mood

February 12

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, February 12

MARK 7:14-23

In order to lead a good spiritual life, you must look at what comes “from within” you.

Prayerthoughts
a. That which comes from within will defile, mainly, our thoughts. Am I trying to “purify” my thoughts a little more?

b. Jesus wants the apostles to understand. Do I take the time to try to understand the difficult passages of Scripture, perhaps through a commentary or the like?

c. Jesus talks of entering “the heart.” He is speaking of the way we consider things that we see and make judgments about them. Where in my life can I be more loving?

d. That which comes out of the “heart” is what defiles a person. I sometimes dwell on people or situations in lust, anger or hatred. How should I work with those instances?

e. I should look for evidence in my life for each vice Jesus mentioned: evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will choose one of the evils that Jesus mentions in the meditation, and write a personal prayer concerning it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

CONTROLLING OUR FREE WILLS

+ The book of Genesis continues with the so-called “second creation story”

- and sets up the story of the fall of man and woman

- with the restriction given to man in the Garden of Eden

- setting up the first sin to be disobedience

- man refusing to submit to the will of God

+ From the very beginning of the Bible, our free will is the subject of consideration

- as if God is saying to us: I know free will is going to work, it is of the essence of man, but it must be controlled

- saying this right at the very beginning of creation

+ Jesus is talking about an instance of the control of free will in the Gospel today

- saying that it is not food that must be controlled in the set up of the spiritual life

- it is the thought process, the thought process that happens because of free will

- that which emerges “from within” must be directed or controlled

- so that we don’t have the evils that are clearly part of our world

- Jesus mentions the sins that he is aware of

+ The idea to dwell on for the spiritual life, I think is that we freely choose something that will control what emerges from within

- that is one of the basic reasons for our acceptance of religious life/Christianity

- and the whole spiritual set up as we have it

- we recognize that our free will needs control

+ We have to look at our celebration this evening and every Mass

- not only as worship of God for what God has done for us

- but as a willing acceptance on our part of some control of our free will by the way that Jesus set up,

- and so our prayer is to really desire God’s grace to direct our “within”

- we absolutely must have it

- or else our free wills will run out of control.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Mood" -- 24KGoldn featuring Iann Dior

THROWING A MOOD

The Gospel

MARK 10:41-45

When the ten heard this [after James and John had asked for a special place in Jesus's Kingdom], they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Gospelthink: My Apostles were very human as they dealt with each other, and therefore were prone to moods. May I learn from the Lord's words to them about being a servant.

"Why you always in a mood? Foolin' around, acting' brand new. I ain’t tryna tell you what to do, but try to play it cool. I ain’t playin by your rules: everything look better with a view. I could never get attached. When I start to feel, I unattach, somehow I always end up feeling bad. I’m not your dad. I just want your company. We play games of love to avoid the depression. We been here before and I won’t be your victim." [Explicit lyrics adjusted.]

The Gospel passage might describe an attitude of moodiness on the part of the Apostles other than James and John. They had heard Jesus talk to the two apostles about his "glory" or his Kingdom and James and John had asked to have a special place in it. The other apostles must have wanted that special place as well. They became jealous of James and John and no doubt caused a "mood" among the Twelve. Such a "mood" translated into words like "I'm not as important as they are," or "He likes them better than me." It is a mood that could destroy a relationship.

And so, Jesus addresses all of his Apostles, basically making known to them, that theymust get out of the moodiness and selfishness. In fact, one of the virtues that Jesus wanted them to learn was to be a servant which means no moods or self-gratification.

24KGoldn and Iann Dior's song simply named "Mood" speaks of a relationship of people who are moody, but does not close with any reconciliation. It merely states that both of the people of the relationship are in a mood and they end up merely playing a game called "love." Such is the outcome of a "mood." It solves nothing and destroys the relationship because of its selfishness.

Such a mood becomes a selfish attitude of living. The person in the mood "takes it out" on the other as well as anyone else in that person's path. It makes a person sullen and feeling sorry for oneself. It destroys relationships and often leads one to despair and revenge.

It is common for humankind because our human natures want to lord it over others in one way or another. Jesus addresses it well by calling us to recognize that if we are sincere in our approach to a Christian life, we will not be people who are moody.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we often find ourselves shunned or hurt by others, and too often we "throw a mood." Help us recognize that our moodiness in no way helps us, and give us the grace to truly understand how to be servants to others. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Moods destroy sincere relationships.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1.What does the song "Mood" teach us?
2. Does it surprise you to see that Jesus's Apostles were so human as to be jealous and moody?
3. In the song, what is the meaning of "I am not your Dad"?
4. What is your definition of being "moody"?
5. What is your definition of "becoming a servant"?
6. In the song, what must be done to get the person out of the mood?
7. How should you treat a friend who is in a "mood"?
8. How does becoming a servant help the person who is in a "mood"?