BONUS QUESTION: The first 6th grader to answer on the tagboard will get 2 bonus points added to his/her next quiz (you have to spell it correctly!)…
- What is the term for “the bread and wine becoming (being changed into) the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ”?
Here are some great sites for more information on the Eucharist that relate to points from our discussion today:
Jn 6:51-58
Jesus said to the Jewish crowds:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world.”
The Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my flesh is true food,
and my blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
Our belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist means that we understand the bread and the wine to no longer be bread and wine after the consecration. Once the priest raises up the host and the chalice and repeats the words of Jesus: “This is my body…this is my blood”, the bread and wine BECOME the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ available for all of us to eat and drink as nourishment for our souls.
If Jesus said Himself that the bread and wine are His Body and his Blood…if the saints have worshiped the Eucharist and celebrated Mass to carry on the Sacrament throughout the centuries…if God Himself has worked Eucharistic miracles all over the world…and if the enemies of Christ even believe that this is no ordinary piece of bread and cup of wine, then this gift Jesus has given to His Church must be something extremely special!
And THIS is why we go to Mass…
Jonathan B. asks: HI! I watched the big bang video above but I have 1 more ?. Since a priest came up with the theory is it ok to believe in it as long as I believe that God created the big bang?
Answer: Hi, Jonathan! To answer your question, yes, we should believe that all creation and the events that led to the birth of the universe originated with God. Regarding the Big Bang theory, it is – like all theories – a conclusion that was drawn from a set of observations or phenomena. There are a number of theories about the beginning of the universe, and to believe one over the others is fine as long as we acknowledge God as its source.
Let me refer you to this article to read for more information about the Big Bang theory and Fr. Lemaitre:
‘A Day Without Yesterday’: Georges Lemaitre & the Big Bang
http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/science/sc0022.html
The article ends with this statement, which I thought was interesting when you reflect on Fr. Lemaitre’s background.
- Duncan Aikman of the New York Times spotlighted Lemaitre’s view in 1933: “‘There is no conflict between religion and science,’ Lemaitre has been telling audiences over and over again in this country ….His view is interesting and important not because he is a Catholic priest, not because he is one of the leading mathematical physicists of our time, but because he is both.”
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Anonymous asks: I have heard of people worshiping the devil. Is that a mortal sin?
Answer: Worshiping the devil is in fact a mortal sin because Satan is THE enemy of God. The rituals and practices of Satanism are all directly opposed to the Christian faith, including the horrible act of desecration (severe mistreatment) of the Eucharist. Evil is at the center of this religion as it harnesses the spirits of darkness to attack the truth and beauty that God has left us in His Church and in the very dignity of humanity. Satan is called “the father of all lies” and also works to draw us farther away from God. To worship the devil would definitely be going against the will of God.
Instructions:
You will write a persuasive letter to “Present Self” from your “Older Self”, advising a change in behavior. Make sure you provide THREE reasons why you must change, and include THREE facts/examples for each reason. (Keeping in mind the theme from A Christmas Carol!)
Objectives
Students will:
- develop and support a position on a particular behavior that needs to be changed by writing a persuasive letter to themselves.
- use a guide to help them organize their persuasive ideas into written form.
- outline a persuasive piece that expresses points in a clear, logical sequence so the reader can follow their reasoning.
- publish their persuasive piece as a letter.
Please refer to the following links to complete your persuasive letter…
Persuasive Map due WED May 21st
Rough Draft of Letter due TUES May 27th
Your “Letter to Self” FINAL DRAFT is due on FRIDAY, May 30th
(25 points – ENG; 15 points – SPELL)
Spelling/Vocab Words from LIT Drama – “A Christmas Carol – Act I” (page numbers for definitions are in parentheses)
- solemnized (646)
- implored (647)
- morose (647)
- Parliament (648)
- liberality (648)
- destitute (649)
- misanthrope (651)
- void (651)
- ponderous (653)
- benevolence (653)
SPELLING/VOCAB QUIZ is on FRIDAY 5/16
Anonymous asks: Sometimes when I am sitting down or standing, I can feel a presence. Sometimes, I even hear ruffles & other noises. I feel startled & I always turn around. What should I do to stop feeling like this?
Answer: There can be practical, obvious reasons for the noises, like a gust of wind or sometimes your own imagination. I remember times when my brother and sister would get so scared to go into my mom’s room because the door would slam shut by itself, but they didn’t realize that her window was left open and the breeze passing through was the actual cause.
However, if you know for sure that these noises are happening regularly without an apparent cause, then I would suggest saying a prayer, like the Hail Mary, and you should feel the peace return as the fear leaves you. If the presence you are experiencing is the soul of someone who has passed away, God is allowing that person to get your attention…usually this happens so you can pray for the soul as he/she passes through purgatory into Heaven.
If you feel a bad presence, then it would help not only to pray but also to bless your room/home with holy water or even have a priest come to bless your house if it has not been blessed yet. Bottom line is it’s important to know that you don’t have to be afraid…your guardian angel is always with you to protect and guide you. When you remember that God governs all things and has power over everything in Heaven and on earth, you’ll be able to go about your days (and nights) confident in His care.
The following Spelling/Vocab words can be found in your LITERATURE textbook (page numbers are in parentheses):
- incorporate (88)
- dejectedly (88)
- prestigious (93)
- prodigious (93)
- objective (93)
- denigrate (219)
- malevolent (219)
- translucent (578)
- perfunctorily (581)
- compelled (581)
SPELLING/VOCAB QUIZ is on FRIDAY 5/9
Anonymous asks: What will happen on judgment day if we find out that everything we believe is false? What will happen to the non-believers when they find out that God is real?
Answer: To respond to your first question, I think the best perspective to take would be one of faith. Are you afraid that what we believe is not true and therefore will end up to be a waste of time in the end? If you explore all the evidence that we can find in historical records, Scripture, and Tradition, you will see that there is plenty of support to back up the truths of our faith. But when it comes down to the “nitty-gritty”, belief is a decision to put your trust in God. It’s all about relationship.
Let me put it this way… Some people don’t want to get married because they are afraid that once they make the commitment, they’ll find out that the person they married isn’t who they portrayed themselves to be during the engagement. They don’t want to find out that they were being deceived all along. Because of their fear and lack of trust, they rob themselves of a beautiful relationship…one that will help them be the best person they could be just by being open to the love of another person.
I think it would be best if you spent time trying to get to know more about God who wants to have a relationship with you. The goal of faith and the practice of religion is to help us be better individuals…to be more loving and compassionate…to want to make a difference in the lives of other people. If you happen to be missing out on the truth – or part of it – then God will reveal that to you when you meet Him.
All people will be judged based on what they know, not on what they don’t know. If a person lived the best way they knew how according to what they knew to be good and right, even if they were never taught about God, then there is no reason for them to be denied the chance to go to Heaven. However, if someone outrightly turned away from God and stopped believing in Him because they knowingly did not want to follow His ways, then the life they live for all eternity will just be an extension of the life they lived here on earth.
Of course, only God knows what will happen to each individual on Judgment Day. He knows each person’s heart and understands the circumstances and challenges that they face in their faith journey. We can trust that He loves each of us so much that He will constantly give us opportunities to grow closer to Him every day so we may join Him one day in Paradise.
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