November30

November 30
[media presentation below] GospelThink Sunday, November 30, First Sunday of Advent MATTHEW 24:37-44 Stay Awake Prayerthoughts a. Jesus refers to the story of Noah in the book of Genesis, implying that the people had forgotten God. Do I find myself forgetting God too often throughout the day? b. “They did not know…” In my life, do I make it a priority to try to know what God wants of me? c. Right now, if there were the end of my life, which am I choosing: heaven or hell? d. The Lord calls me to “stay awake.” What does that mean to me as I live my spiritual life? e. If I were to die right now, am I prepared to be with the Lord? f. In what ways can I be better this year as I begin this new Church year? g. Is the fact that I am going to die a scary thing for me? Yes or no and why? h. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will read Genesis 6:5-9:17 and write an importnt thought that I should remember from the story of Noah. Or... Read Romans 13:11-14 and write an important thought from it.
Some Thoughts on the Liturgy WAKING UP + A religious author by the name of Anthony de Mello defines developing the spiritual life as “waking up” - he says: Most people, even though they don’t know it, are asleep. They’re born asleep, they live asleep, they marry in their sleep, they breed children in their sleep, they die in their sleep without ever waking up. They never understand the loveliness and the beauty of this thing that we call human existence. - his point: most people are not really aware of how much God is with them or how much God is part of their lives - therefore, having better spiritual lives is not that important to them + We begin the Church year today - and on this first day of the year, we are given right away the way to live better spiritual lives - Paul writes to the Romans in the second reading and says: “It is the hour now for you to wake from sleep.” - and Jesus warns us: you have to stay awake and be prepared - or in other words—be concerned about what is going on so that you will be concerned about your spiritual lives - Jesus points out that in the days of Noah, the people were not concerned—they were eating and drinking, marrying, right up to the day of the flood - they did not know, he says - that is, they were not concerned about what was happening - in de Mello’s words, they were asleep + The problem is that we don’t want to wake up - deep down inside because of our human natures, I’m afraid that we don’t want to be concerned about our spiritual lives - because, simply put, there are more important things to us, and we can easily put this whole spiritual life thing on the back burner of concern - we make excuses - it might be good to look at some of those excuses that we make and analyze them in light of the importance of God in our lives + We say, for example, that I don’t have time to develop my spiritual life - our words are something like: yes, I care, yes, I am concerned, and I really want to do something a little more spiritual, but I simply don’t have the time to work it in - I have kids, I have work, I have obligations—I don’t have the time - in fact, yes we do - you and I know that if something is important to us, we’ll find time to get it done, somehow + Or perhaps what holds us back is a little more honest fact: I don’t like to change my way of doing things - we are all creatures of habit, and we often allow habit to run our lives - the fact is that maybe our way needs changing *- maybe it is our way* that is causing problems, creating some havoc in our lives - one of the best ways to discover whether our way is a problem is to ask those who are closest to us - have a family meeting in which you try to bring about honesty from everyone, having everyone ask the question: what can I do better, what are the things that bug you about me? - that is a tough thing for us to do because we may find out some things that we should change, and don’t want to + Also one of the things that holds us back from growing in the spiritual life is the feeling that—really—when you come right down to it, I’m not so bad - and that is true - or else you wouldn’t be here - your presence here says that God means something to you, and you want to at least acknowledge that much - although the percentage of time that we give to Church is less than 2% if I go to Church every Sunday - the fact is, though, that everyone here, myself included, can and should do better - we can read more of the New Testament Scripture - we can go to confession or spiritual direction a little more often - we can attend a weekday Mass - we can take 15 minutes out of the day to pray - we can do something to help someone who needs it - really, we can do something to improve + Jesus used a scare tactic to get to us because he knew that we would want to stay asleep in de Mello’s words - and his scare tactic: you’re going to die, maybe soon, so you had better do something about your spiritual life right now - the Church realizes that such a meditation is a good way to begin the Advent season as we prepare to meet Jesus at Christmas.**

MEDIA PRESENTATION "Solo: A Star Wars Story" -- beginning session SAYING THE WORD "FOREVER"

The Gospel

Matthew 28:16-20

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”

Gospelthink: I instruct my disciples and you on your spiritual task. Am I carrying out the Lord's directive in some way?

Across the known galaxy, organized crime syndicates were running rampant due to lawlessness, forcing others to fight for survival. On the planet Corellia, Han (later to be called Han Solo) was seeking a way to leave Corellia. After he obtained some coaxiom, the mineral that everyone on the planet was searching for, he and his girlfriend Qi'ra planned to escape. They finally managed it by bringing the coaxium to a imperial officer as a bribe, but they were discovered. They nearly made it out, but Qi'ra was captured. Han promised to find a way to get Qi'ra out, and because their love was strong, he promised her that he would return.

The human being usually needs reassurance when a promise is made. Jesus knew that his disciples were still doubting about all that he had done, although they had seen marvelous things. So, he reassured them. He made them a promise. "Behold I am with you always," he said, "until the end of the age." It was a promise that they would remember forever, through all the problems and sorrows that they would have to face.

It was a promise of love that would last. When a person loves someone, that person will make promises that he/she will keep. That is the reason why people young in love should never use the word "forever" because their love is still beginning to form. But if the couple is truly in a love that will last, both of them can use the word to signify their love. Such is the love, one is led to believe between Han and Qi'ra in the movie "Solo: A Star Wars Story." Their love was strong from the first moment.

There is an important lesson here for young people in love. The emotions of the initial feeling of a possible "soul mate" in the person of another can easily take over a young person's life. They are inclined to give completely of themselves, and therefore their "forever" which they speak to one another is real. The fact is that unless there is a physical presence to each other during the days of the promise, it may not be kept. And so, the promise must be made with caution.

Han and Qi'ra loved each other as "soul mates" early on in their lives. They did not know the circumstances of their lives. When Han had to leave Qi'ra, however, he could say "forever" and it would mean something.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, Your Son promised to be with the disciples and consequently with us, his modern day disciples, always. He keeps his promise every day of our lives. May we human beings learn the lesson of love forever, and promise to give it only if we mean it. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: When a person loves someone, he/she will make promises with the intention of keeping them.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 63 minutes)
1. What scene from this session of movie is most striking and why?
2. In the Gospel, what was the principal reason why the eleven disciples still "doubted"?
3. In your opinion, do most Christians understand Baptism as the entrance into Christian life? Yes or no and why?
4. In what way is the Lord with us in our lives?
5. What can "coaxiom" be compared to in our modern day? Do we depend on it too much?
6. Why does a human being need reassurance?
7. In general, when young people first say the word "forever" to one another, do you think that they mean it? Yes or no and why?
8. Do you believe in the idea that we can have love "at first sight"? Yes or no and why?
9. The meditation says that a physical presence is necessary before the young people say "forever." Is the statement true or false? Why?
10. What are the elements of a "soul mate" love?
11. Dialogue analysis: Beckett: "Let me give you some advice. Assume everyone will betray you. And you will never be disappointed." Why is this statement both true and false?