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October 5

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, October 5

LUKE 10:17-24
I give lessons on being joyful and more child-like.

Prayerthoughts
a. There was real joy for the seventy-two who returned from their missionary activity. Am I a basically joyful person? Where can I be more joyful?

b. The Lord tells his disciples and us that we should be joyful at our spiritual accomplishments leading to eternal life. As I study my day yesterday, were my actions the actions of a truly spiritual person? (This is the task of the meditation.)

c. What is my understanding of “child-like”?

d. Often being “child-like” refers to people who are not solicitous for power. How do I want too much power?

e. What is God’s will for me?

f. Jesus has given us His idea of God in the Gospels. Does God play a significant role in my life right now?

g. I have truly seen Jesus in the Scriptures. Am I trying to identify with Jesus enough in the words that I read?

h. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will go through yesterday, listing the principal actions of the day, and determine whether I was truly good in my desires.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

GOD UNDERSTANDS

+ One of the most interesting books in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) is the book of Job which we have been using all week in our first reading

- let’s remember the whole story

- the Lord and Satan are talking one day

- Lord brags about Job / Satan says he’s good only because there is no tragedy in his life / Lord gives Satan permission to send tragedy

- tragedies happen, one after another

- but Job still managed to praise God

- Satan told the Lord it was only because he didn’t touch his body / the Lord allowed it

- Job is suddenly infected with sores, became an outcast

- then four so-called friends come to Job: Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar and later Elihu

- and for most of the book, those friends, Job and God interact with each other

- his friends tell him to complain to God, and finally Job gives in and does and becomes angry at God

- but to his credit, he recognizes his anger

- and says some words that are essential to understand for any tragedy:

I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me which I cannot know. (42:3 [adapted])

- and he allows the Lord to take over and he is blessed forever

+ Those words of Job are among the most important words in the whole Bible

- I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me which I cannot know

- for example, in terms of the Gospel, the words are very important for what might be called “the modern 72”

- we don’t know much about the seventy-two that Luke speaks of

- but they were a group that Jesus sent out to the places that he intended to visit, and they were to prepare people for the kingdom of God

- it is a good description of what we are all called to do as Christians today:

- prepare for Jesus by announcing that the kingdom of God is here

- and in that sense, we might be called the “modern 72”

+ “Preparing for the kingdom of God” means in today’s world that we must be people who lead ourselves and others to an understanding of the presence of God in our lives

- it was the ultimate reason of why people set up the Church as we know it today--what our Church should be all about, namely, creating the presence of God in this world today

- and one of the primary “doctrines” if we can call it that is the statement of Job:

- we are called to bring that presence into a complicated world

- and say to it, that even though we don’t understand why things happen the way they do, or when we are so discouraged

- we say: - we are dealing with great things that we do not understand; things too wonderful for us which we cannot know

- or in other words, to say to the world—God knows what is going on even if we don’t.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "What Do You Mean" -- Justin Bieber

WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

The Gospel

JOHN 18:37-38a

Jesus answered [Pilate], "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

Gospelthink: I speak about truth to Pilate. In general, am I a person who always speaks the truth?

"What do you mean? When you nod your head yes, but you wanna say no, what do you mean? When you don't want me to move, but you tell me to go, what do you mean? Said we're running out of time, what do you mean? Better make up your mind. What do you mean? You're so indecisive of what I'm saying, trying to catch the beat, make up your heart. Don't know if you're happy or complaining, don't want for us to end. Where do I start? First you wanna go to the left and you want to turn right. First you up then you're down and between. I really want to know. What do you mean?"

The truth was always very important to Jesus. He used the phrase "I tell you the truth" continually throughout the Gospels. At the end of his life as he was preparing to offer the supreme sacrifice of his death, he lectures his executioner about truth, saying that the truth was the reason why he came from God the Father. He came to speak the truth--such was his mission and what his presence with us was all about.

Sometimes human beings do not give themselves to the truth as readily as they should. Pilate would ask the rhetorical question of "What is truth?" It is a question that is echoed in much of the music of today. People in life and especially people in romantic relationships often do not understand other people because they are confused about whether the other people are telling the truth or not.

Justin Bieber's song "What Do You Mean" is exactly that. The man in the relationship is confused because his friend is telling him one thing, and the actions do not seem to match the words that are spoken. And so, he asks "What do you mean?" In effect, he is saying "What is truth, what is it that you are trying to say, why are you not being honest with me?" The truth will never be clear if the actions do not follow from the words.

Every relationship deserves to be a relationship rooted in truth. In fact, there will be no relationship at all if the people involved are not completely dedicated to what is true. In our world today, communication is often very difficult, but the more we are resolved to tell the truth in every situation, the better will our personal worlds be. And, the better will the whole world be.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You have said to us that Your entrance into the world was nothing less than bringing about the truth. At times, we are not as honest and truthful as we should be, thus destroying many relationships. Give us the grace to be dedicated to the truth at all times. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We must be people dedicated to the truth at all times.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What is your definition of truth. Compare it to the way the dictionary defines it.
2. Who is most truthful in today's world?
3. If a person is the way the song describes him/her, what should the other partner do?
4.Text analysis: "Make up your heart." What is the meaning of the sentence?
5. What does it mean to be "up" or "down" or "between"?
6. In your opinion, what is the principal truth that Jesus gives us?
7. When we wonder whether a person is telling the truth or not, obviously we should ask the other, but oftentimes we do not. Why do human beings behave this way?
8. Do you think that it is possible to tell the truth in every situation? Yes or no and why?
9. How does a person's telling the truth in a personal situation help the world situation?
10. What does the song "What Do You Mean" teach young people today?