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reading of the Book of Genesis the
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serpent was the most cunning of all the
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beasts of the field that the Lord God
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had made she said to the woman is it
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true that God said to you you shall not
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eat of any of the Trees of the garden
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and the woman answered the serpent we
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may eat of the fruit of the Trees of the
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garden but of the fruit of the tree that
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is in the middle of the garden God said
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said to us do not eat of it or even
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touch it otherwise you will dive the
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serpent said to the woman no you will
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not die your eyes will open and you will
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be like God knowing good and evil the
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woman saw that it would be good to eat
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from the tree as it was attractive to
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the eyes and desirable for gaining
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knowledge and she picked some fruit ate
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it and gave it to her husband who was
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with her and he ate then both of their
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eyes opened and when they saw that they
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were naked they wo loin cloths for
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themselves out of fig leaves when they
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heard the voice of the Lord God who was
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walking through the garden in the
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afternoon Breeze Adam and his wife hid
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from the Lord God Among the Trees of the
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garden word of the Lord thank
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Mark Glory To You
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Lord at that time Jesus left the region
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of Ty again passed through Sedonia and
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continued to the Sea of Galilee crossing
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the region of the decapolis then they
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brought a deaf man who spoke with
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difficulty and asked Jesus to lay his
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hand on him Jesus walked away with a man
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out of the crowd then he put his fingers
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in his ears spat and touched his tongue
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with the saliva looking at the sky he
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sighed and said ifat which which means
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open up immediately his ears opened his
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tongue loosened and he began to speak
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without difficulty Jesus insistently
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recommended that they not tell anyone
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but the more he recommended the more
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they spread the word very impressed they
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said he has done all things well he
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makes the deaf hear and the mute speak
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word of Salvation Glory To You Lord
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my dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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today the readings invite us to reflect
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deeply on our relationship with God and
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our neighbors there are two Central
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themes that emerge the separation from
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God caused by sin and the restoration of
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the communion that only Jesus can offer
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both passages bring us to a
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confrontation with the reality of human
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Frailty but they also reveal to us the
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beauty of divine grace
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I would like to start with an image
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imagine a perfect garden in this Garden
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all the trees are loaded with delicious
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fruits the animals live in harmony and
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there is a constant freshness in the air
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this is the Garden of Eden the place
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where God placed Adam and Eve our first
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parents it was not only a place of
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physical Beauty but also of deep
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intimacy with God every step they took
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was in the company of the Creator every
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sound on the Wind seemed like a divine
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fine whisper but then something changed
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the serpent more cunning than any animal
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enters the scene and plants a doubt in
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Eve's heart is that what God Said shall
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he not eat of any tree in the garden gen
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1 here we see the beginning of all sin
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doubt about the goodness of God Brethren
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how does this resonate in our lives
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today how often do we allow doubt about
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God's love or his Providence to enter
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how many times have we heard the
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serpents of modern society tell us that
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God's plan is not enough for our
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happiness the Temptation continues and
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Eve looking at the forbidden fruit finds
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it good for eating pleasing to the eye
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and desirable for giving wisdom gen 3 6
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she takes it and eats it and also gives
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it to Adam in an instant the harmony of
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Eden is shattered their eyes are opened
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but not to Divine wisdom they open
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themselves to shame for the first time
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they feel the need to hide from God here
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is a powerful metaphor sin separates us
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from God and makes us believe that we
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need to hide from him like Adam and Eve
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we often cover ourselves with spiritual
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fig leaves excuses justifications and
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masks thinking we can hide our flaws but
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God in his Mercy comes to meet us he
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walks through the garden and asks where
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99 this isn't just a question for Adam
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and Eve is a question for each of us now
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let's go to the gospel where we find
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Jesus in a region of Gentiles in the
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decapolis he is introduced to a man who
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is deaf and has difficulty speaking here
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is a man isolated by his condition
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unable to hear the words of comfort and
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hope unable to fully Express what he
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feels he is in some ways an image of
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unable to hear God's voice and respond
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to him appropriately but look what Jesus
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does he does not simply Heal The Man
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From a Distance or with a quick word he
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takes him aside touches his ears and
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tongue looks up at the sky and sigh
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deeply before saying epida which means
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734 this scene is loaded with meaning
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Jesus touch is a sign of his closeness
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of his desire to come into our lives
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lives and transform our condition he not
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only restores this man's hearing and
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speech he reintegrates him into the
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community restoring his dignity now let
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us reflect how many times have we become
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like the deaf man unable to hear God's
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voice because of the noise of the world
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how many times does our tongue get stuck
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unable to praise God or speak Words of
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Love and Truth to others we also need
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the epida of Jesus in our lives we need
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him to open our ears to hear his word
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and loose our tongues to Proclaim his
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glory let us see then the connection
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between these readings in Genesis sin
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closes the human heart to God leading to
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alienation and isolation but in the
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gospel Jesus shows us that he came to
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open what was closed by sin he calls us
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back into communion with God and others
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think of a rusty door that hasn't been
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opened for years it creaks resists but
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with the right force can be unlocked and
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reopened this is what our hearts are
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like when we allow Jesus to touch them
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he is the key that unlocks the doors
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that sin has closed and what does this
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mean for us concretely first it means we
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must listen hear the word of God hear
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the voice of the holy spirit in our
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consciences and hear the Cry of those in
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need around us how often do we become
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deaf to the needs of others because we
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are too busy with our own concerns
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second it means we must speak speak
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words of forgiveness words of
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encouragement words that build up we
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live in a world where words often hurt
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divide and spread hate but as Disciples
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of Christ we are called to use our words
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to build Bridges bring peace and witness
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to God's love ultimately it means we
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must allow Jesus to touch us this
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requires vulnerability Brothers it means
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admitting that we are deaf in certain
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that our tongues are tied by fear or
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indifference but if we let him touch us
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he will transform us as we close this
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reflection I invite everyone to a moment
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of silence let us close our eyes and ask
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Jesus to also say to US epheta Open up
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may he open our ears to his word our
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eyes to his presence and our hearts to
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his grace may the Lord help us to live
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like those who have been restored by him
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listening speaking and acting according
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to his will and when we feel that the
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weight of sin or doubt is pulling us
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away from God let us remember that he
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always Walks In The Garden of Our Lives
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calling where are you may we respond to
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him with confidence and love knowing
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that in Christ there is always a way
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amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
