October 9

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Thursday, October 9

LUKE 11:5-13
I continue to teach you about prayer.

Prayerthoughts
a. The Lord introduces this prayer of petition presentation with the thought of persistence. Am I persistent in my prayer, praying with the knowledge that the Lord is listening?

b. Every prayer that I say to the Lord will be answered. Do I pray with that thought in mind? A prayer of thanksgiving to God would be in order here.

c. Again God answers every prayer. Jesus reiterates it twice here. It is very important then that I know this because there are times in my life when I doubted it. What were some of those times, and how have they been resolved?

d. God knows more than I do. In my prayer of petition, I may be asking for things that would have been harmful to me. What are some examples of the past when I prayed for something, but God saw that it should not be given to me?

e. Sometimes our prayer of petition actually asked for something evil and we did not know it, but the Lord did. What is my reaction to a prayer that does not seem to be heard by God?

f. The Lord knows what is best for me--he promises the Holy Spirit--and so my prayer of petition for whatever I desire must close with “,,,but You know better than I.”

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Malachi 3:13-23 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE PRAYER OF PETITION

+ As one listens to the prophet Malachi today

- it is clear that the Lord will be with the person who serves God

- and for those who fear the Lord, “there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays”

+ In the Gospel, Jesus says that the Spirit will be given to those who serve God and seek the sun of justice with its healing rays

- it is a classic statement on what we call petitionary prayer with some important elements:

+ 1 – Jesus starts off with a statement about persistence

- how important it is to keep petitioning, keep asking things of God

- not in the sense that God needs to be told, but in the sense that we need to tell God what we need

- it makes the person who asks realize that he/she must have God’s help

- and it makes them realize that God is in charge

- prayer is not for God, it is for us—to make us realize how much we really must depend on God

+ 2 – That God will answer

- there will be some answer that God gives to the prayer of petition

- we can count on that

- because God is always aware of our needs and will only give us what is good for us

+ 3 – That God will answer with the Holy Spirit, that is, with good things

- maybe the most important part of the prayer of petition

- the whole discussion of knowing that sometimes we will not be asking for the good

- the snake/fish and scorpion/egg statement

- God will not give us evil, even if we think it is good

- and therefore, we have to depend totally on God

+ 4 – A conclusion to all of this:

- we can look at the prayer of petition as a prayer of thanksgiving:

- saying to God that we know God will only give us good, and so we look at what happens to us as the good that God wants

- and we thank God for it, whatever it is that happens

+ The prayer of petition is more than asking and receiving

- it is the understanding that God will always give good to those who ask

- and being thankful for it.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Song: "Senorita" -- Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello

THE CONFUSION OF LOVE

The Gospel

MARK 6:19-25

Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married. John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." Herodias harbored a grudge against him and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he like to listen to him. She had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday, gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers, and the leading men of Galilee. Herodias's own daughter came in and performed a dance that delighted Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, 'Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you." He swore many things to her, "I will grant you whatever you ask of me, even to half of my kingdom." She went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask for? She replied, "The head of John the Baptist."

Gospelthink: Herod was a self-centered man who could not refrain from evil. I should study my own selfishness and see some areas where I an reform.

"I love it when you call me Senorita," the lady of the relationship sings, "I wish I could pretend I don’t need you, but every touch is true. Oh, I should be running. You keep me coming for you." The man in the relationship sings, "Sapphire moonlight, we danced for hours in the sand. Her body fit right in my hands." And she sings, "When you call me Senorita, I wish it wasn’t so hard to leave you. Locked in the hotel, there’s some things that never change. You say, ‘We’re just friends.’”

The account of John the Baptist's execution have many interesting people about whom one could spend some time for spiritual thought. One of them would be the young girl who performed the dance. She was obviously very good at what she did, but confused as could be seen from her interaction with the king and mother. She no doubt had a love for her mother who was not at all directed by the Hebrew law, but nonetheless she was confused enough to follow her mother's wishes.

Confusion on the part of the young person is the operative word in this whole scenario. She was taken up with the passion of the moment and lost sight of what she knew was right. Perhaps such is the thought of the young people who are sung about in Shawn Mendes' and Camila Cabello's song "Senorita." The young people are confused by the passion of the moment, and try to find an answer to their situation by giving themselves to love when true love was really not present yet.

Their confusion can be seen in their internal thinking which is brought out in the song. "I should be running," the girl sings and "I wish it wasn't so hard to leave you." As usual the physical part of their relationship feels good and seems to satisfy their immediate desires, but commitment cannot happen with confused feelings and thoughts.

That is an important lesson for young people. The feelings of love are very different from a forever commitment to love. Generally speaking, the young person will have the feelings of love first as they move into maturity. Only after the couple have been around for a while and worked at discovering the love they need will they understand true love. Only then will the confusion concerning love cease.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we are often confused as we grow out of immaturity. Help us move toward maturity in everything that we do, especially in the area of love so that our lives will be less confusing. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: When love is immature, young love can be very confusing.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What does the song "Senorita" teach young people?
2. In the Gospel story, the daughter of Herodias is described as "confused." Give your own definition of "confusion."
3. In today's language that young people use, what does "We're just friends" imply?
4. If a mother should ask a son or daughter to do something wrong, how should a young person act?
5. In your opinion, why has the rule for sexual involvement, that is, no sex before marriage, been dismissed by our society?
6. Is it always true that commitment cannot happen with confused feelings? Yes or no and why?
7. What is your definition of commitment in love?