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Common Sense Day – 4 November

HISTORY OF USE YOUR COMMON SENSE DAY

Common sense as a concept is ancient, first being brought to the limelight by the great philosopher, Aristotle. He described it as the ability with which animals (including humans) process sense perceptions, memories, and imagination to reach many types of judgments. To his thinking, only humans have real reasoned thinking, which takes them beyond common sense. This was then carried forward in the Roman interpretation, which holds that concepts like ideas and perceptions are held by man and make them more sophisticated than animals.

French philosopher, René Descartes, established the most common modern meaning, and its controversies, when he stated that everyone has a similar and sufficient amount of common sense, but it is rarely used well.

Since the Age of Enlightenment, the term “common sense” has been used for a rhetorical effect both approvingly, as a standard for good taste, and source of scientific and logical axioms.

In modern times, common sense is defined as ‘the basic level of practical knowledge and judgment that we all need to help us live reasonably and safely”. Without any doubt, applying common sense could save one a lot of problems.

Common Sense Day was created by Bud Bilanich, a career mentor, motivational speaker, blogger, and author. He’s starred in some leading TV shows and magazines and has written 19 books that highlight how to succeed in life, and how the application of common sense is vital to that success. Common Sense Day was first celebrated in 2015.

 

Source: Text & Image: https://nationaltoday.com/use-your-common-sense-day

World Human Spirit Day – 17 February

World Human Spirit Day is observed annually on February 17 as a day to encourage mindfulness through meditation; to get us to form the habit of constant reflection as a way to feel content in our pressure-filled society. According to Daniel Helminiak, it’s “a respected philosopher in the space of spirituality, the spirit is the mental function of awareness, insight, understanding, judgment, and other reasoning.” In Christianity, it is emphasized that the human spirit is the real person; the essential part of our existence.

HISTORY OF WORLD HUMAN SPIRIT DAY

World Human Spirit Day was started in 2003 by Michael Levy to serve as the day to promote a human spirit that lives a creative, peaceful, and loving life. The holiday is based on the belief that the human spirit represents a place of peace and tranquility that’s needed as an escape from our pressure-filled society. It aims to encourage mindfulness through meditation to get us to form the habit of constant reflection as a way to feel content in our society.

Throughout the modern era, the question of what the human spirit truly is and how it helps us escape our sometimes unfavorable world has been a question philosophers have tried to answer. The holiday is meant to serve as a recognition of the fact that what we know about our world is limited and superficial. It is a day everyone is encouraged to reflect on their achievements in the world as humans and stay content by contemplating the endless possibilities of even greater achievement as spirits.

The day seeks to help strengthen the connection to our spiritual self as a way to stay grounded even amid societal pressure. World Human Spirit Day is a day to search for contentment from within and to embrace the fact that we do not have all the answers. A day to give some higher power thanks for what we have and are yet to have. And, it is typically observed to promote the value of mental peace and satisfaction in our lives.

 

Source: Text: https://nationaltoday.com/world-human-spirit-day    Image: Unsplash

3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B

In today’s first reading (3rd Sunday of Easter, Year B – Acts 3:13-15,17-19), we see Peter addressing a group of Jews.
Of course, the scene takes place after the resurrection and Peter is now brave and bold in speaking the truth as he sees it.
He openly accuses those before him of having killed Jesus, “the Just One”.

But he goes on saying:
I know that neither you nor your leaders had any idea what you were really doing…”

I pause and I realize that this is exactly what sometimes happens in my life.
I can make stupid mistakes and do foolish things.
I may even commit serious actions that cause harm to people.
I may be sorry for it now… but I feel there is little I can do about it.

Then, some light comes as I move on to the 2nd reading where John writes to the first Christians
(1 Jn.2:1-5), and I read:
“I am writing to stop you sinning,
but if anyone should sin,
we have our advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ who is just.”

“We have our advocate…”
Perhaps the greatest mistake we can be guilty of is that of wanting to… manage on our own…
Pope Francis has been speaking quite a few times about ‘Neo-Pelagianism’ –
a big word but with a straightforward meaning:
it means that I choose to act on my own without reference to a greater power.
A person thinks and dares say that he/she can manage without God’s help for all practical purposes!

Pelagius was a philosopher (v. 305-420) who was the spiritual guide of a number of Christians to whom he was teaching this doctrine.
Pope Francis corrects this attitude in no uncertain terms: we need God to please God – it is as simple as that!

It is interesting to note that a search in Google shows it to be a ‘lie’
to imagine and believe that we could manage depending on our own resources alone!

Plenty to think about,
some serious truth to face,
and the necessary conversion to make, as Peter calls for: “Now you must repent and turn to God.”

Note: Another reflection on a different theme is available in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/3e-dimanche-de-paques-annee-b/

Source: Image: SlidePlayer