December 28

    [media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, December 28, The Holy Innocents

MATTHEW 2:13-18
The evil of a deranged human being is shown here in Herod.

Prayerthoughts
a. Again God speaks to Joseph in a dream. Do I allow the dreams that I have to “speak” to me about my life, and adjust my life for the better?

b. It was a difficult journey that the holy Family made. Am I facing the difficulties of my life the way that the Lord wants me to?

c. The evangelist Matthew recalls Scripture to explain an action. Do I pay enough attention to the Scripture which I read or hear?

d. Herod was an evil man who did evil things. There is evil in the world. Do I pray for those who commit the evil, asking the Lord to continue giving them the grace to understand their evil? Do I look at the evils around me and do what I can? (This is the task of the meditation.)

e. People around me often experience great sorrow. Do I try to help them in any way I can?

f. My prayerthoughts… 
 

Today, I will list the evils of this world, and determine whether there is anything I can do about them other than pray for the perpetrators.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy
 

IF WE WALK IN THE LIGHT…

  + Today is the feast of the first martyrs of the Church even before Stephen even though they didn’t know it
         - dying in the place of Jesus, as explained by Matthew’s Gospel
         - and we have begun the first letter of John in the first reading of the daily readings
                  - one of the themes that is constant in John’s Gospel and the letters is the one of contrast between light and darkness
                           - it is presented immediately here at the beginning of the first letter: “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.”
 
+ As one studies the story of the flight into Egypt and the killing of the children, one can see that contrast of light and darkness worked out
         - the darkness, of course, would be Herod and what he did
         - the light would be that the hand of God was at work even as evil took place, and evil did not overcome the light
 
+ As we think about the distinction of what is dark and what is light, the letter of John gives an interesting “if” statement that could lead to good spiritual meditation today:
         “If we walk in the light…”
                  - if we walk in the light of Jesus, what does that mean?
                           - the letter says directly that such a person will have fellowship with God and one another
 
+ Also, if we walk in the light of Jesus… -- we will acknowledge our sins
         - that is a clear statement of 1 John today also:
         “If we say, ‘We have not sinned,’ we make [God] a liar, and his word is not in us.”
                  - once again the Scriptures remind us of the fact of sin in our world and in ourselves
 
+ And from the Gospel: if we walk in the light of Jesus… -- God will direct our lives as God directed Joseph,
         - that guidance will take place in good times and in bad times
 
+ As we work with the idea of light and darkness,
         - we can rejoice with the light that Jesus sends us through the Holy Spirit so that no matter how dark it is, Jesus and His Spirit are at work in our lives.



 

 

 

 

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Ordinary Angels" -- beginning session

OUR CALLING



 

The Gospel

MATTHEW 10:5-8

MATTHEW 10:5-8

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

Gospelthink:  As he sent his apostles to help with His call, so in a sense, he sends us who are baptized to continue His work.

Sharon Stevens had the disease of alcoholism. Like many who suffered from the disease, she was able to lead an average life most of the time.  And she was a caring person.  She had a successful business as an owner of a hair salon, but she found herself looking to help others. She saw in the paper the story of five-year-old Michelle Schmitt who had just lost her mother and needed a liver transplant.  Sharon became immediately responsive to her need. She introduced herself to the family at the funeral and began an incredible time of service to Ed, the child’s father, and to his family.  She conducted money-making projects, helped Ed manage his finances better, motivated Ed to find another job, begged the hospital to forgive the immense debt and in general improved the little girl’s chances of receiving the transplant.  At the same time she tried to reestablish his connection to her own son. Eventually, however, the alcoholism took over her life, and Ed finally had to ask her to leave his family alone.

Jesus chose from the poor of his world those who would be his Apostles and the leaders of the Church which was to form after Jesus left.  One can say as a result then that his first followers had their own problems.  And further, the one who was the leader totally denied that he knew him at one time; they fought about who was more important than the others; another was His betrayer and the immediate reason why he was executed.  Yet, he used them. And gave them power to cure the sick, raise people from the dead, and cleanse lepers, even to control evil spirits.  They were flawed human beings, but they did amazing things. 

In the movie “Ordinary Angels,” Sharon Stevens was a flawed human being. She had a disease that was to eventually completely take over her life—alcoholism. But even with that major fault, she cared about others. And in particular, she learned to care about one little girl to su3ch a degree that it is no exaggeration that the little girl could have life because of Sharon.  A study of her life would probably reveal that she was helping Michelle Schmitt simply because she needed to help herself and was “hiding,” but there is little doubt that she truly cared for the little girl.  

There is a tremendous and important lesson there.  We are all flawed human beings in one way or another.  We may not be the victim of alcoholism or some other completely enveloping disease, but we are flawed in some way. By the very fact that we are human, there will be “problems” that obsess us, and we need the opportunity to honestly see ourselves. 

It is true to say, however, that just as the Lord chose flawed apostles, just as he chose an alcoholic to save another’s life, he also chooses us.  If we are Christians, that is, followers of Jesus, we are all called to minister to the world in which we live.  There is someone right now in our life who can benefit from something that I can do.  It might  be very small—like giving a compliment; or something quite big—like leading a community to do the right thing.  But it is our calling. 

The Lord calls us, no matter how flawed we are, to do his work!

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You are well aware that the world in which we live needs Your help.  And you will give us that help by using us to bring it about.  Help us be more aware of the people in our lives including ourselves who could have a better living because of the help that you and I can give them. Be with us, we pray.

 

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: People who willingly help others often have their own personal problems.
 
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 55 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking? Why?


2. In your opinion, why did Jesus choose ordinary people of his time instead of religious leaders to announce his Kingdom and future Gospel?

3. How can we best treat the disease of alcoholism?

4. Do most people in our world take the time to study what their “flaws” are? Yes or no and why?

5. What is the greatest need in our society right now, and can “normal” human beings like me do anything about it?

Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America