Monday, December 27, 2010
New Year's Spiritual Resolutions anyone?
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a truely blessed holiday season!!
This morning, my husband and I took my grandpa out for lunch! It was a great visit, although, I had a feeling he was going to mention to me how much weight I put on since last year. Just when I thought that conversation wasn't going to happen, and my husband paid for our bill, he says: "Jeannette, when was that Knights of Columbus dance thing I came to last year?" and my husband says: "Last April", and my grandpa replies: "You've gained some weight since then."
I knew it!!! Ugh! I didn't want to hear, but I knew it was true, and most definately one of my resolutions this year is to get myself into shape! Especially as the Central Alberta World Youth Day Group head to Spain in the summer, and we will be backpacking through it!
It's funny how our resolutions mostly involve the physical aspects of us-eating better, getting into shape, looking better, etc. but what about the spiritual? We are all sinners, and we tend to forget that we have spiritual needs just as much as the physical. I for one will be trying to say a rosary with my husband every night. It's sure a hard thing to do, but man, I need a better relationship with Jesus. How can we expect him to work in our lives, if we're not even paying attention to him? to the one that created us? to our ultimate best friend?
What will your spiritual resolution be?
We could have the most fit body, and be eating the most healthy of food, but will that get us in the end when we die? God doesn't judge us on our beautiful looks, but on our beautiful soul!
Whoever is reading this-LISTEN UP!! Maybe your spiritual resolution could be to pray for the young people in your classes, in your parishes, offer up a sacrifice for them! It's simple and would take 5 minutes!
Also-all you young people out there-and I'm talking 18-35yrs!! You should check out the Our Lady of Victory Camp New Year's Eve Conference!! A beautiful way to enrich our catholic faith and have a tonne of fellowship and fun as well! olvc.ab.ca is where you can register!
Have a great New Year's everyone, and try to have a spiritual resolution as well as the physical! That is my challenge for my self as well, and you know what? I will even help motivate you all by keeping you posted on here!
God Bless!
This morning, my husband and I took my grandpa out for lunch! It was a great visit, although, I had a feeling he was going to mention to me how much weight I put on since last year. Just when I thought that conversation wasn't going to happen, and my husband paid for our bill, he says: "Jeannette, when was that Knights of Columbus dance thing I came to last year?" and my husband says: "Last April", and my grandpa replies: "You've gained some weight since then."
I knew it!!! Ugh! I didn't want to hear, but I knew it was true, and most definately one of my resolutions this year is to get myself into shape! Especially as the Central Alberta World Youth Day Group head to Spain in the summer, and we will be backpacking through it!
It's funny how our resolutions mostly involve the physical aspects of us-eating better, getting into shape, looking better, etc. but what about the spiritual? We are all sinners, and we tend to forget that we have spiritual needs just as much as the physical. I for one will be trying to say a rosary with my husband every night. It's sure a hard thing to do, but man, I need a better relationship with Jesus. How can we expect him to work in our lives, if we're not even paying attention to him? to the one that created us? to our ultimate best friend?
What will your spiritual resolution be?
We could have the most fit body, and be eating the most healthy of food, but will that get us in the end when we die? God doesn't judge us on our beautiful looks, but on our beautiful soul!
Whoever is reading this-LISTEN UP!! Maybe your spiritual resolution could be to pray for the young people in your classes, in your parishes, offer up a sacrifice for them! It's simple and would take 5 minutes!
Also-all you young people out there-and I'm talking 18-35yrs!! You should check out the Our Lady of Victory Camp New Year's Eve Conference!! A beautiful way to enrich our catholic faith and have a tonne of fellowship and fun as well! olvc.ab.ca is where you can register!
Have a great New Year's everyone, and try to have a spiritual resolution as well as the physical! That is my challenge for my self as well, and you know what? I will even help motivate you all by keeping you posted on here!
God Bless!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Religion in the class and spiritual practices
A few years ago, I was visiting my Aunt in Calgary and she was telling me how well my cousin Sarah was doing in school. She had the one of the highest marks in religion. My Aunt was extremely proud.
She went on to tell me that she was concerned with Sarah because she was starting to go to another church and didn't want to go to the catholic church anymore with my Aunt. She had friends at the other church, and the music was upbeat and cool. She told me that they pushed Sarah to go to both that church with her friend and the catholic church. Sarah complained because she didn't understand why she had to go to church twice.
I asked my Aunt, "Well, does she understand the importance of the Mass?" And my aunt was like, "Oh, well yes, she has the highest mark in Religion." And I thought to myself,..well, that's great, but that doesn't mean she understands the faith spiritually.
I think we forget sometimes that we can have all the knowledge in the world, but if we don't feel it, see it, experience it, we won't get it. Alot of people go to church as routine all their lives, not really knowing why, only knowing that if they go, they hopefully will go to heaven.
Our faith is more than routine, it's a relationship.
It's getting to know Jesus in a special way, realizing that the Eucharist is Jesus, physically present for us to experience and to have.
In Youth Ministry, I meet such a diversity of students and staff that come from so many backgrounds. The biggest thing that I feel God calls us to do for one another is to form a relationship with them and meet them where they're at.
The biggest challenge in my ministry is ministering to those who do not know God personally, who don't have that relationship.
St. Francis says preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.
My desire is that students will choose their faith by seeing the examples of their peers and staff. I'm not saying to not talk about God, but for some students-to start talking about it as if they already know him, would shut out the communication you have with them.
My ministry is not to "Teach" Religion and the aspects of the faith, but to "Show" my love for my religion and the aspects of the faith.
She went on to tell me that she was concerned with Sarah because she was starting to go to another church and didn't want to go to the catholic church anymore with my Aunt. She had friends at the other church, and the music was upbeat and cool. She told me that they pushed Sarah to go to both that church with her friend and the catholic church. Sarah complained because she didn't understand why she had to go to church twice.
I asked my Aunt, "Well, does she understand the importance of the Mass?" And my aunt was like, "Oh, well yes, she has the highest mark in Religion." And I thought to myself,..well, that's great, but that doesn't mean she understands the faith spiritually.
I think we forget sometimes that we can have all the knowledge in the world, but if we don't feel it, see it, experience it, we won't get it. Alot of people go to church as routine all their lives, not really knowing why, only knowing that if they go, they hopefully will go to heaven.
Our faith is more than routine, it's a relationship.
It's getting to know Jesus in a special way, realizing that the Eucharist is Jesus, physically present for us to experience and to have.
In Youth Ministry, I meet such a diversity of students and staff that come from so many backgrounds. The biggest thing that I feel God calls us to do for one another is to form a relationship with them and meet them where they're at.
The biggest challenge in my ministry is ministering to those who do not know God personally, who don't have that relationship.
St. Francis says preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.
My desire is that students will choose their faith by seeing the examples of their peers and staff. I'm not saying to not talk about God, but for some students-to start talking about it as if they already know him, would shut out the communication you have with them.
My ministry is not to "Teach" Religion and the aspects of the faith, but to "Show" my love for my religion and the aspects of the faith.
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