"Jesus is living next to you, in the brothers and sisters with whom you share your daily existence."

~JPII

Think about it:

Do you mean to tell me that Jesus is living with those people next door? No way! But how might I think differently of my neighbors if I accepted that they are my brothers and sisters in Jesus? This is a big challenge that the Holy Father puts to you, because we like to find fault with our neighbors rather than praise them.

Take action:

This week, think of something kind to do for your next-door neighbor. Then do it!

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for living next door to me in my neighbor's home. Help me to see you there. Help me to be kind and good to my neighbors, because you are living there with them.

"Jesus invites us to love the poor, because they should be given special ateention precisely because of their vulnerability." ~JP2

Think About That:

The poor are vulnerable because they don't have access to things they need in order to live a full life. Some don't have access to health care, enough food, or a place to live. Some don't have access to a good education or a job. What would your life be life if you didn't have these?

Take Action:

This week, find at least three article of clothing in a closet or dresser or even on the floor of your bedroom that you could donate to someone in need. Also, you can bring books to youth group the weeks of April 19th and 26th for Thu-Hong's school.  http://therescue.invisiblechildren.com/

Prayer:

Lord, help me to love the poor and stuggling in my area and even neighborhood. Help me to give of myself so that they may have what they need to live.

"Remember the poor" ~Galatians 2:10

Source: My Dear Young Friends. Editor, John Vitek. St. Mary's Press, 2001.

"But--I ask you--is it better to be resigned to a life without ideals...or rather,...to seek the truth, goodness, justice, working for a world that reflects the beauty of God, even at the cost of facing the trials it may involve?"

~John Paul II, World Youth Day XII

Think about that:

To live in a world where we experience Christian ideals like kindness, patience, peace, forgiveness, and joy takes people who first believe in those ideals and then commit to acting out those ideals every day. That's no easy task. The Holy Father is asking us, "Is it worth it?" He says, "Yes!"

 Source: My Dear Young Friends, John Vitek, Editor

Take Action:

Every day, in many ways, we fail to live out our Christian ideals. Each time we fail, we cause a little or pain and sorrow, in someone and in ourselves. This week, chosse one Christian ideal that you are going to work hard to live out in every situation and with every person you meet.

Say a Prayer:

Lord, help me to live out the ideals of Jesus. Help me especially when other make ful of me or tease me for standing up for what I believe in. Help me to know that it's worth the work.

"Do not be afraid of Christ! Trust Him completely! He alone 'has the words of eternal life.' Christ nevers lets us down!" ~Pope John Paul II, Poznan, Poland.

Think about That:

     The Holy Father reminds us, "Christ never lets us down!" Never! Sometimes it's hard to believe that, because we all have had the experience of friends who have let us down. But Christ will not. How would our lives be different if we trusted Christ completely? How would we act if we never feared being let down by him?

Take Action:

    In our friendships, we have surely let others down. Can you think of a time recently wen you have let down your mother or father? Maybe you have let down your friends? Go to them somethime this week and tell them that you are sorry for letting them down. Tell them that you are going to work hard at not letting them down in the future.

Say a Prayer:

     Lord, i want to trust you completely. I am so glad that you will never let me down. If I follow your ways, I know that I will have eternal life with you. Thank you.

 Many Protestants follow the doctrine of sola scriptura or 'the bible alone'. Refering in the strictest sense to the Bible alone as the only teaching authority in matters or faith. However, Catholics believe in a much more rich tradition of faith. As Catholics we must help our Protestants brothers and sisters realize that Christ left the Church to teach, govern, and sanctify in His name until the end of time. We accept the Bible as an authority in matters of faith because it is the inspired Word or God. However, the Bible tells us that Christ left a Church with divine authority to govern in His name ( Mt 16:13-20, 18:18; Lk 10:16).  He promised that the Church would last until the end of time (Mt 16:18, Jn 14:16). The Bible also tells us that Sacred Tradition is to be followed alongside Sacred Scripture (2 Thess 2:15; 3:6)

In addition, never does the Bible actually promote and support the doctrine of sola scriptura. In fact, the Bible tells us that we need more than just the Bible alone. The Bible confirms that not everything Jesus said and did is recorded in Scripture (Jn 21:25) and that we must also hold fast to oral tradition, the preached World of God (1 Cor 11:2; 1 Pet 1:25) We are told in 2 Pet 3:15-16 that Scared Scripture can be difficult to interpret, which implies the need for a authoritative and universal interpreter. Finally, 1 Tim 3:15 reassures is that the Church is "the pillar and bulwark of truth"

Not having a thriving, governing body to uphold and guard the doctrines of the Church would be equivalent to the Founding Fathers writing a Constitution and then saying here you go, do with it what you will. There must be a body of people (hopefully morally upstanding, unlike most politicans) that are in place to uphold, protect and interpret the Constitution or in our case Sacred Scripture. Without this in place, the foundation of faith falls apart.

Therefore, if you look at christian churches today, you will see over 33,000 denominations which are directly linked to the Bible-alone interpretations of the Bible.