July 12

 [media presentation below]

GospelThink

Sunday, July 12, Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

MATTHEW 13:1-23

Seed Sown

Prayerthoughts

a. Jesus used stories as he preached. What “stories,” that is happening in my life so far has had a significant effect on me and why?

b. The seed sown is a symbol of the word of God. In what ways have I made the Word of God present to me in my spiritual life?

c. Perhaps it is best to consider myself as “part” of each of the categories that Jesus gives. In what way have I sometimes allowed the word of God to be spoken to me, but ignored it?

d. Has the word of God sometimes been present in my life, but because of something that happened which I did not like, I ceased to consider God’s presence? Perhaps I should spend a moment acknowledging how God was present in those difficulties.

e. In the past, have I allowed the “thorns” of life, the evils in my personal world to overpower me? Again, perhaps a moment praising God for the help God has given is in order.

f. My prayer is that I am prepared to allow the word of God to make an impact on my life. At the present time, what is the best way to do that?

g. Along the path. What were some times when I didn’t understand the Word?

h. Rocky ground. Have there been some times in my life where I have not shared the Word with others because I was afraid to?

i. Among thorns. Are there worldly influences that have blocked my understanding of what the Lord wants me to do?

j. Do I spend as much time with the Word of God, in particular the New Testament Scriptures as I should? How can I do better?

k. My prayerthoughts...

Today, I will read Romans 8:18-23 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

LISTENING TO GOD

+ In the early days of the Charismatic movement at Notre Dame University a number of years ago

- the leaders were fond of telling the story of one of the founders of the movement whom everyone respected

- he was one of the foremost leaders in prayer in our Church at that time

- one of the students in the movement suggested to him at one time that he should stress the gift of tongues a little more in his talks

- the gift of tongues was always an interesting phenomenon and caught a lot of attention

- the holy man’s answer was quoted quite a lot

- his reply: “If you want to pray well, the one thing you should be interested in is not the gift of tongues, but the gift of ears.”

- his point is well made:

- before we can make any spiritual progress at all, we must listen to the word of God, hear that word with the intention of truly accepting it


Where do we place ourselves

+ In Matthew’s Gospel today, Jesus gives us a story about the gift of ears, that is, listening to God

- if we are asked to place ourselves in one of the categories of Jesus’s story,

- we want to put ourselves in the “rich soil” category, the category in which we truly listen to the word of God

- and a good case can be made for that:

- we are here, every week most of us receive the Lord, we pray, we read the Scripture


+ But, I think a spiritually healthy way to consider this parable, is not to consider placing ourselves in one category

- but to admit that at different times we are in all the categories

- sometimes we are the path in Jesus’ story, that is, as Jesus explains it in Matthew’s Gospel, we are ones who hear the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and evil comes and steals away what was sown in our hearts

- there are things about Scripture which we don’t want to listen to and refuse to understand all the time – forgiveness and love of everyone, for example

- giving rise to “selective listening” or allowing ourselves to be exceptions to what Jesus tells us to do


+ Often we are nothing but rocky ground, namely, one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy, but such a person has no root and lasts only for a time

- when some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, such a person immediately falls away

- when the going gets rocky—and it will—we forget religion and forget God

- our problem is one of consistency, we don’t stay with what God wants as we live our complicated lives, giving rise to the contradiction of “partial Christianity”—in which we believe, but only at certain times


+ Often we are in the category of thorns, that is, a person who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit

- the problem often is two-fold—worldly anxiety (translate: pleasure) and money — riches, as Jesus mentions, and isn’t it interesting that it was the same problems for Jesus’ time as well as ours,

- our priorities get all mixed up, and in general, we allow an increased bank account and too much pleasure to make decisions that hurt family and relationship with God


+ Sometimes, of course, we are rich soil, and we listen with the intent to be the people we should be

- when we do, we are people who have the gift of ears, listening to everything that the Lord says

- it is only then that we will be able to know how to follow the Lord completely.













MOVIE PRESENTATION

Movie: "All Saints" -- beginning session

WHAT GOD WANTS AND WHAT I WANT



 

The Gospel


MARK 1:4-5

John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins.

Gospelthink: My friend John the Baptist began the announcement of the Kingdom. I live in that Kingdom; do I live well the teachings of the Kingdom?

Based on a true story the movie "All Saints" is filmed at the sight of the church with some local people even making up the congregation. After trading in his corporate sales career to become an Episcopalian priest, Fr. Michael Spurlock's first assignment was to a tiny church outside of Nashville, Tennessee in the small town of Smyrna. It was to be an extremely difficult assignment. His bishop to whom he had promised obedience, ordered him to close the church doors and sell the prime piece of land in order to make up for the money the church had cost the Diocese. Michael and his family set out to follow the bishop's wishes, but they soon attracted a group of Karen refugees from Burma led by Ye Win, one of the few who spoke English. Things began to change as the refugees and Michael and the people of All Saints, some quite reluctant, began to discover the will of God. The question for Michael however was one of pride: was what was happening God's Will or merely his own selfish desire to be a "savior"?

He was popular. That in itself could have led to selfishness, one of the things that he was preaching against. As Mark describes it in his Gospel, the whole Judean countryside and all of Jerusalem were going out to listen to John the Baptist and follow what he said. But he also was doing the right thing. He knew that the people had to be reminded of their sinfulness and that they had to repent in order to receive the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. He understood the trap, however, and would not give into popularity or selfishness. Instead, as he showed by his life, he turned people's attention to Jesus.

One of the temptations that a popular person has is to be enamored with his/her own abilities. It becomes a sin when such a person refuses to consider the possibility that selfishness could happen. Michael Spurlock had a job to do in the movie "All Saints." As things began to work out, he began to see that he could take things another direction. He believed that God had talked to him, and it seemed that his acceptance of what God said was exactly what he should do. He needed others to do it, of course, but they followed him and his dream. And the dream began to become reality.

Selfishness is the destroyer of what God wants, even if the person is convinced that something is God's will. As Michael in the movie, a person must continually check with God by prayer and serious conversation with others, before accepting praise for something that God has done in a person's life. It is no easy task because at every moment the insidious notion of "I did this and no one else" can supersede even the highest intention.

The person who is accomplishing something significant must question whether it is God's Will or merely one's own. John the Baptist and Michael Spurlock were able to accomplish it.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You are the most important part of a person's life. John the Baptist realized that fact even as he was very popular. Help us understand that selfishness can creep into our lives too easily. Be with us, we pray. 

 

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: When someone is interested in helping others, one's own selfishness can get in the way.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 50 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. What is your definition of "repentance"?
3. What is your definition of "pride"?
4. In your opinion, why is John the Baptist important for today's world?
5. In your opinion, what is the best way to face the possible selfishness in your life? 
6. Analysis: Do you believe that Michael worked out the possibility of "being selfish" in his life? Yes or no and why?

 

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America