awith

July 15

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, July 15

MATTHEW 11:25-27
I tell you to be childlike in your approach to me, totally trusting in me.

Prayerthoughts
a. “These things” refer to the “important things in life.” What are the three most important things in my life right now? In what way is God helping me with them?

b. The Lord wants us to be “childlike.” It means that we must become vulnerable and marginalized so as to want to receive the Lord’s message. In what ways can I pay more attention to the Gospel in my life?

c. Being childlike implies that there is no deception in the way I speak. Is there any situation in my life in which I should be more honest?

d. Being childlike implies that I will honestly listen to the Gospel of the Lord. Do I spend time with the Gospel every day?

e. Being childlike implies that there are no “ulterior motives” as I work with others, that my intentions are “pure.” Do I do and say things so that I will receive more honor or the like?

f. Continually in the Gospel Jesus refers to his closeness with the Father. Who are the people that I am closest to in my life? I should tell them how special they are sometime this week.

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Isaiah 10:5-7,13b-16 and write an
important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

BEING CHILD-LIKE

+ One of the marks of Jesus’s ministry is his openness to those who are not received well by society

- in the Gospel, Jesus says that there is a special place for those who are child-like

- because God reveals what was hidden to the child-like

- therefore, if we are to consider our spiritual life as a value, we are to bring ourselves to the thought of being child-like, like children

+ What are the elements of being child-like so that the mysteries of the Kingdom can be revealed?

- probably a number of characteristics but some thoughts from the Liturgy today

1 – the child-like person will be someone who understands that the Lord is calling us to be truly spiritual people and that there will be difficult times in our lives which we can overcome as happened with Israel in the first reading

- the way the Israelites overcame Assyria’s threats which God allowed

- the child-like knows that whatever the Lord calls us to, the Lord will be with us

2 – the child-like person has no pretenses

- the child is gullible with no reasons to suspect anything different from what is said

- there is no thought of saying one thing and doing another

- there is no possibility of “ulterior motives”

` - the child’s intentions are pure

- perhaps, that is the ultimate reason why the child can understand

+ In our modern society, it is difficult to be child-like

- first, our sophisticated minds do not understand how evil can be used

- because we don’t recognize our own guilt, perhaps

- we think that evil should be stopped—period

- and too often cannot comprehend how God works with evil

- the child-like can say: “I don’t know, I don’t understand, but God is in charge”

- and secondly, our motivation/intentions are often not pure

- we want what we want

- and we refuse to challenge ourselves to want what God wants

+ We must have a knowledge of the Father in order to grow spiritually

- and that knowledge, according to Jesus, comes to people who are child-like.

+++++

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Without You" -- The Kid Laroi

IF YOU DON'T TAKE IT BACK

The Gospel

MATTHEW 27:3-5

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself.

Gospelthink: Suicide has been described as a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I must be willing to consider other solutions when I feel down for some reason.

“You cut out a piece of me, and now I’m bleeding internally, left here without you. And it hurts for me to think about what life could possibly be like without you. I can’t believe that you wouldn’t believe me. The heck with all of your reasons, I lost my cool, you know I didn’t mean it. Now I see it, you run and repeat. And I can’t take it back, so in the past is where we’ll leave it. So there you go, I’ll never find the words to say I’m sorry, but I’m scared to be alone." [Lyrics adjusted]

Human emotions are complex, and therefore, discovering romantic love is very complicated. At times, the people in love will say words that they do not mean, and their selfishness will lead to conclusions that neither really want, and the relationship falls apart even though it could be salvaged. The song "Without You" from The Kid Laroi gives that scenario. The man in the relationship does not want to be alone, he sings, but at the same time, he does not want to say he's sorry. And so the relationship ends.

The relationship between Jesus and Judas was not a romantic one, of course, but it was one based on love. Jesus chose Judas to be one of the Twelve, and therefore it was a relationship of special significance. It became a confusing one because for some reason Judas could not comprehend what Jesus wanted. In Judas' mind then, he had to make a decision about the future. He chose to move on in his life away from the relationship he had with Jesus, but his unstable emotions caused things he never intended.

Break ups do not usually end up suicidal, but they feel like it at times. But when one studies what happened rationally, one can see how breakups happen. In The Kid Laroi's song, the man in the relationship said some things, the lady reacted, told others, and at that point, if either of them had acted rationally by talking it out and discussing how they felt, then the breakup could have been prevented. Unfortunately, selfishness often takes over, and irreparable decisions are made.

The song is basically a negative song in that it ends with bitter feelings, it seems. What must happen if the song is to be considered positive in some way is to look at what can be learned. Unfortunately, in disagreements in relationships, words are spoken that really hurt one another. It is at that point that the relationship must allow for a rational thought rather than a selfish one.

If the couple takes the time to talk things out, most probably a good conclusion will follow. Either they will decide to leave the relationship in a good space, and move on, or they will discuss what they meant, and repair the relationship. We make mistakes all the time because we are human, but if we learn from them, those mistakes can lead to good conclusions.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, because we are human, our relationships with others can be very confused and complicated. Give us the grace to understand what our selfishness can lead us to, and help us resolve our lives with rational thought. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: In a break up, we will have pain, but we must learn some things from it or else our lives could hurt forever.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Without You" teach young people?
2. What do you think was Judas' motivation for betraying Jesus?
3. Money obviously plays a part in Judas' betrayal. Money is and has always been important. What is most people's attitude toward money today, and what should it be?
4. Do you believe that Jesus's and Judas's friendship was ever "close"? Yes or no and why?
5. Given the circumstances of Judas's situation, what should he have done?
6. Lyrics analysis: "You know I didn't mean it." Is that generally a true statement? Yes or no and why?
7. Why do people not want to say that they are sorry?
8. The meditation makes the point that acting rationally involves sincere communication. Do you think that most relationships reach this point before marriage?
9. Besides lack of communication, what are some causes of marriage breakdown?
10. What most of all should we learn in any relationship?