Spiritual Dirt

I just got finished cleaning the house. I washed the dishes, cleaned the bathroom, and vacuumed the floor. I actually didn't finish cleaning the whole house. When I was cleaning, I began to think that dirt always comes back after each cleaning. No matter how well you clean, you have to clean constantly. This is exactly like our spiritual lives. If we are not constantly cleaning and purifying our souls with the power of the Holy Spirit, they will get dirty. We need to be very aware of this.

Evaluation of the Miller's Tale

1. Does the story reflect principles of truth, goodness, and beauty?
The Miller's Tale tells the truth about hypocrisy, adultery, and lying. It has a good portrayal of fallen mankind in sin. Another truth one could pull from this story is the line which says not to inquire or question the things of God. Jealousy is also a sin which is mentioned in the beginning when describing the carpenter. A man cannot know the mind of God, and he should trust what the Lord says or does. This tale glosses over the sins of adultery and lying. The reader does not see any judgment in response to these sins. The judgment for Absalon, the hypocrite, is clearly seen. In the tale, the author seems to consider a man marrying a very young wife is a type of sin. This sin is clearly judged by the carpenter being cheated on and being made a fool. I would consider the story to be pessimistic. The story was unified, but it was not as complex as other literary works. The language is very artful and stylistic. The images are also shown beautifully. A few principles of truth, beauty and goodness are shown.
2. Is the story honorable?
The tale is clearly told for the baser thoughts and emotions of man. It does not encourage a man to have a moral life or to take the religious calling very seriously which Absalon clearly shows. So, no the story is certainly not honorable.
3. What difference can the story make in our own lives?
The story does not have that much positive impact for the reader. This story in my opinion is basically junk food. The reader will not be enriched in their daily lives by this story. One can examine the words and style and imagery of this story which are beautiful. Other than that this story might create a husband to be suspicious of his wife which would cause a lost of trust. The only point it could possibly show is that God's knowledge is beyond us, and we should trust Him. One has to really look hard to make that out. So, overall, it does not make a huge positive difference in our own lives.
4. How effective is the story at accomplishing what it set out to do?
The story was is intended to cock the knight's tale which was noble, elegant, and dramatic. This tale completely mocks the elegant courtly love which is in the Knight's Tale. This story also wants to be a comedy to the baser thoughts and people of mankind which it is. The content clearly show the base humor which is displayed. It is effective in accomplishing it's purpose.
5. Is the story worth our time and effort to read and discuss it?
This story is not worth much examination unless one is examining the form. The form and style and imagery is worth looking at. Also how it mocks the Knight's tale is worth looking at. The content or moral values are not worth looking at in depth. The content is less important than the form because it is immoral.
6. Did you enjoy it?
I got some laughs from it, but it's not something I would take seriously or imitate in my daily life. I would rather read other stories which have more meaning and can have more application to my daily life.
Grade: C

My New Year's Resolution

Isn't it exciting to come upon a new year. It is like a new beginning almost. You can go back and see your problems, learn from them, and go on. I have some different aspects I wish to change about myself which I wish to discuss.

The first category which I wish to change this year in my realtionship with my Heavenly Father. This year I am going to be more diligent and faithful in reading the Word and in spending time in prayer constantly. I want to be able to feel the prescence of the Holy Spirit like never before. I haven't been a good child towards a holy father. I am going to build myself up to the tempations and the worldly desires. Of course, I cannot have any success without the power of the Holy Spirit.

My second category is my mentality as a whole. I am going to become a more intelligent and well rounded man who uses common sense and thinks through his problems. I want to become a man who reads. I want to learn from the men and women who have come before me by reading them. One can learn so much by reading. I wish to have a set number of books to read for a month. Also, I wish to become more organized and neat. By doing this, I will be able to think more clearly. I want to be able to think without feeling or emotions getting in the way. I am not saying that I do not want to have emotions or feelings, but I do not want them to affect my thinking skills in a negative way.

My third category is my health. I want to become the most healthiest that I have ever been in my life. I want to become a man of exercise and discipline. I want also be the strongest I have ever been. I want to eat corectly which will make me feel better. When I feel more healthy, it will affect my whole self and every area will aprrove.
All of these categories connect--- the mind, spirit and body. I will improve in all these areas which will make me as a person better. All of these improvements are not for myself, but they are for the pupose of the kingdom. Ultimately I wish to become a better citizen of the Kingdom of God.

Experimental Poetry

If I need to talk to someone,
I hear," Yes, son,
Sit on my knee
And talk with me.

If I need to be reassured,
I can be cured,
In your great love,
Love from above.

If I need advice in my life,
Amidst the strife,
I go to you
Who guides me through.

The Return to Asceticism

Many years ago lived an extraordianry man. He spoke to the animals and talked to fire. He begged for food and lived on the streets with nothing but a shabby cloak. His name was St. Francis of Assissi. This man brought a new view upon his world. Bringing back beauty and losing materials was his mission. This man acted as an antidote for his world. Can he act as an antidote for our society?

Francis emphasized the idea of dependence. He stated that we are dependent upon God for our every breath. He viewed the world as hanging upside down, but it wasn't hanging on anything. The only person holding it was God himself. He begged for his daily bread, and he thanked God for providing it through the givers. Today, many people are so independent and self centered that they forget where all their blessings come from. They act as if they built their own wealth, but there is something beyond. They need to return and realize that they are dependent.

Once they realize that they are dependant upon a supernatural being, they will be thankful like Francis. Francis thanked God for all that he had. Because he was dependant upon God for everything, he was thankful for his every belonging which was not much. He was also thankful for the people around him and for creation. He loved to be around nature and animals. He was very thankful for the whole world. Many today don't have this attitude. Why should they be thankful, they weren't given anything, right? Wrong. They actually have been given the most wonderful gift of all. That is Jesus Christ. Maybe they haven't recieved this gift yet.

Since everything thing was a gift for Francis, he saw everthing as beautiful. "A good thing looks better when it is a gift." When your whole life and everything with it is a gift, one will go through life more thankful and happy. Why can't people realize that? Many who have all they ever wanted are not happy at all. They do not understand that everything is a gift.

Francis is a gift today for our world. He is a man that we should all learn from. We should return to the asceticism of the world. Everything should have a wonder about it. Why go through life seeing everything as dull and old. The Lord's creation should make us turn back to him. We should be in awe of this Awesome God. Please look at the world through the eyes of St. Francis.