The meaning of Vocation
The meaning of Vocation This is the meaning of Vocation in the words of Pope John Paul II: I TURN ESPECIALLY to you, boys and girls, young and not so young, who find yourselves at the decisive moment of choice. I would like to meet you one by one, call you by your name, talk to you heart to heart of things extremely important not only for yourself, but for the whole of humanity. I would like to ask each one of you: What will you do with your life? What are your plans? Have you ever thought of committing your existence totally to Christ? Do you think that there can be anything greater than to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus? Our interior gaze extends to the limitless horizons of our hopes and aspirations. And in the midst of all of life's contradictions, we search for life's true meaning. We wonder and ask, Why? Why am I here? Why am I alive at all? What must I do? None of you is alone in posing these questions. Humanity as a whole feels the pressing need to give sense and purpose to a world which is increasingly complicated and difficult to be happy in. You are at the great crossroads of your lives and you must decide how your future can be lived happily, accepting the responsibilities which you hope will be placed squarely on your shoulders, playing an active role in the world around you. You ask me for encouragement and guidance, and most willingly I offer some
Examine how different writers present the theme of Christmas
Examine how different writers present the theme of Christmas I am going to look at three Christmas Poems and compare the way the poets present the theme of Christmas, looking at the similarities and differences between them. The poems I have chosen are "Ballad of the Bread Man" and "Innocent's Song", which are both by Charles Causley, and "A poem for Christmas" by Raymond Soutster. All the poems are describing a slightly different aspect of Christmas. "Ballad of the Bread Man" is describing the religious aspect of Christmas and telling the Story of both Christmas and Easter and the life of Jesus whereas "Innocent's Song" although it is still describing the religious side of Christmas, describes the Story of King Herod who ordered all the baby boys to be killed. It shows the darker side of Christmas that no one really thinks about "Why when he caws his carol does the salty snow run red". It shows that when all the rest of the world is celebrating a time of peace, there is still evil about. It is warning us to beware, by reminding us of Herod as most of us don't realise that Christmas does have a dark, evil side to it that most people forget about. "Watch where he comes walking out of the Christmas flame". This makes it quite original and surprising, as it is not what you would expect a Christmas poem to be about. "A poem for Christmas" however is all about the
Traditions and holidays of Great Britain
Traditions and holidays of Great Britain. Every nation and every country has its own traditions and customs. Traditions make a nation special. Some of them are old-fashioned and many people remember them, others are part of people's life. Some British customs and traditions are known all the world. From Scotland to Cornwall, Britain is full of customs and traditions. A lot of them have very long histories. Some are funny and some are strange. But they are all interesting. There is the long menu of traditional British food. There are many royal occasions. There are songs, saying and superstitions. They are all part of the British way of life. You cannot really imagine Britain without all its traditions, this integral feature of social and private life of the people living on the British Isles that has always been an important part of their life and work. English traditions can classified into several groups: traditions concerning the Englishmen's private life (child's birth, wedding, marriage, wedding anniversary); which are connected with families incomes; state traditions; national holidays, religious holidays, public festival, traditional ceremonies. What about royal traditions? There are numerous royal traditions in Britain, some are ancient, others are modern. The Queen is the only person in Britain with two birthdays. Her real birthday is on April 21st, but she has
The disciples were ordinary people who Jesus ask to follow him it is strange that Jesus did not pick any particular person, he just chose four fishermen to be his most loyal companions who would be prepared to die, suffer, be rejected, and go to prison.
The disciples were ordinary people who Jesus ask to follow him it is strange that Jesus did not pick any particular person, he just chose four fishermen to be his most loyal companions who would be prepared to die, suffer, be rejected, and go to prison. The following story (1:16-20) tells us how Jesus called his first disciples. As Jesus walked along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw two fishermen, Simon and his brother Andrew, catching fish in a net. Jesus said to them, ''Come with me and I will teach you to catch people'' at once they left their nets and followed him. He went a farther on and saw two brothers James and John, the sons of Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and went with Jesus. In chapter 2 verses 13-20 Jesus chose a tax collector Levi (who was considered as a sinner) to be one of his disciples and had dinner at his house when some Pharisee's saw this they asked the disciples ''why dose he eat with these outcasts?'' Jesus heard this and answered ''people who are well do not need a doctor. But only those who are sick. I have not come for respectable people but outcasts.'' There are seven more disciples other than Levi, Simon, Andrew, James and John their names are: Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, James, Thaddaeus, Simon and Judas Iscariot. Jesus expected all these men to have certain qualities like putting their self last in all things, being prepared to
I am going to write about three different poems, which have a different view about Christmas.
Christmas Poems I am going to write about three different poems, which have a different view about Christmas. The first poem I am writing about is "Journey of the Magi" by T.S. Eliot. T.S. Eliot went into great depth in philosophy. He experienced religious callings and this has made his poems more unique and hard to understand. You have to explore the poem as he did with his life. The title of this poem-"Journey of the Magi" gives a big clue about what the poem might be about. The magi were the three kings who travelled to see the baby Jesus by following the bright star. The word "magi" makes the reader think of the nativity story and the travelling of the kings to see the New born king and also the religion he brought into the world. The poet might have picked to use the word "journey" to imply that the visit was special and meaningful. The poet could have used the word 'travel' but this word sounds simple and boring. The word travel is usually used for everyday travelling to one place to another, whilst the word journey sounds more spiritual. Perhaps T.S. Eliot used the word journey to make his writing sound more spiritual. After having read the poem, we know that it is about the three kings and their hard journey to the baby Jesus. It is part of the nativity story in detail. I think the poet tried to think of himself as one of the magi and imagined how it would have
What Is a Pilgrimage?
WHAT IS A PILGRIMAGE? A pilgrimage is a journey undertaken for a religious reason. Since the time of Jesus Christians have visited the places associated with his birth, life and death. In addition to these sites in Israel there are many other centres of Christian pilgrimage Lourdes in France, Walsingham, and Canterbury in England, Holywell and Saint Davids in Wales, Rome, to name but a few. The Roman Catholic Church has always taught that pilgrimage is a useful way to strengthen one's Christian faith. The Protestant Churches generally rejected the idea of pilgrimage because they believe that if it gives people the wrong idea about God. Pilgrimage was always popular in the Middle Ages, and is increasingly in popularity again, perhaps because Christians are searching for a Christian identifying in the hurly-burly of the twentieth century life. WHY I WENT ON A PILGRIMAGE I have three reasons why I went on a pilgrimage. They are: * To visit the sites of Jesus' birth, life and death in order to experience the atmosphere and gain a deeper understanding of his teaching. * To walk in his footsteps of a saint who was very special to us (Christians), especially if a miracle is connected to the site of the pilgrimage. * To thank God for a blessing he has given them. * To be with fellow Christians from all round the globe. Christianity THE HOLY LAND AND WHAT I DID I began my
Christianity - Major Divisions and Interpretations.
Paper 3 Christianity - Major Divisions and Interpretations Section B Introduction For this piece of coursework, I need to study two modern Christian groups. The two Christian groups I have chosen to study are the Roman Catholic Church and the Salvation Army. I have chosen the Roman Catholic Church because I am familiar with this denomination as I have been brought up as a Roman Catholic. I decided to study the Salvation Army as it is a denomination I am less familiar with. This will allow me to make informed comparisons of similarity and differences between the two denominations. I have already studied the origins and developments of the two groups. Next, I will look into the way the groups worship and their lifestyles. Lastly, I will discuss whether Christians should unite and overcome any differences between the denominations. Catholic Church The teachings and beliefs of the Catholic Church are portrayed in many different ways. The common theme within these different ways is the mass. The liturgy of the mass is exactly the same in each church across Britain and the Roman Catholic World. If you were to attend a mass which used this basic liturgy then it would probably last about 20 minutes. In most parishes, this form of the mass is used for morning weekday masses and early Sunday morning mass. The other masses said at any particular parish have additions to them that
The Story of Christmas and the Christ Child
The Story of Christmas and the Christ Child When Rome was a great Empire ruled by Caesar Augustus and Israel was governed by King Herod, in the village of Nazareth lived Joseph and Mary. Joseph was a carpenter and Mary was a young virgin who would become his wife. Mary told Joseph of a dream in which she was visited by an angel who told her she had been chosen to bear the Son of God and his name was to be Jesus. One day the emperor sent notice that all persons were to register for a new tax. They were instructed to return to the towns of their birth. Joseph and Mary left Nazareth for Bethlehem. Mary who was with child, and close to the birth, rode on a donkey while Joseph walked beside her. They traveled for many days and only rested at night. When they reached Bethlehem it was night. They looked for a place to rest but Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. No one knows the exact date of Christ's birth, but most Christians observe Christmas on December 25. On this day, many go to church, where they take part in special religious services. During the Christmas season, they also exchange gifts and decorate their homes with holly, mistletoe, and Christmas trees. The word Christmas comes from Cristes maesse, an early English phrase that means Mass of Christ. The story of Christmas comes chiefly from the Gospels of Saint Luke and
Racism in Society in the Past and Today. How do Christians view racism?
What Is Meant By The Word Racism? The Legal definition of Racism - "The term "racial discrimination" shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life." Racism consists of two factors, prejudice and power. Racism is when a racist exploits his beliefs onto someone else, both physically and/or mentally. Racists believe that a particular race of people is superior to another - judged souly upon the colour of their skin, race or even religion. Whether it being conciously or subconciously. A victim of racism can suffer psychologically; constant racist remarks may be destructive and may cause extreme insecurity. Racism causes people to form groups with people of the same skin colour, which leads to divided society. Racists oppose democratic equality and human rights. Although racial segregation has been lawfully disabled, racism is still a major issue in the world today and is difficult to combat. Some people may think that people are born racist - when we grow up, we believe everything our parents tell us. When we're young, we're oblivious to opinions and other facts
Reformation in Europe
Examine and comment on the causes of the Reformation in Europe. Introduction Reformation was the change in religion, which came about in the 16th century. It was a major landmark in European history and had many consequences, which resounded throughout Europe for many years afterwards. It led to the religious division of Europe, to religious wars within Europe and "opened the door to widespread spiritual uncertainty."1 However, the belief that the Reformation took the form of "changes in religious belief, practices and organisation,"2 has been debated by historians for many years; and indeed some have concluded that the Reformation was in fact a social revolution, a revolution which not only reformed religion but also destroyed the social control which the Church had exercised for many years, and other historians claim that it was not only socially motivated but also politically and economically motivated. While examining the factors involved in the cause of Reformation, which took place in the 16th century in Europe it is necessary to point out that the demand for Reformation is deep rooted in events covering a period of two hundred years prior to the emergence of Martin Luther as a Reformation leader in 1520. For over a century Western Europe had called for reform in the Church in both "head and members"3 but had failed to achieve it. The main problem was that people