Deliver Us From Evil

Sin is prevalent in our society every single day. It ranges from cheating, stealing, an war. One of the biggest sins that I have seen portrayed throughout daily life is racism. It started a long time ago, beginning with slaves and lasting through the Civil Rights Movement and it even happens in some parts of the world today. At first people were treated unjustly because of the color of their skin. They were called names, segregated, and judged. Through the Civil Rights Movement, many people have taken a stand against racism and help spread equality for all. I hope that racism disappears for good because seeing people get treated unjustly because of something they cannot change is not fair.

Tempations

Just as Jesus was tempted by the devil in the desert, young people are tempted by their peers daily. Jesus was tempted three times in the desert, and he denied each of the temptations. Jesus showed his will power by not showing off his relationship with God or his skills. Everyday, teenagers are tempted by their friends by things like drugs, alcohol, and gossip. They can make the choice to deny the peer pressure like Jesus, or give into it like the devil wanted Jesus to do. I look to Jesus for guidance to help me use my willpower to follow in his footsteps and deny temptations

My Favorite Saint

I chose Padre Pio as my favorite saint. After watching all of the power points on the saints, Padre Pio has made an impact on me. He has done the impossible because he could be in two places at once. He dedicated his life to God at the young age of five. He's shown that he was dedicated to God for his whole life, doing acts of kindness and imitating God. He suffered from stigmata, which is where his hands and feet bled in the same places as Jesus' wounds from being on the cross. After learning about Padre Pio and his interesting disease, I chose him as my favorite saint.

Mother Theresa

"Loneliness is the greatest poverty of rich countries."
This statement quoted by Mother Theresa can be taken a few different ways. Firstly, in a literal sense, where people who live in a rich and thriving country are poor being lonely. These people deal with seeing people take their riches for granted, when all they could ask for is a real meal or winter coat. Another way to interpret this quote, is more figuratively. Poverty is relevant in more than just materialistic things, it is relevant in opportunities and emotions. Although you may have all the material goods and money you would ever need in life, you may not have a strong emotional support system. Loneliness is a feeling that anybody can face, no matter what their situation.

Mother Theresa once said, "I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?" This quote can be taken both literally and figuratively as well. Mother Theresa meant to know those who are major parts of your life, and never judge anyone by their cover. You do not know what anyone is going through on the inside. She meant that you may never fully know someone, even if they are as close to you as a next-door neighbor.

Prayer Reflection

I really enjoy doing Pray As You Go every morning before class starts. It gives us a chance to settle down and clear our heads to focus on theology, and the class ahead of us. During our prayer, we sit in a meditative environment and listen as the speakers read us the daily reading and ask us questions. These questions open my eyes to different ideas and help me to reflect on the reading of the day, while also helping me reflect on my life. After we are finished listening to the prayers, we discuss them. This discussion gives me a deeper understanding to the question who is Jesus.

Blog #1

First blog!