BLAMING AND CLAIMING |
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| “Make no mistake about this.” —James 1:16 | ||
| God gets blamed for temptations (Jas 1:13), tragedies, and all sorts of problems. Just because He created everything, gave us free will, and allows us to use and abuse our freedom doesn’t mean that God is to blame for the wages of our sins (see Rm 6:23).
On the other hand, God doesn’t often get the credit for “every worthwhile gift, every genuine benefit” (Jas 1:17). We claim we’ve earned our blessings. Even if we admit that God had something to do with them, we may still say that God helps those who help themselves. In this way, we take part of the credit for the good things God gives us. The fact is that we can do nothing without Jesus (Jn 15:5) and cannot name anything good that we have not received from God (1 Cor 4:7; Jas 1:17). “If, then, you have received it, why are you boasting as if it were your own?” (1 Cor 4:7) Let’s quit blaming God for problems and taking credit for His blessings. We should pray: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us but to Your name give glory because of Your kindness, because of Your truth” (Ps 115:1). “Only in the Lord are just deeds and power” (Is 45:24). To God be glory! |
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| Prayer: Father, may I be honest with You, myself, and others. | ||
| Promise: “Happy the man whom You instruct, O Lord, whom by Your law You teach, giving him rest from evil days.” —Ps 94:12-13
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Monday, February 13, 2012
TRIAL TESTED |
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| “My brothers, count it pure joy when you are involved in every sort of trial.” —James 1:2 | ||
| Many in the United States and other developed nations enjoy creature comforts beyond imagination. On the surface this may seem to shield us from certain trials. For all the benefits, in many ways this is not necessarily good for us. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Ps 119:71).
Do you consider your hard life-lessons opportunities for growth? Alternatively, is your attitude causing Jesus to “sigh from the depths of His spirit?” (Mk 8:12) Are there pains that have taken you up to, or possibly beyond, the breaking point? If the answer is yes, it’s time to set an appointment with Jesus. “For we do not have a High Priest Who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but One Who was tempted in every way that we are, yet never sinned” (Heb 4:15). In the end, it is a question of faith. Are you a man or woman of enduring faith? The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to us, and the Father professes that we are His beloved, favored children (see Mk 1:11). What other words do we need to hear so that our hardened hearts will be convinced? Let’s not be like the scribes and Pharisees, always seeking a sign (see Mt 12:38). Pray for greater faith. |
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| Prayer: Father, give me a faith such that when I suffer through the trials of life, my fire-tried faith will give You praise, glory, and honor (1 Pt 1:6-7). | ||
| Promise: “If any of you is without wisdom, let him ask it from the God Who gives generously and ungrudgingly to all, and it will be given him.” —Jas 1:5
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Sunday, February 12, 2012
AN EPIDEMIC OF LEPROSY |
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| “A leper approached Him with a request.” —Mark 1:40 | ||
| Our society and churches are filled with lepers. These people don’t have physical leprosy, which is Hanson’s disease, but the spiritual leprosy of self-hatred. They continually “cry out ‘Unclean, Unclean!’ ” (Lv 13:45) They do things to turn people away from them. They even tell God to stay away from them. They wallow in depression and degrade themselves through self-destructive compulsions such as overeating, alcoholism, gambling, TV addiction, sexual promiscuity, masturbation, gossip, etc.
Only one Person can cure leprosy — Jesus. In our leprous condition, we must kneel down and make an act of faith in Jesus, saying: “If You will do so, You can cure” us (Mk 1:40). He will have mercy on us, stretch out His hand, touch us, and say: “I do will it. Be cured” (Mk 1:41). Then we will be freed from years of self-hatred and self-destruction. We will no longer be degraded by the tyranny of doing what feels good. We will be truly free and fully alive. Then we should tell the good news of our healing to whomever the Lord leads us. These people may also be lepers. They may have been discouraged by the lepers in their family and church. By sharing our healing, we will open them to Jesus. They will no longer tell Jesus to stay away from them, but will let Him touch them. |
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| Prayer: Father, may I repent of self-hatred and let Jesus touch me in Confession. | ||
| Promise: “Whether you eat or drink — whatever you do — you should do all for the glory of God.” —1 Cor 10:31
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Saturday, February 11, 2012
THE WAR OF WORSHIPS |
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| “If now this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, the hearts of this people will return to their master.” —1 Kings 12:27 | ||
| The Lord wants our hearts to be entirely with Him (see 1 Kgs 11:4). The devil wants our hearts to be only partially with God. This will then prevent us from loving God with all our hearts (Mt 22:37) and being saved.
The Lord tries to win our hearts by giving us the grace to treasure worshipping Him. Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be (Lk 12:34). If we treasure worshipping Him, then where our worship is, there will our hearts be. On the other hand, the devil, like Jeroboam, tries to turn our hearts away from God by proposing alternative worship sites and services (see 1 Kgs 12:29-32). For example, instead of worshipping at church on Sunday, the devil offers us weekend worship as we party at home, bow-down before the TV, and/or frequent such worship sites as bars, shopping malls, stadiums, or corporate offices. If we put anything ahead of God, we automatically worship that thing, and then our hearts are not entirely with the Lord. Therefore, worship God alone (Ex 20:3). |
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| Prayer: Father, may I obey the first of the Ten Commandments. | ||
| Promise: “Those who had eaten numbered about four thousand.” —Mk 8:9
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Friday, February 10, 2012
GRAND OPENING |
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| “Ahijah took off his new cloak, tore it into twelve pieces…” —1 Kings 11:30 | ||
| Ahijah prophesied that the kingdom of Israel would be torn into twelve pieces. Is your life torn to shreds, ripped in pieces, tattered, or frayed? If you used a coat to symbolize your life, in what condition would the coat be?
Are you spiritually deaf with a speech impediment as was the man in today’s Gospel reading? (Mk 7:32) Is your physical condition representative of your spiritual condition? If your life is torn to shreds, if you’re in bad shape, come to Jesus. He will simply command you: ” ‘Ephphatha!’ (that is, ‘Be opened!’)” (Mk 7:34) The Lord has already provided for our salvation, healing, deliverance, power, and peace by His death and Resurrection. He loves us infinitely. He cannot love us more. We are perfectly loved, and we would know and experience this (Eph 3:18-19), if we were only open. Be opened to repentance, to giving and receiving forgiveness. Be opened to God’s grace, His callings, and eternal life. Jesus’ side was opened (Jn 19:34). Jesus’ heart is open. The gates of heaven are open. Be opened! |
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| Prayer: Father, may I open my heart (2 Cor 6:13) to the calling I have most resisted in my life. | ||
| Promise: “He has done everything well! He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak!” —Mk 7:37
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Thursday, February 9, 2012
AN “IDOL” MIND IS THE DEVIL’S WORKSHOP |
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| “They served their idols, which became a snare for them.” —Psalm 106:36 | ||
| Solomon, the wisest man in the world, became such a fool as to set the stage for a civil war and the massive deterioration of God’s people. Solomon’s downfall was the sin of idolatry. He adored false gods, such as Astarte, Milcom, Chemosh, and Molech (1 Kgs 11:5-7).
Many people aren’t too upset to hear about idolatry. They may realize they have committed many sins, but they don’t see themselves as having done that one. They’ve never bowed down to grotesque images or burned incense in weird cults. However, we don’t have to act like that to commit the sin of idolatry. By merely presuming we can disobey God and get away with it, we can commit the sin of idolatry (1 Sm 15:23). Putting anything ahead of God and thereby not giving our hearts entirely to Him is idolatry (1 Kgs 11:4). For example, the sin of giving in to greed can be in effect idolatry (Eph 5:5). Therefore, idolatry is a sin often committed. Idolatry can even be a way of life, “for the worship of infamous idols is the reason and source and extremity of all evil” (Wis 14:27). “Do not deceive yourselves: no fornicators, idolators, or adulterers, no sodomites, thieves, misers, or drunkards, no slanderers or robbers will inherit God’s kingdom” (1 Cor 6:9-10, our emphasis). Love the Lord with all your heart and repent of idolatry. “My little children, be on your guard against idols” (1 Jn 5:21). |
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| Prayer: Lord, You are God alone. I worship You alone. | ||
| Promise: “When she got home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.” —Mk 7:30
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
SUCCESS IS SPELLED C-R-O-S-S |
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| “Blessed be the Lord, your God, Whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel.” —1 Kings 10:9 | ||
| Solomon was the wisest person who had ever lived or will ever live (1 Kgs 3:12). He was amazingly rich and lived in such majesty as to leave even the sophisticated queen of Sheba breathless (1 Kgs 10:5).
The Lord made Solomon so awesome to confirm His promise that the Davidic dynasty would last forever (2 Sm 7:16) and bring forth the Messiah (1 Sm 16:1; Mi 5:1). The success of David, Solomon, and their descendants was seen as proof they were God’s chosen ones. Today, many people think prosperity indicates God’s approval of their life. However, the “prosperity gospel” is only true if we look at prosperity in the long run, and if we define it by Biblical standards. For instance, Jesus was the ultimate Chosen One, yet He appeared a failure. He underwent adversity rather than prosperity for much of His life. Nevertheless, after His crucifixion, when He rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of the Father, He was certainly more than prosperous (see Is 52:13; 53:12). Success or prosperity, by Biblical standards, is centered on the wisdom, power (1 Cor 1:24), and glory of the cross (see Gal 6:14). God’s chosen ones are chosen for the glory of the resurrection only because they are chosen for the apparent failure of the cross. |
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| Prayer: Father, may I boast of nothing but the cross of Jesus (Gal 6:14). | ||
| Promise: “Commit to the Lord your way; trust in Him, and He will act.” —Ps 37:5
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
JESUS, THE ULTIMATE TRADITIONALIST |
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| “For example, Moses said…” —Mark 7:10 | ||
| Christianity is based on divine traditions, that is, the handing on of what the Holy Spirit has revealed to God’s people. The Bible itself is written to hand on some divine traditions (see 2 Thes 2:15). Therefore, without respect for tradition, the very basis of Christianity is undermined.
One of the main ways the devil tries to ruin our respect for tradition is by tempting us to place human traditions ahead of divine ones. He hopes we will react to this abuse by trying to throw out tradition instead of throwing out the abuse. Therefore, Jesus was very interested in showing religious leaders that they were disregarding God’s commandments, which are divine traditions, and clinging “to what is human tradition” (Mk 7:8). Here Jesus was trying to guard the divine traditions expressed in the Bible from being set aside (Mk 7:9) or nullified (Mk 7:13) by merely human traditions. The devil tries to turn tradition against itself — to use human traditions to destroy divine ones. However, Jesus protects divine tradition from this attack. He is the divine Defender of divine tradition. Jesus is a Traditionalist in the ultimate sense. |
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| Prayer: Father, may I put divine tradition ahead of human tradition, including the tradition to attack tradition. | ||
| Promise: “May Your eyes watch night and day over this temple, the place where You have decreed You shall be honored; may You heed the prayer which I, Your servant, offer in this place.” —1 Kgs 8:29
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Monday, February 6, 2012
TEMPLE TANTRUMS |
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| “Advance, O Lord, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your majesty.” —Psalm 132:8 | ||
| God was untouchable. Even if you touched the mountain that God was on, you would instantly die (Ex 19:12). God later restrained His glory enough so that people could be in the Temple with Him, although He was still untouchable as He dwelt in a dark cloud (1 Kgs 8:12).
Almost a thousand years after God first became present in the Temple, He did what is still unbelievable for much of the world. The Lord God became a Baby. Now God could be touched, tickled, kissed, caressed, poked, pushed, hit, and crucified. Those who touched God in faith were healed, freed, and transformed (Mk 6:56). After Jesus ascended into heaven, He remained touchable in His Body, the Church, and especially in the Eucharist. God so emptied Himself that He not only became a human being; He also comes to us under the appearances of bread and wine. Now He is more than touchable; He lives within us. We are now His temple (see 1 Cor 6:19). This is incredible, but true. Touch and worship the all-holy, all-powerful, infinite God, Who makes His dwelling within you (Jn 6:56; 17:23). |
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| Prayer: Father, may I be a pure temple for You. | ||
| Promise: “May Your priests be clothed with justice; let Your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.” —Ps 132:9
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Sunday, February 5, 2012
LIFE-LINES |
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| “Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?” —Job 7:1 | ||
| Most people can relate to Job, for they have endured tragedies, deaths in their families, sicknesses, pain, and sufferings. Even those who have so far had easier lives know that life can be, and almost inevitably will be, hard. We all have the question of Job: “Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?” We feel as if we “have been assigned months of misery” (Jb 7:3). Our days and nights drag on ever so slowly (Jb 7:4), while at the same time life passes all too quickly (Jb 7:6-7).
We cannot change the drudgery and slavery of our human condition. For example, Paul tried for years to rise above our human condition; finally, he was forced to cry out in desperation: “What a wretched man I am! Who can free me from this body under the power of death?” (Rm 7:24) Unlike Job, Paul amazingly received an answer to this previously unanswerable question. The answer was: “Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rm 7:25). Only Jesus can make life worth living. He alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). He is “our only Master and Lord” (Jude 4). “There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name in the whole world given to men by which we are to be saved” (Acts 4:12). |
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| Prayer: Jesus, I believe You are reaching out Your hand to me (see Mk 1:31). By faith, I take Your hand. You are my Savior and my only Hope. | ||
| Promise: “Preaching the gospel is not the subject of a boast; I am under compulsion and have no choice. I am ruined if I do not preach it! If I do it willingly, I have my recompense; if unwillingly, I am nonetheless entrusted with a charge.” —1 Cor 9:16-17
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Saturday, February 4, 2012
WILD ABOUT WISDOM |
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| “God said, ‘Ask something of Me and I will give it to you.’ ” —1 Kings 3:5 | ||
| The Lord wants to lovingly provide for us and meet our needs, even more than we want them met. The Lord is especially generous and ungrudging in giving us wisdom (Jas 1:5). For instance, Solomon asked the Lord for a wise and understanding heart. The Lord “went wild” and made Solomon the wisest human being that has ever lived or will ever live (1 Kgs 3:12).The Lord will also lavish wisdom on us by renewing and deepening the wisdom we have received in our Baptisms and Confirmations. Yet we “must ask in faith, never doubting” (Jas 1:6). Every human being naturally has doubts about the Lord, but those who let these doubts influence their actions “must not expect to receive anything from the Lord” (Jas 1:7).
When we pray for wisdom, we must not only pray in faith but also in love at the foot of Jesus’ cross. Without love, wisdom profits us nothing (see 1 Cor 13:2). The ultimate wisdom is the absurdity of preaching Christ’s crucified love (1 Cor 1:23-24). The Lord will give you greater wisdom than you have ever thought possible, if you ask without doubting and with crucified love. “Ask, and you will receive” (Mt 7:7). |
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| Prayer: Father, may I do and say what is right. | ||
| Promise: “Jesus saw a vast crowd. He pitied them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them at great length.” —Mk 6:34
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012” Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio. |
Friday, February 3, 2012
Human Rights
“John had told Herod, ‘It is not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.’” –Mark 6:18
Like John the Baptizer, we need the love and courage to say:
“It is not right to have sexual relations outside of marriage.”
“It is not right to abort babies.”
“It is not right to have homosexual relations.”
“It is not right to use artificial means of contraception.”
“It is not right to look lustfully at a person.”
“It is not right to masturbate.”
“It is not right to tell ‘dirty jokes,’ condone pornography, or dress immodestly.”
“It is right, holy, and beautiful to have sexual relations in the context of the marriage covenant.”
“It is right to be a virgin or celibate until marriage.”
“It is right to respect, cherish, and defend, life from the moment of conception until natural death.”
“It is right to respect those with homosexual tendencies and to offer them healing and encouragement.”
“It is right for married couples to have children and always be open to conceiving them.”
“It is right to look at a Christian’s body and recognize it as a temple of the Holy Spirit.”
“It is right to be and like pure, free, and holy.”
“It is right to be unpopular with those who aren’t living for Jesus.”
“It is right to give Him thanks and praise.”
Prayer: “Through the intercession of St. Blasé, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
Promise: “The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever.” –Sir 47:11
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012”
Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Perseverance and the Presentation Spirit
“He came to the temple now, inspired by the Spirit.” –Luke 2:27
“The Holy Spirit was upon” Simeon (Lk 2:25). He had long waited the consolation of Israel and the coming of the Messiah (Lk 2:25-26). The Holy Spirit had even revealed to Simeon that he would personally see the Christ before he died (Lk 2:26).
The Holy Spirit also was upon Anna. Though Luke’s Gospel doesn’t explicitly link Anna and the Spirit, it calls her a prophetess (Lk 2:36). She used the Spirit’s gift of prophecy. The Spirit also inspired Anna to constantly fast, pray, and worship (Lk 2:37).
Unlike many Israelites before them, Anna and Simeon persevered in readiness. They were ready to act instantly when Jesus appeared (see Mal 3:2). Many other Israelites weren’t ready for the Messiah, failed to recognize Him, and so rejected Him.
Why didn’t Simeon and Anna recognize Jesus when others couldn’t?
- When Jesus came, they readily spoke of Him. Since people speak from the abundance of their hearts, this shows their hearts were always filled with God (Lk 6:45).
- They wouldn’t allow a long wait to dim their hope in the Lord. Their suffering and personal holiness led to constant, vigilant, living hope (Rm 5:3-5).
- Though the Holy Spirit hadn’t been poured out, they were mysteriously “inspired by the Spirit” (Lk 2:27). They yielded to the Spirit rather than ignoring Him.
“Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). Stay present to Jesus (Mk 14:37). Like Simeon and Anna, be ready for Jesus.
Prayer: Jesus, may I live in the present (Mt 6:34) and present myself daily to You. Each day I will wait for You in joyful hope.
Promise: “He is able to help those who are tempted.” –Heb 2:18
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012”
Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Wages of sin is ___
“I said, ‘I confess my faults to the Lord,’ and You took away the guilt of my sin.” – Psalm 32:5
How bad is sin? Seventy-thousand people dies during a three-day pestilence because of one of David’s less serious sins (2 Sm 24:15). The sin of disbelief in Jesus resulted in many staying sick and only a few being healed when Jesus visited His hometown (Mk6:5). Sin is bad enough that God became a human being and died on the cross to save us from it. sin is bad enough to condemn the unrepentant to hell and everlasting separation from God.
Because sin is so bad as to create hell, crucify God, and deprive and destroy millions of people, we should resist sin to the point of shedding our blood (heb 12:4). If we still fall into sin, we should turn to Jesus and repent immediately. “He is an Offering for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world” (1 Jn2:2). We should rejoice with all the saints and angels over one sinner who repents (Lk 15:7, 10). Because sin is so bad, resisting temptation and repenting are so good. Because sin is so bad, we can see that Jesus is so good and deserves all of our thanks, worship, obedience, and love forever. Don’t treat God’s gracious gift as pointless (gal 2:21). Hate sin, love sinners, and worship Jesus, our Savior from sin.
Prayer: Father, may I rejoice to bring my sins to the cross through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Promise: “You are my Shelter; from distress You will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom You will ring me round.” –Ps 32:7
“One Bread, One Body Winter into Lent February 1, 2012 through March 31, 2012”
Volume 28, No.2 © October, 2011. Presentation Ministries, Inc. Cincinnati, Ohio.
Christmas Message 2011
by Rev. Fr. Vincent Anyama
Parochial Vicar, St. Francis Catholic Church, Frisco.
The New Family of God
As a young lad, Christmas season was my favorite season, not so much because of the Christmas decorations and gifts, but more so because it was time to travel as family from the city where we lived, to the home where grandma and grandpa lived. It was also a time to see aunts, uncles and cousins who travelled to visit our grandparents as well.
While we know that Christmas is a time of family, we also remember that it is a time when God began to create a new kind of family on earth. At the birth of Jesus, God entered into our human family, so that we may be able to share in his divine family. What does the divine family look like? Well, the manger scene can give us the answer. In the manger where Jesus was born, we see baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph. We do not see the aunts and uncles of Jesus, or even the grandparents, rather we see the shepherds and wise men.
Who are the shepherds and the wise men? The shepherds are usually poor, dirty, ignorant and lawless folks, the kind of people that you see on the streets and you run away. The wise men are travelers from a distant place, who found divine wisdom in a cow shade in Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.
So what does the new family of God look like? It is the family were the poor find their dignity, where immigrants find a home, where the marginalized find their human voice and where the learned find true wisdom. So as we enjoy Christmas with our family, we remember those families who are experiencing some crisis or are in some type of difficulty; for divided families; for families where the father or mother is missing and where the remaining parent must assume sole responsibility for the children.
In Memory of…
This year is 10th Anniversary of September 11th. Do you have loved ones/friends that were lost on September 11th? Then don’t be alone and attend mass with us, St. Francis Catholic Student Ministry, in memory of all from that day… We will be gathering at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church on Sunday September 11th, 2011 @ the 6pm mass. We will all meet in the Narthex (the front entrance of the church) before sitting together to attend mass.
Following the mass, SFCSM will dedicate a Rosary for all the families affected by this tragedy along with all the souls forgotten. We hope to see you there…
College Facilitator – Christina Rodriguez
Starting off your day…
Good Morning everyone!
Hope you had a restful and peaceful night 
I woke up this morning and while driving to work it suddenly hit me…how many people in the world take a moment out of the morning to just thank God for providing you with another day of life? You don’t have to say a long prayer, for those of you who say you have a busy and fast pace day, but just a simple “Thank you God for letting me wake up to another day” would be better than nothing. Even the Lord likes a little common courtesy now and again.
So my question to you is, are there any routines or ways in which you give thanks to God throughout your day? Even if small, remember something is always better than nothing. I know I wake up (and can honestly admit to forgetting to at least say a morning prayer right after waking up) get ready for work and head out, but as soon as I leave my home I pray a Spanish prayer (that my grandfather taught me) for those who are driving. It’s a beautiful prayer, allowing you to reflect how you drive as your driving…then I blast on my stereo and personally at ease that I’ve officially at that moment started my day.
With that said I would like to share two songs with you to start off your day…hope you enjoy!
Yours truly,
A College Student
Another way of explaining Catholicism…A Little Humor for your day!
We know that:
Catholics believe that truth is found in the Bible, as interpreted by the church, but also found in church tradition. Catholics believe forgiveness of sin is achieved through church ritual, with the assistance of a priest in confession. Catholics believe that the Eucharist is Christ’s sacrifice; Christ’s body and blood physically present and consumed by believers (“transubstantiation”). Catholics believe in praying to God and also praying to Mary or a saint to intercede on their behalf. Catholics believe the sacraments are a means of grace. Much emphasis is placed on the saints in the Catholic religion due to the fact that they are like us; either bearing daily crosses (struggles against sins and in doing good) or in personal struggles to live a good Christian/Catholic life.
But the next time someone asks you to “tell me a little bit about the Catholic faith” just simply say:
“The Saints are our counselor’s, the Liturgy (Word of God) are our SparkNotes, the Sacraments are bonus points, understanding/receiving the Eucharist is like your continual Midterm, and Judgement Day is your Final Exam.”
Personality Type
The Myers Briggs model of personality is based on four preferences:
- E or I (Extraversion or Introversion)
- S or N (Sensing or iNtuition)
- T or F (Thinking or Feeling)
- J or P (Judgment or Perception)
You combine the preferences to give your Myers Briggs personality type. Eg: having preferences for E and S and T and J gives a personality type of ESTJ. There are sixteen Myers Briggs personality types.
A frequently used analogy is handedness – where you have a preference for one hand but use them both. Similarly, you have all eight facets in your Myers Briggs personality profile. Whilst your personality type indicates that you have a preference for some of them, you nevertheless use all of them.
The four preferences in more detail
Where, primarily, do you prefer to direct your energy?
If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with people, things, situations, or “the outer world”, then your preference is for Extraversion. This is denoted by the letter “E”.
If you prefer to direct your energy to deal with ideas, information, explanations or beliefs, or “the inner world”, then your preference is for Introversion. This is denoted by the letter “I”.
How do you prefer to process information?
If you prefer to deal with facts, what you know, to have clarity, or to describe what you see, then your preference is for Sensing. This is denoted by the letter “S”.
If you prefer to deal with ideas, look into the unknown, to generate new possi2bilities or to anticipate what isn’t obvious, then your preference is for Intuition. This is denoted by the letter “N” (the letter I has already been used for Introversion).
How do you prefer to make decisions?
If you prefer to decide on the basis of objective logic, using an analytic and detached approach, then your preference is for Thinking. This is denoted by the letter “T”.
If you prefer to decide using values and/or personal beliefs, on the basis of what you believe is important or what you or others care about, then your preference is for Feeling. This is denoted by the letter “F”.
How do you prefer to organise your life?
If you prefer your life to be planned, stable and organised then your preference is for Judging (not to be confused with ‘Judgmental’, which is quite different). This is denoted by the letter “J”.
If you prefer to go with the flow, to maintain flexibility and respond to things as they arise, then your preference is for Perception. This is denoted by the letter “P”.
This test is a rip-off of the famous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, however pretty accurate on it’s results. It may not be as polished of a test as the MBTI, but hey, it’s free. Now, click this link to access the Jung Typology Test:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm
When you’ve finished the last test item, click the “score it” button at the bottom of the test page. You will now see a page which indicates your Jung Typology Test results. You’ll see “Your Type Is” and four letters below it (like ESTJ or INFP). This is where you’ll see your strength preferences. Just below this you will see two links to type descriptions for your four letter type. One type description is by David Keirsey, the other by Joe Butt. Both are OK and will give you a basic description of your personality type. But click on the Joe Butt description.
Have fun and see what you’re results are! 
Yours truly,
A College Student
The “Stroop” Effect
Good Morning!
I originally had this on my own personal blog but felt it to be interesting enough to share with all It’s actually a very entertaining and at moments frustrating activity, none the less there’s nothing wrong with having a little moment for distraction.
So an assignment for class had me wanting to post this I think it’s a great example of how a person’s concentration is when doing a task, giving evidence to that fact that not everyone or more like hardly anyone can multi-task. This “effect involves the difficulty our brains have when it comes to blocking out irrelevant stimuli during the process of perception. Specifically, when a visual stimulus (like a word) has two visual properties (1 = the word, 2 = the color of ink used to print the word), our brains often have difficulty separating out and disregarding the word when attempting to perceive only the ink color.”
The following are two “Stroop” tests that will require your attention so please make start them when your sure you’re not going to be doing anything else. So take a test and see what your results are 
Yours truly,
A College Student
Important Notes on the NOVA Stroop Test Website:
After accessing the site linked below, you should see a ‘Stroop Test‘ graphic just to the left of an image of mountains. Just to the right of the first paragraph of instructions, you should see a small rectangular box / button link marked ‘Go to the Stroop Test.’ After reading the instructions, click the ‘Go to the Stroop Test‘ box link. On the next page, click on the link in white font marked ‘click here to begin.’ Following this, you will be provided with a pre-test demo.
To initiate the test, the instructions note to press the ‘return key.’ Just to be clear, the ‘return key’ is the same as the ‘enter key’ (‘return key’ is an older term that some do not recognize now). Then use the left and right arrow keys to select the answer choice. You will also use the ‘return key’ and left – right arrow keys when taking the actual timed tests.
This site requires the Shockwave plug-in. If you don’t have it, the site directs you on how to get Shockwave. Also, if you do have to download Shockwave, you may need to restart your computer before accessing the demonstration on the site.
Link to the NOVA Stroop Test:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/everest/exposure/stroopintro.html
Alternative Link to the NOVA Version of the Stroop Test:
http://www.snre.umich.edu/eplab/demos/st0/stroopdesc.html
Stroop Effect Interactive Test
Access the site linked below. Click on the instructions page link and take a moment to read about the test. Carefully follow the directions.
When you’re ready to start, simply click your cursor in the box to the right of the phrase ”Try the experiment:” and the demonstration will begin.
Use the Color to Key codes to indicate the color of the font in which the word is presented.
For example if BLUE appears, press the ‘b’ key on your keyboard as fast as you can as the font color is blue.
If GREEN appears, press the ‘r’ key as fast as you can as the font color is red.
Press the space bar to start the actual demo.
If you miss a color, the program will retest you on that match later in the demo.
When you finish the demo, click the “view results” link in the box above.
