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Fri, 7 Nov 2008 by Emily
Categories: Guest Writer
Hello everyone! Thanks for reading and being in God's presence : D
Today I am trying something new, let me know how you like it. I am working on posting my own faith story on here, but in the meantime, I received one from one of my best friends, Brian. So, to not delay any longer, here it is:
"While often times when you hear of someone’s faith story, you think of some profound event that occurred in someone’s life, or some great role model that had a large impact on his or her life. My faith story on the other hand resembles something more along the lines of a rollercoaster. I am not talking about how amazingly fun my faith story has been, but more that there are several twists, turns, dips, and dives. At times, I have been rushing down the twisting winding hills full force pursuing a seemingly never-ending relationship with God, but then the track begins to go upward again at seemingly painfully slow non-fun vertical rates causing my relationship with God to practically cease to exist.
Thankfully, for my sake, my life started off by going in full force down a seemingly endless hill on this life rollercoaster. When I was younger I was privileged enough to have parents that brought me to be baptized shortly after I was born. It all started at a Lutheran Church in Minnesota. Those that I did not know, but who loved me deeply, surrounded me. When I was younger, it seems like all I could remember was going to Church on Sundays. Although I did not quite understand God, or who He is, I always enjoyed all of the arts and crafts projects that we did and I even enjoyed the few times when I was lucky enough to get to go to Church with the big people. It was almost as if I was hurling down a roller coaster track way too fast, having way too much fun in pursuing my relationship with God.
And hurling down the track too fast I was, for I soon reached the bottom of this hill; things started leveling off. No longer did we go to Church every Sunday. It was not as fun to go to Church anymore, and I found it boring. Even a lot of my friend’s at Church started not being there most of the time. Not too long after, my family stopped going altogether. Being four or five at the time, I was perfectly OK with this. It simply meant more time for me to spend playing and doing things I wanted to do. And so, the slow painful boring trip up a hill began, and my relationship with God practically ceased.
Years of this seemingly non-existent relationship with God seemed to go on. Once again though, when I was in third grade, some family friends invited us to go to Church with them at a different Lutheran Church. After simply a couple Sundays, I was hurling downward screaming with glee at my newfound excitement in church. Every week I was always eager to memorize the verse of the weak and recite it to my parents as soon as church was over. I was always learning so much, and loved it.
These wonderful times, however, were short lived. By the time I was in fourth grade I was already finding Church boring again. Every week it seemed like I would beg my parents so that we would stay home and not go to church. Things really became even worse when the timing of Sunday school and the services no longer lined up. I mean, come on, it was boring enough as it was, now they were making me stay for twice as long? When this started happening, my family no longer attended church. It seemed as if I would be on this painfully slow upward rollercoaster ride forever. Which at the time, this seemed like the best thing in the world because no longer did I have to sit through the painfully long boring church services every Sunday.
My life continued on this trend. Everything seemed well to me. Then, just before going into 6th grade, one of my friends invited me to go a Methodist church with him. I wanted nothing to do with it. I still remember how nervous I was that first Sunday. I did not understand a lot of what was going on. Communion seemed a lot different and more important than it did at my old churches. Maybe it was just because the way it was done was different, or maybe it was simply because I was older. But, to be honest, that freaked me out. Also, there was all this talk about Jesus, and needing Jesus in your life. This was all new to me. I continued going to Church, but I never really thought too much about it.
But then the same friend that invited me to go to the Church with him to begin with, invited me to go on a retreat with the youth group. Again, I did not want to have anything to do with any retreat. Despite all of my protesting, I went on the retreat and I absolutely loved it. Because of it, I became excited in attending other events, going on other retreats, and even mission trips. So once again, I was slowly starting to head downhill, on the fun part of my faith rollercoaster.
Ninth grade is where it all really started. Confirmation started, it was the summer after my first mission trip, and something amazing happened. Part way through my ninth grade year I decided to go to a mega rally at a local Christian college. I did not know any of the other teens from my church that were going, but my youth director convinced me that it would be a lot of fun. I must say, the Christian rap music there was, well, different to say the least. Although I may not have enjoyed the music to its fullest, it was at this rally that I asked Jesus to be in my life, and my life was changed. My faith rollercoaster was hitting G-forces that I had never even dreamed of before.
While I may have only gone through a few of the twists, turns, breakdowns, and bumps in my faith rollercoaster, there are a few things I have learned along the way. I have learned that God is always there, he does not promise smooth sailing, but no matter what you are going through, he is always there. I have learned that God always forgives. Repeatedly I have pushed him away, be it by sinning, by ignoring him, or by not even acknowledging his existence; but yet he always lets me get my rollercoaster headed back down those fun twisty-turny hills once again. God does this for everyone. No matter what has happened on your rollercoaster in the past, even if it has not even started yet, what lies ahead is up to you. God is always there just waiting to help you get your rollercoaster rolling."
So, I thought the roller coaster idea was a GREAT analogy for your faith story, Brian, and thanks for letting me share this!
I encourage you all to write up your faith stories, and post them, but write one up even if you don't want to post...It's a great way to reflect on your faith life.
And, I will post mine next, hopefully that will be soon!
Keep your faith alive!
Your sister and witness in Christ,
Emily
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Sat, 25 Oct 2008 by Emily
Categories: God
Hello everyone! Thanks for reading : )
It's been a SUPER long time since I wrote anything, and I apologize for that, but college has been super challenging.
Anyway, since mid-term is over (already?), I decided to post once again.
The topic of the day is what created God.
There are many sources out there that explain this concept very well.
My first source is John N. Clayton, a scientist and lecturer on God's existence. I found this information here.
To summarize his theory,
God was not created by anything. He has always existed. God created everything, including time and matter. Therefore, God was here before even time existed.
Another website has the same idea as Clayton, this one.
Many of the websites I found shared this idea of God creating everything, even time, therefore nothing created Him.
This next website is also a great source because it explains the atheistic point and then contradicts it. I thought this was such a great way of explaining it, you will see it pasted in here below.
Question: "Who created God? Where did God come from?"
Answer: The atheist Bertrand Russell wrote in his book "Why I am Not a Christian" that if it is true that all things need a cause then God must also need a cause. He concluded from this that if God needed a cause then God was not God (and if God is not God then of course there is no God). This was basically a slightly more sophisticated form of the childlike question, "Who made God?" Even a child knows that things do not come from nothing, so if God is a "something" then He must have a cause as well, right?
The question is tricky because it sneaks in the false assumption that God came from somewhere and then asks where that might be. The answer is that the question does not even make sense. It is like asking, "What does blue smell like?" Blue is not in the category of things that have odor, so the question itself is flawed. In the same way, God is not in the category of things that are created, or come into existence, or are caused. God is uncaused and uncreated - He simply exists.
How do we know this? Well, we know that from nothing, nothing comes. So if there was ever a time when there was absolutely nothing in existence then nothing would have ever come to exist. But things do exist. Therefore, since there could never have been absolutely nothing, something had to have always been existing. That ever-existing thing is what we call God.
My Opinion
My opinion on the topic is equal to these other opinions. God created everything, and was always around. Therefore, there's no reason to explain His existence.
Thanks for reading everyone! I will try to post every week! Send your questions!
Your Sister and Witness in Christ,
Emily
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Sun, 5 Oct 2008 by Emily
Categories: General
Hello everyone, how're you all doing?
I haven't written anything in a while, and I apologize fr that. I have been super busy...
So, I decided to try something new, and we'll see how it works.
I am asking you to tell me/everyone else about your own faith story.
It could be anything from your life's religious journey, to a personal story about a funny event, or anything.
It's YOUR turn to share with me/everyone else whatever you want.
Keep in mind it has to be respectful/clean or I will take it off.
But other than that, I give you freedom to write whatever you want that has to do with the topic of faith.
Looking forward to reading them!
Remember, KEEP IT CLEAN!!!
Thanks, and I promise to write soon, as long as at least two people comment!
Peace to all and God bless!
Your sister and witness in Christ,
Emily
P.S. Some topics to come include:
Witnessing in/to Christ
Prayer
Homosexuality/Gay Marriage, perhaps with a special guest?
and others, send me the topics YOU want answered here.
And now, go comment!
Emily
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Thu, 11 Sep 2008 by Emily
Categories: General
Hello everyone! Thanks for reading : D
Today's topic takes each of the sacraments that I have not discussed before and gives more detail about each of them.
So, that being said, we will now dive into the sacraments.
1. Baptism
Baptism is an awesome sacrament. It is the celebration of bringing a new life into the Church. Now, Christ is with us from the moment of conception, so it's not welcoming Christ into the new life for the first time. It is the celebration of the Church's growth with adding another person to the community.
It also calls on the parents and godparents to be good models for the child (in most cases, it is an infant being baptized, but not always) and to help them practice the Christian faith.
Godparents have just as much a role in developing the child's faith as the parents do. They must be older than 16 years of age, and be fully accepted into the Church, having received Confirmation and Eucharist.
There is also something called a witness, which can get a little complex. Witnesses can be role models to the child for their faith, but do not fill the role of godparent in some way or another. For example, if someone does not practice the Catholic faith, but you want them to be involved, they can be a witness.
In the Catholic church, a baptism in a Christian religion is the requirement; it does not have to be a Catholic baptism. We believe in one Christian baptism. Those that are baptized in another denomination are welcome in the Catholic church as Christians, but are not considered Catholic.
So, one would never be baptized twice when switching from a different Christian religion to the Catholic faith.
2. Communion
See this and this.
3. Reconciliation
See this.
4. Confirmation
Confirmation in the Catholic Church is very eye-opening and amazing. When you are confirmed, you are anointed with holy oil by a bishop of the Church. In some cases, priests are allowed to confirm others. They make a cross on your forehead with the oil. At that moment, you are received into the Church as a fully recognized member.
Confirmation is also where one receives the Holy Spirit inside themself.
In Confirmation, you have a sponsor, somewhat like a godparent in Baptism, yet different. The sponsor is meant to help you prepare for the sacrament. They need to be someone active in the Church as well. In the best case scenario, godparents are the best choice for sponsors. However, in some cases, the godparents are not part of the candidate's life anymore or live too far away.
Confirmations are performed at different ages between different parishes. The parish that I went to confirmed people at age 16, but some confirm younger than that.
To be confirmed, one must have been baptized. One must also prepare for the sacrament by studying it or going to classes.
Confirmation is not necessary for salvation, but it is a great sacrament to receive and necessary if one wants to be a full member of the Church.
5. Marriage
One of the only requirements for marriage is that it is between a man and a woman. It is preferable also for them both to be baptized, but not necessary. Once two people are married, they become one, so to speak. Here's a Bible passage that helps with this image:
"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."
-Genesis 2:24
6. Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the name of the sacrament where soon-to-be priests, bishops, and deacons are given the right to be called to that vocation by a bishop. The person is called to this certain vocation by God. It is a celebration of the person's vocation and choice to help lead others to God through whichever role they take in the Church.
7. Anointing of the Sick
This sacrament usually takes place in a hospital, or wherever the sick person is. The priest anoints the person with holy oil, and helps them prepare for their next life, in Heaven. This sacrament is not required, but helps the person with the dying process. The person feels more welcome and ready to go into the next life when the priest talks to God with them about it.
Once again, I am running short on topics, so send me a question here, and I will find you the answer.
God bless you all.
Your sister and witness in Christ,
Emily
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Tue, 2 Sep 2008 by Emily
Categories: General, Sin
Hey everyone. Thanks for reading : )
Today's topic is purgatory.
I'm guessing that some of you are wondering what exactly purgatory is, or have vaguely heard about it and are confused.
That's why I'm here to help!
So, right off the bat, I'll throw a lot of information at you, and later, I'll summarize.
This is from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1030-1032:
"All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.
The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire:
'As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.'
-St. Gregory the Great
This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." [Sidenote: 2 Maccabees 12:46] From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:
'Let us help and commemorate them. If Job's sons were purified by their father's sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them some consolation? Let us not hesitate to help those who have died and offer our prayers for them.' "
-St. John Chrysostom
So, what does that all mean?
The Bible mentions a "fire" that some may have to enter before they are able to go to Heaven. Example passages:
"For other foundation no man can lay, but that which is laid; which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay stubble: Every man's work shall be manifest; for the day of the Lord shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire; and the fire shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. If any man's work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work burn, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire."
-1 Corinthians 3:11-15
"So that the genuineness of your faith- being more precious than gold, that, though perishable, is tested by fire- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."
-1 Peter 1:7 (This also makes reference to a "fire" of sorts)
So, to summarize all the complex wording above:
Purgatory is a place that people go temporarily after death before they are allowed into Heaven. They go here if they died with venial sins (see this for more info. on venial sins) that were not confessed, or for those who have not done penance for things they did and confessed on Earth. It IS NOT HELL. Let me make that clear.
Traditionally, in the Catholic Church, we pray for all those who are currently in purgatory to help them get through it. You may see this in Mass where we pray for all the departed. We are asking God for forgiveness for them that they may enter into Heaven.
Now, I will beg: Please ask questions! I need some more topics! If you like reading this and learning more about Catholicism, ask some questions! Anything! It can be about whatever you want. Please do it!? Ok, done with the begging.
Remember to recognize the beauty in all that He's created, and thank Him for it. I've been trying to do this lately. For example, the night sky with the stars.
May God bless all of you, and keep you safe.
Your sister and witness in Christ,
Emily
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