closer

August 16

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Sunday, August 16, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

MATTHEW 15:21-28

Rejection and Faith

Prayerthoughts

a. The girl had a “demon.” We are not sure what this means exactly, but we know that there was some affliction in the girl’s life. There are a number of people that I run into day after day who are afflicted with something. Do I try to pay attention to their needs?

b. The person was not Jewish. There are a number of people who are not believers in my faith as I believe. Am I open to their understanding of God?

c. The Lord does not pay any attention to the lady. There are times when I wonder whether the Lord is listening to me. What are some recent times, and perhaps I need to make an act of faith.

d. Jesus seems to insult the lady, probably as a means to test her faith. Is my faith in Jesus a guiding factor in everything that I do?

e. It is obvious that the lady had faith and accepted the insult, but did not lose her belief, and Jesus rewarded her for it. When I am insulted, I should respond with no thought of revenge. Has revenge played a part in the way I behave?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read Romans 11:13-15,29-32 and write an important thought from it.

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Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE PRAYER OF PETITION

+ Let’s say that you were the wife of a professional baseball manager at the height of his career

- and let’s say that you prayed all your life that he, the person that you loved, would be less involved with baseball and more involved with you, and it never happened

- and let’s say further that your husband, the baseball manager was struck with a brain tumor and died within a very short amount of time

- as one studies that scene, that slice of life, a person without faith would have to conclude that the prayer was not answered

- but not Nancy Howser, wife of Dick Howser, manager of KC Royals who was manager of the Royals in 1985 when they won the World Series the first time—she was a person of faith

+ In front of 40,000 people at Kaufman—then Royals—Stadium, Nancy Howser spoke her great faith

- and gave a Christian lesson to baseball fans on the prayer of petition that was exactly what the Canaanite woman portrayed in today’s Gospel

- 1 – in the Gospel, the Canaanite woman was persistent

- Jesus’s disciples complain that she keeps calling out after them

- Nancy Howser went into her prayer knowing that it would be answered; she was persistent—she kept calling out to the Lord

- 2 – the Canaanite woman had to live with the fact that the prayer is not answered at first

- in fact, it seems that Jesus “toys” with her, ignoring her, and rubs in the fact that she is not a Jewish person, almost telling her to go away, something his disciples probably did

- Nancy Howser had to live with the fact that her husband loved baseball more than he loved her

- 3 – and this is the important point—the Canaanite woman withstood the criticism, even to the point of arguing with Jesus, and is finally granted her request because she was a person of faith

- Nancy Howser studied what happened in light of her faith—

- what to many was the failure of prayer was to her the answer to prayer

- her words:

“We had in many ways a wonderful year. We had a chance to be together, we had a chance to live and to love and to share and to cry, to laugh, but the most important thing that we had a chance to do was to re-dedicate our lives to Jesus and develop and grow in faith.”

- it always has impressed me that the fans applauded that statement

- she continued:

“There are many of us and many of you who prayed for Dick’s healing and we prayed for a miracle. And I don’t want anyone to be disappointed because every day we had together was an answer to our prayer and every day we had together was another miracle.”

- to Nancy Howser, the prayer of petition worked

- because she looked at it as a person of faith

+ The most important part of the prayer of petition is spoken by Jesus today:

Woman, great is your faith.

- you and I pray for things all the time

- as we do it, our prayer of petition should have these elements

1 – we go in to prayer, knowing that it will be answered somehow, and we are persistent with it

2 – we live with the fact that the prayer is not answered the way we want, almost like we are being “toyed with” by God

3 – but most importantly, we understand what happens with the eyes of faith, maybe not in the way we thought or even wanted, but knowing that the prayer is answered, and it will always be for the good

+ As I say, you and I pray to God for things all the time

- we don’t have the slightest idea how the prayer of petition works

- but we know that it will because Jesus told us to do it

- a person who really believes that, will be a person of faith, and will see and understand the answer that God gives.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Birds of a Feather" – Billie Eilish

‘TIL THE DAY THAT I DIE

The Gospel

LUKE 1:46-56

Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him. He has shown might with his arm, dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart. He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones but lifted up the lowly. The hungry he has filled with good things; the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering his mercy, according to his promise to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.” Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home.

Gospelthink: Jesus’s earthly mother was blessed indeed because she recognized who she was: a person who said “yes” to a permanent commitment.

“I want you to stay 'til I'm in the grave, 'til I rot away, dead and buried, ‘til I'm in the casket you carry. If you go, I'm goin' too / 'cause it was always you and if I'm turnin' blue, please don't save me. Nothin' left to lose without my baby. Birds of a feather we should stick together. And I don't know what I'm cryin' for; I don't think I could love you more. It might not be long, but I'll love you 'til the day that I die, ‘til the light leaves my eyes, ‘til the day that I die.”

Mary's Magnificat, that is, her commentary on saying "Yes" to the Will of God is an example of a commitment that will last forever. As she says, "all ages" will call her "blessed" not because of anything she had done, but because of the "great things" that the Lord accomplished through redemption. Her whole life was a preparation for that moment in time. The Lord promised that he would fulfill the promise he made to Abraham and his descendants "forever."

As people fall in love, the ultimate end, of course, is that both will love each other "forever." But bringing about the "forever" commitment is not something that happens quickly. It takes time, understanding, communication, and what might be called "lived experiences" before a lifelong promise can be made. In Billie Eilish’s song “Birds of a Feather,” the lady in the relationship is making such a commitment and she makes it without any “if statement.” She doesn’t say “if things work out,” or “if you agree with me.” She says pointedly that the commitment is made “til the day that I die”—period.

One of the desires for young people who fall in love, as well as older people who are still searching for a full commitment, is often the desire to find a permanent love that is really only temporary. There is too much work to be done in order to make the proper preparation for the permanent love. It would be much easier to move into a relationship without too much work.

But such a desire could be a disaster for both parties. One of the facts of life and love is that love that happens with an “if” statement will not work out. Yes, there is such a thing as "love at first sight," but even such an exception must be open to some "lived experiences" before the full commitment is made.

Permanent love takes time to develop, and cannot be made with “if statements”. Mary had prepared her whole life to rejoice completely in the Lord. Her Magnificat is an example of the way a permanent commitment be made. It really is “till the day that I die.”

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your servant Mary gives us the example of making a "forever" commitment as she agreed to be the Mother of Your Son here on earth. Give us the grace to learn how to make the commitment of love in our lives without any condition. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Real love is love that will last forever and without any “conditions.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.In the Gospel reading, what is the most striking part of Mary's prayer?

2. What does the song “Birds of a Feather” teach young people?

3. In your opinion, do the people who join each other in marriage understand totally the word “forever”?

4. In your opinion, how much time dating should a couple have before they get married?

5. In modern society, is there such a thing as ”love as first sight”? Yes or no and why?