TGIMMjack1

July 18

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, July 18

MATTHEW 12:14-21
Negatives

Prayerthoughts
a. Obviously, no one is conspiring to put me to death. But it gives me a chance to check at how I act toward those who do not like me for some reason. How do I act toward those people and in general the people I do not like?

b. Even as he realized that there were people who did not like him, he still cured people. Do I allow my negative moods to affect the way I act?

c. Jesus was to proclaim justice. Am I fair and just in the way I behave in my life?

d. Also Jesus did not “contend.” That is, he did not “argue” about his place in life. Am I too argumentative in the way I speak to others?

e. In Jesus, people will find “hope.” Am I hopeful as I work in the world?

f. People were wondering about Jesus and what he did. Am I trying to study Jesus a little more closely so as to imitate him more?

h. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Micah 2:1-5 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

HELPING OTHERS

+ The preservation of self is part of human nature

- and Jesus, fully human, was part of that

- in this Gospel, telling the people he helped not to make him known,

- but the important thing to see is that Jesus still helped them

- even though he was in danger of death—and he knew it—he took the time to help the people he loved:

He cured them all.

+ The thought is a good one to think about

- even though we tend to be selfish in our outlooks—and we must be—we still have to take time for others, to help them as best we can

+ We know about preservation of self

- everyone of us is into it

- we protect ourselves

- and there is nothing wrong with that

- but sometimes that self-preservation takes us to the point of forgetting about helping others

- we don’t like to be disturbed from our own routine

- we want to let someone else help others

- yes, there are people who need cured, helped, but I have my own problems

+ The Christian thing to do is to work on behalf of others, even though we have to be concerned about ourselves

- and do something about it—Jesus cured them all

+ One more thought from the liturgy, this time from Micah

- the Lord’s warning of “woe to those who plan iniquity”

- we probably don’t deliberately plan iniquity

- if we do, we are not Christian

- but we allow iniquities to happen

- in the sense that others may be hurt, and we don’t do anything to help them

+ Other people are important in our Christian tradition

- and so are we

- but we have to learn to take the stress off of self sufficiently to be concerned about helping others.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Jack Reacher" -- beginning session

RESPECT FOR THOSE WHO DEFEND

The Gospel

LUKE 7:2-10

A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

Gospelthink: I am amazed at the faith of this person who is not an Israelite. Is my faith just as strong as the centurion's?

Jack Reacher in the movie named after him was an intriguing man. He was able to determine what was truly right and wrong, but he had his own type of justice. He had worked in the Army in the Military Police Corps, but after his Army career, he had dedicated his life to helping those who needed help and punishing those who should be punished, whether the law agreed or not. James Barr, also a military man had suffered some mental problems because of his work in the military had run into Reacher in his tour of duty. Knowing that Reacher would be honest in the way he studied any issue, he asked for his help. The movie reminds us that we must show respect to our military, but it also conveys the difficulties connected with those who defend our country.

How would Jesus treat the military establishment of today, especially one as involved and comprehensive as the United States Military? We know that Jesus had some pacifist feelings but we also know that he saw the need for self-defense. During his time on earth, he no doubt ran into military people quite often. At one time, he had some interaction with a centurion in the Roman military. The man apparently was very good to the Jewish people, even helping build the local synagogue. As Jesus did with everyone he met, he showed the highest respect for him, healing his servant. More than that, Jesus could see the man's faith, even calling the Jewish people's attention to the way he acted with faith.

Whatever Jesus felt about the military, those who follow him will be very involved with the military as they live on this earth. Some will make a career of it, some will only serve a short while, and every citizen, Christian or otherwise, will be aware of the military. As Jack Reacher points out in the movie, some will use the military for their own good, but most will understand the duty they have to defend their country. In Reacher's mind, James Barr in the movie was a man who wanted the legal justification to kill people. But in Reacher's understanding of things, even Barr deserved justice, no matter how disturbed he was.

No matter what the motivation of the person who enters military service, serving in the military is not easy. Defending our country takes discipline and sacrifice, and sometimes when military personnel are sent into places that are not safe, it demands the highest courage. They deserve our profound appreciation for what they do, and when wounded either physically or mentally as James Barr in the movie, we must help them as much as we are able.

But, perhaps there is another thought, even as our nation shows them gratitude. Even as we agree with the need for a military in our country, every Christian should be thinking about and acting with the thought of peace. Jesus praised the faith of the centurion, perhaps saying that his faith could lead him to understand peace a little more. You and I are called to be peaceful people even in the midst of all the turmoil of our world.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son felt strongly about all the people of our world when he was with us as a man. He worked with military people, teaching them and us the value of faith, and as a result, the value of peace. May we learn it well. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We should honor those who have serve in the military, and we should work at all times for peace.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 62 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. A centurion in the time of Jesus was a military officer in charge of a 100 men, probably in the service of Herod Antipas, ruler at the time of Jesus. As can be seen from the Gospels, Herod was not an exemplary man. How do we show respect for the people who lead us when we do not agree with what they are doing?
3. The centurion was obviously a humble man. In your opinion, what does "humility" mean?
4. The centurion obviously cared about others, even someone who was a "slave" to him. What are the most important elements of "caring for another"?
5. Analysis: Jesus is amazed at the centurion's faith. What is your definition of faith?
6. In your opinion, how should a Christian feel about war?
7. Do you agree with the position of a conscientious objector, that is someone who refuses to join the military based on his/her beliefs? Yes or no and why?
8. Do you think most of those who join the military do it with the idea of defending our country? Yes or no and why?
9. How does our "faith" lead to a better understanding of "peace"?
10. Does our country treat people in the military with proper respect? Yes or no and why?
11. How do we act with the thought of peace in our world?
12. Analysis: Are Americans too lax with gun laws? Yes or no and why?
13. Analysis: Why are there so many shootings in America?
14. Scene analysis: Barr is framed for the killings. In your opinion, are there many people in prison who are unjustly accused? Yes or no and why?
15. Analysis: the character of Jack Reacher. What is the best way to describe him?
16. Analysis: Barr was not accused of his earlier killings because the Army chose not to pursue it. Do you think that this happens much in the military? Yes or no and why?
17. Dialogue analysis: Reacher says that everyone joins the military with one of four purposes in mind: family trade, patriot, need a job, legal means to kill. Do you agree? Yes or no and why?
18. Scene analysis: Why did Reacher want Helen Rodin to visit the victims?

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