May 2

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, May 2, Easter Weekday

JOHN 14:7-14

I advise you to do the works that I do.

Prayerthoughts
a. Jesus has just said that he is the way, truth and life. Is it evident from may actions, say, yesterday, that Jesus is central to my life?

b. Knowing the Father is the same as knowing Jesus. God therefore speaks to me through these Scriptures. What are Jesus's most important words that he said to me?

c. Jesus's works are those also of the Father, he says. From my knowledge of the Scriptures, what are the most important works of Jesus? What can I learn from them?

d. Jesus says that I can do works even greater than what he did. In what area of my life can I do greater good than I am doing now?

e. Once again, Jesus says that if we ask in His name, that he will do it. As I pray the prayer of petition asking for the Lord's help, do I always ask "in his name," that is, am I following the direction that the Lord is giving? Yes or no and why?

f. My prayerthoughts...

Today, I will read the Acts of the Apostles 13:44-52 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

WE MUST DO THE WORKS OF JESUS

+ In yesterday’s Gospel which takes place at the Last Supper, Thomas asked the question about what was Jesus’s way

- it showed a lack of understanding which should have been there, it would seem

- Thomas should have known that Jesus’s way was the way of God, the way of eternal life

- in a similar manner here, at the same time immediately after Thomas’ statement in John’s Gospel, Philip makes a statement that he should have known the answer to

“Show us the Father.”

- Philip had been with Jesus a number of months

- he had no doubt heard Jesus talk about him and his Father

- and should have easily figured out that there was a real closeness between them

- not having that understanding though, Jesus patiently explains to Philip:

I am in the Father and the Father is in me.

+ Jesus, however, not only answers with the theological fact of the unity of the Father and him

- he also says further that the person who believes this way will do the works that Jesus does

- and he says that the person who believes in Jesus’ name will be assured of an answer to prayer

- therefore for the believer in Jesus, there is an obligation and a privilege

+ The obligation is doing the works of Jesus

- that is, what Jesus says to do in the Scriptures

- there is a very good example in what Paul did on his first missionary journey as seen in the Acts of the Apostles reading:

- willing to be quite direct in his acknowledgment of Jesus

- no matter what the consequences, no matter what the cost

+ There are a number onderstanding that God knows more than we do

- many times we do not want to pray in that way

- so, even the privilege has a sense of obligation connected to it

- we pray as we do the works of Jesus

+ Jesus tells Philip and us today that he and his Father are one, and that if we believe it,

- we must do the works of Jesus, and if we do, we can look forward to the privileges of Christianity, among which is that the fact that we can be assured of the answer to our prayers which are asked in his name

- our meditation should revolve around how well we are doing the works of Jesus

- it is the proof of our faith.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" -- beginning session

WHO SHOULD WE TRUST

The Gospel

JOHN 6:68-71

JOHN 6:68-71

Simon Peter answered [Jesus], “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?” He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve.

Gospelthink: I desired all to turn to me even Judas. Do I place my trust in the Lord the way He would want?

In the fantasy movie "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," S.H.I.E.L.D. operative Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, found himself up against a powerful enemy who planned to kill millions of people in order to rule the world. The enemy was placed high up in the United States government and cleverly tried to implicate the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. Nick Fury to be part of the plot which would eventually lead to the control of the government. Fury realized what was happening and in his dying moments entrusted Steve Rogers with a secret and the instruction: "Trust no one." It meant that Captain America had to discern whom he could trust to ascertain the truth and to help him bring about the capture of the enemy.

Psychologists and sociologists have pointed out that trust begins with the family and gradually grows to include others. The development of basic trust is the first stage of psychosocial development occurring during the first two years of life. If one accomplishes such trust, it results in feelings of security, mutual trust and an optimistic view of life; failure leads to a life of insecurity and mistrust.

In the movie "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," lack of trust was an issue that jeopardized the whole S.H.I.E.L.D. operation. Its director, Nick Fury, realizing the severity of his situation told Captain America, Steve Rogers, that he should "trust no one." Consequently Rogers had to be very careful about trusting his companions during his fight to save millions of people.

Jesus was no doubt careful about trusting his companions. He chose his Apostles with the whole thought of being able to trust one another. Of course, Judas eventually did not lead the life that he should have, but Jesus trusted him enough to take him into his inner circle. Judas violated Jesus' trust in him.

Our world is a complicated world in many ways. One of the reasons may very well be that we so easily trust people who in the end cannot be trusted. It is then that evil will happen, and destruction will result. The only way to prevent it is to be a little more cautious of those we trust. It is a practical conclusion that comes from a popular movie, and a conclusion that Jesus himself learned.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son trusted Judas to be a good Apostle, but Judas broke that trust. Help us learn the art of trusting people in our lives, but at the same time to be cautious of those we choose to trust. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We must be very careful about the people we choose to trust.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 63 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you? Why?
2. Gospel text analysis: "You have the words of eternal life." In your opinion, do Christians act like they believe those words of Jesus? Yes or no and why?
3. Jesus chose Judas. Why do you think Jesus chose him in the first place?
4. Do you think that Judas really intended to "betray" Jesus? Yes or no and why?
5. Give your own definition of trust.
6. Analysis: Why is "trust" so important in the first two years of life?
7. Is it possible in life to "trust no one"? Yes or no and why?
8. In general, who do most people trust as they grow?
9. If it is true that we should be cautious as we choose whom we trust, what are the principal guidelines to us as we choose someone to trust?
10. Is it possible to fight into today's world without the use of weapons (other than Captain America)? Yes or no and why?
11. Scene analysis: Natasha seems to be doing something wrong (extracting files from a computer on the ship). She was following orders without informing anyone else--"compartmentalization." Do you believe that the military actually uses such methods? Yes or no and why?
12. Analysis: Do you think that a "helicarrier" is a possibility in the future? Yes or no and why?
13. Scene analysis: Peggy Carter who now has Alzheimer disease. What is the best way to care for a person with Alzheimer's?
14. Scene analysis: Captain America cannot answer Sam Wilson's question of "What makes you happy?" Why could he not answer?
15. Analysis: What should make people most happy in today's world?
16. Analysis: Given the circumstances, is it wrong for Captain America to lie to Natasha? Yes or no and why? [See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2432-2487.]
17. Scene analysis: Captain America has a "vision" of his former self at the military base. Why is it important to know how we felt in the past?