his neckand he were thrown into the sea.If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.It is better for you to enter into life maimed   than with two hands to go into Gehenna,into the unquenchable fire.And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off.It is better for you to enter into life crippled   than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eyethan with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.""Everyone will be salted with fire.Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,with what will you restore its flavor?Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.""

Meditación del día 27 de febrero de 2025 Palabra de Vida

From the responsorial psalm: "Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, but delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on his law day and night. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.”A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (9:41-50, today's readings)"Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."Jesus continues to speak to the disciples, answering their questions and teaching them. From the same chapter in Mark, in the home of one of his followers, Jesus takes a child in his arms and says, “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me." Shortly after, Jesus says: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea." He tells them it is better to lose a limb or an eye if they cause you to sin and enter Gehenna, a place of unquenchable fire. It is ours to own when God holds us accountable for our actions as natural consequences follow. By being "salted with fire," a means to purification in this life's trials and in purgatory, Jesus encourages us in his mercy to be accountable for the faith and charity we show even as the Holy Spirit refines us in true faith and charity.God, help me take to heart the words of Sirach in the first reading, who urges me to keep from the error of relying on my own strength and presuming your mercy. "Say not, Sirach writes, 'Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive.'" As Jesus makes clear to the disciples, make clear to me that I am responsible for the words and actions I choose through your gift of free will, ardent in my faith and trusting in your mercy and justice through Jesus Christ your Son. Lord, make me know your ways; teach me your paths.Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

There's something profoundly liberating about peeling back the layers of history and finding the raw, untamed wisdom beneath. On today's episode, we welcome Neil Douglas Klotz, a scholar and mystic whose journey into the Aramaic roots of Jesus's teachings unveils a radically different understanding of the man, his message, and the world he lived in.The Jesus many of us have encountered is a product of centuries of translation, political maneuvering, and cultural adaptation. The blue-eyed, English-speaking figure who stands at the center of Western Christianity is a far cry from the Aramaic-speaking mystic who roamed the hills of ancient Palestine. Neil Douglas Klotz takes us back to the beginning, to the words that Jesus actually spoke, words that vibrate with an entirely different rhythm than those found in the King James Bible. “If you read ‘spirit' in the New Testament,” he says, “just put ‘breath' over that word, because that's what the Aramaic also means.”It is in this forgotten wisdom that we find a Jesus who wasn't simply demanding belief but rather inviting participation.One of the most profound mistranslations, according to Klotz, is the oft-quoted phrase “believe in me.” In Aramaic, the more accurate translation is “believe like me.” This shifts the message entirely—Jesus wasn't asking for blind devotion but instead urging people to embody faith in the way he did, to step into the divine flow as he had.The Aramaic worldview, Klotz explains, did not divide existence into rigid dualities. There was no separation between body and soul, breath and spirit, heaven and earth. The kingdom of heaven, Jesus said, is not some far-off celestial domain but something “within and among” us. The words for “within” and “among” are the same in Aramaic—suggesting that the divine is not a place to go but a way to be, something alive in the interconnected web of existence.And what of hell? Another grand misunderstanding, says Klotz. Jesus never spoke of a fiery pit of eternal torment but rather referred to Gehenna, a literal burning trash heap outside of Jerusalem. The idea of an eternal damnation was a much later addition, a political tool used to control through fear. The Jesus of Aramaic tradition wasn't threatening souls with punishment—he was urging people to purify their burdens, to release what weighs them down, to transform their suffering rather than be consumed by it.Even the crucifixion, Klotz suggests, is layered in mystery and translation errors. The idea of Jesus returning, he argues, is not about a second coming in the clouds but rather about a recognition of Christ's presence in one another. “We will see Jesus in each other and in nature,” he says. “That's the Second Coming.” Perhaps the greatest tragedy of organized religion has been its insistence on externalizing the divine, when all along Jesus was saying: It's here, now, inside you.SPIRITUAL TAKEAWAYSBreath is Spirit – In Aramaic, the word for spirit and breath are the same. Every inhale and exhale connects us to something greater, a reminder that we are not separate from the divine but are continuously part of its unfolding.Faith is Participation, Not Belief – Jesus didn't ask people to believe in him; he asked them to embody faith as he did. It's about stepping into a way of being rather than subscribing to a doctrine.Heaven is Within and Among Us – The kingdom of heaven is not a distant place but a lived experience, something we create through our relationships, actions, and awareness.It's a wild thing, to realize how much has been hidden in plain sight. The Aramaic Jesus is not a figure of power and punishment, but a guide toward deep presence, compassion, and awakening. It is in the breath, in the heart, in the connection between beings that his true teachings still whisper through time.Please enjoy my conversation with Neil Douglas Klotz.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/next-level-soul-podcast-with-alex-ferrari--4858435/support.

Millennium, Chris Carter, X-Files, serial killers, cults, Y2K and the hysteria, David McGowan, Programmed to Kill, Silence of the Lambs, Se7en, industrial, Peter Christopherson, NiN, millenarianism & the different types, Lance Hendriksen, the Millennium Group as based on the Academy Group, the Behavioral Science Unit (BSU), William Blake, Red Dragon, Thomas Harris, Monster of Florence, Gladio, chivalric orders, Sovereign Order of Saint John, Order of the Garter, Knights Templar, southern France, Medieval Europe, Holy Vehm, Gehenna, sovereign citizens, Fundamentalist Mormonism, Russia, Marc DutrouxMusic by: Keith Allen Dennishttps://keithallendennis.bandcamp.com/Additional Music: J Money Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jesus calls the Scribes and Pharisees “blind fools,” but in the same Gospel He says that those who calls their brother “a fool” are subject to the fires of Gehenna. So how are we to reconcile these two passages?

What if everything you were taught about hell... deserves a second look?In this bold and freeing episode of The Dig In Podcast, Johnny sits down with Bishop Jamie Englehart for an honest and eye-opening conversation about one of the most misunderstood topics in Christianity...HELL.Jamie is the creator of the course Get the Hell Out, a deep theological dive that challenges the traditional view of eternal conscious torment and invites believers to explore what Scripture actually says about judgment, destruction, and God's ultimate purpose for humanity. In this episode, Jamie brings that same clarity and conviction to the table as he and Johnny unpack the biblical origins of hell, the meaning of words like Gehenna, Hades, and Sheol, and how our view of hell shapes how we see God.Together, they explore:Where the modern idea of hell came fromWhat Jesus really meant when He spoke about fire and judgmentHow first-century Jewish context changes everythingWhy a shift in our understanding of hell can lead to deeper peace, love, and trust in GodThis is not about ignoring Scripture. It is about reading it with fresh eyes, asking real questions, and letting the gospel speak louder than fear.If you've ever wrestled with the concept of hell, or wondered how a good God fits into the picture, this episode is a safe and powerful space to start digging.Pull up a chair and join the conversation. You might just leave with more hope than you came with.More About The Host Johnny Ova:Follow on Youtube- https://www.youtube.com/@johnnyovaFollow on Instagram- /johnnyovaaaFollow on Facebook- /thejohnnyovaFollow on TikTok- Johnny OvaWebsite- www.soh.churchSupport the show

Thursday, 5 December 2024   And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Matthew 5:30   “And if your right hand, it entraps you, it – it hew – and it cast from you. For it conduces you that one of your members, it should perish, and not all your body, it should be cast into Gehenna” (CG).   The previous verse spoke of the right eye entrapping a person. If so, it would be more profitable to pluck it out and cast it away than to be cast into Gehenna. Now, Jesus continues with that same theme, saying, “And if your right hand, it entraps you.”   The right side in Scripture, as it is in society today, is considered the more noble, stronger, and more honorable side. As such, Jesus focuses on the right again, as He did with the previous verse. In particular, the right hand signifies the position of authority and power.   The intent here is going from sight (the right eye) to action (the right hand). The person first is entrapped by what he sees, he contemplates what to do, and then he acts, with his right hand, the instrument of his power, to obtain what he has now fixated on.   The right hand, being the hand that is normally the stronger and more used hand, is one of the chief and most important parts of the body. Despite that, Jesus notes that if it were to entrap you, “it – it hew – and it cast from you.”   Jesus uses the same word, ekkoptó, that John the Baptist used in Matthew 3:10 when he said, “And already also, the ax, toward the root of the trees it lies. Therefore, every tree not producing good fruit, it is hewn, and into fire, it is thrown.” It is a word that signifies complete detachment.   One could think of a person taking a big machete with his left hand, laying his right hand on a table, and then hacking it off. And then, as with the right eye, when the member is separated from the body, it should be cast away as if it were mere rubbish.   Jesus then explains why, using the same words as previously, saying, “For it conduces you that one of your members, it should perish, and not all your body, it should be cast into Gehenna.”   Priorities. What are your priorities? Is remaining in sin in this life better than being separate from God for eternity? Is the delight of the temporary sin better than an eternity in torment? This is the substance of what Jesus is conveying to His hearers.   Life application: The repetition of the same concept while using different, but both important members of the body is an instructional tool. By saying essentially the same thing twice while merely changing the focus from the eye to the right hand, Jesus is stressing the importance of the matter.   The Bible is filled with such repetitions, in individual words, in sentences, in similar concepts, and even in books of the Bible. For example, there are accounts in Kings and Chronicles that greatly overlap. Adding in the prophets, and there are even more instances of overlapping.   Having three synoptic gospels is another example of this. The same is true with how Acts and portions of the epistles weave together into a harmoniously presented record of what took place.   The Bible is sending us the same information, in various ways, to help us learn what is essential for understanding what is going on as well as what is obviously important to God. Different records of the same account also help us to know that what is conveyed has been reliably recorded.   And yet, when the same accounts have variations in the details, we are being asked to contemplate why the variations are there. For many, the immediate thought is, “See, there are contradictions in the Bible.” That is an easy out and it resolves the need for any serious brain effort at all.   But it is also shallow thinking. Such obvious discrepancies in accounts would show that the authors or compilers of the Bible were incompetent doofs. Rather, the differences are given to highlight different aspects of the same narrative, providing additional information to help us see the intricacies of what God has done in the unfolding plan of redemption.   When you come to such accounts, don't just say, “These don't match and so they contradict.” Rather, think about why the differences are there. Rich treasure is waiting to be uncovered. You will be rewarded in your studies according to the effort and contemplation you put into them.   Lord God Almighty, the detail and intricacy of Your word is incredible. People have been reading and studying it for thousands of years, and yet new insights come out of it from day to day. It is a treasure trove of wonder and delight. Thank You, O God for Your precious word. Amen.

Wednesday, 4 December 2024   If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Matthew 5:29   And if your eye, the right, it entraps you, it – pluck it – and it cast from you. For it conduces you that one of your members, it should perish, and not all your body, it should be cast into Gehenna (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus indicated that the sin of adultery lay not in the act but in the intent behind the act. Looking at a woman lustfully means that one has already committed adultery. Next, He says, “And if your eye, the right, it entraps you.”   Here is the first use of skandalizó in the New Testament. One can immediately see the etymological root of the word scandalize. The literal meaning is to fall into a trap. As such, it signifies to cause to stumble, give offense, etc. It is where right conduct or thinking is hindered.   Jesus is saying that if one's right eye causes him to fall into such a trap, “it – pluck it – and it cast from you.” The thought is based on the words of the previous verse. What caused a person to lust after a woman and thus commit adultery? It was seeing her and then mentally dwelling on what was seen.   If the person didn't see her, he would not have then begun the process of dwelling on her, lusting after her, and then committing the act with her. Jesus says in such a case that the person should pluck the right eye out. He uses another new word, exaireó. It is derived from ek, out, and haireó, to take for oneself, as in choosing. Thus, he is to completely remove it, meaning plucking it out.   The general consensus is that because of the obvious severity of the act, the words are not to be taken literally, although, throughout history, there have been instances of people doing just this. The problem with that, however, is that the act has already taken place. If one is to pluck out his eye because it scandalized him, he has already been scandalized. The sin has been committed and the act of plucking out the eye doesn't atone for the act of adultery.   As such, and because pretty much everyone would eventually be walking around blind, the words should be taken as a testament to the severity of sin that is found in the heart of man. That is seen in the next words. Jesus says, “For it conduces you that one of your members, it should perish.”   Again, another new word is found here, sumphero. It is a word etymologically connected with our modern word “symphony.” Its roots signify “together with” and “to bring.” Thus, there is a bringing together in a way that results in profit or gain, as would be the case with a symphony bringing about a great and resounding sound for an audience.   As such, the word is often translated as profitable, better, etc. A single word that most closely identifies the meaning is conduce which is an act that leads or tends to a particular and often desirable result. In other words, Jesus is saying that not having a right eye is better than the alternative.   The right eye is identified by the Greek word melos, a bodily organ or a member. It is not the whole but a part of the whole. A missing part is better than a destroyed whole, as is next explained, “and not all your body, it should be cast into Gehenna.”   Jesus is saying that there is a problem that exists, and it is one that must be addressed or it can lead to eternal consequences. Therefore, it is something that must be considered and acted upon.   Life application: Under the law, when a man sinned, such as committing adultery as David did, there had to be restitution made for the sin. The law demanded that adulterers be dealt with through the death penalty, but the law was not always carried out. In David's case (and Bathsheba who was equally guilty), the penalty for adultery was not executed.   However, David says this in Psalm 51, a psalm about his guilt –   “For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:16, 17   David didn't pluck out his right eye, but the same force that was behind his adultery and murder was also behind the words he expresses in the Psalm. His heart got him in trouble and it is his heart that was penitent for the actions that he took.   He reconsidered his ways, was broken in his being, turning to God for mercy. When someone comes to Jesus through the gospel, what is happening? He is acknowledging that he is a sinner. Christ Jesus can't die for sins in a person who has never sinned. Thus, the point is that there is a reconsideration of one's state before God. “I am condemned because of sin in my life. Jesus died for my sins. I accept the payment and believe by faith that it is true.”   This is the good news. Sin is no longer imputed to those who come to Christ. We have all fallen short in our lives and actions, but Jesus can bring us up to the proper standard when we face an infinitely holy Creator, meaning perfection. This is not our own perfection, but His. This is what we need. Call on Jesus and be reconciled to God. Your reconsideration about things will make an eternity of difference.   Lord God, we can see from Jesus' w ords to those under the law the severity of our actions before You. Thank You that we are not burdened by such law when we come to Christ. Instead, we are granted His perfect righteousness. How great and wonderful this is. Thank You for the release from sin we have because of Him. Amen.  

Wednesday, 27 November 2024   But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire. Matthew 5:22   “And I, I say to you that all the ‘being angry' to the brother of him groundlessly, he will be liable to the judgment. And whoever, if he shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,' he will be liable to the Sanhedrin. And whoever, if he shall say, ‘moronic,' he will be liable to the Gehenna of the fire” (CG).   In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that it was said to the ancients, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.” He now continues with the higher standard which was not perceived by the ancients, saying, “And I, I say to you.”   Jesus is making an authoritative statement (And I, I say to you) concerning the state of the heart that rests behind murder. If someone murders, it is because there is already something stirring in him, a murderous intent, that causes him to act.   This is why there is a difference within the Law of Moses between a manslayer who kills accidentally and a murderer. For the accidental manslayer, there was the provision of the city of refuge detailed in Numbers 35.   Jesus' introductory words of this verse form a teaching that expands upon what the ancients had taught. They simply cited the law and gave their evaluation. But Jesus is addressing the issue that leads to the act of murder. That is seen in the words, “that all the ‘being angry' to the brother of him groundlessly, he will be liable to the judgment.”   In these words, is one word not included in all manuscripts, eiké, groundlessly. In other words, some manuscripts (and thus translations based on those manuscripts) say something like, “But I say to you that everyone being angry with his brother will be liable to the judgment” (BLB).   Whether this word is original or not is hard to determine. Some find it contradictory to leave out the word and then have it recorded that Jesus was angry in Mark 3:5. However, being angry and being angry with one's brother is not necessarily the same thing. In the case of Jesus' words now, He is telling them that the state of anger that leads to the act of murder will make one liable to the judgment.   Jesus was angry, being grieved at the state of the hearts of those He was interacting with in Mark 3:5. This doesn't mean that He had murderous intent. In Ephesians 4:26, a verse citing words from the psalms, it uses the same word translated as angry here, “Be angry and do not sin.”   To suppose that simply being angry would make one liable to the judgment, there would then be a true contradiction in Scripture. Therefore, Jesus is not telling His hearers they cannot be angry. He is telling them that the state of anger towards a brother that could lead to murder is essentially murder, just as the act of coveting that leads to theft is essentially theft.   God is looking at the state of the heart. The actions that follow do not necessarily have to occur for there to be the imputation of sin. This is exactly the reason for the tenth commandment, coveting. We are not to allow our hearts to come to the state where we have the desire to do what may then be acted out. Understanding this, Jesus next says, “And whoever, if he shall say to his brother, ‘Raca,' he will be liable to the Sanhedrin.”   The vocative noun rhaka is Aramaic. It is found only here in the Bible and it signifies invoking a person as empty or foolish. It is etymologically similar to the word req, empty or vain, that is used in the Hebrew Old Testament. In Judges 9:4, the word is used to describe the worthless or vain followers of Abimelech.   It doesn't necessarily follow that Jesus is saying that the Sanhedrin would hold a trial for someone calling his brother Raca. Rather, He is still referring to the state of the heart. If someone calls his brother Raca, it is because he has murderous intent in his heart. If he acts out that intent, he will be liable to the Sanhedrin for having committed murder. That is then supplemented by His next words, “And whoever, if he shall say, ‘moronic,' he will be liable to the Gehenna of the fire.”   The Greek word is the adjective móros. Being an adjective, it refers to the state of a moron, he is moronic. Like calling a brother Raca which can lead to a trial for murder, calling a person moronic will have the same effect. In being a murderer, he can expect not just temporal judgment, but eternal judgment as well. It is the state of the heart that leads to the act that God is evaluating.   As for Gehenna, it is from the Greek geenna. It describes a valley that lies west and south of Jerusalem. Because of the things that occurred there, it became synonymous with the final place of judgment where punishment is eternally meted out to the lost. The name itself is derived from gay [gahee], a valley, and Hinnom, an Old Testament proper name of a person believed to be a Jebusite.   Life application: The state of the heart is being evaluated by God. As noted in the previous commentary, David did things that were violations of the law. And yet, his heart was tender enough to acknowledge his wrongdoings and to be convicted for doing them.   God understands our limitations, and He is aware of our pressure points. We face trials, and our hearts fail in one way or another. But is our heart callous and uncaring when we do wrong, or is it tender enough to feel remorse and a desire to act differently?   Ultimately, God wants our hearts to acknowledge that we have sinned, even if it was only intent that was wrong in His eyes. From there, we can then say, “I know that I cannot save myself. I have been wicked in my heart, sinned in my actions, and I NEED JESUS. I believe that God sent Him to take my place in punishment and to restore me to Him.”   For those who think that law observance will take care of their sinful hearts and wayward actions, they are sorely deceived. This is what Jesus is trying to tell the people. To this day, so many will not pay heed. We don't need more law. We need God's grace in the giving of Jesus.   Lord God, understanding the words of Jesus concerning the state of our hearts, we can truly see how greatly we need Him to save us. We fall infinitely short of Your glorious perfection, and without Him, we stand condemned. But because He has come, we can have full restoration with You. Thank You for the wonderful assurance we possess because of Your grace, poured out upon us through Jesus. Amen.  

"Welcome Dear Reader.In your hands, you hold the first of three booksdedicated to Sabbat the Schism, the Lore book.The idea for this book was born when TheBlack Hand: Sabbat sourcebook came out.Based on observations of the content, andhow it fit into the overaching metaplot acrosseditions, a simple idea was born: the Schism ofSabbat.The Black Hand was clearly the loyalist andshovelhead fraction of the Sword of Caine, thequestion was: where are the rest of our anti-Gehenna army."--Author"If you are planning to use a bat as a weapon, then put a long stocking on the bat.That way if someone tried to grab your bat, you can pull the bat out of their gripand continue beating them up with YOUR baseball bat. But on the side note, whydo you even WANT to use a baseball bat? Do you not have claws? Do your not haveteeth? Do you not have your disciplines? You're a vampire. Act like one!"— JAVIER HERR ERA, BISHOP OF BELGRA DECONCE P T: Amalia Leili Seren Vals and Miguel Marques da SilvaW R IT T E N B Y Amalia Leili Seren ValsCOW R IT ER S: Miguel Marques da SilvaSupport the showhttps://linktr.ee/25YearsOfVtM

Read Online“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out…” Mark 9:43–47Sometimes we need to wake up to the horror of sin. Sin and sin alone is capable of sending you to hell. Hell is real, and going there for eternity is a real possibility. Therefore, we must do whatever it takes to avoid that frightful possibility. This teaching from Jesus might not, at first, be thought of as one of His most inspiring teachings, but it should be. It's not inspiring in the sense that it is quite graphic. But it is very inspiring in the sense that it has the potential to motivate us to action.Are you motivated to do all that you can to avoid sin? Would you even go so far as to cut off your hand or foot, and to pluck out your eye so as to avoid sin? First of all, this should not be seen as a literal command in which Jesus is telling us to mutilate ourselves. But He is the one Who chose such graphic language. Therefore, we should not shy away from pondering these images in a prayerful way so as to more clearly see those things that lead us into sin. When we see them, we must take the radical step of completely eliminating them from our lives.Many of the Church Fathers say that the hand, foot and eye in this teaching refer to our friends. Just as a hand, foot and eye are good in and of themselves, so also are friends. We are made for friendship with God and with others. However, not every friendship helps us grow closer to God. Therefore, when an earthly friend becomes a source of sin, we must eliminate that friendship.Friendship is different from charity. We owe charity to all people, even those who are the most sinful. But acting with charity toward others is different from being friends with them. To be a friend implies mutual giving and receiving. And though we must always give of ourselves to others, we ought not always receive from them when what they have to offer is an invitation to sin. This is how we “cut it off” and “pluck it out.” When another person tries to relate to us in such a way that they lead us into sin, we must take that temptation very seriously and reject it with much vigor.The hand, foot and eye in this teaching also represent every situation in life that tempts us to sin. For example, consider material possessions. If buying a very expensive car, house, or electronic gadget tempts you to become more materialistic, then you must avoid buying it. People are drawn to nice things. But does possessing nice things help your soul to become holy? One could argue that they can have nice things, while at the same time remain spiritually detached from them. But this is difficult to live. The more luxurious our material possessions, the more tempted we will be to rely upon them for our happiness. Therefore, choosing to live simply is almost always better for your soul than choosing to live in luxury. This teaching also applies to anything else that could become a source of temptation.Reflect, today, upon those things or persons in your life that have become an occasion of sin for you. Do not fool yourself into believing that you can handle the temptation. If you have some source of ongoing temptation in your life, you need to eliminate it. Ponder this very graphic teaching from Jesus and try to apply it to your life. Identify those things that lead you into sin and eliminate them with much determination.My radical Lord, You call all of Your children to a life of holiness and perfection. Please help me to take Your teachings seriously so as to eliminate all occasions of sin from my life. May I have the eyes to see these temptations and the courage to reject them with all my might. Jesus, I trust in You.Source of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.Featured image above: Jesus Christ preaching on a boat on the sea of Galilee By Fulcanelli, via Adobe