11/28/16 Blog post #7

• Summarize what you learned about the Beatitudes
• I learned that the Beatitudes are rules for happiness. They help us live a happy life and show us what we should do to accomplish it.

• Which beatitude resonates with you the most?
• The beatitude that resonates with me most is Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. I think this relates to me because I when I do mourn or get upset, there is usually someone there to listen to me and comfort me, whether it be my mom, a friend, or my dog.   

• What did you learn about yourself during the activity?
• I learned that I could relate to most of the beatitudes, or know someone who relates to them. I learned that if I tried harder I could be pure of heart and a peacemaker. 

• How can you display the beatitudes more in your life?
• I can display the beatitudes more by being kind to others, helping those who need it, and trying to be a more humble person. By doing these, I would be a peacemaker, pure of heart, merciful, and comfort those who mourn.

(Picture from http://f.tqn.com/y/catholicism/1/W/t/7/-/-/Sermon-on-the-Mount.jpg)

11/21/16 Blog post #6

• What specific things did you learn about God the Father?
• I learned that God the Father is protective, caring, and loves us unconditionally. I also learned that "Fear the Lord" means that we don't want to disappoint him.

• What specific things did you learn about God the Son? 
• I learned that God the Son is a teacher and that he cared for all people. He was also  obedient to God no mater what he had to do.

• What specific things did you learn about the Holy Spirit?
• I learned that the Holy Spirit gives us courage and guidance. I also learned it gives us the tools to live out our faith.

• Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit before? If yes, how so? If no, how do you think you (or someone in general) would go about experiencing the Holy Spirit?
• No, I have not experienced the Holy Spirit before. I think if someone experienced the Holy Spirit, they would know what God wanted them to do and would have the courage to carry it out

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

(John 1:14)

(Picture from http://nativityscottsdale.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Holy-Trinity-Sunday.jpg)

11/10/16 Blog post #5

• What specific things did you learn from your group's parable?
• I learned that God loves all of his children. God will always love us no matter how far we stray away from him. Just like in the parable, God will celebrate when we come back to him.

• What specific things did you learn from the parables that were presented by the other groups?
• I learned to treat others the way you want to be treated because if you do something unjust, you will not be rewarded. I also learned that it is up to us individually to decide how we want to hear the word of God.

• Which moral/lesson impacted you the most and why?
• The moral that impacted me most was from The Rich Man and Lazarus. This story taught me that by doing evil, I will be punished and by doing good, I will be rewarded.

• What do you think it would be like if Jesus were in our society today?
• If Jesus was in our society, we would be kinder and more humble towards others. There would probably not be as much violence in the world.

"Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

10/27/16 Blog post #4

Adoration - You are so amazing for listening to me when I pray. You listen whenever I need you to.
Contrition - I am sorry for being rude to my brother. I am also sorry for not listening to my parents
Thanksgiving - Thank you for giving me good health and a good education. Thank you also for giving me people who care about me
Supplication - I want to pray for my brother's friend and his family because his dad just died. I also want to pray for my family 

 "I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds."

(Psalm 9:1)

10/12/16 Blog post #3

• What are specific things that you learned about the Gospel Writers from the group presentations?
• From the presentations, I learned that each Gospel writer has a different symbol that all have wings. The wings symbolize that the writing s are meant to be spread throughout the world. I also learned that each of the Gospels were written for a different group of people and all in different languages.

• When reading and comparing, what are specific differences that you see in the 4 Gospels?
• One difference between the four Gospels are that in the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, both of the prisoners that were crucified beside him were abusing and yelling at him because if he was the real Son of God, he would be able to get don from the cross. In the Gospel of Luke, only one of the men yelled at him because he doubted in him and the other one believed that God had a plan for them and would save Jesus. In the Gospel of John, it is not mentioned that they even talked to Jesus, just that they both had their legs broken to make them die faster.

• When reading and comparing, what are specific similarities that you see in the 4 Gospels?
• Some similarities between the 4 Gospels are that all 4 of them explain the same story, but they write it differently. All four of them talk about Jesus being put into a tomb and that there were two prisoners beside Jesus who were also crucified.

• How does each writer portray Jesus in their Gospel?
• All of the Gospel writers portray Jesus as a martyr who died for what they believe in. In all of the writings, Jesus is being verbally abused by the soldiers that crucified him or the prisoners that were crucified next to him. Jesus ignores them and believes that God has a plan for them. 

"God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

(Romans 5:8)

9/26/16 Blog post #2

What are new things that you learned about Jesus?

• I learned that Jesus was a King of Israel and King Herald wanted him dead. He thought that Jesus was going to take the throne away, so he had every boy two years or younger killed, but ended up not killing Jesus.

How does what you have learned from the Bible archaeology change or form your view of Jesus as you thought you knew him?

• The things I learned changed my view on Jesus because, though lots of people followed him, there were many who did not like him and his teachings. Some people thought he was becoming to powerful and thought his teachings were lies

What do you still want to know about Jesus?

• I still want to know about Jesus' early life when he was a young child. I want to know how he started his teachings.

Who are two people in your life who display similar characteristics as Jesus and why?

• My grandma and my aunt show similar characteristics as Jesus because they both care for people and act kindly and respectfully towards others. My grandma always says nice things to random people she comes in contact with, like at the checkout line in a store. My aunt especially cares for dogs because when ever she sees a homeless person with a dog, she gives them money or dog food and treats, and when she sees a dog walking on the streets by itself, she takes it to the vet and gets it better before she brings it to an animal shelter.

"I will say of the Lord. He is my refuge and fortress: In Him I will trust."

(Psalm 91:2)

9/16/16 Blog post #1

• What are my thoughts about Jesus?
• Jesus is a strong man who sacrificed his life for others. He didn't care if people thought he crazy or a liar because he knew that he was doing his work for God.
• How do I know Him?
• I went to a catholic elementary school, so I learned about him there. I was baptized and received my first communion and conformation there. My grandma and parents taught me a lot about him. They prayed with me and took me to church so I could learn about him.
• What have I heard about Him?

• I know a lot about Jesus. He is the son of Mary and Joseph, sent by God as a savior, died on the cross for God, rose from the dead on the third day and ascended to heaven.
• What do I believe about Him?
• I believe that he did anything for his people and God. Jesus sacrificed his life for his people because God told him it was what he had to do.

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."

(1 Corinthians 16:13)