media presentation below] GospelThink Friday, September 1 MATTHEW 25:1-13 With the story, I tell you that you must stay awake and be prepared to meet me at any time.  Prayerthoughts a. In what ways do I consider myself “foolish” and “wise”? b. Do I “prepare” myself for a better spiritual life. Perhaps today I should do one extra spiritual practice (time of prayer, fasting, extra kindness toward someone, etc.) c. In what ways do I “meet” the Lord every day? d. We ask people to help us, and sometimes they say “no”. What should be my response back to them; what is my response in general? e. I should listen carefully to the Lord’s words that I never want to hear from our God: “I do not know you.” What keeps me back from knowing God? f. The Lord’s counsel at the end of his story: we don’t know when we will die. How do I feel about my death right now? In my obituary which someone will write, will he/she say that I was prepared? g. My prayerthoughts… Today, if I haven’t done so, I will write my own obituary that I hope will be written. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  PREPARING WELL FOR DEATH  + The Gospel is one of Jesus’ stories with the spiritual conclusion that we have to be prepared at the time of our deaths          – the Hebrew wedding practices around Jesus’ time generally involved two ritualistic journeys                   – first, there was a solemn procession from the groom’s home to the bride’s by the groom and his friends                   – then, secondly, a procession taking the bride from her home to where the bride and groom would live in the future                   – and having parties in each place          – the Gospel is set around the first procession                   – the groom would have many people to see in his own home, as did the bride in her home                            – therefore the groom was often delayed in coming to the bride’s home                                     – everyone knew that, and Jesus makes use of that fact to bring home a point                            – the lamps were celebration lamps that were more for show than anything else                            – the Lord says that the person who is thinking / will bring enough oil along so that when the celebration finally does start, that person will be ready                                     – if you are wise, you will prepare                                     – if you are foolish, you won’t          – and Jesus’ point:          Stay awake for you know neither the day nor the hour.                   – that is, the spiritual conclusion, and the point that we have to listen to as Christians: be prepared for the Lord’s coming, that is, be prepared for your death  + We might think, then, about the components of being prepared to meet the Lord          – from the first reading,                   – if we are going to be prepared properly, we have to really want holiness                            – Paul says that holiness is the will of God, and then defines holiness as staying away from sin, especially with regard to sexuality  + And generalizing from Jesus’ story, there is one thing in particular that will keep us from being prepared          – one that we all know—procrastination                            – we tend to put off until tomorrow and tomorrow never comes                            – we could make our spiritual lives better today if we wanted to  + The purpose of Jesus’ story today was to say that there is no tomorrow          – we should be preparing ourselves better now so that when the Lord comes, he won’t be a stranger. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “One Call Away” — Charlie Puth ONE CALL AWAY The Gospel JOHN 1:44-46 Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Gospelthink: My apostles gradually came to understand who I was. Have I shown that I really know the Lord in my life?

“I’m only one call away. I’ll be there to save the day. Superman’s got nothing on me. I’m only one call away. Call me if you need a friend. I just wanna give you love. Reaching out to you, so take a chance. Come along with me and don’t be scared. I just wanna set you free. You and me can make it anywhere. For now, we can stay here for a while ’cause you know, I just wanna see you smile.”

These meditations have mentioned many times that romantic love experiences generally are not part of the thoughts of the Gospels. But one can easily study twenty-first century love situations by meditating on how people reacted to Jesus as he taught on our earth. The Apostles did not know who or what Jesus was at the beginning of their experience with him, but eventually they would come to “love” him as a friend and confidant. The relationship always began with a sincere interest in what Jesus was all about. Most love relationships in our modern day begin with a sincere interest in the other because it is the only way to determine what kind of person the other is. In Charlie Puth’s song “One Call Away,” the man in the relationship is interested in the other and showing it by his words. He tells the other that he is only one call away from being able to open himself completely. He is reaching out to the other, saying that he is interested in the feelings of the other person, and willing to work on a relationship. Being interested in the other is the foundation of human love, whether we are talking of romantic love or simple friendship. It suggests an attitude of real concern on the part of the one who is seeking to know another. Such real concern may not lead to anything at all in the sense of permanent friendship or the like, but it is the statement of a truly human person. A person in our world should always be interested in what makes up the other people of our world with whom we interact. At the beginning of a love relationship, we are not called to love deeply at first. We are called to be open to the other person, giving them the opportunity to build a friendship if they and we would like to develop it. In fact, our attitude as Christians must always be that we are “one call away” from getting to know another. True friendship involves true interest in another.

PRAYER  Good and gracious God, You call us through Your Son to show interest in others by reaching out to them in friendship. Give us the grace to be people who truly are interested in others and to show it by our actions.  Be with us, we pray.

+++++GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Beginning a love experience involves being truly interested in another.  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. In your opinion, what was the most important characteristic for an Apostle of Jesus? 2. Text analysis: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” What is the true meaning of the question? 3. Text analysis: “To save the day.” How does one “save the day” in a romantic love relationship? 4. What is your definition of a “friend”? 5. Text analysis: “Don’t be scared.” Why should people who are just discovering love be afraid of another? 6. In general, do you know of any “romantic” references in the Gospel? 7. The meditation calls us in general to always be interested in the people with whom we interact. Why is this such an important thought? 8. As one matures, what is the best way to “discover” another possible partner for life?  9. What does the song “One Call Away” teach young people?