The Life of a Mok
EST. 06/24/2005
Jay Eiley
LEARNING
Discipleship and Service
The notion of the kingdom of God is not tangible, but it is everywhere. The kingdom of God is not concrete but exists in people. The kingdom of God also called kingdom of Heaven is the spiritual realm over which God reigns as kings or the fulfillment on Earth of God’s will. The kingdom of God is hidden but revealed to us by Jesus. This is because the kingdom of God refers to the four main aspects: Event not a place, Eschatological tension, Call for an immediate response, and relation between the kingdom and Jesus. These four main aspects or dimensions of God helps us to experience God’s kingdom and be a part of it. In the kingdom of God no one is excluded, whether It be race, ethnicity, sex, or creed, followers of Jesus are welcomed into the kingdom of God. This can be inferred from Dr. Rausch saying, “In this way, Jesus proclaimed in sign the participation of all in the reign of God. God’s reign is inclusive, no one is excluded.” The kingdom of God is Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace. According to Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, “The kingdom of God is the “Good news that God, powerful, and compassionate, is coming close and wills to save, to establish justice and peace for all.” This correlates with the other beliefs from Dr. Rausch and how ultimately, the Kingdom of God can be attained by anyone who seeks peace and absence of war and fulfillness of life.
Paying it forward has always been instilled in me at a young age. Whether it be paying it forward through knowledge, or giving something to someone, I have believed in offering a part of me in any way, shape, or form. In my time at Verbum Dei, I have enacted in many acts of Christ. In one such scenario I have dedicated time to making sandwiches at missionaries of Charity Brothers and went downtown to serve and comfort the less fortunate. This experience would not only be something I would enjoy doing, but something I look forward to doing every Saturday until the Corona virus outbreak shut it down. On a daily basis, I would make sure I use my charm and comedic jokes on those who may have a bad day or feeling down. With my uplifting personality, I would cheer on whoever would be having a bad day. Even though it may be in small fragments, my true self helps bring about the kingdom of God in whatever I seek or do.
The kingdom of God is invisible, yet present within all of us. In order for us to be able to truly experience Shalom, the kingdom of God, a place for peace and absence of war and fulfillness of life, we must simply follow what Jesus himself did on the face of this earth.
Applying Ethics To Everyday Life.
The ideas in my four years of theology that have had the most impact was taking ethics class as a sophomore. It showed me a way of life of being a man with and for others. Learning ethics, I was able to understand the ethics and morality of being a decent human being. I like ethics the most because it shows me how to be a better person living in the image of God. Going to attend a Jesuit university, I will have to take a core class in theology and will be taking ethics, so it was good to take away all the things I’ve learned in high school and apply it in college. Ethics is a subject that can be applied to all fields of life. In whatever my field of choosing, ethics allows me to be an ethical and moral person to not only benefit me but also benefit others.
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The spiritual practices I have adopted to support my spirituality was serving the homeless in Skid Row and being able to grow in faith and be grateful for the things I have rather than don’t have. Being able to look after and take care of those who have less than me, I am able to get a better sense of living and how other people’s circumstances are. Through applied ethics and teaching, I am able to be successful but also grow as a person God intends for me to be.
Mistakes Are The Best Teachers In Life
My academic journey would be described as a series of making mistakes and learning from them. If it weren’t for the mistakes I made throughout my time in high school, I would have never be seen as academically successful and intelligent. Starting freshman year, I was new to everything. I had to adapt to bigger learning environments and going to many different classes throughout the day. As a freshman I was always scared to ask questions because I was afraid my peers would make fun of me. It took me to realize that making mistakes and learning from them was a part of getting smarter and gaining knowledge. Throughout the classroom I was challenged to think critically outside the box. This helped me come up with efficient solutions to everyday problems I would face.
The areas I have demonstrated that I am intellectually motivated are mathematics and critical reasoning skills. I am able to explain my logic for an answer by giving a valid reason or explanation.
Over the course of my time at Verb, I have grown as a student by asking more questions and not being afraid to be wrong. I would learn more by getting something wrong. This allowed me to be comfortable making mistakes and learning from them so I could get the right answer.
One class that has helped shaped me the most would Financial Literacy with Ms. Finn. I enjoyed learning a lot about business procedures and everyday problems after college. I would be able to grow my knowledge of finance, but also share insight on others who shared the same intellectual curiosity.
One teacher that has made a lasting impact on me was Mr. And Mrs. White. They would be people I could come in to conversate with and share conversations about work and college life. Even though I didn’t have their class, we bonded over things that all enjoyed and interested about. They have taught my brother ‘17 who has always enjoyed the teachings they gave to him
The Program That Works
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The Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP) experience has prepared me for the world in ways I cannot fathom. Before attending Verb and going to work, I struggled to hold conversations with adults and being able to network. The CWSP experience has allowed me to get outside my comfort zone and build confidence for me to talk to anyone. Because of CWSP, I was able to network with people who work in my career profession for the future. The skills and habits I have learned is that paying attention to small details can lead to a big impact. I have developed a strong support group whenever I would be able to ask for advice or gain social skills. I have become accustomed to the working environment and exploring other corporate study partners outside of school. I have become more proficient in Microsoft Excel, adobe acrobat, and typing WPM. CWSP has shaped me to be the person I am today by giving me the resources and advice to become a better person. I have gained confidence in the work place and got familiarized to the real world. I have been able to carry conversations with more than one person at a time and engage them in active conversation. I have become more goal oriented and eager to pursue my future endeavors. My CWSP experience created an everlasting impact that will continue to pay dividends even after I graduate.