TGIMMtrue2

January 19

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Sunday, January 19, Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

JOHN 2:1-11

Do Whatever (He tells you)

Prayerthoughts

a. One of the most important directives of the Gospels is given in this passage, namely, to do whatever Jesus tells me. What is Jesus’ particular message to me at this time of my life?

b. Obviously, the evangelist John is saying that Jesus’ actions are perfect, even to the point of making the best wine. As I try to follow the Lord, am I doing the best that I can at the present time?

c. Jesus revealed that he was someone very special. How has the Lord treated me in a “special” way over the years?

d. What are some signs that Jesus/God is part of the universe around me right now?

e. Jesus performs his miracle so that people will be able to enjoy life a little more. In my life, have I spent too much time on personal enjoyment?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will send a note to a married couple telling them that I am thinking of them in prayer.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

CHRISTIANIZING THE WORLD

+ If Jesus would have had some kind of “campaign manager”

- he would have wanted Jesus’ first sign to be something special

- something to give maximum exposure: like something affecting thousands of people

- but instead, his first sign as recorded by the Gospel of John, that is, the first sign that he was the Son of God

- was something that only a couple people realized

- and the only thing Jesus was interested in was concern for his mother and a couple of friends

+ I believe it shows the tremendous importance of what the Decree on the Laity of the Second Vatican Council calls “the temporal order”

- the temporal order means that which makes up the normal happenings of life: family, children, work, making money, celebrations, good times, fun, and so forth

- the spiritual order is obviously very important, as can be seen from the Lord’s whole approach to life: participation in the worship of God, this Mass, prayer, and so forth—in general, developing our spiritual lives

- but, as we study Jesus at the wedding feast of Cana and his actions there

- what he did was “Christianize” the temporal order of a wedding feast

- he brought his perspective to a normal living situation

+ The document of the Decree on the Laity puts it this way:

“The laity must take on the renewal of the temporal order as their own special obligation. Led by the light of the Gospel and the mind of the Church, and motivated by Christian love, let them act directly and definitively in the temporal sphere. The temporal order must be renewed in such a way that it can be brought into conformity with the higher principles of Christian life and adapted to the various conditions of time, place and people.” (7)

+ What that means practically is acted out by Jesus at the wedding feast of Cana:

- he took something very much of the temporal order

- in fact, according to people who study the history of Jesus’ time, there was probably hardly anything spiritual about a wedding feast in Jesus’ days

- and he tried to make it a more “live-able” situation

- not necessarily making it a more spiritual situation

- but making the temporal situation more pleasant

+ Christianizing the temporal order affects everything in life—from searching the internet to talking about politics, from high school basketball to using i-pads, from television to football championships

- specifically it means very practical things, like

- older people saying “thank you” a little more often to those who care for them

- people offering what they can to help in some tragedy

- a worker in an office working to the best of his/her abilities or showing more concern for office atmosphere

- college students honestly studying a little harder or helping out in the dorm area or where they live

- the parent doing something extra for their children

- the teacher going out of his/her way to help a student

- in general, it is people who are trying to make life more live-able where they are

+ Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians in the second reading speaks of the Spirit’s work

- the Spirit’s work for you the lay person must be primarily Christianizing the temporal order, what you do in day-to-day living

- Jesus made a wedding feast, a secular situation, a much better and happier place because he was there

- the job of a lay Christian is to make this secular world better because you are there.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "True Grit" -- final session

TRUE GRIT

The Gospel

JOHN 21:25

JOHN 21:25

There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written.

Gospelthink: The Gospels describe what I did and said, but everything good can be traced back to me in some way. Do I believe and live the Lord's good words?

Every person has faults. Such is the outcome of fallen human nature. Mattie Ross realized that fact as she looked for a person who could help her in her quest of finding her father's killer in the movie "True Grit." Faults did not matter to her; what she wanted was someone with "true grit" as she explained. Our dictionary defines "grit" as determination or strength of character. That was what Mattie wanted in a person who would be her guide to achieve her goal. The person of Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn fit her desire. He had problems with his life in the past and his life in the present, but he was a person with "grit." He was a person who was able to know right from wrong, and above all, he was able to care for the people who were right and not wrong. Mattie Ross was one of them in his mind, and so he knew that he had to help her.

Some people are very difficult to describe. John the evangelist summarized the person of Jesus Christ, for example, by saying that there were not enough books that could be written which would capture what he did and what he meant to the world. The unwritten words in that portrayal are that his character would never be matched. Studying Jesus from such an exalted point of view would lead a person to say that in John's opinion anyway, no one would ever be able to define his character. Studying Jesus from what he said and did in the world, one would have to say that no one loved people and cared for people the way he did.

Any person can be studied from the point of view of character, what Mattie Ross called "grit" in the movie "True Grit." In Mattie's eyes, character would have to be defined in terms of some type of honesty and a person with such a character would be a person who ultimately cared for other people. Reuben "Rooster" Cogburn was someone who possessed the desire to help her and thus was able to understand why she cared so much about her father's reputation. As Mattie studied the man, she knew that he had his problems, but she also knew that he cared about her.

Christians are obviously called to follow the path of Jesus Christ, and just as obviously then, we are called to be people who manage to love and care for others. Study of the character of "Rooster" Cogburn means that to such a love and care for others, we must add the fact that we all have personal problems. But as "Rooster" Cogburn did, we are encouraged to transcend those problems as we live out the honesty and love that is necessary for a good life. Cogburn indeed had "grit" in the midst of a caring life; so too should the modern Christian.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son was the greatest human being that ever lived. Help us understand him a little more so that even with the personal drawbacks that we all have because of our humanity, we may still turn out to be people who truly love the way we should. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: A person who has true character will be a person who although hampered by personal problems, nevertheless cares for others.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 52 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking and why?
2. John the evangelist obviously is speaking in exaggeration of Jesus' contribution to humankind. In your opinion, what is Jesus' greatest achievement?
3. Project: Outline the character of Jesus as presented by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 430-451.
4. The meditation mentions that there are some people who are difficult to describe. Give some examples of other people of history who are difficult to describe.
5. Define "character" in a person's makeup.
6. The meditation describes character in a person to be a virtue that makes one honest and able to care for another. What is your definition of "honesty" and "care"?
7. Drinking is obviously one of "Rooster" Cogburn's problems. Is it true that a person can have a drinking problem and still show care and concern about another? Yes or no and why?
8. In your opinion, do most Christians follow the path of Jesus? Yes or no and why?
9. When is a problem so severe that the person must have professional help?
10. Scene analysis: Mattie shoots Chaney. Do you think that you personally could shoot to kill another person? As far as you can tell, what would be the circumstances?
11. Mattie moves the grave of Cogburn to her family plot of graves, thus showing her own care for Cogburn. Why is it important to honor the graves of those who have died?
12. Dialogue analysis: The older Mattie knows that people "talk about" her. People will always "talk about" other people. What is the best way to behave in these situations?
13. Dialogue analysis: The older Mattie says: "Time just gets away from us." What is the meaning of the phrase?
14. What does the movie "True Grit" teach young people?