What was your favorite/worst class this semester?

Ok, we're nearing the end of the semester! 17 days left of classes (but who's counting right?). People are scheduling and its nice to have advice from those who've been there, done that. So here's your chance to 'school' and 'get schooled' on what courses 'make the grade' and which ones 'fail'. Ok enough puns....pencils down, turn in your papers! (one more for good measure)...

What class was your favorite this semester?

What class was the absolute worst?!

Go!

(if you're reading this on facebook, log onto the blog to make a comment so that everyone can read it! http://ragincajuncatholics.blogspot.com )

"Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me?"

 "Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied"; and Jesus replied: "Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me...? He who has seen me has seen the Father." These words were spoken during the farewell discourse at the end of the paschal supper, which was followed by the events of those holy days during which confirmation was to be given once and for all of the fact that "God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ." From Dives in Misericordia (The Mercy of God) -Pope John Paul II

I'm doing a novena to the late great Pope John Paul II right now. Each day, along with prayers there is a reading from one of his works. The above paragraph is from yesterday's reading. It's one of those readings that kicks me in the gut when I read it. I mean, the WHOLE of it literally makes me feel like the wind has been knocked out of me and not in a good way either...

"Lord, show us the Father, and we shall be satisfied"...First off, the innocence and ignorance of the apostles. They wanted to be satisfied, something we all want. We seek the 'fullness'..the 'completeness' that only God can give. Most of us seek out this satisfaction in some way shape or form in earthly things, food, drugs, affirmation, sex, attention (enter your own vice here). The apostles are wise enough to go to the source here and as I'm reading it I think, "If I were only so wise as to just bring my struggles to Jesus and say show me the Father!" and then Jesus replies....
"Have I been with you so long, and yet you do not know me..." All together now....Ouuuuuuuccchhhh! It hurts because it's so true. We who have given our lives over to the Lord on a daily basis forget what and WHO is the source of our fulfillment and happiness. Do I really know Him? 
Pope Benedict recently met with youth and answered questions of them. When one youth asked him how we could 'know' Jesus, the Pope replied,

"Only with the opening of the heart to him, only with knowledge of the whole of what he has said and done, with our love, with our going to him, can we little by little know him ever more and thus also have the experience of being loved," the Holy Father said. ... One must also act: "To do good things, to be committed to one's neighbor." (read the whole interview here)

If we KNOW Him....we know the Father...we know that which is our fulfillment. "He who has seen me has seen the Father" and we should have no place in our lives for these things that tempt us into believing that they could ever REALLY satisfy.

And the truth is....we don't know Him perfectly. We fail, we sin....we get back up again (pardon the rhyming) and our 'efforts' are so small and yet infinitely valued.
I cook, clean after, care for, transport, pay for, and protect my son. Not to mention the hours of suffering that went into bringing him into this world... He could never really 'pay me back' nor do I want him to. What is desired from me is a response of love. So...a spontaneous 'yuv you' is all I need to melt my heart'. Of course it could never equal the things we 'do' for him...and it's not a requirement but it is a natural response from him.

Our response of love is so small in comparison to His infinite Mercy.
"God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ."



 A good reflection for Holy Week.....whew.

Bible Study Online

I was 'googling' around online today searching for things like, 'college faith' and 'young adult'+ 'faith' and 'what the heck is relevant to these people'+'faith'...and I came across a website for a young adult group in cape cod. I was surprised to see Pope Benedict greeting me on the homepage and happy to discover that the website is Catholic. I haven't had the chance to explore it completely but I did find an interesting element there - online Bible Study for the Sunday Mass readings - seems like it could be a useful thing for those of you who are always online :)

What the heck is a Seder meal anyway?

This Wednesday Parishioners and Students will join together in Jeanmard Hall to celebrate our annual Seder Meal. In a nutshell (although no nuts are served) the Seder meal is a celebration of some elements of the Jewish Passover meal and it's fulfillment in Christianity.
A Catholic family and/Parish can enter more deeply into the Passion of Christ by having a seder meal, similar to the Passover, or Last Supper that Jesus would have celebrated with his Apostles. With the knowledge that Christ has come and redeemed the world, we can incorporate a Christian attitude during the seder meal. Arleen Hynes discusses the preparation necessary for a seder meal, including housecleaning, guests, scheduling, appropriate decorations, music, and finally, the traditional foods. Read the rest of this article...

GEAUX GREEN!

Tonight @ 6pm
Costume Contest (green of any variety or Saint Patty's day themed)
Scavenger Hunt with Prizes!
Karaoke
Free Food!
Bring Friends!

Father John Corapi's conversion story

Last night at Newman Night after we had a delicious dinner (cooked by wonderfully generous parishioners) with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist- we watched part of the conversion story of Father John Corapi. If you've never seen it before you definitely owe it to yourself to watch it now. If you have seen it before it might be a good time to watch it again. So, here it is!

Here is the Link to the Conversion Story of Father John Corapi.

and for Facebook readers here is a copy and paste version http://gloria.tv/?media=23129

enjoy!

Meet the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist

Have you ever wondered if you might be called to religious life? Have you ever been curious about a way of life that offers up the joys of family and marriage in order to completely offer time, work, prayer and self to the call to serve God? Well then come by the Center on Wednesday. The Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist will be here to meet and answer your questions. This is for guys and girls as there is an order of brothers who are a part of this order too.

Watch a Short Video about the Sisters Here.

Did you miss the debate? ....Here's a link...

Does God Exist? A Debate between Dr. Peter Kreeft and Dr. Keith Korcz

I'll let you know when we have recordings of it.

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