[media presentation below] GospelThink Sunday, February 11, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time MARK 1:40-45 I want you to have total trust in me. Prayerthoughts a. The leper tells Jesus “if you wish.” He is saying to the Lord that it is Jesus’s decision and not his. In our prayer to our God, do we always add the thought that “if it is God’s will”? b. The Lord says to me as well that he wants to heal me, but it may be different from the way I want. Am I able to accept what the Lord sends? c. Jesus touched the leper, an action that was not permitted because of the law, but it was a sign of love. Do I show signs of “love” to others? Think especially of those that I see every day. d. Jesus did not want to publicize the good thing that he had done. When I do something good, do I “brag” about it in some way to others? e. What is my opinion about why the leper publicized the miracle? It could have been that he was simply so overwhelmed that he had to tell someone. In what ways has the Lord “overwhelmed” me in my life? (This is the task of the meditation.) f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will carry out letter e. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  TOTAL TRUST IN GOD  + You can interpret the Gospel in two ways, I think          – either the man cured of leprosy directly disobeyed Jesus or he was so overcome and thankful to Jesus, that he felt compelled to tell others          – I think it is good to understand it from the latter point of view                   – the leper was completely overcome by what had happened to him, with what the Lord had done in his life                            – and once that happened, there was nothing he could do with his emotions even if it meant disobeying what Jesus said  + That idea of “being overwhelmed by God” is something to think about          – I don’t think that being overcome with God in our lives happens that often                   – it may happen every once in a while, but for the most part, if the truth be known, we often are not totally happy with the way God works things out in our lives                            – often we don’t think that God has done enough                                     – if we study our prayer, it may be too often exactly that                                              – there are a number of things that we don’t like in our world, and we think that God should honor our way of thinking                                                       – we don’t like the wars, the tragedies, the financial problems, the family problems, the failures, the things that don’t feel good                                                                – and we just can’t believe that God could be working everything out because God is not acting the way we would like  + But, if we are overcome by what God has done for us, we will be aware of God acting in our lives          – one of the movies of the past that I think is particularly good to study is the movie “Signs”                   – the movie is science fiction, and is a conversion story of the main character, an ex-Episcopalian priest                            – in one scene he tells his brother that there are two groups of people in life, those who think that everything is luck or coincidence, and those who see something miraculous in everything                            – the group that sees everything as luck sees ourselves as being on our own; the other group who sees miracles knows that there is always someone to help                                     – the priest eventually comes back into that group                                     – we should be in that group, knowing that God is working things out                                              – we will do the best we can with whatever circumstances, and literally allow God to finish it off                                                       – and we will believe all the while that God means for everything, no matter what, to help us in one way or another  + If we are truly overcome by God’s action in our lives, our lifestyles will be different          – Paul tells us in the second reading to do everything for the glory of God                   – that is exactly what will happen to us if we know that God has acted in our lives          – in another parish, a couple of years ago after a Marriage Encounter weekend, one of the teenage daughters in the family gave her parents the greatest compliment they ever received                   – a few weeks after the weekend, she told her parents: “you really are different now”          – the fact is that we will become different if we really believe that God has acted in our lives  + Maybe the most challenging thought from the readings today can come from a consideration of the first reading from the book of Leviticus—as it describes what a leper must do: there is no hope, the leper is an outcast          – and what makes it a challenging thought is this: if that leper were overcome with what God had done for him/her, it wouldn’t matter whether he/she was a leper or not          – if we are overcome with what God has done for us, it simply doesn’t matter what goes on in life                   – we know that God is working in our lives and that is all that is necessary. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “When We Were Young” — Adele WHEN WE WERE YOUNG The Gospel MATTHEW 23:37-39 [Jesus said:] “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you were unwilling! Behold, your house will be abandoned, desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”

Gospelthink: I tell you to acknowledge me as your Lord. Am I living out the word of the Lord daily?

“Everybody loves the things you do, from the way you talk to the way you move. Everybody here is watching you ’cause you feel like home. You’re like a dream come true. But if by chance you’re here alone, can I have a moment before I go? ‘Cause I’ve been by myself all night long, hoping you’re someone I used to know. You look like a movie, you sound like a song: this reminds me of when we were young. Nobody told me that you’d be here. And I swear you moved overseas. That’s what you said, when you left me. A part of me keeps holding on just in case it hasn’t gone. I guess I still care. Do you still care?”

Anyone familiar with the Gospels knows of Jesus’ running battle with the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of his time. In one passage, Jesus addresses “Jerusalem” meaning the religious leadership of Jerusalem in general. He accuses them basically of “living in the past,” pointing out to them that they were unwilling to open up to him, and thus causing problems for their present and especially their future. He spoke of their house being “abandoned” and “desolate.” “Living in the past” is a problem for any one in our world, no matter in what situation we may find ourselves, but especially it is a problem in romantic endeavors. In Adele’s song “When We Were Young,” she sings of a lady in the relationship who remembers a love experience when the lady and a boyfriend were involved. She liked the experience and when she sees him by accident, she recalls their time together, saying that she has not forgotten the experience. In fact, as she says, she still cares. One is led to believe that her past with him continues to affect the way she feels now and will feel in the future. It is true that some “living in the past” is good in the sense of reliving wonderful times as an incentive for the present and future, but most of the time, remaining in the past is harmful to a person. In such cases, people tend to dwell in that past, and neglect to face the present situations or the possible outcomes in the future. You and I have a past, a past with good and bad events, but whatever has happened in the past must remain in the past. Our lives must accept the present situation in which we find ourselves, so that we can live it as best we can. In that way, we will understand the importance of the past, but not be governed by it. Thus our future will be one that is worthwhile. If the religious leaders of Jesus’ time had realized that fact, their lives in the present and future would have been better.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we all have a past with which we are familiar and which often dominates our present and future thinking. Give us the grace to study the present in which we live, and help us choose to follow Your direction with Your Son’s lead. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT   Theme: When someone holds on to the past too long, it can only cause disappointment in the future. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Project: The presenter may want to give a class on the fall of Jerusalem and the reasons why. 2. Text analysis: “You will not see me again….” In your opinion, what is the meaning of the sentence? 3. Text analysis: “You feel like home.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 4. Text analysis: “You look like a movie; you sound like a song.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 5. Analysis: Should former serious boyfriends/girlfriends keep in touch with each other? Yes or no and why? 6 . What is your understanding of the phrase “living in the past”? 7. In particular, what is the principal reason why “living in the past” is not good for those who had serious relationships? 8. Describe an incident in which living in the past harms the present? 9. If someone wants to live “as best as they can,” what primarily must such a person do? 10. Describe a “worthwhile future.” 11. What does the song “When We Were Young”  teach young people today?