A Christmas Journey

First and foremost, I would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas! The Lord has blessed me in many ways, and the Christmas season is always a great reminder of that, especially when it comes to family and friends. All I have to do is look at my families fridge to see wonderful Christmas photos of different families we know, and it brings much joy to me.

Besides being very thankful for all my friends and family, I have been spending this time of Advent reflecting on The Nativity, the Birth of Christ. I thought about writing this whole blog on it, on that specific birth, but I decided to go a different path. I know most of my friends have a good understanding and love for the real meaning of Christmas, the beauty that is the birth of Christ, and because of that, I have decided I want to focus on something that sometimes gets forgotten in this wonderful story, that being the Three Wise Men. I know the Epiphany is not celebrated for a few more days, but I think the Wise Men are something that we, as Christians, can relate to.

There is not much known about the Three Wise Men, as they only appear in the Gospel of Matthew, but the basics are known- they were three Magi coming from the East and they went to Jerusalem for one sole purpose, which was to give homage to the King of the Jews (Matt 2:2). They had been following a star in the sky, and it eventually led them to Bethlehem. When they finally arrived, they offered the newborn child Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh, and gave him homage. Their whole story is only twelve verses in the whole bible (Matt 2:1-12). With so little known about them, and with such a small part, why have I chose to speak about them?

Really, because of that small role. I am not able to truly do justice to the “baby in the crib” but the Wiseman, I think I can talk a little about them. And I mean, just a little.

These three men, which have been my background on my Macbook for a few weeks now, where just Men. They were nothing more. Just as the Shepherds, they came and visited the Christ, and gave him homage and gifts. I think this is suppose to be how we are.

Look at it like this. The Wise Men travelled a great distance to see the Lord. We, just like the Wise Men, must travel great distances through life, and eventually, we hope and pray to see the Lord, and then we too can give him homage, when we celebrate in Eternal Happiness with him. The gifts they bring and present to him? We too have been given gifts in our life, also known as our special talents, and we must give these to the Lord as often as possible, must use them for his greater Glory. It may seem that our gifts are more like the Shepherds, almost non-existent, and not flashy as Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, but the Lord meets us where we are at, and as long as our gifts are being used for his greater glory, and our sincere, then the Lord is happy.

In closing, we must remember that Christmas does not end after the 25^th of December, but continues on in our every day lives. The Lord is always calling us on to grow closer to him, if we only accept  his love and graces. The Baby Jesus lay in a Manger this Christmas. 

Will you go and give him Homage? Do it by the way you live. 

"He died for me, so I must live for him." 

The Dating Situation

The Dating Situation 

It has been a long time since my last blog, so I've decided to make sure this blog's topic is one of interest. The topic – Dating. More specifically, dating on campus.

I can go so many ways with this topic, but I have decided to focus on why there are so many people who don't date or are not dating. Why? Well because it seems to be the norm, compared to being in a relationship. I mean, at this point, I am in this group as well. I will also discuss if I think this will change or should change.

Since coming to Franciscan, I have been told multiple times by Adults, including professors and friars, that as a guy on this campus, I need to pursue women or be more open to dating. I never know how I should feel about this, because in one sense, I agree that guys on this campus need to more open to at least taking a girl on a date, but then again, I remember that it is not that easy.

The first question is, what is the biggest thing that stops people from dating on this campus? I would say it is having the two people both like one another. I know multiple people who have asked a girl out and got rejected, or almost asked them out, and thought better only because they found out that they would not be hearing what they wanted. I am not saying that the girls should say yes just cause the man is asking, but it does make asking someone out less appealing if you are expecting a no, or have heard it before. Yes, girls on this campus would love to date, but often times it seems that they don't want to date the people who like them. Who are these guys? Normally there best friends!

Guess what though? Girls have this happen also! They become best friends with a guy, and then find out that the guy never will see them as anything more then that! Is this wrong? Not automatically, if both people understand, but it can be tough. In all friendships, one must be aware of the other persons feelings as well as their own. I feel like at times, and even in my own life, we can caught up in us, and forget our friends feelings. We become very selfish with the friendship, and it becomes all about what we can get out of it.

I want you as the reader to understand that I am not saying that you can not have best friends of the opposite sex; I know some of my closest friends are girls. What I am saying is, just be careful about how you handle it, and in all cases, make sure you are aware of the other persons feelings. For all you know, they might like you, so just watch how you act around them, and handle everything with caution. If you like someone else, it might not be the best idea to tell your friend who is of the opposite sex. There are certain things that should just be kept between you and maybe a few friends of the same sex, but like I said, handle all things with caution. I know, in my case, there have been times that I've told a girl stuff, and it has just made things more difficult.

But back to the topic at hand. If these people become best friends, why don't they want to date? It is clear they like them enough to spend time with them and that they enjoy one another's company, so shouldn't that be enough? The simple answer to this is no, but I will go into a little detail. Spending time with someone does not mean you like them, as least not like that. I know people who are best friends, but if they ever dated, they would kill one another. They really like one another, and get along, but only in a friendship sort of way. Anything more? It just wouldn't work out. Then there is the ever important factor of being attracted to that person. I know you can date someone you are not really attracted to, but it seems like that would be very difficult.

A nice thing about getting to know someone is, the better you get to know them, the more their true beauty will shine through. I know I can see this is many of my friends. I am not saying they were not pretty girls before, because they were, but as I continue to get to know them, the more I notice their true beauty. I feel like most people can relate to me when I say this. There might have been someone you met originally and you didn't think much of them looks wise, but now you see them and find them to be very attractive.

So for a relationship to work out you need to one, be compatible with the person, and in most cases, also be attracted to them. If you do not have both, it will probably not work out.

So why is it that so many people don't want to date, especially these people who are best friends? Why is it seem that often times only one side wants it work?

If you are the person who wants to date your best friend, have you ever thought that they just only see you as a friend, and that they have done nothing that they think would make you think otherwise? Sometimes we start to like someone because we feel like they have taken an interest in us. I know personally I am huge on quality time, so when someone spends time with me, it means a lot, and if I started liking them, it might be in part because I feel like they like me back, and I come up with that conclusion based off the time we spend together.

Sometimes we read too much into what the other does, or how they act. Sometimes, honestly, we just like them cause they like us. It is true you need to both like one another, but to just like someone because they like you is silly, and in most cases, it will not work out, because once again, you are liking them for all the wrong reasons. It is a situation where it is all about you, worrying about what you will get out of it.

But once again, you have to ask, why wont they like you? Why is it that they will spend the time with you, and heck, they might even be attracted to you, but still wont date you?

Well, it could be the timing. This is not always true, but timing is key. You might like someone, but for some reason that makes no sense to you, they might not be interested in dating, at the time. This is not to say they would never date, but there are times when people just don't feel like they are able to date, or ready to take on a relationship. I know that I personally have a tough time just taking care of me, and to think of being in a relationship is sometimes terrifying because that involves having to be very selfless, and really put a lot of effort into your friendship with that person.

What if it is not timing then? Is there any other big reasons people wont say yes to date? One that sticks out to me, and kind of makes me shake my head is the classic, “I don't want to ruin our friendship, so we can't date” line. Really? If you have ever said that, you are just making an excuse. I have justified not dating with different reasons, but I have never used this one. Why? Cause I think it is a load of crap. I'm sorry, but you are at college for four years on average, and when it is all over, in all honesty, you are not going to talk to most of the people. If you end up getting married, or going the route of religious life, you are probably not going to stay in touch with the people who are of the opposite sex, and the reason is not because you don't like them, but it is not practical. I know at Franciscan, no one wants to hear these words, and everyone wants to think that we will all be friends forever, but it probably wont happen. Everyone will move, start families, settle down, get a job, and you just will not have time to maintain all of these friendships. 

All of this is true, so with that, if you end up not dating because you don't want to ruin a friendship, does that not seem silly? You could potentially end up getting married and spending your life together, but what if you just decide, I don't want to date and then have the possibility of breaking up and then have an awkward friendship with them. If you decide you don't want to date for that reason, you are missing out on an opportunity, and you could potentially be asking yourself, what if. Don't do that to yourself. Don't play the what if game. Honestly, give it a chance if you think there is the slightest chance it might work. The Lord has an odd way of working, and he might just might make something work that you never saw happening.

When it comes down to it, it seems we all have different excuses for why we don't date. I was told in High School that “An excuse is a sign of failure,” and I can tell you what, that has stuck with me. I am not saying, that just because you are single, you are making excuses. You could truly just not be sure, or at the time, just not feel like you are suppose to be in a relationship, but just remember, you will only be at Franciscan for a short while, and the people here are as good as anywhere. Actually, probably better then anywhere, so I say you might want to give it a try, take a leap of faith.

In all honesty, the Lord will take care of you always, so just be open to dating.

My challenge:

Men, look at yourself and the women you spend so much time with. Maybe give one of them a chance, and ask them on a date. They might say no, and it might make you rethink what you did, but guess what? They might say yes, and then you have yourself a date. Remember to make sure you are asking them out for the right reasons though, and not cause you feel like you need to go on a date. Everything according to God's plan and his time. Easy to say, but not easy to do. Basically, be open to the Lords will. You might be surprised that he is calling you to date. Not automatically, but there is a chance.

Ladies, try and let the men know you are interested, and if you are asked to go out on a date, give them a chance, if it seems like it could work out. Don't say yes to everyone, but also don't say no just cause they are not Prince Charming. Nothing is more despairing for a guy then when a girl just acts like and talks about how they will always be single, but have had multiple men like them, or show interest. Honestly, you probably will not marry someone who looks like a Hollister model, and is perfect, but guess what? If they are asking you out, they probably care about you, and just want a chance to show you what a great person they can be.. Maybe they just need an opportunity. No one can sweep you off your feet if they are not given the opportunity.

In closing, I feel like the whole Dating situation is one that varies for everyone, but I feel like it is one we all need to open to. Just asking people I know who are married or are dating, I see that there are the most unlikely of couples. Unlikely, but still happy. Basically, being open to it is the best thing possible, and if it is the Lord's will, you will know. I hope that what I have written will have some worth. I thank you for reading all of this. If you have any comments or something you might think I should add, let me know. I am very interested in what others think. I hope you all have a wonderful day.

God bless!

“He died for me, so I will live for him.”

Reflection - The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reflection on the Readings

The Readings for October 7th, 2012

My brothers and sisters in Christ, I just want to let you know how much it means to me when you take the time to read what I have to say. Understand that anything I say that has some significance is from the Holy Spirit, but I'm pleased he can use me. I have been unable to blog as much as I'd like to, and I'm going to try and do it more, but I can't guarantee anything. Without further ado though...

This week, the Church presents us with a reading from Genesis and Hebrews, and the Gospel from Mark. All three tie together quite nicely, as only the Catholic Church can do. 

In Genesis we are told about the creation of women saying:

"This one, at last, is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;
this one shall be called 'woman, '
for out of 'her man' this one has been taken." 

Genesis 2:23

What a beautiful thing to read, bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. What comes after this though?

"That is why a man leaves his father and mother
and clings to his wife,
and the two of them become one flesh."
Genesis 2:24

The first reading talks about the creation of women, but also sacrament of Marriage. Take a second and re-read those two passages. In the first book of the bible, the Lord shows us the Sacrament of Marriage. That is just crazy to me.
In the Reading to the Hebrews, Marriage is not directly talked about, but instead, Paul speaks about Jesus' suffering, and how we receive salvation through him. He also relates that Jesus did not just die for the Jews, so that they could be saved, but anyone who believes. For the people reading these letters, it was a tough message to swallow, because the readers were Jews, but St. Paul talks about how everyone has the same origins, going back to the first reading from Genesis, and that the Lord came to save everyone.

The Gospel also connects with these two readings, as Jesus is addressing the Pharisee's and telling them that the old law has changed, and that divorce is no longer right, saying it was only said to be okay because of the hardness of their hearts. Just like the first reading, Marriage is addressed, and Jesus even goes on to say:

"Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery."
Mark 10:12

 So basically, this weeks Sunday reading drive home the importance of two things: Marriage and the true sacredness of it, and also the end goal of Eternal Life.
With that, are the two connected? Absolutely.
I read these passages, and I think the message is simple, telling us that we can not get to heaven alone. I am not saying, nor do I think the Lord is saying, that all need to be married and that only through that can one obtain Eternal Life. I do think that Jesus is saying that we need to understand the importance of brotherhood though, and I know from experience, how true this is.
Life can seem very smooth until we find ourselves lost or doing something we are not comfortable with. An example for me would be just recently when I helped out with prayer teams. I had been involved in them before, but normally I was getting prayed over. At the most recent Praise and Worship though, I was asked to help out, even though my initial intention was to be prayed over. I never was given the opportunity to be prayed over, but I was able to see the fruits of the spirit working through me and the people I was praying with. The Lord showed me the strength of prayer in a very intimate way, one I had experienced before, but not exactly the same. I came into those prayer teams hoping to receive, but was then asked to do something not in my comfort zone, and give. My pride is great, but I was very humbled when asked to pray over someone, and call the holy spirit. I didn't feel worthy at all, but I did it. And what does this have to do with brotherhood? Well I was not doing this praying alone, but was praying with three other Franciscan students. I was being used by the Lord is a way I truly didn't deserve, but I accepted it, just as the Lord accepted me.

Overall, I know I went a bit off course with the readings, but I still think my story goes with the message for this week. The call to Eternal Life can be fulfilled if we but only "crucify our will" and look to Him in all things. Of course this is easier said then done, but I think with good people around us,  it is obtainable.

"He died for me, so I must live for him."

Prayer for Religious Liberty

Prayer for Religious Liberty

O GOD OUR CREATOR,

from your provident hand we have received

our right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

You have called us as your people and given us

the right and the duty to worship you, the only true God,

and your Son, Jesus Christ.

Through the power and working of your Holy Spirit,

you call us to live out our faith in the midst of the world,

bringing the light and the saving truth of the Gospel

to every corner of society.

We ask you to bless us

in our vigilance for the gift of religious liberty.

Give us the strength of mind and heart

to readily defend our freedoms when they are threatened;

give us courage in making our voices heard

on behalf of the rights of your Church

and the freedom of conscience of all people of faith.

Grant, we pray, O heavenly Father,

a clear and united voice to all your sons and daughters

gathered in your Church

in this decisive hour in the history of our nation,

so that, with every trial withstood

and every danger overcome—

for the sake of our children, our grandchildren,

and all who come after us—

this great land will always be "one nation, under God,

indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

I post this prayer because the election is so close, and it important we pray for a good outcome. We must pray that whoever is elected can crucify their will and do the Lord's.

Psalm 51

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me

. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.

 14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.

 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

 18 In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.



LIFE

Hey Friends! I just read this story and it blew my mind so I thought I would share it! You need to check it out!

A Story about Life

Reflection - The Greatness of God

The Greatness of God

In the past two days, the Lord has showed me with graces and a few miracles, and I am just so thankful. I decided that I should blog about them so here it goes. Last night, I went to the Pirates game with friends but it was delayed due to rain. We decided to pray a rosary and prayed that the weather would hold up. Momma Mary took care of us, and we were able to watch the game and had no weather problems the rest of the night. It was just a small little thing, but it was a miracle and I was so pleased to see the Lord at work.

This morning I woke up in hopes to get some stuff done, including finding my Magnificat and my key to my house, which I had lost a week ago. I had already looked a little for both, but to no avail. When I started looking, I asked for St. Anthony's help and Mary's, and honestly a minute later, my key was resting on my bed, another small miracle, and my Magnificat was on my dresser. I knew with both of these findings, the Lord was working, and I could only be thankful.

It was funny though that I went to St. Anthony and he answered my prayers, because the night before, I found myself reading his prayer "Be Satisfied With Me" and I was at peace. The Lord is always doing these crazy things, but we often miss them because we aren't paying attention or doing the Lord's will. When we do his will though, amazing things will be given to us.

In scripture it says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7 How many times do we see this though, and then not really believe it? It is hard to believe that the Lord will really give us what we need, but if we have faith, all things are possible.

I just thought I would share these Glory stories with you. Maybe they will help, maybe not. I can't be worried about that though. I just need to be thankful for all that the Lord has given me.

"He died for me, so I'll live for him."

Be Satisfied With Me - A Prayer by St. Anthony of Padua

Be Satisfied With Me

by

St. Anthony of Padua

Everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone,
To have a deep soul relationship with another,
To be loved thoroughly and exclusively.

But to a Christian, God says, "No, not until you are satisfied,
Fulfilled and content with being loved by Me alone,
With giving yourself totally and unreservedly to Me.
With having an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone.

Discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found,
Will you be capable of the perfect human relationship,
That I have planned for you.
You will never be united to another
Until you are united with Me.
Exclusive of anyone or anything else.
Exclusive of any other desires or longings.
I want you to stop planning, to stop wishing, and allow Me to give you
The most thrilling plan existing . . . one you cannot imagine.
I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you.

You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things.
Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am.
Keep listening and learning the things that I tell you.
Just wait, that's all. Don't be anxious, don't worry
Don't look around at things others have gotten
Or that I have given them
Don't look around at the things you think you want,
Just keep looking off and away up to Me,
Or you'll miss what I want to show you.
And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love
Far more wonderful than you could dream of.

You see, until you are ready, and until the one I have for you is ready,
I am working even at this moment
To have both of you ready at the same time.
Until you are both satisfied exclusively with Me
And the life I prepared for you,
You won't be able to experience the love that exemplified your relationship with Me.
And this is perfect love.

And dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love,
I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me.
And to enjoy materially and concretely the everlasting union of beauty, perfection and love that I offer you with Myself.
Know that I love you utterly. I AM God.
Believe it and be satisfied



Love Anyone You Come In Contact With

Love Anyone You Come In Contact With

As my sophmore year gets under way, I find myself thrilled to be back. It has been such a blessing to see everyone again and be able to spend time with them. Though I am glad to be back, the group is not the same, with many of my friends in Austria. There has yet to be a day that has gone by where someone has not mentioned the Austria group, saying how much they miss them. I miss all my Austria friends as well, knowing they are having fun adventures and stuff, but I find myself okay with the fact their gone. Some might be offended by me saying this, and I think I'm one of the few who is okay with them gone, but it not that I don't miss them, because I do. The truth is though, I like to see their Austria times in a different light. I understand we are away from one another, but I know with or without them, I am going to be happy, and the same for them.

I don't say any of this to act as if I don't need them in my life, but I realize dwelling on the fact that I won't see them is not worth it. Up until last fall, I really didn't know any of these people and I was still happy, as I'm sure everyone was as well. Do I love my college friends and would I do anything for them? Yes. But at the same time, I really do try and see stuff in the right light, and I am just now figuring out that with every friendship I have, I should only have one purpose, and that is, to bring Christ to them, but put the Lord's will first.

The Lord has really blessed me with knowing wonderful people, and I should and try to praise him for it, but all earthly things will be taken away one day, and really all that matters is our relationship with the Him. What am I getting at? Am I saying my friendships don't matter and I don't need people? Not at all, but  people will be in and out of my life forever, and some will remain close to me throughout life, while others might only make a small appearence, but regardless, I just need to be happy I was able to know them at all, and hopefully I left a positive mark on them.

Basically, we are called to love whoever we meet, and if we know them for ten minutes, ten years, or forever, we must be thankful for the time we share, and just be happy for that. It is very much a part of the human being to have feelings towards people, to miss them when you are not together, and want to spend time with them, but in all honesty, the only thing that maters on this earth is growing madly in love with Jesus, and if the people around you help you grow closer to him, then there is nothing better, but we must remeber what is truly important. One great example of putting the Lord first is the apostles. They all had families and peopled they very much loved, spent their whole lives building those relationships, and then Jesus came and asked them to follow him. They knew that those people meant the world to them, but they saw that what Jesus has to offer was better. Eternal Life my friends.

I guess what I trying to say is, love anyone you come in contact with, but remember, thr Lord's will above all else.

To my Austria friends - I do miss you all, and can't wait to see you, but I know I'll be enjoying my semester here, and you'll be enjoying your time over there. See you in a few months!

"He died for me, so I will live for him."

LARP!

"The Larping Quest"

If someone wanted to know what Franciscan University was about, one would likely tell them about the Summer Conferences, Households, and the Catholic atmosphere. All of these things are Unique to Franciscan University, and it gives it an identity.

Another way to find out about the campus is by just stepping foot on it. The best way to truly experience Campus life is by being here, for all the sights and sounds. No weekend brings more people then Homecoming weekend, and the St. Francis Festival. Every October, Franciscan celebrates the Founder of the Franciscan Order, St. Francis himself, and with this festival, the attractions on campus are many.

One attraction that causes mixed emotions from students is the now famous, or to some, infamous, L.A.R.P., which stands for Live Action Role Playing.

What is this L.A.R.P.?

It is a battle of will, passion and glory, a fight for honor... Well, that is how it is described by the actual participants. To an onlooker though? It would be better described as College-aged men hitting one another with foam swords and battle axes.

A consistent Larper, someone who partakes in Live Action Role Playing, would say that appearance is not everything and that it is not just "some game." Though the average person might see it as that, the Larper's put hours of practice into swinging around their weapons, preparing for the battles that lie ahead. When the St. Francis festival arrives, they are ready.

The campus is filled with families coming to see their kids, and also some trying to convince their younger children to look at Franciscan. The Larper's are well aware, and they showcase their talents for all to see. To some, and I'd say a select some, this is very appealing, and the children watch, hoping to one day partake. To most though, this is seen as very weird, and not something one goes home and talks about. A campuses appearance can make or break someone attending that school, and in most people's opinion, the Larping is not shedding a good light on what Franciscan is about. But regardless, the battles go on.

With each slash, jab, blow, and swing, a battle rages on, with one side partaking in the glories of victory, and the other, suffering a humiliating defeat.

What all Franciscan Larper's must remember is, St. Francis once fought the good fight, and so they are, in a way, following in his footsteps. Win or Lose the battle, something is to be gained, be it glory or humiliation. St. Francis said, "Up until this point, we have done nothing." Larper's must have that mindset before every fight, and fight for glory, regardless of what others might think of their foam weapons.

Fight for God, fight for glory, and above all else, fight with foam!

.

It's Out There...

"The Beast Lives" 

The Day was October 20th, 2006. I was at Buckeye Woods park in Medina County, with my cross country team. We were practicing for one of our last meets. I found myself in the woods running alone, deciding to take a different path then the other guys. I knew the woods at the park, so it didn't bother me that I had gone alone. I kept running and after about ten minutes, I slowed down for a second because I heard a noise in the tree's. I thought it was either a deer or one of my teammates, probably trying to scare me. I said, "If that's one of you guys, you can come out. I've caught you!" Instead of seeing one of them come out, or a deer, I saw a giant foot, covered in hair. The beast, or whatever it was, ran with lighting fast speed. I didn't get a look at his face, but I saw his body. This beast was large, probably eight feet tall, and was covered in brown hairs. I tried chasing after it, but after about ten seconds, I had lost sight of it in the thick brush.  I came upon it by a bunch of pine trees, which still had all their leaves, unlike the Oak and Buckeye Trees which were losing theirs. I didn't know what to think of my encounter. I first thought that I should tell my teammates, but I decided against it. I then thought I should tell my friend Kellen, but decided not to do that either. I ended up deciding not to tell anyone. I then went home and looked up information on wild beasts such as the one I had encountered. As I continued to look online, I saw that I was not alone on this type of thing, but that many people had said they had seen something similar. Many descriptions fit mine and after hours of research I came to two conclusions. One, I must be going crazy, and two, and most importantly, I had seen Bigfoot.


It seemed ridiculous, and even far fetched. I had always teased people who thought Bigfoot was real, comparing him to the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. But now I had an encounter with him, and he was as real as anything I'd ever come across. I ended up posting my story on a Bigfoot siting website, and got numerous responses. In just two weeks, I had over 25 people in the area wanting to talk to me about it, either online or in person. I decided to keep my findings to myself, and only discussed them further online. I decided my family didn't need to know anything about it, and I kept trying to figure everyone out on my own. I ended up finding out that my siting was very rare, and few people ever saw Bigfoot twice. I also discovered that there was a few fatalities that were said to have been the cause of Bigfoot.


In the end, I decided to put the matter to rest, and just let it go. I obsessed over the incident, but when my family moved to Steubenville, I moved on. It has been almost six years since then, and I am finally sharing this information with everyone who is close to me. You might laugh at this, but that's okay. I know what I saw. I am also posting this to give everyone information on Bigfoot, just some stuff I've come across over the years.

First off, the website for all things Bigfoot -
Bigfoot Website
How about a website with some Bigfoot stories-
Bigfoot Stories
How about some top of the line evidence-
Bigfoot Information

All of this is credible information. Hopefully by reading this, you'll understand the real truth in Bigfoot. Don't believe me, or want to see some video evidance? Watch Finding Bigfoot on Animal Planet, Sunday's at 10 pm.

He is out there, and he might just be one BIGFOOT away....


I'd like to thank Lindsey Muliett for backing me on this blog and giving me the idea. She is a true Bigfoot believer and when we become famous one day for our Bigfoot discoveries, you will wish you had listened.


"He died for me, so I will live for him."

The Classic Crime

The Classic Crime

When I am passionate about something, I love talking about it, or in this case, writing about it. Normally, I like to discuss my personal faith journey, or sports, or family and friends. This blog is dedicated to a different area though, but one I am still very passionate about. I've find myself in new waters, this time talking about music. The topic of choice - The Classic Crime.

The Classic Crime formed in 2004, with all of the original members still around, except for Justin DuQue, who left on good terms with the members. They first released an EP, called We All Look Elsewhere in 2004, and then released their first Album, Albatross, in 2006, with 4,000 sales in the first week, the most ever for Tooth & Nail Records. Albatross was just the starting point, releasing The Silver Cord, Acoustic Seattle Sessions and Vagabonds, all on the Tooth and Nail Records. By 2010, in just a four year span, The Classic Crime had released three full length albums and an EP.

I first learned about The Classic Crime years ago, on my friends Myspace page. I liked the sound, and got a few of their songs. I didn't consider them one of my favorite bands, but I listened to their songs from time to time. I only had heard a small sample of their music, and it seemed like that might have been where it would end. Then my brother, an avid music fan, one who looks for music instead of letting music find him, bought The Classic Crime's newest CD, Vagabonds. He let me listen to it, and I really liked it. Then I started to love it. After that, my friend hooked me up with his copy of Albatross and I found myself loving all there songs, and the Seattle Acoustic CD was no different. Oh, and The Silver Cord? Loved all those songs as well.

I went from a small fan, to deciding that The Classic Crime was my favorite band. Every song that The Classic Crime puts out, I really enjoy listening to. I don't know what it is, but they're so good. Besides their talents on the stage, they seem to be really good people and I'm not just saying that. Most people only see them as a band, but they are real, selfless men. Why do I say that? Because of this:

All of the members of The Classic Crime went to Haiti, just months before the Earthquake, to do some mission work. I don't think most punk rock bands would do what they did, and it just shows what great men they are. I was blessed enough to go to Jamaica for mission work this past Christmas, and what I found out very quickly is that I received way more from the Jamaican people then they could have possibly received from me. I'm sure that The Classic Crime members felt the same, and I'm sure they came back better men then before.

The Classic Crime did not just go on the mission trip and then forget about the Haitian people, but after the earthquake, they gave the proceeds of their new CD, Vagabonds, to Haiti Relief Organizations. They truly grew to love the people there, and I'm sure their hearts went out to all the people they met. Because of this, and also the fact that they write and produce wonderful music, I find myself a huge fan of The Classic Crime. The music on my Ipod is now almost strictly Christian, because I've decided I don't need to listen to  music with lyrics about things I don't support or that are just vulgar, but The Classic Crime remains as one of the few non-christian bands. Why is this? Because although they don't label themselves as Christians, their actions speak loud enough. They are Christian men, just trying to do the right thing. In a culture that tells us we should do what is best for us, or just do what feels good, that tells us put your faith aside and just live in the moment, The Classic Crime is one of those bands that gives a better message, a different message. They understand that there is more to this life, and they all pursue it.

Now, just two years removed from their last album, The Classic Crime finds themselves releasing their fourth Album, Phoenix. This album did not come the traditional way, opting to use the website Kickstarter to fund the money, but none the less, the Classic Crime is back, and it is a breathe of fresh air. The Album consists of 13 songs and has a somewhat sad message to it, but I see this as more of a humbling side to the band. The band speaks about how they look at where they are, and they say that their accomplishments are so much smaller then they thought.

Besides seeming to have a humbling message, they seem to talk a little bit about not knowing where they are headed. In the song "You and Me Both," they talk about how they need something to remind them why they are alive, or ask themselves what they are living for, because it is not as clear as it once was. I see this as a maturity from the band, understanding that what they thought was once so important, really is not. The songs "Young Again" and "Beautiful Darkside" stick with this message, showing that the band has changed and things are different then they once were. The lyrics reveal that they have a tough time always seeing things in the right light, but they're trying, and that it is not easy to follow the right path.

As the songs continue, they follow along the same lines. To me, I see this CD as very reflective, with the band members taking a look at themselves and noticing that they might not be the men they should be, or have always wanted to be. In a way, it seems that they've come to a realization that things haven't gone according to plans. Whatever they wanted to get out of The Classic Crime has changed; Not automatically a bad thing or a good thing, but just different. The song "Glass Houses" talks about this, with the lyrics saying. "we naively believed that our ship couldn't sink, but it did." Things have not gone as planned, but sometimes trials better a man.

Overall, the CD is honestly Classic CC. The lyrics are great, the melodies smooth, and nothing to really complain about. A great CD from a great group of guys. I urge all my readers to at least look up one of the songs and give it a listen. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Unless great music is not your thing, then I understand and I'm sure the radio is filled with the stuff you're looking for...


"He died for me, so I will live for him."

Change

Change.
I've never been able to decide how I feel about it.
In some cases, change is great, and often times, needed; In other cases, change brings about hurt and many hardships.
It is one of those things that you can't really decide how you feel about it, but only understand it will happen, and you will have to deal with it.

This summer I've gone through alot of change, some good, some bad. I've come to a point though, that regardless of if I like it or not, I've learned to deal with it. When the summer began, I was excited for it, and looked forward to not taking classes anymore, and finally having time to read. I also was sad that most of my friends were going home for the summer, and I would have to go without them for a while. I was dealing with change. I was also moving out of the dorm, and back home, which, at the time when it happened, I was not excited about. Now, a few months into the summer, I feel like I haven't been home enough, and am definitely going to miss it. More change. I can also say that people I thought I'd hang with alot, like my local friends, I've seen very little. I'm not mad about it, or happy about it. I have come to a point where I just accept it.
I guess what I've learned this summer is, above all else, change will happen, if I'm ready for it or not.

This upcoming semester will be no different.
New classes, new people, new friendships.
Old friends gone, and I'll have to move on. Not forget, but just live life.

Basically, Change is always happening, and I'm going to have to be ready.

"HE DIED FOR ME, SO I WILL LIVE FOR HIM"

St. Louis de Montfort Part Two - The Secret of Mary

"The Secret of Mary"

by

St. Louis de Montfort



I posted a blog on St. Louis de Montfort last week, and now I am following it up with my favorite quotes from the book. I've read a decent amount of stuff in my life, but this book might have been the most important one to date, besides maybe scripture reading.
Didn't read part one? Here is the link:
http://gottablogcatholic.blogspot.com/2012/07/st-louis-de-montfort.html

Opening Pages -
"God Alone"

Section 3 -
"Your sure vocation is the acquisition of the holiness of God, and unless all your thoughts and words and actions, all the sufferings and events of your life tend to that end, you are resisting God by not doing that for which He has created you and is now preserving you."

"Only God by His grace, by His abundant and extraordinary grace, can make man like God. Even the creation of the whole world is not so great a masterpiece as this."

Section 4 -
"What means will you choose to reach the height to which God calls you? They are humility of heart, continual prayer, mortification in all things, abandonment to Divine Providence and conformity to the will of God."

Section 5 -
"God does not give equal grace to all, yet to each soul He gives sufficient grace."

Section 6 -
"I say that to find this grace of God, we must find Mary."

Section 7 -
"Mary alone has found grace with God, both for herself and for every man in particular."

Section 8 -
"Mary gave being and life to the Author of all grace, and that is why she is called the Mother of Grace."

Section 10 -
"God has entrusted Mary with the keeping, the administration and distribution of all His graces, so that all His graces and gifts pass through her hands."

Section 12 -
"Since Mary has formed Jesus Christ, the Head of the elect, it is also her office to form the members of that Head, that is to say, all true Christians."

Section 16 -
"A sculptor has two ways of making a lifelike statue or figure... The second is short, easy and smooth; it requires little work and slight expense, provided the mold be perfect and made to reproduce the figure exactly; provided, moreover, the material used offer no resistance to the hand of the artist."

Section 17 -
Whoever is cast in it, and allows himself to be molded, receives all the features of Jesus Christ, true God."

Section 18 -
"Oh what a difference between a soul which has been formed in Christ by the ordinary ways of those who, like the sculptor, trust in their own skill and ingenuity."

Section 19 -
"There does not exist and never will exist a creature in whom God, either within of without himself, is so highly exalted as He is in the most Blessed Virgin Mary, no excepting the Saints or the Cherubim or the highest Seraphim in Paradise."

"God has made a world for wayfaring man, which is that world in which we dwell; He has made one for man in his glorified state, which is Heaven; and he made one for himself, which he has called Mary."

Section 21 -
"The Saints tell us that when we have once found Mary, and through Mary, Jesus, and through Jesus, God the Father, we have found all good."

Section 22 -
"Mary the Mother of the living, gives to all her children portions of the Tree of life, which is the Cross of Jesus. But along with their crosses she also imparts the grace to carry them patiently and even cheerfully."

Section 28 -
The Perfect Devotion
"It consists of giving oneself entirely and as a slave to Mary, and to Jesus through Mary; and after that to do all that we do, with Mary, in Mary, through Mary and for Mary."

Section 29 -
"By this devotion the soul sacrifices to Jesus, through Mary, all that it holds most dear... The soul leaves everything to be freely disposed of by Our Lady so that she may apply it all according to her own will for the greater glory of God, which she alone knows perfectly."

Section 30 -
"We leave to her disposal all the satisfactory and impetratory value of our good works - We are no longer the master of any good work we may do; but Our Lady may apply them, sometimes for the relief or the deliverance of a soul in Purgatory, sometimes for the conversion of a sinner, etc."

Section 32 -
"There are three types of slavery. The first is the slavery of nature; in this sense all men, good and bad alike, are slaves of God. The second is slavery of constraint; the devils and the damned are slaves of God in this second sense. The third is the slavery of love and free will; and this is one by which we must consecrate ourselves to God through Mary."

Section 33 -
"He who is a slave by constraint is rigorously dependent on his master. A man must be dependent in that sense only on his Creator."

Section 34 -
"Happy and a thousand times happy is the generous soul that consecrates itself entirely to Jesus through Mary as a slave of love after it has shaken off by Baptism the tyrannical slavery of the devil!"

Section 36 -
"To go to Jesus through Mary is truly to honor Jesus Christ."

Section 37 -
"To consecrate ourselves thus to Jesus through Mary is to place in Mary's hands our good actions."

Section 38 -
"How insignificant everything we do really is!"

"When we have given ourselves to Mary to the very utmost of our power, she will far outdo us in generosity and will repay us a hundredfold."

Section 39 -
"To give ourselves thus to Our Lady is to practice charity towards our neighbor in the highest possible degree, because we give her all that we hold most dear and her dispose of it at her will in favor of the living and the dead."

Section 40 -

"All I have I entrust to thee."

"Were there but this one motive to incite in me a desire for this devotion - namely, that it is a sure means of keeping me in the grace of God and even of increasing that grace in me, my heart ought to burn with longing for it."

Section 41 -
"This devotion truly frees the soul with the liberty of the children of God."

Section 43 -
"This devotion consists in doing all actions with Mary, in Mary through Mary and for Mary."

Section 45 -
"The essential practice of this devotion to do all our actions with Mary."

"We must place ourselves as instruments in the hands of Mary."

Section 47 -
"We must do all things in Mary."

Section 48 -
"We must never go to Our Lord except through Mary, through her intercession and her influence with Him. We must never be without Mary when we pray to Jesus."

Section 49 -
"We must do all our actions for Mary."

"In everything we do, we must renounce our self-love."

Section 53 -
"Experience will teach you much more about this devotion than I can tell you."

Section 55 -
"This devotion, faithfully practiced, produces many happy effects in the soul. The most important of them all is that it establishes Mary's life in the soul, so that it is no longer the soul that lives, but Mary living in it."

Section 56 -
"She will cause Jesus Christ to live in that soul, and the soul to live in constant union with Jesus Christ."

Section 57 -
"Mary becomes everything to that soul in the service of Jesus Christ."

Part IV - The Tree of Life -

Section 1 -
"You must make the sacrifice of yourself to the Blessed Mother, you must disappear in her, so that you may find God alone. If the Holy Ghost has planted in your soul the true Tree of Life, which is the devotion that I have just explained to you, you must do all that you can to cultivate it, in order that it may yield its fruit in due season."

"This Tree, once planted in a faithful heart, requires the open air and freedom from all human support, clear from any creatures that might prevent it... You must not rely on your own skill or natural talents... You must have recourse to Mary and rely on her help alone."

Section 3 -
"We must crucify the flesh, keep recollected and mortify our senses."

"Most happy is the soul which relishes and preserves Mary's fruit until death, and for ever and ever."

Well if you read all of this, congrats. This is what stood out to me in the book!

"He died for me, so I will live for him."

The Presidential Election -2012

The 2012 Presidential Election

The Election is quickly approaching and everyone needs to know who they are going to vote for.

As Catholics though, we need to put certain issues ahead of all others. We need to remember to follow our Morals and the Church teachings. I found this video and it does a good job of explaining what we must do!

St. Louis de Montfort and the Consecration

Born - January 31, 1673 Died - April 28, 1716

Well known for his Total Consecration to Mary, St. Louis de Montfort is easily becoming one of my favorite Saints. He was a man who sought after God's heart and wanted nothing in return. He took no credit for his works, but said that all he did was done by the Father.

Growing up, St. Louis lived in Montfort-sur-Meu, a small town in northern France. His parents raised him Catholic, and at the age of 12, he went to school in Rennes. While at school there, St. Louis had a strong desire to be a priest and do Missionary work. He worked hard and studied Philosophy and Theology. At the age of 20, he moved to Paris to continue pursing the Priesthood. While there, he became very sick, but eventually regained his health, and went back to pursuing the Priesthood, studying at St. Sulpice. While there, St. Louis worked in the the library, and from that spent much of his time reading. This helped him form a deep devotion to Our Lady.

In 1700, at the age of 27, St. Louis de Montfort became a priest and was assigned to Nantes. From letters, it became clear that St. Louis had become frustrated with his present situation, saying that he thought he needed to be preach to the poor. After five months of his ordination, he joined the Third Order Dominicans and formed a group of close religious who helped him preach to the poor.

For several years he preached to the people of Brittany and Nantes, and did whatever he could to serve the poor. After years of service there, St. Louis travelled around France teaching and doing all sorts of Mission work. He was regarded as having a heated style of preaching, and it did cause for some problems, but St. Louis de Montfort did not let anything stop him.

The Bishop of La Rochelle was so impressed by St. Louis de Montfort's work, that he helped him open up a school there, for poor boys and girls. After just a short time, the school had 400 kids.

Worn out by hard work and sickness, he finally came to Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre. During  his time there, he fell ill and died on April 28, 1716. He was 43 years old, and had been a priest for only 16 years. His last sermon was on the tenderness of Jesus and the Incarnate Wisdom of the Father. Thousands gathered for his burial in the parish church, and very quickly there were stories of miracles performed at his tomb.

He was later canonized a Saint by Pope Pius XII on July 27, 1947 and his feast day is April 28th.

So why am I doing a blog about St. Louis de Montfort? Well, it seems people don't know much about him, including myself. This man wrote many things on God and Mary and as I find myself diving into it all, it is truly beautiful. The book I am reading at this moment is called, "The Secret of Mary" and it talks about the consecration. When I decided to do the consecration, I was warned that I might not be ready for it, but I said I was and went through with it. Until recently, I thought I had done fine with it, and I was truly consecrating myself to God, through Mary. Then I opened up one of St. Louis' books and wow, was I off.

In "The Secret of Mary," he talks about Devotions to Mary, and I thought my devotion was what I had agreed to when I did the consecration, just a less spiritual version of what he did. I knew I was not coming close to his spirituality, but I thought I was following the Consecration. The book though, is changing my mind and enlightening me. The first devotion to Mary he talks about is one without special practices, and I looked at that, and decided I do have special practices. I of course was patting myself on the back, saying, "I knew I was doing this right!" Then the next thing he talked about was a devotion with special practices, practices that include the rosary, wearing a scapular, honoring icon's of Our Lady and all of that. I read this and said, I'm doing this! This is what he was calling me to right?

He then says:

"This devotion is good, holy and praiseworthy, if we keep ourselves free from sin; but it is not so perfect as the next, nor so efficient in severing our soul from creatures or in detaching us from ourselves, in order to be united with Jesus Christ."  (The Secret of Mary, Section 26)

After reading that, I asked myself, what else is a better devotion then that? St. Louis de Montfort tells the reader that the third devotion is:

"It consists in giving oneself entirely and as a slave to Mary, and to Jesus through Mary; and after that to do all that we do, with Mary, in Mary, through Mary and for Mary."

The book explains to the reader that the devotion tells the reader two things: One being that this act is a TOTAL consecration to Jesus through Mary and secondly, there is a state of being totally consecrated. This states calls us to a "Permanent disposition of living and acting habitually independent on Mary." The book explains that the practice will seem small at first, as St. Louis de Montfort compares it to a mustard seed, but after persistent exercise, we can see its wondrous effects.

St. Louis de Montfort explains everything in this book, and after reading this, I have learned that though my consecration is a sad excuse for anything, it has time to grow, as long as I continue to exercise everything. I am not done with the book, but I will continue to read it and I urge anyone who has done the consecration to do so as well. This book, along with St. Louis de Montfort's other writings offer so much, and I know that I'll be reading them all.

If you want to fully consecrate yourself to Jesus, through Mary, you will do whatever seems necessary.

I am glad you read this, and I am praying for you all! Pray for me as well!

"He died for me, so I will live for Him!"

Part II - St. Louis de Montfort - Secret of Mary