TGIMMinception1

February 17

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Monday, February 17

MARK 8:11-13

I was very upset with the people who refused to understand me.

Prayerthoughts
a. In our prayer do we tend to “argue” with the Lord as the Pharisees did? We tend to want our way, and are not content to allow the Lord to act according to His Will.

b. Jesus had just performed a miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish. The Pharisees probably knew of this, but they still demanded a “sign.” Thinking of my relationship with others, am I deliberately not trying to see things as they see them?

c. Jesus is completely exasperated with the Pharisees because they would not remain open with regard to his intentions. Do I honestly try to understand the point of view that someone else has?

d. Jesus says that no sign will be given because they are not open to see it. Do I recognize enough the signs of God in the world around me?

e. Jesus did not “argue” with the Pharisees. He simply left the situation. Do I tend to defend my position with others while not allowing them the courtesy to have their opinion?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will be especially kind to someone whom I see often.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

YOU CAN BE SIN’S MASTER

+ The third major story of Genesis 1-11 is the Cain and Abel story (creation, first sin, Cain and Abel, Noah, Babel)

- its religious truth is that fallen human nature is going to sin

- here, the reason for the sin is jealousy which is significant in itself: first sin: disobedience; second sin: murder because of jealousy

- but what is most significant is the statement by the author of Genesis: “[the demon’s] urge is toward you, yet you can be his master.”

- that is, sin can be stopped

- even though we have a weakened human nature, we can control the desire of the human heart to sin

- but the problem is that we often do not want to stop it; as Cain refused to stop it—because we want what we want

+ The frustration that Jesus had with the Pharisees was along the same lines

- they refused to see the problem with themselves

- they could have stopped their sin if they wanted, but they refused to see the sin

- and so, with a sigh from the depths of his spirit, Jesus could work no sign that would lead to conversion

+ The readings say to us that we can stop any evil in our lives if we want to: “you can be his master”

- there is probably not much serious evil in our spiritual lives

- but any person attempting to live a spiritual life as you and I are, can see that there are “small” evils

- the fact of jealousy in our lives, what caused the “second” sin in Genesis

- the way we talk with/about others

- laziness in spiritual reading and other exercises

- refusal to do small things that would help others

- judging others / reading other’s minds, assigning motivation to them when it may or may not be true

- passive aggressive behavior, that is, where we sulk or refuse to talk to someone because we think that we have been slighted for one reason or another

+ Evil—our human natures tend to bring it about

- but the message of Scripture from the very first moment of our existence—we can master it

- our job is to determine the evil that our natural desires lead us to, and then master it—stop it either before it has started, or if it has begun already, to stop it

- and the joyous message of the Scripture: we can do it!

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Inception" -- beginning session

PLANTING THE SEED

The Gospel

MATTHEW 13:3-9

[Jesus said:] "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched, and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear."

Gospelthink: I tell you the story of the sower which tells you how you listen to the word of God. How well am I listening to the word of God every day?

The clever movie "Inception" is about stealing secrets from a person's subconscious. The first session sets the scene for the most difficult of all trips to the subconscious. Dom Cobb is skilled as an extractor, a man capable of going into the subconscious of someone placed in a dream state and stealing secrets that only the subject knows. The skill has caught up with him, however, since he is both accused by his country of murder and sought by his former employer for not completing a task. Mr. Saito, a billionaire because of his corporate holdings, realizing Cobb's plight and skills, hires him to do a task that few could do. In fact, Cobb would never attempt it, were it not for his desire to return to America and see his children again, something that Saito had promised him. The task is that of "inception," explained by Cobb this way: "The seed that we plant in this man's mind will grow into an idea. This idea will define him. It may come to change everything about him." It is an act that is near impossible because "true inspiration is impossible to fake," as Cobb's friend and co-worker Arthur observes.

A Christian studying the art of "inception" as explained in the movie "Inception" can easily see the similarity to accepting the concepts of what Jesus taught. Jesus called what he taught to be seed sown in the minds of people. If his doctrine was to take hold, that is, produce fruit a hundredfold, the person must accept the seed completely, choosing to let it take over his mind and thought in spite of the obstacles in life. If they did, as with "inception," the idea would then define such a person, changing everything in that person's life.

As with the process of "inception," the thought that originated with Jesus must now be the Christian's free choice. Christians cannot truly accept it if they are coerced or threatened. Even if we believe that Jesus is God as we do, and understand that his word is truly divine, it means nothing to us personally unless we accept it freely as our own thought. We cannot say that our parents or our teachers or those in charge of us are the responsible parties. We truly accept it. It is our choice: we know full well what we are doing.

And it is impossible to fake. We cannot just say that we accept it because everyone around us is saying it. We cannot act like it is real to us, deceiving people into believing that we have chosen something that is shaping our lives. Jesus' doctrine cannot simply be a name that we attach to ourselves--"Christian"--as we would write a description on an application form. If it is true inspiration, as with "inception," it must become so real that every moment of every day is affected by it. We wake up every day with it in mind; we live throughout the day with it as a guide; and we sleep at night under its direction. Most of all, we die with the thought in our minds.

Have Christians accomplished the art of "inception" of Jesus' doctrine completely? Obviously, some of us have not in Jesus' mind, since he outlined three of four cases in which people fail to truly allow the seed to grow. Our task as Christians is to be in Jesus' fourth category, becoming rich soil for his word, truly accepting everything that Jesus stands for.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son gave us your words and thoughts as guides to our living here on earth. Give us the grace to freely choose to accept his direction, thus making ourselves to be good soil and allowing his words-- to have a true hold on our lives. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Christianity is the seed that is voluntarily implanted in our minds in order to change our lives for the better.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 66 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. The point has been made that every Christian has been in all four categories of the Gospel in their individual lives. How is this a true statement?
3. Project: The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 101-133 contains an excellent summary of Catholic teaching about Sacred Scripture. The presenter may want to outline some portions of the doctrine for presentation.
4. The meditation makes the point that "inception" can be compared to "accepting the doctrine of Jesus." In what ways is it a good comparison? What are some drawbacks to the comparison?
5. Young people are often "forced" into accepting Christian doctrine. When is the best time for young people to be given the choice to accept Christianity or not?
6. The movie is obviously fantasy. Do you feel that "something like" extraction or inception can take place in human beings? Yes or no and why?
7. Dialogue analysis: Eames remarks that if you are going to achieve "inception," you start with the basics. As we compare "inception" to Christianity, what are the basics of Christianity?
8. Scene analysis: Robert's father is mean in his illness. The remark is often made that people die as they live. Do you think that being "mean" at death means that they were "mean" in real life? Yes or no and why?
9. Analysis: Cobb must convince the police that he did not kill Mal. Given your knowledge of the situation, what would he have to do in order to accomplish his desire?
10. Dialogue analysis: "These are not just dreams, they are memories." In your opinion in real life, what is the difference between a "dream" and a "memory"?
11. Dialogue analysis: Ariadne tells Cobb that he must share his problem about Mal coming into his dreams with the other team members because it is a danger. Do you believe that people can have "dangerous" dreams? Yes or no and why?