Ryan, you're not satanic at all! I think it's really sweet that you give money to people! I gave a packet of crackers to that guy with the 'Work for Food' sign, even though they were my favorite crackers with the peanut butter (Jennifer, you should purchase more!) However, I am sorry you despise human existence....I know you're hurting because people can be rotten, as you said, but....maybe you and Leah just weren't meant to be. But hey - now you can say you've had your first relationship, and you have a better idea of how to deal with girls! Yeah. So. Maybe after my AP test, I'll be able to come to The Quest! I have it not this week, and not next week ('cause that's Spring Play), but the week after! Maybe. Maybe!
The bread was the best part! Mmm! Yes, hehe. I really enjoyed the last two days with the food fast and everything....it's been so often lately that I feel like I've been neglecting church. I'm really going to make more of an effort to come to The Quest and other things....hopefully I can find a way to get my homework done and still do those things. We have less than a month until the AP test (!!!!!!) and maybe after that, homework will calm down a little bit. But, yeah, that Habitat for Humanity thing was really, really cool. I think we should all get together some time and eat Papa John's 'cause we totally missed out yesterday, ;D I get the peppers! :9
ok everyone i am really full! That soup and bread was seriously GOOD! The ice cream was a nice surprise too. I am now very tired and basically vegging out...but it is a good kind of tired because it really was a good day. I'm glad we got to do the habitat thing because that was something that I have always wanted to do. We should sign up to do it again...except when it is warmer outside! I'm excited to see that house when it is done...i will be so proud!
hey guys! (if anyone writes in here anymore.......) just so you know im getting confirmed on saturday at easter vigil so you all should come! the end :)
Oh! If any of you are free on Wednesday at 6:15, you might want to check out Taize Prayer. It's in the Chapel at church, and it's a cool form of prayer. They have chants in English and in Latin, and they're sung. You get to spend a lot of time introspectively, and up praying by the cross. I've only been once, but it's really cool, and I think you guys would like it. Plus, I made the Worship Commission move it 15 minutes earlier just so that youth could go, even if they had religion on Wednesday, hehe. So, go!
Um, okay, so that was a lovely story, Ryan. But I fail to see how it relates to Jesus, or any of the rest of us. And I know you do have your own blog. So.... O_o
Anyway! I don't know if any of you get The Compass (local Catholic newspaper), but I do. And yesterday at Worship Commission, Bob recommended an editorial to me because he knew I might....struggle with some of the things the author said. And I did. And so I wrote and editorial of my own and just finished emailing it, after getting it down to 500 words. Here is the finished product, for you fine members of the Jesus Blog:
Right Way
Dear Editor This is a response to the editorial "Wrong Way" by Patrick Beno Sr. If I have misread him in any way, I apologize profusely…but I don't think I have. The beginning of Beno's editorial is refutation to a previous article regarding churches being structured "long and narrow". The author quotes a Cardinal by questioning "entrusting the creative" planning of liturgy to groups of people to make "their own contributions." He says, "Less and less is God in the picture." I am 16, and I am very much involved in planning and participating in the youth activities at Nativity. One of the things I do is plan youth masses for our parish. I'd be considered a member of the "groups of people who like to make 'their own contributions.'" And who wouldn't? Who would not want to do everything they could to help create an atmosphere that is conducive to prayer for all those who come to celebrate mass?
Two phrases I struggled with were "Less and less is God in the picture" and "irreverence promoted by liturgists". I fail to understand how lay-people being involved in planning masses promotes irreverence. I believe it does the opposite. By becoming involved in planning a mass, a person gains a deep understanding for all parts of mass and their meanings. When our Youth Liturgy plans a mass, reverence is what guides us. We write homilies with priests in ways that will bring understanding of God to the members of our parish. When we plan a mass, the scriptures remain the same. It is still mass, which is beautiful by itself, but it is even more beautiful because youth are showing the church their wisdom in Christ - something that doesn't necessarily come with age.
The author said that youth are being turned away from church because "liturgies have lost their sense of reverence". He says that no catechesis at any "level" will bring them back. I struggle very much with this idea. When I talk to people who attend church, I find that nearly all of the people who do not enjoy attending mass do not understand mass. Wouldn't catechesis solve this problem?
I also struggle with the idea that "irreverent" liturgies are driving youth away from church. Ever since Youth Liturgy started at our parish, the youth have come flocking. Churches are packed for our youth masses. We have uncountable youth activities, including trips to places like the University of Notre Dame and St. Meinrad - both of which catechize youth to understand our religion and our mass structure so that we might go back and be involved in bringing more people to church by creating reverent environments that are conducive to prayer. I don't understand the correlation between churches that are long and narrow and lay-people planning "irreverent masses". I don't understand why anyone would think that lay-people becoming actively involved in their faith is a bad thing. It's a beautiful thing. If it brings people closer to God, it is the right way.
Ok, I can't sleep and I want to die. My dog comes into my lair at 2:00 in the morning for some reason and plops on my bed. Of course I have to squeeze to the otherside and give it one of my pillows because it's a spoiled brat. Then I kind of fall back a sleep and then the little s#@% lets out the biggest, raunchiest, rankest and deadliest fart that I was afraid I was going to have methane gas poisening. So I take the dog outside so it could sh#@ and he lets a plopper the size of Texas............Wiped his rump and feet and took him back to my room. I go back to bed and then he lets out the biggest fart on the face of the Earth. It was like Bio-terrorism and I thought I was going to die. If you lighted a match in that room, I think the room would have exploded.
So, I was like this is nutz. So, I got another blanket out and massed around his romp and that seems to be working. If that doesen't work, then my sister will be getting a surprise tonight. (Diabolical Laugh).
Just thought you would like to know how my night that I should be sleeping is going.
Good night.
As far as the whole thing of telling people whether they can and can't pray for is obsurd. However, I agree with the kids point that peace will never come to the planet. We are so divided by religion and self-rigtiousness that we can't see beyond the big perspective of world peace. As long as there are other religions in the world, there will be no peace in our time. So when Jesus comes back to Earth once again, we may see world peace only when the end of world enters our realm. I agree with the girl (not in telling that person that you shouldn't pray for or have faith in an idea) and that I will never use my time to pray for world peace.
I can hope in co-existance and that everyone on earth has food on the table. That is a realistic goal.
Good night.
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Yes, I was bummed as well because it's the first time I was actually able to go in like, 8 years. Such is my luck.
Regarding your quote, I don't agree with it at all. For one thing, I don't think it's any person's business to tell someone else what they should or shouldn't pray for. Prayer is different for anybody, and it's a bit audacious of this girl to make that comment. This one seems like a no-brainer for me, but since she disagrees with it, I will expand. I pray for peace because peace is something I desire for myself and for the rest of the world. The world is obviously severely lacking in peace at the present time. Because of this lack of peace, people are dying and bombs are being dropped and hatred is being spread. When I pray for peace, I pray that God will try to lift hatred from the eyes of Israelis and Palestinians and Saddam Hussein and everyone else who hates people. Because hatred is the cause of all this. And no, I don't think Saddam Hussein will stop being a dick just because Jackie is praying for peace. But I do believe that God will do everything He can to make his presence known within the heart of Saddam. And if Saddam chooses to ignore it, then that's his choice. But Saddam is not the only person on the face of this earth who hates people. If by praying for peace, my prayer helps even just one little Israeli kid share a toy with a Palestinian kid, then that is a step. I don't believe God tangibly interferes with our lives, as some of you know. But I do believe God can do many things within our own spirits and hearts - he can give us strength and clarity and most important of all - peace.
