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December 17

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, December 17, Special Advent

MATTHEW 1:1-17
The Genealogy of Jesus

Prayerthoughts

a. Matthew’s Gospel traces the genealogy of Jesus’s spiritual ancestors beginning with Abraham. As I think of my own spiritual history, who were the most influential people in my life and why?

b. In the genealogy, David the king is singled out. David was a sinner, but still an important figure in Jesus’s past. Have I asked for forgiveness for sins enough in my life?

c. The earthly parents of Jesus are singled out, of course. As I think of my own parents and grandparents, no matter whether they were good or not so good, I should ask the Lord to reward them for their concern for me.

d. In general, there is a pattern to how I interact with my family members. Am I interacting with them in a truly Christian way? Yes or no and why?

e. What can I do better now in the different families where I live and work?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Genesis 49:2,8-10 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

CHRISTIAN FAMILY PATTERNS

+ The readings today reflect the importance of ancestry, and how people are brought up

- book of Genesis: Jacob and all of his sons had come down to Egypt during the famine, and the interesting story of Joseph and his brothers

- before he died, Jacob called all of his sons around him

- and told them what was to happen in years to come, addressing each of them: Judah in particular (1^st) because from his line was to come Jesus

- Matthew begins his Gospel with Jesus’ genealogy, beginning with Abraham and Jacob

+ One of the important things in our lives is our family and our backgrounds

- during this Advent season, the Church says to us that we can trace all of our spiritual histories back to Jesus Christ

+ Our own ancestries and our own family backgrounds are all different

- in everyone of our family units

- there is a particular set of circumstances which only we know—and you really can’t explain to anyone else

- all of that sets up a sort of pattern to our living that we have more or less, adopted in our lives

- that pattern is the thing that literally shapes our futures

- and therefore is immensely important

+ So, one of the questions of the spiritual life must be: what kind of pattern has been formed in our own lives, and now as we think in a spiritual way, our spiritual patterns of living

- and the important fact for spirituality is that those patterns can be changed for the better if we want

+ We need to make Christian patterns real in our lives

- and allow the family pattern of Catholic Christianity to dictate what our lives should be now

- basically that involves the thinking and acting as Jesus wants us to—studying his life style and making it our own.

The Gospel

MARK 12:28-31

One of the scribes, when he came forward and heard them disputing and saw how well [Jesus] had answered them, asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Gospelthink: I give you the two commandments upon which the Kingdom is built. In what ways can I observe these commandments better than I am?

Perhaps the key scene in the movie "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2," is the scene of Harry's death. Harry realized that one of the Horcruxes of Voldemort is actually in his person, and that in order to kill Voldemort, he had to die himself. In the fantasy world in which he lived, however, Harry does not die, but goes to a "heaven-like" place to be taught once again by his old professor-friend Albus Dumbledore. While there, Harry learns that he has a choice of remaining forever in "heaven" or he can return to complete his task, now that the Horcrux of Voldemort inside of him has died. Dumbledore directs his decision with a statement that can be a guide for living on earth. He says, "Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living and above all, those who live without love."

The evidence in the Scriptures is overwhelming that love of God and one another is the primary virtue of the Christian. It is not only clear from the Gospels, but it is evident in other Scripture passages as well. Perhaps the most beautiful description of it is from St. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians:

If I speak in human and angelic tongues
but do not have love,
I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy
and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;
if I have all faith so as to move mountains
but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I give away everything I own,
and if I hand my body over so that I may boast
but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient,
love is kind.
It is not jealous,
love is not pompous,
it is not inflated,
it is not rude,
it does not seek its own interests,
it is not quick-tempered,
it does not brood over injury,
it does not rejoice over wrongdoing
but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things,
believes all things,
hopes all things,
endures all things.
Love never fails.
(1 Corinthians 13:1-8)

Harry Potter chose to pity those who were living and were at the same time without love. He chose to come back from the eternal bliss that he had earned for himself because he knew that love did not have a chance in the world with Voldemort present in it.

Harry's guiding thought was that if love is present in the world, there is still a chance for life. It should be our guiding thought as well.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son gave us the doctrine of love--love of you and love of each other. We see it enacted in the example of people of fantasy and the real people that live in our world. Give us the grace to be people of love. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Do not pity the dead. Pity the living and above all, those who live without love. (Professor Albus Dumbledore)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 80 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. In the Gospel, Jesus makes the first of all commandments a dual commandment of love of God and love of neighbor. In your opinion, have Christians completely accepted this commandment? Yes or no and why?
3. Jesus practiced what he taught. Give some examples of how people are living this commandment today.
4. Jesus's doctrine of love can change the world. Where in our world do we need this doctrine the most?
5. Suggestion: read the 1 Corinthians reading very slowly as a beginning meditation to a class.
6. The meditation makes the statement that if love is present in the world, "life" has a chance. What is the meaning?
7. Scene analysis: Voldemort kills the goblins. In your opinion, does such violence have any effect on the young people who are watching?
8. Scene analysis: Harry confronts Professor Snape without knowing the real story. We often act without knowing the facts. What is the best way to discover the truth before we act?
9. Scene analysis: Ron and Hermione kiss. What are some prerequisites that young love will last forever?
10. Scene analysis: Harry, Ron and Hermione save Malfoy and his friend, a truly Christian act since Jesus told us to love our enemies. Do most Christians believe this? Yes or no and why?
11. Scene analysis: Voldemort kills Snape, and Harry "comforts" him. Even though Harry still does not know the truth about Snape, he would have helped him if he could have. Do you see such examples of love of others in our world? Yes or no and why?