Message

As the beloved French folk say, "Adieu," which translates "I commend you to God!" And, you are dear class of 2011, set off to go on your pilgrimage, wherever that journey takes you and whoever that life begs you to become, not alone and with God.

Our hearts and prayers go with you as you venture out and become! Remember always who you are, sons and daughters of a loving and living Creator who hopes, in every moment, on your ever becoming real grown - ups, lovers and caretakers of God's creation, transformers of this world.

Your presence is already missed. Evenso, we await your myriad returnings in life story and song, tales told and songs sung of Innocents' claiming a world that is filled with light, born of justice, and ever proclaiming of peace.

"I don’t want to have lived in vain, like most people. I want to be useful or bring enjoyment to people, even those I have never met. I want to go on living, even after my death. And that’s why I am grateful to God for having given me this gift which I can use to develop and
express all that’s inside me."
*Anna Frank

Reflection - Julie, 'Gotta Be Somebody' by NIckleback

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Antoine is exactly right when he says this. I have loved many people in my life, but not as much as I love the person I am with now. This quote really speaks to me because of the outlook I have on love at this time. Love is never about the physical happiness, but loving a person's personality, ideas, and passions they possess. People tend to fall in love with one another because of where they are going in the future. It is a natural occurrence that only happens, if you’re lucky, once in a lifetime. People tend to find their soul mates through shared experiences, similar outlooks on life, and how much time you spend with them. But being in love with another person does not always mean you spend all of your time with them. I believe what the author is trying to say in this quote is that love is not just about being with that person, but about sharing your desires of life with them. It is not made up of dates, presents, and marriage, it is all about how you share your life together spiritually and emotionally. God brings the person you are supposed to be with to you. If you have the same outlook on God, you are very spiritually connected. You are more connected through the love of God and not by the love and obsession with one another’s physical attributes. Love is kind and we are all connected through God.

Reflection - Sarah, 'My Wish' by Rascal Flatts

But more than anything, more than anything,
My wish, for you, is that this life becomes all that you want it to,
Your dreams stay big, and your worries stay small,
You never need to carry more than you can hold,
And while you're out there getting where you're getting to,
I hope you know somebody loves you, and wants the same things too,
Yeah, this, is my wish.

I heard this song about two years ago and I absolutely fell in love with this song. While thinking about this class, this song seems to fit perfectly with everything that we have covered in this class. I especially love this song because it always makes me think about the power of the human being. When I think about the Meaning of the Universe I believe that the greatest power lies in the hands of God’s people. My favorite part of this song is the chorus because it is filled with powerful messages and I think that the chorus mirrors my personal belief of the meaning of the universe. For me, the most important thing and the most powerful thing that a human being can do in his/her lifetime is to help those around him/her and more importantly to wish good blessings on others even if they are not the best of people. The belief that everyone is beloved goes closely with this song. Even if people make bad decisions in their life or behave cowardly at times, everyone is born beloved and all people in this world should wish good wishes on every person, not just the ones who they know personally. The chorus of this song is perfect at exemplifying my beliefs because in the chorus, all people are blessed with good wishes and not just those people who are the world leaders or who are known to make a difference. Not only is the message of blessing and prayer in this song, I also think this song has an important message about helping others through community service. Even though the song does not specifically say to volunteer many hours to help rebuild houses in New Orleans or in Haiti, more importantly, the song mentions the importance of all the little things in life. The most important message this song portrays is the idea that people need to be willing to go out of their way and show others they care for them through smiling, holding a door, or simply welcoming someone in need into your home. I hope that everyone gets a chance to listen to this song because I believe that it is full of very powerful words teaching very important life lessons.

Reflection - Kendall, 'Free Fallin' ' by Tom Petty and sung by John Mayer

John Mayer's version of Free Fallin' is one of my favorite songs. It is a fun song to play on the guitar because it is in my perfect voice range and is sweet sounding. The first line describes me: "she's a good girl loves her Momma, loves Jesus, and America too". Having a light feel to it, this song is able to characterize my personality because I am a very light-hearted and happy person. But Tom Petty wrote the lyrics describing a break up he regrets. While the melody is delicate and lighthearted, the lyrics behind the music describe a loss of a relationship. I have had many friendships that have withered away and they have caused a tremendous amount of emotional tension in my life. During these friendships I saw somewhat of a free fall, where things were going great and then I realized that it was not a healthy friendship for me to be in just before it ended, hitting the ground. But looking back at them I realize I regret the decisions I made to end the friendships that could have been great, had I devoted the time to work on them. But after being blessed to be a part of this wonderful class, I realized that I can be chosen and blessed in a relationship that is healthy and that allows me to grow in myself. I now have a friendship with a dear friend Olivia where I have truly given myself and have been able to develop a strong friendship that I will have for the rest of my life with no fear of “free falling”. Looking at the last verse of this song really shows my high school career coming to an end. Relating the last couple of lines back to myself, as I come closer to graduation I notice that I am trying to slow time down because once I “leave this world” or state to go to university, my friendships will go through the test of time and I am trying to save every moment I possibly can to savor the memories I have made here.

She’s a good girl

Loves her mama

Loves Jesus

And America too

She’s a good girl

Crazy ‘bout Elvis

Loves horses

And her boyfriend too, yeah, yeah

And it’s a long day

Livin’ in Reseda

There’s a freeway runnin’ through the yard

I’m a bad boy

‘cause I don’t even miss her

I’m a bad boy

For breakin’ her heart

And I’m free free fallin’ fallin’

And I’m free free fallin’ fallin’

All the vampires

Walkin’ through the valley

They move west down

Ventura Boulevard

And all the bad boys

Are standing in the shadows

And the good girls

Are home with broken hearts

I wanna glide down over Mulholland

I wanna write her her name in the sky

I’m gunna free fall out ito nothin’

Oh I’m gonna leve this this world for a while

Reflection - Alex, 'Feelin' Good' by Michael Buble

“Feelings, whether of compassion or irritation, should be welcomed, recognized, and treated on an absolutely equal basis; because both are ourselves. The tangerine I am eating is me. The mustard greens I am planting are me. I plant with all my heart and mind. I clean this teapot with the kind of attention I would have were I giving the baby Buddha or Jesus a bath.

Nothing should be treated more carefully than anything else. In mindfulness, compassion, irritation,

mustard green and teapot are all sacred.”

Thich Nhat Hanh (1926- )

There is a great truth that is spoken in this quote. We all have an ugly side, and although we often choose to disown and hide it, it is indeed a part of us. We all have feelings that are angry or mean or evil or unkind, and secretly we acknowledge it. It is the dirty laundry of our mind, and like laundry, if we choose to bury and hide it, the pile only accumulates more as time goes on. We have to wash our dirty laundry by acknowledging it and confronting it instead of letting the smell grow. These thoughts are also like laundry because everyone has them. We are all equally guilty of fostering thoughts of an undesirable nature at some point or another. We should not be ashamed for having fostered such thoughts. What we should be ashamed of is our denial of such thoughts. We should be ashamed if instead of confronting these thoughts we flee from them, as if somehow if we run fast enough we can escape the darkness in them, when that darkness is part of us. We needn’t fear the dark side of ourselves, for darkness is only the absence of light. It is important for us to illuminate these thoughts with equal light as we do our loving and kind thoughts, for each is an integral part of us. Without dark there is no light, no hot without cold, no good without evil, no left without right, and no high without low.

Reflection - Jade, 'Bruised' by Jack's Mannequin

I have chosen to reflect on the song “Bruised” by Jack’s Mannequin because it is not only my favorite song, but also, every time it comes on whether it be in the car or in my room, it seems to speak to me with its calm and telling lyrics. Besides the lyrics being so compelling and real, this song also touches my life because it reminds me of certain instances and a certain time period in my life. Throughout my sophomore and junior year, I went through stages that we discussed in class after reading Life of the Beloved; a time that I felt both blessed and broken alternately. I feel that there are rarely things in life that can comfort someone in both times of happiness and sadness but this song did and still does just that. This song is about finding oneself as you lose another. The chorus of the song discusses counting minutes and making time last. These couple of verses immediately remind me of a Life of the Beloved passage about taking advantage of life and not living in such an “autopilot” mode. As I previously mentioned, being broken directly relates to this song and being broken after losing someone you have loved. Not literally losing someone necessarily but losing them in spirit. The times of brokenness that are spoken of in this song are very realistic and relate to my life in general. The peace and well being that I feel after listening to this song is something that almost nothing else could compare to.

Reflection - Kyle, 'Furr' by Blitzen Trapper

Foremost, whenever I hear this song, the lyrics are almost alive. They create an amazing, movie-like sequence that I replay every time I hear it. One thing that grabs my attention first is the way in which the boy, near our age, walks around with nature. Many times have I gone over to the national park near my home and run the trails there. I understand why people retreat into nature, seeing how serene it is. I love the way he refers to the she-wolf as his “mother”, and her howls are like a dinner bell, calling him home. The way people isolate themselves from nature has always confused me; we are just a part of nature as the ant we step on or the snake in the garden. His retreat back, literally, into nature is what strikes me the most, becoming synonymous with nature and becoming wild while throwing away artificial things like objects and society. Like in literary Romanticism, nature and God are the same, just like in the song and how he turns his “obedience to God” as he howls with his wolf family. The chorus also speaks to me in a way I interpret it to mean everything is skin deep. You can wear your skin, but what matters is not what is on the outside and what people see of you, but what you have created for yourself internally. This is what I think the most important part is, the internal truth and having it howl to the highest truth: the mixture of nature and God.

Reflection - John, 'Once in a Lifetime' by Talking Heads

Recently I had my IPod on shuffle and came across this song. It had been years since I had I heard it and it was about the time we were doing our unit on water during class. Not only did the song relate to what we were learning in class but I believed the song had even greater meaning. I believe the song is trying to convey a deeper message to its listeners. The song talks about finding yourself in a multitude of situations and asking one’s self 'how did I get here?' What I believe the song is trying to say is that in the words of my favorite movie Ferris Bueller “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” To me this means instead of trying to rush through life as fast you can, one should try to slow things down and enjoy life from a moment-to-moment basis. This song really made me think about my life because I’m at a point in my life where I’m about to graduate high school. It really made me think to myself, 'how did I get here?' and even made think about my life to this point. And as of recently I haven’t been looking ahead to major events, but just taking life one day at a time and enjoying every moment. The song makes you realize that this life is precious and you should enjoy everything you can.

Reflection - KK, 'Tears in Heaven' by Eric Clapton

“Do your little bit of good where you are;

it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

-Desmond Tutu

Humans are not capable to do everything they want to do. However, all human beings can do something. If all of us choose to do something, that is going to make a great change.

What I just stated can be proven easily when disaster occurs. For instance, after a natural disaster happens, people suffer the loss of their properties and family members. At this time, not only is money needed for the rebuilding but also mental support. The number of people who are influenced by the accident can be large. If nobody besides the government decides to help, then it will take a long time for the public to recover. Nonetheless, if people in that city are willing to help, then we get some help. What if people from other parts of the country also offer assistance, then we get more help. Moreover, if people from other parts of the world make their minds up to help out, the help people receive undergoing the tragedy will be greater. As a result, it is going to be much easier to help those people make progress in going back to their normal life. I was impressed how many people are eager to be of assistance. The majority of people who go to Haiti are from somewhere outside of Haiti, but it is surprising to see how their help is making a difference to comfort the Haitian people as well as to reconstruct the society.

This quote tells us never to hesitate giving a hand to other people, even it is something trivial. Because every little counts!

Reflection - Ret, 'My Wish' by Rascal Flatts

In thinking about a meaning quote, I have chosen a quote from the song “My Wish” by Rascal Flatts. The quote is “I hope that the days come easy and the moments pass slow, and each road leads you where you want to go, and if you're faced with a choice, and you have to choose, I hope you choose the one that means the most to you.” For the first part of this quote I think this it is saying to relax and cherish each moment that you have because it might be a happy moment that you will never want to let go and you never can tell what will happen to you next. So seize the day, Carpe diem. The next part of the quote is saying that you have the choices on which way in life you want to go or how you want to live your life, but hopefully they all go to where you want to go. This I think is the most important part because what you chose to do now may set you up for the future. The last part, I think kind of goes with the part before it in a way that if your faced with a choice, to choose the one that is meaningful to you because it may affect you now or in the future when living out in the big world alone or happily married with kids who will model you. After hearing this song for the first time, it has been my favorite song since because to me it has a powerful meaning to it.

Reflection - Charlie, 'Castles Made of Sand' by Jimi Hendrix

As I look back on my life I can only think of one song that truly meant a lot to me. 'Castles Made of Sand' by Jimi Hendrix might not be the most lyrically astounding record of all time but it does offer some great life lessons to me. It’s a pretty depressing song if you think about it, really. The lyrics tell about a drunk who has been left by his wife, and a handicapped girl who ends her own life by falling off the edge of a cliff. But if you look past just the plain lyrics of the song you can really understand Hendrix’s point here. He is talking about his own life, and the things he would have liked to do about it. When he is talking about castles made of sand, I believe he is talking about the dreams he wished he could have achieved. Throughout the song, he gives us his thoughts on relationships, how he thinks they are very frustrating and fragile at times. No matter what it is he is talking about, Jimi poetically sings about the many bad things that will happen to us in life, and how we should overcome them as life moves on. Our dreams can be crushed at any moment in our lives, and we have to live past that. When you combine Hendrix’s lyrical ingenuity along with his masterful guitar skills, only good things can happen. In my point of view, not only does this song’s lyrics deliver a great meaning to me, but also the instrumentals truly deliver the meaning even further.

Reflection - John, 'Courage to Grow' by Rebolution

Part I

“Its time for the world to unite as a human race.”-Bob Marley

When asked to think about a particular quote that conveys a strong message and influences me exponentially. The quote above almost always lingers in my mind. This quote has substantial meaning to me. I admire Bob Marley, he is one of my inspirations, and this quote sums up the kind of peaceful all caring man he was. Bob Marley believed in one love and one life, this means that all the people in the world should unite and be together instead of fighting over oil and other pathetic reasons for war. He believed that he could bring people together through his music and let the people feel the good vibrations his music brought to us even though there is much turmoil going on throughout the world. This quote is my favorite quote of all time because of the wonderful message it conveys. Another reason why I find this quote so important is because it’s not depressing or sad. It’s a true quote for inspiration. It makes people want to go out into the world and change it for the better. It unites all kinds of people under one. Hence the “one love, one life” I stated earlier about Bob Marley’s beliefs. I chose this quote because I look at it everyday, and think about it very deeply and carefully always coming to the same conclusion. It’s time to make a change, and bring people all as one. Lastly, this quote has so much meaning to me that I put it as one of my senior quotes.

Part II

Song: “Courage to Grow”-Rebelution

Part of the lyrics:

This is a song for those

Who lost their hope

A long a long time ago

I know someday that you will find it somehow

Because you're not too old

To accomplish goals

And all the answers are within your soul

Its up to you, you got to figure it out

Uh huh

Whether you want love or money

Good fortune or fame

You want a brand new card

You want the world to change

You better take some action right now, oh yes

Because there's nothing in the world that you can't get

So don't fill your life with confusion and regret

You better take some chances right now

Well you can gain the world

But for the price of your soul

Yes I know, well I know, yes I know

You can gain the world for the price of your soul

But I hope you take the road less traveled

And I hope you find the courage to grow

Well I hope you find the courage to grow

This is one of my favorite songs of all time, and Rebelution is one of my favorite bands of all time. This is just one of the many meaningful songs they provide. Its not just useless non-lyrical rambling like most of the music now-a-days. It’s poetic and provides a good message, and it just makes you feel good and makes you happy the things music should do. I chose this song because of the unbelievable message it conveys. It said when you have lost all hope and have nothing else in the world to not give up, and to keep going. No matter what it is you can achieve it. It might not come easy, but if you want the world to change, if you want your soul to change, if you want your bad situation to change, go out there and change it! This message I have found very valuable through this past year of my life. I listened to this song to gain hope, and just to be filled with happiness as this song provides me. Although like a majority of our teen population I listen to music for the message within the song, and its happy lyrical message given. Much of our generation listens to the most ignorant horrible stuff I have ever heard. Its nice to have a band like Rebelution that not only makes you feel good about yourself, but also provides a strong go out there and change the world or yourself for the better message.

Reflection - Zach, 'The One Who Loved You the Most' by Brett Dennen

"When you forgive your imperfections,

And you’ve auctioned all your clothes,

And you look to see your true reflection,

You will be the one who loves you the most ..."

Brett Dennen -“The One Who Loves You The Most”

In life in order to love others one has to first figure out who they truly are first. And trust me, I know that finding oneself can be quite the daunting task. This can be especially difficult with all of the modern societal distractions that are posed to young people today, such as the modern forms of gossiping and social networking; not to even mention the struggle for greed and other monetary items. One of the toughest things a young person faces is unmasking all of these fake and unimportant covers that society tries to tell us are important, and realize that the most important things in life are loving one another, and not in the romantic sense, but more along the lines of caring for each other and supporting others when they are hurt and wounded. I believe the songwriter, Brett Dennen, is trying to uncover a sense of true being, and loving people for their “true reflection” and who they are at their core. And I honestly believe that this true reflection he speaks of is in every one of us! I know that may sound corny, but it is the honest truth, we were meant to be God’s keepers on Earth, and try to live life to the fullest, most honest sense. And in order to achieve this goal, we all have to “forgive (our) imperfections” because we are not perfect and never will be, but we should forgive our own flaws and accept them for what they are. Because if I’m only worried about myself how can I possibly care for and love another person? I believe that when people look beyond the material hazards that life continues to present us, we will be able to see the beauty in every one of us, and “unmask the world around us” through loving and cherishing one another.

Reflection - Kathryn, 'Unanswered Prayers' by Garth Brooks

“Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers

Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care

Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers.”

This song is one of my all time favorite songs. Not because it is catchy or because the melody is pretty, but because behind the music there is so much feeling and so much soul. I honestly think that the lyrics of this song can be applied to everyone everywhere. The idea of unanswered prayers is something that we may not always look at as a positive thing. Usually when we ask God for something, whether it be forgiveness, help or simply things, we typically want those things now and not at a later date or in a different form. The thing about unanswered prayers is that, at the time, it can seem like God has just forgotten about us or does not believe that we deserve what we asked for. When I feel that way I know that I question whether or not I have done something wrong to make God not want to help me or I question whether God just doesn’t listen sometimes. It is hard to look to the future and see that maybe what you wanted today is not what you really need in the future. The reason that this song affects me so much is because in those times when I wonder if God has let me down, it helps to remind me that God has a plan for all of us and we just need to trust and to believe in Him. If we trust God, I believe that the he will help us on our path, even when that help does not all come in the form or at the time that we expect. That is what I believe this song means and stands for. It is a song about our trust in God and His plan for us.

Reflection - Christie, 'Forever Young' by Bob Dylan

May God bless and keep you always

May your wishes all come true

May you always do for others

And let others do for you

May you build a ladder to the stars

And climb on every rung

May you stay forever young

May you stay forever young.

- Bob Dylan, “Forever Young”

This song is one of my favorite songs of all time. I think Bob Dylan is presenting his listeners with a great message by telling them to stay forever young. He does not necessarily mean that we need to, or even can, stay young forever, but rather, that we must live life as if we were young and full of dreams and opportunities. He talks (sings) about the importance of “do[ing] for others” and “let[ting] others do for you”. I think this is an important message and one that is so often forgotten. Oftentimes, we get caught up in ourselves and forget to think about others. Other times, we work so hard to help other people that we either are too proud to receive their help in return, or we are too busy or preoccupied to realize that we are not invincible and need help from others. Therefore, I think this serves as an excellent reminder. He also says we must “build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung”. This is an excellent metaphor for working for our dreams, and can be extended to the time my classmates and I are currently going through. As we prepare to enter college and start a new time in our lives, we will be opened to opportunities and experiences we never knew existed, and I think that it is in this time in which it is the most important that we aim high for our dreams, and always continue living as if we were “forever young”.

Reflection - Lauren, 'Love, Love, Love' by Tristan Prettyman

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

When I love him I simply do not look at him while standing still. We both understand that the present moment is constantly the next moment that changes; in order to love someone you must love them in motion. Love is something I cherish; both my boyfriend and I do, for when we exchange the words it is not done insincerely. But to stand still and enjoy the now is all fine and good, but to love someone is to move with them. It doesn’t matter what else is going on in the world, and we don’t have to make plans we just know in the end that we’ll work it out. We keep moving forward, for that is the only way for love to last, to step into the future together and not stay stubbornly in the present. Yes, I worry what will come when I venture off to college, but for now we love together instead of standing still for we look ahead for possibilities. But despite what the future might bring we have all of our love, and that is all that truly matters as long as we look forward together. I know for now what I would like in my future and my boyfriend wants the same, so we unite and work towards our goal for it is the best we can do in this busy world with so much unnecessary chaos. Love gets left behind, but I know for a fact that it will not if we both desire the same things from our love and work for it.

Reflection - Alex, 'Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts

“We are living in a world that is absolutely transparent and God is shining through it all the time. God moanifests himself everywhere, in everything- in people and in things and in nature and in events… The only thing is we don’t see it…But the gate of heaven is everywhere.”- Thomas Menton

“Every long lost dream led me to where you are

Others who broke my heart they were like Northern stars

Pointing me on my way into your loving arms

This much I know is true

That God blessed the broken road

That led me straight to you”- Rascal Flatts

As I read the above quote, a chord stuck in my heart. Everyone goes through heartache: whether it is something as severe as losing your child or as trivial as not being invited to a seemingly close friend’s birthday party. But the fact of the matter is that whether it seems to be a small problem to you, it is a very real and parasitic trouble to the afflicted person, and everyone, no matter what class, race or social status, encounters these setbacks. When asked why I believe in God by skeptics, people often accompany “Well how can you believe in a God if there is so much hurt and suffering in the World?” When first hearing this question, I was dumbstruck in Bible Study in 10^th grade. Our Bible Study leader, a Methodist, replied that everything happens for a reason. As several thoughts tumbled around, I wondered if everything happens for a reason, than why does God allow his people to be so hurt? After several nights of conversing with God, I came up with my own conclusion: that we all have the right to go with God or go against Him and that He cannot control many of the causes of suffering, like disease, and especially cannot control how people behave and act. God is everywhere, working in small ways, giving light and hope to all those who open their eyes to him. Every night, I pray for my friends and family, asking God to help them through their problems and search for the good out of the seemingly horrible situation. If you keep a positive attitude and are vigilant for the signs of God, than all of the hurt and suffering in your life can vanish and lead to great things. That is why I chose the song 'Bless the Broken Road' by Rascal Flatts. It shows that even in the worst of times, life will always work itself out if you let it.

Reflection - Kat, 'Don't Blink' by Kenny Chesney

"Don’t blink, life goes fast than you think" is a quote from one of my favorite songs. Being a senior in high school, this quote really affects me emotionally and I can really relate to it. I keep thinking about how fast my life is going by and I have very mixed emotions about it. Part of me is excited to graduate and experience the many changes I will be going through these next years and the other part of me is a little scared and sad about it. It’s going to be hard leaving my friends I have had for most of my life, and not living with my family any more; it is very overwhelming to think about. It seems like just yesterday I was graduating 5^th grade and I was so nervous changing schools and coming to Holy Innocents. That feeling has come back to me, but this time it’s a little more serious than graduating 5^th grade. I keep asking myself questions like if I made the right college choice, if I could have worked harder in high school, or if I made the right decisions about relationships with my friends and family. I know this chapter in my life is coming to an end but I know that a whole new one is opening and I want to make the most out of it. Life definitely goes by in the blink of an eye and I hope the next chapter in my life coming up is even better than the first one.

Reflection - Olivia, 'Heart Like Mine' by Miranda Lambert

“The eyes with which I see God is the eye with which God sees me.”

Meister Eckhart (1260-1327)

Growing up, I strongly believed that no matter who you were God would love you endlessly. If God created you, how you were and how you thought and behaved, why would he stop loving you? God sees you how you see yourself, and I believe Meister Eckhart was correct when stating that. This concept reminds me of a specific song called “Heart Like Mine” by Miranda Lambert. In the song she talks about her life and all these things upon which people may frown, for example how she got a tattoo or how she occasionally will smoke a cigarette. In the chorus she states:

'Cause I heard Jesus, He drank wine

I bet we'd get along just fine

He could calm a storm and heal the blind

And I bet He'd understand a heart like mine

She says this in the song that no matter what she does in her life, what things people may judge her about, she knows she will always be seen perfectly in God’s eyes. I believe that the chorus of “Heart Like Mine” and the quote that Meister Eckhart expressed go hand in hand. God sees you how you see yourself, and if you love yourself for who you are, God will love you regardless. It doesn’t matter if you like to drink, smoke cigarettes, are gay, or even have a tattoo. God made you as who you are and will love you no matter what.

Entry Six, Semester Two, Journal Six - Monday, March 28, 2011

Select any one of the characters in Ushpizin and illustrate the character's movements through – Chosen, Blessed, Broken, Given.

Characters of note are Moshe Bellange, Malli, Scorpio, and Yussef.

On Meaning, assignment due Monday, March 14, 2011

Please answer the following questions (2-3 complete sentences) on the conclusion ('Given,' 'Living as the Beloved,' and 'Epilogue' of Life of the Beloved.

1.
"Our humanity comes to its fullest bloom in giving"(Beloved, 106). What are some ways, in your life, you give?

2.
In the world, many times, with what does happiness have to do?

3.
On page 132, Nouwen illuminates us in terms of the world, our source, and true living. Take a look at this vision. Are we able to articulate this understanding to one another, in our own words? Please state in your own words.

4.
Nouwen writes, "Living the spiritual life means living as one unified reality." What is the unified reality Nouwen describes. Please, in your own words, help illustrate this reality.

5.
In the Epilogue, Nouwen asks, "Is there anything in our world that we can call 'sacred'? Is there? Share a list of "things" you consider 'sacred'.
(Sacred - worthy of veneration; holy-entitled to reverence or respect.)

Entry Five, Semester Two, Journal Five - Monday, March 14, 2011

"A happy life is a life lived for others. That truth, however, is usually discovered when we are confronted with our brokenness"(Beloved, 106).

When in your life have you discovered that your own experience of brokenness brought you closer, in relationship, to another person? Tell the story.

On Meaning, assignment due Wednesday, March 2 and Thursday, May 3, 2011

Please conclude reading of Henri Nouwen's Life of the Beloved. Be prepared to discuss.

Entry Four, Semester Two, Journal Four - Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Please read through the section on "Broken" and journal on the following:

In your memory, recall a time when you first discovered that life would not be perfect. Tell this story. How does this recalling move you? Do you find that you are strengthened or challenged in any way with this recalling? How?

On Meaning, assignment due Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Henri Nouwen and one of his many friends at L'Arche.

Read through page 83 of Henri Nouwen's Life of the Beloved and be prepared to discuss the following:

On Being the Beloved

1. Nouwen states on page 30 that “ ‘You are my Beloved’ [reveals] the most intimate truth about all human beings.” What truth does it reveal?

2. According to Nouwen, what is “friendship … all about?”

3. Let’s consider Nouwen’s statements about self rejection and arrogance that begin on page 31. In your understanding, do these statements ring true?

4. On pages 36 -37, Nouwen makes a long list of statements about all of God’s human creation. From where did these statements originate?

On Becoming the Beloved: “Taken”

1. On page 45 Nouwen writes “ … the spiritual life is not simply a way of being, but also a way of becoming, what then is the nature of this

becoming?” Help explain.

2. In the section entitled Becoming the Beloved, Nouwen begins to use liturgical images to illustrate the life of the Beloved. How?

3. In Nouwen’s discussion of being “Taken” or “Chosen,” describe the three disciplines he believes help us to live fully into the life of the beloved.

On Becoming the Beloved: “Blessed”

1. On page 68, Nouwen teaches us about the word “blessing.” What does the word mean?

2. What are Henri’s two suggestions for claiming your blessedness?

Reflection:

Take a moment to consider a time or place wherein you felt chosen. Please illustrate. Then, consider a time or place wherein you felt a sense that many, with you, were chosen, how did both these instances make you feel/ or in what ways did they make you think?

Entry Two and Three, Semester Two, Journal Two and Three - Monday, February 14, 2011

1. Recall, briefly, the friendship that begins this story. Describe the two individuals. How are they similar? Different? What brings the two gentlemen together as friends?

2. As different as Nouwen and Bratman are from one another,

Nouwen illustrates another vision on p. 19:

“In the midst of the many changes in our lives, both of us came into closer touch with our deeper desires. Different though our circumstances were, we both had to deal with the pains of rejection and separation, and both of us realized increasingly our desire for intimacy and friendship. To avoid being drowned in bitterness and resentment, we both had to draw on our deepest spiritual resources. Differences became less important, similarities more obvious. As our friendship grew deeper and stronger, our desire for a common spiritual foundation became more explicit.”

How does this description change the way we are able to see humanity?

3. Not wanting him to give up his dreams, Nouwen says to Bratman, “You are young, full of energy, well trained . . . Everything is possible for you . . . . Why let the world squeeze you in? . . . Why become the victim? You are free to do what you want -- if, that is, you really want it!”

What are the risks that Nouwen and Bratman demand of one another? Why would a person choose this kind of risk? Have you in your life ever taken a risk stretching you as Henri and Fred are stretched?

Reflection:

In your own life, tell the story of a friend whose presence in your life changed you, seemingly for good or ill. What characteristics do you assign both yourself and this friend as you look back and reflect on this relationship?

Message-on Wednesday, February 9 and Thursday, February 10

Please find and bring Henri Nouwen's Life of the Beloved to class.

Entry One, Semester Two, Journal One B- Wednesday, February 2 and Thursday, February 3

The Dalai Lama articulates "In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher." As we have watched the holy Lama's story in Martin Scorcese's Kundun, we certainly see this as true. Describe how the Dalai Lama practiced this truth in his own life. Also, consider your own life, imagine an "enemy" in your life. How might this person's life better teach you the practice of tolerance?

Entry One, Semester Two, Journal - Wednesday, January 19 and Thursday, January 20

Everyone’s life story is sacred – yours is a sacred biography. The Buddha believes nirvana is in all things and at all times. Consider the Buddha’s reflections on nirvana. Consider this day and, if necessary, another day – tell a story of nirvana happening.