Lux Mundi: I open my car with the key….

Thursday, August 23, 2012

I open my car with the key….

I have to say, though I have suffered in many ways, I have been extremely blessed.

A couple of months back I was given a car for free! The car is in great condition and drives like a champ. The car came with two sets of keys and one car beeper thing (you know the thing that lets you open the car from like 50 yards away). I however refuse to use the beeper; I only open my car with the key. Why? Perhaps it’s my nostalgic side; I grew up with cars before those beeper things were sold with every car. I always liked the idea of opening the driver’s side door, and reaching over to open the passenger door. It is A Bronx Tale thing, (see the movie!). But there is something more to it. I wanted to work just a little. I thought it seemed just too easy to press a button and drive. And to be fare, most things I have I didn’t earn, most things just come to me.

Look at the evidence. I got through Catholic high school in an all honors program in the top 7% of the class without opening a book in four years. I took the SATs once, I will not tell you my score, but it was solid. I was accepted into a University and they are actually going to be paying me to attend their institution. I got a car for free. I just got a free Mac book pro. I can play musical instruments. Last week I sat down at a piano for the second time and I even impressed myself. I have written for several amazing people and papers/internet services. I have traveled through Europe. To be honest I could go on and on and on. I don’t mean to sound vain, but I want you to see why I am upset, that is the reason I don’t deserve these things.

I visited the university I will be studying at for the first time today and was give a tour by a professor who is a close friend of the family (leave it to me to pick a school without visiting). It was here that I was given my free laptop. But in order to get it, they asked me to sit through what was really a pointless 45 minute informational meeting. I was sitting in there and I got annoyed. I opened my brand new Mac (I am actually a PC guy but I want to expand my horizons, plus it was free) and went on Facebook. At one point I just looked at this really expensive piece of mechanical geniuses which is intended to make my life not only easier but luxurious, and I thought, “Wow, I don’t deserve this.” I don’t think I ever really deserved anything I have received, and trust me I have endured a lot of suffering and trials, but still I did nothing to deserve all the things I have.

So to try and give back, I open my car with the key. I guess it’s a pretty stupid concept. I just feel horrible for having so much and having done so little. I try and make some things a bit more difficult. It isn’t even difficult; it just takes 5 more seconds. Think about it, we get annoyed when we wait more than 3 seconds for something to load, and that stuff is beaming into outer space, beaming of a satellite and coming down t o our phones! (My Lord, what if it took 4 seconds). Things have become so easy for us as a people that we neglect the worthiness of trials. That’s one reason why when we encounter difficult times, we fail so much.

I don’t deserve what I have received, and still I tend to take what I have for granted. Yet I don’t let that bother me too much. I mean, if I am getting these wonderful gifts, there must be a use for them down the road. One day, I will be able to repay (at least to some extent) the gifts I have received. I will do my best with what I have. To those whom more is given, more is expected. Well don’t blame me when I mess up I didn’t ask for this life, but I will give it all I got. For the greater glory of God.

God Love you,

AMDG
Peter James d`Aquino

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About Us

First of all we are all young people and proudly Catholic. We are a group of close friends in college and we are lively and practicing young men and women who have devoted our lives to the service of Christ and His Church in whatever way the Lord sees fit! That is partially the most exciting part of this group. We all went to high school together, and we met in our senior year. A string of circumstances brought us together to pray and discuss our faith. It was a truly incredible time! For now there are only a few of us working on this blog but we hope some others will join us as time goes on.

This Blog was my idea. I have been looking for a way to get involved in spreading the Gospel in a real and effective way for two years. I cannot stand being on the side lines. One day some inspiration came to me: A blog by Catholic youth for everyone. Since I can remember there has been a lack of an intense youthful presence in the Church. That is most certainly changing, and I want to be part of it! In my many experiences with catholic blogs, I have had to go to several places to read all the information and discussion I wanted, so my thought was to create a one stop blog, simple and easy, which has several “voices” with one directed sound. I don’t know if that makes sense. I want to have one direction with several different authors and perspectives but all young. I also don’t want the writing to be overly elevated nor obsessively analytical, which can sometimes scare people away. But we also can’t dumb down the faith; to do that would be an insult to the one true faith. That, for the most part was the idea! There are things similar, but none like what I was really hoping to do. One night I was blessed with this inspiration. But I have been frightened to take it on, that is one of my faults, misguided fear. The idea wouldn’t go away and I figured I needed to try but I couldn’t do it alone. There was only one group of people who could help me do this and so I enlisted the help of my friends; and here we are.

A little bit on our beliefs: We are most definitely and unapologetically Catholic. So, although this may be a cliche, if you need more information, google the phrase Nicene-Constantinople Creed. That should sufficiently point out our doctrinal backgrounds. One thing we do wish to express explicitly is our total reliance on the authentic authority of God, both in Heaven and on Earth. We commonly encounter that which is on Earth, although it is eternally united to that of the Lord! What we are saying is we submit ourselves to the judgment and guidance of the Holy Father and the Magisterium. That is of the utmost importance. Many Catholics today neglect authentic Revelation (i.e. Tradition) and authentic authority! But that is for another time!

We love Christ and His Church. We are not perfect, in fact we are sinners, and I particularly am quite the sinner! However we are striving for holiness and to live a saintly life so that we might in the next life be rewarded with entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.

We hope you find your way to an informed faith through this blog. We don’t expect to reach millions but maybe a few will find us and be inspired, maybe someone will find us and through the grace of God find his way to authentic Catholicism. If but one finds this to have made a positive impact in his life, it shall all be worth it! But we will be careful; we don’t wish to have a negative effect on anyone!!!