TGIMMJune7

April 7

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, April 7, Easter Tuesday

JOHN 20:11-18

I tell Mary Magdalene not to hold on to me, but to tell his message to others.

Prayerthoughts
a. Mary of Magdala was anxious about Jesus and her desire to be with him. Am I anxious in my desire to have the Lord really be part of my life?

b. Mary senses that something is wrong, and immediately goes to someone she trusts for help. Am I willing to share with trusted others in difficult matters in order to have their help?

c. Mary of Magdala was weeping. I am often very sad about something that happens. Do I take the time to pray for the situation as well as feel sad?

d. There are two angels at the tomb here in John’s Gospel (it is different from the other Gospels). There are people in my life who are “my” angels. Who are they, and have I thanked them enough for what they do for me?

e. Mary jumps to the conclusion that “they” have taken the Lord. In my life, do I jump to conclusions too often, sometimes hurting others’ reputations?

f. We often do not recognize Jesus in other people. As I study the activities of my life, who are the people that I should recognize as Jesus more than I am?

g. Jesus wanted Mary not to hold on to him, but to announce his presence to his brothers. Where in my life right now is it not clear that I have heard the announcement that Jesus is Lord?

h. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read the Acts of the Apostles, 2:36-47 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE EFFECTS OF THE RESURRECTION

+ Mary Magdalene was the first person whom Jesus appeared to after the Resurrection in John’s Gospel

- this is a familiar story

- Mary dutifully informed the Apostles and then stayed at the tomb,

- finally recognizing Jesus

- and Jesus saying that she should inform the Apostles and she does with “I have seen the Lord”

- the first reading is a glimpse at Peter’s ministry after the Resurrection and the key directive: “Save yourselves from the corrupt generation.”

+ Both readings and Mary Magdalene’s life make a perfect meditation as we strive to grow spiritually

- the basis of any spiritual life is Jesus’s Resurrection

- we believe that Jesus has risen and we can say with Mary Magdalene: I have seen the Lord

- and our life patterns itself after Mary Magdalene

- in the sense of having turned away from God

- and the desire to turn back to God, the ultimate reason why we are here

+ Jesus’s Resurrection should have an effect on us

- or as Peter says in the first reading, we must save ourselves from the world

- and that comes across primarily in the way we treat others

- we no longer look on anyone in terms of mere human judgment

- that is, we look on them as God would look on them

- namely, since we are all chosen by God, redeemed by Jesus, everyone deserves love and concern

- that remains, of course, one of the most difficult things to do in our lives

- and we ourselves should approach life from the idea of a new creation

- Jesus truly has redeemed us

- we are made new and our attitudes should show that

+ Mary Magdalene was truly human -- she was redeemed and her life changed

- it is a tremendous example for us.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Stitches" -- Shawn Mendes

IF I MOVE ON

The Gospel

LUKE 22:39-44

Jesus went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not undergo the test.” After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.

Gospelthink: I suffered in a very human way as I realized that I would be killed, but I still prayed. Do I pray during the most difficult times?

"I thought that I'd been hurt before, but no one's ever left me quite this sore. Your words cut deeper than a knife. Now I need someone to breathe me back to life, got a feeling that I'm going under. But I know that I'll make it out alive if I quit calling you my lover, (and) move on. You watch me bleed until I can't breathe. Shaking, falling onto my knees, and now that I'm without your kisses, I'll be needing stitches. Tripping over myself, aching, begging you to come help. Just like a moth drawn to a flame, you lured me in, I couldn't sense the pain, your bitter heart cold to the touch. Now I'm gonna reap what I sow; I'm left seeing red on my own."

One of the most encouraging facts for a Christian is that Jesus knew about the same kind of pain that we have in life. For Jesus, mental and physical pain was part of human existence, as can be seen especially at the end of his life. Studying his life from a merely human point of view, his mental suffering at the Garden of Gethsemane was so intense that he actually sweat blood as he thought of the pain that was to come. But he could move on because God his Father sent an angel as comfort to him.

Mental pain is common enough in our human existence. It comes in the form of worry or concern about some future plan or care about someone who is hurting for some reason. It is felt especially when people break up from a romantic relationship. As often noted in these meditations because breakups are so often sung about, we do not usually marry the first person with whom we fall in love. Therefore there will be a breakup, and it will almost always be painful. As Shawn Mendes sings in his song "Stitches," the person who is breaking up is bleeding until he can't breathe.

It would lead to complete despair unless there were something that could help us in some way. Jesus felt the comfort of an angel with his mental pain. The mental pain felt in a breakup or in truth any mental pain in life is a matter of accepting the reality of the moment. We must accept the fact that for whatever reason the pain is present, and then react in a truly human way by "moving on" in life. Looked at from a spiritual point of view, we believe that God is directing us toward another end. Such end could be described as looking at the new opportunities that we have as a result of the pain.

Mental health is paramount in our human lives, whether we are dealing with failed love relationships or the common worries of daily living. We must deal with the pain by moving on in a different direction.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, there is always pain in life because we are human beings. May we study the example of Your Son especially at His death, realizing that You will always help us with any pain that we have. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Romantic breakups may be one of the worst pains in people's lives, but there is always a solution.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Analysis: In the Gospel, when Jesus tells his disciples to pray that they do not undergo the test, what test do you think he is speaking of?
2. Jesus makes it clear that the Father's Will is most important in what will happen. What is the best way to determine God's Will for us?
3. Note Jesus' mental pain here, the subject of this meditation. In your opinion, what is the worst mental pain you can think of at the present time?
4. Why is it so difficult to "move on" to another romantic relationship?
5. Text analysis: "I'm gonna reap what I sow." What is the meaning of the sentence?
6. What is the best way to help someone who is suffering great mental pain?
7. What do most people worry about? What should they worry about?
8. Project: Ask someone who is happily married about their first love, determining whether they married their first love or not.
9. In today's world, what is the best way to bring about good mental health?
10. What does the song "Stitches" teach young people today?