Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

WE MUST DO THE WORKS OF JESUS

+ In yesterday’s Gospel which takes place at the Last Supper, Thomas asked the question about what was Jesus’ way

- it showed a lack of understanding which should have been there, it would seem

- Thomas should have known that Jesus’ way was the way of God, the way of eternal life

- in a similar manner here, at the same time immediately after Thomas’ statement in John’s Gospel, Philip makes a statement that he should have known the answer to

“Show us the Father.”

- Philip had been with Jesus a number of months

- he had no doubt heard Jesus talk about him and his Father

- and should have easily figured out that there was a real closeness between them

- not having that understanding though, Jesus patiently explains to Philip:

I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

+ Jesus, however, not only answers with the theological fact of the unity of the Father and him

- he also says further that the person who believes this way will do the works that Jesus does

- and he says that the person who believes in Jesus’ name will be assured of an answer to prayer

- therefore for the believer in Jesus, there is an obligation and a privilege

+ The obligation is doing the works of Jesus

- that is, what Jesus says to do in the Scriptures

- there is a very good example in what Paul did on his first missionary journey as seen in the Acts of the Apostles reading:

- willing to be quite direct in his acknowledgment of Jesus

- no matter what the consequences, no matter what the cost

+ There are a number of privileges to being a follower of Jesus

- among them is the assured answer to prayer

- not to any prayer, however,

- to a prayer in Jesus’ name

- which means not only through the intercession of Jesus, but also in accord with God’s will

- Jesus says that we will be assured of an answer to prayer only if it is in accord with God’s will, that is, in Jesus’ name

- any time we pray, we pray in Jesus’ name

- that is, with the understanding that God knows more than we do

- many times we do not want to pray in that way

- so, even the privilege has a sense of obligation connected to it

- we pray as we do the works of Jesus

+ Jesus tells Philip and us today that he and his Father are one, and that if we believe it,

- we must do the works of Jesus, and if we do, we can look forward to the privileges of Christianity, among which is that the fact that we can be assured of the answer to our prayers which are asked in his name

- our meditation should revolve around how well we are doing the works of Jesus

- it is the proof of our faith.

MARK 14:3-6

When Jesus was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head. There were some who were indignant, "Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil? It could have been sold for more than three hundred days' wages and the money given to the poor." They were infuriated with her. Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me."

Gospelthink: The lady who anointed me was seeking sorrow for her sins. Do I say "I am sorry" often to God?

"I’ve been tryna call, I’ve been on my own for long enough. Maybe you can show me how to love. I’m going through withdrawals. You don’t even have to do too much; you can turn me on with just a touch. I said, I’m blinded by the lights, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch. I will never let you go this time.” 

His friend in The Weeknd's song "Blinding Lights" had left. From the song's words, it seems as though the person in the song had made mistakes. He sings, "Maybe you can show me how to love." His girlfriend seems to have told him that he is going to have to make a decision to say that he is sorry for what he has done. He says that he desperately needs her, and it seems that he is willing to say that he's sorry so that the relationship can continue.

We see many examples in the Gospels of Jesus forgiving sinners once they had said that they were sorry. In Mark's Gospel at a meal, immediately before his death and resurrection, a woman came to Jesus and anointed him with sacred oil, an action reserved for the privileged class. The woman according to most Scripture scholars was probably a sinner. The people who were with Jesus immediately began to judge her--her action was too extravagant, she was a sinner, she should not have been touching Jesus. Jesus, interestingly enough, does not address the woman. He addresses the people at table with him, explaining to them that they should not be judging the woman, explaining to them exactly what she had done. "She has done a good thing," he says. She had chosen to ask for forgiveness in as strong a way as possible.

Admitting that we are at fault whenever we are is important in any relationship, romantic or otherwise. If the mistake is ours, then we must admit our sinfulness. The person in The Weeknd's song, had a feeling of loneliness after the girlfriend left, and it was strong and almost unbearable. But feeling this way is not quite enough to initiate getting back together. There must be action or words that say that we are sorry.

As one studies the song, we see that we do not know whether the girlfriend came back or not. In the Gospel account, Jesus forgives the sinful woman. But in the song, it is a good lesson to say that even if the girl does not return to the relationship, the man must learn to ask for forgiveness anyway.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son taught us to forgive one another, and he was especially aware of those who acted out their seeking of forgiveness. Give me the grace to recognize when I should be more forgiving and then help me carry it out. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: When we have done something wrong, we must say that we are sorry.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Blinding Lights" teach young people?  
2. In order to show true forgiveness of others, what should a person do?
3. If seeking forgiveness is one of the actions of the definition of love, what are love's other characteristics?
4. For a person to be sorry, do you think that it is necessary to say the words?
5. In our modern world, what are some actions that show that a person is sorry for past behavior?
6. What is the principal reason why people do not say that they are sorry when they should be?