February 28 

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, February 28

MARK 10:1-12

Divorce

Prayerthoughts

a. The Pharisees were testing him. There are things in my life that “test” me, make me anxious or whatever. How do I work with things that happen that are not expected?

b. Divorce is the topic of the meditation. In our age, some good people are divorced for good reason. Probably, the divorce has been difficult. Perhaps we should say a prayer for all of them.

c. Jesus gives his law on divorce: there is to be none. What is the biggest cause for divorce in our world, and does it apply to me at all in my life?

d. Jesus changed the law of Moses. Jesus’s laws are the important thing in my Christian life. What three laws of Jesus do I consider most important? (This is the task of the meditation.)

e. What is the most important Christian law for everyone, married and otherwise? Why?

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will carry out letter d.

 

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy


JESUS CALLS US TO TRUE COMMITMENT


+ As happens so often, Jesus’ words are difficult

- the Lord’s condemnation of divorce is repeated twice

- and at the same time, raising a woman to the same level as a man in the condemnation of divorce

- quite uncommon in the religious milieu of Jesus’ time


+ Jesus speaks a difficult doctrine

- we know how difficult it is because of how common divorce is in our country

- 96% of the people get married, 50% end in divorce

- granted there is the necessity for some divorce

- but most people agree that 50% is too high a figure

- and therefore implies some fault on the people who get divorced


+ There are a couple of things that married couples should work at in staying married

- one of them is the idea of friendship in the first reading

- the readings go together well

- if husband and wife work at being true friends, their lives will be happy

- the operating word there is “work at”


+ A meditation for both married and non-married can easily be on “the commitment” that is necessary in whatever choice of a way of life

- the only way that any commitment is going to work is that we really work at it

- and so the liturgy can be a good meditation on the thought of commitment to a Christian way of life

- and the idea of “working at” that commitment

- the commitment to be a Christian is not unlike the commitment to marriage

- it has to be “worked at” every day

- and as with marriage, it really is not an easy task


+ We have all kinds of examples in this area of commitment

- obviously with many of the married couples that we know, we can see their commitment

- likewise with the saints


+ Jesus’ doctrine on commitment to marriage is hardly ever easy

- married couples have to spend time at really working at what Jesus wants

- the commitment a Christian has is the same way

- we really have to work at the commitment we have undertaken—every day.







 

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Daylight" -- Maroon 5

WE'LL BE ON OUR OWN



The Gospel

JOHN 7:33-34

John 13:33

Jesus said, "I will be with you only a little while longer, and then I will go to the one who sent me. You will look for me but not find me, and where I am you cannot come."

 

Gospelthink: When I die, I will of course not be with you, but I will be with you all the days of your life. Do I act every day like the Lord is with me?

 

"Here I am waiting; I’ll have to leave soon; why am I holding on? We knew this day would come, we knew it all along, how did it come so fast? This is our last night but it’s late, and I’m trying not to sleep ‘cause I know when I wake, I will have to slip away. And when the daylight comes, I’ll have to go, but tonight I’m gonna hold you so close ‘cause in the daylight we’ll be on our own."

[Note: the video to the song "Daylight" is unique, and good for study in its own right. Adam Levine of Maroon 5 says of the video: "As different as we all are, there are common themes that bring us together, inspire and show everyone what is important today. With this video, we’ll present the world today and beyond, creating more than just a music video."]

The man in Maroon 5's song "Daylight" is about to leave the relationship, and he is enjoying the presence of his friend one final night. The parting seems to be a "healthy" one in the sense that both of them are choosing to leave the relationship and begin a new life.

Jesus knew that his time on earth was only temporary. In John's Gospel, he knew that he was God, and knew that his task on earth would come to an end somehow, some way. Understanding that he was accomplishing his goal of the redemption of humankind, he told his disciples that he had to go back to his Father. In a sense, he was "beginning again," by returning to his Father. His disciples, on the other hand, were in a real sense beginning again, since they had to prepare to carry out their Master's wishes in the Kingdom on earth.

In our travel-oriented, work-necessitated world, we have become very mobile, and consequently, we will often move several times during the course of our lives. Every move involves a parting of relationships that have been formed. Sometimes those relationships will continue, but more than likely, they will cease. There is pain involved in parting with friends, especially in love relationships as in the song; even when we enter new phases of our lives like entering college, or a new job, or getting married, there will be some discomfort.

But the good thing about leaving a situation is that we can look forward to a new beginning. We can be thankful for the past and the good friends that we have made, and we may indeed come back every now and then. But in order to grow, we must move on. There are always new things in front of us and we must experience those things in order to be completely mature.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son left our earth in order to be with you after his work of redemption. May we learn from him the value of appreciating the past and beginning again. Be with us, we pray. 


+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: At times we must leave the situation we are in and choose to begin again.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. In the Gospel, how do you think Jesus felt about leaving his disciples?
2. Jesus' disciples could not follow Jesus when he rose from the dead, but they were to follow him eventually. Such is our hope as well. What is the most important characteristic that we must develop in order to insure our following of Jesus?
3. Text analysis: "Why am I holding on."  In general, why do people want to "hold on" to the past?
4. Analysis: Why does it seem like "time" passes quickly at times, and drags at times? In your life right now, is time passing quickly or slowly? Why?
5. Analysis: The song implies some type of physical love involvement in their relationship. Why do people often define love in a physical way? Is it a good way to show love? Yes or no and why?
6. Analysis: "We'll be on our own." The song implies that both of the people must leave in some way. What is the best way to prepare for a friend's permanent departure?
7. Obtain a copy of the video of the song, and study the different parts of it. What is most striking about the video?
8. When is a parting from a relationship "unhealthy."
9. What are some reasons why a couple should break their love relationship?
10. Life on earth is "temporary." What conclusion should be drawn from the fact that we all will die?
11. What are some things that can make parting with friends a little less difficult?
12. What is necessary in order to "begin again" in life?
13. The meditation says that we must always experience new things in order to mature. Do you think that the statement is always true? Yes or no and why?
14. What does the song "Daylight" teach young people?