Mother's Day
So that day is coming up. The day where you are extra good, and extra nice to your mom. Mother's Day is a great time to show your appreciation for everything your mom has done for you, not to mention going through painful child labor. While it is great to have a special day like this, it is important to be constantly thankful to your mom for all that she does for you and for how much she loves you. Sometimes moms can get your nerves, but that is just part of life and it is inevitable. However, ultimately, your mom truly cares about you and your well-being. So my message for today is to say thanks to your mom once and a while and I'm sure she will appreciate it.
David vs. Goliath
5/11
The term "David vs. Goliath" is used so much in sports. It's a term used when one team seems clearly superior than the other, and it would take quite a performance for the lesser team to beat them. To remind some readers the actually David vs. Goliath story:
The account of the battle between David and Goliath is told in 1 Samuel, chapter 17.[3] Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines near the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for 40 days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat, but Saul and all the Israelites are afraid. David, bringing food for his elder brothers, hears that Saul has promised to reward any man who defeats Goliath, and accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines, taking only his sling and five stones from a brook.
David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David with his staff and sling. "The Philistine cursed David by his gods." but David replies: "This day Jehovah will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand."
David hurls a stone from his sling with all his might and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead, Goliath falls on his face to the ground, and David cuts off his head. The Philistines flee and are pursued by the Israelites "as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron". David puts the armor of Goliath in his own tent and takes the head to Jerusalem, and Saul sends Abner to bring the boy to him. The king asks whose son he is, and David answers, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."
You may or may not be a soccer fan but today David once again beat Goliath. Wigan Athletic and Manchester City faced off in the FA Cup final. Manchester City are lasted year's premier league champions and this year's second place team, while Wigan Athletic are still fighting to stay in the premier league and not get relegated for next season. The game was deadlocked until the Ben Watson of Wigan scored off a header in the 91st minute of the game, catapulting Wigan to their first FA Cup title.
This game inspired me to list and remember a few of history's greatest "David" victories in sports.
10. NC State beat Hakeem Olajuwan, Clyde Drexler and the Houston Cougars in the 1983 NCAA Men's basketball Championship 54-52.
9. Number 8. seed Nuggets beat the top-seeded Seattle Supersonics in the first round of the 1994 playoffs after being down 2 games to none.
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8. Number 8 seed Villanova number beat number one seed Georgtown in the 1985 NCAA Men's Basketball championship 66-64.
7. Number six seed Juan Martin Del Potro beat world number one Roger Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open.
6. Upset beat lifetime undefeated Man 'o War in the Sanford Memorial Stakes in the 1900's. Upset was given 100-1 odds of victory.
5. Appalachian State beats number five nationally ranked Michigan in 2007 College Football regular season.
4. New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III.
3. Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson with one punch in 1990. He had a 42-1 odd of winning.
2. (As a Patriots fan, this one is painful) The New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots 17-14 in the 2007 Super Bowl, denying the Patriots of a perfect 19-0 season.
And Now........... For the number one sports upset of all time...........................
Drum roll...........................................................................................................
1. The game forever known as the miracle on ice: U.S.A beats the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics. 'Murica!
The term "David vs. Goliath" is used so much in sports. It's a term used when one team seems clearly superior than the other, and it would take quite a performance for the lesser team to beat them. To remind some readers the actually David vs. Goliath story:
The account of the battle between David and Goliath is told in 1 Samuel, chapter 17.[3] Saul and the Israelites are facing the Philistines near the Valley of Elah. Twice a day for 40 days, Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, comes out between the lines and challenges the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to decide the outcome in single combat, but Saul and all the Israelites are afraid. David, bringing food for his elder brothers, hears that Saul has promised to reward any man who defeats Goliath, and accepts the challenge. Saul reluctantly agrees and offers his armor, which David declines, taking only his sling and five stones from a brook.
David and Goliath confront each other, Goliath with his armor and shield, David with his staff and sling. "The Philistine cursed David by his gods." but David replies: "This day Jehovah will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down; and I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that God saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is God’s, and he will give you into our hand."
David hurls a stone from his sling with all his might and hits Goliath in the center of his forehead, Goliath falls on his face to the ground, and David cuts off his head. The Philistines flee and are pursued by the Israelites "as far as Gath and the gates of Ekron". David puts the armor of Goliath in his own tent and takes the head to Jerusalem, and Saul sends Abner to bring the boy to him. The king asks whose son he is, and David answers, "I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite."
You may or may not be a soccer fan but today David once again beat Goliath. Wigan Athletic and Manchester City faced off in the FA Cup final. Manchester City are lasted year's premier league champions and this year's second place team, while Wigan Athletic are still fighting to stay in the premier league and not get relegated for next season. The game was deadlocked until the Ben Watson of Wigan scored off a header in the 91st minute of the game, catapulting Wigan to their first FA Cup title.
This game inspired me to list and remember a few of history's greatest "David" victories in sports.
10. NC State beat Hakeem Olajuwan, Clyde Drexler and the Houston Cougars in the 1983 NCAA Men's basketball Championship 54-52.
9. Number 8. seed Nuggets beat the top-seeded Seattle Supersonics in the first round of the 1994 playoffs after being down 2 games to none.
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8. Number 8 seed Villanova number beat number one seed Georgtown in the 1985 NCAA Men's Basketball championship 66-64.
7. Number six seed Juan Martin Del Potro beat world number one Roger Federer in the 2009 U.S. Open.
6. Upset beat lifetime undefeated Man 'o War in the Sanford Memorial Stakes in the 1900's. Upset was given 100-1 odds of victory.
5. Appalachian State beats number five nationally ranked Michigan in 2007 College Football regular season.
4. New York Jets beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7 in Super Bowl III.
3. Buster Douglas knocks out Mike Tyson with one punch in 1990. He had a 42-1 odd of winning.
2. (As a Patriots fan, this one is painful) The New York Giants defeat the New England Patriots 17-14 in the 2007 Super Bowl, denying the Patriots of a perfect 19-0 season.
And Now........... For the number one sports upset of all time...........................
Drum roll...........................................................................................................
1. The game forever known as the miracle on ice: U.S.A beats the Soviet Union at the 1980 Winter Olympics. 'Murica!
Video Reflection
5/8/13
Video Reflection
My reflection of this video is a very humbling one. There is so many items in my life like, a house, meals, electricity, showers, and entertainment that I take for granted. Although I witness this a lot, I have never been able to hear the full story of the life of a homeless person from their perspective And that's another factor, that just one of the many. When you realize how many people have the same exact story as him, its saddening. This kind of poverty is something in life that you know is impossible to stop all over the world, but you still want to. You feel for these people, people that you have never met. People that you probably wouldn't have the time to listen to their story.
Ronald Davis was just one random homeless person on the streets. Yet once you hear his story, he doesn't sound so random. You begin to feel sad for him, just as if he was somebody you knew. Pity is an odd, yet effective way to relate to somebody. Even though most people reading this will have a very tough time relating to his life (including me), you can relate to him as a human being. A human being who is in obvious pain. The pain of being regarded as less than a human being. There's this objective sense of emotion that everybody will get after hearing his story. The Ronald Davis story isn't supposed to just invoke a sense of admiration and pity at the same time. Its supposed to show how there's millions of people like Ronald Davis out there, fighting for something that should never be taken away from a human being: dignity.
The Homeless and Neglected
5/7
Unfortunately, living in a big city like Houston, I see many people like Ronald Davis. They are on the streets begging for money, food, clothes, anything that will not only get them back on their feet, but also to survive. Many times we forget about the struggles and the physical and emotion toll homeless people receive because of the fact that it is so customary to see a homeless person on the street. Sometimes we try to remove ourselves from confronting a homeless person because it is so sad, but in the process we lose the adequate amount of sympathy that we should have and also the amount of recognition we should give to these struggling humans.
Ronald shows that he, and other people like him, struggle through everyday life. He also shows that he has the same thoughts and feelings as any other human being. I think this is important because sometimes homeless people are demeaned and seen as worth less than those that are more privileged. I think we should raise more awareness for the homeless. Not only by giving them material things to keep them more comfortable , but also to comfort them and give them much needed emotional help. The soul needs to be nourished just as much as the body.
All Are Welcome! Reflection
5/6/13
Reflection: All Are Welcome!
After reading this article, I am reminded of the third mark of the Catholic Church: Catholic. Catholic means universal, meaning that all are welcome to Christ's Church. The definition of all is really defined here where the author goes on to list certain groups of people that society might question a bit. He then shows how all of them are welcome, but the entrance comes with rules.
For example, an alcoholic will be welcomed with open arms into the Church. Yet the Church will not condone his drinking habit. To fully become incorporated with the Mystical Body of Christ, or the Church, the alcoholic must seek help from either or within or outside the Church to help cure his problem.
I believe the point of this article is to clear up how the Church is open to all people. It is open to all people, except it will not condone the actions of those who disobey the laws and commandments sent from God.
Jason Collins
5/5
Honestly, about a week ago I had no clue who Jason Collins was. By now, however, you have probably heard that he is the first athlete to come out as gay in a major sport. He has gotten a lot of media attention and a lot of support around the sports world and beyond. I am very happy that he has support and he is not being scrutinized or insulted. Everyone should be treated with a certain degree of respect. I know that we had a post a few weeks ago devoted to gay marriage but I wanted to revive the issue in light of this new story. What I see in society today is that people that come out are seen as heroes and are praised, and maybe their praise is due. Unfortunately gays have lived through tough times of hate and insults and it does take a tremendous amount of courage to come out. However when someone like myself voices their opinion against homosexuality itself(not necessarily the person) then people bash you and insult you, which I find extremely hypocritical. I recently read an article about one ESPN analyst who voiced his opinion against homosexuality, citing his christian faith as a reason, and many Christians share his view. However, the presumably yahoo sports writing turned the article into an opinion blog and he bashed the ESPN analyst. In the article he tried to channel his inner theologian and say that while in the Old Testament the bible says that men should not sleep with other men, that it also says that you shouldn't eat shellfish or where a certain type of fabric. He also says that in the New Testament it says to love thy neighbor. I don't know how many times I have heard this fundamentally flawed argument but it is really getting on my nerves. Taking it from a true theological view, there are very specific rules in the Old Testament because man and God still had a very young and short relationship. Its like a father implementing strict rules to his son to protect him and make him a better person, and when the son asks why, the father just says "because I said so" because the child cannot really comprehend the importance of the rules. In the New Testament, mankind has matured and Jesus comes to talk to us as grown children to explain the rules, maybe lessen restriction, and give us more responsibility to account for our own actions. The Mosaic law of the Old Testament was removed from Christianity because St. Peter, at the Council of Jerusalem, decided that Gentile converts do not need to convert to Judaism first and be circumcised and follow the dietary laws. Now, going back to Jesus. Just because Jesus told us to love everyone, does not mean that everyone can do what they want. In many ways Jesus even challenged us more. He said to not even think lustfully or else we have already committed adultery and also condemned divorce. It is true that Jesus did not explicitly mention homosexuality or gay marriage, but for Catholics, we believe that the Church is guided by the Holy Spirit to be in unison with God and his Will. The Catholic Church has been ardently against gay marriage, most notably citing the inability to reproduce in a gay marriage. I am going to take the Church's word for it.
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| Jason Collins on the cover of Sports Illustrated |
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