December 16

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, December 16, Advent III

MATTHEW 21:28-32

Change

Prayerthoughts

a. There are times in my life when I have said that I would not do something, changed my mind, and finally did it. Concentrate on some such time.

b. Likewise there are times in my life when I have said that I would do something, changed my mind, and never did it. Concentrate on some such time.

c. Obviously the religious leaders in Jesus’s time were saying that they were doing what spiritual people should do, but were not doing it. I have said that I have put on the faith of Jesus in my life. In what areas am I lacking?

d. Jesus is very strong in his language against the religious leaders (as he always is). I may not be in the same situation as they, but I must carefully review what I have said as I try to imitate the Lord, and check on how well I have carried through.

e. As I study my life, what should I change for the better?

f. My prayerthoughts….

Today, I will read Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE CALL TO CHANGE

+ Jesus wanted to bring about change for the chief priests and elders of the people

- and, in order to do it, he told them a story, making them the characters of the story

- he told them: suppose you said to God, yes, I’ll go out and work in the vineyard, and never went, did you do what God wanted?

- right there they should have realized and said, “Look what we are doing, we’d better change”

- but it wasn’t—Jesus told them the story, and it did nothing

+ One of our problems—that is, those of us who come to Church and hear the Scriptures, those of us who are “into” Church, is that sometimes we don’t think the Scriptures apply to us

- we should come up with the point of Jesus’ story—that we have said “yes” to him, but perhaps we’re not doing enough

- the chances are pretty strong that many Christian people could be in that category

- they should be recognizing the need to change, but there are many excuses why they’re not doing anything…

- you know, we don’t have enough time

- we’re not sure it will do any good

- I’ve been hurt too much in the past

- no one has helped me when I needed it

- I’ve done enough already

- I’ve got more important things to do

- whatever….

+ The question of every church service and every reflection on the Sacred Scriptures, should be:

- what are the ways that we can change so as to promote this Christian way a little better

- and the bottom-line answer, I believe, has to do with individual attitudes

- individual study of what we are all about, and whether we ourselves have to change in some behavior

+ The prophet Zephaniah speaks for the Lord, and says that he will change and purify the lips of the peoples that they all may call upon the name of the Lord

- we have to face it—as does any sinner—

- we need to change and purify ourselves as much as anyone.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Leave No Trace" -- final session
KINDNESS MAY BE A CURE

The Gospel 5

JOHN 5:5-9a

One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been ill for a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be well?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; while I am on my way, someone else gets down there before me.” Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your mat and walk.” Immediately the man became well, took up his mat, and walked.

Gospelthink: I searched out the man who was ill. Do I trust that the Lord will be with me when I have difficulties?

PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) is defined by The American Psychiatric Association to be a "mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions or other threats on a person's life." For Will in the movie "Leave No Trace" it was warfare. He came home with very little hope of living a normal life. He chose to be homeless and withdrawn from society. Even when very good people tried to help him, he deliberately would not respond to them. What complicated matters for him was the fact that his teenage daughter Tom had no one who could care for her except him. He loved her and at the same time understood that it was not totally favorable to his daughter. She tried to help him also, but he resisted every attempt to help him. The point must be made that he could have responded to the help, but it was much too difficult to face what he had become.

The blind and disabled in Jerusalem where Jesus was ministering knew about the Sheep Pool. They believed that when the waters bubbled up, it was an angel of the Lord who was present, and the first one to get into the pool would be healed of whatever sickness they had. Most could never reach the Pool in time when the waters were stirred, and so they were doomed to lie in the place forever with no one caring for them. Jesus, always aware of those who were most in need, knew about the Pool as well. And so, in time, he came to the Pool to help and care for the ones who needed it. Without being asked, John the evangelist records that Jesus went directly to a man in need.

Why did Jesus choose that particular man? Were there others there that needed his healing touch? The evangelist chooses not to answer those questions. He simply makes it obvious that Jesus knew what that man needed. The man wanted to be healed, but perhaps more than anything, the man needed someone who cared for him, and would take the time to help him. Jesus was open to the man and took care of his illness.

In the movie "Leave No Trace," Will had PTSD with very little hope for a cure, mainly because he was incapable of asking for it. The point must be made that he could have been cured. It may have taken time and his own effort, but he could have been healed. Just as the person who had been ill for a long time in John's Gospel, the grace of the Lord was present in such a way, that he could have been made free of his ailment.

But it would take time, a lot of time. Will was not able to accomplish that in his understanding of things. Perhaps the lesson to learn here is that we are all called to help people who seem to have given up. In the movie, Tom was not able to bring it about, but she kept trying. The movie closes with that thought in mind.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, there are many people who will never be cured here on this earth. We will run into them from time to time. Give us the grace to truly love them and care for them in whatever way we can. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDELINES FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: People with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and other serious illnesses can be treated with kindness.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 51 minutes)
1. What scene during this session Is most striking to you and why?
2. What does the movie “Leave No Trace" teach young people today?
3. Why is it so difficult to treat anyone with PTSD?
4. In your opinion, could young people help their parents who have something like PTSD?
5. From what you know, what is the best way to treat PTSD?
6. Every one who is seriously ill can be treated with kindness. In what areas of sickness in our world in particular can young people help with their kindness?