december4

December 4

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, December 4, Advent I

MATTHEW 15:29-37
I want you to show pity to others.

Prayerthoughts

a. The evangelist Matthew often has Jesus “go up the mountain,” a sign that Jesus is the new Moses and the great teacher. In what way in particular has Jesus been a “teacher” to me?

b. Jesus cured all that were brought to him. In what ways can I bring about a “cure” to those around me today?

c. They glorified the God of Israel. What is the best form of praise that I can offer God?

d. In particular, the Lord fed them, a symbol of what the Lord does for us in the Eucharist. Do I attend Mass and receive Communion as often as I should?

e. What is “satisfying” to me in my life? Does the presence of God make an impact on my life?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will write a prayer thanking God for some particular thing in my life.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

FOOD FOR LIFE

+ Both readings today have the idea of the Lord providing food for people in need
          - from Isaiah, the Lord promises that he will be a provider of food and a destroyer of death and reproach
          - in the Gospel, the Lord Jesus is moved with pity for the crowd
                     - and provides food for them, in fact, more than enough

+ The thought of the Lord providing food is an important thought in a person’s spiritual life
          - because of the obvious reference to the Eucharist which is contained in Matthew’s account here
                     - using many of the same words and phraseology as the Last Supper account
          - the Lord continues to provide food for us here in the Eucharist which is the central part of our worship
                     - perhaps a meditation then about the Eucharist is in order
                               - and as usual, our meditation should center around those who receive the Eucharist—you and me—and what it should do for us

+ That close relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist should lead us to a couple things:
          - 1 – it will lead us to destroy the negativism in our lives
                     - as Isaiah’s Lord destroyed death and took away reproach
                               - you and I as a result of the close relationship with Jesus should be becoming pleasant people who want to get rid of being negative
          - 2 – the close relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist ought to move us with pity for the people who need help
                     - offering money and our presence to programs that are actually helping people in need and in general, bringing ourselves to show compassion to people in need
          - 3 – the close relationship that comes from this Eucharist should move us to a greater involvement with the Lord in his life
                     - meditation, prayer, formal prayer, further spiritual reading that will bring more and more knowledge of the person we are so close to here in the Eucharist

+ As Catholics, we celebrate the fact that the Eucharist is of immense importance to us
          - and it ought to have a profound effect on us.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "The Young Messiah" -- final session
I AM TRULY ALIVE

The Gospel

JOHN 1:1-5, 10-14

John 1-5, 10-14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

Gospelthink: My "beginning" as God is given to you in the Gospel of John. I have accepted him, and is it evident by my actions?

In the movie "The Young Messiah," the seven-year old Jesus finally discovered who he was when his mother explained it to him, but even then, he was not able to understand it. After his mother told him about his origin, he began thinking in his own mind about what he had to do. His thoughts are a guide for anyone who is trying to be a Christian: "There is still so much that I don't know, but I do know this. I think I'm here just to be alive. To see it, hear it, feel it, all of it. Even when it hurts. Because, Father, I am your child."

The magnificent beginning of John's Gospel gives the poetic fact of Jesus' reason for existence. Jesus is the Word and is and always will be God. God made this world and everything in it, and not only that. God decided to send Himself--God, Jesus--to this world to show us the way to eternal life. Perhaps the most embarrassing statement of Scripture is John's opinion that "His own people did not accept him." But God came nonetheless, and showed us the way.

In the movie "The Young Messiah," Jesus is the God that had come to show the way for the human race. He was just like us in every way except sin. Consequently at the age of seven, because he was only seven, he did not completely understand the divinity that he possessed. But, as described in the movie, Jesus even at a young age, realized his calling. As he says, he had to be alive, truly alive--to see it, hear it, feel it, all of it, even when evil tried to interfere.

Such is the call of a Christian--to be truly alive. What it means is that we experience the wonderful life that God has given us, no matter what the circumstances that surround us. We are given this life with all it means. God has given us the technology that we have to advance our learning and our love of all. What a shame it is that so many have not understood what God has done for us.

The young Jesus said at the close of the movie, addressing his Father: "I am your child." It is a statement that each of us are privileged to make as well. We are alive, we are the children of God. We rejoice and live as best we can.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You have given us life, and have sent your Son to show us how to live and act. May we truly accept our life, and live it as best we can. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We are here to be alive for God.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(session: approximately 51 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. In what ways has the world truly accepted Jesus? In what ways has the world not accepted Jesus?
3. What are the most important directives of Jesus?
4. Dialogue analysis: The young Jesus asks the scribes: "How is the Lord a carpenter?" Answer the question as best you can.
5. Analysis: In your opinion, what do you think will happen to the Roman soldier Severus?
6. Dialogue analysis: The complete closing statement of Jesus in the movie is: "I've learned so much since leaving Egypt. I know everything I can for today. I even know I'm going to die. I used to wonder if angels would come to me, if they would sing to me, if they would fill my dreams. There is still so much that I don't know, but I do know this. I don't think I'm here to see angels or to hear them sing. And I don't think I'm here to make it rainy or sunny or anything like that. I think I'm here just to be alive. To see it, hear it, feel it, all of it. Even when it hurts. Someday you will tell me why else I'm here. I don't know when, but you will. I know that. Because, Father, I am your child."
The statement is excellent theology. What part of the statement is most impressive and why?
7. The meditation gives some thoughts about "being alive." What are some other thoughts that are important as we consider our lives?
8. What does the movie "The Young Messiah" teach young people?