January 18

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, January 18

MARK 2:13-17

Calling a Sinner

Prayerthoughts

a. He taught them. The Lord is my teacher and his textbook is the New Testament especially the Gospels. Do I pay enough attention to these Gospels?

b. Jesus wanted Levi, a converted sinner, to be with Him as He went about his ministry. Have I sufficiently changed my behavior so that I can be called “converted”?

c. Once again, the sin of the Pharisees here is from their thinking. I must look at my own thinking and try to purify it a little more. (This is the task of the meditation.)

d. There are many who are “sick” in my acquaintance. They may not be physically sick, but they need the help of someone who cares. Am I that type of person?

e. As I condider my “thinking,” what do I think of the most and why? Should it be a little more “Christian” than it is? (also the task of the meditation.)

f. My prayerthoughts...

Today, I will think of yesterday, and the thoughts that I had throughout the day, determining how they could have been better.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

CALLED BY GOD

+ In the readings today, the liturgy presents us with the idea of being called by God

- in the letter to the Hebrews, we are called by our high priest Jesus to confidently approach the throne of grace as we listen closely to the word of God that should be living and effective in our lives

- Levi in Mark’s Gospel, most probably Matthew as he is called elsewhere—Jesus probably changed his name, or the early Church did

- Jesus calls him from a life of sin, as tax collectors always collected more taxes than they should have for themselves

+ So the idea of “calling” is a good one to think about in a spiritual way today

- you and I are all called to the spiritual way of life in Baptism

- and we have responded to that call

- but I think that it is important to look at the philosophical question of why God calls us to whatever way of life

- not so much to the specific way of how to follow God, but why

+ In the letter to the Hebrews, the call from God will ultimately be given to us for our help:

“…confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.”

- that is, we are called by God because we absolutely need God in order to survive in life

- Levi—Matthew—somehow understood that he needed help, realized that he was a sinner, changed his ways, and became a true follower of Jesus,

- he understood his need for God through Jesus, and he let that guide him in life--

+ It might be good for us to spend some time in meditation today on that thought of our need for God

- this gives rise to the whole concept of stewardship

- since we really need God, who has given to us, it means that we have to give back to God in some way

- is our understanding of our need for God real, has it made an effect in our lives, what does it mean to us today as we go about our lives?

+ We really need God in our lives

- that is not just a statement of the Catechism, or a pious platitude

- it is a conviction on our parts that should change us.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Stay the Night" / Zedd featuring Hayley Williams

MADE TO BREAK...BUT

The Gospel

MARK 10:9-12

MARK 10:9-12

[Jesus said:] "What God has joined together, no human being must separate." In the house the disciples again questioned him about this. He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery."

Gospelthink: I am very clear about divorce. Do I agree with Jesus' statement and why?

"I know that we are upside down, so hold your tongue and hear me out. I know that we were made to break. So what, I don’t mind. You kill the lights, I'll draw the blinds. Don't dull the sparkle in your eyes. Are you gonna stay the night; doesn’t mean we’re bound for life."

Zedd and Hayley Williams' song "Stay the Night" is the obvious invitation by the lady in the relationship for the significant other to stay the night. But because the relationship is in such a mess, he should not stay the night unless they are trying to work it out. In the song, they are not trying to work it out—they only want the feeling of pleasure.

The problem--as with most of the situations in which we should not do something--is that our human natures want to do it. We want the temporary moment when we will feel good, the passing sensation of well-being. And so, we let such a feeling dictate our behavior, and we end up doing something that we should not be doing.

There are many instances in the Gospels that illustrate such a fact. One of them is at the very heart of Jesus's teaching about marriage, one that goes against what human natures want. In the area of romantic relationships, we often find ourselves wanting the pleasure that comes from it without working at the commitment itself. We move too easily into what feels good without worrying about the future. Zedd's song captures the image perfectly saying that the lady knows that they were "made to break," but not to worry about it and just go for the pleasure instead.

The song does not spell out the consequences of staying the night without working on the commitment. Often our human natures do the same thing. In pursuing pleasure, we forget about the pain that could come from it. As we pursue pleasure before commitment in preparing for a future commitment, we forget about possible further rejection and misunderstanding, or the revenge and even hatred if and when the relationship does not work out.

In the area of romantic relationships, Jesus knew psychology as well as theology. He was very clear that any follower of his must understand commitment when pursuing those romantic involvements. One must be concerned about working out a permanent commitment before pleasure. It is a difficult lesson, but it is one that our world should learn.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son taught us about the pursuit of pleasure in relationships. Give us the grace to learn his thought when it comes to our own romantic desires and behavior. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: There are some things that we should not do, but we do them anyway because we like the feeling they give.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Jesus' teaching on divorce in the Gospel is obviously not a priority in today's world. Why are there so many divorces?
2. In your opinion, are there any good reasons for divorce? Yes or no and why?
3. What is the best way to prevent divorce among the married?
4. In your opinion, can the children of divorcing parents help their parents in any way? Yes or no and why?
5. Text analysis: "We are upside down." What is the meaning of the statement?
6. The song brings up the topic of "sex before marriage" since "staying the night" often refers to sexual pleasure. What are the reasons why a Christian couple should refrain from such activity?
7. Jesus' teaching is just the opposite of the song: if a person gives him/herself to another in complete involvement, the action by its very nature means that one is bound for life. Why is there no such thing as "casual sex" or "sexual intercourse without involvement"?
8. In real life, what is the best way for young couples to "work out" their difficulties? Why?
9. Project: the instructor may want to go through some instances of the Gospel in which human natures overcame what should be done, e.g., the Pharisees, Judas, etc.
10. Analysis: there are many young couples who give themselves to "sex before marriage". If a couple really does not want to fall into this activity, what are the best ways to prevent it?
11. In your opinion, has the world learned the message of pursuing a permanent commitment before pleasure? Yes or no and why?
12. What does the song "Stay the Night" teach young people?