[media presentation below] GospelThink Tuesday, August 22 MATTHEW 19:23-30 It is difficult for the rich to enter into the Kingdom Prayerthoughts a. The Lord’s words here about the rich are extremely difficult words—a camel cannot pass through the eye of a needle—spoken no doubt in exaggeration, a means the Lord uses in order to get across an important point. I should call to my mind my savings and present moneys. Do I spend too much time making money and not enough time with my family and my God? b. The disciples know that Jesus’s statement is very difficult, asking the question of “who can be saved.” In my thinking, what are the characteristics of someone who will gain eternal life? c. Jesus says an important statement in this context—all things are possible with God. Do I truly place my trust in God in my endeavors? d. Peter the Apostle was interested in making him and his fellow Apostles “look good” in Jesus’s eyes, professing that they were true followers of Jesus. If someone were to accuse me of not truly following the Lord, what proof do I have that I am? e. Jesus promises three things for those who sacrifice for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  First he promises rewards even in this life. As I study my life, what good things have been given to me? Have I been as thankful as I should be? (This is the task of the meditation.) f. The Lord also promises “persecutions.” There have been difficult things in my life so far. Have I reacted to them as a Christian should, namely accepting them as the Lord’s will? g. Thirdly, the Lord promises a true follower of his that he/she will have eternal life. What am I doing right now to ensure my own eternal life? h. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will carry out letter e. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE SPIRIT OF POVERTY  + The rich do not fare very well in the Scriptures:             – in the Gospel, Jesus says that it is only with difficulty and the power of God that the rich will enter the Kingdom  + It is important for our spiritual lives that we analyze why the rich do not fare very well             – it is a familiar thought that we heard yesterday and also is contained in this Scripture because it is the same story of the rich young man in Matthew’s Gospel             – the rich do not fare well because their minds are preoccupied with other things, specifically material possessions that they like                         – as he says in this Gospel passage: those who have learned to give up things—as the Apostles did, those who can even give up family ties…                                     – will receive the reward of the Kingdom of God  + A familiar strain of the Gospel—the action of giving and giving up on behalf of someone or something else is brought into our consideration             – it is the part of the idea of the spirit of poverty which a Christian professes                         – the natural challenge for us: how well do we give up things?                         – if we are honest with ourselves, we probably do not give too easily                                     – we tend to make ourselves gods—the sin of the people in the Hebrew Scriptures                                                 – the Lord in the reading from Judges saying to Gideon that he is not in charge of his own life: “I will be with you” he says—I am in charge                                                             – we tend not to want to give to others                                                             – we tend to think of ourselves as completely in charge of our lives with very little credit going to God or God’s graces                                                             – we tend to think of our accomplishments as our own, and therefore we think that we deserve the recognition, the reward, the money for doing them                                                             – we arrange our lives around what is convenient for us and often do not really think in terms of what is convenient for others  + The spiritual virtue of poverty, and in particular, this idea of giving up and giving to others is a difficult thing in today’s world             – but as Gideon in the first reading, if we choose the Lord, we are called to do the difficult thing                         – and, an important part of the reading, I believe, the Lord confirms that calling                                     – the Lord saying: listen to me, and I confirm the fact that I mean what I say  + There are a couple of very strong ideas concerning our religious lives in Matthew’s story of the rich young man:             – we can easily become preoccupied with material goods as many rich people do             – and we must learn to give of what we have                         – our reward is the fullness of the Kingdom of God. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Peaches” — Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon THE “VERY BEST” The Gospel LUKE 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”

Gospelthink: Martha and Mary were friends of mine, and I could speak to them plainly, telling them that Mary was doing well because she listened to me. Do I truly listen to the Lord in the Gospels?

“I got my peaches out in Georgia, I get my light right from the source. The way I breathe you in, it’s the texture of your skin, I want to wrap my arms around you and never let you go. There’s nothing like your touch, it’s the way you lift me up and I’ll be right here with you until the end of time. You ain’t sure yet, but I’m for you.”

The artist of the song “Peaches,” Justin Bieber, is no doubt thinking of the love of his life, his wife, as he sings the song. Part of his life was spent in Georgia, the Peach State, but the feel of the song is one of “love.” And in particular, as one considers what Georgia stands for, namely the very best peaches, one can generalize the thinking of the song to the thought of seeking the “very best” in what we do. The man in the relationship is thinking of the very best in love, and that is the love that he has discovered. As we study our lives, in whatever circumstance we find ourselves, the one guide that we have is that we seek the “very best” in carrying it out. Obviously, we do not want to give ourselves to something or someone that is only second best. Therefore our thought is always about seeking the “very best.” So it is with love. “I get my light right from the source” Justin Bieber sings. The source of his love is obviously the lady in the relationship, and it is there that the man seeks his light, that is, his reason to live. She is the “very best” for him. It is exactly the situation of Mary in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus recognizes that the “very best” way to show a love of another is to pay close attention to what he/she says. To be busy about hospitality is important but it is not the “very best” that one could do. He tells Martha that Mary had chosen the “very best.” Choosing the “very best” love is not easy in our world. It implies not only the person who is choosing the “very best,” but it also must mean that the person who is chosen agrees with the other. In the song, it seems as though the lady is not ready yet, as the man sings, “You ain’t sure yet.” One sees here an important element of choosing the “very best,” namely, it will take some time to determine what is the “very best” for everyone involved. You and I want the “very best” in every situation. To determine it will take time and deep thinking on our parts.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we want the “very best” in everything we do while we are here on earth. Help us to achieve that goal not only with the things of earth, but give us the grace to truly listen to what you say to us, that is, the “very best” for our spiritual lives. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We should look for the “very best” in everything we do. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. What does the song “Peaches” teach young people?   2. “Listening to the Lord” is obviously the conclusion of the Gospel. In the category of “listening,” do most people really listen to the Lord’s directives? Yes or no and why? 3. Do most people honestly listen to one another? 4. What elements must a relationship have in order to be the “very best” for each other? 5. What is the most important thing that we do in our lives? 6. The meditation says that choosing the “very best” love in our lives takes time. In general, what is your opinion about how long a couple should know each other before they are married?