Deliver Us From Evil

I believe that a major sin in our society today that we should be delivered from is violence. Sometimes when we think of violence, we think of warfare and more prominent situations. However, violence is all around us. It can be as severe as a gang fight or a school shooting, but it can also vary to cyber-bullying and words that we use. Jesus intended for peace on this earth. Shouldn't we all strive for it? What benefit do people receive from taking another person's life? The amount of shootings and innocent lives lost is remarkably high. To be delivered from the evil of violence could restore peace in our community.

Temptations

The first temptation Jesus faced was when the devil told him to change the rock into bread because Jesus had fasted for forty days. In modern times, we might be tempted to use our abilities for evil. For example, someone who is good with computers might be tempted to hack into another person's account for his or her benefit. The second temptation Jesus faced was when the devil told Jesus to throw Himself from the top of the temple and to call upon His angels so that they would catch him. Today, this could relate to how we sometimes feel tempted to use people. An example of this is cheating. We could pretend to be friends with someone in order to get answers from him or her for homework or a graded assignment, saying that "That's what a real friend would do." The third temptation Jesus faced was when Satan told Him to bow down to the devil and Jesus would be given all the kingdoms. In present times, we are sometimes tempted to idolize a celebrity or even a friend who could potentially lead us down the wrong path with hopes of gaining popularity or wealth. The temptations Jesus faced can translate to temptations we face everyday.

Saints Alive: Dorothy Stang

The saint that I was most intrigued by was Dorothy Stang. She was a sister who worked in Brazil in the Amazon. I'd conduct more research on her because I was surprised that she was assassinated in 2005. Many of the saints were martyrs around the 1800s, some died later. However, the fact that her death is rather recent is surprising. Her motivation to do good for the rain forests and her use of a Bible as her weapon against her attackers is inspiring.

Kony 2012

Surprised. Baffled. Confused. Empowered. These are the words I would use to describe how I was feeling as I watched the Kony 2012 video. I was previously aware of Invisible Children because my friend is a part of a club for Invisible Children at her school. However, I was so surprised that this has been going on for such a long time. 20 years! And I am baffled at the fact that no one came to help those poor children. Then again, this issue was practically nonexistent in the eyes of other countries because Kony was able to hide it. But why? Why would someone abduct children in order for them to kill anyone, let alone their parents? Why would someone be so power hungry as to take away someone's childhood? What could possibly be going through Kony's mind that instigates all this? As I watched the video, Gavin's innocent answers to his dad's questions were touching. A young boy can realize the violence of Kony and he wants to stop it. The video pulls me to do something. Anything. The Mount is a strong community. What can we, as a community, do to help these innocent children?

Mother Teresa

"Loneliness is the greatest poverty of rich countries."
When people think of poverty, they think about Africa, India, and other third-world countries. However poverty is not only lacking money, food, shelter, and clothing but also lacking in equal opportunities, equal social treatment, and most basic of all: love. When people lack love, they truly are alone. They have no one to comfort them and tell them those three special words we always long to hear or even sometimes take for granted when we do hear them. Everybody has felt lonely at one point in his or her lifetime, and isolation isn't exactly something one deals with well. So even if someone has a mansion, four exotic cars, and the latest brand name clothing, but has no one, then they are indeed living a life of poverty.
"Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing." -Mother Teresa
Why do people smile when taking a picture? Because a smile is anyone's greatest asset. It is also believed that if you smile when you answer the phone, the person on the other line can feel it. I'm drawn to this quote because, honestly speaking, I love smiling. I love laughing. I love seeing happiness in other people. It's a trite phrase, but a smile can indeed change someone's mood, as I have personally experienced. The greatest gift you can give to a person is a smile. :)

Pray As We Go

Contemplative prayer relaxes me. It calms me down and takes me away from the craziness of the busy school schedule. The thoughts and reflections the people ask give me new perspective about life or different aspects of life.