may 28

May 28

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Thursday, May 28

MARK 10:46-52

Have Pity

Prayerthoughts

a. We see many people who are begging around us. Should I do more for them than I am doing?

b. The blind man’s words: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.” We have many things that bother us in our lives. Have I taken the time to seriously consider my life?

c. What is the Lord calling me to do as I live my life right now?

d. The blind man’s words: what do you want me to do for you? What most of all do I want from the Lord right now in my life?

e. Obviously, the blind man asks that he may see. What are the things that I should “see” in this world that the Lord has given me?

f. The most used spiritual word in the Gospels is “faith.” What are the most important parts of faith that I should have?

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read 1 Peter 2:2-5,9-12 and write an important thought from it.

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Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

BEING OPEN TO OTHERS

+ The story of Bartimaeus is an interesting one to think about

- Bartimaeus had probably spent his whole life crying “I want to see”

- he couldn’t see, he probably didn’t look very good, he scared people, people probably tried to ignore him, told him to shut up and keep quiet

- but Jesus listened to him

- and even before the cure, perhaps because Jesus listened to him, Bartimaeus “sprang up” according to St. Mark’s Gospel

- and ran to Jesus, as if someone who finally listened to him was just as important as the cure

+ People are constantly crying out in our lives

- the words may not be exactly the words “I want to see”, but they are similar to them

- crying out to us to help in some way if we can

+ The first reading from 1 Peter urges us to build a spiritual house in all that we do and part of that must be love of others

- it encompasses not only what we do for others

- but also what we sense from others as they are living their lives

- it involves a characteristic of love called openness

- openness might be defined as the ability to sense another’s needs

- with the desire to respond to the needs of that individual

+ Real love of neighbor is built around the openness to hear the cry of “I want to see” in whatever form it comes

- it is spoken to us in many ways

- it takes a person of love to sense exactly what the cry is and to take time to respond to it

+ A thought, though, that is very important

- some people cannot be helped because they have shut themselves off from the help

- the most we can do for them is to allow ourselves to help if they would ask

+ There is probably a Bartimaeus in our lives right now, someone who is crying that they want to see, that they need some type of help

- the Christian must be open to such a cry

- and will try to respond if he/she can.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "As It Was" -- Harry Styles

IT'S JUST US

Te Gospel

LUKE 13:1-5

LUKE 13:1-5

Some people who were present there told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did."

Gospelthink: Accidents happen; it is not a sign of punishment. It is a sign to be aware that you need to repent, and there is still time. How much time do I spend on improving my life?

“Holdin' me back, gravity's holdin' me back. I want you to hold out the palm of your hand. Why don't we leave it at that? Nothin' to say when everything gets in the way. Seems you cannot be replaced and I'm the one who will stay. In this world, it's just us. Answer the phone, "Harry, you're no good alone. Why are you sitting at home on the floor? What kind of pills are you on?" Ringin' the bell, and nobody's coming to help. Your daddy lives by himself. He just wants to know that you're well. In this world, it's just us. You know it's not the same as it was."

Studying Harry Styles' song "As It Was" is an interesting endeavor. According to the people who write about such things as they study a song, the song is about his relationship with fame and how his life is not "the same as it once" since he has entered the public eye. That certainly is a plausible explanation. But there may be another way to interpret it.

There is no doubt that something in the person in the song's life has called for a change. "In this world," he sings, "there's just us." He has had a relationship with something or someone in the past, and it is over now, and so he must change. It can be viewed as a call to be better now that the change is made. He will have to accept the situation and then move on. Hopefully, he will move on to something better.

In the Gospels, Jesus was confronted with evil and the accidents of life. His attitude was one of acceptance by trying to change what he could. But mainly Jesus was interested in what could be learned. He is told of the deaths brought about by Pilate and the accident at Siloam and he taught his followers that such things will happen in life. The important thing is that we learn from it, and be willing to change as a result. In Jesus's mind, it amounted to repenting for sin.

There are difficult moments in life. Change has been brought about for some reason. The follower of Jesus will accept those changes, but especially she/he will learn from them--what does it teach me? Why am I reacting the way I am (sitting on the floor by myself, taking pills, as Harry Styles sings)? But especially what should I do in the future to make myself and my situation better?

Our personal worlds can be better than they were before the change that has happened. But it is up to us. We must make the effort.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, there are many things in my life that change the way it was before. Help me to adjust to those changes well, learn from them, and then move on to something better. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Change happens in our lives and we must be accepting of the new direction, and make our lives better.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "As It Was" teach young people today?
2. What evil or wrong has happened recently in our world, and what can we learn from it?
3. The song could describe a breakup of a relationship. What can be learned from a breakup?
4. In general, do most people handle "fame" and "stardom" well? Yes or no and why?
5. How does one "accept" a change that is unexpected?
6. In your opinion, do we try to be better after a change has happened in our lives?