“Rooted in Faith, Guided by Experience”
“Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you. All things are passing. God never changes.” – St. Teresa of Ávila
Over the past four years at Verbum Dei, my theology classes, retreats, and liturgies have helped me grow a lot in my faith. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that God is always with us, even when life gets hard. During junior year, I learned about the Paschal Mystery and the grief cycle. This helped me see that pain and struggles are part of life and that we can grow from them. In The Wisdom Pattern, Richard Rohr says, “...there is a cruciform pattern to all reality, a collision of cross-purposes” (Rohr 194). This means that life is full of ups and downs, but God is with us through all of it. I saw this even more clearly during the Kairos retreat, where I connected more with my classmates and God. I also learned from Dr. Elizabeth Johnson’s book Consider Jesus that even Jesus felt fear and sadness like we do (Johnson 44). That made me feel comforted, because it reminded me that it’s okay to feel things and still have faith. Now, I go to Mass every weekend, even when I’m tired or busy, because staying close to God is important to me.
Works Cited
Rohr, Richard. The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Disorder, Reorder. Franciscan Media, 2020.
Johnson, Elizabeth A. Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology. Crossroad, 1990.
“Living for Others Every Day”
“The reign of God, then, involves justice and peace among everyone, healing and wholeness everywhere, fullness of life enjoyed by all.” – Dr. Elizabeth Johnson
I believe I live as a disciple of Christ by helping others and living with kindness and love every day. One example of this is helping at my family’s business. My Christian Service has been working in our dry cleaning shop in Compton. It’s not just a job — I try to treat every customer with respect and kindness. Even when I’m tired, I show up and help my parents because I know that service starts at home. Another way I show discipleship is by doing the service hours that Verbum Dei requires. Most of my hours were completed at my old middle school, where I helped teachers grade papers and organize classrooms. I mostly helped my sister-in-law, who at the time worked there as the English teacher and 8th grade homeroom teacher. I’ve also served in Nickerson Gardens in Watts, where I helped clean up the area with other VERB students. These acts of service may seem small, but they taught me how important it is to give back. I also help my brother and sister-in-law with their small business, I dance to celebrate our faith and culture, and I support my friends whenever they need me. I try to live with love and faith no matter where I am. Like Elizabeth Johnson says, the reign of God means bringing healing and peace to everyone (Johnson). I know I still have a lot to learn, but I try my best to live in a way that brings joy and peace to others around me.
Works Cited
Johnson, Elizabeth A. Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology. Crossroad, 1990.
