MATTHE

March 29

  [media presentation below]

GospelThink

Sunday, March 29, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

MATTHEW 26:14–27:66

Jesus’s Passion and Death

Prayerthoughts

a. What do I learn from what happened to Jesus (take these one at a time, spending time with each one): at the Last Supper, at the Garden of Gethsemane, at his interaction with the Sanhedrin; his interaction with Pilate; the death of Judas; his mockery from the soldiers, the way of the Cross, his crucifixion, his death.

b. What do I learn from how these people reacted to Jesus’s Passion and Death (take one at a time, spending time with each one): Judas Iscariot, the Apostles, Peter, Pilate, the soldiers who punished and crucified Jesus, Simon of Cyrene.

zc. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Philippians 2:6-11 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

MATTHEW’S PASSION

+ If you are into the sound of modern music, you might want to watch the movie “Jesus Christ Superstar” during this week

- in the movie, there is a scene which is indicative of the reaction to Jesus as he is led to death

- it is a song sung by Mary Magdalene and Peter, but describes also the feelings of the different people connected with the Passion and Death of Jesus

- and in a sense describes our feelings as well

- the song is “Could We Start Again Please”

- the basic message is that things don’t seem to be going too well, so maybe we should reconsider our position and start all over

- the whole movie is based on the idea that modern man and woman is involved in the Passion and Death of Jesus in some way

- and the song speaks our modern mind, saying that

because of the things that were happening, Jesus should change, so that when I choose to follow him, things will be easier


+ Reading Matthew’s rendition of the Passion and Death of Jesus, we sense how the people around the Passion and Death of Jesus wanted things to be easier

- Judas wanted things to be easier for money

- Pilate wanted things easier because he did not want his life to be disturbed by this man

- Peter and the rest of the so-called followers of Jesus didn’t expect things to be the way they were, didn’t expect Jesus to be the way he was

- and they simply didn’t want so much involvement

- it could have cost them their lives

- and so they wanted it easier to protect themselves


+ One of the most challenging parts of modern Christianity is that we realize that we want to be followers of Jesus—we are here

- but we often do not want things to be as difficult as they are—we want things easier

- it may not be that we want Jesus to start over,

- it’s more that we don’t want to do everything that is connected with the following of Jesus

- we like the money, the good things of life

- we like the pleasures of living that we have

- we want to be in control of ourselves and others and all of the things that happen to us


+ Perhaps the statement that the Passion and Death of Jesus makes is that Jesus did not start over

- Jesus used his painful death to redeem us

- such is our theology

- but also Jesus taught us a lesson by the death he suffered

- perhaps saying that following him may not be as easy as we want it to be

- that we honestly have to place things like money and pleasure and power into the perspective that he gave us

- which doesn’t happen to be easy or convenient


+ The Passion and Death of Jesus is not something that we sit back and admire

- it is something that everyone of us can learn from

- and the lesson has something to do with making us understand the difference between what we want and what Jesus taught.











 

 

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Jesus Revolution" -- beginning session
THE JESUS FREAKS



 

The Gospel


MARK 15:37-39

Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. Then the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” 

Gospelthink: The Gentile Roman centurion recognizes who Jesus is.

The movie "Jesus Revolution" is all about conversion and is a true story based on the Jesus Revolution that took place in the United States between 1968 and 1972. It focuses on three people: Lonnie Frisbee, a hippy who began the movement, Pastor Chuck Smith who finally allowed the "Jesus freaks" into his Church, and Greg Laurie who eventually became a pastor himself. During this session, Lonnie met Pastor Smith, telling him that he will have to make some changes in order to involve the younger generation with Jesus. Pastor Smith did make those changes and his Church, Calvary Chapel, became the center of a revolution. Greg Laurie was a member of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps class, but then turned to a drug-involved hippy by a girl named Cathe. Cathe was converted to Jesus by Lonnie, and finally convinced Greg to choose the ministry of Jesus.

According to Scripture scholars, this passage in Mark's Gospel is a significant statement of Jesus's divinity. In the evangelist's choice of words, he is suggesting that through his death, Jesus is opening up the sacred place of God's dwelling. God is making it accessible. By immediately following the split veil with the centurion's proclamation of faith in Jesus, the evangelist Mark confirms this understanding. He is suggesting that even the Roman soldier--someone disposed to pollute the Temple with false gods--has come to see the diving image in Jesus's humanity.  In his death, Jesus has opened up the heavens even to the Romans.

Apart from the beautiful theology of Mark's Gospel, we are met with the person of centurion, a pagan and a Gentile recognizing Jesus to be the Son of God. It had to be the moment of conversion for him. Up until that time in his life, he now understood that he had missed what was really important in his life.

One of the learning moments of the true story of the movie "Jesus Revolution" is the conversion of the people who were looking for some type of direction to their lives different from the drug culture that so many had given into. In particular, pastor Chuck Smith and Greg Laurie are singled out in this first session of the movie as people who were converted to the Christian way.

The moment of conversion is a teaching moment for everyone realizing the faith of following the person of Jesus Christ and his ways. Whether we are just beginning the process of recognizing who Jesus is or if we are well into the way of choosing Christianity, we must understand the significance of Jesus in our lives.

As Christians, we are professing the faith that Jesus has indeed opened up the heavens for us who believe. With the centurion, our lives should be professing that this is truly the Son of God, and we are truly his followers.

PRAYER
Good and gracious God, your Son brought about conversion to the people who began to accept the faith he taught. May we be truly converted to the Son of God, and show it by the lives that we lead. Be with us, we pray.

 

+++++


GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: In order to truly understand our calling, we often need a conversion experience.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(session: approximately 56 minutes)
1. What does this session of the movie teach young people?
2. What does the "love movement" od the 60's and 70's teach us?
3. Why is Jesus's divinity important as we study his humanity?
4. Considering the centurion in the Gospel, what would he have to do once he made this profession of faith?
5. What is your definition of "conversion"?
6. In your opinion, do most Christians act like Christians should?

 

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