The Apostle’s Creed

 

I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended into hell;
on the third day He rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of Saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting. Amen.

The 10th Commandment

Read about all Ten Commandments:

Read both versions of the Beatitudes found in Matthew 5:3-10 and Luke 6:20-26

For this task, pay special attention to the 10th Commandment and the first Beatitude in Matthew and Luke.

1. Create a visual that emphasizes a point of connection from the 10th Commandment and the first Beatitude.

2. Include your visual in a post in your blog in which you write about “the poor” and the “poor in spirit.” What are some examples of “good desires” or goodwill intended to help the poor and poor in spirit? How can you, your school, your community, province, and country do more to show goodwill to the poor and poor in spirit?

 

Tip: the Catechism of the Catholic Church is also helpful here:

Read paragraphs 2534-2550 and then read the brief review in paragraphs 2551-2557

 

 

The Basics of the Christian faith

220px-Alpha_logo

  • Is there more to life than this? (previously Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant?)
  • Who is Jesus?
  • Why did Jesus die?
  • How can we have faith?
  • Why and how do I pray?
  • Why and how should I read the Bible?
  • How does God guide us?
  • Who is the Holy Spirit?
  • What does the Holy Spirit do?
  • How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit?
  • How can I resist evil?
  • Why and how should I tell others?
  • Does God heal today?
  • What about the church?
  • How can I make the most of the rest of my Life?

Read more about the Alpha Course.

Vocations

“O Jesus, divine Shepherd of the spirit, you have called the Apostles in order to make them fishermen of men, you still attract to you burning spirits and generous young people, in order to render them your followers and ministers to us” (Pope Paul VI launching the 1st World Day of Prayer for Vocations)

Reflection Question:

Vocations are a calling to serve the Lord and share your talents that God has provided, some examples would be to answer the call to enter a community of Faith such as a priest or nun or for the lay person whether it is the profession you choose or one’s decision to marry or not, God has a role for you.

What calling does God have for you?

Discussion Question:

The call for vocations is primarily focused on our youth, generally prior to adulthood. Does the call stop once one has chosen his career and become an adult or do you think we could be called throughout our life?

Good Judgement

“The Spirit of God dwells in you.” – Romans 8:9

  1. In this time of Thanksgiving, what beauty do I see within and around me?
  2. How does this invite me to give thanks to God in worship, service, and life?
  3. What challenge do I face in my daily life that can dim my spirit?
  4. “Whatever does not bring you more joy or make you more alive is too small for you.” What does this statement mean to me?

“Every part of the earth is sacred. Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. All things are connected.” – Chief Seattle

Biblical Phrases

Many everyday phrases were first used in the Bible. Match phrases to meanings.

1. a drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)
2. At their wits’ end (Psalms 107:2)
3. A man after my own heart (I Samuel 13:14)
4. Give up the ghost (Job 3:11)
5. As old as the hills (Job 15:7)

a. Unable to handle anything more
b. A kindred spirit
c. A small amount of a plentiful commodity
d. Very, very old
e. To die, to cease working

What We Hunger For

Our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth or power. Those rewards create almost as many problems as they solve. Our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed through it … If a person lives and dies and no one notices, if the world continues as it was, was that person ever really alive? I am convinced that it is not the fear of death, of our lives ending, that haunts our sleep so much as the fear that as far as the world is concerned, we might as well never have lived. — Rabbi Harold Kushner

What does Kushner mean by saying we hunger to make the world “a little bit different”?

Write your own reflection entitled, “What My Soul Hungers For.” To foster a meditative spirit, embed a snippet of instrumental music (mp3) in your post.