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.