"Tenebrae means 'shadows' or 'darkness' in Latin. The service shows the darkness that comes over the earth upon Christ’s death. One of the chants of the service draws from Scripture that tenebrae factae sunt — 'darkness fell'. Those attending a Tenebrae service for the first time this Holy Week may be startled by entering a church shrouded in darkness except for the light of a few candles, the gradual extinguishing of those candles, and the loud banging noise called the 'strepitus' that builds and echoes in the darkness at the service’s conclusion."
“If we go as far as we can into the darkness, regardless of the consequences, I believe a midnight truth will free us from our bondage to violence and bring us to the light of peace.”
James W. Douglass, JFK and the Unspeakable
"God’s light has come into the world, but people love the darkness more than the light when their actions are evil. For those who do evil hate the light and refuse to come into it for fear that their lawlessness will be revealed. But those who live in the truth come into the light, so that it can be seen that they are doing God's will."
John 3:19-21
"There was the persecution of men who dared think differently, who heard strange voices or read strange manuscripts. There was enslavement of men whose tribes came not from Rome, disdain for those who did not have the familiar visage. And most of all, there was everywhere a contempt for human life. What, to the strong, was one man more or less in a crowded world?
Then, of a sudden, there was a light in the world, and a man from Galilee saying, Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's. And the voice from Galilee, which would defy Caesar, offered a new Kingdom in which each man could walk upright and bow to none but his God.
Then might it come to pass that darkness would settle again over the lands and there would be a burning of books and men would think only of what they should eat and what they should wear, and would give heed only to new Caesars and to false prophets. Then might it come to pass that men would not look upward to see even a winter's star in the East, and once more, there would be no light at all in the darkness."
Vermont C. Royster, In Hoc Anno Domini, December 24, 1949
“They are hypocrites— they think the Church is a cage to keep God in, so he will stay locked up there and not go wandering about the earth during the week, poking his nose into their business, and looking in the depths and darkness and doubleness of their hearts, and their lack of true charity; and they believed they need only be bothered about him on Sundays when they have their best clothes on and their faces straight, and their hands washed and their gloves on, and their stories all prepared.”
Margaret Atwood, Alias Grace
"What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
John 1:3-5
And so we have the end of the first quarter.
Stocks are at record highs, although they went out weakly and without conviction.
Gold had a sharp rally higher today, as did silver.
The Dollar rallied.
Do not expect gold to break free of its long term manipulation by the Western Banks overnight.
It will happen in stages. But as we have seen time and again, the power of the Central banks is at the disposal of the financial system, and vice versa.
"We looked into the abyss if the gold price rose further. A further rise would have taken down one or several trading houses, which might have taken down all the rest in their wake. Therefore at any price, at any cost, the central banks had to quell the gold price, manage it. It was very difficult to get the gold price under control but we have now succeeded. The US Fed was very active in getting the gold price down. So was the U.K."
Eddie George, Bank of England, Cited in Reg Howe v. BIS, JPM et al.
Why do they do this? It has little to do with the public good, and nothing at all to do with patriotism, or justice.
It's all about the self-interest of insiders, and their economic and political power.
It's all about the Benjamins, whether in peace and prosperity, or in conflict and hardship.
When we think that they can sink no lower, they surprise us, with their savage and senseless cruelty.
They serve the darkness, and themselves. And by the same measure they shall be served.
And so we begin the culmination of Holy Week, and all of the implications of the Incarnation.
Remember to feed the least of His creatures, the birds and animals. And bring comfort and fellowship to the hearts of those you meet, with a kind word and a smile.
Each of us has our own burdens and troubles to carry. And it is our duty and joy to lessen the troubles of others, out of gratitude for His love of the unworthy, His love of us.
"Watch therefore and pray always, that you may escape all these things that will come to pass, and be among those standing with the Son of Man.”
Luke 21:36
Remembering you and your families, and most importantly your souls.
Because that is what our struggle is all about.
Have a pleasant weekend.
