The Anchor as a Symbol of Hope

"We have this hope as an anchor to the soul, firm and secure" Hebrews 6:19

Hope is my favorite virtue. Also, a couple months ago I fell in love with anchors. They have been using anchors on a lot of clothing items lately and also on bags, and I thought they were so cute and bought myself a necklace. Later, I went to James Avery, a silver jewelry store and I saw that they were selling an anchor cross. The vendor explained that the anchor was a symbol of hope and he recited Hebrews 6:19. I thought that was extremely cool and my love for anchors grew. I didn't really understand the bible verse completely, so I decided to do a little bit of research. I love what I discovered. 

So why are anchors used as a symbol of hope?

Anchors are heavy objects attached to a rope or chain used to secure a ship in a particular place. Used as a verb, to anchor means to secure something firmly in position or to provide with a firm basis or foundation. Because of the great importance in navigation, the anchor was regarded a symbol of safety because it would prevent the boat from drifting due to wind or current. It became the captain's last resort when the boat was close to sinking. 

The anchor then became a key Christian symbol during the period of Roman persecution. Anchors would be used instead of crosses in the epitaphs of the believers' tombs showing the hope Christians felt in their anticipation of heaven.

For that reason, anchors serve as a symbol of safety, a symbol of hope in the future. Just as anchors prevent ships from drifting away due to wind or current and cast unto the sand. As they hold a ship securely, so hope can keep our soul at rest, safe as if anchored in the harbor. Even in the midst of suffering, distress, oppression, or deep sorrow, it remains firm. It provides safety and sustains us. 

About hope

Hope is a yearning with expectation or anticipation. Used as a noun, it is to aspire, desire, wish, aim, goal, and plan. But to "have hope" means to want something desperately to happen. To expect, anticipate, and look for something. What is that something we expect and anticipate? Jesus. 

Hope in Christ

Christ is the unfailing hope. If Christ is hope, then He is our anchor. We are safe and secure by him. Trust Him and love him during beautiful and happy times and also and let Him take care of you in difficult times. If you believe in Him, you will have eternal life. That eternal life is what we are all searching for. That unending happiness by being surrounded by our father. I hope for that! 

Hope in your daily life

That hope in Christ is what drives my every action.We should have hope in everything you do. Have hope that better days are coming. Have hope in people, and especially have hope in yourself. If you don't believe that your work and your life will make a difference, that you can make tomorrow better for someone, your life will begin to lose meaning. 

I got this anchor-cross necklace at James Avery yesterday. I had wanted it for a really long time but finally decided to get it since I'm going to be traveling to so many different places, I need a reminder of Christ and hope. I need Him to be my guide as I travel across the waters.

Also, just a reminder that if you are going through a difficult time in your life right now or you are struggling with something, it is very difficult to have hope. If that is the case, I encourage you to pray to Jesus and ask him for a renewed hope and strength to carry on. I believe in you, you can get through it! Never give up! Always have hope because pain ends. 

Mom

Happy Feast of the Annunciation! Did you know that it is celebrated on March 25th because it is exactly 9 months before December 25th? I didn't know that. Anyway, We just finished reading Paradiso in Literature class and I thought the prayer from St. Bernard to Mary was amazing so I wanted to post it on here. I'm going to start praying it because it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Dante was such a good poet, he rocks at praising Mary. He states that she is the source of so much hope, love, and faith. The following is from the Allen Mandelbaum translation:

"Virgin mother, daughter of your Son, more humble and sublime than any creature, fixed goal decreed from all eternity, you are the one who gave to human nature so much nobility that its creator did not disdain His being made its creature. That love whose warmth allowed this flower to bloom within the everlasting peace--was love rekindled in your womb; for us above, you are the noonday torch of charity, and there below on earth, among the mortals, you are a living spring of hope. Lady, you are so high, you can so intercede, that he who would have grace but does not seek your aid, may long to fly but has no wings. Your loving kindness only answers the one who asks, but it is often ready to answer freely long before the asking. In you compassion is, in you is pity, in you is generosity, in you is every goodness found in every creature. [I plead] with you, through grace, to grant [me] so much virtue that [I] may live [my] vision higher still--may lift it toward the ultimate salvation" (Alighieri 31. 1-25).

I'm not going to lie, but a tear definitely came out while reading that in class, but I just fell in love with that book. If you ever have the chance to read The Divine Comedy, I really recommend it. Especially in Paradise, the language is go beautiful and full of christian theology.

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Day 21 of Lent

• "Live for others jar" I got Haley, a girl in my communications class. It was really strange because she never misses class but she missed class today. I am going to write her a message and put it in her mailbox along with some candy. I couldn't place it in her mailbox today because it was one of the busiest days of my life! I went to class, then delivered newspapers, later I went to a student government meeting and after that I went to adoration and then a Marian dinner and then to women's ministry group. It was good though.
• Positive experience of the day- I got a letter saying that I got accepted into my college's Rome program which means I get to study abroad for a semester! Also, we had to give speeches in my Communications class today and names were picked out randomly, and I didn't get picked, so that means I have to go next class, but that gives me more time to study. Yay.
• Good Deed of the day- Hold the door open for someone. Well that one was extremely easy. Everyone at this school holds the door open for everyone, so that one was not a big deal at all.
• 3 Things I am grateful for:

1. Acceptance Letters
2. My new awakening friends
3. Sleep

• Prayer intentions- for a family that lost their two little daughters in a car crash, for haley, for everyone I promised to pray for, and for more vocations to the religious life.

Real Friends

Real friends are the hardest thing to find. In our lives, we meet an incredible amount of people, but will probably only encounter one or two real friends in our whole lifetime. True friendship takes hard work. You have to be willing to love another person with your whole heart, overlooking their imperfections, be willing to do anything for them, show them your love by acts of service. It's not easy. 

If you hosted an amazing and huge party, which of your friends do you think would like to go to it? Probably all of them. What about if you were having a not-so-fun party? Less friends would attend. Now, what about if you were having a really hard time with something, how many of them would be willing to talk to you on the phone and comfort you? You could probably count them on one hand. What if you were really sick and throwing up all over, which one of your friends would be willing to sit next to you, hold your hand, and pray with you until the pain goes away? Any of them? I know I have one friend that would be willing to do that. She would be willing to do that out of love for all humans and for her immesurable love for Christ. I learned so much from that friend. I learned that you have to think of your friend before you all the time in order for it to be a true friendship.

We shoud try to be 'real friends' with everyone we encounter. Mother Teresa said: "Love until it hurts. Then, love some more."  We should give our all to everyone. Imagine how the world would change!  I learned what true friendship is by someone showing me that you have to put others first 100% of the time, listen to them, be their comfort, and always love them. Jesus is your true friend. He always thinks of you before he thinks of himself. He gave his WHOLE life for you. But are you a true friend to Him? Would you be willing to give up your whole life for him? Hmmm.

Long-distance relationships are hard to keep.  I was talking to my friend today, and she told me that she never imagined that she would drift away from some of her best friends in highschool now that she is in college. She thought that they would be best friends forever even if they lived so far away. I asked if she ever took the time to call her friend on te phone or text them constantly. She said no, that being away is hard because you don't go through the same experiences so there is a lot less to talk about constantly, and that's what made them drift apart. Of course. And that is what makes us drift apart from Jesus. Whenever we don't talk to him constantly (prayer), our relationship weakens. We should talk to him constantly, about everything that happens.  My other friend, Gabby once told me that we should treat Jesus as if he was actually our best friend. To tell him jokes, to tell him what makes us sad, what we are excited about, what our plans are, what we are worried about, EVERYTHING! She used to take laffy taffys into adoration and read Jesus knock-knock jokes. At first, I thought it was a little strange, but after a while, I really envied her relationship with Him. I wanted that! So I started telling Him jokes too... And I'm pretty sure He did laugh because I'm 100% sure God has a sense of humor.

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Day 10 of Lent

-It was really hard not to eat meat today because it was friday. I was working at the burger place the whole day and all I wanted to do was eat a burger. It was so hard to eat a veggie burger, but the sacrifice was totally worth it!

-Positive experience- My dad took me to the movies, and we watched two. We saw Orange County and Labor Day, they were both really good. I loved spending time with him because I never do that often, but I love him so much. 

- What I am grateful for- 

1.My Dad

2. Cath

3.Movies

- Prayer intentions: for all the lonely people in the world, for the people in prison, everyone who has lost hope, everyone with cancer, a safe trip back for my mom, my sister, and my brother.

This Is Just The Beggining

I recently heard that lent is the time to 'get on track spiritually' and well, I am pretty behind,
and have so much to catch up on.

As I was thinking of something to give up this lent, all I could think of was giving up food, because that's what I struggle with the most. Then I realized that giving up food was more like a diet plan, and it would only benefit me and no one else.  So I started to think of other things I could do this lent that would improve my relationship with Christ, benefit others, and myself.

So this is what I came up with... Lenten Promise 2014 (12 steps to becoming a better person.)

1. Do morning and night prayers
  -Do an examination of conscience every night and listen to a praise and worship song and reflect on it.
2. Go to daily mass (My campus offers it several times a day!)
  -If it is absolutely not possible to go to mass, pray the rosary.
3. Do a "good deed a day" journal.
 -I recently purchased a journal that has 365 good deeds to accomplish, so I will be doing those every day, and reflecting about it at the end of the day.
4. Drink more water
 - I never drink water even after having kidney stones 3 times. I have to get better at this NOW.
5. Downsize my portion size at lunch and diner to stay a little bit hungry after each meal.
6. No candy or dessert.
7. Say: "I just want you to be happy" in my mind to every every person I see or talk to.
8. Smile more
 - This on is especially hard for me. I just can't do it, it doesn't feel natural to me, but everyone points it out. I am going to try really hard!
9. Do the: how to be happier checklist by Shawn Achor (I will be posting this in full later, It is amazing!)
10. 'Live for others Jar'
 - I am SO excited about this one! I came up the idea to live for others and sacrifice everything I do in the day for them. I went through my whole facebook friend list (1,500 people), my phone contacts, and just everyone I have ever met in my life, I wrote their names down on a piece of paper, cut them up,  and put them in a jar. Every day, I will:
  A. Pick a name out of the jar with my eyes closed
  B. Sacrifice everything I do that day for God and for that person.
  C. Pray for them.
  D. Message them on facebook/text/call with words of encouragement or something to make them smile.
  E. If the person I pick out happens to live on campus or close to me, I will anonymously do a good thing for them. 
  F. If I have ever had a conflict with that person, I should love them, forgive the, and pray for them even harder.
  G. I will then post about my experience with that person on this blog every day of lent.
11. Post all my experiences and reflections on this blog
12. LOVE MORE

I am so excited to start on this journey and see where this project takes me.