The Seven Sacraments and their Effects

Kiaya Nickens

Christian in the World – period 8

Mr. Sanchez

November 29, 2012

The Seven Sacraments and Their Effects:

1.      A gift of Baptism is the ability to love others as God loves us. How is this ability seen in the women’s treatment of the girls?

The ability to love others as God loves us is present in the actions of the women. The girls that was present in the story was not married but had conceived a child. This is a violation of the Catholic faith. The woman in the story took the position of a midwife and was asked to deliver the baby as well as Baptize the baby in the middle of the night. The women were able to preform this act because she was baptized as an infant as well. She understands the significance of an infant being baptized. Being baptized as an infant has a special significance in which that infant will enter the world with a cleansed life. The woman understands that is important and that is why she agrees to baptize her child. 
2.      At the end of the story the women says in regard to the infant, “I saved him” what does she mean by that statement?

At the end of the story the women says that she has saved the baby. But at the end of the story we learn that the infant has died. The statement the women made saying that she saved the infant refers to her act of baptizing the baby. By the woman preforming baptism on the baby it gives the infant an opportunity to experience life before it died. Baptism allows an infant or anyone else to experience a life with a pure slate, a cleansing of sins, a forgiveness of everything that has been committed up to that point. By the women saying she saved the infant she is referring to its baptism.

 3.         The author describes the journey of the woman to her own home. What is the purpose of this section of the story? What is he trying to convey about the woman through his description?

            The author describes the journey of the woman to her own home to parallel the journey of a person becoming baptized. When a person becomes baptized it is indeed a journey. Baptism has the stages of first being knowledgeable of what baptism entails. Then how it effects one’s life. Then finally what happens after an individual gets baptized, or what their life would be like after their baptism occurs. The purpose of this section of the story is to highlight the importance of the woman baptizing the infant. The author is trying to show that within the story throughout her journey there is another journey occurring. The purpose of the author doing this is to illustrate the parallels between the two events.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Kiaya Nickens

Christian in the World – period 8

Mr. Sanchez

November 26, 2012

Gifts of the Holy Spirit

1.   How do you see the Gifts of the Holy Spirit working in your life?

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are working in my life through the blessings are bestowed upon me. Everyday there are numerous opportunities for things to go the wrong way, or have some way that would harm my life. And the truth is sometimes; things do go the wrong way and harm my life. But every time these events occur they make me not only a stronger person and are able to handle life’s greatest adversities, but also makes me a better Christian. The gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as sacramental ornaments and other signs of our religion have given me the strength to face life’s greatest challenges and adversities. By the gift of Baptism has given me the gift of right judgment. By being cleansed of sins that I have previously committed it has given me the capability to determine and make sound good judgments on what is relatively beneficial to my life. Another gift of the Holy Spirit that I often see in the span of my life is the gift of courage. Because I know I can do all things through Christ, it allows me to courageous to life’s most terrifying acts. It’s frightening to open yourself up to other people, it is frightening to trust people but through the gift of courage Christians are able to do these acts. Each gift is divinely present within my life but these two gifts that I discussed are the two gifts that are most important to me. 

2.    Which Gift of the Holy Spirit do you think you need the most in your life today?

The gift of the Holy Spirit that I believe I need the most in my life is courage. This year especially for me is probably the most frightening nerve wrecking time in my life. It’s the time where all high school students desire as well as fear; the time where you determine what college you decide to enroll in. My entire life, my family has been my rock. They have always been there for me whenever I had a hard time, they have been there to celebrate some of my biggest accomplishments, and have been the ones who criticize my actions to make me an all around better person. Along with my family I have a very small and select group of friends that also do the same. Both my family and my friends make me a better person. And the most frightening thing I can think of is having to leave all the support and love that I receive from them next year. Everyone looks me in the eye and says, nothing will change, you family is your family no matter where you live, but the truth of the matter is things are going to change. It’s going to change a lot next year. Being hundreds of miles away from the ones I love, is definitely a different experience that I am scared of. Not waking up to my mothers voice every morning, not watching football games on Sundays with my dad, not having my best friends at my side every day, it’s all going to change. But leaving next year is not going to be all bad, by leaving my family I will be experiencing a new way of life and be able to grow and mature as an individual. I pray everyday for the presence of the gift of courage so I have the strength to leave everything I am accustomed to and experience a way life that will benefit me in the long run. 

 

Distance Learning #3- Sacramentality

Kiaya Nickens

Christian in the World p.8

Mr. Sanchez

November 9, 2012

Homework: Are Sacraments Narrow?

1.      What is Ludwig’s problem?

Ludwig is confused to as why sacraments are considered a part of grace. He is confused to as why sacraments are needed to bestow the action or attribution of grace. As a Protestant Ludwig describes one having grace as an unmerited attribute, or that one is not contingent on the other.

2.      Explain how the church is not thinking when it comes to sacramentality?

The church is not thinking because the Church does not propose to deny Christ’s universal love toward his followers. And the church strongly condemns the thought of limiting the scope of God’s redemption toward others.

3.      Explain what the church was thinking when it comes to sacramentality?

The church is referring to that there should be an emphasis on how salvation should be a great deal of the relationship between the Him and all of his followers. Therefore a human being will not enter universal redemption without a relationship of salvation.

4.      How does God reveal and give to each individual universal offered grace?

God reveals and gives each human being his universal offered grace through his omnipresence. Through Gods omnipresence his grace is all around us at every point of our lives and also it is present where ever we are currently residing in.

5.      Which Christian doctrine is the foundation for Sacraments?

The Christian doctrine of that God is the body and blood of our catholic faith, or the Eucharist.

6.      Explain what the gob of modern day spirituality is?

The gob of modern day spirituality is the understanding of omnipresence, or the simple understanding that God is everywhere.

7.      Explain the Christian repudiation of spiritual snobbery.

The Christian repudiation of spiritual snobbery is that as a Christian we must not act as though our faith is greater but simply attempt to spread our religion across the universe, or create a sense of universalism of our faith.

8.      “But that was so that he could gross body of flesh to death on the cross and revert back to pure spirituality wasn’t it?” Answer and explain:

The meaning of this statement is referring to that God died on the cross in order for our spirits to revert back to being pure. This is not necessarily true, God died on the cross because he was already aware of all of the sins we were going to commit, and he died on the cross so that we can be forgiven for those sins.

9.      Explain: “That is why the sacramental worldview sees more than just a symbol in a sacrament?”

The reason why the crucifix is seen more than a simple sacrament, but a sign of our forgiveness as an entire race of people.

10.  Explain what G.K. Chesterton said:

G.K. Chesterton said that the difference between the sacramental Real Presence in the Eucharist and the universal grace of God is the difference between saying "The spirit of Jehovah pervades the universe" and saying "Jesus Christ just walked into the room. This means that there is a difference in saying what kind of presence is taking place at that current moment; one meaning that it is an ordinary presence that Jesus always maintains and the other one means is one that has divine intervention.

11.  What does grace do?

Grace gives everyone a sense of security and assurance of knowing that God is always with us even if we cannot see him. Also grace is shown through the sacraments and what sacraments represent.

Distance Learning #2- Divine Sense of Humor

Kiaya Nickens

Christian in the World p.8

Mr. Sanchez

7 November 2012

A Divine Sense of Humor

The meaning of the term “Divine Sense of Humor” refers to the ability for a person to see through things. Not in the sense that one has x-ray vision but in the sense an individual can see through something that is visible and can see what is invisible. The visible aspect of something is the concrete visible aspect of something, and the invisible aspect is to see what that concrete object represents or symbolizes. To be a part of the Catholic faith one has to have a divine sense of humor. Within our faith there are numerous examples of how members of our religion must be able to look beyond the concrete aspects of our religion. For example a sacramental is both seen and unseen. The visible part of a sacramental is obviously what one can see, and the invisible is what that object represents. Baptism for example, the visible part is the water that is present during the ceremony. But there is a part of Baptism that requires a divine sense of humor, a part of Baptism that is unseen. The part of Baptism that is unseen is the washing away of our sins and the purification that comes along with the ceremony. To truly understand Baptism or any other sacrament, or element of the Catholic faith one must have a divine sense of humor.

The mindset of having a divine sense of humor derives from Jesus, through the process of revealing the universe as a divine sense of humor. The universe in itself is compiled land that is surrounded by water which is the visible part of which we all see. But what is invisible to us, is what the universe represents. Jesus had the intention of creating the universe as a tool used to unify us as a human race, the universe is not solely compiled land and water but a tool used to unify the human race.

The attribute of having a divine sense of humor expands further than solely the universe and sacramentals. Some of the most simplest life actions can be classified as a divine sense of humor. For example a handshake is a kind of sacrament in itself, it can be seen. But what lies underneath is what makes an individual have a divine sense of humor. Beneath a handshake it could possibly be a representation of friendship between two people. A kiss, is seen but beneath a kiss lies another invisible aspect of the physical, tangible act. Beneath a kiss could represent a sign of affection between two opposing parties.

A divine sense of humor goes beyond being able to view the unseen. But also entails having a certain mindset that comes along with being a Christian being able to see beyond what we read and recognize about our faith, but what lies underneath our faith, the true essence and meaning of our faith.