[media presentation below] GospelThink Wednesday, October 25 LUKE 12:39-48 I have given you much. Prayerthoughts a. Am I prepared to meet the Lord if my life would end right now? What should I improve? b. The Lord speaks of a “faithful and prudent” servant. In what ways am I faithful? What kind of person would that be? Am I close to that definition? c. The Lord says that I should be carrying out my duty when he comes at the end of my life. Given my living condition, have I made room for God and the spiritual life the way I should? d. The Lord calls for sincere preparation for his coming. What am I doing right now to ensure my acceptance by the Lord? e. The thought of “being beaten” is part of the story that Jesus is telling, not to be taken literally, but the thought of being prepared for the unexpected is the moral of the story. What unexpected happening has happened recently, and did I react to it in a truly Christian way? f. Much has been given to me. Do I thank the Lord enough? Do I keep trying to do truly Christian deeds given my circumstances right now? g. My prayerthoughts… Today I will read Romans, chapter 6, and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE SPIRITUALITY OF STEWARDSHIP  + This Gospel and in particular, Jesus’ story are powerful statements explaining the spirituality of making use of what we have           – the idea of a steward with today’s understanding is this:                      – we have been given things legitimately to use, put in charge of things in our lives                                – i.e., we have jobs, we earn money, we have life, we have conveniences, things                                          – what our American forefathers called—life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness           – the question of the Gospel is: how are we using those things                      – does the master find us doing what we’re supposed to do as we use the things of this earth?  + It is not defined in the story, but we are easily led to believe what that means: making proper use—using them, always remembering where they came from—           – remembering who the master is who gave them                      – or does the master find us not making proper use of them                                – misusing the gifts, specifically, sexuality, eating and drinking—and by inference misusing all or some of the gifts that we legitimately have                                          – hearing in the Gospel that those people will be punished severely, if they know what they are doing  + The important fact of all of this is that we know what we are doing           – we are the people to whom much has been given and we know it                      – as Paul said to the Christians of Rome in the first reading  + And so, we are people who are stewards of someone else’s goods           – using them, but at the same time acknowledging that they are not ours                      – practically that is where tithing comes from                                – giving back to God what is already God’s                                – leading us to the important practical difficult question: how much of our time and income are we giving away from which we get no return?  + Jesus tells us today that the spirituality of stewardship involves doing what we should be doing with God’s goods while we have them. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Latch” — Disclosure featuring Sam Smith LATCHING ON IN LOVE The Gospel JOHN 17:6-8 Jesus prayed: “I revealed your name to those whom you gave me out of the world. They belonged to you, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you gave me is from you because the words you gave to me I have given to them, and they accepted them and truly understood that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me. I pray for them.”

Gospelthink: I prayed believing in my disciples and you that you have heard me. Do I act like I have heard the word of God?

“You lift my heart up when the rest of me is down. You enchant me even when you’re not around. If there are boundaries, I will try to knock them down. I’m latching on, now I know what I have found. I feel we’re close enough. I wanna lock in your love. I think we’re close enough, could I lock in your love? Now I got you in my space, I won’t let go of you. Got you shackled in my embrace, I’m latching on to you.”

The word “latch” in the sense of someone attaching him/herself to another is not used in the New Testament Scriptures. But the idea could express very well the attitude of Jesus toward his close disciples. At the Last Supper, as John the Evangelist records it, Jesus latched himself on to his disciples with the thought that it would be forever. Speaking of his disciples, he knows that his Father gave them to him, and now that they have accepted him, he would be with them forever. There was no question, even though there would still be failings on the disciples part. The fact that Jesus used such language was a tremendous gift to his disciples and by extension to all of his modern day disciples. “Latch” is not a common word used in romantic love situations either. But there is no doubt that when people in love latch themselves to another, it is a statement that says that the two will never separate. It is a step that can never be taken lightly, and too often, is. In the song “Latch,” the duo who call themselves Disclosure sing about one side of the relationship. The man is latching on to his friend in the relationship, saying that he will never abandon the union. The obvious problem in the song is that we do not know how the other responds, but if his friend responds the same way, then union will be complete. If the friend does not respond accordingly, then the man in the relationship probably should never be using the “latch” language he is saying. It is an important point for people who are falling into romantic love. Often, the person who wants the relationship to last will “latch” onto it without the full knowledge of what the other wants. Then it is much too soon to use any words like “forever” or “always.” In any love relationship, both parties have to agree to the same thing before the couple speak commitment words such as “latch.” Love relationships leading to marriage are never easy. Both parties must be truly ready to latch on to the other for them to work.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, most of us here on earth fall into some type of romantic love, and give ourselves to each other in marriage. Give us the grace to understand what it means to honestly love another as we choose to “latch on” to that person forever. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Latching on to someone implies that there will never be a separation. We always must be certain of what we are doing. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS” 1. The name of God (“I AM”) was very sacred to the Jewish people. In general, do you think that Christians treat God’s name with true respect? Yes or no and why? 2. In his High Priestly prayer in the Gospel, Jesus tells his Father that the disciples have truly accepted his words. In your opinion, in general, have modern Christians truly accepted Jesus’ word? Yes or no and why? 3. Jesus prays for his disciples who have to work “in the world.” What is the greatest danger the world puts in the way of Christianity?  Why? 4. Text analysis: “If there are boundaries, I will try to knock them down.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 5. When is a couple “close enough” to move into marriage? 6. Give your own meaning of the English word “latch” and what it means in a romantic context. 7. Do you agree with the meditation when it says that too often, couples in romantic love take the step of marriage too lightly? Yes or no and why? 8. In your opinion, is it relatively common that only one of the couples thinks that they are ready for marriage, and the other doesn’t? Yes or no and why? 9. Why does the one person in the relationship who is not ready for full commitment yet often not tell the other party? 10. What are the significant signs in a relationship that should tell the couple that they are not ready for marriage or “latching on”? 11. What does the song “Latch” teach young people?