May 13

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, May 13, Easter Weekday

JOHN 10:22-30
The religious leaders were not listening to my voice.

Prayerthoughts
a. Jesus spent time in the temple on the feast day. Do I spend enough time with the Lord in prayer on Sundays?

b. There are situations in my life in which I do not have the answers I want. What are they, and do I spend enough time with the Lord asking for His help in those matters?

c. Jesus’s works tell us plainly who he is. What are the works of God’s creation that most impress me? (This is the task of the meditation.)

d. We profess to be among Jesus’s “sheep.” If it is true that I am, what the characteristics that should be present in my life right now?

e. I hear the Lord’s voice as I set out to do what I have chosen by my free will. In what way is the Lord “talking” to me?

f. It is encouraging that the Lord has chosen me, and I am with the Lord no matter what. There are some things in my life however that hold me back. What are the things that hold me back from being the “sheep” that I should be for the Lord?

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will answer letter c.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE SHEEP OF JESUS

+ The readings give us a contrast of how people listen to the message of Jesus

- 1^st reading: people open to receiving the message and actually receiving it

- in Antioch, a strong commitment to the Lord and the beginning of the Antioch church with Paul and Barnabas as their principal preachers

- Gospel: Jesus saying that the Jews he was talking to were not open to the message and therefore did not accept it at all

- in Jesus’ and John the Evangelist’s terminology, they were not his sheep

+ We might spend some time with the question: what does it take to be a sheep of Jesus?

- Jesus gives that to us in the Gospel, and speaks of two things: that we hear his voice and follow him

1 – hear his voice

- listen to what Jesus says in the Scriptures

- and more importantly—in our prayer connected with the Scriptures

- that is, listening empathetically

- listening not only to the words, but the deeper meaning of the words

- such a state only comes with what is called “pouring over” the Scriptures

- apparently the converts in Antioch in the first readying were able to do that type of listening

2 – follow him

- that we actually put into practice the words that we listen to

- including the real desire to love, forgive, bring about peace, to get along with people, to understand where people are coming from, etc.

- again, from Luke’s description in Acts, the new Christians in Antioch were able to accomplish this characteristic

+ If we really want to be Jesus’ sheep,

- we will listen to what he says, and then follow him.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Jason Bourne" -- final session

A DIFFICULT LESSON

Gospel

MARK 15:6-15

MARK 15:6-15

Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested. A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion. The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed. Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead. Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the king of the Jews.” They shouted again “Crucify him.” Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.

Gospelthink: I suffered greatly because of other people's selfishness. Am I too selfish in the way I act and speak?

David Webb discovered that he was made into the operative Jason Bourne to work with the CIA, but he did not know the circumstances behind the action. Through the help of others, he discovered that Robert Dewey, the CIA Director, was responsible for his father's death. He decided to search him out, presumably prepared to take his revenge out on the Director. Meanwhile the agent called The Asset who was the real killer of his father as ordered by Dewey, was trying to kill Webb because Webb had discovered the truth. When David found out he allowed himself to be overcome with revenge.

The classic case of revenge in the Gospels is given to us in the Passion accounts of the evangelists. Mark in his account specifically mentions that it was out of "envy" or revenge that the chief priests stirred up the crowd to shout for the release of Barabbas and the death of Jesus. The chief priests felt that Jesus had treated them wrongly, and they wanted to "get back at him" in some way. They caused his death.

Too often we see exactly that--death because of revenge--portrayed in the media of our day. We want to see "justice" done, even if people must take it into their own hands, and bring about someone's death. The feeling is even stronger when revenge will take the life of someone who had tried to kill them in the first place. Such is the case with the movie "Jason Bourne." Bourne had been treated unfairly from the very beginning of his association of the CIA, and when he had a chance to get back at the people responsible, he took it.

Our human natures react to injustice very strongly, especially when it is a personal thing. We do not like to be treated unfairly, and when we are, we want to "get back at" the other in some way. Jesus addressed that feeling in his life, telling us that there is to be no revenge, no matter what. Then he lived it out as he suffered at the end of his life. It is a difficult lesson, but one that every follower of Jesus must learn.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son showed us the very difficult lesson of not showing revenge on those who mistreated Him. Give us the grace to learn His lesson especially when our human feelings tell us to be revengeful. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDELINES FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: The revenge that is presented by the media does not help us be better people.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 61 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. In general, why is "jealousy" and "envy" wrong?
3. Is it true that "most people" act at times "out of revenge"? Yes or no and why?
4. The meditation identifies "envy" with "revenge." What is the difference between the two?
5. Certainly the most difficult time not to show revenge is a time when we or someone close to us have been hurt by another. In that situation, do you think that most Christians refrain from revenge? Yes or no and why?
6. In general, do Christians want to follow Jesus' direction and example not to show revenge? Yes or no and why?
7. What are good points of social media? What are the bad points?
8. Scene analysis: In your opinion, was Heather Lee honestly wanting to help Bourne? Yes or no and why?
9. Instead of killing The Asset or Dewey, was there another option for Bourne? Yes or no and why?
10. In your opinion, does the desire to go higher in an organization always occupy the mind of people in authority in that organization? Yes or no and why?
11. What does the movie "Jason Bourne" teach young people?