Class Update: the Eucharist and Remembrance

Greetings everyone,

In our most recent class, for our opening prayer time, we had the chance to reflect on those we know who have passed away, remembering that "We believe all the ties of friendship and affection which knit us together as one in this life do not unravel with death."

Paul then shared about his Grandpa Martin, who was a World War II veteran, and also spoke about Veterans' Day and Election Day.

The inscription on the grave of Paul's grandfather is inspired by 2 Timothy 4:6-8, in the New International Version of the Bible.

We hope that if you know a veteran who is still living that you will take the chance to contact that person and thank her/him for serving in the US armed forces.

Subsequently, Paul shared more about the story of faith in his life.

We then turned our focus toward the Mass and the Eucharist, when we remember the sacrifice Jesus Christ offered for us, just as we have many ways in our own lives and in society that we remember important people and events of the past.  When we gather at Mass, we re-present the sacrifice, reliving it.

Here again is the video for the Eucharist Prayer II we watched, and here is a link for the complete text.

While we didn't watch this video in class, it shows the text as someone chants the prayer.

This week's activity has options that offer an opportunity to ponder the meaning of the Eucharist, which is at the heart of the Mass.  One of the in-depth options is to view the Ordination Mass for the three new bishops of the Archdiocese of Chicago.  It will be streamed live at 2 PM on Friday, November 13, on the Archdiocesan YouTube channel.  If you choose to watch it, you can also it view the archived video at a later time.  It will likely be 2 hours long.  Again, you can pick an option that takes much less time, as we generally expect you to spend 10 minutes or so with the weekly activities.

Here is the link with instructions for the activity options and to submit your reflection on the activity you choose: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R6H6QJ5

Please be sure to state which option you chose when you submit your reflection.

Looking ahead, our class time on November 17 will be a special Confirmation preparation session, with the topic of Jesus Christ, led by Father Rex.

Also, more information is forthcoming about some service opportunities that are available during the next few weeks to get gifts to people in need.

One opportunity that is taking place over the next week is Operation Shoebox: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

If you, students, provide the money for buying the gifts that you give, using allowance money or doing extra chores, it counts for your service hours.

As usual, please feel free to contact us with any questions, etc.

God's blessings on your week,

Debbie Lopez

Paul Rubio

P.S. In class, Paul mentioned Brecklynn Brown, who wrote a winning essay in a contest to write a question for the recent vice presidential debate hosted in Utah.  Here is a link for the text of her essay, and here is a link to view the final 4.5 minutes of the debate, with her question and the responses from the two candidates.  I hope that, like Brecklynn, you, students, seek out ways to be involved as a citizen now, even before you are eligible to vote.

And here's the link to the video to listen to Kate Smith's original 1938 performance of "God Bless America".  The song was originally written in 1918 by Irving Berlin, and this performance on November 10, 1938, was the first time it was performed on the radio, in the year that November 11 became an annual holiday to commemorate the Armistice that ended World War I.  In the 1950's, it became a holiday to honor all those living veterans who have served in the US military.

Here is the Mount Soledad Veterans' Memorial in San Diego, CA, which Paul visited last month.