[media presentation below] GospelThink Thursday, September 14, The Exultation of the Holy Cross JOHN 3:13-17 My cross is the way to eternal salvation. Prayerthoughts a. At God’s direction, Moses lifted up the image of the serpent in the desert so that everyone who looked on it would be healed. As I study my thinking where do I most need healing? b. Having eternal life is what I want.  How can I best prepare for my death? c. The promise of God concerning his Son—everyone who believes in Him will not perish—is the most important promise that God has given to us. Have I truly made Jesus the center of my life? d. As I think of “saving the world,” what part can I play in it? e. My prayerthoughts…. Today I will place the symbol “John 3:16” in a place where I will see  from time to time. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  BELIEF IN REDEMPTION  + The Triumph of the Cross is an early feast           – with an historical background—centering around the finding of the cross and the building of churches at what was believed to be Jesus’ crucifixion site                     – but more than that, it represents an early theology that is still a part of dogmatic theology—soteriology—Jesus redeemed us by his blood  + The liturgy’s second reading contains one of the most beautiful passages in Scripture that is really an early Christological hymn           – it is how the early Church thought of Jesus                      – someone who temporarily gave up the glory of God to become a person of human estate and accepted the cross, and thus became the highest human being  + Having accepted that cross was proof that God loved the world, as the Gospel says           – Jesus, accepting the most difficult means of torture at that time—unjustly                      – Jesus could have redeemed us with less pain but chose not to                      – by that action, Jesus, God’s Son, accomplished redemption, a re-opening of heaven’s gates to all                                – that is, everyone who believes in Jesus has the chance for eternal life                                          – just as everyone who looked at the cross in Moses’ time—the first reading from the book of Numbers—recovered                                                    – in the same way everyone who believes and looks at Jesus will have eternal life  + This feast provides a couple of things to consider for the person interested in the spiritual life           1 – thanksgiving for redemption                      – as we pray every day, part of our prayer should be with the understanding of what Jesus has done for us, and thank God for that gift:                      – we now have the chance for eternal life with God                                – we do not understand it completely, but we know from our belief that our life will be a happy one forever           2 – and the corresponding desire to give back to God with what we have been given                      – which is the concept of stewardship                                – a conviction that you and I must repay to God by use of time, talent and what we make here on earth,                                          – a repaying to God because of what God has done for us                                                    – and it becomes a matter of justice for us because we have seen what God has done  + The cross is the symbol of redemption, and as we sign ourselves with it, we pray that we understand it more. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Ride” — Twenty-One Pilots RIDING IN NEED OF DIRECTION The Gospel JOHN 10:1-5, 11a Jesus said, “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers. I am the good shepherd.”

Gospelthink: I am a shepherd to you hoping you will recognize my voice. Do I truly listen to the Lord in the Scriptures?

The person in the song is enjoying the ride, taking his/her time living, but it often feels like he/she is falling, that is without direction. During the life, the person thinks about what it means to be a friend of someone, whether he/she would die for the other or not. Then it seems the person in the song feels like he/she is thinking too much, saying “Help me” either to a friend or perhaps even to God.

There are different ways to interpret Twenty One Pilots’ song “Ride.” Perhaps the best way is to look at it as a song about life. We are all living our own lives, doing the best we can–enjoying it, taking our time living it, but we know that living the life is difficult, and we often feel lost. Lost because we do not understand friendship, lost because our thinking can make us too confused. So, we cry out “help me” to whomever will listen. In Christian faith we know that the Lord listens to us. In fact, he calls himself the good shepherd, a shepherd who will lead his sheep, walking ahead of them, showing them the way. He calls out to them, assuring them that he will never be a stranger to them. His voice will always be present to them, and he will lead them to all that is good. In life, there are many times when we are “without direction” as Twenty One Pilots sings. In that case, we are lost. There are two ways of being lost. One is being lost and knowing that we are lost. In that case, we will usually want to do something about it. We will be true disciples, people who want the Christian message to be part of our world and work toward it with all of our hearts, at the same time knowing that we need help to carry through with our chosen path. Unfortunately, another way of being lost is to be lost and not even know it. In that case, the Christian people who are lost are complacent with their Christianity. They believe that all they have to do is believe and really not do much else. It includes people who go about their lives, living day-to-day, making money, enjoying life, even going to Church, and never see the need to be aware of what Jesus said and did. These are the Christians who think that they are following Jesus, but refuse to look at some fundamental faults that they have. Faults like drinking too much alcohol, not paying enough attention to their spouses, or allowing “hatred of others” to enter their actions and the like. We are all living a life in which we can easily become lost. We must have a shepherd that we have freely chosen who will give us direction, always guiding us no matter what happens in our lives.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we know that we are lost without You and Your Son to guide us. But often we choose to be people who act as though we are self sufficient. Give us the grace to truly allow Your Son to be our shepherd. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Life is difficult at times, and we need direction.    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. In Jesus’ time, a shepherd would call their sheep; they would recognize his voice, and follow him. Jesus’ story then is exactly what happened in real life. In your opinion, have Christians honestly followed the Lord’s voice in their lives? Yes or no and why? 2. In your opinion, what is the meaning of a “good” shepherd? 3. Pursuing the thought of the song, what does it mean to be a true friend? 4. Is it possible to “think too much”? Yes or no and why? 5. When is it clear that someone is “without direction”? 6. What are some other fundamental faults (other than those mentioned in the meditation)? 7. What does the song “Ride” teach young people?