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. 

The Weekly Saint- Catherine

Lent ended, and I decided to keep posting on this blog, even if it is just once in a while. I have realized it helps me realize everything that I am grateful for and everything that God is making happen in my life.
I also decided to start a new thing on the blog. Every week or so, I will be posting about someone that I think is doing an extremely good job at life. Someone that is well on their way to sainthood. I am calling it "The Weekly Saint".

This week, I want to talk about my friend Catherine. Fist of all, she is probably the best person I have ever met. She has made me grow so much closer to Christ and she makes me feel like I am extremely important every single second I am with her. The thing about her, is that she is always thinking of others and what others want 24/7, and she never thinks about herself (which gets to be extremely overwhelming for her) but she will always notice is there is something wrong going on with you or if anyone is feeling sick or sad, she will be the first one to notice and take care of it. She always has a smile or a kind word to offer. She is just an all-around incredible and talented person and I really really hope she can see that, because that's all other people see in her, an outstanding person.I truly believe that God sent her into my life to teach me a handful of lessons. He is definitely using her for big things in life!

Secondly, she is extremely close to God. She has such a special connection with him that you can literally see Jesus acting through her with her acts of kindness and love. I had the pleasure of being her roommate for one semester and she would basically remind me to pray every night and invite me to mass or prayer groups all the time, even when I was feeling discouraged she would make sure I attended. She would visit the Eucharistic chapel several times a day, and after mass, she would go and pray in there for a while. Even though I never told her, I was always a little bit jealous of her super-strong connection to God. She would pray to him in the chapel for long periods of time when all I could do was pray for 5 minutes...

Thirdly, Catherine has been sick for three years. She has "been struggling with severe symptoms since [her] senior year of high school. From extreme fatigue, bad headaches and brain fog to vision problems and dizziness every time [she] stands up. Much of the past two years have felt more like surviving than living. Not only has it been hard living a life that is anything but "normal," but [her] symptoms have been and continue to be diagnosed, re-diagnosed, misdiagnosed, claimed to be curable by some doctors while incurable by others, constantly resulting in further frustration and fear. “Is it ever going to end?” is sometimes a heavier cross to carry than the physical suffering. Where is God? Why is He allowing this? These are the questions I have been asking since day one. I thought He wanted me to be happy…But through much prayer, grace, and encouragement, I have been able to see that He has been by me the whole time, waiting for my permission to help me carry my cross. When I finally gave Him permission, I thought He would take the whole thing. “Here’s my cross, Jesus! Take my suffering and my pain, take it all! If I knew you were here all of this time, I would have handed it over sooner!" (Catherine's website). Even though she has been sick for so long, she is an incredible source of hope, guidance, and happiness to others. She continues to love every single person ans treat them like true children of God. 

Catherine recently stated a website of encouragement for anyone that feels like they are running out of hope. Her reflections are some of the best things I have ever read. Each one made me cry like a baby. I invite you guys to go check it out.

http://iamwithyoualways.wix.com/hope

I have seen Catherine make so many people smile, feel loved, feel wanted, bring them closer to God, that I am sure she is a little saint on earth. She is extremely special to me and I cannot wait to re-unite with her soon!

Dear God,

Please help us all strive to be your good and faithful servants. Help us love you with all out hearts, with all out might, with all our soul. Help us be holier every day, to raise our heads and hearts up high and to rejoice in your love. Help us be saints. Everyday. Help us be holy, pure, and more loving.

Amen. 

You are worth it.

Why do you think Jesus endured so much pain? Why was he ridiculed, mocked, and abandoned when he needed company the most? Why did he let the soldiers beat him? He was struck so many times. He fell, but he got up. Why do you think he got up and continued up the path towards his death? He did it because he knew you were worth it. Even when you think your life has no value or no meaning, think that someone (your father) died for you. If that's not a good explanation for you, then I don't know what is. Remember that you should never give up because Jesus never gave up on you. Never give up because according to the law of gravity, whatever goes up must fall down, but whatever falls down must eventually come back up. I invite you to find your strenght in Jesus and come back up, because He's worth it, and you are definitely worth it.

You are a blessing

My Beautiful Best Friend, Maria in Haiti

You are a blessing to the world. You were put on this earth for a very special reason. Even if you don't feel like it. I was having a talk with my spiritual director last year and I told her that some days I just felt completely useless and that there were so many people in the world, I didn't understand why God would create me if I wasn't special and that I really didn't think I had a purpose. She explained to me that I was very wrong. She explained that God loves every single one of us so incredibly much, and that every single one of us has a big purpose. she then drew a picture of many different stick figures. She said that our purpose in life could be to become the president of the United States, or even help others achieve their purpose, and that we are all connected in a really special way. Maybe you were created so one day you would make someone smile, and then that person would go on to ending world hunger. That really inspired me and struck me as a surprise.

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Day 22 of Lent

• Live for others Jar- I pulled out the name of a girl from my old high school, Claire. I offered up a rosary for her and a mass too.
• Good Deed-"Send a letter to someone who isn't expecting it" I sent a letter to My friend Taylor. I promised I would write her often but I haven't been able to because I have been too busy. I hope it will make her smile.
• Positive experience of the day- I woke up today and I am healthy and have a home and food to eat.
• 3 things I am grateful for-
• 1. Nice Weather   2. Cocoa Puffs  3. The Rosary
• Prayer requests- for all of those who feel hopeless, for the lonely.

Also, remember I told you guys I had called my friend Madison when I took her name out of the jar? Well, she never called me back, but I got this text today! Even if this whole resolution made one person smile, it is all worth it.

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.

Awakening

I am so sorry I have not posted anything for the past few days, but I went on a retreat, and they took away all of our phones and electronic devices. It was actually a really good rest from all the technology and just had time to focus on God. The retreat was so much fun and it brought many graces to me!

The program is called Awakening, and many college campuses have it around the United States. Basically, there are a lot of things I cannot talk about because it would ruin the amazing retreat for people who have not attended yet because it is so full of amazing surprises. I usually hate surprises, but the surprises that were encountered in this retreat were phenomenal! There are definitely things that I can talk about though. For example, they divide the whole retreat into families. You have a mom, a dad, and gophers, who basically go for anything you ask them for help with. There were different talks and activities, skits, adoration, praise and worship, and confession. At first, I was a little annoyed that we could only spend time with our 'families' and didn't really get to know anyone else in the retreat but in the end it ended up being really great because I ended up becoming really close to a lot of the members of the group.

Highlights from the retreat include-

• My friend Catherine told me that every time you go to a retreat, you receive a certain grace from God, and that you should specifically ask him for one. Well, at the beginning of the retreat we had adoration and I prayed and asked Jesus for the grace to trust him. A few minutes later, I went to confession. After telling the priest my sins, he thought for a long time and asked me: "What should your penance be? I can't think of the right thing!" I just looked at him, and he was in silence for about 30 seconds. Then, he told me: ok, go back out there in front of the blessed sacrament and pray to Jesus, and tell him that you trust him. I WAS IN SHOCK. I told him what had happened a few minutes earlier and he told me: "Well, God loves filling you with his grace. It's a grace!" I was overwhelmed and so happy, I couldn't believe what had happened.
• On Saturday night, we had affirmation time, where everyone in the 'family' told each other what was great abut one another, and I was really surprised about what people noticed in me that I would never notice otherwise. It definitely boosted my confidence as well.
• My right kidney started hurting Friday night and I was really scared that I would have another kidney stone during the retreat. I prayed so hard to Jesus and ask him to please not let it happen, but that I trusted him. I was in pain for the whole retreat and that made me upset because I could have had a much better time that what I did, but the pain didn't increase so that was amazing. Also, my 'mom' in the group kept asking me if I was alright, and she was very sweet and supportive. Even thought I thought we wouldn't get along at first, it ended up being great.

So overall, I learned that we are all part of the mystical body of Christ, and that you never know how many people out there are praying for you! We should all also pray for others every day because it can have a significant effect in their lives. 

If you are a college student, I really encourage you to go on this amazing retreat! You won't regret it! Also, a really cool thing is that once you attend, you can help at any other Awakening retreat in the nation! Pretty great, huh?

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Day 20 of Lent

Wow, Lent is halfway over. I need to step up my game! I am confident the rest of lent will be extremely fruitful though.

• Live for Others Jar- I got my cousin, Ricardo. How weird is that? Out of a 1100 people, I pulled out someone in my own family. He is actually my favorite cousin because he is so sweet and caring. He always remembers about my family and makes sure to keep in touch with us. Today, I could not go to mass because I had a newspaper meeting, but I prayed a rosary for him, and messaged him on facebook telling him how much he means to me.
• 'Good Deed A Day'- Tell someone how much they mean to you. There is a senior in my communications class that is really good at giving speeches. She is so pretty and extremely sweet. A couple of weeks ago, I wrote her a note and told her that she was really good at giving speeches and that she was also very pretty and nice. She found my number somehow and texted me saying that it meant a lot to her. Today, I stopped her and told her that she was amazing and a role-model to me and I think she really appreciated it.
• Positive experience of the day- today we had 4th day, where we meet up after the retreat and look at pictures and share all the positive experiences that happened. It was really fun. I also had a newspaper meeting and Mary, the Business office manager was really nice to me and helped me with a speech that I have to give tomorrow.
• 3 Things I am grateful for:

1. Retreats
2. Water
3. Warm temperature

• Prayer intentions-  for my Child Development teacher, whose grandson just miscarried, for the lunch lady who I promised that I would pray for her because her mother is really sick, for my grandmother, that I have the ability to give a good speech tomorrow, for my cousin, and for all the members of crusader awakening6 and 7. 

What is the purpose of life?

 At the beginning of every philosophy class, out professor ask us a question to answer for ourselves and then share with the class if we would like to. Today, he asked the most difficult question. "What is the purpose of life?" I have asked myself this questions several times during my relatively short life, and my answer depends on how I'm feeling that day. Some days, I feel like there really is no purpose, like everyone just wakes up and goes to work, tries to make money, survive, and that's the end of it. Some other days though, I feel like the purpose of our lives is to become the best-version-of ourselves to help others achieve happiness and ultimately go to heaven. Suffering is necessary to become the best-version of yourself.

A lot of people in the class answered that the purpose of life is to be happy. I totally disagree with that. I believe that being happy is our greatest desire, and we will only fully achieve that when we are in Paradise, but I don't think God just created us to be happy. God created us because He is great. It is because He is good that we are, that we exist. He did not create us out of necessity; He did not need us. He did not create us out of justice; he owed us nothing. It is to his sheer love that we owe our existence. Therefore, I believe that our purpose is to love with all of our soul and help others reach happiness so that someday too we can be in Paradise. Can you Only Imagine what heaven will be like? It's going to be the most beautiful sight in the world. 

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Day 13 of Lent

• Finally finished the 'Live for Others Jar'. It took me about 2 hours to finish writing down names and cut them up.  I feel so proud of it though! Today, I picked out Madison. She went to my high school and she was class president and probably one of the most popular girls in school, or so I thought. I had a conversation with her senor year and she said that she had really lost all her friends and didn't know what to do with herself. I told her that we should be friends and hang out, but we never really did because, well, she's a lot "cooler" than me and we have different personalities, but I kept being kind to her. Today, I offered up mass for her and practiced the good deed of the day on her.

So many names to write out!

What the finished jar looks like

• Good Deed of the Day- "Call Someone on the phone to let them know you have been thinking about them". So I was a little nervous about this one because Madison and I weren't close friends so it would be a little bit strange just calling her, but I had courage and dialed the phone. She didn't answer, but I left a message saying: {Hi! I thought of you today and was just calling to say hey and was just wondering how everything was going for you in college and to tell you that I miss you and hope you are having a great day.} I'm pretty sure she heard the message, but she didn't text or call back. I just hope it meant something to her and it at least made her smile. 
• Positive Experience- I lost my geometry notebook and I was looking for it the whole day and was really worried because it has all the notes I need for the year in it. I prayed to St. Anthony, called my brother to look for it at home, and looked everywhere in the room. Later, I had a weird 'vision' (aka remembering where you left something) so I went to look for it there, and there it was. It was such a good feeling of relief!
• 3 Things I am grateful for-

1. My Philosophy professor, he is amazing!
2. St. Anthony
3. Colored pens

• Prayer intentions- For a girl who asked for prayers on Facebook, for all the mothers considering abortion, and those who have no one to help them with everything.