June 13

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, June 13

MATTHEW 5:27-32

I give you some guiding thoughts about sexual matters.

Prayerthoughts

a. Realizing that lustful thoughts will come into my mind because of my human nature, have I spent too much time with lustful thoughts?

b. Do I spend too much time with reading about sexual situations?

c. Jesus goes into exaggerations to get his point across, saying that we must keep ourselves as pure as possible. Do I pray for a pure living in my lifestyle?

d. There are certainly people who have been divorced in my acquaintance. I should take the time to pray for them and their families.

e. Jesus gives his law against divorce with the possibility of an exception. There are situations in which a strong law such as divorce that can allow for exceptions. Am I too judgmental of situations in other people’s lives?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read 2 Corinthians, chapter 4 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

STRONG IDEALS CONCERNING SEXUAL MATTERS

+ Paul reminds us that our bodies are weak earthen vessels

- referring to his own sufferings, he tells us that he is able to accept the sufferings in his earthen vessel, his body, so that the life of Jesus will be there as well

- and it is the Lord’s resurrection that encourages him and forces him to speak out, as he says

+ It is the weakness of the human thought that Jesus refers to in this part of the Sermon on the Mount

- Jesus is giving six examples of what the Law of Christ involves, as he begins this Sermon on the Mount in chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel

- in yesterday’s Gospel, he dealt with anger, here, he deals with two more, namely, adultery and divorce, probably the most difficult of his doctrines when it comes to the way of life he teaches

- namely, when divorce is allowed, which is hardly ever

- and that which leads to divorce in marriage, namely, lust

+ There are a couple of things to learn from here:

- 1 – we have to study our intentions all the time, why do we do and think and say the things that we do

- not only in sexual matters, but in everything that we do

- note that this does not deal with passing thoughts

- we cannot do anything about passing thoughts that come into our minds

- we can do something only about dwelling on those thoughts and we can do something about real intentions—what we are intending to do by our thoughts, words and actions

- 2 – while we have Jesus’ desire that there be no divorce

- I believe it is a good thing to look at the possibility of an exception as Matthew does

- given the fact that we are earthen vessels, we make mistakes and therefore in something as difficult as Jesus’ law concerning divorce in our world today, we must have the possibility of having a way to correct human mistakes

- and in this matter, incidentally, we always have to watch our judgment of others who have gone through divorces

+ “Earthen vessels” means that we have weakened human natures

- and weakened human natures must be given strong ideals to strive for

- the Sermon on the Mount gives us those, and in particular today,

- Jesus’ teaching about intentions

- and his teaching about divorce, in which in Matthew’s Gospel anyway, he allows for some exception.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Summertime Sadness" -- Lana Del Rey

SADNESS IN LIFE

The Gospel

LUKE 4:31-37

LUKE 4:31-37

Jesus then went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, “What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.” And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

Gospelthink: Jesus' words in the Gospel have authority. Am I listening to the Gospels the way I should?

"Kiss me hard before you go. Summertime sadness. I just wanted you to know that you’re the best. I got my red dress on tonight, dancing in the dark in the pale moonlight, done my hair up real big beauty-queen style, high heels off, I’m feeling alive. I feel it in the air, telephone wires above are sizzling like a snare. I’m on fire, I feel it everywhere, nothing scares me anymore. I’ve got that summertime sadness."

According to psychologists, there are six basic emotions that we must deal with as human beings: happiness, anger, surprise, fear, disgust and sadness. The most difficult for us personally may be sadness. It is a feeling, a mood, that can completely overwhelm us. The worse form of sadness is probably depression, a disease that must be treated with professional therapy. Sadness is more of a general feeling that will eventually pass with time. But while it is part of our lives, it tends to dominate our thinking and acting.

Sometimes it is good to be sad, as when we become sad about the evil in our world. Sometimes it is a feeling that comes from the circumstances of our lives. Lana Del Rey's song "Summertime Sadness" presents sadness that comes as the result of a desired love which is not working out. She is losing someone that she loves, and her life will be difficult. At the same time, she is beginning to feel alive again. In the video, it is clear that the lady in the song is preparing to die. The song could also mean that she is overcoming the sadness and will live a happier life.

How ever we interpret the song, people in sadness must have something to help them. Jesus looked at the people who were in a state of sadness when he walked on our earth. He saw people who were in need of something that would control evil spirits, both those who settled in individuals and in general. He spoke his word and gave hope to the sadness that inhabited the earth.

Humankind at the present time must have the same hope. There are many "sadness-es" that engulf us. Jesus gives us his word, enabling us to have the hope to carry on. At the same time, our God has given us other means to help the sadness--the kind words of a friend, the gentle direction from a inspired leader, the fundamental understanding of what life really is, and other helps that are personal to every individual circumstance.

We must have help to withstand the sadness in life; we are encouraged that God has given it to us.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son sensed our sadness in life, and so he spoke with authority and power, giving us hope. Enable us to study the sorrows we feel, and help us realize that you will continue to help us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL FULFILLMENT

Theme: We must be prepared for sadness in life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Jesus observed the Sabbath as all good Jewish people. Why do many Christians not attend Church on Sundays?
2. An "unclean spirit" in the Gospels is often a general description of some illness. In our world today, what do you consider to be the worst of all of our problems?
3.The Gospel passage makes a point about the power of Jesus' word. In your opinion, do the Christians of our world honestly follow the word of Jesus as written in the Gospels? Yes or no and why?
4. What are some "summertime sadness-es" in the lives of people in our world today?
5. What are the ways to "feel alive" in our lives?
6. In the song, as mentioned in the meditation and is clear in the video, the lady may be preparing to end her life. What is the best way to help a friend who is thinking of suicide?
7. Project: go through each of the basic emotions, giving examples from every day living.
8. Do you agree that the most difficult emotion for us personally is sadness? Yes or no and why?
9. As you study the words of the song (without the video), what is your interpretation of the song? Why?
10. In what way did Jesus give hope to the people of this earth?
11. What does the song “Summertime Sadness” teach young people?