August 30

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, August 30

MATTHEW 25:14-30

Spiritual Gifts

Prayerthoughts

a. The man going on the journey is God who has given me spiritual “talents” or certain spiritual abilities that I can develop, according to my own capabilities. Those spiritual abilities deal with the spiritual things in my life such as prayer, spiritual reading, different devotions, spiritual retreats, spiritual workbooks, attendance at Mass, etc.

b. The man who had the most spiritual talents immediately developed more, building on what he had been given. Which spiritual talent should I develop more in my spiritual life?

c. God has given me a long time—my life so far—and he will come to me at the end of it to settle accounts. How would I rate my development of the spiritual talents I have been given so far?

d. The one who did not make use of the talents he was given received no reward, in fact, some “punishment.” Should Jesus’s story not move me to make a better use of the talents I have been given?

e. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11 and write an important thought from it.

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Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

USING OUR TALENTS

+ Today’s Gospel is one of Jesus’s classic stories about using what we have, trying to do better with what we have been given, and also not using what we have

- its original meaning had to do with talents as money, but our English word of talent carries the idea of “gift” or “ability”

- there are some very good points to note in the story:

+ When we are given some talents, some abilities, we are meant to develop them, and do the best we can with what we have

- secondly, we are not all given the same—some of us receive five, some, two, some, one, but we all are given something

- we all can do something if we want to

- thirdly, doing nothing with what we have is condemned

- and, it is a rather strong condemnation for those who do not use their talents well

- in Biblical language, the person is sent to hell:

…to the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

- isn’t that interesting—no question of doing anything wrong except not using the talents one is given,

- and the person is sent to eternal death

+ Jesus’s story can be applied in the professional circle or the spiritual circle

- professionally, people must develop the abilities they have

- but, the obvious application to us as we gather for praise of God is the motivation that we should have toward the spiritual in our lives

- why aren’t we motivated properly in spiritual matters?

+ There are probably many reasons why we aren’t motivated in spiritual matters

- most of the time, it has to do with plain old laziness

- Paul writing to the Thessalonians is pleased with their spiritual endeavors, here especially their charity toward one another

- but he says: don’t allow “laziness” to enter into it

- we urge you, he says, to progress even more

+ We can be truly spiritual people, holy people—if we use the spiritual gifts that we have been given.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Solo: A Star Wars Story" -- final session

THE WRONG SIDE OF GOOD

The Gospel

LUKE 2:8-14

Now there were shepherds in that region living in the field and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

Gospelthink: I came into your world as a ordinary person in poverty. Have I truly shown that Jesus is part of my life?

Three years after Han Solo was separated from his girlfriend Qi'ra, Han was fighting with the Imperial forces, but after some insubordination, was thrown into a prison with the Wookie Chewbacca. They worked together and eventually joined an outlaw gang who was trying to steal some coaxiom on behalf of Dryden Vos, leader of a crime syndicate. Han discovered that Qi'ra was one of Vos' coworkers. The gang along with Han, Chewbacca and Qi'ra (with Vos' blessing) traveled to the planet Kessel on a ship from a smuggler Lando Calrissian who joined them. Their intention was to find more coaxiom. After a battle on Kessel, the group head back to Dryden Vos, and Qi'ra betrayed Vos. Qi'ra reported to her real director Darth Maul who gives Qi'ra Vos' former position. Meanwhile, Han won the space ship Falcon from Calrissian while giving the coaxiom they had obtained to freedom fighters, saying that they had to go in search of a gang leader by the name of Jabba the Hutt.

Around Jerusalem, in Jesus's days, there were many plains, abandoned and uncultured tracts of land that were good for nothing except pasturing sheep. Shepherds in particular were interesting people. Since Jesus compared himself to one, we have become accustomed to considering them to be gentle, understanding, and kind people. Actually as we have begun to discover more about Jesus’s times, most shepherds were just the opposite. They were dirty, smelly, and ignorant individuals who did not respect the rules of religion; in fact, most of them did not appreciate religion at all. Some of them were thieves; most of them were tough characters who were not afraid to use their shepherd staffs as weapons. But when asked to be the first adorers of the Baby Jesus, even though remaining tough characters, they did what was considered to be good.

The lesson that we can learn is that even those who are on the wrong side of good, as most of the shepherds were, can work for good if we choose. With the advent of the Star Wars stories, Han Solo has always had the image of a good person with some rogue qualities about him. As a person, he seemed to always have been on the wrong side of what was right. But in the end, he chose what was good as a guide to his life. So, we know that even when he and Chewbacca went off to find the outlaw Jabba the Hutt of Star Wars fame, he eventually chose to join forces with the good people who were fighting for freedom in the galaxy.

Can a person change for the better? It is a good question that we should ask ourselves. Most of us recognize that we are not as good as we can be. And so, it is important that we recognize at the same time that we can become better. Even people who have done horrible evil can look at themselves and recognize that they must improve, at least a little. But the operating word is "can." Evil people can recognize that they are doing things that are harmful to our world.

But they must pay attention to their actions first. What can they do in a better way? Do they even want to do things in a better way? The outlaw Han Solo became an important good player in the fantasy world that he dwelled in. The conclusion for us is that even if we cannot become totally good because of our human nature, we can accomplish good and even great things if we want.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, the shepherds who adored Your Son at His birth are a good lesson for us. They were people who learned to do something good as they adored the Lord of the Universe. May we be able to imitate them as we live our lives. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Even those who are on the wrong side of good can work for good if they choose.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 63 minutes)
1. What scene from this session of movie is most striking and why?
2. What does the movie "Solo" teach young people?
3. Considering the Gospel, the Lord's Incarnation is a truly important event that should have "changed the world." In your opinion, has it changed the world? Yes or no and why?
4. In general, why are there people in our world who set out to do evil things?
5. Think of some "tough characters" in life who do some good things. Who are some of them?
6. In general, what must a person do in order to change for the better?
7. Why do evil people not recognize that they are doing evil things?
8. What some good things that most everyone could do?