We were on a mission! Dave Guerin, one of the mids, is dating a girl at Franciscan University (my Alma Mater); so we grabbed a couple other midshipmen (John and Alexander) and made our way to reunite the two "love birds".
This gave me an AWESOME opportunity to get some good, quality time with the guys. We had a blast driving to Ohio and conversation never ran dry. Upon our arrival, I introduced the fellas to a bunch of my college friends. After grabbing a bite to eat, we went into Pittsburgh for a night of festivities at Hofbrauhaus, a German styled brewery. We danced the night away as the band played some upbeat tunes and traditional polka. It was such a blast!
The next day we went to a packed 10:30 Mass on campus and then went out to our favorite morning brunch spot, State-Line. Super cheap and very delicious. I'm continually amazed by midshipmen and their appetites... definitely a "miraculous" experience. Logically, food was followed by an excellent nap.
We woke up, worked out, and then ate dinner with Josh & Maggie Sweeney, which was a great opportunity for the guys to witness their beautiful, new marriage. Josh is one of my closest friends and it meant a lot to spend time with him. Finally, to top it all off, the guys went swing-dancing with all the Franciscan girls :) For some reason, they really enjoyed that!
Monday rolled around and it was time to depart, it was time to finish our adventure! The ride home went smoothly and the trip was a great success. It was a packed weekend but I sure did love spending time with the guys. There's just something about a road-trip that brings people together!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Exodus and the US Government Today
Ever wondered what we talk about in Bible studies? Well, there are some things that you'll never know (not bad things, just confidential). BUT, I do want to give you a taste of our last topic of conversation because it's important.
We spent some time in the book of Exodus, with Moses, and found some similarities between the Egyptians and the United States today. For instance, when the Israelites were oppressed by Pharaoh, he didn't "know" (yadah in Hebrew) about YAHWEH. This Hebrew word means more than simply "knowing"; it actually signifies an intimate relationship. I.E. when Adam "knew" (yadah) Eve, she conceived a son (Gen 4:1). Is this why boys shouldn't get to know girls? No.. well, at least not in this sense of the word.
How does this relate to today? Well, our US government definitely does not "know" or recognize our God like it used to. More than ever, faith is seen as an obstacle to our government's societal and economic goals. The government has stepped over the line which rightly divides church and state. For instance, the Catholic church believes contraception is intrinsically immoral but the government is now trying to force Catholic institutions to provide birth control and other contraceptives to their employees. How would you feel being forced to do something you believe is immoral? Is this really happening in the Land of the Free?
Thus, from a Catholic perspective, the government has lost sight of God and all that He truly desires for his people. We have to fight against this BUT we must also examine our own consciences! Don't we also push God aside when loving Him isn't so "convenient" any more? Aren't we too guilty of picking and choosing when to recognize God's loving presence in our lives? Do not be afraid! I say this to you and to myself! God is Love and all that He wills is Love! He knows what's best and wants to give it to us. Let's ask for forgiveness for when we have pushed Him aside and begin anew to follow him faithfully. Jesus, I trust in you, I trust in your love for me, and I trust in the things you have in store for my life.
We spent some time in the book of Exodus, with Moses, and found some similarities between the Egyptians and the United States today. For instance, when the Israelites were oppressed by Pharaoh, he didn't "know" (yadah in Hebrew) about YAHWEH. This Hebrew word means more than simply "knowing"; it actually signifies an intimate relationship. I.E. when Adam "knew" (yadah) Eve, she conceived a son (Gen 4:1). Is this why boys shouldn't get to know girls? No.. well, at least not in this sense of the word.
How does this relate to today? Well, our US government definitely does not "know" or recognize our God like it used to. More than ever, faith is seen as an obstacle to our government's societal and economic goals. The government has stepped over the line which rightly divides church and state. For instance, the Catholic church believes contraception is intrinsically immoral but the government is now trying to force Catholic institutions to provide birth control and other contraceptives to their employees. How would you feel being forced to do something you believe is immoral? Is this really happening in the Land of the Free?
Thus, from a Catholic perspective, the government has lost sight of God and all that He truly desires for his people. We have to fight against this BUT we must also examine our own consciences! Don't we also push God aside when loving Him isn't so "convenient" any more? Aren't we too guilty of picking and choosing when to recognize God's loving presence in our lives? Do not be afraid! I say this to you and to myself! God is Love and all that He wills is Love! He knows what's best and wants to give it to us. Let's ask for forgiveness for when we have pushed Him aside and begin anew to follow him faithfully. Jesus, I trust in you, I trust in your love for me, and I trust in the things you have in store for my life.
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