“Perplexed” by the Truth

February 5, 2021 Friday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr—Memorial

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him. Mark 6:20 Ideally, when the Gospel is preached and received by another, the effect is that the receiver is filled with joy, consolation and a desire to change. The Gospel is transforming for those who truly listen and respond with generosity. But what about those who do not respond with generosity? What effect does the Gospel have upon them? Our Gospel today gives us that answer. The line above comes from the story of the beheading of Saint John the Baptist. The bad actors in this story are Herod, Herod’s illegitimate wife Herodias, and Herodias’ daughter (traditionally named Salome). John had been imprisoned by Herod because John told Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” But what’s most interesting about this story is that, even in prison, Herod would listen to John preach. But instead of leading Herod to conversion, he was left “perplexed” by what John preached. Being “perplexed” was not the only reaction to John’s preaching. Herodias’ reaction was one of hatred. She appeared to be stung to the heart by John’s condemnation of her “marriage” to Herod, and it was she who then orchestrated John’s beheading. This Gospel, then, teaches us of two other common reactions to the Truth of the holy Gospel when it is preached. One is hatred and another is confusion (being perplexed). Obviously, hatred is far worse than simply being perplexed. But neither is the right reaction to the words of Truth. What is your reaction to the full Gospel when it is preached? Are there aspects of the Gospel that leave you uneasy? Are there teachings of our Lord that confuse you or lead you to anger? First look within your own heart to determine if you struggle with having a similar reaction as did Herod and Herodias. And then consider how the world reacts to the Truth of the Gospel. We should not be surprised at all that we find many Herods and Herodiases alive today. Reflect, today, upon any ways that you see the Gospel being rejected on one level or another. If you sense this within your own heart, then repent with all your might. If you see it elsewhere, do not allow the hostility to shake you or concern you. Keep your mind and heart upon the Truth and remain steadfast no matter the reaction you encounter. My Lord of all Truth, Your Word and Your Word alone brings grace and salvation. Please give me the grace I need to always listen to Your Word and to respond generously with all my heart. May I repent when I am convicted by Your Word and may I wholeheartedly return to You. Give me courage when others reject Your Truth and wisdom to know how to share that Word with love. Jesus, I trust in You.

Relying Upon Divine Providence

February 4, 2021 Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick—no food, no sack, no money in their belts. Mark 6:7–8 Why would Jesus instruct the Twelve to go forth to preach with authority but to take nothing with them on the journey? Most people who set out on a journey prepare ahead and make sure to pack what they need. Jesus’ instruction was not so much a lesson in relying upon others for basic needs as it was a lesson on reliance upon divine providence for their ministry. The material world is good in and of itself. All creation is good. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with having possessions and using them for our good and for the good of those who have been entrusted to our care. But there are times when God wants us to rely more upon Him than upon ourselves. The story above is one of those situations. By instructing the Twelve to go forth on their mission without bringing the basic necessities of life, Jesus was helping them to trust not only in His providence for those basic needs but also to trust that He would provide for them spiritually in their mission of preaching, teaching and healing. They were given great spiritual authority and responsibility and, for that reason, needed to rely upon the providence of God to a far greater extent than others. Thus, Jesus exhorts them to trust Him regarding their basic needs so that they will also be disposed to trust Him on this new spiritual mission. The same is true in our lives. When God entrusts us with a mission to share the Gospel with another, He will often do so in a way that requires great trust on our part. He will send us forth “empty-handed,” so to speak, so that we will learn to rely upon His gentle guidance. Sharing the Gospel with another is an incredible privilege, and we must realize that we will be successful only if we rely wholeheartedly upon the providence of God. Reflect, today, upon those to whom you sense God wants you to reach out to with the Gospel. How do you do this? The answer is quite simple. You do so only by relying upon the providence of God. Step out in faith, listen to His guiding voice every step of the way, and know that His providence is the only way that the Gospel message will be effectively shared. My trustworthy Lord, I accept Your call to go forth and to share Your love and mercy with others. Help me to always rely upon You and Your providence for my mission in life. Use me as You will and help me to trust in Your guiding hand for the upbuilding of Your glorious Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in You.

Christ All Around Us

February 3, 2021 Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr—Optional Memorial Saint Ansgar, Bishop—Optional Memorial

“Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joseph and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Mark 6:3 After traveling throughout the countryside performing miracles, teaching the crowds and gaining many followers, Jesus returned to Nazareth where He grew up. Perhaps His disciples were excited to return with Jesus to His native place thinking that His own townspeople would be overjoyed to see Jesus again because of the many stories of His miracles and authoritative teaching. But the disciples were soon to have quite a surprise. After arriving in Nazareth, Jesus entered the Synagogue to teach, and He taught with an authority and wisdom that confounded the locals. They said among themselves, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him?” They were confused because they knew Jesus. He was the local carpenter who worked for years with His father who was a carpenter. He was Mary’s son, and they knew His other relatives by name. The primary difficulty Jesus’ townspeople had was their familiarity with Jesus. They knew Him. They knew where He lived. They knew Him as He grew up. They knew His family. They knew all about Him. Therefore, they wondered how He could be anything special. How could He now teach with authority? How could He now do miracles? Thus, they were astonished, and they allowed that astonishment to turn into doubt, judgment and criticism. The same temptation is something we all deal with more than we may realize. It is often easier to admire a stranger from afar than one whom we know well. When we hear of someone for the first time who is doing something admirable, it’s easy to join in that admiration. But when we hear good news about someone we know well, we can easily be tempted to jealousy or envy and to be skeptical and even critical. But the truth is that every saint has a family. And every family potentially has brothers and sisters, cousins and other relatives through whom God will do great things. This should not surprise us—it should inspire us! And we should rejoice when those close to us and with whom we are familiar are used powerfully by our good God. Reflect, today, upon those whom you are familiar with in life, especially your own family. Examine whether or not you struggle with an ability to see beyond the surface and accept that God dwells within everyone. We must constantly seek to discover the presence of God all around us, especially in the lives of those whom we know very well. My ever-present Lord, thank You for the countless ways in which You are present in the lives of those all around me. Give me the grace to see You and to love You in the lives of those closest to me. As I discover Your glorious presence in their lives, fill me with deep gratitude and help me to acknowledge Your love that comes forth from their lives. Jesus, I trust in You.

Discovering Human Dignity

Shay Cullen

9 January 2021

 

When I see the newly arrived children- all victims of human right violations and sexual abuse- healing and recovering in our Preda Foundation home and striving to be “good,” to be a “better person", somehow thinking they are “bad,” I and the Preda staff continuously tell them in Filipino that:  “You are good children and youth. You have done no wrong, you are innocent victims of bad people who trafficked and abused you.”

 

It takes a long while for them to understand this. Then, the day arrives when they have had their fifth or sixth session of Emotional Release Therapy. That is where they dramatically confront their abusers in the padded therapy room and fight back at their rapist. They shout his name, cry and scream at him and pound the cushions as if beating him. They are tearing free from the fear and subjugation they endured.  In time, they have a new self-understanding.  It is an emotional resurrection, the greatest moment of liberation in their lifetime.

 

They come to realize that they are good persons and have been exploited and abused. Sandra, a 13-year-old, who was repeatedly raped and beaten by her biological father, told how she felt in a group session after her therapy, “I feel free from them, I can live on my own, I see now what is true, I have my dignity”,

 

The children have broken free from the culture of servility and domination and being downtrodden, and discovered the most important of all. They discovered they have that vital and all-important inherent value of all humanity- human dignity.  They have been brainwashed and told all their lives in the slums, living in poverty, without proper education, that they are of little worth, of no value and are better out earning money with their bodies. The younger ones are abused and threatened to tell no one of the sexual abuse. They are told that they did a bad thing and are made to feel guilty and dirty and are wrongly made ashamed of themselves. But from open emotional expression comes freedom and a sense of self-confidence and self-worth and empowerment from knowing that they have dignity and that their dignity has imbued them with inalienable rights.

 

Human dignity is the greatest value in the Judeo-Christian tradition. It was neglected, ignored and lost for thousands of years. In fact, the word itself was lost until recent history. The idea, concept or belief in human dignity as an  ‘inherent or unearned worth of humans’ was not even used in any official or government document, researchers say, until it appeared by chance in the Mexican Constitution of 1917. Then, it was a vague reference to human value. The word only appeared in 1948 when the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was ratified by the United Nations. In the introduction, the word is used twice to justify why humans have inalienable rights. That humans have these rights is an idea, a concept, based on the belief that the human species has an ‘inherent or unearned worth of humans’ above all other creatures and species on the planet.

 

Until the Universal Declaration of Human Rights came in to force in the membership nations that made up the United Nations, many countries without a fair and human rights-based legal system frequently treated people as disposable items by those in power and authority. That authority was absolute, unquestionable, and every person was at its mercy without respect or recourse.

 

The abominations, atrocities and genocide of World War II gave rise to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as humanity realized that without the recognition of the dignity of the human person, and their rights arising from it enforced in law and practice, they didn’t have a chance to survive the rise of fascist authoritarian regimes.

 

The principles and the rights laid out by the Declaration has been universally accepted and recognized by most nations, on paper at least.  Many regimes ignore the rights and dignity of their citizens that must be treated with respect, equality, and human value as enshrined in the Declaration and to be enforced and implemented by Rule of Law.

 

There is international action, condemnation and protest when the violations of human rights and human dignity are violated. Protests, demonstrations, marches, social media campaigns raise their voice to denounce the violations although much more has to be done.

 

The imposition of UN sanctions and the deployment of peace-keeping troops and the indictments of the International Criminal Court of Justice are some ways the world community can bring an erring regime to accountability and yet the massacres, child sexual abuse, violations and trampling on human dignity and rights continue unabated. Just as corrupt politicians, criminal gangs, drug cartel leaders and mafia bosses are the killers and tramplers of human rights, so too are the many individuals who abuse children and their enablers and protectors. It is only in our generation in the last twenty years that there has been an outcry and movement to condemn child sexual abuse and human trafficking and enact strict laws to bring abusers to account and to jail.Tolerance, apathy, indifference, secret approval of child abuse was the custom and in many places it still is. In the Philippines, life sentences are frequently handed down to child sex abusers and human traffickers. The strict laws, driven through congress by civil society, are most important in doing justice for the victims of these heinous crimes against children.

 

Let us not forget where human dignity, respect for human rights of children and women, were first announced and taught. It was by that inspired man, the prophetic Jesus of Nazareth, who constantly championed the rights of children and declared the child  as the most important in his planned society of justice, equality, dignity and peace. To accept and respect the child was to accept him. That is a strong endorsement of human dignity of the most vulnerable in society.

 

www.preda.org

Racism: The Inheritance of Slavery

Shay Cullen

23 January 2021

 

The most powerful and richest country on the planet is still arguably the poorest in moral values and social and racial equality. It is suffering a shock to its democratic system. The days when black people in the southern states of America had to use special seats in the back of buses, go to separate drinking fountains and restaurants, their children forced to go to separate schools and churches and live lives segregated from white people, may be over. That great civil rights movement and the march on Washington led by Martin Luther King in August 1963 did not end racism in America. The attitudes still persist and maybe worse than ever. President Joe Biden has a mighty challenge ahead of him.

 

Racism has many facets and causes much hurt, suffering, anger and hatred and social unrest. It is when one group discriminates, oppresses and dominates another because of the color of their skin- be it black, brown or olive- or their facial features. In America, those that discriminate and reject people of color as having equal rights are known as white supremacists. At the behest of President Trump, their champion, they invaded and briefly took over the US Capitol on 6 January 2021. They are not a minority in America and consider themselves racially superior to black or brown-skinned people. Racism is exclusion, it exists in the minds and hearts, beliefs and attitudes of a single dominating group that treats the other group as inferior, even less than fully human, because they are of different skin color. Racism perpetuates itself everywhere when social and economic and cultural equality is absent. Racism and discrimination oppress another segment of society because of their economic weakness, poverty, lack of opportunity and skin color. The dominant group considers the other as an inferior race and denies them opportunity of equality and education to rise out of poverty. It is a vicious circle of the oppressed. Institutional racism denies almost all opportunities to the people of different skin color and they will always remain poor and disadvantaged and blamed because they are considered racially inferior.

 

When the Black American community did prosper and proved them wrong, they were annihilated by the white supremacist groups. Asuch is what happened in the thriving, prosperous black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, whose members were well off and owned property, banks and businesses and had a superior school system for higher education. Some rich families owned their own airplanes. In 1921, racial violence broke out. The community was attacked by jealous white supremacists. They bombed 35 city blocks, killed 300 black people, seriously injured 800 and 900 were made homeless and the white supremacists looted and burnt everything to the ground.

 

The dominant racist group need not be in the majority as was the case in apartheid South Africa where a small minority of white people of European descent ruled the nation and segregated the Black majority. This was reversed by the anti-apartheid movement led by Nelson Mandela with the help of the international community that imposed sanctions.

 

In the Philippines, the indigenous people of different ethnic heritage and darker skin color, such as the Aeta or Manobo people, suffer racial discrimination and racial slurs and bullying. the Manobo people. Most of them remain in poverty. In Myanmar, the ethnic group of Rohyngya has been so discriminated against that accusations of genocide are leveled against the Myanmar ruling class who forced them to flee their villages to Bangladesh where they make up the largest single refugee camp in the world.

 

European conquering nations colonialized the people of the world and robbed their wealth while millions of natives died and more were enslaved and impoverished as many of the native Americans today. Slavery became the basis of the colonialist’s economic prosperity. The American native population were corralled into reservations. The colonialists imported captured people from Africa to North and South America. In a period of 300 years, 13 million Africans were shipped across the Atlantic Ocean in slave ships built to purpose. The black descendents of these slaves are the victims of institutional racism. It is this culture of exclusion, discrimination and racial bias that is the open wound in America today. While many white people support the rights and dignity of African-American people, many do not.

 

Nowhere else is the racial inequality more apparent than in the relations of the black community with law enforcement. Poverty, inequality and non-education of many Black youth that suffer broken homes and dysfunctional families drive the youth to join the drug culture. This is a source of income and escapism from the frustration, pain and hopelessness of high unemployment and uselessness of life. US law enforcement is predominantly white, male and a culture of racism prevails. Last July 2020, a research paper published in the proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences found that one Black boy or man in every thousand are likely to be killed by police sometime in their lifetime and that Black males are 2.5 times more likely to be victims of police shootings than white males. It found that the leading cause of death among young Black men is violence by police. Here are some shocking statistics from the survey. 

• 1 in 11 Black adults are currently under correctional control (in prison or on parole/probation)
• 1 in 230 Black youth are detained in juvenile facilities
• 1 in 3 Black families have zero or negative wealth
• 1 in 2.5 Black adults were unemployed or temporarily furloughed on April 2020
• 1 in 2.5 Black women will die within five years of diagnosis of endometrial cancer
• 1 in 1,350 Black Americans have died of COVID-19
• 1 in 13 Black Americans of voting age are disenfranchised
• 8 in 10 Black adults with at least some college experience report having experienced racial discrimination.

It is this and much more with the killing of many Black people by police that the Black Lives Matter movement that has grown and spread around the world. We can only hope that President Joe Biden will do all he can to bring justice and equality to the lives of the 41.4 million African American community.

 

www.preda.org

Speaking from the Heart of Christ

Speaking from the Heart of Christ February 2, 2021 Feast of the Presentation of the Lord Luke 2:22-40 When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took Jesus up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord. Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. He came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform the custom of the law in regard to him, he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying: “Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in sight of all the peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him; and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. And coming forward at that very time, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem. When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him. Introductory Prayer: Lord, I open my heart to receive the power of your Spirit flowing from your heart into mine. I wish to carry it zealously as a light from my heart to my family, to my friends, to the weak and empty of heart. With the fire of your love in me, I want to acknowledge you as true light and as the glory and splendor of every human person. I long to be filled with a consuming love for you.  Petition: Lord, help me to penetrate the meaning of my baptism by contemplating your consecration in the Temple and on the cross.  Glory of the Father, Light of the Nations: Contemplate this scene from God’s perspective. The Son, now in human history, enters the Temple for the first time. The Son enters the house of the Father. He, the perfect Lamb for whom no earthly sanctuary is holy enough, accepts to be consecrated in this place built by men, this place that was dedicated to the memory of the signs that were all in expectation of him. The True Lamb arrives at last to the place of offering. The Temple was above all a place of sacrifice in order to gain God’s favor. It was a place of expiation to free oneself of the inheritance of sin, and a place of prayer to offer fitting honor and praise to the one true God. And here, on this day, in the arms of Mary, comes the only sacrifice that counts, for without him no other sacrifice has meaning, whether in sacred rituals or in our personal lives. “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord”: Contemplate this scene through the heart of Mary. In the simple rite of consecration, the Son is going to recognize his belonging to the Father, but he will do it through Mary’s fidelity to the prescribed ritual. Yet, who can speak for THIS child? Can anyone speak for the zeal of his heart, the hunger of his heart to suffer for souls? Mary’s pure and humble heart emerges as his spokesperson, and it speaks the language of self-giving and donation, though under the rituals prescribed by the law. “For their sake I consecrate myself.” She reflects to the world what has been communicated to her by her Son, who is flesh of her flesh. In our ordinary life we elevate the meaning of small events in union with Christ. Flesh of our flesh by grace, he enables us to live a consecration to a mission in his name. Our acts are made from the power of Christ’s living presence moving our heart and will.  “A sword shall pierce your heart…”: Now contemplate the true temple of Christ’s body on the Cross, where every consecration is made perfect. Yes, Christ gives us the privilege to speak the words that echo from his heart. Over time he perfects this language in us if we are faithful to the cross in our life. My own baptismal consecration is all about speaking from what is in the heart of Christ, so that his words ‘pierce my own heart’ and replace that heart of stone with a new heart. I seek to speak like Christ––chaste, poor, and obedient––with a language forged and pounded into full authenticity at the Cross. My death to sin and egoism will call forth the risen life of the new man of the Kingdom––possible only through the fire of the Spirit that flows from the open side of Christ. Conversation with Christ: O Jesus, make my soul a temple worthy of your entry. May the walls of my heart be adorned with purity, honesty, and upright intention in all I say and do. May its floors, upon which you walk, be sealed with modesty and sincerity, and lead you to an undivided heart.  Resolution: Today I will renew my personal consecration to the Heart of Christ in a visit to the Eucharist, at least virtually, and I will remember in a special way all consecrated persons throughout the world who renew their vows today.   Our Daily Meditation is also available with audio: CLICK HERE TO START LISTENING! FORWARD TO A FRIEND

The Culmination of a Life of Faith

Tuesday, February 2, 2021 Presentation of the Lord—Feast Readings for Today

“Now, Master, you may let your servant go in peace, according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you prepared in the sight of all the peoples: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for your people Israel.”  Luke 2:29-32 At the time of Jesus’ birth, there was a man named Simeon who had spent his whole life preparing for one significant moment. Like all faithful Jews at the time, Simeon was waiting for the coming Messiah. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would indeed see the Messiah before his death—and so this happened when Mary and Joseph brought Jesus into the Temple to offer Him to the Lord as an infant. Try to imagine the scene. Simeon had lived a holy and devout life. And deep within his conscience, he knew that his life on earth would not come to an end until he was privileged to see the Savior of the World with his own eyes. He knew this by a special gift of faith, an interior revelation of the Holy Spirit, and he believed. It’s helpful to think about this unique gift of knowledge that Simeon had throughout his life. Normally we gain knowledge through our five senses. We see something, hear something, taste, smell, or feel something, and as a result come to know it to be true. Physical knowledge is very reliable and is the normal way we come to know things. But this gift of knowledge Simeon had was different. It was deeper and was spiritual in nature. He knew he would see the Messiah before he died, not because of some external sensory perception he had received but because of an interior revelation from the Holy Spirit. This truth begs the question, which type of knowledge is more certain? Something you see with your eyes, touch, smell, hear or taste? Or something that God speaks to you in the depths of your soul by a revelation of grace? Though these types of knowledge are different, it’s important to understand that the spiritual knowledge that is given by the Holy Spirit is far more certain than anything perceived through the five senses alone. This spiritual knowledge has the power to change your life and direct all your actions toward that revelation. For Simeon, this interior knowledge of a spiritual nature suddenly united with his five senses when Jesus was brought into the Temple. Simeon suddenly saw, heard and felt this Child Whom he knew he would one day see with his own eyes and touch with his own hands. For Simeon, that moment was the culminating moment of his life. Reflect, today, upon anything that our Lord has spoken to you in the depths of your soul. Too often we ignore His gentle voice as it speaks, preferring instead to live only in the sensory world. But the spiritual reality within us must become the center and foundation of our lives. It is there where God speaks, and it is there where we, too, will discover the central purpose and meaning of our lives. My spiritual Lord, I thank You for the countless ways in which You speak to me day and night in the depths of my own soul. Help me to be always attentive to You and to Your gentle voice as You speak to me. May Your voice and Your voice alone become the guiding direction of my life. May I trust in Your Word and never waver from the mission You have given to me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Does lifting heavier weights mean more muscle?

Charlie Meister

·

January 20

Certified Personal Trainer

Do you ever go for a workout but can’t feel or engage the muscle you want to be working?

You want to build a bigger chest but for some reason you feel your delts and triceps activated?

You want to build bigger lats but find yourself swinging back n fourth more than kids at the playground swings cause you gotta keep up with your friend?

Lately, i’ve been seeing so many guys going into the gym and lifting an absurd amount of weight with absolutely horrendous form just to show off to their friends or social media how much weight they can lift...

This is the exact reason why you’re not growing and it’s called ego lifting.

If your goal is hypertrophy (aka building muscle) then you need to give yourself a reality check and drop your ego.

The most important factor in my opinion for building muscle is mastering form & time under tension and the heavier you try and lift the more you compromise your form.

Only increase the weight once you’ve mastered the form on that exercise. Trust me you can always make an exercise harder without increasing the weight.

For most people, the goal is to build muscle and progress. Unless you’re a powerlifter nobody actually gives a fck how much weight you can lift and it’s even less impressive if your form is dogshit.

Leave your ego at the door, lower the weight and learn to master the form 💯

What are some interesting things psychology can tell you about someone just by looking at them?

Hina Anser

·

Updated July 7, 2020

Psychology · Growth Mindset Hacker, Passionate Writer, Entrepreneur 

• Your personality type is revealed by your punctuality: If you’re reaching everywhere late then you have “Type B (flexible, relaxed, laid-back attitude)”. If you’re reaching everywhere on time, then you have “Type A (competitive, aggressive, achievement-oriented)”.
• Your eating habits reveal lots about how you approach life: Slow eaters like to be in control and appreciate life. Fast eaters are ambitious, adventurous, & impatient. Picky eaters are neurotic in different areas of life. Those who separate food in their plate, are detail-oriented & disciplined.
• How Controlling a person can be revealed by their Inbox: Those who start organizing their emails, the moment they receive it, like to have control & order in their lives. Those who save the emails, even after reading it, are the perfectionists, who think they may need it later. Lastly, those who don’t spend their time reading, filing, & deleting emails, are people who can easily get confused or overwhelmed.
• Your Music interest reveals lots about your personality: A person who listens “complex & reflective” music, is adventurous, self-perceived intelligence, & political liberalism. A person who listens “conventional & upbeat” music, are athleticism, self-perceived physical attractiveness, & political conservatism.

What can one learn about a person's personality just by observing them?

Lukas Schwekendiek

·

Updated August 30, 2019

1. Those with genuine smiles are more honest with themselves. Most often the fake smiles reveal someone people pleasing and doing something they do not wish to do for the sake of pleasing the person across from them. If a person is out in public, smiling genuinely, it often means they agreed to go somewhere on their terms, not because they had to.
1. A genuine smile can be seen when a person’s eyes get smaller or they are squinting while smiling. It’s a natural reaction you cannot fake.
2. An open stance reveals confidence. If they are open with friends but closed off otherwise it can mean they are not that trusting, while an open stance with everyone means they have nothing to hide or fear from anyone.
1. Open Stances are characterized by where the person\"s toes are pointing and how many ‘vitals’ they are not protecting with their hands or arms. If their palms are facing outward often it’s an even bigger signal of confidence.
3. The persons shoes often reveal why they wear the clothes they do. If you see someone that is wearing very fashionable clothes, but has dirty or used up shoes, it means they most likely only care about their clothes to make an outward appearance. The person that genuinely, for himself/herself, cares about the clothes they wear will also take good care of their shoes.
1. Dirty spots, scratches, loose knots, or even broken soles can be a telling sign of someone that doesn’t care about their look.
4. A tense face is a sign of a person being some other place mentally. When you are in the moment, in the conversation or mentally present with a person then you will be more relaxed. The attention is in the present moment, which often is relatively light compared to the rest of life. People that are in another place mentally either have more important things on their mind, or care little about the conversation or person.
1. Watch out for the space between people’s eyebrows and at the edges of their eyes for tension. A person’s eyes often reveal the most about their level of stress.

Never Give Up on Another

February 1, 2021 Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Readings for Today

“What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He  replied, “Legion is my name.  There are many of us.” Mark 5:7–9 To most people, such an encounter would be terrifying. This man whose words are recorded above was possessed by a multitude of demons. He lived on the hillsides among various caves by the sea, and no one wanted to go near him. He was a violent man, crying out day and night, and all the townspeople were fearful of him. But when this man saw Jesus at a distance, something amazing happened. Instead of Jesus being terrified of the man, the multitude of demons possessing the man became terrified of Jesus. Jesus then commanded the many demons to leave the man and enter a herd of about two thousand swine instead. The swine immediately ran down the hill into the sea and drowned. The possessed man returned to normal, becoming clothed and in his right mind. All who saw him were amazed. Clearly, this brief summary of the story does not adequately explain the terror, trauma, confusion, suffering, etc., that this man endured during the years of his diabolical possession. And it does not adequately explain the grave suffering of this man's family and friends, as well as the disorder caused to the local townspeople as a result of his possession. Thus, to better understand this story, it is useful to contrast the before-and-after experience of all involved. It was very difficult for everyone to comprehend how this man could go from being possessed and out of his mind to calm and rational. For that reason, Jesus told the man to “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Imagine the mix of joy, confusion and disbelief that his family would have experienced.  If Jesus could transform the life of this man who was completely possessed by a Legion of demons, then no one is ever without hope. Too often, especially within our families and among old friends, there are those whom we have written off as irredeemable. There are those who have gone so far astray that they seem hopeless. But one thing this story tells us is that hope is never lost for anyone—not even those completely possessed by a multitude of demons. Reflect, today, upon anyone in your life whom you have written off. Perhaps they have hurt you over and over. Or perhaps they have chosen a life of grave sin. Look at that person in the light of this Gospel and know that there is always hope. Be open to God acting through you in a profound and powerful way so that even the most seemingly irredeemable person you know will be given hope through you. My most powerful Lord, I offer to You, this day, the person whom I call to mind who is most in need of Your redeeming grace. May I never lose hope in Your ability to transform their life, to forgive their sins and to bring them back to You. Use me, dear Lord, to be an instrument of Your mercy so that they will come to know You and experience the freedom You so deeply desire that they receive. Jesus, I trust in You.