miracle2

October 20

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Monday, October 20

LUKE 12:13-21
I speak about the matter of money.

Prayerthoughts
a. Do I make judgments about other people’s money, and think or say something about it. Perhaps this is a time to say a prayer for them.

b. The Lord asks me to look at the “greed” that I have, the desire to have more. Is this something I should consider more?

c. The Lord often speaks of too many possessions. Have I too many possessions right now, and could I give some of them away to an organization that takes care of such things?

d. The man did not ackowledge God for God's help in obtaining the harvest. Should I be thanking the Lord more for all that God has done for me?

e. The man did not consider his death as a possibility as he made more and more. How should I being preparing for my death right now?

f. As I study my life right, even as I need money to exist, am I storing up "treasure" by making myself more aware of God's presence in my life? In what areas can I do better?

g. My prayerthoughts...

Today I will read Romans 4:20-25 and write an important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

THE DESIRE FOR MORE MONEY

+ Paul writes to the Romans in the first reading today telling them to consider the example of Abraham

- who was empowered by faith and fully convinced that God was in charge of his life

+ In contrast to a person like Abraham, Jesus presents a person in his story who was fully convinced that he could do things by himself

- and empowered by his own ability to store up goods, saying at the end of his story:

But God said to him, ‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’

- then Jesus says that there is a difference between people who store up treasure for themselves and people who are rich in what matters to God

+ And so, it is a straight-forward challenge for us from the liturgy today:

- where have we placed material goods, money in our lives?

- do we see money, profits, material things overshadowing truly Christian values in the way we live

- this does not in any way deny the importance of money as a means to exist

- it is important to make money

- to invest money

- even trying to make more of it

- what it does do is make us ask the question

- have we let our love for material things affect the “what matters to God” in our lives

+ This is not an easy topic to think about

- because it always touches something which is quite personal to all of us

- but Jesus is clear here and often throughout the Gospels

- money is a means, a means to help us in life

- and when it becomes an end in itself, it becomes greed

- and then we start worrying about the wrong thing

- we start thinking about making more of it only to make more of it

+ We should probably listen very closely to Jesus today:

Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.

- what guarantees a man or woman life—how well we live while using the money we make.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "The Miracle Season" -- final session

THE GUIDANCE OF THE SPIRIT

The Gospel

JOHN 16:12-14

Jesus said, "I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."

Gospelthink: The Holy Spirit will come upon you to lead you in your life and the life to come. Do I pray to the Holy Spirit to aid me?

The volleyball team at West High School in Iowa City, Iowa were in a state of mourning for their captain, Caroline "Line" Found. Her father was even more distressed as he felt the loss of both his daughter and his wife who had died from cancer. Incredibly the team was able to make a comeback with the leadership of their coach, Kathy Bresnahan and Caroline's best friend Kelley Fliehler using the inspiration of their deceased captain as motivation. At the same time, following the same motivation, Dr. Found was able to withstand his sorrow. The team won their second straight State championship, a truly miraculous accomplishment.

How does the Holy Spirit act in our lives? As we always do, we look for spiritual answers in our Scriptures. Jesus was speaking late in his public life of ministry about the Holy Spirit, what he called the "Spirit of truth" or the "Advocate." It is significant how he described it. The Spirit of truth will guide the Apostles to whom Jesus is speaking. Jesus was praying that the Apostles would listen to the Spirit who will guide them to how Jesus thinks.

Often during his ministry the Lord referred to what should happen in our lives, implying that we should allow the motivation of good people to be part of our thought. We think of the examples of Mary Magdalene, John the Baptist, and the Apostles when they understood the Lord. Judging from what Jesus said about the Spirit, it was the Spirit who guided them to truth. The Spirit inspired others by having them consider the good people of Jesus's time.

One can see that idea at work in the life of very inspiring people in our world as well, as Line was for the people of Iowa City High School. She had motivated the school and especially the volleyball team to the height of achievement. Translated into spiritual terms, the Holy Spirit was inspiring the people who thought of her with the thought of true accomplishment.

The Holy Spirit will lead us to the Lord's words and actions. In every day life, it means that we will be guided by the inspiration of good people and even everything that happens to accomplish the good things that the Lord wants.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, You and Your Son guide us by giving us the grace of the Holy Spirit. May we learn that everything that happens to us, even the difficulties of life can be graces that help us. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: The inspiration that comes from knowing another is one of ways the Holy Spirit guides us.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 46 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. What does the movie "The Miracle Season" teach young people?
3. What is your understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives?
4. What are the principal difficulties of our High Schools today, and what can be done about them?
5. The meditation uses the idea that the Holy Spirit used good people to be inspiration to others. What are some examples of that in our lives?
6. As the finals approached in the Volleyball championship, the chance of "losing" was very real in the minds of those who supported West volleyball. Why is it necessary to understand that "winning" or "losing" a game has nothing to do with spirituality?
7. Give an example of "losing" which is a means to help people.