“A child dies from hunger-related causes every 12 seconds, and we want G8 leaders to recognize the need to act now to stop this,” said James Pedrick of World Vision’s ACT:S activism network.

World Vision advocates will take action to address leaders by sharing their vision for a “Hunger Free” world through art and activism at hungerfree.org.

“We’ve seen how this generation of activists is able to use technology as a powerful tool to influence global leaders, and we are challenging them to use their power to help eliminate global hunger and malnutrition.”

“The G8 leaders have already agreed to do something about global hunger. Now is the time to renew and fulfill those commitments, making life-saving investments in solutions that will improve food security and reduce child malnutrition,” said Adam Taylor, World Vision’s vice president of advocacy.

“Together we have an opportunity to move many of the world’s most powerful leaders into stronger leadership for the world’s most vulnerable children.”

esus goes on to develop this whole theme and we have Christ’s last public sermon and teaching, recorded by John in Chapter 12. Jesus is saying – before I go to the Greeks – before I go to the Gentiles – I am going to the cross. I have to die. The hour is approaching. The road My Father has willed me to walk is the road of personal sacrifice. If I came to you Greeks now, that would be a short term policy.

These are Christ’s last words to the public, and in verse 26 it is an ultimatum.

The hour had come. God’s clock is important. God’s timing is vital. It was nearing the end of Jesus’ life, and this coming hour was to become the pivotal point of all human affairs.

It is good to be sufficiently sensitive enough to God to know that God’s Hour has come for you to do his will.

Gone are the parables and gone are the lovely stories. It is time for the final challenge. It is not enough just to see Jesus, or even to have Jesus among you. It has to be more than just wanting to see Jesus. We have to want to serve him, and want to obey him, more than you want to do anything else in the whole world.

Some people say – “If only I could hear God’s voice. If only I could see this person, Jesus Christ.” That would not make the situation any easier.

The devil saw Jesus Christ but that did not do him any good.

Through these verses Jesus is saying to us – do not just want to see me and have me around – but want to follow me and go where I want you to go – and want to serve me and obey me and stay with me. Abide with me. Remain with me.

In verse 26, Jesus says to these men who had come with a plea or prayer – I am not coming with you – but you can come with me and follow me and serve me, and, if any man follows me, my Father will honour him.

There come times when some requests have to be renounced and when some invitations have to be declined and in the Name of Jesus Christ a disciple has to learn to say “NO”, and to know when to say “NO and mean “NO”, and when to say “YES” and mean “YES”.

Verse 27 – Jesus realised fully that death is only a few hours away. He almost shrinks from it here. He was a real man – fully human – and we are being given a glimpse of something of the mental agony through which Jesus Christ went. There are times when we cannot escape this type of thing either. Such an inner conflict is not necessarily a sinful thing.

The best thing to do when you are in this type of trouble is say “Father” – and yet it appears as though Jesus is being tempted to say, “I am willing to do anything but this”.

What is going to be the deciding factor in certain situations?

Is it going to be my ease – my comfort – my safety – my happiness – or His Glory?

Jesus Christ comes to that point where He says, “Father, I am willing to do what is Your Will, so that your name may be glorified.” “Father, glorify your name.”

God replied and answered the prayer of His beloved Son. “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” Some thought it thundered. Some thought it was an angel. When God speaks at times to rebuke unbelief, it can sound like thunder in your heart and soul. It can be frightening. “He has almost spoken things that are true.” People feel that. Avoid having to hear the voice of God coming to you like thunder. Others hear the voice and thought it was an angel speaking to Jesus.

Jesus makes it very clear. It is My Father who is speaking, not for my benefit but for yours. God speaks and to some it is like frightening thunder, and they may wish there had been no sound and that they had not heard the voice of God.

God speaks too and some may think He is speaking to someone else. God speaks and Jesus has to make it clear. This is to benefit you. This is to minister to you. This is to guide you. This is to reassure you. This is for your ears and your heart and your life. Jesus is so concerned to do things for others and meet the various needs of needy people.

Although the over sexualization of our culture has seeped into many a child’s box of toys, parents would continue to answer with an emphatic “NO” to the following 2 questions:“Would you invite a 20-year-old, over endowed model to come into your daughter’s room to be admired for her body and dress? Would you allow your daughter to help her dress?”

However, as Mrs. Pearl replies in the article which follows: “Strange to even write something like that, yet that’s what Barbie represents.” And then, let’s ask calmly, in whose daughter’s room today would you not find at least a few naked Barbies on the floor?

Somehow, parents are badly deceived, and their children are the victims. Think about it, mother. Would you invite a 20-year-old, over endowed model to come into your daughter’s room to be admired for her body and dress? Would you allow your daughter to help her dress? Strange to even write something like that, yet that’s what Barbie represents.

It is a healthy and natural instinct for little girls to love babies and to imagine themselves in the role of loving mother. Role-playing is real preparation for the future, but there is absolutely no similarity between playing baby dolls and playing Barbie dolls. They are two different kinds of dolls with two different purposes. What are you training your little girl to be? When and how will she finally realize the dreams stimulated by Barbie?

A recent initiative has reacted with a desire to give children something clean, wholesome, healthy and Catholic. They call themselves Saintly Sisters and state on their website: “Saintly Sisters springs from Suzzanne Brakefield’s desire to provide positive role models for young women. It’s Suzzanne’s sincerest hope that vocations will be inspired by her dolls.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got nothing against dressing up dolls in nun’s clothing, but let’s be honest: reacting to a “problem” with another extreme … does that really get to the core?

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Why is it that so many women today struggle with vanity, with self-image? Why do girls think they are not beautiful? I mean, you might not agree with the Barbie doll vs. Baby doll argument, but ask yourself this question: Why are most women incapable of appearing “in public” without make-up on? Did God mess up when he created them?

It happened again just yesterday. The last time I saw her she was just a baby. Now she’s grown and married. I looked at her picture for the first time as a grown adult, and I told her the truth. “You’re beautiful!” I caught her off guard, I think: and she replied almost awkwardly: “You know, that’s something I don’t hear very often. No one ever tells me I’m beautiful.” Then I hurried to explain: “You look like your mother!”

A few hours later I read this article 50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters: I liked #18 the most. It reads: “Daddy, tell her she’s beautiful. Say it over and over again. Someday an animated movie or ‘beauty’ magazine will try to convince her otherwise.”

And all in the same day, I talked to another young soul struggling with her looks, friend acceptance, and self-worth. I couldn’t help it, I had to send her this story from Fr. Alfonse’s Blog. He relates:

I called her back and asked her,“What’s wrong?” She looked at me and began to cry. 

When unreachable ideals are placed before us as the norm, we either waste away our lives dreaming we could, or we kill ourselves in an attempt to try.

The analogies above might not be perfect, but I think the idea comes across loud and clear: When we try to react to the competition for exterior beauty, by replacing it with yet another competition of exterior beauty – say modest exterior beauty – then we have missed the point, and the suffering will go on.

And the answer is so simple: REAL BEAUTY IS FOUND IN THE SOUL – those who truly seek to make that beauty shine, more and more, as a life-project, are the ones gorgeous in God’s eyes… which is the only beauty that lasts for eternity.

P.S. Would you like to promote vocations to the religious life? Well, start by teaching little girls to have a “Motherly” heart – they will be needing it even more in a life consecrated to the service of all God’s children!