[media presentation below] GospelThink Tuesday, June 28 MATTHEW 8:23-27 I want you to understand my words and actions. Prayerthoughts a. The violent storm may very well be symbolic of the actions of the world. Have I allowed myself to be completely overcome by the problems that are part of my life without even thinking that the Lord can help? b. When we realize the problems that overcome us and we finally cry out to the Lord, will I continue to turn to the Lord even after I receive the Lord’s help? c. In the different serious moments of my life, do I turn to the Lord, trusting that the Lord will really help me, and believe it with all of my heart? d. The Lord speaks to me his words to the apostles saying to us that we have little faith. Is my belief in God so real that it affects everything in my life? e. I am surrounded by the beauty (and sometimes violence) of creation. Do I allow that world to move me to praise my God? f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read Amos, chapters 3 and 4, and write an  important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  WHAT SORT OF MAN IS THIS?  + The question of the Gospel is a good one to think about for a while:           “What sort of man is this?”           – of course, for the apostles who were asking the question,                      – it was one of strong significance                                – they were in the process of choosing to give up everything in order to follow this man                                          – and so, they really wanted to know what sort of man he was—what made him tick, why he said and did the things that he said and did  + For us, knowing and believing already that Jesus is the Son of God both human and divine, it means something different           – for us, “what sort of man is this” is a question about his teaching and his life                      – as guide for our spiritual lives, what are the virtues that we should imitate and the words that we should listen to more  + And, of course, there are many such virtues and many such sayings as recorded in the Scriptures           – today a couple of them presented from the liturgy           – 1 – from the first reading and the prophet Amos                      – strong words: “You returned not to me, says the Lord…since I will deal with you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel”                                – if we have not followed the Lord’s way, we will be punished                                          – in the New Testament understanding of things—God will not punish, but we will punish ourselves                                                    – God is always willing to help us, but it is up to us           -2 – and from the Gospel, Jesus tells us to trust in him, a rather common theme in the Gospels                      – “Why are you terrified” he asks of the apostles                                – urging them on to greater faith and trust in him                      – this is a virtue that is not at all easy                                – because we really want to depend on ourselves and to trust what we can accomplish                                          – but Jesus here and elsewhere tells us to depend on God’s providence and at the same time to keep working for what we know is right + What sort of man is this?           – he is the Son of God who counsels us in the liturgy today                      – to keep before our minds that we should follow the Lord’s way                      – and to keep trusting in God’s help, even as we do the best that we can. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Blank Space” — Taylor Swift A NIGHTMARE DRESSED LIKE A DAYDREAM The Gospel JOHN 21:15-17 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

Gospelthink: I remind Peter that he denied me and I want him to be sorry. Am I sorry for the faults and failings in my life?

“So, it’s gonna be forever, or it’s gonna go down in flames. You can tell me when it’s over if the high was worth the pain. They’ll tell you I’m insane ‘cause you know I love the players and you love the game. ‘Cause we’re young and we’re reckless. We’ll take this way too far. Got a long list of ex-lovers. Screaming, crying, perfect storms, I can make all the tables turn, rose garden filled with thorns. Keep you second guessing like ‘who is she?’ I get drunk on jealousy, but you’ll come back each time you leave, ‘cause I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream. I’ve got a blank space, and I’ll write your name.”

The Scripture reading directing Peter to love and Taylor Swift’s song “Blank Space” present a picture of opposites. The Scripture reading is the perfect statement of true love, and the song presents a picture of fake love. In the Scripture passage, Jesus knew that Peter still did not possess a true love of a friend because he had denied Jesus just a few days before. Jesus reminds him that one cannot “toy” with love, that is “fool around” with love. If one says the word “love,” it means just that–love. You do not act like it is love or say it is love and not mean it. Jesus tells Peter three times, matching the three times of his denial, that love must be real, not simply a selfish act. Jesus was giving Peter the chance to lessen the personal pain his denial had caused Peter. Taylor Swift’s song is just the opposite. The song is about a girl who is a “nightmare dressed like a daydream,” one who is fooling around with love, an action that hurts both her and her boyfriend. The video for the song expresses the thought perfectly: if you “toy” with the concept of love, you cause pain for everyone involved. The song presents an excellent opportunity to study any relationship in which we find ourselves, whether a romantic involvement or a relationship between friends. How are we showing the “love” that we profess? Is it a love that will “give to” another, one that is “forgiving” and “caring for” the other? Or is it one that satisfies a selfish desire to please ourselves, using the other for what we want, one that makes another “second guess” about the love we are showing? If we use the word “love” to describe a relationship of ours, it can never be fake or put on or selfish; it can only mean true love.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, love may be the most important topic of our time here on earth because every one of us will love or be loved. May we study the example of your Son to love the way you want, and never harm ourselves or others.  Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: A person who merely toys with loving others will end up hurting him/herself.    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. The passage in the Gospel emphasizes Peter’s importance in the Church which would form after Jesus’ resurrection. Why do you think that Jesus singled out Peter as the most important of the Apostles? 2. The meditation presents the passage to be an example of “true love.” In your opinion, what is your definition of “true love.” 3. Text analysis: “I love the players, and you love the game.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 4. Analysis: Does the fact that a person is young mean that that person is also “reckless” as the song suggests? Yes or no and why? 5. Text analysis: “I get drunk on jealousy.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 6. Text analysis: “…a nightmare dressed like a daydream.” What is the meaning of the phrase? 7. Text analysis: “I got a blank space, and I’ll write your name.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 8. in your opinion, what is “fake love”? 9. How does a person “fool around with love”? 10. Obtain a copy of the video, and analyze it. What is most striking about it? 11. What does it mean to “second guess” a love? 12. Why do people come back to a person who is just “toying” with love as the person in the song? 13. How would you describe principal difference between “true love” and “fake love”? 14. What does the song “Blank Space” teach young people?