high

December 14

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, December 14, Advent II

MATTHEW 17:9a,10-13
I tell you that John the Baptist is Elijah and will suffer.

Prayerthoughts
a. The disciples did not understand everything that Jesus said. I sometimes do not understand how the Lord is acting in my life, and I should pray for guidance.

b. The disciples wanted to know specific things about his teaching. I sometimes do not completely understand my religion. I should take the time to look up in a commentary or the Catechism about what I do not know.

c. Jesus interprets Elijah to be John the Baptist who restores all things, in the sense that he will turn people’s attention to what is of true importance. Does God/Church/religion have an important place in my life?

d. People did not recognize John when he came and therefore treated him badly. Are there some people that I do not recognize as important and I treat them badly?

e. In my understanding, what is most important about John the Baptist and why?

f. My prayerthoughts….

Today, I will read Sirach, chapter 48 and

write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

A STUDY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

+ One of the saints that is featured during the Advent season is John the Baptist
         - today recalled in the Book of Sirach, part of the Wisdom literature of the Hebrew Scriptures, with the statements about Elijah
         - and Matthew’s words from Jesus that John the Baptist is Elijah
         - quite naturally, the readings lead us to some thoughts about John the Baptist
                  - with some specific applications to our lives

+ 1 – from Sirach, John the Baptist/Elijah was a person who would speak God’s words with fire
         - that is, difficult words, words that people did not like to hear
                  - and therefore, challenging words
         - there are many challenging words in the Scriptures for us to listen to
                  - words that touch our lives right now if we allow them to

+ 2 – also from Sirach, John the Baptist/Elijah calls for a turning back, a reestablishing
         - that is, some type of a conversion in our lives-
                  - a turning around
         - we listen to those challenging words and we realize that we really should do something about our behavior, whether it be praying more or loving more or talking less

+ 3 – from Matthew’s Gospel, John the Baptist and Jesus both suffered
         - suffering is unfortunately part of the effects of human nature
                  - not so much physical suffering, although that is part of it
                           - and accepting that suffering patiently and as part of improving our lives
         - but especially the suffering that will come if we accept the Lord Jesus totally into our lives
                  - it means basically that we will take to heart the challenging words, lead us to conversion, and then we have to accept what that means
                           - the ridicule of others
                           - real disagreement with the world’s offerings

+ 4 – perhaps a summary thought about John the Baptist
         - that is, what he was all about, that which describes his character the best
                  - he had one job to do—prepare for Jesus Christ
                           - he did it and left the limelight
                                    - his famous statement: “He must increase, I must decrease.”
         - as spiritual people, we are called to prepare for Jesus to come into our lives—period
                  - we have to be a single-minded in it as John the Baptist was.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "High Hopes" -- Panic at the Disco!

ONE SMART MAMA AND HOPE IN GOD

TMMMhe Gospel

MATTHEW 12:15b-21

MATTHEW 12:15b-21

Many people followed Jesus and he cured them all, though he sternly ordered them not make public what he had done. This was to fulfill what had been said through Isaiah the prophet: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, my loved one in whom I delight. I will endow him with my spirit and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will his voice be heard in the streets. The bruised reed he will not crush; the smoldering wick he will not quench until judgment is made victorious. In his name, the Gentiles will find hope."

Gospelthink: The evangelist Matthew quotes Isaiah about me--you will find hope in me. Do I place my hope in the Lord during my trials?

"Had to have high hopes for living, shooting for the stars when I couldn’t make a killing. Didn’t have a dime but I always had a vision, always had high hopes. Mama said, fulfill the prophecy, be something greater, go make a legacy, rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams.”

If there is one message that is absolutely clear from the Gospels, it is the message that Jesus cured people. As Matthew says directly, "He cured them all." Jesus was always a kind healer who would not turn anyone down if they came to him with faith. Matthew the evangelist read Isaiah the prophet and thought of Jesus as a person in whom everyone could find hope. He was a leader that manifested hope to all by sharing his vision of love and healing to all.

Such a vision is the topic of the group Panic! At The Disco's song "High Hopes." The song is a statement that the vision of the person in the song has brought about a confidence to carry through with a good life. It seems to have been inspired by his mother who told him at an early age in various ways to "fulfill the prophecy, be something greater, go make a legacy, rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams." Would that we all had smart Mamas like that!

We all need the inspiration like the mother gives in the song. Everyone of us must understand that we really can be so much more than we are at the present time. There is a legacy that we can leave, something greater that we can do. We can rewrite our history from this moment on to live a life that is true to a dream that will lead us and guide us. In the Christian world, it is called following what Jesus taught and why he taught it. We must develop the confidence in ourselves that we really can do it.

Christians can study the hope that the group sings of in their song, and understand that the faith they have in Jesus can inspire the same hope. Jesus inspired hope and confidence among his followers in the first century, and continues to give that same hope to the people of our modern day. When we feel the pain of days and worries of the night, or the evil words of people who want to hurt us, the Christian can turn to their God present in Jesus and with conviction say to him: you can lead me to work on being the type of person that will give hope to myself and my world.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son truly loved the people of his day, and our faith tells us that he continues to care for us as we turn to you in prayer. Give us the hope that we need so that we can lead our lives with the conviction that you will always be with us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: The leader will always possess a hope of a greater vision.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "High Hopes" teach young people?
2. In your opinion, why did Jesus not want those he cured to make it known?
3. How would you describe the "vision" of what the world wants?
4. What is your definition of 'hope."
5. What should we want most in life, given the fact that we are followers of Jesus?
6. To whom do the people of the world look most for guidance?
7. To whom should the people of the world look most for guidance?