[media presentation below] GospelThink Friday, September 15, Our Lady of Sorrows JOHN 19:25-27 At my execution, I entrusted my mother to John and to you. Prayerthoughts a. One of the ways of deeper spirituality is to picture myself with Mary and the two other Mary’s beneath the cross of Jesus, trying to think what I would think in that circumstance. b. Some Christians, including Catholics, have a devotion to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as we should. Have I tried to include the example of Mary in my spiritual thinking enough? c. Taken literally, Jesus is most interested in His mother here, wanting her to be taken care of. Concerning my family, especially parents if they are alive, am I as interested in them as I should be? What can I do better to be more concerned about family? d. Taken symbolically, Mary is given to us as our Mother. Can my devotion to Mary be better than it is right now. Consider especially the rosary which can be said everyday. e. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will make a prayer asking for forgiveness of past actions and pray for anyone I may have hurt in the process. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  MARY, OUR LADY OF SORROWS  + The liturgy uses a familiar reference to the Blessed Virgin           – Jesus as he suffers thus making Mary Our Lady of Sorrows                      – is giving Mary to John as Mother, interpreted by the Church as Jesus giving Mary to all of us as Mother  + Quite naturally, we are drawn into what in the Church is called “Mariology” or the “Theology of Mary”           – which is based on the fact that Mary is the Mother of the Incarnate Word of God  + What should it mean for us?           – a mother will be someone who both helps a child and acts as a perfect example for the child                      – two things for us to consider there  + First, Mary helps us           – the Church has believed from early on that Mary will intercede for us, much the same way that Mary interceded for the wedding couple at Cana in John’s Gospel                      – on behalf of the couple, asking her Son to relieve their distress, and then one of the ten most important lines in Scripture, I believe: saying to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you”                                – Mary will help us                                          – saying to us to follow the directives that Jesus gives us                                – we don’t know how, but our faith tells us that what we ask of God will have Mary’s endorsement  + Secondly, Mary serves as a perfect example for us as we live our Christian lives on earth           – she recognizes what God wants of her, and in her famous words at the Annunciation, understands that she is called by God —“Let it be done according to God’s word,” – yes, I will do it           – and she followed through with her “yes”                      – once she had said that she would follow what God wanted of her                                – without knowing what that meant, she followed through being present for her Son in everything           – a lesson for all of us when we say “yes” to our faith, no matter what happens  + Mary is truly our Mother as well as Our Lady of Sorrows. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Try” — Pink GET UP AND TRY The Gospel MATTHEW 20:29-34 As they left Jericho, a great crowd followed Jesus. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!” The crowd warned them to be silent, but they called out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have pity on us!” Jesus stopped and called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They answered him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” Moved with pity, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately, they received their sight, and followed him.

Gospelthink: I was moved with pity for those who needed help. Do I show the type of compassion for others that I should?

“Ever wonder about what he’s doing, how it all turned to lies. Sometimes I think that it’s better to never ask ‘why’. Where there is desire, there is gonna be a flame. Where there is a flame, someone’s bound to get burned. But just because it burns doesn’t mean you’re gonna die. You gotta get up and try. Funny how the heart can be deceiving more than just a couple times. Why do we fall in love so easy even when it’s not right? Ever worried that it might be ruined and does it make you wanna cry? When you’re out there doing what you’re doing, are you just getting by? Tell me, are you just getting by. You gotta get up and try.”

Pink’s song “Try” describes a love endeavor that has hurt the lady in the song. She had thought that everything was working out, but in truth it was not. The man in the relationship had been dishonest, and as a result, she felt like things would never be resolved, even to the point of feeling like she was dying. But she was not ready to give up. In fact, she was ready to do the opposite–she knew that she had to overcome her feelings, and try again. The blind men in Matthew’s Gospel had probably felt down and out for a number of years. They were blind and no doubt wondered whether life would ever improve for them. But they had not given up. They looked for every chance possible to better their lives. Then Jesus came into their lives, and because of their determination, they received their sight again. They knew that if they tried hard enough, their lives could change. We often feel like our lives are not going well. Sometimes it is only a feeling, but often, it is true. Perhaps it is the situation that Pink describes in her song: we discover that a person that we thought was in love with us really is not. Or maybe things have just not gone the way that we have wanted or the way we planned. Maybe, even, there has been some tragedy in our lives or families, and we think that we will never get rid of the painful feelings. Indeed, as Pink describes in her song, the flame of life will often burn us, and leave us feeling alone and defeated. It is at such times that we must discover what the lady in Pink’s song discovered and what the blind men of the Gospel experienced: we can come out of it if we want. There is always a choice. We can feel sorry for ourselves and give up or we can choose to get up and try again. We will always have a good future if we try.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, when he was here on our earth, your Son rewarded those who were willing to try to improve their lives. Give us the grace we need to continue to try to be better no matter what the circumstances of our lives may be. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Even when life makes you feel down and out, you have to get up and try again.  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Scripture scholars point out that the healing of the blind men in the Gospel is symbolic of the healing of the “blind” apostles who will only understand Jesus’ mission after the Resurrection. In your opinion, what was Jesus’ principal accomplishment on earth? Why? 2. Why do people “lie” in love relationships? 3. Text analysis: “Sometimes it’s better to never ask ‘why’.”  Do you agree with the statement? Why? 4. Text analysis: “Funny how the heart can be deceiving more than just a couple times.”  What is the meaning of the sentence? 5. When is falling in love not right? 6. What is the song referring to when it says that we are out there doing what we’re doing and just getting by? 7. What should a person do when he/she discovers that the other in the relationship is lying? 8. The meditation gives some examples of things not going well in people’s lives. What example in the world today is most indicative that things are not going right? What can be done about it? Is there anything you can do about it? Yes or no and why? 9. Why will some people not want to make the effort to try to get out of a bad situation? 10. When is it clear that a person is feeling sorry for him/herself? 11. What is the best way to help a person get away from negative feelings? 12. Why should a Christian agree with the meditation’s final statement: “We will always have a good future if we try”? 13. What does the song “Try” teach young people?