TGIMMlove

March 26

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, March 26, Lent III

MATTHEW 5:17-19

I tell you to keep all the commandments.

Prayerthoughts
a. The law of Jesus fulfills the Ten Commandments given to Moses. Therefore, I should know the Commandments and what they mean in light of Jesus’s words. (This is the task of the meditation.)

b. We should recognize the law of Jesus to be of paramount importance. List three statements of Jesus that I should pay most attention to.

c. Most scholars would say that the law of Jesus was primarily the law of love. How do I rate my life right now in terms of love of God and others?

d. The Lord refers to scandal as he talks of how people obey his law. Is there any time in my life in which I scandalize others?

e. The two parts of being “great” in Jesus’ eyes are a person who “obeys” the law and “teaches” the law. Do I see myself as doing these two directives?

f. My prayerthoughts:

Today I will list the Ten commandments and my own understanding of what they mean for me in my life in light of Jesus's teaching.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE LAW OF JESUS

+ The Hebrew law has been looked on in various ways in the Old and New Testaments

- Moses looked at it with the highest reverence—as God’s word, taking the place of God here on earth

- Paul was to look at it as necessary for a while, but unnecessary now

- Matthew as he wrote his Gospel, looked upon it as Moses did with the addition that it now is totally fulfilled with the law of Jesus Christ

- the Hebrew law now is to be looked on only as a “helper” to the Christian vision

+ The history of the Law and its importance is interesting enough,

- now in our Christian spirituality, we concentrate on the new law, the law of Jesus Christ, contained in the Gospels

- and as we do that, we can concentrate on the way the Hebrew Law was understood by the Hebrew people, only considering their words and ideas now to be applied to the law of Jesus:

+ As can be seen from the Deuteronomy reading:

- the law of Jesus must first of all be heard

- we have to know what it says

- once again, the importance of reading the Word of God and concentrating on what it says

- and it must be taught

- the importance of education, both of our children, and probably more importantly, our adults

- adults must understand as completely as possible what Jesus said so that families can be formed in light of it

- incidentally, in my opinion, this is the most crying need in the Church today

+ According to the Sermon on the Mount of Matthew’s Gospel (from which today’s Gospel is taken), the law of Jesus is absolutely paramount

- it is the final word, that which is referred to as the absolute answer

- primarily that law is written with the idea of love

- love of God and love of neighbor

- saying therefore that the absolute ethical standard for living

- the final reference, the guide for everything that we do must be true love of God and neighbor

- therefore: every action of our day today

- every word that we say

- every thought that we think

- if we are to be Christian, we must be governed completely by love of God and neighbor

+ Knowing and keeping the law of Jesus is necessary if we really want to follow Jesus.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "APT" – Rose f/ Bruno Mars

A PLACE TO LEARN LOVE

The Gospel

MARK 6:30-31

LUKE 6:12-13

In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles.

Gospelthink: Jesus spent time in prayer especially when he had to make important decisions.

“Kissy face, kissy face sent to your phone, but I’m tryna kiss your lips for real; red hearts, red hearts, that’s what I’m on. Come give me somethin' I can feel. Don’t you want me like I want you; don’t you need me like I need you now? Sleep tomorrow, but tonight go crazy. All you gotta do is just meet me at the APATEU.”

If we study the Gospels with the thought of discovering special places in which the people liked to spend significant time, it gives us a glimpse of what was important to them. Jesus liked to spend time in prayer wherever he was. We find him there whenever an important decision had to be made, as in Luke’s Gospel before he chose his closest followers. Consequently prayer to His Father was a center-point in Jesus’s life.

It is interesting to study our own special places in our lives. They give an indication of the type of person we might be. And in particular a place in which we learn the virtue of true love. Rose and Bruno Mars song describes such a place.

The song comes in both English and Korean. The name of it is “APT” meaning the Korean word “apateu” or in English “apartment.” It is actually spoken of as a drinking game song, and is a song of pure energy as the lady desires to meet her friends in the apateu. To a certain extent, therefore, it is a place in which she will discover what love of others is all about.

Love is central to our lives. As is prayer. We need “places” or “time” to discover those important qualities in our lives. As we mature, more and more time should be given to discover true love, and finding a “place” where it is possible will be useful to all of us.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we should be people in whom love of God and others will become more and more important. Help us discover a place and time where we can do it well. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We need a special place in which we can grow in love.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "APT" teach young people?
2. Jesus liked to pray to His Heavenly Father. In your opinion, is “prayer” a truly important time for Christian people?

3. What is the best ”place” for people to learn to truly love in our world?

4. In your opinion, are most families a good place to truly discover love?

5. What are the most important virtues for families to be loving places in which the children grow well?