Waiting

k uh.. i know its been a long time heh.. but i'm just gonna write in some thoughts I'm having rt now..

So I'm waiting for my brother to arrive (i haven't seen him in like half a year!) and I'm so very alert, you know? Like if i hear a loud sound outside my brain registers it as a car door slamming and i'm like half up and running out the door to say HIII CHETTA!! lol ... but i notice how intense my alertness is. And i realized this is the feeling of waiting for someone who u really want to see!

So, I've always heard "stay alert! Our Lord is coming again! Never know when!" 

well, today I realized what it means. It means all our senses should be keen and we ourselves should be ready at a moments notice to run to Our Lord, who we all want to see so badly. 

The same way I'm ready to receive mi hermano (I've made myself look decent so he doesn't make fun of me... I've cleaned my room so he doesn't call me a pig.. and I'm all set with the baking recipes and things I need to make whatever cookie he asks of me =D) I should be ready to receive Jesus (I should do my homework in other words) so that when He comes.. I'm not running around trying to get stuff done last minute 

1) cuz I probably won't have that chance

2) cuz then I wouldn't be able to enjoy His presence fully (I'll be so worried about other stuff)

So it's best to be prepared... be the person He wants me to be... clean up my heart... and show Him that I've been doing my homework =D

Now... I say all these things.. and I feel strongly about them.. but putting them into practice is a whole 'nother story. So pray for me.. eh? (as the Canadians say =D)

Theresa

Random

I'm taking Anatomy and Physiology currently. It's truly amazing the way the body works with so many signals and chemicals and all sorts events happening on so many different levels! This class is making me appreciate God's masterpieces (that are us) even more. It's quite fun!

But not so much when I have a test the next day (like today =[ )

So, c ya'll tomorrow!!!

St. Achillas

St. Achillas

[no picture available]

Feast day: November 7

OK, *back in action*

This saint was bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Achillas ordained a man named Arius who then began teaching the heresy of Arianism. When Achillas came to know of these lies Arius was teaching, he defended the faith and was attacked by Arius and another heretical group. After Achillas had passed away, a council in Alexandria condemned Arius and he fled. 

Defending the Faith:

There are times when I'm talking to somebody about our faith and if they, for some reason, are just not comprehending what I'm saying, I let it go.

you know...

"OH! FORGET IT!"  

But yesterday (November 7) I really fought to get my point across. Especially with Obama being elected, most of the stuff I talked about concerned abortion *punches pillow* grawrr I hate the word >_<. Heh.. I wasn't like that when I talked to people .. I kept my temper under control haha. Because I had to open their eyes to the horridness of it.

ANYWAYS.. on. Wednesday? I had some time to myself during which  I was playing with a water bottle.. these were my thoughts:

"It's almost finished, the water inside, I turn it upside down and back straight again. The part where the water doesn't touch is foggy and it bothers be me. So I tip the bottle to send some water to the foggy part and it makes it clear. Satisfied, I return the bottle to it's original state, but after 2 seconds the fog comes back. Frustrated, I do it over and over again but everytime I put the bottle back straight the fog always comes back. 

Lesson of the day:

The water can never be given a break. So if the bottle wants to always stay clear it must always stay wet, with a constant supply of water."

Theresa

St. Alphonsus Segovia

St. Alphonsus Rodriguez 

(Feast day October 30)

He was born in Segovia, Spain, on July 25, 1532, the son of a wealthy merchant. After his father passed away he took over the family business, got married and had a son. That son passed away, and two other children did as well and then finally his wife passed away. Alphonsus sold his business and applied to the Jesuits. After he was accepted he underwent novitiate training and served as a hall porter for 24 years!  "Overlooked by some of the Jesuits in the house, Alphonsus exerted a wondrous influence on many. Not only the young students, such as St. Peter Claver, but local civic tad and social leaders came to his porter's lodge for advice tad and direction. Obedience and penance were the hallmarks of his life, as well as his devotion to the Immaculate Conception. He experienced many spiritual consolations, and he wrote religious treatises, very simple in style but sound in doctrine. Alphonsus died after a long illness on October 31, 1617, and his funeral was attended by Church and government leaders. He was declared Venerable in 1626, and was named a patron of Majorca in 1633. Alphonsus was beatified in 1825 and canonized in September 1888 with St. Peter Claver." 

- that was all straight from Catholic.org ... heh =D

so.. 2 days ago (lol)...

I practiced Obedience and being a penetant. I prayed anytime I committed a sin and "little sins" that I would've brushed off or looked over had flashing lights around them. Obedience.. is something that is very hard for me to master lol. It's mostly because I have a hard time setting my mind to do something I don't want to do. I don't have that mentality that others have of :

"Alright! Let me just get it over with fast, so I don't have to deal with it anymore!" 

Lately I've been more like:

 "AWWW MANNN... ARE U SERIOUS...*drudge drudge* ..*fall asleep*"  haha

So, the Obedience part was kinda hard for me and I slipped a few times (I am ashamed :-[ ) but that lead to praying for my sins.. soo maybe something good came out of it? =D

Angel: "Just keep telling yourself that, Theresa..."

-__-

ANYWAYS so, because of this whole obedience thing... I did some reflecting on WHY I'm such a lazy bum who can't focus on anything but the computer. And that's just it! I spend a LOT of time on the computer looking up random stuff, talking to people, watching bloggers on youtube and trying to get inspiration to DO something. But by the time i find inspiration I'm so like.. blahhhh.. from all the time on the computer that I fall asleep. Or all the time I spend on the computer has made me develop some kinda ADD or something lol. 

SO, right after this, I'm gonna go do school work, do some stuff with my room I've been wanting to do, read my Bible and THEN MAYBE I'll get on the computer! (Willpower don't fail me now!)

I've also started running everyother morning to get my energy up. 

"Acedia.. look it up" -my brother lol

I WILL NO LONGER BE ACEDIC/ ACEDIAC/ ACIDIC?????... anyways.. you know what I mean.. haha

Theresa

St. Frumentius of Ethiopia

ETHIOPIA!? ... cool ^ -^

St. Frumentius

St. Frumentius was on a ship traveling on the Red Sea with his brother St. Aedius when they were the only two to survive a SHIPWRECK on the ETHIOPIAN shore! They were brought to the King as objects of "curiosity" and soon St. Aedius was made Royal cup bearer (??) and St. Frumentius was made Secretary. Even after the King died the two stayed on the team to serve the Queen. The Queen allowed them to introduce Christianity to the country and open trade to the West. St. Frumentius convinced St. Anthanasius to send missionaries from Alexandria to Ethiopia, was made Bishop of Ethiopia, converted many and set the strong foothold of the faith in the country. 

K so more like.. thoughts.. from this =D:

1) check out how God works... Shipwrecked on the Ethiopian shore! Coincidence? I think not. That was God working through their lives and now the two men are the "Apostles of Ethiopia"! 

Makes us think when God will unexpectedly gear us towards His plan for us... or maybe he already is O_o. Ugh.. I've been thinking about this a lot lately and frankly... my head hurts when I think about it so, NEXT!

2) Reading about this holy guy reminded me that I'm supposed to be converting people too. As always, I started off doing really well after Fisher's Of Men but lately, I've been so selfish and have only been thinking of deepening my own conversion. I need to pick up that Bible, review my F.O.M. notes, pray for my cause and get to work!!

St. Ignatius of Antioch

I'm gonna keep this short cuz im DEAD tired...

St. Ignatius of Antioch

St. Ignatius was a great martyr who served as a bishop and then wanted to die for Christ. His wish was granted: he was peresecuted and taken to the amphitheater in Rome. He was thrown in and lions immediately DEVOURED him! He died gloriously saying "May i become agreeable bread to the Lord"

Living it out:

BRAVERY

today I was courageous in my faith. There are times in my day where I'm usually like "Okay, I could say this (which is what I WANT to say) but there's a time to share Christ and a time not too... I don't want to offend this person, or push too hard..." Well today I totally erased that from my mind. Got laughed at a few times.. but WHO CARES!? It felt really awesome and I encourage you all to do it (if you're not already). 

that's all.. i'm going to sleep now =)

btw yesteray's saint was St. Gerard Majella who is the patron saint of Expectant Mothers (funny.. he's a guy)... well I couldn't think of a characteristic to live out so I just prayed for expectant mothers a lot that day and whenever I saw one I'd pray for them.. it was fun and heart warming ^ -^

St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila (of Jesus)

-Born: 1515 in Spain

-Her family: Her dad was really, really pious- strict kinda guy. Her mother was apparently a real girly girl who loved to read romance novel kinda things. Of course she would do it without her husband knowing because he wouldn't allow it! Teresa was one of 10 and her mother passed away when she was 15

-Childhood: She was courageous even as a child. Apparently at the age of 7 her and her brother decided to leave home and go into Moorish territory to be beheaded for Christ! But they got caught by their uncle who brought them home (haha). Not only was she courageous but she was a very outgoing, affectionate, and adaptable person as well.

-Teenage years: (I love this part) It seems that St. Teresa became quite the social butterfly in her teenage years. She was boy-crazy, vain, loved to gossip and picked up her mother's love for romance! In fact, her boy-craziness got to such an extreme in her pious father's eyes that he sent her to a convent!!! (haha)

-In the convent and beyond: After learning things from the nuns and doing some reading of scripture and other religious works Teresa, who had dreamed of getting married, began to wonder if the religious life was for her. Well (obviously) she stayed at the convent and became a Carmelite nun. Right after she became "installed" as a nun she wholeheartedly gave herself to prayer and penance. She had always been ill and got sick a lot and after a few years of continous illness her prayer life became kind of mediocre.

She had a hard time with meditation and this struggle apparently lasted her some 18 years. She was being held back by her desire to be appreciated by others which left her when she received a vision of "the sorely wounded Christ".

After this she began to see many visions and had a very "vivid experience of God's presence within her". Some of her friends and confessors said it was the devil and a few supported her. She became close friends with Jesus. !

On one of the sites I was looking at, it said that at one point she was too attached to her friends and God told her not to really converse with anybody anymore, but just to converse with angels and Himself. After this God became her #1 homie. One day, she was complaining about the way no one supported her (with her visions and all kinds of spiritual gifts they thought was from the devil..) and Jesus told her "Teresa, that's how I treat my friends." and she said "No wonder you have so few friends" (!!!!!!) lol. But since they were so few in number she felt they should be GOOD friends. So she was set to reform the convent which she did. 

There's a lot to this lady. But the main thing is that she is one of two women to be Doctors of the Church. Her teachings on prayer are the church's teachings on prayer. The whole idea of prayer being a conversation is hers.. i think.. or at least it came THROUGH her... anyways!

it goes something like this:

"For mental prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us. The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything."

So anyways.. wow I actually WROTE, like from my MEMORY most of this so I feel tired already lol...

Living it out:

k first of all: HAPPY FEAST DAY TO ME AND ALL OTHER TERESA'S! yayyy haha

I tried to be close buds with Jesus today. I thought of Him a lot more and spoke to Him a lot more. And when I was in my STATS class (haha) I was thinking: "If you have a best friend wouldn't you want to take them around and introduce them to all your other friends? So if Jesus is your best friend..." So i had this kind of Epiphany today.. it was pretty cool! =)

Today I also read from the book of Sirach. It seemed appropriate because that book has some great stuff on Friendship.

OK, I remember making mental notes to myself a lot today but I don't remember half of them =/

Um, At Mass, we had a different priest today and he decided to give a homily which lead to another Epiphany haha. He said that it's not enough, or that you shouldn't think you're good to go if you just go to Mass, confession, tithe, and do all that stuff IF you don't love your neighbor. He said it in a way that made me realize that if we do that, we become just like those bad High Priests that Jesus encountered during his time here. So LOVE LOVE LOVE! Amen! =)

I really can't remember much else, if I do I'll just edit this post ^ -^

-Theresa