Vocab Words

Introductory Unit (8)

1. Heart It is a figurative use of the word to refer to the very core of each of us. Figuratively, it is where our intellect, will and emotions reside, as well as our intentions.
2. X and Arrows describes how Jesus came to reach us
3. Desire A strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.
4. Reality resemblance to what is real.
5. 4 Truths of the “I” I have desires, I am not perfect, I want my desires to be fulfilled, I will seek fulfillment
6. Religious Sense Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
7. Ontology The branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.
8. Being Existence

Anointing of the Sick (27 +8 = 35)

1. Suffering the bearing of pain or distress
2. Sickness in the Old Testament human condition as a result of the first sin
3. Job a position or routine
4. Views of Suffering in other religions suffering is for consolation or relief; moral conduct, spiritual advancement through life hardships or through self-imposed trials
5. Original Sin the tainting sin committed by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden when they directly disobeyed god
6. Christ the Physician Christ alludes to Himself as a physician.
7. History of the sick being healed by the Church Even though Jesus commanded the twelve and then the seventy-two to heal the sick as they proclaimed the kingdom of God to the lost, the Church today no longer obeys this command. In fact, this command is ignored and almost never taught to believers today. Anyone who tries to heal the sick---not just pray for the sick---is likely viewed with suspicion and thought to be straying from the word of God.
8. Presbyters An elder or minister of the Christian Church
9. Who administers the sacrament? a priest or bishop
10. Who can receive the sacrament? The anointing of the sick can be administered to a member of the faithful who, after having reached the use of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age.
11. Celebration of the Sacrament The communal celebration of the anointing of the sick for many of the sick at the same time who are duly prepared and rightly disposed can be performed according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop.
12. Rite of Anointing (8 main parts) Scripture awakens the faith of the sick and family members and friends to pray to Christ for the strength of his Holy Spirit. The priest lays his hands on the head of the sick person. He then proceeds to anoint, with the blessed Oil of the Sick, the forehead and hands of the sick person (in the Roman Rite). He accompanies these acts with the words, "Through this holy anointing may the Lord in his love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up" (CCC, no. 1513). For those who are about to depart from this life, the Church offers the person Penance, Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist as Viaticum (food for the journey) given at the end of life. These are "the sacraments that prepare for our heavenly homeland" (cf. CCC, no. 1525). These rites are highly valued by Catholics as powerful aids to a good death. Since Holy Communion is the effective sign of Christ's Paschal Mystery, it becomes for the recipient the opportunity to unite one's own suffering and dying to that of Christ with the hope of life eternal with him. The special words proper to Viaticum are added: "May the Lord Jesus protect you and lead you to everlasting life. Amen."
13. Viaticum Eucharist administered with the sacrament
14. Grace received the fortitude to resist temptation in the face of death, when he is weakest; a union with the Passion of Christ, which makes his suffering holy; and the grace to prepare for death, so that he may meet God in hope rather than in fear.
15. Four main effects of the sacrament Anointing heals.  That's the effect.  It heals the soul.  It heals either this mortal body or prepares us for the ultimate healing of the body in the Resurrection on the Last Day.  It heals the Body of Christ as we intercede for the sick one.  It strengthens the sick one to share in the cross of Christ.  It helps the sick one be a sign of Christ's grace of healing and mercy to the Church.  Today, thank God for the graces of the sacrament of Anointing.
16. Transformation through the sacrament The depression, anger and resentment are transformed into peace and joy.
17. Theodicy the question that analyzes God's justice when there is innocent suffering, bad things happen to good people
18. Apocalyptic
    Resembling the end of the world; momentous or catastrophic
19. Apostolate The position or authority of an Apostle or a religious leader.
20. Oil of the Sick the oil used to do the anointing, the matter of the sacrament
21. Extreme Unction
    A former name for the sacrament of anointing of the sick, esp. when administered to the dying
22. Society of Jesus Jesuits
23. L’Arche Community International Federation dedicated to the creation and growth of homes, programs, and support networks with people who have intellectual disabilities
24. Stations of the Cross a series of artistic representations, very often sculptural, depicting Jesus carrying the cross before he died, and the devotions using that series to commemorate the Passion, often moving physically around a set of stations.
25. Healing in the Gospel  There is clear testimony in the Gospels that Jesus practiced healing. Wherever he went he ministered healing to hurting people.
26. Name and explain the effects of the sacrament
    "The special grace of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick has as its effects: the uniting of the sick person to the passion of Christ, for his own good and that of the whole Church; the strengthening, peace, and courage to endure in a Christian manner the sufferings of illness or old age; the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance; the restoration of health, if it is conducive to the salvation of his soul; the preparation for passing over to eternal life"

Reconciliation (35 + 40 = 75)

1. Penance
   Voluntary self-punishment inflicted as an outward expression of repentance for having done wrong.
2. Confession An admission or acknowledgment that one has done something that one is ashamed or embarrassed about.
3. Forgiveness
   The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.
4. Conversion The fact of changing one's religion or beliefs or the action of persuading someone else to change theirs
5. Empathy
   The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
6. Ten Commandments
   

   1. You must not have any other god but me.

   2. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected—even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.

   3. You must not misuse the name of the Lord your God. The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.

   4. Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

   5. Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you.

   6. You must not murder.

   7. You must not commit adultery.

   8. You must not steal.

   9. You must not testify falsely against your neighbor.

   10. You must not covet your neighbor’s house. You must not covet your neighbor’s wife, male or female servant, ox or donkey, or anything else that belongs to your neighbor.

7. Four Dimensions of the Sacrament The sacrament encompasses four parts: contrition, confession, satisfaction or penance, and absolution.
8. God’s Mercy in the Old Testament The Old Testament prophets were always warning the people about the wrath of God should they stray from the path of righteousness. However, what is usually ignored by atheists is God's mercy for those who did repent of doing evil. Yes, God judged many people groups, but not before warning them.
9. Christ’s propensity to forgive sin in the New Testament the God of the New Testament is seen as the God of mercy, who sent Jesus to atone for the sins of the world.
10. Brief history of the sacrament In olden days this sacrament was used only for the forgiveness of mortal sins. In different times and places there were many variations of procedure and it would take a whole book to describe them all…. In general it may be said that if the sins to be forgiven were secret sins they could be confessed in secret; whereas if they were public sins (murder, adultery, rape, sorcery, perjury, apostasy) then they had to be confessed in public before the whole community. The entire Christian community assembled in the church, where the Bishop…sat upon his throne; and his priests, deacons and subdeacons arranged themselves on each side of him. The sinners were led barefoot into the midst of the congregation and prostrated themselves on the ground. They avowed what they had done, and the Bishop delivered judgment as to whether pardon would be granted and what penance was to be imposed (usually a year or more). Then they were walked to the doors of the Church and had to remain outside until they finished their penance.
    On the day of reconciliation [usually on Holy Thursday], the ceremony was even more solemn. Again, barefoot and in penitential garb, the penitents knelt outside the closed doors of the church…until the Bishop came to the door and all the Church prayed that they be readmitted to the body of the faithful. The Bishop brought them forward, prayed over them in thanksgiving, stretched his hands over them, imparted absolution and gave them a blessing. Then the whole community welcomed them back. Now they could go home and change from their penitential garments, have a bath, cut their hair and trim their beards, and resume their ordinary clothes. And there was great joy among all the people."
    Today the Sacrament of Reconciliation is expressed quite differently, but the elements have remained the same: Remorse for our sins, confession of our sins, forgiveness, and great joy in the merciful love that God has for us.
11. Celebrating the sacrament itself A penitent confesses his sins in front of a priest
12. Examination of Conscience a penitent figures for himself what he may be guilty of
13. Contrition The state of feeling remorseful and penitent.
14. Act of Contrition (prayer itself found on the reading by the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference of Bishops) O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell; but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of your grace, to confess my sins, to do penance and to amend my life. Amen.
15. Confession of Sin The penitent tells his sins that have bothered his conscience to the priest
16. Absolution the priest forgives the sins
17. Sin An immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law.
18. Mortal Sin
    an unpardonable sin entailing a total loss of grace; "theologians list seven mortal sins".
19. Venial Sin A relatively slight sin that does not entail damnation of the soul.
20. Moral Object
    the attainment of that end, but by the inherent ordering of the act toward that end,
21. Original Sin The tendency to sin innate in all human beings, held to be inherited from Adam in consequence of the Fall.
22. Personal Sin the free choice to disobey God; to do something the opposite of what is good.
23. Sacramental Seal Priests are not allowed to speak of the confession given
24. Restitution
    The restoration of something lost or stolen to its proper owner.
25. Concupiscence Strong sexual desire; lust.
26. Fornication voluntary sexual intercourse between persons not married to each other.
27. Excommunication being banned from the Catholic Church
28. Apostasy
    The abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.
29. Heresy Belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (esp. Christian) doctrine.
30. Schism a divide
31. Grace of Reconciliation
    the sacrament of Reconciliation reunites the soul to God; sanctifying grace is restored to the soul.
32. Transformation through Reconciliation the sacrament reforms orientation and transforms it towards peace and goodwill so that sin may be avoided in the future
33. Why is Confession Necessary?
    In reconciling us to God, it is a great source of grace, and Catholics are encouraged to take advantage of it often.
34. Who forgives sin? Jesus and his apostles
35. What is the role of the priest? to act as a catalyst to God
36. How often should one attend confession? before receiving communion or committing a grave sin
37. Three required acts of the Penitent
    The penitent's acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.
38. Interior Repentance contrition
39. Who administers the sacrament? a priest

Matrimony (75 + 27 = 102)

1. Declaration of Nullity a statement saying a marriage was not approved by the church
2. Abortion terminating a pregnancy
3. Contraception a method of avoiding pregnancy
4. Sterilization  ending a person's fertilization/ability to have kids
5. Natural Family Planning having sex at a lady's most fertile moment
6. Nuptial Blessing Prayers for the blessing of a couple being married, especially of the bride..
7. Fidelity faithfulness
8. Divorce termination of a marriage contract
9. Polygamy the practice of having multiple wives
10. Adultery having sex outside of marriage
11. Annulment revocation of marriage
12. Purpose of Marriage have children
13. Unity
    Harmony or agreement between people
14. Procreation sex for reproduction
15. Intimacy
    Close familiarity or friendship; closeness
16. Scriptural Basis of Marriage  a man and a woman
17. Rites for celebrating marriage The Rite of Marriage states that the celebration of marriage "normally should be within the Mass"; receiving holy communion together strengthens the couple's love, and lifts up all present into communion with Christ and one another
18. Free Consent completely free choice
19. Exchange of Vows the couple promising fidelity and unity until death
20. Parts of Marriage Celebration marriage is a celebration of love
21. Grace Marriage Grace reveals God's essence in giving to mankind a home for love and intimacy - a place where two people can have a special love that is beyond belief.  Marriage Grace is God's gift to mankind.
22. Family
    A group consisting of parents and children living together in a household.
23. Domestic Church
    Christian Church and church
24. Matrimony as a covenant the covenant shared between the two who have become one flesh
25. Cohabitation
    the act of living together and having a sexual relationship (especially without being married).
26. Marriage and Christ’s Love Today, as ever, the Church affirms celibacy as a valuable sign of the ultimate importance of God’s kingdom.
27. Creation the act of bringing forth new life

Holy Orders (102 + 27 = 129)

1. Diocese
   A district under the pastoral care of a Christian bishop.
2. Vicar the living embodiment of Christ
3. Episcopal College governing committee of bishops
4. Synod of Bishops
   a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine
5. Ecumenical Council one of seven gatherings of bishops from around the known world under the presidency of the Pope to regulate
6. Infallibility the inability to be wrong
7. Imprimatur
   An official license by the Roman Catholic Church to print an ecclesiastical or religious book.
8. Parish a church's committee
9. Stole a cloth strip worn over shoulders
10. Dalmatic wide sleeve overgarment
11. Presbyters
    An elder or minister of the Christian Church.
12. Seminary place where priests are taught
13. Celibacy abstaining from sex
14. Bishops A senior member of the Christian clergy, typically in charge of a diocese and empowered to confer holy orders.
15. Pope living vicar of christ
16. Priest
    An ordained minister of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican Church having the authority to perform rites and administer sacraments.
17. Deacon An ordained minister of an order ranking below that of priest.
18. Cardinal A leading dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church, nominated by the pope and collectively forming the Sacred College.
19. Clergy
    The body of all people ordained for religious duties, esp. in the Christian Church.
20. Chasuble A sleeveless outer vestment worn by a Catholic or High Anglican priest when celebrating Mass, typically having a simple hole for the head.
21. Discern to make known
22. Why become a priest? because we are called to it
23. Who can be ordained? anyone who studies at a seminary
24. Areas of Formation the study of becoming a priest
25. Historical development of the priesthood
    This ministerial priesthood is at the service of the priesthood of all believers and involves the direct consecration of a man to Christ through the sacrament of orders, so that he can act in the person of Christ for the sake of the Christian faithful, above all in dispensing the sacraments. It is understood to have begun at the Last Supper, when Jesus Christ instituted the Eucharist in the presence of the Twelve Apostles, commanding them to "do this in memory of me." The Catholic priesthood, therefore, is a share in the priesthood of Christ and traces its historical origins to the Twelve Apostles appointed by Christ. Those apostles in turn selected other men to succeed them as the bishops ("episkopoi", Greek for "overseers") of the Christian communities, with whom were associated presbyters ("presbyteroi", Greek for "elders") and deacons ("diakonoi", Greek for "servants"). As communities multiplied and grew in size, the bishops appointed more and more presbyters to preside at the Eucharist in place of the bishop in the multiple communities in each region. The diaconate evolved as the liturgical assistants of the bishop and his delegate for the administration of Church funds and programmes for the poor. Today, the rank of "presbyter" is typically what one thinks of as a "priest", although technically both a bishop and a presbyter are "priests" in the sense that they share in Christ's ministerial priesthood and offer sacrifice to God in the person of Christ.
26. Three degrees of Holy Orders 1. episcopate 2. presbyterate 3. diaconate.
27. Grace God's love
28. Ordination Leads to a Ministry of Service once ordained, the priest will be sent where he is needed the most

Baptism (129 + 21 = 150)

1. Definition A person's initiation into a particular activity or role, typically one perceived as difficult: "his baptism as a politician".
2. Proper Matter
   matter signifies that out of which anything is made or composed.
3. Correct Words/Form For a sacrament to be valid, three things have to be present: the correct intention, the correct matter, and the correct form. With baptism, the correct intention is to do what the Church does, the correct matter is water, and the correct form is the baptizing "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"
4. Designated Minister priest or anyone in a time of crisis
5. Biblical Basis we need to be baptized to get into heaven
6. RCIA the process through which interested adults and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith.
7. Rite of Baptism of Children
   the basic texts for the rite of baptism
8. RCIA Process
   • Inquiry: the initial period before you decide to enter the Catholic Church. You're asking questions and checking it out, but aren't yet ready to commit.
   • Catechumenate: those who decide to enter the Church and are being trained for a life in Christ are called catechumens, an ancient name from the early Church. In this stage, you're developing your faith and are being "catechized" — learning catechism, or the basic points about Catholic faith and life.
   • Purification and preparation: The Church will help you focus and intensify your faith as you prepare you to commit your life to Christ and be received into the Church at Easter. If you're following the RCIA process, you'll go through a beautiful series of Gospel-based meditations during Lent, which is the time frame of this period.
   • Initiation itself, the culmination of the whole process! You're received into the Church during the Easter Vigil Mass, where you'll receive the sacraments of initiation: baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist. (If you've already been baptized, you won't be baptized again.)
   • Mystagogy: after reception into the Church at Easter, this period lets you reflect and learn more about the mysteries of the Mass and the Sacraments that you now participate in fully.
9. Cradle vs. Convert the difference between a baby being baptized versus a fully knowledgable adult
10. Candidates he/she about to be baptized
11. Catechumens
    A Christian convert under instruction before baptism.
12. Conditional Baptism baptism done in the time of emergency
13. Signs of Baptism water, candle, white garment, oil
14. Sign of the Cross the blessing to go and do as Jesus did from the priest to the candidate
15. White Garment symbolizes purity
16. Baptismal Candle
    Receive the light of Christ
17. Oils of Baptism Bless this oil and give wisdom and strength to all who are anointed with it in preparation for their baptism
18. Water destoyer and cleanser of original sin
19. Baptismal Name
    the name given to you at birth
20. Effects of Baptism the ability to enter heaven plus the removal of original sin
21. Concupiscence lust

Confirmation (150 + 25 = 175)

1. Definition
   The action of confirming something or the state of being confirmed.
2. Proper Matter not a vain ceremony but an initiation into Christ's spiritual army
3. Correct Words/Form
   Many people think of the laying on of hands, which signifies the descent of the Holy Spirit, as the central act in the Sacrament of Confirmation. The essential element, however, is the anointing of the confirmand (the person being confirmed) with chrism (an aromatic oil that has been consecrated by a bishop), accompanied by the words "Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit" (or, in the Eastern Catholic Churches, "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit"). This seal is a consecration, representing the safeguarding by the Holy Spirit of the graces conferred on the Christian at Baptism.
4. Designated Minister bishop
5. Seal chrism oil on forehead
6. Holy Spirit bestows gifts
7. Fruits of the Spirit gifts of the holy spirit
8. Gifts of the Spirit
   wisdom, understanding, wonder and awe, right judgement, knowledge, courage, and reverence.
9. Biblical Basis The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound
10. History began as Christ was baptized in the river Jordan
11. Age of Discretion 7
12. Pentecost
    The Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples of Jesus after his Ascension, held on the seventh
13. Eastern Rite the rite and liturgy of an Eastern Church or of a Uniat Church
14. RCIA is the process through which interested adults and older children are gradually introduced to the Roman Catholic faith and way of life.
15. Rite of Confirmation of Youth youth are confirmed to begin their spiritual journey
16. Chrismation
    a consecrated ointment consisting of a mixture of oil and balsam.
17. Why we confirm to act as Christ did
18. Requirements for Reception be baptized
19. Sponsor
    One who assumes responsibility for another person or a group during a period of instruction, apprenticeship, or probation.
20. Confirmation Name Your confirmation name is the name you choose to be confirmed under. You choose the name, either a saints' name or a virtue (eg. charity, chasity, prudence, etc.). Some people will choose two names, like - Daniel Theresa, for example.
21. Community All the people living in a particular area or place
22. Key Elements
    Laying on of hands
    Annointing with chrism
    Invocation of the Holy Spirit
23. Anointing with Chrism
    In or near Holy Week, the bishop consecrates the sacred Chrism during the course of the Chrism Mass. It is used to anoint the newly baptized, to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation, and to anoint bishops and priests during the celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
    Anointing with oil has many meanings such as cleansing as part of a bath, limbering up the muscles of athletes, and healing the wounds of the sick. Two other sacramental celebrations make use of blessed oil: "The pre-baptismal anointing with the oil of catechumens signifies cleansing and strengthening; the anointing of the sick expresses healing and comfort" (CCC, no. 1294). The Oil of Catechumens is used in Baptism. The Oil of the Sick is used for the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.
24. Laying on of hands a symbolic and formal method of invoking the Holy Spirit primarily during baptisms and confirmations
25. Effects/Implications
    an increase of sanctifying grace, the strengthening of our faith, and the gifts of the Holy Ghost.

Eucharist (175 +27 = 202)

1. Definition the body of Christ
2. Source and Summit
   The Church is born in the liturgy and from this source is sent forth to bring about the reconciliation of all creation through the priestly ministry of Christ.  For this priestly ministry to achieve its fullest expression, all things must be brought back to the Father through the liturgy, which is the ‘summit’ or ‘culmination’ of all the Church’s activity.
3. Transcendence a state of being or existence above and beyond the limits of material experience.
4. Eucharist is a memorial that remembers Christ's sacrifice
5. “Real Presence” Christ's body is in the bread and the wine is his blood
6. Consecration
   a solemn commitment of your life or your time to some cherished purpose
7. Transubstantiation the bread and wine turning into body and blood
8. Tabernacle where the host is stored
9. Similarity to Judaism both used unleavened bread
10. Eucharist as a Sacrament we receive the body as a physical sign of grace
11. Other Names for the Eucharist Holy Communion or the Lord's Brea
12. Biblical Basis Jesus said at the last supper that he would give us his body and blood
13. Proper Matter
    The matter of the sacrament of the Eucharist is bread and wine. And the church is very clear, in canon law, in defining the two elements: “The bread must be made of wheat alone. … The wine must be natural wine of the grape and not corrupt”  (Canon 924).
    Moreover, the church adds that a “quantity of any other substance than wheat” in the bread renders it invalid for use — meaning the sacrament of the Eucharist cannot be confected with such bread. In a similar way, the church says that “wine … cannot be regarded as valid matter, [if] extracted from apples or other fruits, or which is made chemically.”
    Additionally, if there is more water than wine in the mixture, it is equally invalid.
    
14. Correct Words/Form
    Now, that we have cleared up the matter of the matter, let’s move onto the proper form of the sacrament.
    The form of the sacrament is the proper minister speaking the “words of institution” over the valid matter; both bread and wine must be present—having only one or the other invalidates the sacrament. The words of institution, sometimes called the “words of consecration,” are as follows:
    As the priest holds the bread, he says, “Take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you.”
    As the priest holds the chalice filled with wine, he says, “Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”
    These beautiful words are not just some Hallmark-card-type of nice-sounding prose. The church holds that these are the words that Christ spoke at the Last Supper, (i.e., the first Mass). The church, following the command of Christ to “do this in memory of me,” continues to re-present that event which is inextricably connected to his death and resurrection.
    Following the recitation of these words over the elements (and the Holy Spirit having been invoked previously in the ritual), the bread and wine that the eye still sees (sometimes called the sacred species), are, in reality, no more. What is substantially, truly and actually present are the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ.
15. Designated Minister priest
16. Eucharist Meal we should not eat an hour before church to symbolize that Jesus is all we need
17. Mass/Liturgy (Eucharist) The service that honors the Eucharist every Sunday
18. Introductory Rites
    This whole Rite is designed to bring people into a state of prayer and humility centering on Christ’s grace given freely for our salvation and our reconciliation as sinners. “Christ died so we might live”.
19. Liturgy of the Word
    In the liturgy of the word Christians come together to thank God for God’s gifts. Listening to God’s word (the Bible) they grow in faith more conformed to the mind of Christ. Liturgy celebrates the wonders of creation and gives thanks for the reality of redemption. The liturgy is a celebration not of what God has said, but of God today speaking to our hearts and souls.
20. Liturgy of the Eucharist
    While the liturgy of the word focused upon the table of the Lord’s word-the lectern, the Eucharistic liturgy centers upon the altar-both a place of sacrifice as well as the table from which as Christians we are fed. The themes of sacrifice, thanksgiving and meal dominate.
21. Unity with Christ we become one with Christ after receiving his Body
22. Eucharist to Others the priest is the only one allowed to turn the bread and wine into body and blood but he may utilize the help of others in administering to the church
23. Building of the Church
    the Eucharist builds the Church and the Church makes the Eucharist, it follows that there is a profound relationship between the two, so much so that we can apply to the Eucharistic mystery the very words with which, in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, we profess the Church to be “one, holy, catholic and apostolic”. The Eucharist too is one and catholic. It is also holy, indeed, the Most Holy Sacrament. But it is above all its apostolicity that we must now consider.
24. Requirements for Reception one must be baptized and have no mortal sin tainting his or her conscience
25. Christ to Others
    he Eucharist assimilates man into the divine life of Jesus, enabling him to more closely follow in Christ's footsteps and become a gift to others
26. Corpus Christi A feast of the Western Christian Church commemorating the institution of the Eucharist, observed on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday.
27. Sunday Obligation
    It is both a precept of the Church and Church law that Catholics must worship God on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation by participating in the Holy Mass.

TOTAL = 202 - 1 errors = 201words defined

 

Sacrament Wars

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx_dQ5shDP0&feature=youtu.be
(Video will be posted soon onto this blog. Just hang in there baby!)

Selfish People

The concept of chasing something after it has gone away reflects a value of selfishness.  This can be applied to almost any present day situation where we take something for granted and fail to appreciate its true value.  For example, in a crowded office, the employees may enjoy the water cooler.  They socialize around it and use it to quench their thirsts.  Never once does an employee check to make sure the tubes are clean or the large bottle installed properly.  But, the day the water cooler breaks or is removed, the employees that once enjoyed its benefits are advocating for its return.  They work so hard for something they have always thought a standard commodity. The same day that it is gone, employees are lined up outside of the boss's office and contacting worker's unions, all in an attempt to get back what they cherished the most.  But even when the water cooler is returned, the employees make take extra special care of it for a little while until it becomes that standard commodity with absolutely no special characteristics and no special veneration by its users.
In a similar vein we have the Universal Call to Holiness.  Through this call to live as Jesus did, we are asked to devote ourselves to charity.  Through the simple, yet strong, act of loving we build ourselves a close bond with God through faith.  Only once we do what is asked of us, can we ask for stuff in return.  There are many people that think of prayer as an "ATM."  The only time they say prayers is when they need to make a withdrawal.  Often times this withdrawal is the direct result of having something taken away from them or being overcome with greed and lust, like the employees' water cooler.  These people take God for granted, pay him no mind during their life until something goes wrong that they need fixed.
We are called to live a life of holiness.  That is what the Universal Call to Holiness is about, living a life of love and devotion to God.  If we only ever pray when we need something then our faith is a false curtain to our true beliefs.  However, if we are reverent and thank God everyday and show acts of kindness to the least of us, then we are in a position to ask for God's divine light.  And we are most likely to receive an answer to our prayers.  He would be more willing to accept the most complex prayer from His most devout follower over the simplest prayer of a convenience-believer.
In order to say who Christ is without shame means we have no hesitations or limitations in announcing our beliefs.  Part of Christ's message is to preach the good word to others.  If we live the holiest life ever known to man but deny all of our pious devotion every time we are asked about our faith, then we are not living as He would like us to, at all.  We can no longer say that we truly and faithfully believe in Christ if we cannot tell our neighbors that. 

Harlot's Child

1.  From the start of the story, we have an unexpected man intruding upon a woman's sleep.  The man's daughter was about to give birth soon.  When the woman, Sadie, gets ready to leave and help the daughter, her son begins to fill us in on the details.  We learn that the daughter is a young unmarried girl, something the son does not take kindly.  However, Sadie, gives the girl her best and does not judge her.  When the daughter says that she is a bad person, Sadie is quick to refute her and never once asks for a reward for her troubles.
2.  After spending copious amounts of time trying to bring the baby into life, Sadie succeeds and wastes no time in baptizing the infant.  After the baby is baptized, he or she dies and is placed in a makeshift coffin from a wardrobe.  The saving act from the midwife is the baptism.  Baptism is meant to cleanse us from original sin and make it possible for us to be considered as children of God.  Babies are incapable of sin but they have original sin.  Therefore, the baby in this story, born with sin, had it erased before he could pass on into the next life.
3.  Twice during the story, Sadie makes two four mile long treks.  The first is very late night, up a steep hill, and very foggy- which on a steep hill with tors and ledges could be very dangerous.  The second is a less dangerous, and due to the "God's blessing" of a sunrise, portrayed as quite pleasant.  This could be seen as symbolic of the baby's unclean spirit progressing into a clean heaven-bound one.  These journeys are important in describing the woman because there is much emphasis on God and how much she trusts in Him to help her live as Jesus did.

Confirmation Homework I Didn't Know About

1.  I see the gifts of the Holy Spirit every time someone performs a selfless act.  Confirmation is likened to combat where being confirmed is like enlisting into an army.  Another example has confirmation act as the branding of cattle, where the signs of the Holy Spirit are the brand.  The gifts are shown to me anytime someone does as Jesus would do, and disregard their benefit or gain so that someone may prosper.  These selfless acts are lighthouses in a sea of selfishness and immorality.  The leader of this army is Christ himself and the confirmed soldiers all meet in the church to become strengthened so that they may further carry out God's will. 
In my personal life, I volunteer every so often at a food pantry and I see adults that volunteer lots of their time to run this thing and they wear these shirts that display their church.  I forget the name of the church and to be honest, I don't care, but they have all been confirmed and display the gift of piety because they are all humble and willing to serve their fellow man like Jesus Christ.  These men and women understand that they are soldiers carrying out the "Commander in Chief's" will.

2.  I cannot think of one of the Holy Spirit's gifts that I essentially need in my life right now.  In minimalistic terms I display almost all of them.  There is one, however, that I would like to be stronger than the rest.  That is my fear of God.  I grew up thinking that God is my friend and that Jesus was a pal that would play soccer with kids like in the picture hung up at St. Columba.  This has greatly affected my more matured prayer life.  I find it almost impossible to ask Jesus Christ, Soccer Megastar, to help one of my friends overcome her depression and anxiety and walk out of her hospital bed.  I've tried multiple times to envision the lord as a humbling power.  For some reason, I have had great success in imagining huge castle doors that reach into space or a large planet-like ball of blue plasma.  And then other times, I fail utterly and imagine George Washington.  These tangents, distract greatly from focusing on the true nature of what my prayers are dealing with.  So all in all, I need a more prevalent fear of God to aid me in my prayers and intentions.

Distanced Learning The Third

1.  Ludwig thinks that grace is an exclusive gift to Catholics that is given by the sacraments.  He is a Protestant and believes a different definition of grace- that doing kind acts without reward are rewarded with grace.
2.  The Church does not want Sacraments viewed as a "join or die" requirement to get into heaven.  This means it does not want to force these sacraments onto people.
3.  Sacraments should be seen as a relationship with God.  They will further the bond between, however God will love us no matter what we do.  It is then placed in our hands to either choose Heaven or Hell.
4.  God asks us to believe in Him and gives us the freedom to believe or disbelieve.  We choose whether we receive his grace through the Sacraments or not.
5.  The Incarnation shows that rather than force belief in Him, God attempts to communicate his love for us through his son and offer us salvation.
6.  God uses symbols so much but only ever communicates himself through matter.  These "gobs" are attempting to ruin the message by saying that there are no symbols in matter and that everything should be taken literally.
7.  God used matter to prove his points and further deepen the meaning of his symbols.  For example, Jesus rising again is symbolic of when we will live again.
8.  Everything about us will be redeemed, not just our spiritual body.
9.  Though the symbols have meaning, there is a spiritual gift given by the sacraments- grace.
10.  Sacraments are a way for us to channel God's infinite love into something tangible.  Like putting an ocean in a glass of water.
11. Grace saves us.

The Second Day of Learning

Introduction: Fulton describes a sacrament as something with two faces.  One is the physical aspect which we encounter in the real world, like pouring water over a baby's head.  The second is the spiritual aspect which is not readily available for perception, like original sin being washed away.  So in order to fully understand sacraments, we have to have a divine sense of humor and be able to take things in different manners.
Bible: The Bible is very much like sacraments.  There are two separate interpretations to be made.  There is the blunt story component of the Bible that acts a story.  However the stories all contain symbols which contribute to a deeper spiritual meaning.  The reason why the Bible is written that way is to more easily communicate the symbols by using tangible and relative stories.
Sacraments and Man:  In life, there are three planes of thinking.  The lowest plane is one of ignorance.  On this plane people are content with their everyday routine.  The next plane contains people that recognize reason and purpose in everything.  They are free of any bindings that the lower plane has.  The highest plane is for people who have reached a spiritual union with God.  These people are completely free and have/need only their faith.  We can reach the third plane through God's Grace, which is given to us through the Sacraments.
Conditions of Life: As humans, we have to be able to maintain ourselves physically and sociably, if living amongst others.  This is withheld through basic necessary actions, like eating and keeping healthy.  There are also some guidelines to being spiritually healthy, which include the Sacraments- ultimately, grace.
Efficacy: Blood is a good sign of the Sacraments because it is what gives us life.  It can be shared with another to promote their life.  Because blood is essential to life, it is as important as the Sacraments giving us grace.
Application: Sacraments give grace only if grace is sought.  Even then, grace can work in different ways.  Depending on our situation, God's grace will impact us very differently to suit our current needs.
Sheen: The Divine Sense of Humor is needed to fulfill man's desires.  We all want to be happy and in order to do that, we must reach the third plane of thinking.  This can only be done by understanding the sacraments with a sense of humor and being able to understand the symbols and signs and receive God's grace.  This will free us and allow us to be happy with a broad spiritual understanding of the world.

The Curious Case of Harry

1987- Harry's implied suicide is justified in this statement.  He thought that he would find the Kingdom through Baptism and his unshakable faith led him to implicitly drown himself looking for the Lord.  Basically, the sin of suicide becomes a path to God.
1988- Harry wanted to be in the Kingdom of God, and by killing himself, a sin, he will be reborn in heaven because of his faith.
1989- Suicide, in this case, is justified because Harry was being "neglected" at home because of his parent's alcoholism and smoking- Harry wanted something more in life- like the Kingdom of God.
1990- This implies that Harry's life would be made better because of his neglect at home- he shall be healed by the Holy Spirit.
1991- Harry was unafraid to accept death because his want of a better life was  justified, therefore his walking into the river was a sign of his acceptance of what God had planned for him.
1992- Bevel had compared the river to Jesus' blood, shed for the forgiveness of our sins.  As stated earlier, Harry used Jesus' blood to justify his actions and be received by God and the powers of the Holy Spirit.
1993- This is almost a flawless retelling of what happened to Harry.  He willingly went out to meet the Lord in the river.  After a few unsuccessful tries, he still hold faith and pushes himself to find the Lord.  The Holy Spirit then takes him to the Lord because of his persistence.
1994- The boy that uses his ailment to collect money could be considered wicked.  This boy does not try to meet God like Harry did so his reward is being withheld from him.
1995- When Harry got away from his house.  He became "free" from his mom and dad's oppression, which in this case was their neglect.
1996- Harry told Bevel that he wanted to be baptized because he would not have to return home.  God's grace is the gifts that Baptism promised the boy.
1997- Bevel tells Harry that he would begin to count.  What this means is that Harry counted how long he was underwater and that he was now given an "option" to justify himself- he had never noticed it (never counted before).
1998- Normally, a boy drowning himself in a river seems outlandish to us.  However, when God is brought in, the action seems normal, and almost beautiful.  The boy had no place at home and wished to make a new home with God.
1999- Harry did not feel loved at his house.  Being Baptized showed him that there was another house that he could go to- the house of the Lord.
2000- God's grace was giving Harry a pathway out of his horrible home.  Harry wanted nothing more and was able to use God's grace to deliver himself to God by way of drowning.
2001- This could be seen as Harry's parent's neglect was a sign of grace as it opened up Harry to willingly want to be embraced by the love of the Holy Spirit and God.
2002- Man's free response is Harry's walking into the water.  He recognized the gift God was offerring to give and willingly received it.
2003- The gift of the Holy Spirit was Bevel's ability to communicate very effectively and make Harry see God's grace.  
2004- The grace of state was Ms. Connin who was the one to take up Harry with open arms.  She did not push him aside like his parents do and loved him like he had never been loved- thus providing the groundwork for the events to follow.
2005- The grace was present in Harry because he knew that he wanted something greater.  Each time the river pushed his head above water, he put it right back under and only wanted the Kingdom of God more.




McLeody Day

The reason Charles Norstadt can grow to trust in McLeod is because McLeod was the only fatherly figure that Charles had in his life.  In the movie, Charles sees McLeod as a scary cave dwelling monster that hides himself and his scars from the world so that he can write pornography.  Norstadt did not see any form of companionship in this "monster" because he did not take the time to get to know him.  Charles used the memory that he had of his father, a heroic death in an Air Force battle, as inspiration for how he wished to influence his life.  During the same time, Charles began taking tutoring lessons from McLeod and begins to learn more about his perceived "monster."
The townsmen and children never took the time to know McLeod and so began to cloud their minds with unjustifiable preconceptions.  They believed that McLeod scarred his face in a fire or that he was born with his scars.  There were many rumors as to his occupation, some involving pornography.  Charles had never truly met McLeod, except one unfortunate encounter involving the dog Mickey, and had nothing to counter these rumors with, so he accepted them as truth.  These rumors would begin to fog Norstadt's mind and make him vigilant for any sign of confirmation and make him seek the truths behind the rumors.
After the various tutor sessions, Charles began to knock out each preconceived falsehood, one by one.  He learned that McLeod is a secluded artist who has designed the covers of some popular magazines as well as painted some amazing pictures- that pornography had no place in McLeod's life.  McLeod even trusted Charles with the story behind his scars- that there was an old car accident where a boy lost his life.  In return for McLeod's trust; Charles trusted him to tutor him and not beguile him like a monster would.
Out of these tutoring sessions, each person would gain something- Charles would receive a father figure, someone he could trust in a life where it seemed like everyone was against him; Justin McLeod would receive his shot at redemption, a chance to show the world that he was still a person, that he never did molest the boy who died in the car crash, and that his scars do not make him a bad person.
It is McLeod's chance for penance that drives him to father the boy, to give him nothing but friendship and success.  He had to prove to someone, whether it be a little kid or not, that he was not a "monster to children" and that he had values.  He did not want to tell Charles the answer because he wanted Charles to truly believe that he was a good person and that he did not molest children.
Charles very truly does not believe that McLeod did any of the things he was accused of (except involuntary manslaughter).  He believes that McLeod has been there for him and that he would always be.  This is what Charles needed in his life.  At home, his mom did not believe that he would amount to anything significant and that he needed to stay local to avoid degeneration.  His sister tore down the heroic father that Norstadt believed he had and replaced it with an insane, drunken reprobate who was admitted to asylum where he eventually killed himself.
That gap in Charles' life was gradually fulfilled by McLeod.  At first, it would appear that all Nortadt wanted was to pass his test, but as his life digresses Norstadt's hero position opens up and is easily taken up by McLeod who had done fatherly things with him like taking him hiking and flying.  The hole in McLeod's life- his past convictions was fulfilled by Norstadt, likewise.  Justin needed to feel like he was still something in the world, that he could still do good by teaching this boy and showing people that he was not a child molester.  If he was going to prove it to the world, he first had to prove it Norstadt.  He had told the world many times that he did not do it but no one believed him so he did not wish to tell Norstadt but rather make him believe.
My one question with the whole morality in the movie is, what is it worth?  Why does McLeod have to prove his worth to a world that already rejects him by default?  I understand he would like for things to go back the way they were- with his wife, teaching career, etc. but all those things are already gone.  There is no point in fighting for what is already lost.  It is unfortunate, but true, his scars will lower him in the eyes of other people and if he was already content with living his secluded life, why would he trouble himself further?

Recognition

One of Socrates' teachings was that everybody knows virtually nothing and that it is impossible for one to count as knowledgeable.  Where one everyday person might be an expert in mechanics, he would make a physicist look like an idiot when it came to fixing cars.  But Socrates also went a little deeper and always asked, "why?"  He realized that it is impossible for someone to know something in its entirety.  We may think we know something all the way down to its roots but there is always the never-ending "why?"
Therefore, to know something, means to recognize it.  To recognize an item means you are aware of its boundaries as well as its potential and how it relates to you.  We may think we know someone entirely but there will always be something out of our reach of comprehension.  We won't be able to understand and prove why this person does the things he or she does.  However, we recognize that person and all that we associate with him/her.  So if this hypothetical person does something others would view as strange- we might see it as perfectly normal because we recognize the limits of this person and we would be able to understand their actions because of our deep recognition.
To make Socrates proud, being knowledgeable means to recognize that we know nothing at all.  No one person will ever know every fact ever.  Like the earlier example, I may know tons of stuff about physics and science and math- enough to outsmart the "Average Joe" plumber; but once it comes to pipes and such- the plumber is clearly superior. 

Cathedral City

This story is about a man named Robert who cannot see.  He comes to stay with his old friend because his wife, Beulah, passed away and he needs to visit her family.  His friend's husband is the narrator of this story and we see that he is very uncomfortable with the blind man staying in his house.  The narrator feels that there is a need to simplify and explain everything for the man who cannot see.  The narrator, wife, and Robert spend the evening together at their home and the night ends when Robert and the narrator (who is never named) draw a picture of a cathedral together.
The story, overall, is very poorly written- with grammatical errors on almost every page.  However, the message of the story is very clear to those who think: we are bound by ourselves.
1.  The narrator has never met the blind man, or dealt with blind people, and is indifferent to how the blind man, Robert, feels.  There could also be some feelings of jealousy between the narrator and his wife's best friend as they used to meet a lot and his wife cares about him deeply.  The unnamed narrator is perceived as a man with little tolerance, patience, or willingness to try new things.
2.  After reading the end of the story, it is very possible that the blind man simply wanted some sort of guideline as to how he wished to imagine the wife.  He uses the cathedral lines to help him imagine a cathedral and he would use her face to help him imagine her.  The wife wanted to commit suicide because she did not believe she was worth anything because her husband was never there to show that he cared.  The poetry is a way for her to deeply express her feelings while her attempted suicide was the final cry for help.
3.  To receive a friend means to make him feel as though you have known him as much as the other person.  The wife asks that the husband not judge Robert and treat him as one of his own.  Robert means a lot to his wife because he was the only one able to "see" her plight.  The narrator should be thankful for him because his wife might not be alive if she couldn't be seen by Robert.
4.  Robert was there for Beulah and could never judge her looks.  He was only ever exposed to the person of Beulah.  To see her means that she found a purpose in the world and that someone cared about her.  That person was Robert, and he would never make her change her appearance for him.  He must have loved her for who she is if they got married.
5.  The character's, specifically the narrator, smoke pot in order to think past their normal boundaries.  The blind man has little boundaries on what he can think/"see," because he has no perception of what frame he can think in since he has not seen anything- he is allowed to think whatever he wants.
6.  The people think about God as this impressive being.  Therefore, he deserves an impressive building.  People were unable to associate anything else with God because they cannot find impressiveness in other objects besides large hulking cathedrals.
7.  The narrator can't describe a cathedral because he has never taken in its beauty.  At the end, with his eyes closed- the narrator draws whatever he wants on the paper.  He was not bound by any limit with his eyes closed and could have imagined the most impressive cathedral ever.  This freedom of the mind shocks him because he realizes that this is how Robert must "see" all the time.

Silence in November Rain

Imagine you have a bag of marbles.  You own that bag.  It is yours to manipulate, yours to control, and yours to make you feel superior.  Well now, suppose an outside force- such as lovely and curious cat or an impatient everyday person- decides to unsettle your bag and knock it right over.  Those marbles are no longer under your control.  You are no longer their leader.  As they bounce and roll all over the floor in a mass hysteria- you begin to lose track of them all.  Some will roll under the fridge- others will not bounce far at all.  Once the chaos has subsided, only then can the marbles be replaced in their bag.  The only problem is, this takes time.  The marbles under the fridge will be left their and never return to the bag.
In a class room, especially a large one, the students' collective cooperation- not to talk but rather to listen to the teacher is how the teacher can contain all of them at once.  Usually, this is done by teaching and commanding the attention of all of the students.  Once the teacher lets that go, or once a foreign factor decides to introduce itself- the students slip away.  That does no necessarily mean the students slip into chaotic chatter- though that is often the case; a teacher can lose students "under the fridge."  Chaos in the classroom is dangerous for two reasons. 
The teacher's lack of control will make the students realize that they can get away with whatever they decide they want to get away with.  Those that decide to talk will continue to talk and soon realize that even when the teacher is in command, teaching a lesson for example, they can talk regardless.  Those that do not actively talk, but rather zone out due to the undidactic chaos and associate that feeling of zoning out with that class.  Then, for all future classes, the zoner immediately disregards everything the teacher attempts to teach- regardless of the subject matter or interest.
In 1992, Guns N' Roses lead singer, Axl Rose, wrote a song called "November Rain" as part of the album Use Your Illusions I.  Though the overall meaning of the song is directed towards breaking up with a previous lover, one line holds true to the value of silence.  "And it's hard to hold a candle, in the cold November rain."  This applies to the teacher.  When a classroom descends into a manic fray of noise and sprawl, it is not entirely the teacher's fault.  A teacher is only human and cannot possibly expect to lead an entire group of students forever.  The Romans could not so why should we expect teachers to be able to?  As "November Rain" claims; a candle is hard to maintain in the rain because the water would constantly put it out.  This holds true for the classroom as well because a teacher can only do so much to maintain students' attention and teach.  Uncontrollable chaos in the class is like the cold November rain constantly trying to bombard the only currently available source of light- the teacher.
So then, how in the world is a teacher supposed to maintain control?  It is a large mixture of things that determines a successful classroom controller from a door mat schlub.  First, the teacher needs to have some sense of authority over the students that he or she is teaching. This is gained by distinguishing boundaries such as how to address the teacher- basically anything that sets the teacher on a higher imaginary level than the students.  Next, a teacher must be able to maintain interest.  In a large class, this is incredibly hard to do but in the smaller classroom setting- it can be easier to adjust teaching style to the combined group learning style.  Finally, a teacher must not allow exceptions to be made in his classroom "kingdom."  Order is the teacher's responsibility to ensure by eliminating key individuals- otherwise, the students who wish to learn suffer along with the talkative horde.
The students also have a responsibility.  In our society, there are three Cs: citizens, criminals, and cops.  The "citizen" student sits in each class, takes notes, occasionally distracts himself, and does nothing when the class goes to utter pandemonium.  The "criminal" is the student who pays no attention at all, simply attends the class to fulfill a graduation requirement, talks as much as he or she wants, disrupts the civilians and cops from learning, and initiates the imminent classroom chaos.  The "copper" student does all the things a "citizen" student does but rather then the occasional vocal slip up, he or she regulates his or her surrounding students to maintain order and let the teacher teach.  Thus, there is no sole responsibility as to who is in charge of classroom management.  It is a shared duty of trust between the teacher and the students to allow learning to happen.

A Dark Angel

Right now, I am looking at my little Space Marine figurine that I painted in a dark green, red, and yellow color scheme.  It is wearing a cream colored robe and his holding a big gun- which I believe is called a "Lascannon."  It has the number 9 on his right shoulder blade and a winged sword on his left.  The winged sword symbolizes the army that he is a part of- the Dark Angels. 

If the movie "Toy Story" applied to our toys, then I could only imagine what my little figurine must do when I have left the room.  Perhaps he shoots at stuff in my room, maybe he runs across my desk for fun (like a miniature obstacle course), or maybe he gather material for a secret fort hidden somewhere.  I don't know- all I can say is that things in my room do tend to disappear.

Wonder is when we cannot fully comprehend the limits of an item.  We may think that a toy does not move or talk but we experience wonder when we have no proof against its mobility.  We understand that we understand nothing.  As a 6 year old I would have a limited comprehension on an item's limits and could imagine whatever I wanted to and stand to reason my logic.  I have no grasp on what cannot happen and what could.  For all I knew, a little figurine in armor could be a little space man that is building its refuge in my room underneath my bed.  As we grow up and (presumably) get smarter, we begin to learn the limits of objects and we realize that plastic is only plastic and this knowledge puts boundaries on how much we can wonder.

A concept, specifically a foreign one, should make us curious and cause us to investigate.  It is the natural human way.  The way we wonder about something unknown to us can drive us wild.  We begin to think about it often and pretty soon it begins to take over our thoughts.  I recall when I first realized that people can die.  I became obsessed with this and I began to wonder about afterlife and what death really meant.  I thought like this for awhile and I wondered all sorts of things.  But it never got to the point where I became so lost and skewed from reality that death became an idol- but the option was always there.

Blowin' It Up

As disgusting as this may be, the most freedom I have ever felt in my entire life was in an airport bathroom.  I did not care at all about what the other bathroom occupants thought of me (though I hardly ever care what anyone thinks about me).  I was likely never going to see any of the international dumpers again.  I did not memorize their face and no one ever looked me in the eye.  The whole freedom of releasing whatever you want in an airport bathroom, no matter how gruesome the sounds, is that you simply let stuff happen and do not try to change it.  The freedom is that you are no longer a slave to what other people think of you.  You have placed yourself higher than the chains of self-glorification.

You Can Drown In Water

David Foster Wallace (DFW) was absolutely correct when he stated that each of us individually believe we are the center of the universe.  Like the Americans who battled the British oppression, we naturally do what is best for ourselves.  A lot of times, we prioritize our personal needs above others' needs- just as DFW described in his grocery anecdote.  As non-psychic human beings it would take a lot of effort to understand the emotions of someone passing by you in a grocery store.  We can not do this, and because of it- we are unknowingly left with the feeling that we are the only ones with problems in the world.

It takes a lot to get me very mad or upset.  Where Dave was mad at the people in line at the grocery store, I would not have given two thought about the length of the line and patiently waited my turn.  Even if someone had cut in front of me- I still would not have cared because it does not matter in the grand scheme of things.  Now, do I go into the deep situation awareness that Dave decides to go through with the analyzing of why people were doing the things they do?  I do not.

I would like to know what people are thinking when they do the things they do.  If they are following DFW's theory then they think they are the center of the universe.  Thus, the aggressive hummer driving father attempting to save his child simply turns into another fat cat.  If they really are in a desperate situation where there needs truly are greater than my own- then heroes can be born. While reading into other peoples' minds is not necessary by any means- it would certainly be interesting to see how selfish or selfless a person is.

During Dave's speech, people laugh and clap during two different sets of moments.  The first moments are the blatant jokes.  These are when a joke is made or something funny is said and it is understandable to someone who is not actively listening to the speech.  For example, and DFW even confirms this, the various anecdotal stories used to grab attention like the fish and the Eskimos or even the description of the grocery store..

The second form of lauded moments are when the audience can relate to the experiences DFW presents.  A lot of people are intently listening to the generic grocery store adventure because there is more praise given in the moments Dave intended for.  The narrative is easy to follow and easy to relate to.  There is also muted clapping during the parts when it is revealed that we might not be the only one with problems in the universe.  This shows that the audience is understanding/has understood the point, that we are naturally selfish thinkers, made in David Foster Wallace's excellent speech.

Caligula And The Temple of Doom

1.  Caligula realized his desires and determined what was necessary and what was unnecessary.  When the girl he loved died, he says that love was only a trivial "want".  He then goes on to explain that he needs some sort of happiness, or purpose.  Chasing the moon gave him a purpose and because of that, he was happy- and should he die; he would die happy.  When the people enjoying their meal are referenced, Caligula refers to that happiness as a sort of self-deception.  Therefore Caligula has realized what can be summed up as the meaning of life.  He does not need simple distractions in his life (ex. the love he felt for the now deceased woman), but rather a meaningful purpose such as taking the moon.

2.  The patricians know that Caligula is a deep thinker.  One mentions that he was too fond of literature and the overall implication is that Caligula can get deeply emotional.  I cannot confirm or deny what Caligula does in his free time but I do believe that he has achieved a different plane of thinking.  The fact that that Caligula is not even sad about the loss of his beloved Drusilla shows that he is thinking in broader, universal terms.

"You'll Never Walk Alone" With This Many People Involved

The object I have found in my home is my Elvis Presley, "You'll Never Walk Alone," 45.  It has many attachments to plenty of different people.  First, the vinyl had to be made in a factory by lots of people.  The resources the factory used had to be accounted for by more people.  Once the vinyl was created then the 45 went to the mass production company that had to put all of the grooves in it and cut it out.  The record was then placed in a paper sleeve that had to come from a tree grown by someone who had to cut it down, ship it to the paper pulping facility that turned it into paper and then shipped it to the manufacturing company that turned it into a sleeve for 45s.
All of that was for the record itself and does not account for the music.  First off, the music, "You'll Never Walk Alone," was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein and then sung by Elvis in a recording studio run by lots of people.  Also, the instruments don't play themselves.  Therefore even more people had to brought in to play the music so that someone in Sun Records could record the music and have it placed on the vinyl disc: one side- just the instrumentalists; the other- said instrumentalists plus Elvis.

Where There Is Love

I do not need lavish styles of life to make me happy.  I feel that it would only make me unhappy- having everything handed to me without a challenge.  Therefore, I have found a few personal life challenges for myself.  I am pretty sure that I will be relatively happy once these challenges are completed. They are based around personal achievements and they all involve a large amount of work to accomplish.

             

The first challenge I have for myself is to get on Broadway with piano.  This means that I would have to work very hard to build up the chops for Broadway and get referred onto the scene.  Pit musicians on Broadway are never hired- only referred between conductors and directors.  So the challenge would be getting myself up to that level and I would be very happy because I will have completed a lifelong goal.  Already, through the various musical performances at McNamara, I've played the Broadway level music and done fairly well.  Now All I need now is to get known in the music world and get myself in New York.  Music and musicals are what I love and I would be very happy to get this far.

The second challenge I would gladly face is to become an aviation captain.  During the few days I've had a class called Intro to Aviation, I learned that these captains are very well paid and respected in the aviation world.  I don't want the money but that doesn't mean I can't use it for someone else or for a greater cause.  Also, these captains only work for about two weeks at a time so it could fit nicely with the above challenge of Broadway.  The training required behind these positions is very extensive and it requires a lot of personal achievement and growth.  That feeling of accomplishment is also a great source of happiness.

The third and final challenge I have set for myself is to contribute one thing to the world.  What this one thing is, I don't know.  It all depends on what life hands me to work with or what tools I acquire from life.  This contribution that I would like to make would affect either the whole world or the whole United States of America   Do I have any idea what I would like to do for the world?  No.  I don't currently have the resources for solving a disease or ending world hunger/poverty. If I can obtain the funds I would gladly turn a supermarket into some sort of non-profit (meaning no shareholders; all money bought in goes to supplying the store and paying employee paychecks).  I would just as happily start up some sort of national or international charity to help families afford food.  

Whatever challenges I can accomplish in life will make me happy as long as I know that my life was worth living.  If I can help at least one person than that is what my sole purpose in life is to be.  I would die very happy if I know that at least one person smiled at something I have done for them, either directly or indirectly.