Kaye Frances A.

Bonto

I- Sr.Alexia

Term Paper
Learning is a part of a students life. Especially being a high school student. During the time of school life you experience physical development, emotions, friendships, relationships, and, of course, knowledge. Sometimes, we never appreciate these things until its time to say goodbye. It is good to cherish memories even though we are only first year. These memories mark your whole life. You will only be a high school student once. To know the good is to do the good. A famous line uttered in our CLE class. During our first meeting in our CLE subject, I percept that this will be an easy subject. Probably because every student expects that this will be only about character or attitude. Yes, CLE is an easy subject. But CLE is not just about character. It is also about determination. This subject doesnt need an intelligent student to pass the subject. It needs a student with good attitude and also a determined one. Even though you not that intelligent, but if you are determined to pass all the requirements and reflections, then surely you will pass the subject. A real student is not only intelligent but the one who possesses good attitude and can be a role model to others. Being an Agnesian, a Benedictine child; Doesnt only imply the physical aspect. It implies the character a person has. St. Agnes Academys vision isSt. Agnes Academy nurturing a learning, loving ang living community for positive social transformation. From the schools vision, they are trying to produce a well-rounded Agnesian. An Agnesian that is Christ-like and a role model to others. A line from the mission of our school is Learning, loving and living community for positive social transformation. Therefore as an Agnesian, we are to give love to others by offerings, outreaches, Christmas cheers and etc. We should also be a role model to others and to our fellow Agnesians. Being a Benedictine Child, we are already taught about what is prayer, its importance and the proper way of praying. As a Catholic School we practice the value prayer. We pray every morning (morning praise or lectio divina), we pray before snacks

and after, we pray the angelus and the Last prayer the Prayer to Saint Benedict. According to St. Therese of Lisieux, Prayer is a surge of heart; a simple look toward heaven; a cry of recognition and of love. Prayer is simply a way to communicate with God. It is also our source of strength; we can call God when we are in need. HUMILITY is the foundation of prayer. Humility is not acceptance of weakness but acknowledgement of limitation. By praying we are humbling ourselves to God. We pray to ask forgiveness, to express our gratitude, when we have requests, in trouble/problems, intentions or petitions and to adore God.There are 5ps for prayer. Place, where you can be alone with God; Undisturbed and Peaceful. Period, a definite time when you can pray daily or a period exclusively for God. Presence, begging for the Holy Spirit. It is also Gods gentle and loving presence in and around. Posture, the most relaxing and comfortable position for you. Passage, it is the word which you take and relish, stay with and reflect on.Imagine a life without Color. That is exactly what life is without prayer. Because without prayer there is that emptiness in your heart that you know that only God can fill. We need God in everything that we do. Always remember that. We all need God in our lives as Christians. Therefore, we need to value prayer. We need to respect prayer just like how we respect God as well. The Church came from the greek word ekklesia which means people called/gathered together. Church is the community of believers while church is the building. Jesus was the one who founded the church through appointing the apostles. There are several dos and donts while in the church celebrating the Holy Mass. Lets start with the Dos first. We should actively participate through: Receiving the holy Eucharist properly, Give donations, Join in the singing, respond accordingly to the responses, Reflect on the homily, Stay on one place, Maintain silence inside the church and Come on time. Donts in the church: Dont eat inside the church, Dont sleep inside the church, Dont wear too revealing clothes and Dont play inside the Church. Actually there are several Dos and Donts. I know we are all sensitive on what we actually need to do. The priests, teachers need not to remind us every time that we attend masses. As we study the bible, we cited definitions about it. Some says that the Bible is a holy book. The Bible is the compilation of books that contain the words and commands of God to us. It also serves as a medium of communication of God to the Christians. Students nowadays, think that studying the bible is boring and a burden because there are several to be memorized. But studying the Bible we are able to know facts about God and

his commands and messaged to His people. It also contains the past or history. And lastly, it contains the obligations of us human beings as Christians. I learned so many facts about the Bible. The Author of the Bible is God, sent the holy spirit of the divine inspiration that inspired the authors to write the word of God. The authors are mostly unknown, disciples of God and Early Christians. The challenge for us Christians is to Respect, Read and relate to life the teachings in the Bible. There are several ways to perform these challenges. As agnesians we should participate actively during the Lectio Divina. God created us in His own image and likeness. Therefore, as children of God, we should be good because He who created us is good. Temptations around us for me are a challenge or test given by God to know our faithfulness and obedience we have. I admit temptations are around but it is us who can say YES to it. My parents, teachers, and friends taught me to refuse to temptations though sometimes I admit I make mistakes. No one is perfect. I know all of us are capable of refusing to temptations we just need control. In our day to day struggle with temptations, problems and challenged the important thing there is we learned from it. God is always there for us. We just need to be humble and repent to him. One question kept on pondering in my mind is Have I showed Gender Equality in my own ways as an Agnesian? Our society nowadays is usually gender biased. During our discussion about Gender Equality, we cited examples of discrimination especially to women nowadays. Looking at the present situation now, there is no gender equality. Today, we believe that Men are more powerful than women. Women are always the victims of discrimination. It is because of our culture and tradition that were adopted through the colonization of the Spaniards. As a young lady, I felt disappointed. Long time ago, they were objected how to dress, their freedom and education. Women in the time of the Spaniards were not allowed to work. They are not even allowed to vote. The voices of the women long time ago were suppressed. They are sometimes abused. Imagine how lucky we are now. How lucky that now, our culture changed. Women are already allowed to vote, to study and to work. We have equal rights and freedom. But I had to admit, that there are still discriminations happening because of Mens abuse of powers. In our own way we can change our society into a better one by treating others right and fair. By that simple thing, already we brought change to the world. That is our job Christians to be a model to others.

In the Old Testament, God sent different persons to show His love for us. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and Moses. Abraham was born under the name Abram in the city of Ur then one day God appeared to Abram to tell him that he would give the land to his heirs. He and his wife Sarai, left Bethel and proceeded to Canaan. Sarah was believed barren. Abraham and Sarah wished for a child. They prayed and prayed. Sarah let his maidservant Hagar to bear a son with Abraham. It was then that Ishmael was born. One of the visitors told Abraham that upon his return next year, Sarah would have a son. While at the tent entrance, Sarah overheard what was said and she laughed to herself about the prospect of having a child at their ages. The visitor inquired to Abraham why Sarah laughed at bearing a child for her age as nothing is too hard for God. Frightened, Sarah denied laughing. Truly, nothing is impossible with God. Sarah bears a son and was named Isaac which means laughter. Hagar and Ishmael was outcast by Sarah. But God promised them that from Ishamael great nations will rise. At some point in Isaac's youth, Abraham was commanded by God to offer his son up as a sacrifice in the land of Moriah. Abrahams faith was tested by God. Abraham wept and wept. It is because they prayed fervently to God to have a son. But Abraham remained obedient and faithful to God. Faith and trust are always partners. It always begins inside you. Just like Abraham, we are always tested by God whether how deep our faith and trust in him. We just need to realize that God wants the best for us. That even though we sacrifice there is always a blessing afterwards. Isaacs wife was Rebekkah and they had 2 sons; Esau and Jacob. Jacob and his twin brother, Esau, were born to Isaac and Rebekah after 20 years of marriage, when Isaac was 60. Rebekah was uncomfortable during her double pregnancy and went to inquire of God why she was suffering. She received the prophecy that the twins were fighting in her womb and would continue to fight all their lives, even after they became two separate nations. The prophecy also said that the older would serve the younger; its statement "one people will be stronger than the other" has been taken to mean that the two nations would never gain power simultaneously: when one fell, the other would rise, and vice versa. According to traditional accounts, Rebekah did not share the prophecy with her husband..Isaacs favorite was Esau while Rebekkahs favorite was Jacob. Esau is a hunter while Jacob is just a tent man. Rebekkah was a barren woman but she was blessed by God. Isaac was the only biblical patriarch whose name was not changed, and the only one who did not leave Canaan. Compared to those of Abraham and Jacob, Isaac's story relates fewer incidents of his life. He died when he was 180 years old,

making him the longest-lived patriarch. Isaac grew old and became blind. He called his son Esau and directed him to procure some venison for him, in order to receive Isaac's blessing. While Esau was hunting, Jacob, after listening to his mother's advice, deceived his blind father by misrepresenting himself as Esau and thereby obtained his father's blessing, such that Jacob became Isaac's primary heir and Esau was left in an inferior position. First, Jacob tricked Esau for Esaus birthright. Second, Jacob tricked his father. After which, Jacob escaped. I learned several points about the family of Isaac. We should not practice favoritism. It only causes family problems most especially sibling rivalry. It is shown that Jacob and Esau are quarreling over a birthright. God already said that One is stronger than the other but the elder shall serve the younger. Jacob escaped and Rebekkah told him to go to Laban. Arriving in Haran, Jacob saw a well where the shepherds were gathering their flocks to water them, and met Laban's younger daughter Rachel, Jacob's first cousin; she was working as a shepherdess. He loved her immediately, and after spending a month with his relatives, asked for her hand in marriage in return for working seven years for Laban. Laban agreed to the arrangement. These seven years seemed to Jacob "but a few days, for the love he had for her"; but when they were complete and he asked for his wife, Laban deceived Jacob by switching Rachel's older sister, Leah, as the veiled bride. In the morning, when the truth became known, Laban justified himself, saying that in his country it was unheard of to give the younger daughter before the older. However, he agreed to give Rachel in marriage as well if Jacob would work another seven years for her. After the week of wedding celebrations with Leah, Jacob married Rachel, and he continued to work for Laban for another seven years. Leah gave birth to four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. Rachel gave Jacob her handmaid, Bilhah, in marriage, so that Rachel could raise children through her. Bilhah gave birth to Dan and Naphtali. Seeing that she had left off childbearing temporarily, Leah then gave her handmaid Zilpah to Jacob in marriage so that Leah could raise more children through her. Zilpah gave birth to Gad and Asher. Afterwards, Leah became fertile again and gave birth to Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah. God remembered Rachel, who gave birth to Joseph. After Joseph was born, Jacob decided to return home to his parents. Laban was reluctant to release him, as God had blessed his flock on account of Jacob. Laban asked what he could pay Jacob, and Jacob proposed that all the spotted, speckled, and brown goats and sheep of Laban's flock, at any given moment, would be his wages. Jacob performed breeding experiments over the years to make his

own flocks both more abundant and stronger than Laban's, that Laban responded by repeatedly reinterpreting the terms of Jacob's wages, and that the breeding favored Jacob regardless of Laban's pronouncements. Thus Jacob's herds increased and he became very wealthy. As time passed, Laban's sons noticed that Jacob was taking the better part of their flocks, and Laban's friendly attitude towards Jacob began to change. God told Jacob that he should leave, and he and his wives and children did so without informing Laban. Jacob decided to go back to Canaan. He wanted to see his father and Esau. On their way home, Jacob wrestled with God. It is a human figure. They wrestled until dawn and then Jacob was blessed and named Israel which means strong with God. Jacob and his family settled in Canaan. Of all the children in his household, he loved Rachels firstborn son, Joseph, the most. Thus Josephs half-brothers were jealous of him and they ridiculed him often. Joseph even told his father about all of his half-brother misdeeds. When Joseph was seventeen years old, Jacob made a long coat or tunic of many colors for him. Seeing this, the half-brothers began to hate Joseph. Joseph's halfbrothers hated him so much, especially for his dreams, that they even called him the dreamer. While in Dothan, when they were feeding the flocks, the brothers saw Joseph from afar and plotted to kill him. However, the eldest brother Reuben, did not want Joseph to die. He suggested to have Joseph thrown into an empty cistern until they could figure out what to do with him. He intended to rescue Joseph and return him to his father. Unaware of their intent, Joseph approached his brothers. They turned on him and stripped him of the coat his father made for him, and threw him into the cistern that Reuben had suggested. As they pondered what to do with Joseph, the brothers saw a camel caravan of Ishmaelites coming out of Gilead, carrying spices and perfumes to Egypt, for trade. Judah, the strongest, thought twice about killing Joseph and proposed that he be sold. The traders paid twenty pieces of silver for Joseph. The brothers were responsible for their missing brother, and they had to answer to their father. So they put male goat's blood on Joseph's coat and showed it to Jacob, who deeply mourned for his son, believing him dead. Joseph was sold to serve Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard. While serving in Potiphar's household, God was with Joseph so that he prospered in everything he did. Joseph found favor in the sight of Potiphar and so he became his personal servant. Then Joseph was promoted to oversee Potiphar's entire household as a superintendent. After some time, Potiphar's wife began to desire Joseph and sought to have an affair with him. Despite her persistence, he

refused to sleep with her for fear of sinning against God. After some days of begging for him, she grabbed him by his cloak, but he escaped from her leaving his garment behind. Angered by his running away from her, she took his garment and made a false claim against him by charging that he tried have slept with her. This resulted in Joseph being thrown into prison. While he is in prison, he was appointed to be in charge of the prisoners. One night there was 2 prisoners who had a dream. One was the chief baker and the other one was the chief cupbearer. Joseph interpreted the dreams correctly and Joseph told the cupbearer to remember him. After Joseph was in prison for two more years, Pharaoh had two dreams which disturbed him. He dreamt of seven lean cows which rose out of the river and devoured seven fat cows; and, of seven withered ears of grain which devoured seven fat ears. Pharaoh's wise men were unable to interpret these dreams, but the chief cup bearer remembered Joseph and spoke of his skill to Pharaoh. Joseph was called for, and interpreted the dreams as foretelling that seven years of abundance would be followed by seven years of famine, and advised Pharaoh to store surplus grain during the years of abundance. Joseph was appointed by Pharoah to be the Governor of Egypt. Joseph brothers, were sent to Egyt to buy goods. Joseph recognized his brother easily. He pretended not to know them. He accused his brothers that they are spies. Joseph arrested Simeon and told his brothers to bring Benjamin to prove that they are not telling a lie. His brothers did what he said. He gave feast to them. That night, Joseph ordered his steward to load the brother's donkeys with food and all their money. The money they brought was double what they had from the first trip. Deceptively, Joseph also ordered that his silver cup be put in Benjamin's sack. The following morning the brothers began their journey back to Canaan. At Joseph's command, the steward was to apprehend them and question them about the silver cup. When the steward caught up with the brothers, he seized them and searched their sacks. The steward found the cup in Benjamin's sack just as he had planted it the night before. Judah pleaded Joseph that he will accept the wages turned to Benjamin because his father will be upset just like when his brother Joseph died. And then, Joseph told the truth that he is Joseph their brother. The family was reunited. Egyptian Pharaoh had commanded that all male Hebrew children born be killed by drowning in the river Nile. Jochebed, the wife of the Levite Amram, bore a son and kept him concealed for three months. When she could keep him hidden no longer, rather than deliver him to be killed, she set him adrift on the Nile River in a small craft of bulrushes coated in pitch. Moses' sister

Miriam observed the progress of the tiny boat until it reached a place where Pharaoh's daughter was bathing with her handmaidens. It is said that she spotted the baby in the basket and had her handmaiden fetch it for her. Miriam came forward and asked Pharaoh's daughter if she would like a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby. Thereafter, Jochebed was employed as the child's nurse. He grew up and was brought to Pharaoh's daughter and became her son and a younger brother to the future Pharaoh of Egypt. His identity was soon revealed by Miriam. After Moses had reached adulthood, he went to see how his brethren were faring. Seeing an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, he killed the Egyptian and buried the body in the sand, supposing that no one who knew about the incident would be disposed to talk about it. The next day, seeing two Hebrews quarreling, he endeavored to separate them, whereupon the Hebrew who was wronging the other taunted Moses for slaying the Egyptian. Moses soon discovered from a higher source that the affair was known, and that Pharaoh was likely to put him to death for it; he therefore made his escape with Zipporah (his wife) to Midian. There he met Jethro the high priest. God appeared to Moses through a burning bush to reveal His command. He asked Moses to let the Israelites be free from slavery. God helped him. But the Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites be free. So God sent 10 plagues. By the last plague all the first born Egyptians are put to death including Pharaohs son. Today slavery is present. It signifies injustice and oppression if freedom. We should be like Moses a man of mission and responsibility. Being a student, we should be responsible enough to do our works and obligations in school. We should do everything with passion and hard work. Freedom is all about responsibility. Therefore, as a student we should respect our freedom and be responsible enough on how to properly use it. Having rules and laws in school and in our community is a usual part of being a responsible citizen of our country. Likewise, God himself set rules on how we can live a holy life. These commandments are intended to be followed. As a teenager, we are usually blinded by computers, games and other things. We forget our responsibilities as a student, a child and a Christian. We should be responsible enough to follow the Ten Commandments in our own simple ways. Ending a school year can be sad. It is a stepping stone to success. Cherish memories and treasure them. How sad may it be, the important thing there is you learn as you go. To know the good is to do the good. ---Carry on.