 |
||||||
[Jesus
said,] "Do not be afraid of those
who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather be afraid of the one
who can
destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold
for a
small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your
Father’s
knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do
not be
afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who
acknowledges
me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But
whoever
denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly
Father.”
|
||||||
"You would not believe your eyes if ten
million
fireflies lit up the world as I fell asleep 'cause they’d fill
the open air
and leave teardrops everywhere. You’d
think me rude, but I would just stand and stare. I’d like to
make myself believe that planet
Earth turns slowly. It’s hard to say
that I’d rather stay awake when I’m asleep 'cause
everything is never as it
seems. Please take me away from here."
|
||||||
|
The person
in Owl City's song "Fireflies" sings that it is much easier to live in
a dream world where everything is "never as it seems." There are
different ways of interpreting the thought, but one of them might be
that we want things to be different than they are in real life, and in
a dream world, they will be different, and often more pleasant. It is a
pleasant experience to be in a dream that completely satisfies us, but
it is not reality. We will wake up from dreams, and we wake up to the
reality around us, whether we like it or not.
The reality of the world that we awake to can indeed be frightening. We do not like some things around us. Jesus realized that fact as he lived his human life on earth. He was proposing a kingdom that he wanted everyone to accept because he understood just how difficult the world could be. And so, he tells his followers: "Do not be afraid." In effect, saying, "Yes, we live in an alarming world in which people kill and destroy, but if you accept the kingdom that I am preaching, acknowledging me as Lord, your life will be safe." You and I live in a world that is often hostile, a world that is full of risk and sometimes downright danger. Some of us must grow up in environments that are not healthy with very little support; some of us have the support we need, but we do not totally understand it because our thoughts and desires lead us astray. But the overwhelming message of Christianity is the message of its leader: do not be afraid, I am with you. All we have to do is accept his message and adopt his lifestyle. Fireflies that dance and make us feel good is a dream from which we must awaken. When Christians do and enter reality again, they can still feel good because they have accepted the Lord Jesus into that reality. |
||||||
|
PRAYER
Good
and gracious
God, your Son offered himself as the means to overcome the difficulties
of this world. Help us accept him and his teachings so that we can
function well in this world that you have created. Be with
us,
we pray.
|
||||||
+++++
GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM
PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT
Theme: We must learn to deal with the things that happen in our world. THE GOSPEL 1. Jesus tells his apostles that they should not be afraid to accomplish their mission as people sent out to the world. How does the saying apply to us who are disciples of Jesus today? 2. In the first part of the passage of the Gospel, Jesus is talking about God’s care for the apostles. In what way does God care for us today? 3. In the latter part of the passage, Jesus is referring to the faithfulness that the apostles should have to do their mission. In what ways do we show that we are faithful to God? THE SONG 1. Text analysis: “I’d like to make myself believe that planet Earth turns slowly.” In your opinion, why does the person in the song make this statement? 2. Text analysis: “Everything is never as it seems.” In your opinion, what is the meaning of the text? 3. It seems that the person in the song does not want to deal with reality. What are some ways that people use in order to deal with the difficulties of reality? THE MEDITATION 1. Describe some good dreams that you have had. 2. What are some things in our world that frighten you? What can you do about them? 3. What is your idea of what Jesus wanted to accomplish with his Kingdom? 4. In your opinion, how is Jesus with us today? 5. What is the best way to accept Jesus into our lives today? 6. What does the song “Fireflies” teach young people today? |
||||||
|
©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |
||||||