| Song: "Summer" (Calvin Harris) ...BUT YOU LIED |
| The Gospel | JOHN 8:42-45 |
Jesus
said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I
came from God and am here; I did not come on my own, but he sent me. Why
do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot bear to hear
my word. You
belong to your father the devil and you willingly carry out your
father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does
not stand in truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a
lie, he speaks in character, because he is a liar and the father of
lies. But
because I speak the truth, you do not believe me.”
"When
I met you in the summer to my heartbeat sound. We
fell in love as the leaves turned brown. And we could
be together as long as skies are blue. You act so innocent now, but you
lied so soon when I met you in the summer."
Calvin Harris' song
"Summer" appears to be about a relationship which is good and
wholesome, but immediately he sings the problem. "But you lied," he
sings, saying to his friend that even though that friend acted as if
everything was just fine with their time together, the person was
deceiving him. The friend was lying, and therefore one would suspect,
their relationship was over.
Jesus had many relationships with his fellow human beings when he was here on earth. If there was some foundational principle that he wanted in a relationship, it was probably honesty and the truth. At one time, he made reference to someone who was not "standing in truth," as he put it. He said of such a person that he was a son of the devil because he was a liar. It is strong language showing Jesus' feeling about people who tell lies.
Perhaps one of the most common faults of young people is not telling the truth. They usually are not large lies, but ones that are often called "harmless." Sometimes they are harmless and no one gets hurt except maybe the one who tells the lie. The one who tells the lie often can develop a habit of telling lies, and in the end becomes less of a person as a result.
Telling lies is not only a fault of young people, of course. Adults also fall into the habit, and for them, it is actually more of a problem. Generally speaking, adults fully understand what they are doing when they tell a lie. Often the lie is nothing more than cover-up for an action that they do not want to admit, or a way to make themselves appear better than they are.
Author Spencer Johnson once wrote that "Integrity is telling myself the truth, and honesty is telling the truth to other people." We all should possess the integrity and honesty to make telling the truth part of how we live.
Jesus had many relationships with his fellow human beings when he was here on earth. If there was some foundational principle that he wanted in a relationship, it was probably honesty and the truth. At one time, he made reference to someone who was not "standing in truth," as he put it. He said of such a person that he was a son of the devil because he was a liar. It is strong language showing Jesus' feeling about people who tell lies.
Perhaps one of the most common faults of young people is not telling the truth. They usually are not large lies, but ones that are often called "harmless." Sometimes they are harmless and no one gets hurt except maybe the one who tells the lie. The one who tells the lie often can develop a habit of telling lies, and in the end becomes less of a person as a result.
Telling lies is not only a fault of young people, of course. Adults also fall into the habit, and for them, it is actually more of a problem. Generally speaking, adults fully understand what they are doing when they tell a lie. Often the lie is nothing more than cover-up for an action that they do not want to admit, or a way to make themselves appear better than they are.
Author Spencer Johnson once wrote that "Integrity is telling myself the truth, and honesty is telling the truth to other people." We all should possess the integrity and honesty to make telling the truth part of how we live.
Good and gracious God,
your Son reminded us how important the truth is as he spoke of the
truth that He shared with You. May we learn the lesson of truth, and
keep ourselves from the fault of telling lies in our lives. Be with us,
we pray.
+++++
GUIDE
FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT
Theme: Honesty should always be part of any relationship.
THE GOSPEL
1. In your opinion, why did the people not understand that Jesus was from God?
2. What is your understanding of the "devil"? (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2850-2854).
3. Text analysis: "Stand in truth." What does the phrase mean?
4. Text analysis: "When he tells a lie, he speaks in character." What is the meaning of the sentence?
5. Give your own definition of "truth."
6. In your opinion, why did Jesus use such strong language about lying?
THE SONG
1. Text analysis: "My heartbeat sound." What is the meaning of the phrase?
2. Why does lying destroy a relationship?
3. In general, do you believe that a person should confront another if he/she catches that person in a lie? Yes or no and why?
THE MEDITATION
1. In a romantic relationship, does "lying about how they feel about the other" always mean the end of the relationship? Yes or no and why?
2. How does lying hurt the one who tells the lie?
3. What does it mean to become "less a person" because of lying?
4. In your opinion, is lying more of a problem for an adult? Yes or no and why?
5. Give an example from history of "lying" in order to establish a "cover-up."
6. Give an example of someone who lied in order to appear better than they are.
7. Give your own definition of "integrity."
8. What does the song "Summer" teach young people?
Theme: Honesty should always be part of any relationship.
THE GOSPEL
1. In your opinion, why did the people not understand that Jesus was from God?
2. What is your understanding of the "devil"? (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2850-2854).
3. Text analysis: "Stand in truth." What does the phrase mean?
4. Text analysis: "When he tells a lie, he speaks in character." What is the meaning of the sentence?
5. Give your own definition of "truth."
6. In your opinion, why did Jesus use such strong language about lying?
THE SONG
1. Text analysis: "My heartbeat sound." What is the meaning of the phrase?
2. Why does lying destroy a relationship?
3. In general, do you believe that a person should confront another if he/she catches that person in a lie? Yes or no and why?
THE MEDITATION
1. In a romantic relationship, does "lying about how they feel about the other" always mean the end of the relationship? Yes or no and why?
2. How does lying hurt the one who tells the lie?
3. What does it mean to become "less a person" because of lying?
4. In your opinion, is lying more of a problem for an adult? Yes or no and why?
5. Give an example from history of "lying" in order to establish a "cover-up."
6. Give an example of someone who lied in order to appear better than they are.
7. Give your own definition of "integrity."
8. What does the song "Summer" teach young people?
©2007 Capuchin
Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America