TGIMMlimit2

March 5

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Wednesday, March 5, Ash Wednesday

MATTHEW 6:1-6,16-18

Giving, Fasting, Praying

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

ATTACKING THE WRONG

+ Most adults remember when President John Kennedy was killed in November of 1963

- those of us who were alive then have it engraved in our memories

- during the tragedy, one of the radio broadcasters who was in the motorcade said some words that really struck me as I was listening on the radio

- as he was describing it, suddenly the whole motorcade that was going through Dallas began going toward one of the hospitals there,

- the announcer did not understand what was going on, but his words described the situation very well

- he said referring to the fact that suddenly the route had changed

- something is wrong here, something is terribly wrong

- I always look at that statement from a much more general point of view, and I think it is true in a general way, true for the world in 1963, true for the year 2025 as well, maybe even more so

- something is terribly wrong in our world

+ Further, I think that that which is terribly wrong can be described by one word: selfishness

- Jesus addresses selfishness in the Gospel this Ash Wednesday, telling us that the way to overcome it is by giving to others, prayer, and fasting

- Jesus and the liturgy is telling us: Lent is a time to attack selfishness

+ According to many spiritual commentators of our day, we are involved in a spiritual war of sorts

- at stake in this spiritual war is our very foundation, namely who we are

- there is an intentional, powerful effort present in our world, to change the base of that foundation, to rid it of Godly influence, and to replace that base with a selfish, secular, and materialistic view of man

- and the only way we can win the war is to return to an understanding that we must change ourselves to be more Godly in our approach

- we are too selfish, we have given to ourselves too much

- the crime, breakdown of families and divorce, abortion, pornography, and so forth are nothing more than symptoms of the selfishness that is rampant in our world

+ Somehow we must get it across to ourselves that selfishness is a horrible evil, and has caused the people of our world untold damage

- the answer to that selfishness is the true living out of what Jesus has told us

- we must be people who eventually see what Jesus is saying to us

- we now have one more time, one more Lent during which Jesus tells us to attack our selfishness by giving to others, by praying more, and by refraining from satisfying ourselves too much

- we pray for the grace to listen to the Lord.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Limitless" -- final session

THE CHOICES WE MUST MAKE

The Gospel

LUKE 6:13-16

LUKE 6:13-16

When day came, [Jesus] called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Gospelthink: I chose the people that would help me spread the Kingdom. Do I show the virtues of the Kingdom in my daily living?

In the movie "Limitless," Eddie Morra gradually became aware of what the pill NZT-48 did to his body. Not only did it give him limitless ability in just about anything he wanted, but it also was addictive in that he wanted to remain limitless. Unfortunately, he discovered also that it gradually was killing him. His girlfriend Lindy had tried it once because she had to, and reminded Eddie that being invincible may seem wonderful, but it is not real. She points out to him that being invincible is in itself a drug: it will take over our minds, and in the end, will not help us at all. Eddie has a choice to make--stay on the drug or do something that would change his life without the aid of a drug.

Jesus had to make some choices after he decided how he was going to preach the Kingdom of God to the world. Those choices were the occasion for further choices because he asked specific men to help him in his endeavor. Called by Jesus, the apostles had to deliberately choose to give up family and livelihood in order to follow him. One can easily imagine that the apostles made the decision only after they had discerned, possibly with their families, that it was the right choice.

The right choice is not always easily discernible. Often the choice is between what we want to do and what we should do. What we want to do often involves satisfying only ourselves, even though it may seem like we are being objective in our choices. In the movie "Limitless," Eddie Morra finally learns from his friend Lindy what the final choice must be with regard to the miracle drug that he has taken. Eddie finally chose to stop taking the drug and instead determine how to live the way he wanted without it.

The world in which we live has been labeled by many as a "drug society." Not only have illegal drugs made a significant entry into our day-to-day living, but legal drugs play an important part in our physical well-being as well. Often even legal drugs lead to further problems. We are called to make choices concerning those drugs.

In fact, we must make choices all the time. Our Christian guide for those choices must be the example of people like Jesus and his Apostles. They teach us to make the choices, but always to make them with the intention of bringing about what is right and good.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son chose to ask men to help him teach the Kingdom. In turn, those men had to choose what was right for them after Jesus' call. Be with us in all of the choices we make in our lives so that we may choose correctly. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: In our choices, we must always choose what is right no matter what the cost.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 49 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. The Gospel passage immediately before this passage of the selection of the Apostles is the statement that Jesus spent the night in prayer. In general, do most Christians ask for God's help when they make important decisions? Yes or no and why?
3. The word "apostle" comes from the Greek word meaning to "send out." In what ways are Christians "sent out" to the world today?
4. Judas Iscariot is mentioned as "the traitor." In your opinion, why did Jesus choose Judas?
5. A person's conscience helps make the right choices in life. Project: Make a presentation about "conscience.". See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 1776-1794.
6. Why does "selfishness" always play a part in the choices that we make?
7. Is the label of a "drug society" true for the society in which we live? Yes or no and why?
8. Why do young people choose to take drugs?
9. What is the best way to help a person who is addicted to an illegal drug?
10. Scene analysis: The movie leads a person into thinking that Eddie could have killed someone while under the influence of the drug. From what you have seen in the movie, did he kill her? Yes or no and why?
11. Scene analysis: Eddie meets his ex-wife and sees what NZT-48 has done to her. Why do drug addicts often refuse treatment?
12. Scene analysis: Lindy takes the drug in order to escape. Do you believe that there are ever justifiable causes to take an illegal drug? Yes or no and why?
13. Dialogue analysis: Lindy tells Eddie that taking the drug makes one feel invincible, but it was not good for her. Why would "feeling invincible" not be good?
14. Dialogue analysis: Carl to Eddie: "You do not know what I know because you have not earned those powers." Why is his statement a true statement?
15. Dialogue analysis: Eddie, about to commit suicide, says that really we all want to live. What causes people to become so depressed that they no longer want to live?
16. Scene analysis: Carl tries to take advantage of Eddie thinking that Eddie is still dependent on the drug. Evil takes advantage of any opportunity. Where do you see the most evil in your world right now? Is there anything that you can do about it? If so, what can be done?
17. What does the movie "Limitless" teach young people?