August 22

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, August 22

MATTHEW 22:34-40
You are to love your God, and you are to love your neighbor.

Prayerthoughts
a. They “tested” him. No doubt, it was done with malice. In my conversations with others about others, do I speak with "malice"?

b. Jesus is giving me His two commandments of love. Is it clear that my love of God is a strong part of my life?

c. As I listen to Jesus say that I must love my neighbor as myself, is there anyone that I am excluding from that love right now? What can I do about it?

d. What are the three or four “guides” to my life right now, that is, what are the major reasons that I have for doing the things that I do. Where is the virtue of “love of God and others” in that list?

e. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Ruth 1:1,3-6,14b-16,22 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

LOVE SHOWN IN ACTION

+ The Pharisees of Jesus’ time felt compelled, in the spirit of Moses, to set up religion with a number of laws

- and as they dealt with that law, they always wanted to find a central law, a summary law

- and so quite naturally—even though with a little malice (they wanted to trick him to say the wrong thing)—they asked another rabbi, Jesus, about that law

+ Jesus answers with the traditional Shema which was and still is part of every Jewish service: Hear O Israel, The Lord……

- but then, he goes into the book of Leviticus to get a minor law, changes its meaning somewhat to include everyone, namely love of neighbor, and places it on the same level as love of God

- saying in effect that the law—as important as it is (and in Matthew’s Gospel, it is treated with respect)—the law depends on love

- and as we take into account the reading from the Hebrew Scripture’s book of Ruth,

- such a love will show itself in action as Ruth did for her mother in law Naomi

+ A two-fold easy application for us as we try to develop our spiritual lives

1—love: it is Jesus’ law, love of God and love of others

2—such love must be shown in action

- a complete retreat can be spent on the questions: how well am I showing my love of God

- and how am I loving my fellow men and women.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Peaches" -- Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon

THE "VERY BEST"

The Gospel

LUKE 10:38-42

LUKE 10:38-42

Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her."

Gospelthink: Martha and Mary were friends of mine, and I could speak to them plainly, telling them that Mary was doing well because she listened to me. Do I truly listen to the Lord in the Gospels?

"I got my peaches out in Georgia, I get my light right from the source. The way I breathe you in, it's the texture of your skin, I want to wrap my arms around you and never let you go. There’s nothing like your touch, it's the way you lift me up and I’ll be right here with you until the end of time. You ain’t sure yet, but I’m for you.”

The artist of the song "Peaches," Justin Bieber, is no doubt thinking of the love of his life, his wife, as he sings the song. Part of his life was spent in Georgia, the Peach State, but the feel of the song is one of "love." And in particular, as one considers what Georgia stands for, namely the very best peaches, one can generalize the thinking of the song to the thought of seeking the "very best" in what we do. The man in the relationship is thinking of the very best in love, and that is the love that he has discovered.

As we study our lives, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, the one guide that we have is that we seek the "very best" in carrying it out. Obviously, we do not want to give ourselves to something or someone that is only second best. Therefore our thought is always about seeking the "very best."

So it is with love. "I get my light right from the source" Justin Bieber sings. The source of his love is obviously the lady in the relationship, and it is there that the man seeks his light, that is, his reason to live. She is the "very best" for him.

It is exactly the situation of Mary in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus recognizes that the "very best" way to show a love of another is to pay close attention to what he/she says. To be busy about hospitality is important but it is not the "very best" that one could do. He tells Martha that Mary had chosen the "very best."

Choosing the "very best" love is not easy in our world. It implies not only the person who is choosing the "very best," but it also must mean that the person who is chosen agrees with the other. In the song, it seems as though the lady is not ready yet, as the man sings, "You ain't sure yet." One sees here an important element of choosing the "very best," namely, it will take some time to determine what is the "very best" for everyone involved.

You and I want the "very best" in every situation. To determine it will take time and deep thinking on our parts.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we want the "very best" in everything we do while we are here on earth. Help us to achieve that goal not only with the things of earth, but give us the grace to truly listen to what you say to us, that is, the "very best" for our spiritual lives. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We should look for the "very best" in everything we do.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Peaches" teach young people?
2. "Listening to the Lord" is obviously the conclusion of the Gospel. In the category of "listening," do most people really listen to the Lord's directives? Yes or no and why?
3. Do most people honestly listen to one another?
4. What elements must a relationship have in order to be the "very best" for each other?
5. What is the most important thing that we do in our lives?
6. The meditation says that choosing the "very best" love in our lives takes time. In general, what is your opinion about how long a couple should know each other before they are married?