Justin Martyr's Letter to the Emperor

Justin Martyr's ketter to the Emperor tells us a lot about the Early Church and the Catholic Faith. From the three chapters that were given to read, its main topic is the Eucharist and Mass. In the letter it explains the Eucharist, what happens during mass and the steps for the Eucharist. The way Justin Martyr explains the Eucharist is so clear, it sounds exactly how the Eucharist is run today. This letter was written around 150 AD. This is very important because it shows how little mass has changed in almost 2,000 years and also how even in the very Early Church there was a structure of doing things and conducting mass. Justin Martyr explains the mass and the steps to the Eucharist so well, that someone who has never been to mass could get a good sense of what would go on. He also talks about Mass being held on Sunday and how that day was chosen and why. He also talks about offerings in the Church and how they work and what they are for. Overall, the date of 150 AD, when this letter was written, stood out the most because it validates the structure of the Early Church and that there was a structure that is very similar to todays.

The Homeless and Less Fortunate

My Response to the video above:

Living in a big city like Houston, unfortunately we all see a large amount people like Ronald Davis. We all see less fortunate people on the street begging for money, food, clothes, anything to help them survive the day and possibly get them back on their feet. In our everyday lives, we sometimes forget to acknowledge these less fortunate then us, and even ignore them sometimes; waving them on as they pass by our car, or ignoring them on the sidewalk. I along with many people am guilty of this. Sometimes, we try to avoid a confrontation with a homeless person all together because it is so sad, but we lose the adequate amount of sympathy we should have for these less fortunate people and also the level of recognition they deserve as human beings created by God.

Mr. Davis is a prime example of how people less fortunate go through everyday struggles to survive. He also shows in the video how he has the same emotions and thoughts ad feelings that all of us humans have. This is important because society can sometimes treat homeless people as sub-humans and not as good as them because they are down on their luck. I think that the homeless should never be overlooked or shined on because we are "too busy", if anything we should raise the awareness for homeless people. Material things are important like food, clothes, and money; but the emotional encouragement we can give the homeless people is just as important to them. A word of encouragement  to a homeless person can go a long way. Without the soul being nourished, the material goods mean nothing.

All Are Welcome!

Today I would like to talk to you about the article I just read. After reading this article, the main thing that comes to mind is the Third Mark of the Church: Catholic. Catholic literally means universal which means that all are welcome to the Church. The term all is explained very well when the author begins to mention certain groups in society that most people would question. The author shows how all these people are welcomed into the Church, but there are rules. For example, a drug addict will be accepted into the Church with a warm welcome, but the Church will not condone his addiction. To fully become incorporated into the Church, the drug addict must seek help inside or outside the Church to help cure his addiction. I believe the main point the author was trying to get across is that the Church will always welcome all. The Church will always welcome all people into its Mystical Body but it will not condone some of the actions of the people that go against the laws and commandments sent from Christ.