April 6

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Monday, April 6, Easter Monday

MATTHEW 28:8-15

I appear to people telling them not to be afraid.

Prayerthoughts
a. The women were overjoyed and ran to the apostles. As I study my life, am I as “joyful” as I should be, given that I am redeemed by the Lord? Do I show it by a “happiness” in the way I live?

b. A common phrase that Jesus uses in the Gospels is “Do not be afraid” as he does here. What is most fearful to me and why?

c. The chief priests gave money to the soldiers to tell a lie. Do I try to cover up my mistakes or am I honest in admitting them? Do I consider myself a “truthful” person?

d. The chief priests promise that they will keep the soldiers out of trouble. Do I participate in “cover ups” by bringing others into the falsehood with me?

e. Have I taken part in covering up something that I know to be false for no reason other than my own selfishness?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2:1-35, and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

WITNESSES TO THE TRUTH

+ The Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus for one complete week, and it celebrates the hope that the Resurrection gives for another six weeks after this one

- during this week, every liturgy is like an Easter liturgy, each with its own little nuance

- today’s first reading is part of the activity of the early Christians after Jesus had risen from the dead

- in fact all of the Acts of the Apostles which we read during this time of the year reflects people who are true “witnesses” as this reading calls them

- the Gospel closes off Matthew’s primary statement about the Resurrection of Jesus, by refuting the story that everyone of the early Christians had heard—namely that his disciples stole the body of Jesus

+ Perhaps our thinking this morning should center around the idea of witnessing to the truth

- and think a little about both of those ideas: witnessing and witnessing to the truth

- the early Christians and we in our own time can be called witnesses of Jesus

- what it means, of course, is that we will speak on behalf of Jesus in whatever circumstance we find ourselves

- this really means something in adverse circumstances where to speak the name of Jesus, for example, would be death

- but we don’t live in those times usually

- our lives center more around the idea of reminding other people of what Jesus said

- it might mean things like

- not taking part in conversations which go against what Jesus said

- being pro-active in our circumstances to make sure the teachings of Jesus are upheld

- as simple a thing as reminding ourselves by a religious symbol where we work or in our home

- the early Christians were true witnesses, often witnessing by their deaths

+ And we are to witness to the truth

- Matthew points out that it was not the truth that the early Christians heard from the authority that Jesus’s body had been stolen

- I think you and I ought be very aware of the truth in our own worlds

- and be willing to speak it when necessary

+ Jesus’ Resurrection meant something fundamental for the early Christians

- because Jesus rose from the dead, their lives took on a whole different slant

- our lives ought to do the same.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Secretariat" -- beginning session

THE HELP WE NEED

The Gospel

LUKE 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

Gospelthink: Jesus had a lot of help from all the people who believed in him, men and women. Do I take the time to help the people that I can?

The movie "Secretariat" is the story of a horse, but it is the story of much more than a great animal. It is the story of the greatness of human beings who were able to discover the makings of a great racehorse. Penny Chenery Tweedy was a strong woman: she had given her life to building up a strong family, and when she suddenly became the owner of her father's horse farm, she saw the need to make the farm stronger than it was. She believed in herself (the subject of the final session of the meditation on the movie), but she knew that if she wanted to accomplish her goal, she needed more than that. She needed help. She chose a trainer, Lucien Laurin, a groom, Eddie Sweat, and a jockey, Ronnie Turcotte. And, of course, there was Secretariat himself, who was to become with the help of his human owners, the greatest racehorse in the history of the world.

The movie "Secretariat" begins with Penny Chenery Tweedy reciting a portion of chapter 39 of the book of Job from the Hebrew Scriptures that extols God's creation of a horse. "Do you give the horse his strength," God asks Job, "or clothe his neck with a flowing mane...He laughs at fear, afraid of nothing...he eats up the ground, he cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds." Arguably God created no greater racehorse than Secretariat, winner of the Triple Crown, something that few horses accomplish.

But it is clear from the Hebrew Scriptures that God gave control of the world to human beings. There may have been something special about Secretariat, but there was something even more special about the people connected with Secretariat's life. That "specialness" resided in their belief in each other as they worked with this gifted racehorse. Penny Chenery Tweedy knew that in order to accomplish what she wanted to accomplish with her horses, she needed the help of others. She quite literally could not do it alone. Likewise one trainer or one groom or one jockey by themselves cannot create the goal of a winning racehorse. It took a belief in people, and a belief that people were absolutely necessary to bring out the best in a racehorse.

The lesson is obvious for a believer in God. Since God created everything there is, we must have a love for animals and nature, but especially we must have a respect for the importance of other human beings in our lives. Simply put, we need people. We need people to help us grow, to help us continue to grow, to help us in our lives, to help us when we grow old, to help us when we die. The human Jesus realized that fact in his life. Luke records in his Gospel that he sought out the help of not only the famous Twelve Apostles, but many others who were not so famous.

One of the major truths of our Christian belief is that other people must be important. Jesus constantly reminds us of the love that we should have for others, even people that do not agree with us. Closely connected to such a belief is the fact that we are not self-sufficient. We need the help of other people, and the people who understand such a truth will understand themselves a little better.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son taught us the importance of other human beings in the way we were to live on this earth. Help us understand how much we need others, even as we see the importance of loving them. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: In order to accomplish our goals, we need the help of others.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 58 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. The good news that Jesus preached was the good news of our salvation. Given the fact that we believe that Jesus offers salvation to all, what is another example of "good news" that we most need to hear about in today's world?
3. This Gospel is the only place that women are mentioned specifically as part of Jesus' band of followers. Women may not have been important in Jesus' time, but Jesus treats them with the respect that men received. Do you think that there is a prejudice against women in our world? Yes or no and why?
4. If you were told to prepare people to receive Jesus, what would you stress most? Why?
5. Project: present the story of Job.
6. In your opinion, what animal is the smartest animal in our world? Why?
7. Project: present the story of Genesis 1 and 2, showing God's words concerning how human beings were placed in control. Some people comment that God's action was a "mistake." In what ways would people see it as a mistake?
8. In general, do most people accept the help of others willingly? Yes or no and why?
9. In general, do you think that most people have a sincere interest in helping our environment? Yes or no and why?
10. In your opinion, do most people desire to be self-sufficient? Yes or no and why?
11. One of the most difficult things to deal with in life is the death of a parent. How can you help a friend who has suffered the loss of a parent?
12. Likewise, one of the most difficult things to deal with in life is parents who are old and have dementia. In general, what should children do when their parents are no longer able to function by themselves?
13. Scene analysis: Penny decides to keep the farm, and stay there off and on, obviously setting up a "problem" with her being gone at home. Should she have sold the horse farm, as everyone wanted her to? Yes or no and why?
14. Scene analysis: Penny fires her trainer. When should an employee be asked to leave?
15. Scene analysis: Penny's young son is with Penny when Secretariat is born. Why is it good for children to see animals be born?
16. Scene analysis: one of the children listens.as Penny and Jack argue about Penny's involvement in the horse farm. Why are children hurt when the parents disagree?
17. Scene analysis: Penny laughs, and she says that she hasn't laughed for a long time. There is a lot of tension in people's lives. What is the best way to work with tension?
18. Scene analysis: Penny calls her daughter as she is acting. Obviously, Penny still wants to be a good mother even though she is away a lot. Do young people understand when their parents have to "do their own thing"? Yes or no and why?
19. Scene analysis: the reporter asks the question: "Is that horse posing?" Do you think that animals have the ability to sense what is happening? Yes or no and why?
20. Dialogue analysis: Penny makes the decision not to sell Secretariat saying "You never know how far you go unless you run." Explain the meaning of the statement.
21. Scene analysis: Penny, Seth and Ham only get "no's" to their request for breeding rites for Secretariat. There are always setbacks in any undertaking, but Penny shows her determination. Given the circumstances, would you have sold Secretariat? Yes or no and why?