March 14

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, March 14, Lent III

LUKE 18:9-14

You must understand that sinfulness is part of your history.

Prayerthoughts
a. Are there times in my life when I feel so completely satisfied with what I am doing that I forget about God?

b. In Jesus’s parable, the Pharisee is judging another. I often find myself judging others for whatever reasons. I should determine some people that I judge harshly and say a prayer for them.

c. The Pharisee was doing what the Law required him to do but he was doing it to “brag.” Are there times when I “brag” about my accomplishments?

d. Jesus deliberately chooses a tax collector in the parable because they were extortionists and ritually impure. They were even shunned by the Israelite people. Are there some people in my acquaintance that I shun? How can I be more open to all people in my life?

e. The tax collector recognized that he was a sinner. Do I recognize that I have a tendency to sin in the way I act and think?

f. The reason for the parable is the teaching that as children in the Lord’s Kingdom, we should be humble enough to recognize our own sinfulness and thus stay away from judging others. Have I truly learned that lesson in my life?

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read Hosea 6:1-6 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

WHY ARE YOU HERE

+ The theme for our readings today might be supplied by the prophet Hosea in the first reading: “It is love that I desire” nothing else

- and so with that attitude of love, we study the story that Jesus tells today

- fundamentally the tax collector showed love of God

- the Pharisee showed love of self

+ I think the basic question that can be asked of the Pharisee and the tax collector was: why were they there at the synagogue?

- the Pharisee was there to tell God what to do because he, the Pharisee, was so good—an inordinate love of self

- the tax collector was there to listen to God because he, the tax collector, was not so good—love of God

- Jesus obviously tells this story for us, and therefore it becomes very personal—and the question is: why are we here?

+ A number of years ago during a high school religion class, I was trying to teach why we go to church

- and one young man simply wouldn’t buy what I was saying

- and he brought his point home this way

- if the Pope would take away the Sunday obligation to go to Mass, he said, how many would go to church

- it caused quite a discussion, and a very good question

- why do Catholics go to Church on Sunday?

+ Some possible answers?

- we’ll go to hell if we don’t go because it’s a sin

- we’re forced to go

- we’ll disappoint people if we don’t go

- we want to impress people

- we want something from God, and if I’m going to ask God for something, I’d better do something in return

- God’s keeping track

- the stress of all of those statements is a selfish one

- quite similar to the Pharisee: he was going to church so that God would pay attention to him

- Jesus’ analysis of this Pharisee?--he went home not justified

- he accomplished nothing

+ The tax collector went to church because he knew he needed God—he was a sinner

- the stress was on God first

- he was willing to listen to what God had to say about his life, about what he could do better, about what he could do to get away from sinning

- and so he was open to doing something about it in his own life

+ What about that young man’s question?

- if the Pope would take away the obligation of Sunday Mass, how many Catholics would go to church

- or more to the point, and quite personal, would we go to church?

- we probably would, because we are here right now

- but the question brings up the deeper question of why put God in our lives at all?

- if we are convinced that we need God, it will be reflected in our lives

- and we will be showing the love of God that Hosea wanted the Israelites to feel.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "The Woman King" -- beginning session

A JUST WAR

The Gospel

MATTHEW 5:38-39

Jesus said: "You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well."

Gospelthink: Offer no resistance to one who is evil against you.

In the West African kingdom of Dahomey in 1832, the Oyo empire joined forces with the Mahi, another empire in the region, and raided Dahomey villages to obtain slaves. General Nanisca, leader of the all-female group of warriors, the Agojie, liberated the Dahomean women who were abducted by slavers from the Oyo empire. This provoked King Ghezo of Dahomey to prepare for an all-out war with the Oyo. Nanisca begins to train a new generation of warriors to join the Agojie to help in the fight. Among these warriors is Nawi, a strong-willed girl who was offered by her father to the king after refusing to marry. Unknown to Nanisca, Nawi is actually her daughter. The fight was successful, but Nawi was captured during the fight.

Perhaps the doctrine of Jesus that humankind has neglected the most is Jesus's directive to offer no resistance to one who is evil toward us. If we followed it, there would be no war and only peace.

How do we as Christian nations justify any war? How do we follow Jesus's directive to Peter when Jesus was arrested to put away his sword? How do we explain the fact that Christian men and women, supposedly the hands of Jesus on earth, sponsored the Crusades which attempted to obtain holy results by evil war? In all honesty, we can't. The only answer we can give is the answer of a just war, that is, the legitimate killing of an unjust aggressor, but it is still killing no matter what nuance we assign to it.

In the movie "The Woman King," King Ghezo leads the Dahomean people including the Agojie to war against the Oyo empire. It fits the definition of a just war since the Oyo and the Mahi who had joined the Oyo were invading the Dahomean empire to obtain slaves who were then sold to slave traders.

What can an interested Christian learn from the actions of an active war involving one's own country? In our modern situation, there is the possibility of a "conscientious objector," but for the most part, as in the movie, people either go to war or be punished for disobedience. And war will involve "kill or be killed" in direct opposition to Jesus's doctrine.

Be that as it may, the lesson of the movie must revolve around doing the best that one can given the evil situation of the war. It involves working on behalf of those who have been hurt in the conflict, or at the very least, praying for those who are committing the evil.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we live in a world that often brings about the killing of innocent people. Help us with a true understanding of Your Son's difficult doctrine to offer no resistance to those who show evil against us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Even though the Christian doctrine of "offering no resistance to evil" should govern Christians, sometimes there is need to conduct a "just war," and we must engage.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 63 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. What would happen if all the Christians of the world would honestly observe Jesus's words, "Offer no resistance to one who is evil"?
3. The meditation says that we justify the fact that we are resisting those who are evil to us by the "just war" theory? Do you think that it is a "correct" way of carrying out of the Lord's words? Yes or no and why?
4. Do you think that the wars in which your country has fought, were all "just wars"? Yes or no and why?
5. In the world in which we live, "slavery" exists in some form. Give an example. Practically, what can I do about it?
6. What do you think of the fact that some people become "conscientious objectors" rather than go to war?
7. Supposing that we accept completely Jesus's words, in a war in which my country is involved, what can I do to help my country?