Courageous Students Demand Change After Horrific School Shooting in Florida

It was suppose to be a day to celebrate love-Valentine's Day and also it was Ash Wednesday 2018 and the beginning of Lent. After returning from Mass that afternoon, with a large ash cross on my forehead, I soon realized this was going to be a very sad day. It would be a Lent from hell for some families from Parkland, Florida, who heard the unthinkable and tragic news that day. Their precious children and some adults would be gunned down in what should be a safe place, their high school.
That a deranged and hate-filled teenager could buy an assault rifle so easily even though he had clear mental issues is a disgrace.
And now the students say, "enough is enough." Adults in power have failed them. They want to be the voice of the dead, who can no longer speak for themselves. Those who have no voice now should not have died a violent death in vain. Their friends and fellow students are demanding change. And lots of people are behind them.
Today, a week from that dreadful day, President Trump had a listening session at the White House and he heard from distraught parents who have lost children in deadly school shootings and students who witnessed them. Let's hope he acts wisely.
Where is the hope? The hope is that students across America want change and are demanding change. They want sensible gun laws and more serious background checks for those who want to buy guns.
I'm hopeful that, over time, they will make a difference. They're eloquent and brave and are impressing a lot of people, including me. My prayers are with them.
NJA

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past, let us accept our own responsibility for the future. 
President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963)

Bible Verses on Billboards

I'm back from sunny Florida. What a beautiful state! I love flowers, especially pink ones and there were so many beautiful pink flowers to gaze at and appreciate. (As far as I'm concerned (theologians agree), the beauty and uniqueness of flowers is proof of God's existence-all of nature to be more exact). I enjoyed Florida, but I still have a love for New York and all things New York. I'm a native New Yorker, through and through.

While in Florida, my husband and I happened to notice a billboard that I liked. It was simple. In large print which covered the entire billboard (with a colored background), it said, John 3:16. That was it-simple and to the point. My husband asked me what that Bible verse was. That was an easy question, which I was happy to answer.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.

There is so much depth, hope, unconditional love and perfection in that one verse, which is why Christians hold up signs at sporting events printed with that verse. It says it all. It always comes back to Jesus and God's immense love for each of us.

One of the most popular blog entries that I've written is titled, "Hopeful Messages on Billboards." Scripture on billboards? I think that's a great idea too.

This is what I wrote in a previous blog, "I love the idea of posting optimistic, hopeful messages on billboards. I've wondered why the Church doesn't advertise more on billboards. I think it would be great to have optimistic, hopeful, religious messages on billboards to encourage faith, belief in God and state the benefits of a prayer life, especially during trials or hard times. Belief in God gives people hope......Optimism is good for the soul."

NJA