[media presentation below] GospelThink Tuesday, August 2 (either reading is given by the liturgical calendar)   MATTHEW 14:22-36 Peter here exemplifying his human nature. He wanted the glory, but was not willing to look at himself clearly. Prayerthoughts a. The Lord in a sense “sets up a situation” for his disciples. The Lord gives us situations in our lives. Are we open to realize that everything that happens to us happens for a  reason that the Lord has in mind? Think of some difficult situations and think of what the Lord wants of me. (This is the task of the meditation.) b. The Lord again takes time to pray. Have I set up a prayer schedule that I can easily follow? c. The wind was against them. It is a symbol of things not going right. In my life, right now what most of all is not going right, and am I adjusting well? d. Jesus as God can do anything, of course. He walks on the sea as a sign of encouragement  to the disciples. How is the Lord encouraging me right now? e. Peter selfishly wants to feel the sensation of walking on water. Perhaps “selfishness” is the destroyer of the spiritual life. In what ways am I being too selfish? f. It is significant that when Peter saw how strong the wind was, he became frightened. The wind can easily signify the world and its enticements. How strong is that world in my life right now? g. We say with the disciples that Jesus is the Son of God.  It is faith that Jesus wants with this miracle. Again, how strong is my own faith in God? h. My prayerthoughts….   Today, I will carry out letter a. **** or MATTHEW 15:1-2,10-14 I had a problem with the religious leaders because of their hypocrisy, Prayerthoughts; a. Most of the time the Pharisees and scribes found fault with Jesus without trying to understand him. In my life right now, are there some people that I automatically find fault with? b. Jesus points out that “traditions” sometimes change. Are there some personal traditions that I have held on to that no longer make any rational sense? c. “What comes out of the mouth.” I should look at the words that I spoke, say yesterday, and see if I could have been a bit kinder than I was. d. Am I willing to speak the truth even though it may upset some people? Am I honest in the words that I have spoken? e. My words, actions and thoughts should all be “planted” by God. As I study my life, what has not been planted by God? f. There are some people who are blind to God’s actions in their lives. Sometimes I question how God is acting in my life. What are some times in which I questioned how God was acting? Perhaps a prayer of faith in God for those times should be spoken. g. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will read Numbers, chapter 12, and write an  important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy [using Matthew 14:22-36] REACHING OUT TO JESUS  + Today’s Gospel is perfect for a personal meditation               – since it presents not only a story from the Gospels, but considering Peter in particular, it is a practical allegory to what Christians may be doing in their lives  + Peter is a tremendous example of a modern American Christian               – he has witnessed this miracle of Jesus walking toward them in the midst of the waves               – like his fellow disciples, he is fearful               – but he hears Jesus’ voice and he understands that Jesus is there                              – the American Christian—you and I—are people who have heard the Lord in one form or another                              – and we have accepted the Lord, at least in a shallow sort of way  + Then, with Peter, we want to experience the glory, we want what we want               – saying—since we have accepted you, Lord, let me have my way               – let me experience the joy of living, the pleasure of life, the power of being in charge, the things that I want                              – in Peter’s language: “Command me to come to you.”  That is, let me walk on the water also,                                            – let me have the experience that will give me a thrill, let me have my way  + Peter after walking for a while, begins to sink because of the strength of the wind               – with us, when we take over, thinking more of what we want than any other factor, chaos happens—the world begins to influence us too much – and what must happen?                              – Peter does it—he reaches out to Jesus                                            – we must reach to the values that Jesus makes so clear in the Gospels                              – and basically it means: we cannot rely on ourselves and what we want                                            – we cannot pursue our own agenda as Peter did, but we must turn to the agenda that Jesus gives in the Gospels                                                           – we must really trust the Lord to help us in the things that happen in our lives  + The ending of the Gospel story is important               – if we reach out to the Lord, he will immediately stretch out his hand to us               – but we have to reach first               – it may be very true to say that if we don’t do that—really reach to Jesus—then the chaos in our world will only get worse. + We need to listen closely to our promise as reiterated by Jeremiah today:               – we will be people of the Lord                              – and if we are, God will be our God, leading us the proper way. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Clarity” — Zedd featuring Foxes CLARITY IN THE CONFUSION The Gospel LUKE 4:16-21 Jesus came to Nazareth where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the Sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.” Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Gospelthink: I announced to the people of Nazareth that I bring about life. Have I made the words of Jesus important to me?

“High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life, fight fear for the selfish pain; it was worth it every time. Hold still right before we crash ‘cause we both know how this ends. A clock ticks ‘til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again. ‘Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn’t need: chasing relentlessly, still fight, and I don’t know why. If your love is tragedy why are you my remedy? If our love’s insanity, why are you my clarity.”

Producer Zedd’s song “Clarity” featuring singer Foxes deals with the confusion that often comes from love relationships. Discerning love may be one of the most difficult parts of a young adult’s life. Once she/he discovers some love relationship, and tries to decide whether the relationship is a lasting one or not, she/he understands immediately that it is a complicated process. It is not easy to put two people with his/her own personality together. A common way to look at it is that the two will fall in and out of love, bringing about seeming contradictions. As Zedd and Foxes express it, our relationship feels like tragedy and insanity, but the love the couple possesses will hopefully bring about clarity. Or, in other words, in the end, love will heal relationships no matter how much confusion may be present. Even if a couple’s love relationship does not last, in the end their desire for love will enable them to find a future relationship. The desire for real love will drive them to keep looking for it until it finally comes in some other relationship. In truth, it can be said that real love will always lead to healthy relationships. God wanted real love to be present in the world that had become tainted with evil. Such was the way Jesus looked upon his task in the world. He wanted more than anything to bring about love and peace that would in turn create glad tidings, liberty, true sight, freedom and in the end, a world that God would again call God’s own. In short, God’s love through Jesus would bring clarity to the confusion of the world. Most of us will choose a romantic love relationship that will direct our lives together on earth. All of us should choose Gospel love as a guide no matter what relationship we have. No matter what confusions rise up in the different circumstances of our living, true love or as the Gospels name it, “the Spirit of the Lord” will cure them. True love will bring about the clarity that we all desire in every relationship, romantic or otherwise.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, even though there is confusion in this world of ours, we know that the love that Jesus showed us will bring about clarity. Give us the courage to continue searching for such a love.  Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Sometimes love brings confusion, but in the end love will heal relationships. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Considering the Gospel reading, if you were given the directive to do what Isaiah said, what would be the first task of those that are written that you would do? Why? 2. In general, we believe that Jesus accomplished what Isaiah said. Discuss how he accomplished it. 3. Test analysis: “High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life.” What is the meaning of the phrase? 4. Text analysis: what is your understanding of “selfish pain”? 5. Text analysis: “A clock ticks ’til it breaks your glass.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 6. What is most confusing about love relationships? 7. Why is it possible to both fall in and out of love with the same person? 8. Do you agree with the meditation’s statement that people looking for love will always find it? Yes or no and why? 9. What most of all will bring the world love and peace? 10. The meditation refers to “true love” or “real love.” What is the meaning of the phrase? 11. What does the song “Clarity” teach young people?