Praying is the best way to get connected to and know God. Simply closing your eyes and telling God what your problems and victories of the day are can really ease your mind and soul.
The Our Father is probably the most commonly prayed and famous Christian prayer. Adapted from the words Jesus gave to his disciples when they asked him how to pray, the Our Father is simple and meaningful. However, because of its wording, it can be confusing, (especially for those without knowledge of the Bible) to comprehend. Below are the words to the Our Father, as well as my translation of what each section means.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
(God, our Father, who is in heaven, your name is blessed.)
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
(When Jesus comes for the final judgment, he will bring those faithful to him to heaven.)
Give us this day our daily bread,
(While the Bible states that this sentence means "let that judgment day be today" I believe that it can also be interpreted as "Please Jesus, come be with us today.")
and forgive us our trespasses
(Forgive our sins)
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
(As we forgive the people who sin against us.)
And lead us not into temptation
(And please lead us from sin)
but deliver us from evil.
(But save us from evil.)
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever.
(The kingdoms of heaven and earth, power, and glory are yours now and will be until the end of time. This sentence may be omitted by some.)
Amen.
(Truly- also to be firm, steady, or trustworthy, depending on the context. Amen is actually a Hebrew word.)
An important thing to keep in mind while praying, especially when praying memorized prayers such as this, is to concentrate on what the words mean as you are saying them. If you just numbly repeat words without feeling anything for them or truly thinking what you are saying, the depth of the prayer is lost. Just like the difference in saying "I'm sorry," in a bored voice with no inflection, as opposed to saying "I'm sorry," while weeping, repeating and truly praying are two separate things.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
The Eighth and the Tenth Commandment
The eighth and the tenth Commandments
-you shall not steal
-you shall not covet your neighbor's possessions
are bound together by one theme: greed.
Greed causes us to covet and obsess over that which we do not have, which leads us to stealing. But why should we not steal? Certainly there are those who need things as opposed to those who have an abundance of unnecessary items. Yet stealing is wrong.
God gives us so much in this world. Everyone is given the gifts of life, spirit, hope and happiness. But it is up to us to recognize these gifts and be thankful for them. A simple Hatian prayer says,
"Lord, even when we have no food, we can say the same thing as those who have meat, 'Thank you Jesus, you gave your life fore me.' They can't say more."
Another Hatian prayer refers to Jesus's words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs." (Mt 5:3) The prayer states,
"They say that I am poor. Thank you Father. May I also be poor in spirit that I may inherit the Kingdom of God."
But what about those who are rich? Simple logic-those that have should give so that those who do not have feel no need to steal. We should help one another. But if a person does not receive the bare necessities of life, or does not have what they need, the best thing that person can do is pray. God is all-powerful and loves each person individually. He will help you get by.
Coveting and stealing are insulting to God. He has given us so much- everything that we have- so who are we to say, "No, I want more. I demand more." God provides us with everything we need. Who are we to contradict him? He gives us no more trouble than we can handle, and if we feel like we can't handle it, then we have God, Jesus, Mary, and all the saints to pray to for guidance.
But coveting doesn't just apply to stealing actual items-it can also be applied to intangible things such as desires. When we want to be smarter, faster, stronger, prettier, than our neighbor, we are sinning. It is not sinful to compete in sports or want to be a better athlete or a better model, but when we allow jealousy to rule us, we are sinning. Instead of allowing anger to enter our hearts, we must look to our own abilities and not our faults. We should not compare ourselves to others but rather be happy for what we have.
-you shall not steal
-you shall not covet your neighbor's possessions
are bound together by one theme: greed.
Greed causes us to covet and obsess over that which we do not have, which leads us to stealing. But why should we not steal? Certainly there are those who need things as opposed to those who have an abundance of unnecessary items. Yet stealing is wrong.
God gives us so much in this world. Everyone is given the gifts of life, spirit, hope and happiness. But it is up to us to recognize these gifts and be thankful for them. A simple Hatian prayer says,
"Lord, even when we have no food, we can say the same thing as those who have meat, 'Thank you Jesus, you gave your life fore me.' They can't say more."
Another Hatian prayer refers to Jesus's words, "Blessed are the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs." (Mt 5:3) The prayer states,
"They say that I am poor. Thank you Father. May I also be poor in spirit that I may inherit the Kingdom of God."
But what about those who are rich? Simple logic-those that have should give so that those who do not have feel no need to steal. We should help one another. But if a person does not receive the bare necessities of life, or does not have what they need, the best thing that person can do is pray. God is all-powerful and loves each person individually. He will help you get by.
Coveting and stealing are insulting to God. He has given us so much- everything that we have- so who are we to say, "No, I want more. I demand more." God provides us with everything we need. Who are we to contradict him? He gives us no more trouble than we can handle, and if we feel like we can't handle it, then we have God, Jesus, Mary, and all the saints to pray to for guidance.
But coveting doesn't just apply to stealing actual items-it can also be applied to intangible things such as desires. When we want to be smarter, faster, stronger, prettier, than our neighbor, we are sinning. It is not sinful to compete in sports or want to be a better athlete or a better model, but when we allow jealousy to rule us, we are sinning. Instead of allowing anger to enter our hearts, we must look to our own abilities and not our faults. We should not compare ourselves to others but rather be happy for what we have.
The Ninth Commandment
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Don't lie. It is such a simple statement, yet many times we feel cornered or pressured into twisting the truth or not telling the entire story. Some argue that twists and loopholes are not "truly" lying, yet if a person walks away from you with an untruth you intended them to receive, you are lying. For example:
Bob asks his best friend, "Do you know why I wasn't invited to her party?"
Fred answers by shrugging, then saying, "Maybe she just forgot." But Fred knows that she didn't invite him because she did not like him, and wanted to avoid talking to him.
Obviously, in the situation above, Fred felt pressured to give the wrong impression. Though he had good intentions, Fred lied because he made it seem like he had no idea why Bob was not invited. A better response could have been:
"Yes, but I think you should talk to her about it."
"I do, but I don't agree with what she thinks."
"I think it would be best if you asked her."
All of these responses do not lie, but also spare his friend's feelings. But why bother being careful when it is so easy to lie? Well, there are multiple reasons: if Bob finds out Fred DID know what she thought, then he may feel insulted or angry for not being told. Also, what may seem like little lies can snowball easily into big lies or multiple lies to support the original lie.
But why should we not lie? To lie is to invite someone not to trust you. Even if you lie to protect their feelings, your feelings, or something else, nothing changes the fact that you do not respect that person enough to tell them the truth. Also, if you do not lie with little things people will learn to trust you and go to you for big things, because they know you'll be truthful. Even a lie as simple as:
"Of course you look lovely in that dress."
Can be hurtful- such as if the person is gossiped about because the clothing did not fit her. If a person just tries to please everyone and sacrifices the truth, people will pick up on it and disregard that person's opinion- even if later their opinion is true and important.
Don't lie. It is such a simple statement, yet many times we feel cornered or pressured into twisting the truth or not telling the entire story. Some argue that twists and loopholes are not "truly" lying, yet if a person walks away from you with an untruth you intended them to receive, you are lying. For example:
Bob asks his best friend, "Do you know why I wasn't invited to her party?"
Fred answers by shrugging, then saying, "Maybe she just forgot." But Fred knows that she didn't invite him because she did not like him, and wanted to avoid talking to him.
Obviously, in the situation above, Fred felt pressured to give the wrong impression. Though he had good intentions, Fred lied because he made it seem like he had no idea why Bob was not invited. A better response could have been:
"Yes, but I think you should talk to her about it."
"I do, but I don't agree with what she thinks."
"I think it would be best if you asked her."
All of these responses do not lie, but also spare his friend's feelings. But why bother being careful when it is so easy to lie? Well, there are multiple reasons: if Bob finds out Fred DID know what she thought, then he may feel insulted or angry for not being told. Also, what may seem like little lies can snowball easily into big lies or multiple lies to support the original lie.
But why should we not lie? To lie is to invite someone not to trust you. Even if you lie to protect their feelings, your feelings, or something else, nothing changes the fact that you do not respect that person enough to tell them the truth. Also, if you do not lie with little things people will learn to trust you and go to you for big things, because they know you'll be truthful. Even a lie as simple as:
"Of course you look lovely in that dress."
Can be hurtful- such as if the person is gossiped about because the clothing did not fit her. If a person just tries to please everyone and sacrifices the truth, people will pick up on it and disregard that person's opinion- even if later their opinion is true and important.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Inspire
"Don't let your life be sterile. Be useful. Blaze a trail. Shine forth with the light of your faith and of your love. With you apostolic life wipe out the slimy and filthy mark left by the impure sowers of hatred. And light up all the ways of the earth with the fire of Christ that you carry in your heart."
-Josemaria Escriva
-Josemaria Escriva
Elaboration on the Sixth Commandment
You shall not kill.
Now, in a time where debating over abortion, war, and human rights is more popular than ever, this commandment must be listened to. Simple, yet meaningful in a thousand different ways, You shall not kill lays down the law directly and without any question.
Don't kill.
Yet people still try to bend it and mold it to their will, to their own liking. "Well, its alright to kill if you don't love the baby. If you don't love it, it doesn't have a soul, and without a soul, its not really alive. It can't have rights if its not even born." But the Ten Commandments come from God himself, and there's no wiggle room in a law. Black and white. Kill or don't kill. You can't twist God's words without first claiming that you're better than He is, that you know more than he does. And you don't- because God knows everything and understands everything and sees everything.
And He loves everything.
But even with such an obvious commandment as You shall not kill, people still have several questions. I'll try to answer the more common ones, but feel free to ask any I don't cover.
What about abortion?
When you kill an unborn baby, you KILL it. There's no debating. God sent that child into the world for a reason, and that reason was not to have you dispose of it like a tumor. Abortion is killing, made even more evil by the fact that the unborn infant has committed no crime, no sin of any sort. The public wouldn't allow a massacre of infants, so why does it allow a massacre of the unborn? Common responses include 'her body, her choice', that the baby wouldn't have a good life, exc. These are ridiculous. Life is worth more than anything else on this planet; it is holy and special and something man will never be able to create. I would gladly sacrifice my freedom for a year to save someone's life- isn't that what soldiers and heroes do every day? Don't they undergo pain and suffering and hurt to save lives? People should not have the right to choose who lives and who dies- only God should have that right. How can you know how that infant will impact the world?
There is the valid argument that if, in a rare case, a mother does not undergo an abortion she will die. The Catholic Church acknowledges this, as did the late Pope John Paul II, who wrote that a mother has the right to defend her own life. But only if an abortion will save a life is it the right action to make. If the baby is an "inconvenience" then a mother should still have it. Life is a blessing, not a curse, not something you can just toss away and forget about. Because as well as the Eighth Commandment, the Catholic Church, and God saying abortion is wrong- modern day mothers say its wrong. Women who have undergone abortion tell horrible grief stricken stories of guilt and hurt that they have to live with for the rest of their lives. Just another one of the countless reasons we should listen to God-He loves us and tells us the best thing to do.
What about killing animals?
If you kill animals for food, or because they're hurting you, or even because that stupid ant won't leave your house, then yes, its alright to kill them. Naturally you can't just go around slaughtering without reason. But if you need the animal for food or if its hurting you or whatnot, you may kill it.
What about killing murderers?
Use common sense- if killing one person can save the lives of others, then God understands that person must be killed. But if a murderer or rapist or convict of any kind is locked up, kept away from others then there is no reason to kill them. they have the rest of their lives to turn over a new leaf and inspire others, in both good and bad ways, not to convict crimes. Their lives can become better, the lives of those they interact with can become better; everything is webbed together. Cut that person out of the web and you can never tell what you are loosing. And how can we accuse the convict of murder if we want to murder them?
Now, in a time where debating over abortion, war, and human rights is more popular than ever, this commandment must be listened to. Simple, yet meaningful in a thousand different ways, You shall not kill lays down the law directly and without any question.
Don't kill.
Yet people still try to bend it and mold it to their will, to their own liking. "Well, its alright to kill if you don't love the baby. If you don't love it, it doesn't have a soul, and without a soul, its not really alive. It can't have rights if its not even born." But the Ten Commandments come from God himself, and there's no wiggle room in a law. Black and white. Kill or don't kill. You can't twist God's words without first claiming that you're better than He is, that you know more than he does. And you don't- because God knows everything and understands everything and sees everything.
And He loves everything.
But even with such an obvious commandment as You shall not kill, people still have several questions. I'll try to answer the more common ones, but feel free to ask any I don't cover.
What about abortion?
When you kill an unborn baby, you KILL it. There's no debating. God sent that child into the world for a reason, and that reason was not to have you dispose of it like a tumor. Abortion is killing, made even more evil by the fact that the unborn infant has committed no crime, no sin of any sort. The public wouldn't allow a massacre of infants, so why does it allow a massacre of the unborn? Common responses include 'her body, her choice', that the baby wouldn't have a good life, exc. These are ridiculous. Life is worth more than anything else on this planet; it is holy and special and something man will never be able to create. I would gladly sacrifice my freedom for a year to save someone's life- isn't that what soldiers and heroes do every day? Don't they undergo pain and suffering and hurt to save lives? People should not have the right to choose who lives and who dies- only God should have that right. How can you know how that infant will impact the world?
There is the valid argument that if, in a rare case, a mother does not undergo an abortion she will die. The Catholic Church acknowledges this, as did the late Pope John Paul II, who wrote that a mother has the right to defend her own life. But only if an abortion will save a life is it the right action to make. If the baby is an "inconvenience" then a mother should still have it. Life is a blessing, not a curse, not something you can just toss away and forget about. Because as well as the Eighth Commandment, the Catholic Church, and God saying abortion is wrong- modern day mothers say its wrong. Women who have undergone abortion tell horrible grief stricken stories of guilt and hurt that they have to live with for the rest of their lives. Just another one of the countless reasons we should listen to God-He loves us and tells us the best thing to do.
What about killing animals?
If you kill animals for food, or because they're hurting you, or even because that stupid ant won't leave your house, then yes, its alright to kill them. Naturally you can't just go around slaughtering without reason. But if you need the animal for food or if its hurting you or whatnot, you may kill it.
What about killing murderers?
Use common sense- if killing one person can save the lives of others, then God understands that person must be killed. But if a murderer or rapist or convict of any kind is locked up, kept away from others then there is no reason to kill them. they have the rest of their lives to turn over a new leaf and inspire others, in both good and bad ways, not to convict crimes. Their lives can become better, the lives of those they interact with can become better; everything is webbed together. Cut that person out of the web and you can never tell what you are loosing. And how can we accuse the convict of murder if we want to murder them?
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