Fleeing War, a Syrian Family Makes a New Home in North Carolina
Most of us who were born in this country have no idea of how blessed that we really are.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
Night Will Fall
This powerfully disturbing documentary is currently showing on HBO.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOYY_UPBcFE
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
Albert Einstein
The world remains a dangerous place to live. And, there remain people without the will to do anything about it.
The world remains a dangerous place to live. And, there remain people without the will to do anything about it.
Justice
"Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." Matthew 13:49-50
"And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." Matthew 10:28
"And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna." Matthew 10:28
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Lenten reflection
Help! - The Beatles must have been reflecting on the readings for today when they wrote this song. In our first reading, Esther implores God for help as she prepares to approach the king without invitation, an offense punishable by death, in order to save her people. The Lord indeed provides protection for Esther, and her life, as well as the lives of her people, is spared. The Psalmist tells of how he called on the Lord for help and the Lord answered him, giving him strength. In our Gospel, Jesus tells us that if we ask the Father for help, we will receive what we need and find what we seek. Clearly, our scriptures are telling us that not only is it ok to ask for help, but also that it is necessary. However, in a culture that constantly tells us that we must be independent, that we must be able to do everything on our own, that asking for help, makes us appear weak and incompetent, asking for help is more easily said than done.
So often we don’t want to burden others with our own problems – they have problems of their own, we think. But I think the last line of our Gospel offers an important point on this attitude: “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” Do we not hope that our friends would come to us if they were in need of help? Scripture tells us that the same is true for God – He wants us to come to Him in friendship when we are in need of help. Indeed, our readings today hint that we might need a change in perspective on asking for help that the Beatles articulate well:
When I was younger so much younger than today
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone I'm not so self-assured
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
I never needed anybody's help in any way
But now these days are gone I'm not so self-assured
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors
May we “change our minds and open up the doors” to ask God and others for help in our Lenten journeys as we continue to prepare for the joy of Easter.
Emily Persicketti
College of Nursing, Class of 2016
College of Nursing, Class of 2016
judging others
"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7
"Who am I to judge?" Pope Francis
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Judging others
"Who am I to judge?" Pope Francis
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5
By the same token, what we say and do are facts; and, facts have consequences.
The US Marines have a saying: "It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting." Oorah!
Likewise, Matthew 22:15-22 speaks to the civil authority that we ALL must answer to.
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."
“Stop judging, that you may not be judged. For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye." Matthew 7:1-5
By the same token, what we say and do are facts; and, facts have consequences.
The US Marines have a saying: "It's God's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting." Oorah!
Likewise, Matthew 22:15-22 speaks to the civil authority that we ALL must answer to.
"Don't do the crime if you can't do the time."
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
ugly
The United States of Financial Insecurity | Next Avenue
"...the studies also point to huge chasms between America’s wealthiest and the rest of its citizens, particularly when you look at the long-term trends.
The bottom three quintiles of Americans, as measured by net worth, gained little wealth over the past 24 years, Pew found, but the top quintile’s wealth rose from just over $600,000 in 1989 to nearly $1 million in 2013.
And one in five households (not the wealthy ones) regularly rely on “fringe financial services” to meet their needs, according to CFED. This means, for instance, they’re using high-cost predatory lenders to borrow. African-American, Latino and Native American households are substantially more likely to be unbanked, says CFED."
"...the studies also point to huge chasms between America’s wealthiest and the rest of its citizens, particularly when you look at the long-term trends.
The bottom three quintiles of Americans, as measured by net worth, gained little wealth over the past 24 years, Pew found, but the top quintile’s wealth rose from just over $600,000 in 1989 to nearly $1 million in 2013.
And one in five households (not the wealthy ones) regularly rely on “fringe financial services” to meet their needs, according to CFED. This means, for instance, they’re using high-cost predatory lenders to borrow. African-American, Latino and Native American households are substantially more likely to be unbanked, says CFED."
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