TGIMM7years

April 22

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, April 22, Easter Weekday

JOHN 6:30-35

I am the bread of life.

Prayerthoughts
a. What do I consider to be “the works of God” in my life?

b. How often do I give evidence of the fact that I believe?

c. The Israelites refer to the manna sent to their ancestors during their sojourn in the desert after they left Egypt. The Lord God took care of them. Am I sufficiently thankful that the Lord takes care of me?

d. Jesus is referring to the Eucharist as he says that his Father sends down the bread from heaven. The Father has given us this bread in the Eucharist. Do I show the proper reverence for the Eucharist in my spiritual life?

e. Do I concentrate during Mass as much as I should?

f. When I receive the Eucharist, do I make a proper thanksgiving for what the Lord has done?

g. What effects in my life should the Eucharist have?

h. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Acts of the Apostles 8:1b-8 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

SEEING THE SON AND BELIEVING IN HIM

+ We hear a lot about the bottom line in business dealings

- usually translated into money

- here Jesus gives the bottom line in religion: described as his Father’s will:

That everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life.

- two things are important in that statement:

- one: seeing the Son

- two: believing in him

+ Seeing the Son involves knowing what he is all about

- truly listening to the Word as the people in the city of Samaria were listening to Philip in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles

- knowing what the message of Jesus really is

- delving into it, spending time with it, analyzing what Jesus means and why he said and did the things that he did

- and then determining what it would mean for each of us

- that is, taking it to heart

- saying, for example, if I really knew the mind of Jesus, this is what it would mean for me, for my specific situation

+ Then, not only seeing the Son, but truly believing in him

- taking what we have intellectually reasoned to, our knowledge of the Scriptures and what it means for us

- and then actually doing it

- allowing Jesus’s directives to take us to great joy (Acts)

- that is, letting his ideas and thoughts be a guide that we wholeheartedly accept

- and molding our actions after the manner of how we believe Jesus acted in his life

+ There are two parts to the bottom line of the Christian religion, both of which are absolutely essential for the Christian

- both of which are difficult, and take real effort to carry them out

- and, when both are carried out well, the Christian life will flourish

- seeing the Son, that is, knowing him

- and believing in him, that is, making him the guide that he wants to be for us.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "7 Years" -- Lukas Graham

SING THE SONG OF MATURITY

The Gospel

LUKE 18:18-23

LUKE 18:18-23

An official asked Jesus this question, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus answered him,…“You know the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother.’” And he replied, “All of these I have observed from my youth.” When Jesus heard this he said to him, “There is still one thing left for you: sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have a treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when he heard this he became quite sad, for he was very rich.

Gospelthink: Jesus tells me that I should watch how much I possess because it can be a block to know God better.

The song goes through the years of life starting at 7 years old, talking about life and about being lonely, saying: "I always had that dream like my daddy before me, so I started writing songs. Something about that glory. I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure ‘cause I know the smallest voices. They can make it major. I'm still learning about life. My woman brought children for me so I can sing them all my songs. And I can tell them stories. Remember life, and then your life becomes a better one."

Lukas Graham's song "7 Years" is about growing into maturity, and thinking about the past in order to be better in the future. In particular, it is about a respect for being a father in today's world with all of the ramifications of that choice of a way of life. It is not easy to accept the necessity to grow into maturity because there are so many other things that we could selfishly choose, but it is necessary if we want our life to become a "better one," as the group sings.

Jesus knew the importance of growing into maturity. Knowing that being rich and having many possessions could easily move us off the path to maturity, he presented what might be called the essence of maturity in his encounter with the rich young man in Luke's Gospel. He told him that in order to "follow him," that is, in order to accept a way of life that could help ourselves and others according to the Way of Jesus, we had to learn to give to others, and therefore be willing to give away some of what we have.

If the essence of maturity does lie with the ability to give away some of our possessions, as Jesus seems to indicate, then the person seeking maturity has his task outlined. Not only does the mature person have to see that she/he must help others with what they have, but they must give away some of their personal desires. She/he must see that other people are just as important, must be able to value the gifts that others have, and in general must be able to truly "follow Jesus" with all of what it means in our lives.

Lukas Graham speaks of the songs that a father will sing to his own children, songs of maturity and life. Jesus speaks of a way of life that begins with giving to others and brings about eternal life.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You call us to seek maturity as we grow, and as Your Son said, it begins with our ability to give to others. Give us the grace to truly understand what it means to be mature. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: When we study our past lives carefully, we can learn maturity.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Gospel text analysis: "Sell all that you have." Jesus uses exaggeration in his sermons often. Why do you think he speaks in exaggeration?
2. Detachment from material goods is obviously the message here. Speaking realistically in today's world, how would a person who really wants to follow Jesus behave with his/her material possessions?
3. In particular, do most Christians follow what Jesus says--to sell material goods and give to the poor? Yes or no and why?
4. Text analysis: "Something about that glory." What do you think the song is referring to?
5. Text analysis: "I don't believe in failure 'cause I know the smallest voices." What is the meaning of the sentence?
6. Text analysis: "Remember life, and then your life becomes a better one." What is the meaning of the sentence?
7. What is your definition of "maturity"?
8. Why is a "father" so necessary for a family to grow well?
9. Why is "giving away some of our goods" so important for maturity?
10. In your opinion, do most Christians really "follow Jesus"? Yes or no and why?
11. What does the song "7 Years" teach young people?