Education

            Throughout this week I have seen a lot of videos concerning a high school student and how he stood up to his teacher. He stood up to his teacher for not teaching and just handing out worksheets. I was very impressed when I saw this video because it took courage. It showed how this young man wants to learn and wants to be productive and wants to do something with his life. I also saw interview, which said the kid dropped out of school and this shows how important school is because after a year he realized he had to come back.

            I admire this kid for he was attempting to expand his knowledge and glory and that is what we an all should doo. If we give ourselves a chance to succeed and gain glory than we with God’s help will achieve that glory. With that glory though, we are called to give it to God for he is the one who lets us have it.

Link to Video to Kid Standing Up

Mass in the Early Church

     The central activity of the mass in the early church was the breaking of the bread. this Eucharistic Liturgy was to be celebrated on every Sunday for it is the first day of the week. According to St. Justin Martyr the celebration consisted of seven main activities. These seven activities were gathering on sunday, readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, an offertory, a eucharistic prayer, and the reception of the Eucharist. We are called, through scripture, to participate in every single one of these activities. "Memoirs of the Apostles and the writings of the prophets are read," is just one of the ways to show how St. Justin Martyr described the readings from scripture. As you can see by the activities, mass is structured the same way now as it was for the Early Church. The focal point of mass in both periods of time of course being the Eucharistical Sacrifice for it was instituted by Jesus at the Last Supper and has been celebrated ever since.

Ronald Davis

            As I first watched this video, my heart felt compassion for Ronald Davis. Coming from a great home, I cannot imagine living on the street and not knowing if I will be able to eat the next day. Sleeping outside in the cold, in a cardboard box, blows my mind. I cannot comprehend what it would be like. Davis wants to get a job, he is not living on the street and not trying to get back on his feet, he literally cannot find a job. Because he has been homeless for about a year and a half, he most likely only has one or two sets of clothes he can wear. And more likely than not, the clothes he has are dirty and not appropriate for a job interview, but that’s all he has.

When he started to talk about the man who walked by him and called him a bum, it got me thinking about what I do when I drive by or walk by a homeless person. How do I look at them? Do I look at them like they are nothing, or do I look at them like they are another human being who is down on their luck? I would hope I would do the latter. I do not think of myself as a person who would go out of his way to be rude to a homeless person—or any person for that matter. If I have some extra money when I pass a homeless person either on the street or when I drive by, I try and give it to them. I realize homeless people do not want to be homeless, so I try and help them out. 

Ronald Davis' Story

Recently I watched a video on youtube called “Homeless Man Ronald Davis Emotional Story Called a Bum, Cries...” and it reminds me of a song by Luke Bryan called, “You Don’t Know Jack,” which also describes the life of a bum. This video and that songcould really change a person’s life if it is received in the right way by the viewer. If a person sees this and learns about life from the point of view of a bum. It teaches its watcher to give to a person down on their luck because some of them are trying to get a job and get back on his feet. This is a lesson to learn in life too because it is always important to help those who need it. It also shows us to be stewards of the Earth and take care of God’s people for they are loved by him just as much as we are. Helping others in need in order to take care of God’s Earth is part of the Universal Call to Holiness and is something we should do everyday.

This movie was very informative and it really taught us as people a lesson. Most people see a homeless man or a hobo and think, “Oh great, here’s another person that is going to beg me for money or something.” They feel that the money will be spent on drugs but in the video Mr. Ronald Davis, the homeless man being interviewed, says in at about three minutes and eighteen seconds into the video he talks about how a man treated him poorly and he responded, “God bless you sir.” This was a big quote to me because it showed that this man felt even though he has lived on the streets to survive God still has a plan for him and he still has faith in God.

Link to Davis' Video

Link to Lyrics of "You Don't Know Jack" by Luke Bryan

All Are Welcome!

            I believe the author of the blog did a very nice job making a good example of the two kids. The author made it clear that just like Freddie was welcome at his friend’s dinner table, we too are welcome at the table of Christ. It is always nice to be welcomed places. Whether we are welcomed at a dinner table, or socially at school, or on an athletic or academic team; it is always nice to be welcomed places. It makes us feel good inside. I know I always enjoy being welcomed places. It makes me feel especially good to know I am welcomed with God. Anytime I want to talk to God or read about God, I know I can do that. God has welcomed me into his life and that makes me feel pretty great.

          I am welcomed every place I do. I am welcomed in my classes; I am welcomed in social settings, on athletic teams, in my family, and in God’s family. The most special place I am welcomed to is God’s family. I love being apart of God’s family. God has taught me many things that have helped me through life and I know I will continue to practice throughout the rest of my life. I believe the author does a good job describing homosexuality: “The Church loves, welcomes, and respects a woman or man with a same-sex attraction…while reminding him or her of our clear teaching that, while the condition of homosexuality is no sin at all, still, God’s teaching is clear that sexual acts are reserved for a man and woman united in the lifelong, life-giving, faithful, loving bond of marriage.”