need

August 20

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, August 20

MATTHEW 19:23-30
It is difficult for the rich to enter into the Kingdom.

Prayerthoughts
a. The Lord’s words here about the rich are extremely difficult words—a camel cannot pass through the eye of a needle—spoken no doubt in exaggeration, a means the Lord uses in order to get across an important point. I should call to my mind my savings and present moneys. Do I spend too much time making money and not enough time with my family and my God?

b. The disciples know that Jesus’s statement is very difficult, asking the question of “who can be saved.” In my thinking, what are the characteristics of someone who will gain eternal life?

c. Jesus says an important statement in this context—all things are possible with God. Do I truly place my trust in God in my endeavors?

d. Peter the Apostle was interested in making him and his fellow Apostles “look good” in Jesus’s eyes, professing that they were true followers of Jesus. If someone were to accuse me of not truly following the Lord, what proof do I have that I am?

e. Jesus promises three things for those who sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. First he promises rewards even in this life. As I study my life, what good things have been given to me? Have I been as thankful as I should be? (This is the task of the meditation.)

f. The Lord also promises “persecutions.” There have been difficult things in my life so far. Have I reacted to them as a Christian should, namely accepting them as the Lord’s will?

g. Thirdly, the Lord promises a true follower of his that he/she will have eternal life. What am I doing right now to ensure my own eternal life?

h. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will carry out letter e.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE RICH AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

+ The rich never fare very well in the Scriptures:

- 1^st: the ruler of Tyre felt that he was a god and part of it was because he had amassed riches, and so Ezekiel tells him that he will die a death unworthy of man

- Gospel: only with difficulty and the power of God, Jesus says, will the rich enter the Kingdom

+ It is important for our spiritual lives that we analyze why the rich do not fare very well

- the rich do not fare well because their minds are preoccupied with other things, specifically material things that they like

- in this Gospel passage: those who have learned to give up things, Jesus says those who can even give up—say—even family ties will receive the reward of the Kingdom

+ Once again the action of giving and giving up on behalf of someone or something else is brought into our consideration

- the natural challenge for us: how well do we give up things?

- if we are honest with ourselves, we probably do not give too easily

- in fact, the first reading which is a condemnation of the king of Tyre could be used as descriptions of ourselves

- we tend to make ourselves gods

- not in a blatant way: we are much more subtle

- we tend to think of ourselves as completely in charge of our lives with very little credit going to God or God’s graces

- we tend to think of our accomplishments as our own, and therefore we think that we deserve the recognition, the reward, the money for doing them

- we arrange our lives around what is convenient for us and often do not really think in terms of what is convenient for others

+ There are a couple of very strong statements concerning our spiritual lives in our readings today:

- we must carefully consider that we could be making ourselves self-sufficient gods, and

- there is the chance that we are not learning to give up what we have

- which can keep us from the fullness of the Kingdom of God.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Need a Favor" -- Jelly Roll

REAL PRAYER

The Gospel

LUKE 11:1-4

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us, and do not subject us to the final test."

Gospelthink: I teach you how to pray.

"I only talk to God when I need a favor, and I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer. So, who the heck am I to expect a Savior if I only talk to God when I need a favor. But God I need a favor! I know Amazing Grace, but I ain’t been livin’ them words. Swear I spend most Sundays drunk than I have in church. Hard cover King James only been savin’ dust on the nightstand, and I don’t know what to say the time I fold my hands. I only talk to God when I need a favor." [Lyrics adjusted]

Scripture scholars tell us that this shorter former of the Our Father in Luke's Gospel is closest to what Jesus actually taught. And it should be noted that in the prayer, petition is certainly part of it, or in terms of the song from Jelly Roll: "God, I need a favor!"

But it must be noted that both Jesus and the song point out that petition is only part of prayer. Jesus teaches other parts of the prayer such as praise of God and forgiveness. And in the song, the person is forgetting about the other elements of prayer. He admits that he cannot expect a "Savior if I only talk to God when I need a favor."

Believing that God will answer our prayers is certainly part of a Christian's belief. And so the Christian must confidently ask God for help. But the Christian must also understand that in asking for a favor, she/he will recognize that God knows more than we do, and thus, may not give exactly what we ask for, but the Lord will always answer in some way.

The point of the song, however, is that we must be aware that this prayer of petition or asking for a favor is not the only kind of prayer that should be offered to God our creator. In our prayer pattern, there should be some prayer of thanksgiving and praise for the very gift of our lives and all the good things that we experience. And a prayer of forgiveness should be in order, as we acknowledge the fact that as people with free will, we do things that hurt ourselves and others.

But the song points out something further. If a Christian offers a prayer, thus expressing a belief in God, then the Christians' actions will be the actions of a truly committed Christian. As the song suggests, such a Christian will read the Scriptures and will be in control of the alcohol she/he consumes. In general, that is to say, the follower of Jesus will truly be a follower of Jesus.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we who believe in you will always talk to you directly in prayer, and much of the time we will be asking for something. Help us to confidently continue to do that, but at the same time, understand every element of true prayer. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Praying the prayer of petition is good, but prayer is much more than asking for something.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Need a Favor" teach young people?
2. In your opinion, do most people pray to their Higher Power? Yes or no and why?
3. What is the most important kind of prayer, as we think of prayer in terms of petition, thanksgiving, forgiveness or praise of our God?
4. Do you agree with the Church teaching that God will answer all of our prayers? Yes or no and why?
5. Give an example of a prayer of thanksgiving.
6. Give an example of a prayer asking for forgiveness.
7. In general, why should Christians pray?