TGIMMcaptain2

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, November 25

LUKE 21:5-11
There will come a time when the world will end.

Prayerthoughts
a. The apostles are in awe of the beauty of the temple. We have to be in awe of our nature and abilities and our technology that God has given to us human beings. Take the time to reflect on the abilities that we have been given without pride and thank the Lord.

b. In Luke's Gospel, the evangelist had the advantage of knowing of the destruction of the temple (which happened in 70 AD by the Romans). Jesus is calling us to understand that what is of more importance is the true worship of God. Take the time to consider what is truly important in our lives, namely God’s presence, and how much time we give to it.

c. When something is foretold, we want to know when. Likewise the apostles. Of course, the end has not happened, and really is not that important since Jesus does not answer the question. What is important is my own preparation every day. Am I prepared for the end of the world (or my end in death) so that if it did happen today, I would gain eternal life?

d. We must continue to be careful not to listen to “rapture theology” and the prediction of the end times. The Lord did not give it to us. Many say that because of what is happening in the world, the end times are upon us. I should take some time right now and pray for those who are suffering and the perpetrators.

e. It may very well be true that we are in the beginning of the labor pains as Luke's Jesus predicts. Am I doing my part of trying to alleviate the pain of the people around me whom I can help?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today, I will read Daniel 2:31-45 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE END TIMES LEADS TO CONVERSION

+ Both readings talk of the end times today

- and our liturgy meditation probably should center around thinking about this end of the world

- and for a person interested in a deeper spiritual life, a couple of thoughts are in order:

+ First, from the book of Daniel, the kingdom of God will encompass all others

- it should be a guiding factor for us who profess Christianity

- you and I are surrounded by many kingdoms, so to speak, and we are not speaking about the kingdom of men and women, as the prophet was

- one can call the desire for material goods to be a kingdom of sorts, in the sense that it can rule our lives

- or we can talk about the kingdom of pleasure, which human natures constantly accept

- or the kingdom of power—people wanting control of others in any number of situations

- we have to listen to Daniel’s dream: there really is only one kingdom—the kingdom of God—and we ought to pay more attention to it in our lives

+ Secondly, Jesus’s words that there will be wars and fearful omens

- evil is very much alive in our world

- and part of our work as spiritual people is to fight that evil in the ways that we can

- we can’t do much about the national and international crises

- except pray that the people involved use the grace of God to overcome the crises

- but we can do something about the evil around us

- the situations that we cause

- the sinfulness which is engrained in each of us

- if we try to do something about these things, then we will be contributing toward the prevention of evil

+ The end of something always gives cause for thought and the possibility of conversion to something better

- obviously true of the end of the world or the end of our lives

- but if we have worked with the Lord and tried to overcome the evil in our lives, we have nothing to fear.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Captain Phillips" -- final session

ACCEPTING THE PAIN

The Gospel

JOHN 18:10-11

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the Father gave me?”

Gospelthink: I accepted the pain that was to come to me as difficult as it was. As I have pain for whatever reason, am I asking the Lord for help to accept it?

In this portion of the movie that can only be described as "intense," Captain Phillips, in the movie named after him, is held captive by the Somalians inside the little lifeboat from the mother ship MV Maersk Alabama. His captors are constantly fighting among themselves with the constant threat of death for Captain Phillips. The Somalian "captain" Abduwali Muse is undecided about what to do since everything that was planned has not worked out. He decided to trust the Americans and allowed his fellow Somalian Najee to be in charge of the lifeboat. Najee is even more hostile to Phillips that Muse was, actually holding a gun to his head for a long period of time ready to kill him at any moment. Captain Phillips is eventually rescued, but severely disoriented by what has happened to him.

There is a theological debate about Jesus's "consciousness," that is whether he knew that he was God or not. It is important to note that whether Jesus knew or not, he chose to suffer the pain of the passion he was about to endure. He told Peter that he should suffer the pain that was directly in front of him.

Generally speaking, we will not choose to suffer pain unless we have a spiritual reason for doing it, and even then, we should always choose very carefully under someone's direction. But we all will suffer pain in our lives in some form simply because we are human beings. Captain Phillips in the movie named after him did not choose the pain that he was to suffer, but he had to endure it as best he could.

A spiritual author, Sr. Frances Teresa, OSC, put this thought into words: "The most demanding struggles, and the ones which most mature us, psychologically and spiritually, are those that come upon us unsought, always undesired and for which we feel we have had no preparation at all. The struggles that we freely undertake, such as fasting, are much easier, simply because we remain in control. We can always decide to stop. What, though, are we to make of those formative experiences of pain and distress which we do not choose and do not like, perhaps can hardly bear, and which we cannot bring to an end when we are tired of them?"

It is a great insight for anyone who suffers. That which makes us truly spiritual people is not what we choose; it is what we do not choose—the tragedies, the accidents, the misunderstandings, the complications, the extra stress, the moments when we can do nothing but exist, the necessity to take medication, growing older, the pain we did not expect.

The spiritual person must continually question him or herself about how well he or she is suffering. Perhaps most of all, they must question what the illness does to the values which they believe in when they are not sick.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son chose to suffer the pain that would come his way, calling it something that You desired. Help us learn from him, and choose to suffer well the pain that we must endure. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Perhaps the most difficult thing for people is to put up with the pain they have.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 62 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you? Why?
2. Many commentators say that it is significant that Peter had a sword with him in the Gospel reading. What do you think it means?
3. In another Gospel, Jesus heals the man. That is, Jesus takes care of an enemy of his. What do you conclude from the action?
4. The "cup" refers to what will happen to Jesus. What do you think is the principal reason why Jesus chose to allow physical and mental suffering in his life?
5. Concerning Jesus's knowledge of whether he was God or not, what is your opinion?
6. Project: the presenter may want to do a presentation on Jesus's consciousness. The topic is covered in every theological book on Jesus, e.g., Catholicism, by Richard McBrien.
7. In your opinion, what are some good reasons to bring about "pain," such as fasting and the like, to the body?
8. Why does pain which is "unsought" have more value for the human being than other pain?
9. From your knowledge of people who suffer not because of choice, but because it was caused by something else, do you think that most people suffer "well," that is, accepting it from God? Yes or no and why?
10. Scene analysis: As the captors of Captain Phillips argue among themselves, it becomes evident that they are "unstable" in their relationships. What is the reason in your opinion?
11. The captors want more money. Why is "money" such a driving force in our world? How would more money help the Somali pirates?
12. Scene analysis: Captain Phillips helps with the foot problem of one of the pirates. What does this show about the character of Phillips?
13. Dialogue analysis: Phillips tells Muse that the Navy will not let him win. Why?
14. Dialogue analysis: Muse says that he cannot give up. Why?
15. Scene analysis: Phillips tries to escape by jumping and swimming toward the American boat. Do you think that this was a good decision? Yes or no and why?
16. Scene/dialogue analysis: The American gives Muse his word that his tribesmen will be part of the negotiation when they did not intend to do it at all. Do you think that there is anything wrong with the way the Americans handled this negotiation? Yes or no and why?
17. Analysis: Do you think that this type of "negotiation" happens often in the military? Yes or no and why?
18. Scene analysis: Phillips is obviously in shock as he is rescued. How would such a shock affect a person's future? Note that in real life Phillips went "back to sea" a couple years after the incident.
19. What does the movie "Captain Phillips" teach young people?.