Catholic Teens 8-29-06
Hey All--
I don’t know how many of you remember the Columbine HS tragedy of several years ago—where 2 high school students took out their anger on their fellow students with guns, killing a number of them. During that incident, one of the young ladies was asked “Do you believe in Jesus?” She said “yes.” And was promptly shot and killed. A book actually is available with the title “She Said Yes” as I recall.
This is brought to mind by a story that came out Sunday. The 2 FoxNews Journalists who had been kidnapped and held in the Gaza Strip for the last 2 weeks, were asked at gunpoint to convert to Islam. Now I don’t know what religion the journalists were or are---but they agreed and converted. Although they rejected it once they were released.
Now none of us knows how we would answer in such circumstances, although we pray for the Grace to do what is right. It is striking how different their answer was from that of so many of the saints in heaven. Nearly all of them, when asked if they believed in Jesus, could’ve said “no” and lived. Yet, they refused to be untrue to God. They refused to deny the Truth that they knew.
May we also have the Grace to always be True to that which we know of God and Christ!
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Question O' The Week:
“Why was Hell created if God wants the best for us, since in Heaven all sin is gone?”
Good question. Indeed, God does want what’s best for us. Yet, He gave us the ability to choose (free will). And we can either choose God (Heaven) or choose to be apart from Him (hell).
For breakfast this morning, you can have milk and cereal, or you could have chocolate ice cream. What is better for you? And what will better sustain you until lunch? You have the freedom to choose and then you have to deal with the consequences of those free decisions.
It’s the same, on an even deeper level when you are choosing for God or against God—and consequences then flow from that decision.
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Intentions:
-For peace in the world and an end to terrorism.
-For an end to all forms of violence, especially to the elderly and unborn, we pray to the Lord.
-For my grandmother and all others who are in the hospital.
-For Fr. Dennis Worzella and Fr. Augustine Bentil who are both experiencing health problems.
-For all the other intentions you hold in your hearts, we pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
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Announcements:
The Youth Group, Generation JPII will be picking up full-steam ahead in September. Look for meetings to be held 2 Sundays a month! Watch for more info!
We’ll be back next year!
God bless you!
Phil Lawson
For more information on St. Peters check out the parish website: www.saintpetercatholic.com
Catholic Teens is a weekly email from Phil Lawson to Catholic Teenagers. To receive these weekly reflections, send an email to lawsphil@gmail.com. On the other hand, if you’d like to be removed from this list, please send an email indicating that
I don’t know how many of you remember the Columbine HS tragedy of several years ago—where 2 high school students took out their anger on their fellow students with guns, killing a number of them. During that incident, one of the young ladies was asked “Do you believe in Jesus?” She said “yes.” And was promptly shot and killed. A book actually is available with the title “She Said Yes” as I recall.
This is brought to mind by a story that came out Sunday. The 2 FoxNews Journalists who had been kidnapped and held in the Gaza Strip for the last 2 weeks, were asked at gunpoint to convert to Islam. Now I don’t know what religion the journalists were or are---but they agreed and converted. Although they rejected it once they were released.
Now none of us knows how we would answer in such circumstances, although we pray for the Grace to do what is right. It is striking how different their answer was from that of so many of the saints in heaven. Nearly all of them, when asked if they believed in Jesus, could’ve said “no” and lived. Yet, they refused to be untrue to God. They refused to deny the Truth that they knew.
May we also have the Grace to always be True to that which we know of God and Christ!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question O' The Week:
“Why was Hell created if God wants the best for us, since in Heaven all sin is gone?”
Good question. Indeed, God does want what’s best for us. Yet, He gave us the ability to choose (free will). And we can either choose God (Heaven) or choose to be apart from Him (hell).
For breakfast this morning, you can have milk and cereal, or you could have chocolate ice cream. What is better for you? And what will better sustain you until lunch? You have the freedom to choose and then you have to deal with the consequences of those free decisions.
It’s the same, on an even deeper level when you are choosing for God or against God—and consequences then flow from that decision.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intentions:
-For peace in the world and an end to terrorism.
-For an end to all forms of violence, especially to the elderly and unborn, we pray to the Lord.
-For my grandmother and all others who are in the hospital.
-For Fr. Dennis Worzella and Fr. Augustine Bentil who are both experiencing health problems.
-For all the other intentions you hold in your hearts, we pray to the Lord.
Lord, hear our prayer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Announcements:
The Youth Group, Generation JPII will be picking up full-steam ahead in September. Look for meetings to be held 2 Sundays a month! Watch for more info!
We’ll be back next year!
God bless you!
Phil Lawson
For more information on St. Peters check out the parish website: www.saintpetercatholic.com
Catholic Teens is a weekly email from Phil Lawson to Catholic Teenagers. To receive these weekly reflections, send an email to lawsphil@gmail.com. On the other hand, if you’d like to be removed from this list, please send an email indicating that
posted by Phil Lawson at 10:08 AM
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