[media presentation below] GospelThink Sunday, January 1, Mary, Mother of God LUKE 2:16-21 I was treated in a normal way even though there were extraordinary moments in my young life. Prayerthoughts a. In Luke’s Gospel, the first worshipers of Jesus were the shepherds, poor people. Do I give help to people in poor situations? b. The shepherds made known the message. Do I make the message of Jesus known by the way I live and speak? c. Mary reflected on the fact that her Son was the Lord. Do I take time for reflection in my   life, say every day? d. The shepherds rejoiced in the Lord. Am I a happy person as I go about my work? e. As you celebrate a feast of Mary, do I recognize her to be a good example in the way I live? f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read Galatians, chapter 4 and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  REFLECT AND UNDERSTAND            A number of years ago when the telegraph was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young woman applied for a job as a Morse code operator. The only requirement was that the applicant know Morse code, and since she did, she decided to apply for the job. She went to a large office to apply. The place was very busy; there was a telegraph operating in the office continually. There was a sign in the office that read: fill out application, be seated, and wait to be called. There were a large number of applicants, and although she was almost last in line, she decided to see what would happen.            After a few minutes, she got out of her chair, much to the surprise of the other applicants, walked right past all of the others, went to the main office door, and walked in. The other applicants were furious because she had deliberately jumped her turn. They assumed that she would be disqualified since she behaved that way.            But after a few minutes, the manager come out of the office and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for coming to apply, but the job has just been filled; we have hired this young lady.” Almost immediately there was a cry of “unfair”: she was the last one in; we never even got a chance to be interviewed. The manager said, “I’m sorry, but all the time you have been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the communication that if you understand this message, then come in, and the job will be yours. None of you understood it; this young lady did, and so the job is hers.”            It is a story about reflecting on what is happening around us and allowing that reflection and study to shape our lives. It is a good story as we think of Mary at the beginning of this year and celebrate her as the Mother of Jesus who was God. Why is she so important? The evangelist Luke says it well in the Gospel. Mary was able to treasure, hold as sacred, all the things that were happening and she reflected on them in her heart. That is, she thought of what they meant over and over again.            This is a very fitting thought as we begin a new year today. We need to imitate Mary in life. She reflected on everything that happened to her, considering everything as sacred in the eyes of God. We must be able to treasure the thoughts of God in our hearts, and reflect on what God wants as we make any decision. That should be the guide for any resolution that we may make this year.            God is talking to us constantly, as the telegraph was in the opening story, always giving us the grace we need to get closer to God and God’s ways. We have Mary’s example; all we have to do is follow through. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Waves” — Mr. Probz THE RIGHT WORDS TO SAY The Gospel MATTHEW 5:37 [Jesus said,] “Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

Gospelthink: I tell you very simply: be sure of what your say.  Is my speech to others what it should be?

“I’m slowly drifting away, wave after wave, and it feels like I’m drowning, pulling against the stream. I wish I could make it easy to love me, but still I reach to find a way. I’m stuck here in between. I’m looking for the right words to say.”

Mr Probz’ song “Waves” is a song of pain since the man in the relationship has not been able to communicate well with the lady in the relationship. He seems to know that it is his fault because he is stuck concerning the right words to say, as he phrases it. When we cannot determine how to put things into words, any relationship, romantic and otherwise, will suffer. In the video to the song, the man in the relationship seems to totally give up after he has been unable to find the right words. Jesus spoke about the right words during his Sermon on the Mount. He was speaking about the oaths that people feel the need to take, telling them that no one should have to take any oath. Let your words be enough, he says, nothing more and nothing else is needed. In our legalistic world, Jesus’ words make no sense at all. It seems that we must have incentive–it seems that one cannot just promise something and expect that it will be done. One cannot trust people to do what they say. Of course, that is exactly Jesus’ point. If we manage to understand the complete meaning of love of another, we will learn to trust them, and there will be no need for oaths. But given the nature of who we are, unfortunately, we must have the strength of an oath to back up our words. Perhaps the lesson to learn from Mr Probz and Jesus is the lesson of honest trust in a relationship, and given the trust that should be present, then we will always find the right words to say. And those who say those words will honestly mean them with or without an oath.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we are very much aware of our inability to trust each other even though your Son always guides us to be trusting. Give us the grace to follow your Son’s directions and help us learn to trust and communicate better.  Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: If we are in a wholesome relationship, we will always find the right words to say.  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Oath taking presumes that our human natures have a tendency toward lying, and Jesus in the Gospel makes us aware that a follower of his must be dedicated to the truth. In general, do people tend to be honest? Yes or no and why? 2. Why do young people often resort to lying? 3. The “evil one” is the devil. In general, do people have a fear of the devil? Yes or no and why? [See discussion in Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2850-2854.] 4. The “drifting away” in the song seems to be a result of the lack of communication. Why is the image of “drifting away” a good image to show lack of communication? 5. Text analysis: “I wish I could make it easy to love me.” What is the meaning of the sentence in the context of the song? 6. Text analysis: “I’m stuck here in between.” What is the meaning of the sentence in the context of the song? 7. Give an example of the “right words to say” in the following situations: when there is true love in a romantic relationship; when there is anger in a romantic relationship; when you really want to be friends with someone; when there are problems in a relationship.    8. In your opinion, why does it seem so difficult to find “the right words to say” in close relationships? 9. Obtain a copy of the video. What is most striking about the video and why? 10. In today’s world, in general, can we trust what people say? Yes or no and why? 11. Name some areas in life in which we do not trust the words that are said to us. 12. The meditation says that if we learn to love one another, there will be no need for an oath. Do you agree? Why or why not? 13. Give your definition of “trust”. 14. What does the song “Waves” teach young people?