[media presentation below] GospelThink Wednesday, August 9 MATTHEW 15:21-28 I tested the lady as I test you at times. The answer is to have faith in me always. Prayerthoughts a. The girl had a “demon.” We are not sure what this means exactly, but we know that there was some affliction in the girl’s life. There are a number of people that I run into day after day who are afflicted with something. Do I try to pay attention to their needs? b. The person was not Jewish. There are a number of people who are not believers in my faith as I believe. Am I open to their understanding of God? c. The Lord does not pay any attention to the lady. There are times when I wonder  whether the Lord is listening to me. What are some recent times, and perhaps I need to make an act of faith again. d. Jesus seems to insult the lady, probably as a means to test her faith. Is my faith in Jesus a guiding factor in everything that I do? e. It is obvious that the lady had faith and accepted the insult, but did not lose her belief, and Jesus rewarded her for it. When I am insulted, I should respond with no thought of revenge. Has revenge played a part in the way I behave? f. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will read Numbers, chapter 13, and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE PRAYER OF PETITION  + The prayer of petition is the topic of the Gospel today as we look at how the Lord treated the Canaanite woman          – and as we think of that prayer of petition,  + First of all, we are confident in asking the Lord for help          – something we all do at Mass since many of the prayers are written that way                   – and something many of us are doing in a personal way today          – is asking God for some favor          – in fact, the prayer of the faithful at Mass is specific in doing this, asking God for several things                   – this is called in theology text-books, the prayer of petition                            -and I believe that there are some important lessons about the prayer of petition given to us in this Gospel today  + The Canaanite woman is asking Jesus—Lord, Son of David—for something          – and a couple of things should be noted:          1 – she is persistent                   – Jesus’ disciples complain that she keeps calling out after them          2 – she has to live with the fact that the prayer is not answered at first                   – in fact, it seems that Jesus “toys” with her, ignoring her, and rubs in the fact that she is not a Jewish person, almost tells her to go away, something his disciples no doubt did          3 – but she withstands the criticism, even to the point of arguing with Jesus, and is finally granted her request because—and here’s the important point—she is a person of faith  + All three of those factors are important to consider for the prayer of petition—persistence, the fact that it doesn’t look like there is an answer sometimes, and being a person of faith          – and maybe the best way to summarize all of that is in the phrase “person of faith”                   – the Canaanite woman was a person of faith, even though she wasn’t even a Jew and Jesus clearly points that out to his disciples and the crowd, as he addresses the lady:          Woman, great is your faith  + The Lord is our God all powerful          -that can be seen from the first reading                   – the Lord would give the Israelites the land of Canaan                            – even though the people did not have the faith that was needed                   – in sharp contrast to the person of faith in the Gospel                            – the example that we must follow. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Stay” — Zedd featuring Alessia Cara CAN WE “NEVER GROW UP? The Gospel JOHN 20:24-29 Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Gospelthink: Thomas had a difficult time accepting my Resurrection. Am I daily making an act of faith in the Lord?

“You’ve got to make it on your own, but we don’t have to grow up. We can stay forever young, living on my sofa, drinking rum and cola underneath the rising sun. All you have to do is stay a minute.” She knows that she needs to grow up, but she is not willing to do that because she would have to let him go.”

One of the signs that a person has grown up is the ability to give up the immaturity of selfish thinking. We like to feel good about the way we live, and in order to cross the threshold of maturity, we have to give up some of our selfish feelings. Thomas the Apostle was certain that Jesus could not rise from the dead. In John’s Gospel he makes it very clear that he was not going to give up his own selfish certitude, even though his friends told him otherwise. He finally was able to grow up, and cast aside part of his selfishness. It is selfishness that the lady in the song “Stay” is showing as she wants the good feelings of the relationship with a friend. She admits that she knows that she has to grow up, but in this one instance of the desire to feel good, she is not willing to grow. Because it was difficult, she chose not to accept the challenge. She preferred her own way. To grow up is not an easy task. We have been “given to” all of our years beginning with our very birth. Those who love us have constantly given us what we need, and because of our prosperity, we have often been given even what we do not need. Those who care about us have found out what we want, and have tried to satisfy our every desire. It is no wonder that the lady in the song wanted to stay “forever young.” Then we are asked to change. We are asked to begin giving of ourselves, being more aware of others and their desires. It is difficult because we are not “used to” doing it. To continue to seek what we want is really an easy pattern to adopt. As the lady in the song, we know that we should grow up, but we do not want to. We are “programmed” to take, and not to give. Thomas the Apostle had to give up his selfish attitude and apologize to his Master. We must understand that in our lives there are many moments in which we must give up our own selfishness.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Your Son must remind us that we tend to be selfish in the way that we live. Give us the grace to grow into maturity a little more in our lives by giving up the selfishness that controls us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Growing up is a difficult task, but it must take place if we are to achieve maturity. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. In your opinion, why is the Resurrection of Jesus so important to Christianity? 2. You and I are blessed by Jesus because “we have not seen and (yet) have believed. Do you think that most Christians have strong faith in God? Yes or no and why? 3. Sometimes it is a good statement that all of us should stay “forever young.” Understanding the phrase from a healthy point of view, what does it mean? 4. What are some signs of maturity? 5. In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of growing up? 6. In your opinion, are the things that you possess “needs” or “wants”? 7. In what ways should we “give of ourselves” as we mature? 8. What does the song “Stay” teach young people?