TGIMMsee

June 20

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, June 20

MATTHEW 6:19-23
I want to be your treasure and your light.

Prayerthoughts
a. Because of my human nature, I tend to collect the things—treasures—of earth. Do I spend too much time and energy on those things? Perhaps I should give some things to the poor.

b. I am involved in the treasures of heaven right now as I pray. Do I place trust in the Lord even as I do what I have chosen as my life’s work?

c. It is a significant statement from the Lord: “Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Do I show by my actions that I have chosen treasure in heaven as a true guide for me?

d. I should be spending time on making the eye sound, that is on the teaching of Jesus, because if I do, then there will be no darkness in my life. Which teaching of Jesus should be most important to me as I live right now?

e. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read 2 Corinthians, chapter 11, and write an
important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

YOUR GENERAL DIRECTION

+ The Gospel continues to consider Matthew’s arrangement of Jesus’ principal doctrines in the Sermon on the Mount

- after six moral principles, and the three religious acts of Old Testament Israelites, Matthew and Jesus go into a section on how to love God and people better

- here, using two images that are easy to dwell on that are really saying the same thing:

- the way to become good people is to concentrate on heavenly treasure, not earthly treasure

- the way to become good is to remain in the light of the good, thus avoiding the darkness of evil

+ The first reading is from Paul’s so-called second letter to the Corinthians

- most probably a combination of a number of letters

- here, Paul is defending himself against Jewish enemies who have tried to discredit what Paul was doing

- and he feels that he must prove to the Corinthians that he is a true minister of Jesus Christ

+ The question that the liturgy puts for our consideration today probably revolves around the idea of the general direction of our lives

- of course, you and I have chosen the general direction of the Christian, saying that following Jesus is the way that we will approach this world

- as you are thinking of that, the liturgy suggests a couple things:

+ From the first reading and Paul’s reflection

- we have done some things of religion—some sacrifice, good works—that we can be proud of

- but we have to remember at all times why we are doing them

- we are weak human beings and we absolutely must have the presence of God in our lives if we want to be good

+ From the Gospel

- first, where is our treasure?

- in what do we place the most hope?

- from the way that we think, say and do, is it clear that we have chosen the general direction of Jesus?

- and secondly, is there some darkness in our lives that is bringing about some evil?

- it won’t be a gigantic darkness because we are here, but some little darkness—some grudge, some thought about someone that we won’t let go of—that is hurting us

+ We have examples of great saints that have gone before us—Paul

- their fundamental direction in their lives was to be as good as possible in what they were doing

- it should be our guide as well.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "See You Again" -- Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth

THE BIGGER PICTURE: A BETTER PLACE

The Gospel

JOHN 3:14-16

JOHN 3:14-16

Jesus said, "Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."

Gospelthink: I came into the world to save it and save you. Have I responded the way I should in my life?

"It's been a long day without you, my friend, and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. We've come a long way from where we began. Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again. Who knew? All the planes we flew, good things we've been through, that I'll be standing right here talking to you about another path. I know we loved to hit the road and laugh, but something told me that it wouldn't last, had to switch up, look at things different, see the bigger picture. Those were the days, hard work forever pays. Now I see you in a better place."

The familiar passage from John's Gospel gives both the fact of eternal life, and the way to get there. Jesus assures a true follower of his that if she/he truly believes in what the Lord Jesus stands for, then the gift of eternal life is theirs. What it says is that, provided the believer has accepted the Lord, then there will never be anything called "death." Death will only mean passing from this life to eternal life.

Such is the belief of the song "See You Again" from Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth who sing the song as a tribute to Paul Walker. They believe that their friend is in a "better place" now as they study what they call the bigger picture. He is no longer with them, but his memory lives on with them while they are here on earth, and they will be together again when they are with him in heaven.

Perhaps the only way that we human beings can explain death is by accepting "the bigger picture," that is, that life really goes beyond this life, and takes in the truth of eternal life. Considering the love that God has for us, it is totally in "character" for God to give us that possibility of life that lasts forever. A good God will give what we want with all our hearts, and the thought of living well is the one thought that every human being desires.

The one requirement that the Lord gives us is that we "believe in him." The question arises of course about the exact meaning of the phrase. The Lord spells it out in the Gospels, by giving us very direct statements about the way to conduct ourselves in today's world--the love, forgiveness, repentance, peace, and so forth that he preached. That is to say that we will believe in Jesus if we know what he stands for and we try to do our best to carry out the belief.

The Christian religion is a very hopeful religion. We have the assurance of life here on earth, and when we die, we will have the eternal life that Jesus promised.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You have given us one life that begins here and lasts forever in eternity, an eternity that will be spent in happiness with your people who have been your Son's followers. Give us the grace to truly believe in your Son, and therefore live our lives forever with You. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Perhaps the only way to explain death is by believing in eternal life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What is your understanding of "belief in Jesus"?
2. John 3:16 is often used by evangelical Christians as a reminder that we must choose Jesus as our personal savior. In your opinion, is the use of the slogan "John 3:16" a good way to remind us that we should be better Christians? Yes or no and why?
3. What does the phrase "condemn the world" mean?
4. Text analysis: "had to switch up." What is the meaning of the phrase?
5. What is your definition of the "bigger picture" in life?
6. In your opinion, do most people believe in a life after death?
7. Guided by our belief in heaven and hell, in your opinion, are there more people in heaven than in hell? Yes or no and why? [Note: In his life, Jesus never answered this question directly.
8. How would a non-believer explain "death"?
9. What is your opinion concerning the doctrine of "purgatory"? [See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 1030-1032.]
10. In your opinion, what was Jesus' most important doctrine? Why?
11. Do most Christian people read portions of the New Testament often?
12. What does the song "See You Again" teach young people?