[media presentation below] GospelThink Wednesday, December 27, St. John the Evangelist JOHN 20:1a,2-8 The apostle whom I loved saw and believed. Prayerthoughts a. Mary of Magdala was anxious about Jesus and her desire to be with him. Am I anxious  in my desire to have the Lord really be part of my life? b. Mary senses that something is wrong, and immediately goes to someone she trusts for help. Am I willing to share with trusted others in difficult matters in order to have their help? c. Peter and the beloved Apostle “ran” to the tomb. Do I place a priority on matters of religion in my life the way I should? d. The other disciple awaits the arrival of Peter before going into the tomb. He obviously senses that the more important should be the first witness. Sometimes I think that I am more important than I should be. Is my pride a problem in my life? e. The way the burial cloths are placed illustrates a very deliberate and definitive conquest of death. As I think of my own death, am I clearly accepting that the Lord will be active in my life at that time? f. The apostle whom Jesus loved saw and believed. I should renew my faith in God. g. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read 1 John, chapter 1, and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy TO SEE AND BELIEVE  + As with the feast yesterday and tomorrow, the readings are chosen because of the feast             – in the first letter of John, the writer wants to share the life of Jesus with others                         – and in the Gospel, John, or the Beloved Disciple, saw and believed what that life of Jesus was  + The sharing of the life has been accomplished for us             – you and I have the advantage of those who have believed before us                         – they have presented Jesus to us                                     – that is, we have been taught                         – the seeing for us now consists in: taking the time to read and meditate on the Gospels further                                     – the Scriptures are at our disposal                                                 – we know and see what the life of Jesus consists in—if we are open to hear it and read it + What should that do to us as spiritual people?             – as the Beloved Disciple in the Gospel, it should make us believe                         – John or the Beloved Disciple was able to believe without seeing anything else                                     – he could see with the eyes of faith that the placing of the wrappings in the tomb could only lead to one conclusion, namely, Jesus’ resurrection                                     – of course, we are led to believe that John or the Beloved Disciple later saw Jesus,                                                 – but at this point—when he enters the tomb—he is very much like us                                                             – he didn’t know, but was able to believe                         – faith, of course, is the central point of our acceptance of Jesus Christ                                     – we are able to believe                                                 – that belief should bring about profound changes in the way we think and especially in the way we act + John had the light of Jesus presented to him, namely what was seen and heard—             – and as a result, he believed                         – seeing, then believing: exactly what our pattern should be. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Little Talks” — Of Monsters and Men THIS SHIP WILL CARRY US SAFE The Gospel MATTHEW 20:17-19 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”

Gospelthink: I tell my disciples exactly what will happen in the future, and it will end with a great good. Do I constantly show the goodness of the Lord in my life?

“Hey, I don’t like walking around this old and empty house, so hold my hand, I’ll walk with you, my dear. Some days I can’t even trust myself; it’s killing me to see you this way ‘cause though the truth may vary, this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore. There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back: well, tell her that I miss our little talks. Soon it will be over and buried with our past. You’re gone away, I watched you disappear. All that’s left is the ghost of you. Now, we’re torn apart. There’s nothing we can do. Just let me go, we’ll meet again soon. Now, wait for me. Please hang around, I’ll see you when I fall asleep.”

The lady in the relationship in Of Monsters and Men’s song “Little Talks” has left, it seems, either physically or otherwise, and the man is thinking back about her and their little talks and the things that happened in their lives.  And, as they sing, no matter what has happened, the ship of life will carry their bodies safe to shore—that is, things will turn out okay. When Jesus told his disciples that he would suffer and die, no doubt the thought was very disturbing to them. It was a normal way of thinking because no one likes to lose friends, especially the way that Jesus described what would happen. But the painful thought quickly ceases, and Jesus explains to them that everything is going to work out well. He will be raised, he says; redemption will happen, humankind will gain eternal life. Paul, perhaps the primary spokesperson for the early Christian reminds us in his letter to the Romans: “We know that all things work for good for those who love God” (Romans 8:28). In the words of modern speaking, we might translate the passage to mean that for the Christian everything is meant to help us in one way or another. Instances abound both in Scripture and in modern day living in which we find truth in the statement. Sooner or later, even the most unacceptable happening in our lives will lead to something good. Of course, the problem lies in trying to see the good at the time of suffering–the tragedy, the failure, the death, the loss. The Christian must learn to view such negatives in their lives with the same assurance that Jesus had as he faced the end of his life on earth. It may not seem like it, but everything will turn out for the better. If that is our belief, then the present will give us no difficulty. Or in the thoughts of the song “Little Talks,” our ship of life will always carry us safe to shore.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, it is often very difficult to see the good in everything that happens. But we have the assurance of your Son that everything will turn out for the better for those who believe in you. May this thought guide our thoughts and feelings. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: The Christian believes that everything will turn out for the better. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. The Gospel passage is the third and most detailed of the Passion prediction in Matthew’s Gospel. Do you think that the disciples were able to comprehend what would really happen to Jesus? Why? 2. Analysis: In the passage, why did Jesus take the twelve off by themselves to give this announcement? 3. If you were one of the Twelve, and had heard this passage from Jesus, how do you think that you would react? 4  Analysis: do you think that the lady in the song has removed herself physically from the situation? Why? 5 Text analysis: “There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 6. Text analysis: “Tell her that I miss our little talks.” Why is communication so important in a relationship? 7. Text analysis: “Soon it will be over and buried with our past.” What is the meaning of the sentence? 8. Analysis: “There’s nothing we can do.” This must be viewed in contrast with their statement “this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore.” Analyze the two statements. Why are both statements made in the song? Can they both be true? 7. Obtain a copy of the official video of the song and view it. What is most striking about the video? Why?  8. Do you think that most people believe that “everything” will turn out okay in their lives? Yes or no and why? 9. Give your own idea of “redemption” as accomplished by Jesus. See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 599-605. 10. Do most people believe that everything that happens to them is meant to help them in one way or another? Yes or no and why? 11. What does the song “Little Talks” teach young people?