The world is a constantly changing place. New technologies change the way life is lived. Peace turns to war, and reverts back to peace. A person can be happy one day and sad the next. The irony in this is that the world's Creator does not change in the slightest. When reading biblical passages written hundreds, if not thousands of years apart, the same God is talking. Passages found throughout the Old Testament, such as the story of Creation and Isaiah's prophecies, discuss the same qualities of God as the New Testament story of the wedding feast at Cana. In all these passages, God is loving and wants to help His people, yet just, and punishes His people when they deserve it.
Examples of how Christ shows He loves His people, listens to them, and helps them when they are in need, are found in the story of the wedding feast at Cana. In the New Testament, Mary, who is called "the woman," asks Jesus, the new Adam, to perform a miracle -- and He does. Jesus performs his mother's request obediently, though His "hour [had] not yet come," (John 2:4). In doing this, Jesus had helped out His creation. This is paralleled in a different sort of way in the Old Testament, when the serpent tempts Adam and Eve. Satan temps the woman, who in turn temps the man. The man gives in to the woman and both are banished from the Garden of Eden. While this may seem as though God is wicked, He is essentially providing "tough love" to His people, teaching them to obey Him. In both these incidents, the man is asked by the woman to perform an action which has drastic effects on humanity. Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet, further mentions how good God is to His people. The prophet goes on about the blessings God will bestow upon his people when they follow His commandments. All this shows how loving God is and how He wants His people to love Him and be happy.
Modern society has put a taboo on calling a female "woman". Thus, when Jesus refers to His mother Mary as "woman," (John 2:4) most people today view it as degrading and submissive -- in reality it is showing how truly awesome Mary is. In the story of the fall of man, when God asks Adam why he ate the forbidden fruit, Adam replies, "the woman... gave me the fruit," (Genesis 3:12). Both of the men refer to the women as "woman" in these accounts. The first time, Adam shifts the blame of his sin onto the woman, and all mankind is damned. The second time, the Lord refers to His mother in the same way as Adam did to establish Mary as the new Eve. Mary is the one who set her Son off early on His journey of salvation, while Eve tempted Adam and damned humanity. Jesus' reference to Mary as "woman" is quite the opposite of degrading and submissive, but raises her above all other women.
Often, people are confused that God in the Old Testament is different from God in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, God dooms all of mankind for the sins of Adam and Eve. In the New Testament, God wants to bring all the sheep of His flock together in His loving arms. This can create the illusion of two separate deities. When the Old Testament and New Testament are compared in light of each other, it becomes obvious that God is in fact the same at all times; just yet merciful, jealous yet loving.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
My Father
There are three factors that influence someone's personality; their experiences, environment and heredity. Due to the expansiveness of this world and the broadness of the human family, the billions of people on earth all have a different, unique personality. God has blessed me immensely, and placed me in an amazing family. What makes my family so great, and is responsible in large part for who I am, is my father.
Born in the countryside of a small village in southern Ireland, his first house had dirt floors and no indoor pluming. Though he eventually moved into the village, his house was still small, especially with five siblings. Being a small town, it was full of farmers, and being an Irish town, it was full of alcoholics. It seemed as though anyone born in that town was damned to follow that narrow path. He was blessed enough to be a part of the first class in Ireland to receive free secondary (high) school. Though not a failure, he was not an exceptionally stellar student. Not content with anything less then his best, my father started to push himself harder in his studies, and most importantly, to pray. His favorite saint became my namesake and patron, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, patron of students and aviators. Hard work and prayer obviously paid off -- he received a scholarship to attend the California Institute of Technology, more commonly known as Caltech, where he earned his Doctorate. He learned his lesson about the importance of hard work --especially in school-- and prayer, and passed it onto his children. In large part because of his example, I have viewed education as a critical part of life that allows one to do more with one's life.
Especially during my youth, my father has been a critical factor in shaping who I have become. In life we are constantly learning, and when one has a wise person to guide them, the learning process becomes much more valuable. One of the greatest ways to learn a lesson is to mess up, and then be disciplined; my father was always there to help with the discipline. While it is not enjoyable to be disciplined, in hindsight it is extremely valuable.
Often in life people complain about something that needs to be done, yet do nothing about it. My father is not one of those people, and has ensured that I do not end up as one either. When he saw the need to change the culture of today, he did not get on a big soapbox and preach about the woes of society. Rather, he motivated himself and started John Paul the Great Catholic University. He established changing culture as its mission, and with God's blessings has come very far. Being a wise man, my father realized that we could turn the tools Satan is using against humanity, and use them against him. Many people doubted him, claiming that one could not up and start a university. Not only did he prove them wrong, but he also got many non-believers to help him achieve his goal. This wisdom, self-motivation and dedication has made a huge impression on me, and has taken root in who I am.
Many people did not have the best family life growing up, so I thank God every day for the family he blessed me with. In my life I have had interactions with a wide variety of people in a variety of situations, yet the most influential person I have encountered is my father. He is most responsible for who I am now, and who I will be in the future. My father is a great man, and if I am half the man he is, I will be more than content.
Born in the countryside of a small village in southern Ireland, his first house had dirt floors and no indoor pluming. Though he eventually moved into the village, his house was still small, especially with five siblings. Being a small town, it was full of farmers, and being an Irish town, it was full of alcoholics. It seemed as though anyone born in that town was damned to follow that narrow path. He was blessed enough to be a part of the first class in Ireland to receive free secondary (high) school. Though not a failure, he was not an exceptionally stellar student. Not content with anything less then his best, my father started to push himself harder in his studies, and most importantly, to pray. His favorite saint became my namesake and patron, Saint Joseph of Cupertino, patron of students and aviators. Hard work and prayer obviously paid off -- he received a scholarship to attend the California Institute of Technology, more commonly known as Caltech, where he earned his Doctorate. He learned his lesson about the importance of hard work --especially in school-- and prayer, and passed it onto his children. In large part because of his example, I have viewed education as a critical part of life that allows one to do more with one's life.
Especially during my youth, my father has been a critical factor in shaping who I have become. In life we are constantly learning, and when one has a wise person to guide them, the learning process becomes much more valuable. One of the greatest ways to learn a lesson is to mess up, and then be disciplined; my father was always there to help with the discipline. While it is not enjoyable to be disciplined, in hindsight it is extremely valuable.
Often in life people complain about something that needs to be done, yet do nothing about it. My father is not one of those people, and has ensured that I do not end up as one either. When he saw the need to change the culture of today, he did not get on a big soapbox and preach about the woes of society. Rather, he motivated himself and started John Paul the Great Catholic University. He established changing culture as its mission, and with God's blessings has come very far. Being a wise man, my father realized that we could turn the tools Satan is using against humanity, and use them against him. Many people doubted him, claiming that one could not up and start a university. Not only did he prove them wrong, but he also got many non-believers to help him achieve his goal. This wisdom, self-motivation and dedication has made a huge impression on me, and has taken root in who I am.
Many people did not have the best family life growing up, so I thank God every day for the family he blessed me with. In my life I have had interactions with a wide variety of people in a variety of situations, yet the most influential person I have encountered is my father. He is most responsible for who I am now, and who I will be in the future. My father is a great man, and if I am half the man he is, I will be more than content.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Genesis 22 => The work of Christ
God foreshadows much of what He says in the New Testament with what He wrote in the Old Testament. One example of this is in Genesis 22 when God orders Abraham to sacrifice his son. This action foretells Christ's struggle for salvation and how He was sacrificed in order to create a new covenant with his people.
God used the Old Testament prophets to tell of Jesus' sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. Clearly, both the Old Testament passage and Christ's life involve a father willingly sacrificing their sons. Abraham was ordered by God to send up his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Years later, Jesus was sent down by the Father as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity. While Jesus was aware that he was about to be sacrificed, Isaac was oblivious to his role, and ended up not being the victim. Nevertheless, both actions showed not only God's love for His people, but that following God requires sacrifice.
Both of these sacrifices served a purpose in God's salvation plan. After Abraham obeyed God's request, God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to make his descendants great and numerous. Jesus came to earth and the New Testament was made, and the gates to Heaven were opened. Following the creation of these covenants, salvation for the people of God became more clear.
Through Sacred Scripture the people of God learn how to follow the Lord. In both Genesis 22 and the life of Jesus, one can see that often what God asks is challenging in many ways, but the eternal rewards are well worth the short suffering. By following the examples given in these passages, it becomes clear how to attain salvation, through obedience and sacrifice.
God used the Old Testament prophets to tell of Jesus' sacrifice for the salvation of mankind. Clearly, both the Old Testament passage and Christ's life involve a father willingly sacrificing their sons. Abraham was ordered by God to send up his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Years later, Jesus was sent down by the Father as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of humanity. While Jesus was aware that he was about to be sacrificed, Isaac was oblivious to his role, and ended up not being the victim. Nevertheless, both actions showed not only God's love for His people, but that following God requires sacrifice.
Both of these sacrifices served a purpose in God's salvation plan. After Abraham obeyed God's request, God made a covenant with Abraham and promised to make his descendants great and numerous. Jesus came to earth and the New Testament was made, and the gates to Heaven were opened. Following the creation of these covenants, salvation for the people of God became more clear.
Through Sacred Scripture the people of God learn how to follow the Lord. In both Genesis 22 and the life of Jesus, one can see that often what God asks is challenging in many ways, but the eternal rewards are well worth the short suffering. By following the examples given in these passages, it becomes clear how to attain salvation, through obedience and sacrifice.
Monday, October 1, 2007
My Passion - redux
Anyone who would not take up arms in defense of freedom does not deserve to live in a free country. This is a philosophy I have lived by my whole life, and has inspired me to enter the Army after school. Growing up, I heard stories from my grandmother who survived both World War II and the Communist takeover in Czechoslovakia. I realized that no matter how safe I think I am, life as I know it can change in an instant. It has become my goal, my passion to see that if life changes, it changes for the better, and I can think of no better place to do that then in the American Military.
Like any young boy, I grew obsessed with "playing army". For me, though, it went much farther then most of my peers. I had a cousin my same age that shared my passion, and any time we got together we ran to the hills to shoot the bad guys. As we grew, so did our intensity. Our weapons went from our hands to sticks, to cheap plastic toy guns, to pellet guns, and finally to the real guns. Our uniforms went from blue jeans and a t-shirt, to earth colored clothes, to old Army field uniforms. We learned to love the outdoors; dirt, plants, trees, all the creepy critters. We loved it all.
After our parents called us in, evenings we spent hours watching war movies. While the movies served more to entertain, they still sparked our interest in history. We would complement what the movies taught us with our own research in books and on the internet. History soon became one of my favorite subjects in school, where I continued to study about man's continuous struggle to secure freedom for him and his family.
Running around with my cousin was fun, and created many great childhood memories, but I didn't learn much that would truly benefit me in the Army. My Boy Scout career was short-lived, and I continued to search for an organization to help me. I thought my search would end up fruitless, until I found out about Civil Air Patrol. As official Auxiliary of the US Air Force, its Cadet Program is geared towards preparing America's youth for Military Service. I fell in love with the program, and progressed rapidly. After four years, I became a cadet officer, which only about 1 in 10 cadets do, and took command of my squadron. As Cadet Commander, I am charged with training the roughly 30 cadets in my unit. I had finally found an place where I could prepare myself to serve my Country.
My intention is to become an officer in the Army, so that requires a college degree, which requires a good resume in high school. Good grades are necessary to get into a good college, so I pushed myself academically. I took 3 Advanced Placement classes as well as 2 Honors classes, passing them all. The Army is looking for well-rounded individuals to be the leaders, so I joined the Cross Country and Track teams. While I never was as fast as the crazy-athletic kids who had played soccer since they emerged from the womb, I motivated myself and ran hard for myself and the team.
Though I am not in the Army yet, I have not and will not loose the dedication and desire to do so. I will continue to push myself to do everything I can to prepare for a challenging, though rewarding career. Christ said "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13, and that is one of the hardest Bible quotes to live up to, but the reward is the greatest.
Like any young boy, I grew obsessed with "playing army". For me, though, it went much farther then most of my peers. I had a cousin my same age that shared my passion, and any time we got together we ran to the hills to shoot the bad guys. As we grew, so did our intensity. Our weapons went from our hands to sticks, to cheap plastic toy guns, to pellet guns, and finally to the real guns. Our uniforms went from blue jeans and a t-shirt, to earth colored clothes, to old Army field uniforms. We learned to love the outdoors; dirt, plants, trees, all the creepy critters. We loved it all.
After our parents called us in, evenings we spent hours watching war movies. While the movies served more to entertain, they still sparked our interest in history. We would complement what the movies taught us with our own research in books and on the internet. History soon became one of my favorite subjects in school, where I continued to study about man's continuous struggle to secure freedom for him and his family.
Running around with my cousin was fun, and created many great childhood memories, but I didn't learn much that would truly benefit me in the Army. My Boy Scout career was short-lived, and I continued to search for an organization to help me. I thought my search would end up fruitless, until I found out about Civil Air Patrol. As official Auxiliary of the US Air Force, its Cadet Program is geared towards preparing America's youth for Military Service. I fell in love with the program, and progressed rapidly. After four years, I became a cadet officer, which only about 1 in 10 cadets do, and took command of my squadron. As Cadet Commander, I am charged with training the roughly 30 cadets in my unit. I had finally found an place where I could prepare myself to serve my Country.
My intention is to become an officer in the Army, so that requires a college degree, which requires a good resume in high school. Good grades are necessary to get into a good college, so I pushed myself academically. I took 3 Advanced Placement classes as well as 2 Honors classes, passing them all. The Army is looking for well-rounded individuals to be the leaders, so I joined the Cross Country and Track teams. While I never was as fast as the crazy-athletic kids who had played soccer since they emerged from the womb, I motivated myself and ran hard for myself and the team.
Though I am not in the Army yet, I have not and will not loose the dedication and desire to do so. I will continue to push myself to do everything I can to prepare for a challenging, though rewarding career. Christ said "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13, and that is one of the hardest Bible quotes to live up to, but the reward is the greatest.
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