memories

November 26

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, November 26

LUKE 21:5-11
There will come a time when the world will end.

Prayerthoughts
a. The apostles are in awe of the beauty of the temple. We have to be in awe of our nature and abilities and our technology that God has given to us human beings. Take the time to reflect on the abilities that we have been given without pride and thank the Lord.

b. In Luke's Gospel, the evangelist had the advantage of knowing of the destruction of the temple (which happened in 70 AD by the Romans). Jesus is calling us to understand that what is of more importance is the true worship of God. Take the time to consider what is truly important in our lives, namely God’s presence, and how much time we give to it.

c. When something is foretold, we want to know when. Likewise the apostles. Of course, the end has not happened, and really is not that important since Jesus does not answer the question. What is important is my own preparation every day. Am I prepared for the end of the world (or my end in death) so that if it did happen today, I would gain eternal life?

d. We must continue to be careful not to listen to “rapture theology” and the prediction of the end times. The Lord did not give it to us. Many say that because of what is happening in the world, the end times are upon us. I should take some time right now and pray for those who are suffering and the perpetrators.

e. It may very well be true that we are in the beginning of the labor pains as Luke's Jesus predicts. Am I doing my part of trying to alleviate the pain of the people around me whom I can help?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will spend some time in thanksgiving for the wonders
of our world and technology.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE END TIMES LEADS TO MEDITATION

+ Both readings talk of the end times today

- as all the readings do during this last week before Advent

- our meditation on the readings probably should center around some aspect of this end of the world, as will all of our meditations this week

+ 1 – the reading from the book of Revelation is a prophetic view of the final judgment with the idea of reward and punishment

- the end of the world is a fearful thing—use of words like sickle, sharp, fire, God’s fury

- but the important thing is that if we have remained faithful to the Lord, if we have followed the Lord’s way, there is nothing to fear

- using another image of the book of Revelation from yesterday’s first reading:

- if we have the mark of the Lamb, then we are saved

+ 2 – in the Gospel: Jesus is looking at the temple, foreseeing Jerusalem’s and the temple’s destruction which happened in 70 AD, and generalizing to the end of the world

- Luke’s community was experiencing persecution at the time he was writing, and he knew that the end of the world would come later, saying “it will not immediately be the end”

- evil is very much alive in our world

- and part of our work as spiritual people is to fight that evil in the ways that we can

- we can’t do much about the national and international crises except pray that the people involved use the grace of God to overcome the crises

- but we can do something about the evil around us

- the sinfulness which is engrained in each of us

- if we try to do something about these things, then we will be contributing toward the prevention of evil

+ The end of something always gives cause for thought

- obviously true of the end of the world or the end of our lives

- but if we have worked with the Lord and tried to overcome the evil in our lives, we have nothing to fear.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Memories" -- Maroon 5

BUT EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT

The Gospel

LUKE 24:13-24, 33-35

Luke 24:23-35

Now on the day of the Resurrection two of his disciples were going to a village seven miles from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing him. He asked them, "What are you discussing as you walk along?" ... "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and words before God and all the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over to a sentence of death and crucified him. But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel; and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place. Some women from our group, however, have astounded us; they were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body; they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who announced that he was alive. Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just as the women had described, but him they did not see."...So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, "The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!" Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Gospelthink: I tell the two disciples of what I did, the redemption of humankind. Do I thank the Lord enough for what he has done for me?

"Here’s to the ones that we got. Cheers to the wish you were here but you’re not. 'Cause the drinks bring back all the memories of everything we’ve been through. Toast to the ones here today, toast to the ones we lost on the way ‘cause the drinks bring back all the memories and the memories bring back you. There’s a time that I remember when I did not know pain, when I believed in forever and everything would stay the same. Now my hearts feels like December when somebody says your name ‘cause I can’t reach out to call you. But I know I will one day. Everybody hurts sometimes, everything gonna be alright."

We know little about the two disciples who were traveling to Emmaus on the day of Jesus' Resurrection, except that they were searching for answers. As we read Luke the evangelist's account of what happened, we read about their questions, questions that dealt with Jesus who had been crucified. But their questions went much deeper than that. Since they were followers of Jesus, they were "hoping" that things in life could be better. They were hurting because they felt that perhaps their "hope" had no foundation. As they traveled with this stranger, however, they began to feel a little better.

Jesus was able to show people that "everything will be alright." It is the story of the song "Memories" by Maroon 5. The man in the relationship was thinking of the memories of the past which had ceased because she had left the relationship. But there was still hope. He felt that he would be able to reach her some day, saying "Everybody hurts sometimes," but "everything gonna be alright."

The statement he makes is a rule for human life, perhaps. There is pain in this life, sometimes immense pain, pain that one wonders whether we will get over it or not. It is not only true for people who are discovering love relationships. It is unfortunately true for everyone's life. Because we are human, our natures are such that some things will cause us pain.

The final part of this special rule is the statement of a Christian in this world. Yes, it is true that everybody hurts, but it is also true that everything will be alright. Usually it happens even in this life, but for the Christian, it certainly will happen after we die. Then everything will be alright for sure as we experience the life which we call "eternal."

Of course, like the apostles on the road to Emmaus, we have to do some work in order to experience the feeling of "being alright." The apostles turned around and went back to Jerusalem when they discovered Jesus. You and I are called to "turn around" in our lives, do some work to make ourselves better. We will then see that everything really is "alright" both in this life and in the next.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we often feel down in our lives when it seems that everything is causing pain. Give us the grace to understand that no matter what, because of the action of Your Son, everything will turn out well. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Although there may be pain, there is always hope.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Memories" teach young people?
2. What is the overall message of the Scriptural passage of the disciples on the road to Emmaus?
3. What is your definition of "hope"?
4. Besides love relationships that do not work out, what are the greatest hurts that young people feel in their lives?
5. [personal meditation or if you want share with the group.] Give an instance in your life when there was a hurt, but it turned out alright.
6. The final "alright" is "eternal life" which Jesus promises to everyone who follows him. Why is this promise not enough to make some people feel better?
7. In order to "turn around" in life, what are the primary rules a Christian must follow?