Joy

Passages

Every passage tagged with this emotion in the Vela corpus. Search the body text, narrow by source or register, click through to a book’s profile to see how the passage sits with the rest of the work.

Page 165 of 299 · 20 per page

• From Lost Christianities: Christian Scriptures and the Battles over Authentication (2002)

  58 Lecture 13: The Acts of John The theme is that the spread of the gospel comes from God and that nothing can stop this mission. This early account was written by the same author as the Gospel of Luke, sometime in the latter part of the ¿ rst century. In the second and third centuries, other accounts of the lives of the apostles were written by anonymous authors. Unlike the Book of Acts, these accounts focused on the lives and exploits of individual apostles—legendary, imaginative, and entertaining accounts of the wondrous activities of Jesus’ closest followers. Along with lots of smaller fragmentary accounts, we have ¿ ve fairly complete Apocryphal Acts: the Acts of John, Peter, Paul, Andrew, and Thomas. We will not be able to examine all these apocryphal accounts in this course, but we will look at three of the most interesting ones. The Acts of John concerns the adventures of John, the son of Zebedee. John was one of Jesus’ closest disciples in the gospels of the New Testament. He is an important ¿ gure in the history of the early church, according to the Book of Acts in the New Testament, but he drops out of sight early on in that narrative. Our late-second-century Acts of John gives a fuller account of his activities. Unfortunately, this text has not survived intact but only in fragments that scholars have had to piece together from various manuscripts. In this account, we learn of many of John’s exploits. His activities are principally in Asia Minor, in and around Ephesus. There, he engages in numerous miraculous activities as he spreads the gospel of Christ, as narrated in entertaining stories. He is portrayed as having a unique ability to raise the dead. This is seen in an account involving Lycomedes, the commander-in- chief of the Ephesians, and his beautiful young wife, Cleopatra, who has died prematurely, but whom John raises to the joy and wonder of the entire city. Later in the account is the even more bizarre narrative of the raising of Drusiana, the chaste and beautiful wife of Andronicus—a narrative that involves almost unheard-of chastity and crass immorality, a tale of attempted necrophilia, supernatural intervention, miraculous resurrection, and conversion to the life of purity. These stories show commitment to Christ as being more important than love or sex.

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  17 A man who is burdened with the guilt of human blood (murder) Will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him or give him refuge. 18 He who walks blamelessly and uprightly will be kept safe, But he who is crooked (perverse) will suddenly fall. 19 He who cultivates his land will have plenty of bread, But he who follows worthless people and frivolous pursuits will have plenty of poverty. 20 A faithful (right-minded) man will abound with blessings, But he who hurries to be rich will not go unpunished. [Prov 13:11 ; 20:21 ; 23:4 ; 1 Tim 6:9 ] 21 To have regard for one person over another and to show favoritism is not good, Because for a piece of bread a man will transgress. 22 He who has an evil and envious eye hurries to be rich And does not know that poverty will come upon him. [Prov 21:5 ; 28:20 ] 23 He who [appropriately] reprimands a [wise] man will afterward find more favor Than he who flatters with the tongue. 24 He who robs his father or his mother And says, “This is no sin,” Is [not only a thief but also] the companion of a man who destroys. 25 An arrogant and greedy man stirs up strife, But he who trusts in the LORD will be blessed and prosper. 26 He who trusts confidently in his own heart is a [dull, thickheaded] fool, But he who walks in [skillful and godly] wisdom will be rescued. [James 1:5 ] 27 He who gives to the poor will never want, But he who shuts his eyes [from their need] will have many curses. [Deut 15:7 ; Prov 19:17 ; 22:9 ] 28 When the wicked rise [to power], men hide themselves; But when the wicked perish, the [consistently] righteous increase and become great. [Prov 28:12 ] Proverbs 29 Warnings and Instructions 1 H E WHO hardens his neck and refuses instruction after being often reproved (corrected, criticized), Will suddenly be broken beyond repair. 2 When the righteous are in authority and become great, the people rejoice; But when the wicked man rules, the people groan and sigh. 3 A man who loves [skillful and godly] wisdom makes his father joyful, But he who associates with prostitutes wastes his wealth. 4 The king establishes (stabilizes) the land by justice, But a man who takes bribes overthrows it. 5 A man who flatters his neighbor [with smooth words intending to do harm] Is spreading a net for his own feet. 6 By his wicked plan an evil man is trapped, But the righteous man sings and rejoices [for his plan brings good things to him]. 7 The righteous man cares for the rights of the poor, But the wicked man has no interest in such knowledge.

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  15 “I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. 16 “Her priests also I will clothe with salvation, And her godly ones will shout aloud for joy. 17 “There I will make the horn (strength) of David grow; I have prepared a lamp for My anointed [fulfilling the promises]. [1 Kin 11:36 ; 15:4 ; 2 Chr 21:7 ; Luke 1:69 ] 18 “His enemies I will clothe with shame, But upon himself shall his crown shine.” Psalm 133 The Excellency of Brotherly Unity. A Song of a Ascents. Of David. 1 B EHOLD, HOW good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil [of consecration] poured on the head, Coming down on the beard, Even the beard of Aaron, Coming down upon the edge of his [priestly] robes [consecrating the whole body]. [Ex 30:25 , 30 ] 3 It is like the dew of [Mount] Hermon Coming down on the hills of Zion; For there the LORD has commanded the blessing: life forevermore. Psalm 134 Greetings of Night Watchers. A Song of a Ascents. 1 B ehold, bless and praise the LORD , all servants of the LORD (priests, Levites), Who stand and serve by night in the house of the LORD . [1 Chr 9:33 ] 2 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary And bless the LORD . 3 May the LORD bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth. Psalm 135 Praise the LORD ’s Wonderful Works. Vanity of Idols. 1 P RAISE THE LORD ! (Hallelujah!) Praise the name of the LORD ; Praise Him, O servants of the LORD (priests, Levites), 2 You who stand in the house of the LORD , In the courts of the house of our God, 3 Praise the LORD , for the LORD is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is gracious and lovely. 4 For the LORD has chosen [the descendants of] Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own special treasure and possession. [Deut 7:6 ] 5 For I know that the LORD is great And that our Lord is above all gods. 6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all deeps— 7 Who causes the clouds to rise from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightning for the rain, Who brings the wind from His storehouses; 8 Who struck the firstborn of Egypt, Both of man and animal; [Ex 12:12 , 29 ; Ps 78:51 ; 136:10 ] 9 Who sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, Upon Pharaoh and all his servants. 10 Who struck many nations And killed mighty kings, 11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, Og, king of Bashan, And all the kingdoms of Canaan; 12 And He gave their land as a heritage, A heritage to Israel His people.

• From Vox (1992)

  162 "Are your legs spread apart?" "Yes." "Oh, and you're stroking that clit?" "Yes." "Okay, so I'd take one last long up-lick on your pussy and then I'd straighten up, and I'd still be cupping your ass in my hands, and you'd be completely visible by now, wide open, sopping wet, and I'd take my cock in one hand and kind of vibrate it over your clit, and you'd slide your hands down and hold your lips apart with your fingers, and then I'd push my cock down and I'd feel how hot you were and I'd have to slide myself slowly all the way in, and then I'd pull almost all the way out again and slide in, into that nice nasturtium, and each time I pulled out I'd be able to see your hand circling your clit, and I'd slide in until my pubic bone thumped against you, and I'd watch your breasts move each time I reached this limit, and we would be fucking, sliding in and out. . ." "Oh!" "And your finger would be flying over your clit, your hand would be lifted and your finger would be flying back and forth, and I'd have your asscheeks cupped in both my hands, so you could feel a pulling on your asshole, and I would be sliding with long strokes out, and in, and out, and in, and I'd see your tits moving each time ..." "Oh! Oh!" "Oh, I'm starting to come for you, my cock is pump ing inside you ..." 163 "Ohl Nnnnnnnn! Nnn! Nnn! Nnn! Nnn! Nnn! Nnn!" "It's spurting out! I can't help it! Ah! Ah! Oooooo." There was a pause. "Oh man," she said. "Wow. You there?" "I think so. " He swallowed. "Let me catch my breath. " "That was—that was—man" she said. "I saw the great seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts when I came. " "I heard you come and I came," he said. "Whoo! How long have we been talking?" "Hours and hours." "Hours and hours and hours," she said. "My mouth is chapped. Too much making out." "Is your voice sore?" "It really is. Whoo! Gee, I'm going to have to call in sick again. I'll sleep all day, mm, sounds delightful. The hiss on the phone is very loud now, isn't it? That com panionable hiss. It's always louder at the end of conver sations. " "Oh, is it the end already?" he said. "Couldn't we just fade out somehow, talking and talking? I can't think of a better way to invest my life savings. Not that I'm much of a saver." "You're quite a téléphoner, though." "You are too! I mean it! I think really this is one of the nicest conversations I've ever had." "I liked it too," she said. "I don't know, though—do you think we talked enough about sex?"

• From Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women (2017)

  I believe if a woman could dance or swim a half hour everyday, her span of life would be greatly lengthened, her health materially improved, and the joy of living decidedly increased. 59 Terrell argues here that Black women have the right to joy. Moreover, she locates that joy in an active notion of unapologetic embodiment and bodily movement, whether through dance or swimming. She rejects the idea that Black women’s pursuit of pleasure and joy is “unseemly.” Her ownership of her body as a site of creativity, pleasure, and joy challenges existing Black feminist attempts to locate genealogies of Black female pleasure solely within the blues tradition. Apparently, even respectable race ladies liked to dance, too! Terrell’s rebellious use of embodied discourse in her political autobiography created a context for her—and us—to think more expansively about how Black women used their bodies in mischievous, subversive, and pleasurable ways to achieve both personal and political ends.

• From Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women (2017)

  Certainly, Terrell’s privileged class background and the very place of her micro-rebellion—Oberlin College—undercut the broad historical impact of a quotidian form of resistance like dance. But her insistence on including something so potentially trivial within an already expansive tome suggests that, in fact, Terrell pushed, both during her young womanhood and in her latter years, to insist on the importance of creating a space of pleasure in the midst of doing race work. Well into her late seventies, she discussed her love of dancing. In fact, it became a kind of framing narrative for her autobiography because she returns to it in the final chapter of her book, “Carrying On”: I can dance as long and as well as I ever did, although I get very few chances to do so. There seems to be a sort of tradition that after a woman reaches a certain age she should not want to trip the light fantastic and that even if she is anachronistic enough to wish to do such an unseemly thing, she should not be allowed to indulge in this healthful and fascinating exercise. I believe if a woman could dance or swim a half hour everyday, her span of life would be greatly lengthened, her health materially improved, and the joy of living decidedly increased.59 Terrell argues here that Black women have the right to joy. Moreover, she locates that joy in an active notion of unapologetic embodiment and bodily movement, whether through dance or swimming. She rejects the idea that Black women’s pursuit of pleasure and joy is “unseemly.” Her ownership of her body as a site of creativity, pleasure, and joy challenges existing Black feminist attempts to locate genealogies of Black female pleasure solely within the blues tradition. Apparently, even respectable race ladies liked to dance, too! Terrell’s rebellious use of embodied discourse in her political autobiography created a context for her—and us—to think more expansively about how Black women used their bodies in mischievous, subversive, and pleasurable ways to achieve both personal and political ends.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  In such and the like discourse was Ferondo entertained half a score months with eating and drinking and beating, what while the abbot assiduously visited the fair lady, without miscarriage, and gave himself the goodliest time in the world with her. At last, as ill-luck would have it, the lady found herself with child and straightway acquainted the abbot therewith, wherefore it seemed well to them both that Ferondo should without delay be recalled from purgatory to life and return to her, so she might avouch herself with child by him. Accordingly, the abbot that same night caused call to Ferondo in prison with a counterfeit voice, saying, 'Ferondo, take comfort, for it is God's pleasure that thou return to the world, where thou shalt have a son by thy wife, whom look thou name Benedict, for that by the prayers of thy holy abbot and of thy wife and for the love of St. Benedict He doth thee this favour.' Ferondo, hearing this, was exceedingly rejoiced and said, 'It liketh me well, Lord grant a good year to Seignior God Almighty and to the abbot and St. Benedict and my cheesy[196] sweet honey wife.' The abbot let give him, in the wine that he sent him, so much of the powder aforesaid as should cause him sleep maybe four hours and with the aid of his monk, having put his own clothes on him, restored him privily to the tomb wherein he had been buried. [Footnote 196: _Sic_ (_casciata_); meaning that he loves her as well as he loves cheese, for which it is well known that the lower-class Italian has a romantic passion. According to Alexandre Dumas, the Italian loves cheese so well that he has succeeded in introducing it into everything he eats or drinks, with the one exception of coffee.] Next morning, at break of day, Ferondo came to himself and espying light,--a thing which he had not seen for good ten months,--through some crevice of the tomb, doubted not but he was alive again. Accordingly, he fell to bawling out, 'Open to me! Open to me!' and heaving so lustily at the lid of the tomb with his head that he stirred it, for that it was eath to move, and had begun to move it away, when the monks, having now made an end of saying matins, ran thither and knew Ferondo's voice and saw him in act to come forth of the sepulchre; whereupon, all aghast for the strangeness of the case, they took to their heels and ran to the abbot, who made a show of rising from prayer and said, 'My sons, have no fear; take the cross and the holy water and follow after me, so we may see that which God willeth to show forth to us of His might'; and as he said, so he did.

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  13 “The remnant of Israel will do no wrong Nor speak lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will eat and lie down With no one to make them tremble and feel afraid.” 14 Shout for joy, O Daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice, be in high spirits and glory with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem [in that day]! 15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, even the LORD [Himself], is in your midst; You will no longer fear disaster. 16 In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: “Do not be afraid, O Zion; Do not let your hands fall limp. 17 “The LORD your God is in your midst, A Warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with joy; He will be quiet in His love [making no mention of your past sins], He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. 18 “I will gather those [Israelites in captivity] who grieve about the appointed feasts— They came from you, [O Zion]; On whom the reproach [of exile] is a burden. 19 “Behold, at that time I am going to deal With all your oppressors; I will save the lame And gather the scattered, And I will turn their shame into praise and renown In every land [where they have suffered]. [Mic 4:6 , 7 ] 20 “At that time I will bring you in, Yes, at the time I gather you together; For I will make you a name and a praise Among all the peoples of the earth When I restore your fortunes [and freedom] before your eyes,” Says the LORD . Zephaniah 1 a 1:1 Zephaniah’s great-great-grandfather, Hezekiah, ruled Judah (the Southern Kingdom) from 715–686 B .C . He was a godly king who restored the temple and abolished pagan worship. He was also notable as the great warrior who defended Jerusalem from the attacking Assyrians, and the great builder who developed the Siloam tunnel and reservoir to enhance the fresh water supply of Jerusalem. b 1:3 MT reads ruins . c 1:4 One of the major male gods of Canaan. His female consort was Asherah. d 1:5 The flat roofs of the houses were often used as convenient places of planetary worship (i.e. Sabeanism, astrology). e 1:9 This may have a connection to the pagan custom mentioned in 1 Sam 5:5 , or to the pagan belief that spirits resided in the threshold. f 1:10 I.e. the lower, newer part of the city. g 1:11 A shallow hollow that was a district in Jerusalem. h 1:18 God’s judgment and God’s mercy are the twin themes of the prophets. In this dramatic passage, the Lord describes the destruction that will sweep the earth in the day of His wrath.

• From Henry Miller on Writing (1964)

  On the right God the Father; on the left and hanging a little lower, God the Son; and between and above them the Holy Ghost. I can never forget that this holy trinity is man-made, that it will undergo infinite changes—but as long as we come out of wombs with arms and legs, as long as there are stars above us to drive us mad and grass under our feet to cushion the wonder in us, just so long will this body serve for all the tunes that we may whistle. Today it is the third or fourth day of spring and I am sitting at the Place Clichy in full sunshine. Today, sitting here in the sun, I tell you it doesn’t matter a damn whether the world is going to the dogs or not; it doesn’t matter whether the world is right or wrong, good or bad. It is— and that suffices. The world is what it is and I am what I am. I say it not like a squatting Buddha with legs crossed, but out of a gay, hard wisdom, out of an inner security. This out there and this in me, all this, everything , the resultant of inexplicable forces. A chaos whose order is beyond comprehension. Beyond human comprehension. As a human being walking around at twilight, at dawn, at strange hours, unearthly hours, the sense of being alone and unique fortifies me to such a degree that when I walk with the multitude and seem no longer to be a human being but a mere speck, a gob of spit, I begin to think of myself alone in space, a single being surrounded by the most magnificent empty streets, a human biped walking between the skyscrapers when all the inhabitants have fled and I am alone walking, singing, commanding the earth. I do not have to look in my vest pocket to find my soul; it is there all the time, bumping against my ribs, swelling, inflated with song. If I just left a gathering where it was agreed that all is dead, now as I walk the streets, alone and identical with God, I know that this is a lie. The evidence of death is before my eyes constantly; but this death of the world, a death constantly going on, does not move from the periphery in, to engulf me, this death is at my very feet, moving from me outward, my own death a step in advance of me always. The world is the mirror of myself dying, the world not dying any more than I die, I more alive a thousand years from now than this moment and this world in which I am now dying also more alive then than now though dead a thousand years.

• From The Beautiful Room Is Empty (1988)

  The commotion of happiness ringing in my head was so loud I could scarcely hear what was happening. Such moments in a whole long life are neither as rare as one fears at first nor as frequent as later one hopes. His penis was crooked when erect. It was big and veered off to one side.

• From The Beautiful Room Is Empty (1988)

  And she and all her friends loved to tease, not titter, and even played rough practical jokes on one another. Her roommate Betty, women’s tennis champ of Hong Kong, was minuscule and looked no older than fifteen, though she was finishing a doctorate in chemistry. She was wound too tight and kept gaining time; obsessively efficient, she was able all at once to run up a dress, jot down a stream of formulae, practice her backhand, bicycle to the lab, and plan an elaborate evening of amateur theatricals to spoof several friends. At the dinner, Kay decided to test how gullible and distracted a friend of hers, a Chinese grad student in physics, actually was. As we listened, she phoned him at his apartment, where she knew he’d be lost in calculations. She told him she was the operator calling to test his “unit” and, despite her heavy Chinese accent, he believed her. “I want you to walk across the room and put your unit in the top drawer of your walnut dresser, close the drawer, return to your present position, and say, ‘Wong, wong.’ ” The physicist’s compliance, coupled with the fact that dogs in China say wong-wong instead of bow-wow, made us sick with laughter. Soon Kay had him whistling, hooting, and grunting at his unit. Betty was at the same time quickly loading the table with dishes. We were drinking beers, and the cold imperious Kay had turned bright red from drink: “Autumn Moon” became her new name. Then it was Betty’s turn to be teased. She’d made the mistake of complaining that she felt fat, though she carried no more excess weight than a cricket. Kay told us how she’d recently called an exercycle company in Detroit and, in Betty’s name, asked for a free demonstration. One afternoon while Betty was deep in her chemistry book, a big blonde in black high heels clomped-clomped up the wooden fire escape, rising into Betty’s view like a sea monster. “Are you Betty Wong?” she demanded. “Yes.” “One minute please while I assemble the horse.” Before Betty could say ee, erh, san, which is one, two, three in Chinese, she’d been strapped, all eighty-five pounds of her, onto the weight-reducing demon. “That night,” Kay was saying, “when she asked me in tears how they’d come up with her name, I told her they go through the infirmary files and approach anyone who’s overweight.” The two other male guests were Chinese in white shirts, sober ties, and gray suits, smiling and nodding, knees together, hands to either side flat against the chair seat as though ready to spring up at any moment. Before long I’d grasped the underlying idea.

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  25 Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the d Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and the other side of the Jordan. Matthew 5 The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes 1 W HEN JESUS saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His a disciples came to Him. 2 Then He began to teach them, saying, 3 “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]. [Luke 6:20–23 ] 4 “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted]. [Is 61:2 ] 5 “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the b gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth. [Ps 37:11 ] 6 “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied. [Is 55:1 , 2 ] 7 “Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. 8 “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God. [Ps 24:3 , 4 ] 9 “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God. [Heb 12:14 ] 10 “Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for c doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]. 11 “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me. 12 “Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [2 Chr 36:16 ] Disciples and the World 13 “You are the d salt of the earth; but if the salt has e lost its taste (purpose), how can it be made salty? It is no longer good for anything, but to be thrown out and walked on by people [when the walkways are wet and slippery]. 14 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

• From The Well of Loneliness (1928)

  ‘ Nothing matters up here. You and I are so small, we're smaller than Tony -— our love’s nothing but a drop in some vast sea of love —it’s rather consoling — don’t you think so, beloved? ’ But Angela shook her head: ‘ No, my Stephen; I’m not fond of vast seas, I’m of the earth earthy,’ and then: ‘ Kiss me, Stephen.’ So Stephen must kiss her many times, for the hot blood of youth stirs quickly, and the mystical sea became Angela’s lips that so eagerly gave and took kisses. But when they got back to The Grange that evening, Ralph was there — he was hanging about in the hall. He said: “ Had a nice afternoon, you two women? Been motoring Angela round the hills, Stephen, or what? ’ He had taken to calling her Stephen, but his voice just now sounded sharp with suspicion as his rather weak eyes peered at Angela, so that for her sake Stephen must lie, and lie well — nor would this be for the first time either. ‘ Yes, thanks,’ she lied calmly, ‘ we went over to Tewkesbury and had another look at the abbey. We had tea in the town. Pm sorry we're so late, the carburettor choked, I couldn’t get it right at first, my car needs a good overhauling.’ Lies, always lies! She was growing proficient at the glib kind of lying that pacified Ralph, or at all events left him with nothing to say, nonplussed and at a distinct disadvantage. She was sud- denly seized with a kind of horror, she felt physically sick at what she was doing. Her head swam and she caught the jamb of the door for support — at that moment she remembered her father. 166 THE WELL OF LONELINESS 2 Two days later as they sat alone in the garden at Morton, Stephen turned to Angela abruptly: ‘I can’t go on like this, it’s vile some- how — it’s beastly, it’s soiling us both — can’t you see that?’ Angela was startled. * What on earth do you mean? ’ ‘You and me — and then Ralph. I tell you it’s beastly — I want you to leave him and come away with me.’ ‘ Are you mad? ’

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  2 The LORD is great in Zion, And He is exalted and magnified above all the peoples. 3 Let them [reverently] praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He. [Rev 15:4 ] 4 The strength of the King loves justice and righteous judgment; You have established fairness; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob (Israel). 5 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His footstool; Holy is He. 6 Moses and Aaron were among His priests, And Samuel was among those who called on His name; They called upon the LORD and He answered them. 7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud; They kept His testimonies And the statutes that He gave them. [Ps 105:9 , 10 ] 8 You answered them, O LORD our God; You were a forgiving God to them, And yet an avenger of their evil practices. 9 Exalt the LORD our God And worship at His holy hill [Zion, the temple mount], For the LORD our God is holy. Psalm 100 All Men Exhorted to Praise God. A Psalm of Thanksgiving. 1 S HOUT JOYFULLY to the LORD , all the earth. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness and delight; Come before His presence with joyful singing. 3 Know and fully recognize with gratitude that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, a not we ourselves [and we are His]. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [Eph 2:10 ] 4 Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting, His faithfulness [endures] to all generations. Psalm 101 The Psalmist’s Profession of Uprightness. A Psalm of David. 1 I WILL sing of [steadfast] lovingkindness and justice; To You, O LORD , I will sing praises. 2 I will behave wisely and follow the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will walk in my house in integrity and with a blameless heart. 3 I will set no worthless or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the practice of those who fall away [from the right path]; It will not grasp hold of me. 4 A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not tolerate evil. 5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will silence; The one who has a haughty look and a proud (arrogant) heart I will not tolerate. 6 My eyes will be on the faithful (honorable) of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks blamelessly is the one who will minister to and serve me. 7 He who practices deceit will not dwell in my house; He who tells lies and half-truths will not continue [to remain] in my presence.

• From Henry Miller on Writing (1964)

  Another day my hands might wander over the keys with the felicity of a Borgia’s murderous paw. Choosing the staccato technique, I would ape the quibblers and quipsters of the Ghibellines. Or put it on, like a saltimbanque performing for a feeble-minded monarch. The next day a quadruped: everything in hoof beats, clots of phlegm, snorts and farts. A stallion (ech!) racing over a frozen lake with torpedoes in his bowels. All bravura, so to say. And then, as when the hurricane abates, it would flow like a song—quietly, evenly, with the steady lustre of magnesium. As if hymning the Bhagavad Gita. A monk in a saffron robe extolling the work of the Omniscient One. No longer a writer. A saint. A saint from the Sanhedrin sent. God bless the author! (Have we a David here?) What a joy it was to write like an organ in the middle of a lake! Bite me, you bed lice! Bite while I have the strength! The Book of Life—Nexus“Val, you’re a dreamer.” “Sure I am. But I’m an active dreamer. There’s a difference.” Then I added: “We’re all dreamers, only some of us wake up in time to put down a few words. Certainly I want to write. But I don’t think it’s the end-all and be-all. How shall I put it? Writing is like the caca that you make in your sleep. Delicious caca, to be sure, but first comes life, then the caca. Life is change, movement, quest… a going forward to meet the unknown, the unexpected. Only a very few men can say of themselves, ‘I have lived!’ That’s why we have books—so that men may live vicariously. But when the author also lives vicariously—!” She broke in. “When I listen to you sometimes, Val, I feel that you want to live a thousand lives in one. You’re eternally dissatisfied—with life as it is, with yourself, with just about everything. You’re a Mongol. You belong on the steppes of Central Asia.” “You know,” I said, getting worked up now, “one of the reasons why I feel so disjointed is that there’s a little of everything in me. I can put myself in any period and feel at home in it. When I read about the Renaissance I feel like a man of the Renaissance; when I read about one of the Chinese dynasties I feel exactly like a Chinese of that epoch. Whatever the race, the period, the people, Egyptian, Aztec, Hindu or Chaldean, I’m thoroughly in it, and it’s always a rich, tapestried world whose wonders are inexhaustible. That’s what I crave—a humanly created world, a world responsive to man’s thoughts, man’s dream’s, man’s desires. What gets me about this life of ours, this American life, is that we kill everything we touch. Talk of the Mongols and the Huns—they were cavaliers compared to us. This is a hideous, empty, desolate land. I see my compatriots through the eyes of my ancestors.

• From The Decameron (1353)

  The mother's joy at seeing her son again and that of the two brothers in each other and of all three in the faithful nurse, the honour done of all to Messer Guasparrino and his daughter and of him to all and the rejoicing of all together with Currado and his lady and children and friends, no words might avail to express; wherefore, ladies, I leave it to you to imagine. Thereunto,[110] that it might be complete, it pleased God the Most High, a most abundant giver, whenas He beginneth, to add the glad news of the life and well-being of Arrighetto Capece; for that, the feast being at its height and the guests, both ladies and men, yet at table for the first service, there came he who had been sent into Sicily and amongst other things, reported of Arrighetto that he, being kept in captivity by King Charles, whenas the revolt against the latter broke out in the land, the folk ran in a fury to the prison and slaying his guards, delivered himself and as a capital enemy of King Charles, made him their captain and followed him to expel and slay the French: wherefore he was become in especial favour with King Pedro,[111] who had reinstated him in all his honours and possessions, and was now in great good case. The messenger added that he had received himself with the utmost honour and had rejoiced with inexpressible joy in the recovery of his wife and son, of whom he had heard nothing since his capture; moreover, he had sent a brigantine for them, with divers gentlemen aboard, who came after him. [Footnote 110: _i.e._ to which general joy.] [Footnote 111: Pedro of Arragon, son-in-law of Manfred, who, in consequence of the Sicilian Vespers, succeeded Charles d'Anjou as King of Sicily.] The messenger was received and hearkened with great gladness and rejoicing, whilst Currado, with certain of his friends, set out incontinent to meet the gentlemen who came for Madam Beritola and Giusfredi and welcoming them joyously, introduced them into his banquet, which was not yet half ended. There both the lady and Giusfredi, no less than all the others, beheld them with such joyance that never was heard the like; and the gentlemen, ere they sat down to meat, saluted Currado and his lady on the part of Arrighetto, thanking them, as best they knew and might, for the honour done both to his wife and his son and offering himself to their pleasure,[112] in all that lay in his power. Then, turning to Messer Guasparrino, whose kindness was unlooked for, they avouched themselves most certain that, whenas that which he had done for Scacciato should be known of Arrighetto, the like thanks and yet greater would be rendered him. [Footnote 112: Or (in modern phrase) putting himself at their disposition.]

• From Amplified Holy Bible (2015)

  24 “God is spirit [the Source of life, yet invisible to mankind], and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ—the Anointed); when that One comes, He will tell us everything [we need to know].” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you, am He (the Messiah).” 27 Just then His disciples came, and they were surprised to find Him talking with a woman. However, no one said, “What are You asking about?” or, “Why are You talking to her?” 28 Then the woman left her water jar, and went into the city and began telling the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done! Can this be the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)?” 30 So the people left the city and were coming to Him. 31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus [to have a meal], saying, “Rabbi (Teacher), eat.” 32 But He told them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to completely finish His work. 35 “Do you not say, ‘It is still four months until the harvest comes?’ Look, I say to you, raise your eyes and look at the fields and see, they are white for harvest. 36 “Already the reaper is receiving his wages and he is gathering fruit for eternal life; so that he who plants and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One [person] sows and another reaps.’ 38 “I sent you to reap [a crop] for which you have not worked. Others have worked and you have been privileged to reap the results of their work.” The Samaritans 39 Now many Samaritans from that city believed in Him and trusted Him [as Savior] because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they asked Him to remain with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed in Him [with a deep, abiding trust] because of His word [His personal message to them]; 42 and they told the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; for [now] we have heard Him for ourselves and know [with confident assurance] that this One is truly the Savior of [all] the world.” 43 After the two days He went on from there into Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself declared that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  When a group of people come together online with the intent of expressing anger and/or harming people, it’s an online mob. Anger is not just a common emotion online; some research has found it to be the most viral emotion online, with people more likely to share angering posts than sad, scary, disgusting, or happy ones. 44 The contagious effects of anger are felt in all walks of life. Finally, it’s worth noting that there was a very sweet and joyful example of emotional contagion hidden in Sarah’s story about reopening. The research she shared with me on the syncing of heartbeats 45 is ultimately an example of how the power of emotional contagion can be used for good. When people come together for a common purpose, and that purpose includes sharing a positive emotional experience together, it can be profoundly moving. It may even help us overcome very real barriers that exist between us. ACTIVITY: EXTERNAL CONTRIBUTORS With that angry person in your life, think about a particular time they were really angry (whether it was with you or with someone else when you were around them). 1. In what way might the attitudes and emotions of the people around them have contributed to their anger in that moment? 2. What other aspects of the environment might have contributed to their anger in that moment? 3. Did those environmental factors influence the way the person interpreted the provocation that led to their anger? Habitual and Consistent Negativity Though the Schachter and Singer study says a lot about emotional contagion, it says just as much about the role of interpretation. When people didn’t know the source of their physiological arousal, they looked for an interpretation that made sense to them. They used whatever information they had, accurate or inaccurate, to decide how to feel. Their feelings were influenced, not just by the people and the situation, but by their interpretation of the people and the situation.

• From Beyond Respectability: The Intellectual Thought of Race Women (2017)

  “Let us rejoice with an exceeding great joy in spite of the determined, diabolical efforts which have been made to snatch from us the fruits of that blessed victory which the law gives us the right to enjoy.” 91 Invoking both Christian religious rhetoric and the rhetoric of liberal democracy, Terrell held forth their victory as both divine and legal right. Delivered in a local D.C. church, her liberal use of biblical phrases had the effect of letting her audience know that God was in fact on the side of the protesters, not on the side of the “diabolical” local officials. Even so, she reminded her audience about the kind of agitation that would be most effective: “We are not going to tear passion to tatters here tonight. We are not going to fuss and fume. But in a dignified, disgusted way we are going to say we are shocked beyond expression that Corporation Counsel West has used his power as a law-enforcement officer to encourage proprietors of hotels, restaurants, and other eating places deliberately, openly to violate the law by telling them he will not prosecute them if they do.” 92 Terrell insisted on dignified, if

• From How to Deal with Angry People (2023)

  At its most basic, we find that seeing a person smile motivates us to smile and seeing them frown motivates us to frown. In 1998, Drs. Ulf Dimberg and Monika Thunberg36 did three studies where they showed participants pictures of happy or angry faces and measured their reactions by measuring muscle activation of the face. They attached electrodes to particular muscle groups and they found that seeing a pictures of happy or angry faces led to activation in facial muscles consistent with the photos. Happy faces led to smiling. Angry faces led to frowning. Epinephrine, Euphoria, and Anger Two researchers, Drs. Stanley Schachter and Jerome Singer, did a fascinating study37 on this back in 1962. Using a fair amount of deception, they recruited participants to take part in a study they told them was about how vitamins would influence their vision. As such, they gave them all shots. Half received epinephrine (adrenaline) and the other half got a placebo (regardless, they were all told the shots were vitamin supplements). The dosage of epinephrine they used would provide, as they described it in the article, “almost a perfect mimicry of a discharge of the sympathetic nervous system” (for example, slight heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing increases that started about 5 minutes after the shot and lasted around 20 minutes). Participants were given one of three sets of information about the shot: epinephrine informed (told what will happen as a result of the shot), epinephrine ignorant (told nothing), and epinephrine misinformed (given incorrect information about the effects of the shot). After this, a “stooge” entered the room. This was actually a member of the research team but was acting as another participant. The participant and the stooge were then given instructions to wait for 20 minutes before they took the eye test. During that time, the stooge behaved in one of two ways, providing yet another variable to the study: angry or euphoric.* In the euphoric condition, the stooge was playful and fun. He doodled on some scratch paper, played a game of garbage-can basketball with crumpled-up paper, and encouraged the other player to get involved too. He made paper airplanes, played with a hula hoop, and said things like, “I feel like a kid again.”† In the anger condition, the stooge and the participant are given surveys to complete. The stooge behaves grumpily in this condition, complaining about the length of the survey and getting angry about some of the questions.