April 14 

    [media presentation below]

GospelThink

April 14, Monday of Holy Week

JOHN 12:1-11

Judas was not able to understand the way that I thought.

Prayerthoughts
a. Martha was a person who liked to “take care of people.” It is a virtue that I should foster in my own life. Am I doing that well?
 
b. Mary was a person who liked to show her friendship to her close friends. Who are my closest friends, and how do I show that I care for them?
 
c. It was a “waste” to use the expensive oil in the way that Mary did according to Jesus.   Do I place too much emphasis on “things” in my life?

d. Judas was a thief. Do I find that sometimes I take things that are not mine?

e. Many were believing in Jesus. I should take the time, especially during this Holy Week, to express my belief in Jesus and His teachings.

f. My prayerthoughts… 

Today I will list the five most important “things” in my life, taking special notice of where I place anything of God/Church/Religion (Should it be higher than it is?).

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

OUR BELIEF IN JESUS CHRIST

+ The first reading is called the first song of the Servant of Yahweh in the prophet Isaiah

- the second and third are tomorrow and Wednesday in the first readings

- they are the statements about the Messiah and what he is all about

- with a list of his virtues and accomplishments—today: justice, compassion, a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, opening eyes of the blind, bringing people out of darkness


+ All of those virtues were enacted in the person of Jesus Christ

- he whom Mary anointed as recorded in the Gospel of John six days before the Passover, six days before he was killed


+ In that Gospel also, John the Evangelist gives us his reasoning as to why Jesus was killed

- showing us the thinking of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, who was to betray him

- Judas was a thief according to John the Evangelist and therefore someone who was not thinking in a holy way

- and at the same time the chief priests wanted both Jesus and Lazarus killed because too many were believing in Jesus

- those two facts came together to make Judas betray Jesus


+ A good way to begin the weekdays of Holy Week is to ask ourselves about our own belief in Jesus

- Jesus who was evidently foretold in the Scriptures, as seen in Isaiah’s reading this morning

- the person presented by the Scriptures as our Lord and Redeemer

- many were believing in him

- what is our belief like?


+ As we close off this Lent, we can ask ourselves some difficult questions:

- for example, what is the amount of time that we spend knowing Jesus in the Scriptures?

- how much personal prayer, how much spiritual reading, etc.

- in comparison to the other major undertakings of our lives


+ And, in what way do we see the effects of our belief in Jesus?

- as Mary made her belief evident

- have we made progress in our words and actions, and especially our thinking?

- as we consider the things that happen to us and that cross our minds,

- do we try to put them into a truly Christian perspective?


+ The liturgy of Holy Week is designed to bring Jesus and his life directly before us

- one of the principal questions we should dwell on concerns how strong our belief in Jesus really is.








MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Earned It" -- The Weeknd

NEVER CONFUSED ABOUT LOVE



 

The Gospel

LUKE 14:25-30

LUKE 14:25-30

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus, and he turned and addressed them, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion? Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, ‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’” 

Gospelthink: Jesus tells us to prepare well if we intend to do something. I have said that I will follow the Lord. Is it a true statement given the way I am living now?

"You make it look like it’s magic 'cause I see nobody but you. I'm never confused. I'm so used to being used. So I love when you call unexpected; 'cause I hate when the moment's expected. So I'ma care for you, 'cause, you're perfect, you're always worth it, and you deserve it, the way you work it, 'cause you earned it.” 

Perhaps the greatest compliment that a romantic partner can give to their partner is the statement that "You never confuse me." There are so many things that can be misinterpreted in the "love talk" between two partners. Did he/she mean this when they said that? Did I totally understand? Did she/he mean what I think they meant? And so forth. Conversation often becomes complicated when I am trying to get across the way I feel toward another. If we are "never confused" by our love partner, it is truly an accomplishment.

Jesus was speaking about an accomplishment when he spoke about being a true disciple of his. He knew that if a person really wanted to follow him, there could be no confusion. If you say that you will be a follower of his, then there should be no doubt. He uses some examples to speak about it. Being a disciple means that Jesus and his teaching will be even more important than family. It means that we will take the time to calculate what it means just like we would take the time to determine how to construct a good tower.

It is actually true for any conversation. If we can honestly say to another that in our communication there is no confusion, then we have accomplished the art of communication with that person very well. Unfortunately, human nature being what it is, many times we do not have such a luxury. We often get "hung up" on feelings and what our desires are, and we miss exactly what is meant.

Jesus wanted his followers to be people who were not confused when it came to the single most important thing in their lives, namely, their faith lives. If we are not confused, then we will know for certain what we must do in order to be Jesus' follower. In romantic life and even every day conversation, perhaps the goal that we should set is that we will not confuse anyone by our speech. 

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son wanted to communicate with us without confusion. He explained to us how a disciple of his, a follower of his, should behave. Give us the grace to understand him completely and help us improve our own communication with each other. Be with us, we pray.

 

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: One must really work at a relationship in order to be perfectly clear about how we feel.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. In Jesus' mind in the Gospel, a true disciple will choose to follow Jesus even before choosing family or possessions. In your mind, do most Christians in our world truly understand what Jesus wants? Yes or no and why?
2. Text analysis: "Hating his father..." Jesus is using a very strong word here and probably an exaggeration. In your opinion, what was Jesus trying to "say" to his disciples?
3. In your opinion, what does it mean to hate one's own life?
4. In your opinion, what does it mean to "carry one's own cross."
5. How did the relationship seem like "magic"?
6. Text analysis: "I'm so used to being used." What is the meaning of the sentence?
7. Text analysis: "I hate when the moment's expected." What is the meaning of the sentence?
8. What are the characteristics of " true caring" in a relationship?
9. Name some other "true" compliments that one partner can make to another.
10. Why does conversation become complicated when we are desiring to share with another how we feel?
11. The importance of "taking time" in a relationship is very important. In your opinion, how long should one wait before someone would make a permanent commitment with another? Why?
12. What are the most important characteristics of the art of communication?
13. The meditation suggests that we make as a goal that we confuse no one by our speech. If we are to keep it as one of our goals, what must we do more than anything else?    
14. What does the song "Earned It" teach young people?    

 

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America