black2

January 30

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, January 30

MARK 4:26-34

I tell you two stories which talk of how God is working with the Church.

Prayerthoughts
a. Jesus reminds us that we do not know how the Kingdom will come about. As I study my life, there are no doubt times when I did not proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus as I should have. I should take some time to pray for forgiveness.

b. In Jesus’ comparison, the Kingdom began very small, that is with Jesus and his Apostles. From my knowledge of Jesus’ teachings, what are the most important teachings for me?

c. The Kingdom of God is meant to extend to everyone without exception. Do I find myself “excluding” certain people from my consideration of God’s people? Perhaps I should take the time to pray for those whom I have forgotten.

d. Do I take the time to think about the Gospels, and make the practice a significant part of my day?

e. What are some true stories recently that show how God is working in our world?

f. My prayerthoughts...

Today, I will read 2 Samuel 11:1-4a,5-10a,13-17 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

EVIL WILL BE OVERCOME

+ The first reading is probably the most famous of all sins that have ever been committed except for the sin of Adam

- a sin that grows to be more than one sin

- I believe it is important to analyze what happened not from the point of view of the sins themselves

- but from the point of view of who committed them—David

- one of the three great patriarchs of the time before Jesus—Abraham, Moses and David—commits the sin

- David was totally blessed by God, and in many ways, what could be termed a good, even holy man

- but he sins

- important for us to see that

- even among people totally dedicated to God—which we are trying to be—there is the possibility of evil, in fact, rather significant evil

- we have the possibility of hurting others significantly

- it is a rather sobering fact

+ But also, it is just as significant to know that we have the means to overcome evil

- we know from Jesus’ words in several places in the Gospel that we can overcome the evil in our lives—that is an automatic—but, a couple thoughts from the Gospel

- we have the help of God, but it won’t always be recognized

- just as we don’t see the Church growing as such which is what Jesus’ story is all about

- the presence of God may not be always recognized

- we want God to work with sudden miracles in our lives

- but God’s way is usually a slow way

- we may not see it, but it is happening

- just as certainly as the seed is growing in the earth

- we must be content to always proceed slowly with small steps

- just as the Church did not suddenly become large overnight which is probably what Jesus’ story means

- in order to overcome evil—which will be accomplished—we have to be content to see that we will win only gradually

+ In short, evil, sin is present in our lives

- but we do not have to worry about it—we will overcome it, if we work at it

- but we have to remember that we won’t always see it happening

- and it will happen slowly.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "The Black Panther" -- final session

BRIDGES INSTEAD OF BARRIERS

The Gospel

JOHN 20:19-22

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit."

Gospelthink: My Father and I gave the Holy Spirit to the Apostles and to you. Do I show that I have received the Spirit by my thoughts, words and actions?

King T'Challa who had taken over for his father T'Chaka continued to rule the four tribes of Wakanda, but the fifth, the Jabari did not submit to his rule. 'T'Challa battled and defeated the Jabari leader M'Baku and established a delicate harmony in the country, allowing the Jabari leader to live. Meanwhile, "Killmonger," N'Jobu's son, made strong by vibranium, returned to Wakanda and challenged T'Challa to be "The Black Panther." T'Challa lost the battle and was thrown over a mountain, but was found alive and cared for by the Jabari tribe.. The new "Black Panther", "Killmonger," decided to empower the black people of the world to rule with violence just as his father had planned. However, T'Challa returned to the throne, rightly claiming that he had not yielded to "Killmonger." With the help of the Jabari tribe, Wakanda once again came under the rule of T'Challa after a battle between T'Challa and "Killmonger's" armies. Afterwards, T'Challa announced to the world that the nation of Wakanda would give up its isolationist stance and thus hopefully, try to bring peace to the world.

What does the Holy Spirit bring to the world? When Jesus gave the Spirit to his Apostles, He primarily gave them the gift of bringing peace to a world that needed it in the worst way. That world had wallowed in sin after God had brought the world into existence. The sin went by many names, notably selfishness and desire for power and worldly comfort. The world needed the peace that the Spirit would bring.

In terms of the movie "The Black Panther," the Spirit could easily be defined to be the desire of the Wakanda leaders to help the world as best they could. As T'Challa said to the United Nations: "Wakanda will no longer watch from the shadows. We cannot. We must not. We will work to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this earth, should treat each other. Now, more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe." The Wakandans knew that they had the means to help the world, and they were willing to sacrifice their own wants in favor of help to the world.

There is little doubt that the Wakandans had the highest motivation. And they had the means to do it. The vibranium-enriched country could easily lead the world into a new era of peace and fraternal harmony.

Of course, this is a story. Many would call it nothing more than a mere fantasy. Can a world as complicated as ours give up enough of ourselves to honestly take the time to lead itself to peace? It is the hope of Christians--you and I--in our own little worlds to bring about a Holy Spirit-inspired peace that perhaps a larger world could learn from.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son gave peace to our world in the form of Your Spirit. May we accept the challenge to bring about true peace in our own worlds and if possible, the larger world around us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: If we have help for humankind, we must share it with the world.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 62 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you? Why?
2. How does the world understand "peace" and how does it differ from the Christian ideal of peace?
3. As you study the world right now, what is the "greatest sin" that you observe?
4. What is the most striking part of the T'Challa's speech to the United Nations quoted above?
5. What must happen in our world to begin a world of peace?
6. Do you think that the world could "give up enough of ourselves" to bring about a lasting peace?
7. What does the movie "The Black Panther' teach young people?