TGIMMconcussion2

June 18

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, June 18

MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-18
I tell you to do your religious duties, but not to draw attention to yourself.

Prayerthoughts
a. I do many things that can be called “righteous deeds.” What is my motivation behind them—that is, why do I do them—to be praised or paid or actually to help someone?

b. “Giving alms” is an automatic in Christian spirituality. Do I give of my time or talent or money on behalf of a good cause with no desire to receive something in return?

c. The Lord wants my “almsgiving” to be secret. As I study my “giving” to others during this week, how many people knew about it?

d. The Lord wants my prayer to be sincere. Do I make a show of my prayer so that others see what I am doing and therefore “praise” me? Am I praying all the time and not just at assigned times like in Church?

e. I must be careful as I study another not to assign an evil intention to what they are doing. I cannot read another’s mind when it comes to their praying or giving or fasting.

f. The Lord wants my fasting (from food, television, Internet, etc.) to be in secret. The fasting should remind me to turn to God more in my life. What should I choose to fast from?

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will determine a specific spiritual act that I will do today.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

TRADITIONAL SPIRITUALITY

+ Paul tells the Corinthians in the first reading that “God is able to make every grace abundant to you”

- and therefore he wants his audience to use that grace, to sow it, so that they can reap from it

+ We look at the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7, as incidents of grace that are given to us

- and our spiritual lives will grow if we use the grace that is given

+ Today, the Sermon continues with three traditional Jewish acts of religion:

- religious Hebrews knew and practiced all three of these

- what Jesus is most interested in is that they be real, and not be for show

- Jesus was looking at the intention of the people

- he knew well why people performed religious acts

- some liked the praise, the approving looks when they did some deed, or just the notice they received

- in Jesus’ mind, this portion of the Hebrew understanding of religion is very important in our own spiritual development

+ There must be a giving to others if we are a Christian, and in Jesus’ mind, no one should know about it

- it is the whole basis of the Christian concept of stewardship

- we heard about it yesterday with Paul’s idea of generosity, and here Jesus speaks it

- we freely give back to God what God has given to us, and we don’t make a big show about it

- I really have a rough time with people who have to have their names on things that they donate

- look at all the stained glass windows and a lot of furniture in the Church

- but as pastors you have to accept it

- and you can’t really make it a teaching moment because people with money basically do not relish being taught about things that have to do with money

+ There must be prayer

- a portion of the passage on prayer is the Gospel meditation tomorrow

- the “Our Father” and the statement on forgiveness

- here Jesus does not have anything against public worship since he took part in it

- probably what he is saying is that private prayer is the most important

- time spent in careful consideration of the way our lives are going, that is, the way we are using the grace the Lord has given us

- it is the concept of “wasting time with God”

- simply being in God’s presence and recognizing what God has done for us

- saying formal prayers by ourselves slowly, thinking about the phrases

- reading Scripture with the idea that Jesus/God is saying something to us, and it is our job to figure out what it is

+ There must be fasting, that is, times of deliberately not eating or drinking

- for the purpose of humbling ourselves before God, strengthening our faith, and reminding us of the importance of God in our lives, and therefore the importance of others

- giving up things simply to remind us of God

- Francis’ idea of giving up

- for us, it is the concept of only having what is necessary to live in this world of ours

- I believe that that is basic to the whole thought of Franciscan spirituality

- we remind ourselves of God’s importance by making sacrifices

+ The traditional three forms of spirituality with Jesus’ own nuances are given to us today, and three questions for our spiritual life:

- how well do we give to those who are in need?

- how much time are we giving to prayer?

- are we fasting at times for the right reasons?

+ Most of you have seen or heard about one of the versions of the movie “The Karate Kid”

- in the latest, the young man Dre is taught the art of kung-fu from Mr. Han, the maintenance man

- and the essence is practice—over and over—always the same thing

- “take off your jacket and put it on”

- that is the idea of these traditional forms of spiritual growth

- practice, practice, practice

- it was the thought of the early Jewish people as they set up their spirituality

- Jesus makes it part of his as well.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Concussion" -- final session

WHAT IS THE TRUTH?

The Gospel

JOHN 18:37-38a

JOHN 18:37-38a

Jesus answered [Pilate], "You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

Gospelthink: I say the truth to Pilate, namely that I am a King. Have I made the Lord King of my life, as evidenced by my actions?

Dr. Bennet Omalu in the movie "Concussion" gradually discovered that the truth was that the popular sport of professional football could possibly kill the players later on in life. The violent sport could cause a brain injury that could not be discovered by any of our medical skills before the actual death of the player. Immediately the "business" side of the National Football League began to throw roadblocks against his work, and literally Dr. Omalu was ostracized as a pathologist in the town of Pittsburgh where he had settled. Losing his home and reputation, he had to move to another city to find another job. But he never gave in to the pressure to drop his discovery. He knew the truth, and as he said, he had hoped he would be rewarded simply because he told everyone about it. The NFL finally listened to him.

Pontius Pilate's famous question of "What is truth?" was a much deeper question than merely the question of who Jesus was. It was a question that Pilate himself with his life had to struggle with. It is also a question that can be a guide for living well. Jesus knew that if people were interested in the truth, they would listen to what he said. We all must seek the truth in everything we are involved in. If we possess the truth, as Jesus said elsewhere (John 8:32), it will always give us the freedom to do what is right and just.

Dr. Bennet Omalu knew the truth about the medical condition known as CTE ((Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). He had discovered and shown with proof that too many blows to the brain area of a person's body could cause mental illness. His discovery, of course, caused the National Football League community to speak out against what he discovered. Since they "owned" Sundays, as the movie pointed out, they did not want their franchise to be threatened by anyone, even if it meant the death of some of its players.

Dr. Omalu lost his home and job as a result of his discovery, but the "truth" was his guide. He understood that if people were told the truth, it may help some to live better lives, not unlike Jesus who wanted his truth to be known by all. Dr. Omalu faced the criticism with the help of his wife, by letting the "dead speak," and suffered the consequences.

The application to our lives of the action of Dr. Omalu is easy enough to say, just as the application of Jesus' truth is easy enough to talk about. But to actually put it into practice involves an acceptance of the truth into our living styles. The truth will indeed set us free, but it may in the end cost more than we care to give.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son has told us the truth, and we accept it completely, although at times we fail. Enable us to have a true love of Jesus' "truth," indeed any truth, so that our lives will be better. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: No matter what the obstacles, one must be faithful to the truth.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 55 minutes)
1. What scene from this session of movie is most striking and why?
2. Analysis: Who are the people that belong to the truth of Jesus?
3. What is your definition of "truth"?
4. Why does the truth set us free?
5. Is it a true statement that the NFL "owns" Sundays? Yes or no and why?
6. What do you understand by the phrase "letting the dead speak"?
7. In what ways could the truth cost us?
8. Do you think that the NFL would actually order Dr. Omalu to retract his statements about CTE? Yes or no and why?
9. Scene analysis: Why would the FBI enter into the whole question of Dr. Omalu's discovery?
10. Scene analysis: The movie gives the impression that Prema's still-born was because of the pressure that was placed on her. Do you believe this is true? Yes or no and why?
11. Analysis: Should Dr. Omalu have taken the job in Washington, DC? Yes or no and why?
12. Analysis: Do you believe that it is true that 28% of football players will suffer from CTE? Yes or no and why?
13. Will this movie make any impact on football in America? Should it make an impact?
14. Give an argument in support of the game of football in America, even given the possibility of head trauma.
15. What does the movie "Concussion" teach young people?