Man Fully Alive

What is Man Fully Alive? Throughout this past year of Theology 2, this question has been brought up a numerous amount of times, and I have also thought about this question many times as well. Mr. Cole, our teacher asked this on the very first day of class, and I had no idea what the answer to the question was. However, throughout this school year, I feel like I have a decent answer to this question that may seem very simple at first glance, but is extremely complex. Since I have been thinking about this question for quite some time, many people would expect an extremely long, in depth answer to it, however I do not have one, I have a short, but compete answer. To be "man fully alive" is to be yourself. Being yourself is extremely important, because God made YOU not someone else. God created you in his image an likeness, he created us to be unique, and by being unique, and by being yourself you are man full alive. If we believe that God made us in his image, and we are putting our entire faith in him, which causes us to be fully alive in God, which then causes us to be "Man Fully Alive."

Man Fully Alive

"Man Fully Alive" is a saying frequently used in our Theology class at Strake Jesuit. The message being demonstrated in this saying is to let Jesus live through you fully, making you united with him in an inseparable bond of eternal faith, love, and happiness. At Strake Jesuit, our motto is "Man for Others", which is a direct reflection of Man Fully Alive. We are taught to be Loving, Religious, Open to Growth, Physically Fit, Committed to Doing Justice, and Intellectually Competent. We are not taught these aspects for our own good, but for the good of others. To put others before us in a way that reflects Jesus through our every move. To be mindful of those less fortunate, and to be grateful for our many blessings and opportunities. This is the type of person Strake Jesuit molds, and Jesus will forever be fully alive.

Universal Call to Holiness

What is the Universal Call to Holiness? It is the Catholic teaching that all people are called to be holy. Throughout these past weeks in class we have been talking about, and doing assignments on the universal call to holiness. There is a great quote from scripture that states, "In the Church everyone does not proceed by the same path, nevertheless all are called to sanctify and have received equal privilege of faith throughout the justice of God." This reveals that this call is built off of sacred scripture, and that also, this quote represents that everyone is different, and everyone's call to holiness is different as well. As members of the Catholic Church, when God calls us to holiness, there are 5 different ways to respond to his call. These five responses  consist of active and regular participation in the Church; frequent reception of the sacraments; well informed life of prayer; practice of sacrifice and self-denial; the sanctification of ordinary life; and our witness and apostolic in the Church community. When we are given our call, we must obey it, because in the God will direct us in the right direction. 

Science Vs. Religion

Science and Religion have been at war since the beginning of time. The differences seem to be obvious because they both come from different dimensions of human life and activities. Science is the study of processes, forces, and development of nature, which is all supported by the evidence of experimentation and analysis. When dealing with science, one believes that different processes and events we observe occur because of natural causes rather than divine forces. Science is very precise and testable. Religion, however, is connected to faith that is rooted in Christianity. The basis of Religion comes from ancestors passed down orally to their offspring leading up all the way to today’s teachings. These teachings are all recorded in the book of the Bible, or revealed through the process of prayer. The main conflict between Science and religion resides in the laws of the universe itself. Religious groups believe in a supernatural power that created earth and all of its living being, while Scientists rely on the actual gathered facts of the universe that are observable and recordable. Though these two ideals have been in constant conflict, there is no telling which is correct. God works in mysterious ways, but all you need is a little faith.

The Hidden Years

The Hidden Years of Jesus Christ begin with the ending of his childhood to the start of his public ministry. These years, approximating from 12 to 30, are known as the hidden years because there is no recorded documentation of Jesus’ existence during these times. I believe one of the main reasons God does not reveal the hidden years of Jesus’ life because he wants to show us that he lived an ordinary life, a life very similar to everyone else. God does this to show that Jesus endured the same joys and hardships as any normal human being. This also shows how simple God actually is. God desires each of us to know Him more from the heart, and less from the mind. Many people try to understand God more from their mind, and end up disappointed. They try to bring God down to their level, instead of rising up to the level of God. This is why God is based on love, and he looks at the heart, not the mind.

A Non-Catholic's Perspective on Confession

Why do I need to confess my sins to a priest when I can just confess them to God? -- This has been a commonly asked question by non-Catholics since Reconciliation has been incorporated into the world. Yes, it is a beautiful thing when you confess your sins truthfully to God in remorse and ambition to do better, but what a sinner needs is the presence of a priest to guide them and convert God's calling to something that is easily understood. During confession, a priest acts almost as an escort to the Truth of God. There are many benefits when confessing to a priest rather than just on your own. These benefits consist of: a priest fully absolves you of your sins in the name of the Lord if you are truly sorry and want to be cleansed, a priest hears you out and is someone you can vent to and ask for guidance, a priest gives you penance to really make up for your sins, and a priest is open to anything, literally anything, if you are sorry from the heart. He will not judge, think down upon you, or scorn you for your wrong doings. Instead, a priest brings you closer to God than you ever will be on your own.

Theology in Schools

Today I feel the need to touch on Religion in schools. Religion should be taught world wide so that the American youth can grow in their faith, and have a strong theological foundation incorporated in their lives. It is truly a shame that public schools outlaw such teachings, because that is just denying the works and teachings of God to the students. That is why attending Strake Jesuit is such a blessing. God is entrusted into our lives so thoroughly that we are capable of experiencing knew things to grow in our faith. Theology should also be taught world wide because though it can be a very complex and in depth subject, it is actually quite simple. Despite the memorization of facts in theological history such as dates or people, Theology is actually just a subject of simple common sense. That is why it is so easy for everyone to learn, but to truly dedicate ones life and follow in the footsteps of Jesus is a big step in the lives of Catholics. Anyone can learn Theology, but it is what you do with it and how you use it in your own life that defines you as a Catholic and follower of Christ.

Early Church Mass

     Mass in the early Church was very important to the early Christians, and Catholics. In the early church, these Christians gathered every Sunday, and celebrated Jesus Christ. The main activity that they performed was the breaking of the bread. However, they also performed 7 common acts during the mass. These consisted of readings from scripture, a homily, prayers of the faithful, an offertory, a Eucharistic prayer, and receiving the Eucharist. These are very common to the mass today. This is a great example of how the Church has stayed consistent with its beliefs, which has led to such a strong foundation for our faith. As members of the Catholic Church we need to remain holy by participating in each of these acts during mass. All of these facts are from St. Justin the Martyr, they have been passed on through scripture. Most of his scripture has been lost, but this was found. From the early church, through today, mass has been a very focal point of the Catholic faith, and will remain to be in the future.

Ronald Davis

Ronald Davis is a homeless man that says he has been trying to get a job for his whole life. However, when he goes to his interview he does not look presentable because he does not have the right clothes, so he looks bad. Also, he doesnt own a phone so he cant receive the calls from the company to see if he got the job. The thing that made him really sad is when people call him a bum. He said in the interview that he gets called a bum frequently, and he is really saddened by that. As members of the Catholic Church, it is our call to help others. We need to give more of an effort to help homeless people by giving them food, or money. It is probably better to get them food because if you give them money, you dont know exactly what they are going to buy with it. For example, in this interview, the homeless man is smoking a cigarette. So part of the money he got begging, he spent some of it on cigarettes instead of food, or needs. That is why I believe the teens in the catholic church should take this call of holiness and participate more in food drives, go to the food bank, or directly give homeless people food, or things they need.

Papacy

      The Papacy of the Catholic Church is extremely important. Papacy is the term used for the office and the authority of the Pope, the vicar of Christ. The pope has been handed down through apostolic succession from Peter. Peter was the first pope of the Catholic Church, each of the popes after him are successors of him, hence the name apostolic succession. The pope is infallible, meaning he is free from error when talking about faith and morals. This is because when the pope talks about faith and morals, God is with him and guiding him on what is true. If God is guiding him then everything he says is the truth because God is all knowing.
       Now I am going to talk about the role of the pope in the Catholic Church. The pope plays a tremendous role in the Church. He is the visible symbol of unity of assurance to the Catholic faithful that they are members of the on holy catholic and apostolic Church, founded by Christ. The pope is also the chief administrator of the Church. He appoints bishops and the cardinals, who will elect his successor. He is also the final arbiter of both administrative and doctrinal disputes.

The Eucharist and Cannibalism Continued

There are also many other reasons that prove the consuming the Eucharist is not a form of cannibalism. The Eucharist contains the soul of Jesus. Cannibalism includes eating the flesh and organs of fallen victims, but receiving the Body of Christ is the eating of Jesus immortal soul united with his body and blood, which are inseparable in the Eucharist. The Eucharist contains the divinity of Jesus Christ. Jesus is true God and true Man. His divinity and humanity are inseparable. Therefore, when we take in his humanly aspects (flesh and blood), we are also taking his divine, Godly aspects. This is why we say "the Eucharist is the Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ" in mass. The Eucharist consumes us. When eating normal foods, we take in the foods, and it becomes a part of us. When consuming the Eucharist, however, it consumes us. We become a part of it, in holy communion, and we are made part of the Mystical Body of Christ. Consuming the Eucharist is non-violent. Cannibalism is malicious and degrading, receiving the Eucharist is serene and reverent. No violence or hatred is portrayed in the Eucharist, therefore making it a beautiful doctrine.

The Eucharist and Cannibalism

The most mysterious yet controversial doctrine in the Catholic Church would be if the Eucharist contains the real presence of Jesus Christ. The reason why it is so hard to believe is because non-Catholics think that even if Christ's body is contained in the Eucharist, they perceive that as cannibalism. The first accusation was from the Romans, and it has affected Catholics ever since. Though people have constantly fought this doctrine for ages, there are significant reasons that prove eating the Eucharist is not cannibalism. First, the Eucharist is life. Cannibals eat what is dead. There have been historic instances where cannibals have eaten the living and beating heart of a victim, but they were in the process of dying. The Eucharist is in no way doomed to die. In fact, it is living on forever. Just as Christ arose from the dead and lived in Heaven with God the Father, life remains in the Eucharist. Second, cannibals take only parts of their victims. The Eucharist is the whole body and blood of Jesus Christ, it is not just some parts. The Eucharist contains all of Jesus and his grace. This does not mean that receiving multiple hosts make you receive more bodies of Jesus Christ, nor does receiving less give you less of Jesus Christ. All of Christ is present in any amount of host. And third, the Eucharist is the glorified body of Jesus Christ, not just his original body. This means that the host is more in a spiritual sense rather than a physical sense, due to the spiritual dwelling with our Father in Heaven.

Marriage in the Catholic Church

A marriage in the Catholic Church is a sacrament, which means that it is a participation in the life of 

Christ. As such a sacramental marriage involves making promises and keeping one's word as Jesus did. 

What exactly does this mean? Does it mean that if I am not a churchgoer or if I am a sinner I can't get 

married in the Church? No; Jesus never turns anyone away. He invites each and every one of us to a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. The gospels are full of stories about Jesus 

seeking out sinners, treating them with compassion and mercy, and forgiving them. Jesus reveals our sins not to humiliate us, but to free us and to offer a way to true happiness. Some people rejected Jesus’ offer because they found his way too hard, but many accepted. When we decide to live under Jesus, it means that we are called to continual conversion, which often includes a change of lifestyle, attitude, and behavior. It also means learning to love and sacrifice like Jesus, which results in joy unsurpassable. 

All are Welcome

Today I am going to reflect on the article from moodle. This article reminded me about the Catholic mark of the Church. Catholiche list the certain groups of society. The author also says that all are welcome, but it takes sacrifice, and rules to join the Catholic Church. 

For example if a drug addict were to join the Church, the Church would welcome them with open arms. However, the Church wont overlook his addiction, so to become fully into the Mystical Body of Christ, he must seek help to help cure his addiction. 

I believe that this article was made to clear up that all are welcome into th open to all people, and it will not condone the actions of the people who disobey the commandments from God. e Church. I believe that the author did a good job on portraying that information. The author made it clear that the Church is

 means universal, meaning that everyone is welcome into the Church. When the author says that all are invited, he goes on t

Habitat for Humanity

Over Spring Break, I, along with my family and friends, took part in a volunteer organization known as Habitat for Humanity. This is a charity organization that volunteers to build homes for those in need but cannot afford one. I had the amazing opportunity to volunteer and give back to my community. Out of all the service projects I have done, Habitat for Humanity is by far the most charitable and rewarding project. I got to engage with many of my close friends and family, and even people from my church, St. John Vianney. During this service project, there were several activities to choose from. These activities consisted of: interior/exterior painting, plastering, grouting, roof work, and much more. I chose interior painting and grouting. This was a very new experience for me because I have never been around such caring and selfless people. Everyone seemed to be so happy to be helping others in need, and it really opened up my eyes to those who were less fortunate. I am very blessed to have been able to take part in such a beautiful organization and I would highly recommend this to every person any age. Habitat for Humanity changed me as a person and brought me closer to my family and friends. 

Women in the Church

Women have played various amount of roles in the Christian Church. Until recently, they have always been generally excluded from clerical positions within the Christian churches. However, many women have been very influential in the life of the Church through the roles they fill. These roles would be: theologians, doctors of the Church, missionaries, abbesses, nuns, mystics, founders of religious institutes, military leaders, monarchs, and martyrs. Christianity derived from societies that placed men in positions of authority in marriage, society, and priesthood. Though women are restricted in these areas, they still continue to be a huge contribution not only to the Catholic Church, but the whole world as well.

Who Can Receive Communion?

Today I will be talking about who can receive communion. First of all, Holy Eucharist is one of the Seven Sacraments. This sacrament is most important because this is the only Sacrament that we receive the very body and blood, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ himself. We are filled with an abundant amount of grace when we receive this sacrament. In the Holy Eucharist, we are intimately encountering Chris through the consumption of his body and blood. In this way, we actually acquire Christ into our bodies, which is the closet we can get to him. Consuming the Eucharist also strengthens us because in it Jesus himself, the word made flesh, forgives us of our sins and helps us resist the temptation to sin. Every time we do this we are one step closer to eternal life with God the Father in Heaven.



Holy Communion is not just as simple as eating Jesus' body and blood, it takes much preparation before hand. First, you must be in a state of grace and meditation. If we feel we are unworthy of accepting the Eucharist yet we still do, it is wrong. Second, we must have participated in confession after our last mortal sin. This cleans the slate of our soul which allows Jesus to act fully within us. Third, we must believe in the doctrine of transubstantiation. Transubstantiation means more than the Real Presence. Fourth, we must observe the Eucharistic fast, meaning no consumption of any other food or drink 1 hour prior to receiving the Eucharist.  Finally, one must not be under an ecclesiastic censure. As you can see it takes much preparation to receive the Eucharist. Therefore, not just anyone can consume the body and blood of Jesus Christ, we must be worthy of it.

Miracle of Lanciano

The miracle of Lanciano was a miracle that took place in the city of Lanciano, France. It occurred around 700. This is what happened: A Basilian hieromonk was assigned to celebrate Mass in a fairly small Church of St. Longinus. He celebrated it in the Latin Rite and by using unleavened bread. So the monk had doubts about the presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. During the mass, the monk said the words of consecration, which are, "This is my body, and this is my blood." However, he said these words with doubts in his soul. The priest then saw the bread change into living flesh, and the wine turn into live blood which coagulated into five globules. This miracle influenced the many people that witnessed it to preach the word of God. As members of the Catholic Church, we should not have to be influenced by a miracle to preach the word of God, we should be strong enough in our faith to preach the word of God, without witnessing a miracle. 

Catechumenate

Today I am going to talk about Catechumenate. In the early Church, if someone wanted to join the Church they had to go through a process called the catechumenate. A catechumen is one who receives information from a catechist in the principles of the Christian religion with a view towards baptism. They are prepared to join the Church by being instructed the teachings of the Faith and prepared for the Sacraments of Initiation. It was applied to one who had not yet been initiated into the sacred mysteries, but was undergoing a course of preparation for that purpose. This practice is most commonly used by orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics. When they became prepared for the initiation in the Church, they initiated them the night before the Easter Vigil, also known as the night before the commemoration of Christ's resurrection.

Sacraments Correspond to Human Nature

Today I am going to be talking about how the Sacraments correspond to human nature. First of all, there are seven Sacraments: Baptism, the Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, the Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. All seven of these sacraments correspond to human nature through their use of physical, sensible signs which indicate spiritual, invisible realities. An example of this would be in the Eucharist, we actually see, feel, and taste the Body of Christ, making it easier to relate and understand the efficacious sign of grace that is being portrayed through this sacrament. Another example would be in Reconciliation. We are able to kneel in front of a priest, whether behind a blind or face to face, and confess our sins to him. In this way we are absolved of our sins through the senses of sight and hearing. The Sacraments are all instruments of God's grace, that actually accomplish in the soul what their signs symbolize. Another way that the Sacraments correspond to human nature is that they work ex opere operato, which means "by the very fact of the actions being performed.

Heresies in the Early Church

In the early days of the Church, there were many people who corrupted the teachings of the Church. These things were called heresies. Heresies are the denial or alteration of some part or parts of the Deposit of Faith. These heresies came about when the Church was very new and the Church, and damaged the early church with false teachings. These heresies drove new believers away from the Church, and caused other small denominations.Throughout the early church there were many different heresies. The ones we talked about in my Theology class are: Gnosticism, Arianism, Apollinarism, and Nestorianism. Gnosticism was derived from the greek word "gnosis." According to these gnostics, Christ had been sent with a secret knowledge to basically hand out to those people that were worthy. The second heresy is called Arianism. This heresy was made from Arius, a priest from Alexandria in Egypt. He claimed that Jesus Christ was not eternally God and thus not equal to the father. The next heresy I am going to talk about is Apollinarianism, which was originated by Apollinaris. This heresy denied the existence of a human mind and will in Christ; this lead people to believe that Christ did not have a complete human life as a man. Lastly, I am going to talk about Nestorianism. This heresy was made by Nestorius; he said that Christ was the unity of two persons: one divine and one human. Although there were many different heresies, these were the most discussed about.

Ecumenism

Today I have decided to talk about Ecumenism. It is Greek for the "whole inhabited world."In class we have been talking about the Protestant Reformation and how the ecumenical councils countered the protestant beliefs, and helped the Church by creating truths. Ecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is the movement within Christianity that aims at the "recovery" in thought, in action, and in organization, of the true unity between the church's mission to the world. This was a huge part in the Church's history because it saved the Church from becoming a bunch of little denominations. Even though the Protestant Reformation caused many different denominations, the ecumenical councils saved the Church from becoming all small denominations. As young members of the Church it is very important to know the history of the Church because if there were no ecumenical councils, then there most likely wouldnt be a church to be a part of.

Boston Marathon

Earlier today during the Boston Marathon, a bomb was set off right by the finish line and killed at least 2 people, and injured over 100. This bombing has affected many families, especially one of them. An 8 year old boy died by the explosion, and a man was about to propose to his fiancee right when she crossed the finish line, but she died by the explosion.

Many people will address this situation by asking How could God allow this to happen? or Why is there so much evil if a God exist? But, that is not the way young members of the Church should address this situation. Evil is in the world because God gives us all free will, God gives us the opportunity to either choose him or choose evil. Sadly, there are people that choose evil and separate themselves from God. As members of the Church all we can do is pray for them. We as teens can pray for the people that chose to separate themselves from God, and hope they change their mind, and become in communion with God and the church. Also, as citizens of the United States, it is also our duty to defend our country and to help each other in these times of need.