TGIMMtreat

October 13

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Monday, October 13

LUKE 11:29-32

Greater

Prayerthoughts

a. People wanted a sign from Jesus that he was God even though he did so many things that proved it. Am I a sign that Jesus is God by the way I act, think and my words?

b. Jesus points out the story of Jonah, the part where he finally did do what God wanted him to do, and the people turned to repentance. Do I frequently ask for forgiveness of my sins and faults and want to do something about them?

c. Jesus also refers to the Queen of Sheba in first book of Kings. She found the wisdom of Solomon amazing. Do I seek the wisdom of Jesus’s teachings in everything that I do?

d. Jesus points out that he is greater than Jonah or Solomon. As I consider the people and things that are influential in my life, do I place Jesus as my principal influence?

e. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Romans 1:1-7 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

REPENTANCE AND WISDOM

+ As Luke wrote of how Jesus taught, he presented him as one who brought up the Hebrew Scriptures, and taught from them

- in today’s Gospel, Jesus recalls two stories: one, the story of Jonah and the Ninevites in the Hebrew Scriptures’ book of Jonah, and secondly, the story of the Queen of the South visiting Solomon in the Hebrew Scriptures’ 1 Kings

- the story of the Ninevites and Jonah was concerned with repentance

- the story of the Queen of the South and Solomon was concerned with true wisdom

- and in both: Luke’s comment: Jesus is greater than both Jonah and Solomon are

- that is, greater than even the patriarchs and the good people of the Hebrew Scriptures

+ There are obviously two applications for the spiritual person, I believe:

1 – Jesus calls our attention to the Jonah story

- in particular, that part of it that deals with repentance

- after arguing with God about it, Jonah finally goes to Nineveh, calling for repentance, and the Ninevites do it

- Jesus is greater than Jonah

- if Jonah got the Ninevites to repent, then we are called to repentance by Jesus himself

- we must see the fact that we sin and really desire to do something about it

2 – Jesus is also greater than Solomon

- Solomon, whom the Queen of the South praised for his wisdom

- wisdom incidentally which he asked for from God more than anything else

- the story is taken from 1 Kings chapter 10 if you would like to read it some time today

- the application to our Christian lives is that we must read the Gospels to discover the wisdom of Jesus and continually try to put it into our lives

+ The first reading of the Mass begins a set of readings from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, one of the best early theological treatises

- Paul says that we have all received the grace of apostleship

- calling us to be apostles in the world we live in

- as an apostle, we are called to present the person and especially the teaching of Jesus to our world in some way.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Treat You Better" -- Shawn Mendes

I CAN TREAT YOU BETTER

The Gospel

JOHN 13:14-17

Jesus said: "If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it."

Gospelthink: I want you to wait on others the way I waited on my disciples. In general, how do I treat others?

Shawn Mendes’ song "Treat You Better" is a song that shows some domestic violence in the video, and at the end of the video, the domestic violence hotline is listed. It is the story of a young man who knows that the girlfriend that he would like is dating someone else, but that someone else is not treating her correctly. He sings that he knows the other person is not right for her, and he senses that she knows it also. "I know I can treat you better than he can," he sings, "And any girl like you deserves a gentleman." He asks her why she’s spending time with him, and begs her to come over to him. In fact, he sings, "I’ll stop time for you the second you say you’d like me to; I promise I’ll never let you down."

In the area of how we Christians should treat one another, perhaps the most poignant example that Jesus gave to his Apostles and therefore to us, is his action at the Last Supper as recorded by John the Evangelist. Jesus became a true servant as he washed his Apostles' feet. Then he told his followers to "wash one another's feet" since he was their model and teacher. That is to say, the way we should treat one another is with the utmost respect, as a good servant ought to treat his/her master.

Another way to view showing respect for others is with the thought of how we want others to treat us. We most definitely want others to show us the virtues that we deem important. We like to be treated with kindness, with respect, with honor even if at times with more than we deserve. It makes us feel good and ready to face a world that at times is somewhat hostile. And if we learn to treat others the same way, our world may become a little less hostile.

Whatever our motivation, it is a truly Christian message that we must treat others well. In Shawn Mendes' song, "Treat You Better," someone is not treating the girlfriend of the man in the song with the respect and honor that she deserves. He therefore tells her quite correctly that she should get out of the relationship. Of course, he wants her to come to him, but whether she does or not, she should follow his advice and leave that relationship. It is a good rule to say that if either in the party becomes physical in a negative way--slapping, hitting, grabbing someone with too much force or the like--then the relationship must stop.

The fact is that too often we treat others well only when we think we can get something from the other. Jesus reminds us that in any relationship we must treat others well by becoming their servants and allowing that to be our guide.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son has taught us the lesson to treat others well by telling us to become servants to all. Give us the grace to accept His lesson a little more into our lives, romantic and otherwise. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We are called to treat everyone well.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Of course, we do not literally "wash one another's feet." What does the phrase mean in our modern world?
2. In your opinion, do most Christians try to follow the example of Jesus in their lives? Yes or no and why?
3. If you are aware of domestic violence among your friends, what should you do?
4. Analysis: many songs use the word "never"--"I'll never let you down." Do you believe that we should use the words like "never" and "forever" to describe our relationships? Yes or no and why?
5. How does one treat another with the utmost respect?
6. What does the song "Treat You Better" teach young people?