TGIMMxmen1

November 4

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Tuesday, November 4

LUKE 14:15-24
The Kingdom Dinner

Prayerthoughts

a. I obviously desire to dine in the Kingdom, that is, go to heaven. Does I think of eternal life as often as I should?

b. According to Scripture scholars, these are all legitimate excuses since the wedding feast could last a couple of days. Do I make excuses so that I do not spend enough time to pursue my spiritual life?

c. An excuse that I use might be the thought of spending time with something that I have purchased. Could I make more time for spiritual things by temporarily ignoring something?

d. An excuse that I use might have something to do with my family. Do I love my family and all its members as I should? Do I use my family as an excuse not to pursue spiritual activities?

e. Does the thought that the Lord has chosen other people “less than I am (in my selfish opinion)” upset me? Why?

f. Our God is the type of God who “makes” people come to enjoy the Kingdom. Do I think of our God to be a compassionate God?

g. The thought of being excluded from the Kingdom is a disturbing one. Am I disturbed enough to want to do something about it?

h. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read Romans 12:5-16ab and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

SINCERE LOVE AND ITS REWARD

+ Today’s reading from Paul’s letter to the Romans contains one of those passages that is very good for personal meditation

- first of all, it calls to mind the gifts that we have, and whether we are using them on behalf of others,

- then, in the second part, it gives a list of Christian characteristics, each of which can be studied, bringing them into our own reality by asking the question: do I do this?

- perhaps with the overall directive being the statement: “Let love be sincere”

- that is, our love of others must be real, covering every circumstance and every situation we are in

+ Such a person will hear the man who is inviting them to dine in Jesus’s parable

- and will not make excuses when it comes to putting God into our lives

- the main part of Jesus’ parable is the part in which people make excuses and will not pursue what it takes to be part of the Kingdom

- we are called to be people who are knowledgeable of God’s presence, but we excuse ourselves

- God doesn’t exclude us; we do it to ourselves

- we exclude ourselves by our love of the world

- and we may not even know that we are doing it

- yes, we have to pay attention to our livelihood and our life here on earth, but we may be doing too much of it

- we use our involvement in the world as our excuse not to respond to the call of God

- and thus, we exclude ourselves from that call

- and in Jesus words, it is a “final” exclusion

- not one of the originally invited will taste a morsel of his meal

+ A further note about the people who make up the Kingdom of Jesus

- they are the “outcasts” of society

- not exclusively the people who can be categorized as poor, crippled, blind and lame

- but the people who in terms of Paul’s reading today, people whose love is sincere, real

- that is people who finally understand what they have as they possess the Kingdom of God

+ If our love is sincere, we will be part of the Kingdom of God

- such is our desire, such is our commandment as we go about our world.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "X-Men: First Class" -- beginning session

PROUD OF WHO WE ARE

The Gospel

MATTHEW 18:1-5

At that time the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said, “Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me."

Gospelthink: Children are so important to me--they teach us an example. We should treat them with great care. Am I good to the children around me?

The movie "X-Men: First Class" traces the origin of the comic book characters known as X-Men. The comic book is based on the fantasy that there are "mutants" in our world, people whose genes are slightly altered as they are born. It causes those people to have special powers and abilities over and above their normal functions. The movie begins with three in particular: Eric Lensherr, a mutant with magnetic power who was a young prisoner in one of the concentration camps in Germany, Sebastian Shaw, a scientist employed at the concentration camp, a person who is able to absorb energy, and Charles Xavier, a telepath, who is graduating from college in another part of the world. Eventually, as the other mutants are discovered, the whole question of "being happy with who you are" comes for discussion. Should mutants want to be "normal" and call for changing their appearance without changing their abilities? It leads to the thought of acceptance of who we are, and at the same time, wanting to be the best we can be.

When Jesus was asked to speak of those who would be part of the Kingdom that he was preaching, he chose to talk of a child. The reason he gave was that a child "humbles himself," a phrase that might mean a number of things. Most of all probably it conveys the thought that the child will be satisfied with who he/she is, and will not put on any false airs that makes him/her to be better than anyone else.

When Beast and Raven, mutants in the movie "X-Men: First Class" study the fact that they are mutants, they become ashamed of who they are. It is a struggle for both of them throughout the movie to see that they are worthwhile just the way they are. In the end, Raven accepts evil as a way of life because although she could tell Beast "to be proud" of who he was, she was not able to discern what love of self really is.

A true love of self not only accepts the fact that we are human beings with certain traits, with the looks that we have inherited, and the ability to change our lifestyles if we want. A true love of self also will accept the fact that we need some guide as we understand who we are. Such a guide should lead us to do good rather than evil, choose life rather than death, and to show love rather than hate. As Christians, of course, we have chosen to follow the God-man Jesus Christ whose central doctrine implied that love had to be the center of our lives.

Children are proud of who they are because they have made the judgment that they cannot change their lives and that it is good thing. But they also realize that they need help. Jesus reminds us that we can all learn from such an example.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, you have created us and given us the gifts of our lives. Help us truly accept who we are and what we should be so that we may live healthy lives here on our earth. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Human beings are called to be happy with who they are, and wanting to accomplish good things in their lives.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 61 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. In Jesus's kingdom, no one will be more important than another. Why do people like to think of themselves as "better than others"?
3. Text analysis: "Whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me." Give your interpretation of Jesus's words.
4. Define your understanding of a true "love of self."
5. Do you think that most Christians understand that Jesus is truly a "guide" to their lives? Yes or no and why?
6. Scene analysis: the concentration camp. For the most part, the Holocaust was caused by Christian people. In your opinion, what was the principal evil that caused it?
7. The movie has a number of violent scenes. In your opinion, does the violence portrayed in movies affect young people in an adverse way? Yes or no and why?
8. The movie portrays some higher military people who are influenced by sex and money. Do you think that there is much of this corruption in our military? Yes or no and why?
9. Scene analysis: the young mutants "fool around," showing very little maturity. What is the best indication that people are mature?