TGIMMlove

March 26

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Thursday, March 26, Lent V

JOHN 8:51-59

I tell the religious leaders of my divinity.

Prayerthoughts
a. Is it clear by my actions, words and thoughts, say, yesterday that I am keeping the Lord's words?

b. The religious leaders were arguing with Jesus. But it is a good question to address to myself: who do I make myself out to be? That is, what is most important in my life at the present time? Why?

c. Finish this sentence: "Since Jesus is divine, then I...."

d. Jesus uses the familiar definition of God throughout John's Gospel, namely I AM. We are close to our God at all times. What should that mean to me?

e. In general, how do most people define “God”?

f. My prayerthoughts...

Today, I will read Genesis 17:3-9 and write
an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

LISTENING TO JESUS

+ The first reading is very important as we study theology

- God changes the nomad Abram’s name to Abraham

- thus making him the Father of many nations,

- and at the same time setting up the covenant/agreement that was to last forever, something that was repeated often in the Hebrew Scriptures, and therefore in force even right now

- I will be your God, and you will be my people

- God promising to be with us always, and as a result, we promising to always allow God to direct our behavior

+ In the Gospel, Jesus recalls that covenant

- and teaches the specifically Christian element—namely,

Before Abraham came to be, I AM.

- that is to say, since Jesus was God (I AM is the name for Yahweh), Jesus existed before Abraham

- it is no wonder that the religious leaders reacted and wanted to stone Jesus—he was making himself equal to God

- something they simply could not understand and therefore they would not listen to

+ One can understand the way the Hebrew religious leaders felt,

- but the fact is that they should have at least listened to what he was saying

- maybe they wouldn’t agree, but maybe they would learn some things in the process

+ The action of listening to Jesus is an important element of our spirituality

- we do it every time that we hear the Scriptures proclaimed

- primarily here at Mass

- and many times, we do not let what Jesus said sink in the way it should

- we hear the words, but we do not really listen

- and apply them to our own specific circumstances the way we should

- and thus we don’t change the way the way we should

+ The liturgy points out the foundation of our spirituality:

- Abraham was the father of the human religious families

- Jesus perfectly fulfills what God began with Abraham

- we must listen to this Jesus now

- as we accept our part of the covenant—to allow Jesus’s words to direct our behavior

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "APT" – Rose f/ Bruno Mars

A PLACE TO LEARN LOVE

The Gospel

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?