closer

August 16

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, August 16

MATTHEW 19:13-15
You must be like a child as you pursue the Kingdom.

Prayerthoughts
a. Jesus was always open to the gift of children. Looking at the children in my family and close acquaintances, do I pay attention to them enough?

b. Jesus prayed for the children. Do I take the time to thank God for the grace given to the children around me, praying “for” them, asking God to continue to look with kindness on those children?

c. Here and in other passages of Scripture, Jesus used the image of a “child” as a pattern for the personality of the people of the Kingdom that he preached, referring to a number of characteristics such as honesty. Do I show child-like characteristics in my life?

d. Am I concerned about the children that surround me, keeping in mind that there is abuse in our world? Do I especially concern myself with the children who are the victims of the divorce of their parents without judging the parents?

e. Jesus touched the children. Generally speaking, children liked to be touched. Do I pay attention enough to children as to “high five” or shake hands with them?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read Joshua 24:14-29 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

FOLLOWING THE LORD’S TEACHINGS

+ Jesus used the example of children often during his public ministry

- what is it about children that made Jesus so intrigued and wanting to use them as an example

- there are probably a number of reasons

- one is no doubt, their innocence and naiveté

- Jesus was probably attracted to the fact that there was no duplicity in the way they behaved

- no adult problems of worrying about what other people thought, or hurting other people’s feelings, or trying to look better than someone else

- another reason, and one perhaps we can spend some time on today

- was their willingness to believe someone else

- children as a general rule are people who are totally dependent on someone else, their parents, or someone they trust

- they are willing to follow such a person

+- Jesus wanted people to follow him like children would follow a parent or someone the child trusted

- in essence, that means that Jesus wanted people to accept his teachings in whatever form they came

- he gave a number of those teachings himself during his lifetime

- and during his sermons he probably referred to areas of the Hebrew Scriptures that said what he was teaching

- one of them would have been from the book of Joshua in today’s first reading

+ It is interesting to think of how Jesus would have used the reading from the book of Joshua today

- the people were promising that they would serve the Lord God forever

- the famous saying of Joshua: “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord”

- and Jesus knew that they didn’t do that

- and the children could easily see what their parents were doing

-Jesus would no doubt point out as we do, that the sins of the parents are likely to hurt the children

+ Jesus loved children

- not only because they were children, and needed love

- but because of what they could teach adults

- and one of the ways is how they totally trust someone else, and for our spiritual lives, totally trust in God.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Birds of a Feather" – Billie Eilish

‘TIL THE DAY THAT I DIE

The Gospel

LUKE 1:46-56

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.

+++++

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?