More than an Adjective

I think Catholic can be used as a descriptive term such as, "That's a Catholic parish," or "That's a Catholic statue," but when I call myself Catholic I mean something much more. When I say, "I am Catholic it is not just a description of myself, it is who I am. Why is it not a description? Because it is very different from being a blonde, or blue eyed, or a pointy noised. If any of the change (which I am sure the blonde hair will eventually) I will still be Emma. On the other hand, if I ceased to be Catholic I would cease to be Emma. Yes, I would still retain my name but I would not longer be me. The Catholic Church penetrates every part of my being so much that to remove it you would have to remove my being.
Have you ever had Jello cake? My roommate makes awesome Jello cake. She makes the cake and then pours the liquid Jello over it and then it runs into the cracks of the cake. Then she lets the Jello harden till it is part of the cake.
Now imagine that I am the cake, the actual bread substance of the cake. The Jello is the Catholic Church. To get rid of the Jello you would have to get rid of the whole cake. This is the same with me. To get rid of the Catholic, you must first get rid of me.
~Emma

Looking at Christ

I went to Mass today and I usually try to hold one thought in my head as I go up to receive our Precious Lord. I do this because if I don't I start to let my mind wander to the other people around me. My thought this time was that I was that I was looking into the face of Jesus. As the Body of Christ started to dissolve in my mouth I walk to the chalice and as I said, "Amen." The chaliced tipped, I could look directly into the Blood and realized that staring back at me was myself, reflecting off the bottom of the chalice.
As I knelt down to pray I contemplated this and realize what better thing to see then my own face at the bottom? Should I not be immersed in the Blood of Christ, surrounded in it?
~Emma

A Letter To a Fellow Student

Dear Sir,
I was walking behind you today as I was going to class and couldn't help but noticed that your pants were riding right below your bottom. I've seen such things before I usually don't comment because the pants usually cover at least half of the person rear end.
Granted, you were wearing "basketball shorts" underneath which does do you some credit for had it been boxers I was observing, I might have voiced this letter to you personally. This put aside, the fact remains that everything about your attire forced all eyes to the region not covered by your pant.
I am writing this to you because obviously you don't have a belt and thus I am offering you one if you will simply stop by. These so called belts are good for many things namely, holding up the pants, not looking like a moron, and modesty. Not only this but it will keep your bottom very warm in the blizzard like temperatures we face in Kansas. It will also stop accusation thrown your way about being homely or a thug. All this you can have by taking this belt, not mention it is a fashion plus.
No, I'm not old fashion. I'm twenty years old and haven't had the time to be old fashion yet but if it is old fashion to pull up ones pants then I suppose I have been old fashion since the day I dressed myself. Perhaps you were never taught how and I am sure I can find one of my gentlemen friends to teach you.
I hope this helps and no need to thank me, not seeing your rear end will be enough.
Signed,
Emma

Deaf to a Whisper

As I was walking on the balcony, taking that dreaded thing called laundry to the machines, I noticed a girl walking by. She had her backpack slung over her shoulder and there was not anything to draw my attention to her. She was most likely going to class, where she would sooner or later fall asleep.
What caught my attention the most that in her ears were two white headphones. They were so small I only noticed them because of the wires that were protruding from them. I, personally, don't own an ipod. This is not to say that I don't love music. I do. One of my hobbies is listening to musicals but it seems that we are taking it to an extreme when we can walk from one side of campus to another with out something humming in our ears, which I dare say is a ten minute walk at the most.
Why did this make me a little uneasy? I think that we have forgot how to listen. When one is able to switch on sounds at their slightest whim one forgets that one is not always the commander of what one hears. I say this because so often we say, including myself, that we can't hear God, but if God is the wind blowing past us then how can we hear Him when we are listening to Josh Groban every time there is silence. If God speaks in whispers maybe we need to take the headphones out and strain our ears to listen. Unlike the music we listen to God is not in the background and He needs our full attention.
~Emma

College Student Soldier

I'm putting off homework. Basically because I don't want to do it. It's homework for Tuesday but I should do it just so I do not get behind. Ethics, it takes a lot of effort to read Aquinas.

In my free time I enjoy spending time on Christian Teen Forum. Granted, I haven't been considered a teen for almost 3 years but I find their company a little more entertaining then other forums. Perhaps this says something about my intelligence or maturity. :) I don't mind.

Right now I have taken up my newest battle. As president of the pro-life club at my college I have decided that our next big project is to make the college completely pro-life. It annoys me that we should even have to do this seeing as it is a Catholic college and even one mentioned in Father Benedict Groshel's new book on Catholic colleges, but it has been brought to our attention that the Psychology department and the Education department both have insinuated that they promote, or approve of, birth control.
Personally, this leaves me in a sticky situation. I am in the Education department and it is those teachers that decide whether or not I graduate. I don't think they'd hinder me in anyway but they will know where the attacks are coming from. I recently e-mailed one of my professors asking which union they recommend for me to join and if I find out they support NEA (a very pro-choice organization) they will know who is sending around lists of pro-life teachers unions.

Pray for me that this won't effect my future career as a teacher and that if it does that I am able to with stand it.
~Emma

Shattered Pieces Make a Heavenly Mosaic

Peace be with you!
Suddenly all the Catholics will automatically reach out their cold hands and mutter, "And also with you."
Yes, that is right. I am Catholic. Have been since birth and will never be anything but Catholic. I love my faith. It is what pulls me through the snow that we call life.
Shattered Pieces Make a Heavenly Mosaic. That's the title of this blog which I must admit took me a while to come up with. I often tell people, "Often God breaks our hearts so that He might form them more like His Sacred Heart." Unfortunately for me God hasn't broken my heart very much but it needs to be broken because it is so unlike His. So I will start off the Blog with a prayer...
Shatter my heart God. Make it as dust so that only you can form it again. Make is into Your Heart. Amen!