The Beatitudes are considered to be the most important teachings of Jesus in the New Testament. They tell us who is truly blessed on earth: the mourners, the hungry, the poor, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. They also teach us very important lessons in life. To truly understand what they mean, we look at many sources like Pope Benedict XVI’s, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Bible. These books give us a deeper insight into Jesus’ teachings.
What exactly do the Beatitudes teach? Pope Benedict XVI said that they are the New Testament’s version of the Ten Commandments. Jesus is teaching us an updated version of what Moses was taught on Mt. Sinai. He is teaching the disciples this to fulfill the laws and the prophets, not to abolish them. It is like Jesus is laying down a new regime, a patch for outdated software. He is giving the people a second chance. After many years, the people forgot the Ten Commandments of Moses, so Jesus came to remind them of the laws and showed the people a better way to live by them.
When Jesus teaches the Beatitudes, He is giving us guidelines to live our lives. His ultimate goal is for us to be perfect like Him. It seems to be an impossible task. The most we can do is try our best to live our life according to the Beatitudes, and repent when we fail to deliver.
Jesus wanted nothing but the best for us. That is why He gave us these Beatitudes to live by. He wants us to try everyday to be like Him. If we make the Beatitudes the main focus in our lives, we could be one step closer to reaching our ultimate goal. We could spend eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Getting to know Jesus class questions.
What connection is there between the Old Testament readings and the story of the wedding at Cana?
There is one good connection between the wedding at Cana and the Old Testament. In Isaiah 61-62, the scripture makes compaIsaisrisons of the Lord with a bridegroom and his bride. He also states how the Lord celebrates in his people like a bridegroom in his bride. Isaiah used this comparison many times in the scriptures. Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine, at the wedding in Cana. One of Jesus’ first signs of bringing his people back to God, so the Lord may rejoice in his people, was performed at a wedding.
Why do you supposed Jesus refers to Mary as woman?
I believe that Jesus referred to Mary as woman because that is what she was. Jesus was stating that Mary was the perfect example of how a woman should be. The term "woman" was basically a title given to her, because of who she was.
How does Jesus' miracle relate to Isaiah's prophecy?
Isaiah speaks of keeping watch for the coming of the Lord. When the Lord comes, your enemies shall not eat your food, or drink your wine. You shall eat and praise the Lord, and drink in the Lord's court and sanctuary. When Mary told Jesus that they were out of wine He said, "My hour has not come yet." When he performed his first miracle, he showed that he was the Lord, Jesus Christ. The people ate food and drank wine in the court where he presided, praising him.
What other connections do you find between the story of Cana and the Old Testament readings?
There are many miracles performed in the Old Testament that display God's magnificent power. Many of them have to do with water. Moses turned the water of the Nile into blood. Jesus turned water to wine at the wedding in Cana, and then he turned wine into blood in the last supper. When the people of Israel ran out of water in the wilderness, Moses struck the rock of Herob, making water flow from within the rock.
There is one good connection between the wedding at Cana and the Old Testament. In Isaiah 61-62, the scripture makes compaIsaisrisons of the Lord with a bridegroom and his bride. He also states how the Lord celebrates in his people like a bridegroom in his bride. Isaiah used this comparison many times in the scriptures. Jesus performed his first miracle, turning water into wine, at the wedding in Cana. One of Jesus’ first signs of bringing his people back to God, so the Lord may rejoice in his people, was performed at a wedding.
Why do you supposed Jesus refers to Mary as woman?
I believe that Jesus referred to Mary as woman because that is what she was. Jesus was stating that Mary was the perfect example of how a woman should be. The term "woman" was basically a title given to her, because of who she was.
How does Jesus' miracle relate to Isaiah's prophecy?
Isaiah speaks of keeping watch for the coming of the Lord. When the Lord comes, your enemies shall not eat your food, or drink your wine. You shall eat and praise the Lord, and drink in the Lord's court and sanctuary. When Mary told Jesus that they were out of wine He said, "My hour has not come yet." When he performed his first miracle, he showed that he was the Lord, Jesus Christ. The people ate food and drank wine in the court where he presided, praising him.
What other connections do you find between the story of Cana and the Old Testament readings?
There are many miracles performed in the Old Testament that display God's magnificent power. Many of them have to do with water. Moses turned the water of the Nile into blood. Jesus turned water to wine at the wedding in Cana, and then he turned wine into blood in the last supper. When the people of Israel ran out of water in the wilderness, Moses struck the rock of Herob, making water flow from within the rock.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Razzle dazzle 'em!
The song, “For Good,” from the musical, Wicked, said, “I’ve heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason, bringing something we must learn. And we are led to those who help us most to grow, if we let them, and we help them in return.” It is a song that tells us how two people have been forever changed because of their relationship. I have met many people in my life, and some of them have changed my life. It is really hard to choose which one person has influenced me the most. Out of every possible candidate I could think of, there was one outstanding person in my mind. His name is Naathan Phan, the most famous person I know.
I first met Naathan Phan in Boy Scouts; he was about half my size and a year older. He was small in stature, but loaded with talent. He could perform magic card tricks, standup comedy, impressions, and could even sing. If you were at his house, he would mesmerize you with songs from Rent, Moulin Rouge, and Jekyll and Hyde. He started his own profile on Youtube, and now has over 15,000 subscribers. Whenever I invited him to parties, he would always ask if he should bring his balloon animal gear. He also did many things through the boy scouts. We went to Hawaii and other summer camps together. We both achieved our Eagle Rank within months of each other. Now, Naathan Phan is somewhat famous. Everyone has probably seen him at least once since he landed a role in the movie Superbad.
Naathan influenced me a lot in my life. He opened the door to the entertainment industry for me. He taught me how to have fun in life. That is why I almost always have a smile on my face. Naathan also showed me how to correctly balance when to have fun, and when to be serious. Thanks to him, my creative thinking boomed. If it were not for him, I would not be the person I am today.
Naathan Phan has been a major influence to me. He has opened my life to a world I have never known. He is a person that is definitely living his life to the fullest. I admire him and his talents, and I am glad that I know him. We are probably the oddest pair you have ever seen, but we could not be better friends.
I first met Naathan Phan in Boy Scouts; he was about half my size and a year older. He was small in stature, but loaded with talent. He could perform magic card tricks, standup comedy, impressions, and could even sing. If you were at his house, he would mesmerize you with songs from Rent, Moulin Rouge, and Jekyll and Hyde. He started his own profile on Youtube, and now has over 15,000 subscribers. Whenever I invited him to parties, he would always ask if he should bring his balloon animal gear. He also did many things through the boy scouts. We went to Hawaii and other summer camps together. We both achieved our Eagle Rank within months of each other. Now, Naathan Phan is somewhat famous. Everyone has probably seen him at least once since he landed a role in the movie Superbad.
Naathan influenced me a lot in my life. He opened the door to the entertainment industry for me. He taught me how to have fun in life. That is why I almost always have a smile on my face. Naathan also showed me how to correctly balance when to have fun, and when to be serious. Thanks to him, my creative thinking boomed. If it were not for him, I would not be the person I am today.
Naathan Phan has been a major influence to me. He has opened my life to a world I have never known. He is a person that is definitely living his life to the fullest. I admire him and his talents, and I am glad that I know him. We are probably the oddest pair you have ever seen, but we could not be better friends.
Naathan Phan in Superbad
Naathan's Contacts
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Home on the range...
What is a hometown? A hometown is often described as the place where you are born. Some people like me though, have moved around a lot since they have been born. They do not exactly remember what their hometown is like, so they refer to their hometown as a place where they were raised. From when I was born, I have lived in an apartment, a mobile home, my grandparent’s house, to the house I live in today in Anaheim Hills. The one place I consider to be my hometown is my house in Anaheim Hills, for it is the one place I have done the most growing up. This is also the one place that I have had the most interesting experiences, like surviving a tornado and almost getting flooded by the Prado Dam.
My family moved to the place that is our home in May of 1999. I was in the fourth grade, and now living in our own independent house. We lived right off the 91 freeway across the street of the Kaiser Permanente Hospital. The one problem every young boy has when they move is finding new friends. My dad suggested that I “walk door-to-door to every house and ask if anyone would like to be my friend.” So I did. Amazingly, I made two friends that way, but sadly enough they would both end up betraying me a few years later. I met my best friend when I was in the 7th grade. My mom told me about this boy that got mixed up in a weapon problem at school. She thought that I should be friends with him and help him get back on the right track in life. We ended up becoming best friends, and still keep in contact to this day.
My hometown of Anaheim Hills has experienced a couple of interesting events in the past few years. For example, one day, my sister and I were playing Pictionary in the house because it was raining hard outside. Suddenly, we heard a loud whistling noise coming from our door. We rushed out of the room and found my mom, who brought us to the center of our house and huddled us together. When the whistling stopped, my sister looked out the window and exclaimed that she saw something big and dark move down the street. We went outside when the rain subsided to check what happened. Most of the shingles from our roof were torn off, and a giant tree was blown over onto a neighbor’s house. There were news vans everywhere getting interviews about what happened, and everyone was saying that a tornado hit our neighborhood.
Another event that hit our hometown happened while we were sleeping. Our family woke up one morning, and everyone was freaking out about how high the Santa Ana River was that day. Since the river was about 100 feet of level ground away from our house, we were very concerned. We checked the news, and found out that Prado Dam almost broke the night before. Some of Corona was already flooded. We learned that the Prado Dam was in danger of breaking so they had to let out a lot of the water to relieve pressure. They said that if the Prado Dam did fail that night, our house would have been taken out in 15 seconds, and that the Angels Stadium would have been four feet underwater.
Anaheim Hills is my hometown because it is the place where I grew up. I may not have been born there, but it is where I learned a lot about life, and experienced many things. I have survived people and Mother Nature. I believe that if it wasn’t for Anaheim Hills, I would not be the same person that I am today.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Are you above the influence?
Influence is all around us. It lives, breathes, and speaks. Influence comes in many shapes and sizes, whether through movies, music, or books. When something influences us, it changes the way we think. It changes the way we look at the world. I have a favorite book titled “State of Fear”, written by Michael Crichton in December of 2004. This book has influenced me and my way of thinking. It questions a major group in our society’s validity. After reading it, I do not think I will ever view them the same way again.
The first time I heard of “State of Fear,” I was a sophomore in High School. I was already a big fan of Michael Crichton’s work, and was highly anticipating his new book. I would go to the school library every day after its initial release to see if it was available. Eventually, I got my hands on a copy from the school library and read the book; a feat that only took five days to finish. My initial reaction was total awe. I found myself questioning everything I have been told about global warming. The book had completely influenced my views on our world.
Like his other famous work, “State of Fear,” is a very controversial book that speaks out about global warming. It tells a story about Evan, a man that works for an environmental law firm. He helps manage funds for a big environmental group called NERF. Evan gets suspicious of the group’s motives when he finds out they have been secretly spending money in unknown ways. He and a group of people set off to find out what is going on behind the scenes of the organization. They soon find that NERF has been funding an eco-terrorist group that stages “natural” disasters to put the public in a state of fear. The terrorist group uses the fear to influence the public to put more money into funding environmentalist groups. Evan travels the world to put a stop to this terrorist group, while being presented with evidence that global warming could possibly be non-existent. His group stops the terrorists from exploding large chunks of glacier into the Antarctic Seas, from shooting filament into the sky to create the world’s biggest lightning storm, and from shifting the ocean floor to create a tsunami meant to hit California. In the end, the terrorist group is completely shattered from the foiled tsunami plan. Evan quits his job and works for an environmental activism business that was free of corruption and lies.
The one thing about Michael Crichton’s work that makes it so believable is his bibliographies. His bibliographies contain about 22 pages of sources for his information. This book has been used in the Senate as proof that global warming is a hoax. Michael Crichton was quoted in a legislation hearing saying that environmentalists “did a fabulous job in the first 10 years, a pretty good job in the second 10 years and a lousy job in the last 10 years.”
My favorite book, “State of Fear,” has influenced me in many ways. It proves just how powerful the media can be at changing the way we think. The book provides compelling evidence at the flaws behind global warming. Michael Crichton is famous for his fictional work, but this story has a lot of truth behind it.
The first time I heard of “State of Fear,” I was a sophomore in High School. I was already a big fan of Michael Crichton’s work, and was highly anticipating his new book. I would go to the school library every day after its initial release to see if it was available. Eventually, I got my hands on a copy from the school library and read the book; a feat that only took five days to finish. My initial reaction was total awe. I found myself questioning everything I have been told about global warming. The book had completely influenced my views on our world.
Like his other famous work, “State of Fear,” is a very controversial book that speaks out about global warming. It tells a story about Evan, a man that works for an environmental law firm. He helps manage funds for a big environmental group called NERF. Evan gets suspicious of the group’s motives when he finds out they have been secretly spending money in unknown ways. He and a group of people set off to find out what is going on behind the scenes of the organization. They soon find that NERF has been funding an eco-terrorist group that stages “natural” disasters to put the public in a state of fear. The terrorist group uses the fear to influence the public to put more money into funding environmentalist groups. Evan travels the world to put a stop to this terrorist group, while being presented with evidence that global warming could possibly be non-existent. His group stops the terrorists from exploding large chunks of glacier into the Antarctic Seas, from shooting filament into the sky to create the world’s biggest lightning storm, and from shifting the ocean floor to create a tsunami meant to hit California. In the end, the terrorist group is completely shattered from the foiled tsunami plan. Evan quits his job and works for an environmental activism business that was free of corruption and lies.
The one thing about Michael Crichton’s work that makes it so believable is his bibliographies. His bibliographies contain about 22 pages of sources for his information. This book has been used in the Senate as proof that global warming is a hoax. Michael Crichton was quoted in a legislation hearing saying that environmentalists “did a fabulous job in the first 10 years, a pretty good job in the second 10 years and a lousy job in the last 10 years.”
My favorite book, “State of Fear,” has influenced me in many ways. It proves just how powerful the media can be at changing the way we think. The book provides compelling evidence at the flaws behind global warming. Michael Crichton is famous for his fictional work, but this story has a lot of truth behind it.
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