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February 2
[media presentation below] XXX GospelThink Sunday, February 2, The Presentation of the Lord LUKE 2:22-40 The story of the close of my early life with the predictions of Simeon and Anna. Prayerthoughts a. Mary and Joseph tried to follow the law for Jewish people as best they could. Do I follow the law of the Church as I try to live my life as a Christian? b. The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon. Do I recognize that the Holy Spirit is at work in my life? In what way do I sense the Spirit at work in me? c. Death is, of course, a necessary part of our living. Have I accepted death as a true part of my living, welcoming it and praying for a good death? d. Simeon recognized that Jesus was the source of his salvation. How can I show better my appreciation for the redemption that Jesus has gained for me? e. Simeon tells Mary that there will be difficult times in her life. What are the principal difficulties that have happened in my life, and what can I learn from them? f. Anna was a true “Church person.” Have I done my best to help out in my parish? g. Luke says simply of Jesus’ early life that he grew and became strong. How well do I treat the children that I come into contact with? h. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will read Hebrews, chapter 2, and write an important thought from it.
Some Thoughts on Today's Liturgy: WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT + An important part of devout Hebrew religious practice at the time of Jesus was the purification of the mother after the birth of a male child - according to Mosaic law in the book of Leviticus, the mother of a boy was for forty days unable to touch anything sacred or enter the temple area - at the end of this period, the law said that she was to offer a year-old lamb as a burnt offering and a turtledove or young pigeon as an expiation for sin - the person who could not afford a year-old lamb could offer two turtledoves or two pigeons as Mary and Joseph did here + Luke’s principal reason for mentioning what the law required was Simeon and Anna’s message - namely, the fact that Simeon and Anna said that they had seen the person who would give salvation, they had seen the savior promised into the world - they had seen what was important in this life, and now they could leave this world because they were ready for the next + That’s an important thought for spiritual development, I believe - once Simeon and Anna had experienced what they considered important in this life, there was no need to worry about this life anymore: they were ready for the next one - it brings up the whole question of what is really important in this life - and in particular, for anyone interested in the spiritual life, what can Simeon and Anna teach us about what we should consider important in this life? + That is a good question to spend some time on—what are the two or three most important things that you should do in your spiritual life here on earth - and once you determine them, to write them down, and refer to them often, changing them, adapting them - and keep them in front of you or with you - there is evidence that a person who does this will be able to accomplish what he/she really wants in life + What is really important in this life? - Simeon and Anna were able to find it, and then once they accomplished what they were looking for, they could leave - we are in the process of finding that spiritual life and living it as best as we can.

MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: "Skyscraper" -- beginning session THE VILLAIN, MONEY

LUKE 16:10-13

Jesus said: “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

Gospelthink: I want you to know this well: you cannot serve God and material things at the same time. Obviously, I should look at the way I think of material things like money.

The movie "Skyscraper" in many ways is another "fantasy/real life" movie that has as its foundation the love of money. It has been said that the cause of most evil in the world is adoration of wealth. Zhao Long set out to build the highest building in the world which he called the Pearl. But in order to build it, he needed a labor force that was extensive. Organized crime controlled the labor force and demanded of Zhao that he pay exorbitant amounts of money to the syndicates in order to secure the labor. Zhao very cleverly arranged that he would be able to get his money back. The crime syndicates directed Kores Botha and his evil team to convince Zhao to give them the secret for the arrangement which Zhao had on a special computer disk. In order to obtain it, Botha set the skyscraper on fire.

The word "mammon" is a word in Aramaic which means "wealth or property." Jesus used the word in one of the most quoted texts from the Gospels. It is a text not to be taken lightly, but too many people have, especially by people in countries in which money is plentiful. Where wealth is involved, Jesus must have known how it could cloud our reasoning. He makes it clear then that if money or wealth is a guide to living, it will dominate one's thinking.

It seems to be true throughout all of history. Jesus knew it in the first century, and in the twenty-first century it is clear in almost all of the movies involving a villain and a "good guy." The movie "Skyscraper" is a good example. The movie shows off the skills of the lead actor, but the plot is one that Jesus knew early on.

Jesus had such a difficult time with wealth because of the sickness it caused for the people who possessed it. He could easily sense that the people who had given themselves to wealth lost control of themselves. The wealthy often became very selfish in their approach to life, making them forget about the plight of others.

People of our world today sometimes have the same desires that Jesus knew so well. We allow money to be a master. We must listen to the Lord speak about choosing only one master, either mammon or God, allowing his words to be a guide for living. When we do, we may not have all the money that we could have, but our lives will be so much the better.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son spoke of wealth and how it became a guide for some people of his time. Help us understand that the same could happen to us, giving into the sickness of too much wealth. Be with us we pray.

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GUIDELINES FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: The most common reason for evil in this world is love of money.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 52 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you?
2. Who are the "masters" that our world serves most?
3. What exactly does it mean to make "money" a "master?
4. Many Christian commentators criticize our "first world" as paying no or little attention to Jesus' directive here. In your opinion, do the people of North America try to follow this directive of Jesus? Yes or no and why?
5. Give some examples from the history of the real world in which the pursuit of wealth ruined kingdoms.
6. In what ways is "love of money" like a "sickness"?
7. In what ways does a person who loves money too much "lose control"?
8. In your opinion, are the wealthy concerned about "the poor"?
9. Some people accuse "the Church" of being too rich and not paying attention to the poor. Do you agree with such a criticism? Yes or no and why?