december4

December 4

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Thursday, December 4, Advent I

MATTHEW 7:21,24-27
The Scriptures are the foundation of your life.

Prayerthoughts
a. Do I look at myself as “wise and learned” or “childlike”?

b. Do I truly “listen” to ALL the words of Jesus?

c. Are my actions fundamentally following the mind of Jesus? How can I make them more so?

d. Thinking of the story of Jesus, give an example of something that is built solidly on rock.

e. Thinking of the story of Jesus, give an example of something that is built on sand.

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Isaiah, chapter 26:1-6 and write
an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

HEARING THE WORD OF GOD

+ The Gospel easily lends itself to a deeply spiritual philosophical question:

- what kind of a foundation are we building our lives on—rock or sand

- and the way to find the answer is to ask ourselves: how are we hearing the words of Jesus?

- Matthew has Jesus summarize his whole moral code in the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5-7 of his Gospel

- here at the end of the Sermon, he says that if we hear those words and put them into practice, we have built the solid foundation and we can await the Kingdom

+ We can hear Jesus’ words in a couple ways

- in general, there might be three ways that we hear the Lord’s words:

1 – we hear, but we do not follow through

- this is a sinful position

- because people hear and know the word of God and they know what direction they should be going, but they simply don’t

2 – the opposite extreme: the category where we hear and follow through perfectly

- never totally attainable on earth with a few exceptions because we are human beings

- a person who hears and follows through completely, who trusts in the Lord forever (first reading)

3 – but by far the majority of people in our world would be in a middle position, one where most of us find ourselves

- it is the category in which we hear, and follow through only partially

- it is a hopeful category because the chances are good that we will be able to improve

- the important part of this category is that we keep trying and never give up

- the spiritual life is not an easy life to form

- it takes real effort, and we have to really want to achieve it—it means wanting to do that day after day after day.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

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

The Gospel

John 1:1-5,10-14

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?