TGIMMwildest

October 24

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, October 24

LUKE 12:54-59
You must read the signs to know what is right.

Prayerthoughts
a. Jesus reminds us that we can read the signs of nature. I should be able to read the signs of what is happening in the world. And in particular, how people are turning away from God. In my life right now, what are instances where I am turning away from what God wants?

b. Jesus tells us to determine what is "right." What are the best means to help me form my conscience? As I form it, do I try to follow what is right even if it is difficult?

c. In particular, how do I treat the people with whom I have a particular problem? Do I "confront" them in a sensible way with love as a guide? Or, if I can't do that, do I at least pray that they will allow God's graces to be with them?

d. As I think of the court system where I am, are there some laws that are harmful to some people? What can I do about them?

e. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read Romans 7:18-25a and write and important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

INTERPRETING OUR LIVES

+ One of the best ways to use Scripture as a personal meditation is to center in on the questions that the Lord proposes

- here the question from Luke’s Gospel is:

Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

- if you know how to interpret the weather, Jesus says, then you should be able to interpret the things that are going on in your own lives

- that is, what you are doing with your life, how you are interpreting right and wrong

+ Paul gives us the classic problem of determining what is right and what is wrong and interpreting the signs

- our human natures are not prone to do what is right

- we know what is right

- but “there is another principle at war with the law of my mind”, he says, “taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members” that is—human nature

+ And so the question becomes: why can’t we followers of Jesus see what our human natures are doing

- that is, interpret what is happening in our lives and see the possibility that our human natures may be misleading us

- which leads to a number of deep questions that we should be asking ourselves

- questions dealing with the way we interact with others, our language, our desire to want power, our love of material gifts, and so forth

- deep questions that requires real meditation on our parts

+ Jesus’s point is that we should be able to figure out what the direction of our lives is, and what our human natures are driving us to

- we are following a certain pattern in our lives

- we should be able to tell what it is just by looking at the things that we are doing

- and if we see some things that need changed, we are called to do it

+ It may very well be that we have let our human natures totally dominate our lives

- and we should be able to see it, but we’re not doing it.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Wildest Dreams" -- Taylor Swift

SAY YOU'LL REMEMBER ME

The Gospel

LUKE 22:14-20

When the hour came, Jesus took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for I tell you, I shall not eat it again until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” ... Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.”

Gospelthink: I set up a way in which I would always be remembered: the Eucharist. Do I show as much reverence for the Eucharist as I should?

"He said 'Let's get out of this town, drive out of the city, away from the crowds.’ I thought heaven can't help me now. Nothing lasts forever, but this is gonna take me down. He's so tall and handsome. I can see the end as it begins. My one condition is: say you'll remember me standing in a nice dress, staring at the sunset, red lips and rosy cheeks. Say you'll see me again, even if it's just in your wildest dreams."

A thought that is important to dwell on for people involved in serious thinking about life is the rather deep consideration of how we want to be remembered after we leave. It is a thought that can guide how we act and what we say during the situation itself, whatever it is. If say, I will not be part of the particular set of circumstances in which I am currently involved, how will people talk and think about me after I leave?

Jesus had the thought as he neared the end of his life. He knew that his Apostles and followers would want to stay in contact with him somehow, continue to make him part of their lives, continue to look to him for guidance. At the Last Supper, when he knew that the Apostles would very shortly be completely lost with regard to what to do, he wanted to say to them that he would always be present to them. All they had to do was remember that they could celebrate his presence by a simple act, what many religions have come to call the Eucharist.

It is an interesting thought when one applies it to a love and dating situation, as does Taylor Swift's song "Wildest Dreams." Let’s say the situation is not working out, and the person knows that he/she will move on as they try to discover further romantic love in his/her life. How does a person want their present “significant other” to think of them when they leave? Is it a good image that they have? The lady in the relationship has broken up with the man, and she is thinking about how he is going to feel about her when she leaves, saying that she wants to be remembered a certain way.

The application of the song to real life includes romantic involvement. Stated as a fact, it reads that if we want to be thought of in a good way after we leave, we will be very concerned about what we do before we leave. If we want to be thought of well or spoken of well after we leave, we must try to be the type of person who is good and decent during the time we are present.

Jesus knew that those who loved him would want him to remain with them. He was remembered well because he cared for people during his time with him. Such is a lesson that all of us should learn.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son has remained with us in our belief of His Presence with us now. Give us not only the grace to respect Him for this gift, but the grace to also learn how we want to be remembered when we leave a situation. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: How we want to be remembered in the future can direct how we act right now.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Why is the doctrine of the Eucharist so important to religion?
2. In your opinion, why have some churches decided not to include the Eucharist as part of their belief system?
3. Analysis: Why does the lady in the song sing that heaven cannot help her?
4. Analysis: The lady in the song seems to have accepted the fact that the man is leaving. Why do people want to "hang on" to relationships?
5. In general, what do most people want others to remember about them?
6. What is the best way to assure that a person will remember them in a good way? That is, what qualities are most important as a person works in a relationship?
7. How does a person truly "care" about another?
8. What does the song "Wildest Dreams" teach young people today?