avengers1

November 8

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Friday, November 8

LUKE 16:1-8

You must act in a prudent way with every situation.

Prayerthoughts
a. The steward was misusing the property of his employer. In my work right now, are there times when I am lazy and not following through with my contract?

b. The dishonest steward comes to understand his position because the owner threatens to dismiss him. Are there some areas in my life right now in which I need to change?

c. The steward does not cheat the owner; he gives up some of his own interest since the steward made his living off of the interest of the money the owner received. Am I too interested in myself, in my behavior, in my world?

d. Jesus is praising the dishonest steward for acting prudently. The dictionary defines prudence to be “the state of being careful and sensible, marked by sound judgment.” Am I careful enough in my dealings with the things of this world?

e. In Jesus’ story, he wants us to be careful and sensible with regard to eternal life. In what more ways can I show that I believe in eternal life?

f. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read Phillipians, chapters 3 and 4,

and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

CHILDREN OF THE WORLD AND CHILDREN OF THE LIGHT

+ The story in Luke’s Gospel is an interesting one because it can be looked at as Jesus giving permission to bring about something not quite right

- but for the person interested in spiritual life, the moral of the story is an important one:

The children of this world are more prudent…than the children of light

- that is, as the people of the world deal with things in a concerned way

- so the people of the light—followers of Jesus, Christians, should be very aware of what they should do in their lives because they understand that their citizenship is in heaven—Paul’s words to the Philippians

- and that they must stand firm in the Lord in the words of that letter

+ It is important to pursue the contrast that Jesus sets up between the people of this world and the people of the light

- in Jesus’ story, the people of the world are going to take care of themselves

- they will be shrewd in carrying out their affairs

- in terms of Paul’s thoughts: “their minds are occupied with earthly things” and work at doing them well

- making money, day-to-day living, the affairs of daily life

- and they will make sure that they are taken care of

- they insure for their future

- they do the things that are necessary to bring about a good living

- Jesus’ point is that the people of the light, the spiritual people, those who would be followers of his should be working with the same intensity as the people of the world in spiritual religious matters

- that is, their minds will be occupied with the things of heaven

- they will insure their spiritual future

- they will do the things necessary to bring about their own spiritual good

+ The story—as most of Jesus’ stories—leads us to some very direct personal questions

- questions that deal mainly with the quality of life that we are leading right now

- questions that we need to take some quality time to answer

+ Paul reminds the Philippians that the follower of Christ’s citizenship must be in heaven

- obviously, the children of the light’s citizenship is there also, and our time and effort should show that as we live our daily lives.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Avengers: Endgame" -- beginning session

THE RETURN TO HOPE

The Gospel

JOHN 1:47-52

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him: "Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

Gospelthink: I see that in Nathaniel there was nothing fake about him. Am I totally honest with myself and with others?

The movie "Avengers: Endgame" begins after the evil Thanos had literally destroyed half of all creation. He had acquired all six Infinity Stones and therefore could have infinite power. Further he had destroyed the stones so that he now had absolute power over the world. The Avengers' team had adjusted each in their own way to the new way of life which they had not wanted at all. Because of a discovery on one of their parts that there was a possibility of using time alteration to their advantage, they soon decided to do something about their plight and that of humankind. They could use a quantum leap and travel back in time before their present dilemma and steal the Infinity Stones so that they can right the wrongs that Thanos has caused.

Nathanael was no doubt looking for something. He did not know what it was, but whatever it was, it was connected with hope, hope for himself, hope for others. Jesus recognized that characteristic in him, saying that he was a "true" Israelite, a believer who had no duplicity in him. He was sincere and therefore someone who could truly understand a cause like Jesus was to teach, and give himself to it.

The cause for the Avengers in the movie "Avengers: Endgame" was nothing less than helping a world that had been overcome completely by evil. Hope for a better life had disappeared and the team had had to admit defeat. Now, discovering the quantum leap, they were able to think in terms of a life once again, a life that could bring about for humankind what God had intended.

It seemed an impossible task. Nathanael, as honest as he was, could not find any hope in the world as he saw it, and so he was searching. The Avengers saw no hope in living the way they were, with half of the world literally destroyed. But both were up the task. Both must have known that there would be danger in bringing about their desired outcome, but they set about doing it.

You and I live in a world that often is without hope. We see it because of the evil that has come upon so many people--people starving, people suffering from addictions of some kind, people who are hurting because of loss or fear of death. We need hope.

Nathanael wanted fulfillment in his life; the Avengers were desiring to have a world that was whole again. As do we. Nathanael found that hope in Jesus and his doctrine. The Avengers following the lesson of Jesus to love everyone found it in their lives. We must be able to look at the lessons that Jesus taught and accept them in such a way that we are truly influenced by His wisdom.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we are in need of hope because we see a world that is in so many ways overcome by evil. Thank You for sending us Your Son, and help us truly listen to His wisdom. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Although we may be close to despair, we see hope in what we can do.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 85 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you? Why?
2. In your opinion, what is the definition of "duplicity"?
3. We tend to adjust to evil as the world after Thanos did. In general, how do people "adjust" to evil in their lives today?
4. What is your definition of "hope"?
5. What is the life that God has intended for us?
6. Name some people of history who were "up to the task" of helping humankind.
7. What is the best way to be influenced by the wisdom of God?