Blog Post #9: Resilience

Blog Post #9: Resilience

A Written Response By Lily Jeffs

1. Could you ever see yourself sharing similar messages that your Letter Writer did? Why or why not? How would you share them?

I could see myself sharing similar messages to the motivational ones that Saint Peter did. I would do this to not only help myself, but to also help others, especially if they were going through hard times. Specifically, I would share messages about how it is up to us to control our future. I would also share messages about how those we love give us the strength to succeed in life. The main theme of the messages that I would share that relate immensely to Saint Peter's messages is that we must find strength through our weaknesses. We should also find something that we are passionate about, just as Saint Peter used God and the living stone, and use this to focus on and live life with. Because Saint Peter's messages were so inspirational to me after reading his letter, I could see myself sharing similar messages to relive his work within the modern era. To illustrate this, an image is shown below in which Saint Peter is leading the way with his keys to unlock his own personal kingdom, just as everyone should do in society as a whole.

                   ("The Bones of St Peter Are to Be Unveiled to the Public for the First Time, 

                                                                   Vatican Reveals")

                                             

2. What were some new things that you learned from the Marian apparition projects presented in class?

I learned many new things from the Marian Apparition projects presented in class. Specifically, I learned that Our Lady of Lourdes was a Marian Apparition who appeared to Saint Bernadette in a golden cloud that came out of a rock at the Grotto of Massabielle in 1858 that led to his sainthood. She believed that everyone should live a happy life in the next world, rather than the one we are living in now. I also learned about Our Lady of Akita, who was a woman who appeared to Sister Agnus in Japan in the form of light and caused her hands to bleed as well as the statue of Mary that was located right by them. A shrine was built for Our Lady of Akita because she believed that everyone should pray for each other so we can later be healed, including the sinners so we can show them the ways of the Lord. After Our Lady of Knock was presented to me, I learned that her apparition occurred in 1879 in Knock, Ireland, where she appeared to 15 people along with St John and St Joseph on an alter of a church. She gave the people of Ireland hope because of expressing her resilience to them even though her apparition was silent, in which a shrine was later built for her. The last Marian Apparition that I learned about was Our Lady of Fatima, who appeared on the 13th day of every month and was constantly seen by 3 children, including one known as Lucia. The three main secrets of Our Lady of Fatima were the insights of Hell, being devoted to the Immaculate Heart, and wanting everyone to pray for all of the lost souls that gave her the acknowledgment to have a shrine built for her in the Portuguese village where she was first seen. To illustrate what I learned from the Marian Apparition projects, an image is shown below in which a group of people are praying to the church where a Marian Apparition came to years ago, specifically in Ireland where Our Lady of Knock appeared.

                                           ("St. Michael the Archangel, St. John and Ireland")

3. How did you see resilience at work within the Marian apparition that you researched?

Our Lady of Guadalupe was very resilient throughout her life, especially towards those who questioned her existence. After Our Lady of Guadalupe met Juan Diego and he told the Spanish Bishop about her request to build a church at the site where she was standing, the bishop did not believe him and asked for a miraculous sign to prove Our Lady of Guadalupe’s existence and relation to Jesus. Rather than feeling let down about how the Spanish Bishop not believing that she was a true Marian Apparition, Our Lady of Guadalupe continued to gain the support of Juan Diego. She eventually performed a miracle as a result of using the strength and determination she had built up after the Bishop didn't accept her and becoming closer with Juan Diego. Once the Spanish Bishop and Juan Diego became true believers of her after what she had done, later on, millions of Mexicans began worshiping her. Resilience ultimately allowed Our Lady of Guadalupe to grow into such a significant figure both historically as well as in the modern era, remaining a powerful symbol of Mexican identity and faith, motherhood, feminism, and social justice. To illustrate how resilience impacted Our Lady of Guadalupe's life, an image is shown below in which she is using her power and faith to pray for all of those around and disregard those who don't believe in her.

                   ("2 (PCS) Our Lady of Guadalupe Decals Stickers 20 Colors To Choose From")

4. Do you see yourself as being resilient? Why or why not?

I see myself as someone who is both resilient as well as sensitive at times. I can be resilient when I get physically hurt, because I know that I am always strong enough to handle it and quickly heal. I am also resilient when I don't perform well on tests at times, because instead of becoming upset, I use this as a learning performance and usually do better the next time. Although I am resilient at times, I can also let other moments take control of me, causing me to start to break down. This occurs when I am criticized by others or myself in instances such as being compared to in athletics. If someone tells me that I didn't perform well including while playing for my club soccer team, yet others are praised for their work, I become let down and feel that I am not good enough. I also become more intimidated by my coaches as I don't want to mess up the next time. Although this part of me not being resilient has affected my performance within the past few years, I have begun to improve my confidence and instead play soccer with the mindset that my coaches are only pointing what I am doing wrong to improve me as a player. To illustrate the combination of resilience and weakness I have as a person, an image is shown below in which a person first thinks that they should give up, but are now trying to find the courage and strength to continue running, similarly to how I feel like giving up at times yet push through to achieve my goals.

                         ("Avoid Over Training and Career Ending Injuries With These 5 Steps")

Works Cited

“Avoid Over Training and Career Ending Injuries With These 5 Steps.” Advanced Athletics by Adam 

              Friedman, advancedathletics.com/avoid-over-training-and-career-ending-injuries-with-these-

              5-steps/.

Evensong. “St. Michael the Archangel, St. John and Ireland.” Return to Fatima, 25 June 2017, 

              www.returntofatima.org/2015/12/st-michael-the-archangel-st-john-and-ireland/.

Reporter, Daily Mail. “The Bones of St Peter Are to Be Unveiled to the Public for the First Time, 
                Vatican Reveals.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 13 Nov. 2013, 
                www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2505095/The-bones-St-Peter-unveiled-public-time-
                Vatican-
                 reveals.html.

“2 (PCS) Our Lady of Guadalupe Decals Stickers 20 Colors To Choose From.” EBay, 

              www.ebay.com/itm/2-PCS-Our-Lady-of-Guadalupe-Decals-Stickers-20-Colors-To-Choose-

              From-/361585478510.