TGIMMhereafter1

September 20

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Saturday, September 20

LUKE 8:4-15

The parable of the Sower

Prayerthoughts

a. If I consider the seed to be the Word of God spoken to me, how often do I truly listen to the Word of God in the Gospels? Should it not be “daily”? [In other words, am I cultivating my life to be “rich soil” for the Lord to act?]

b. Considering my life, when do I not listen to the Word of God at all?

c. Considering my life, when do I listen and promptly forget about the Word?

d. Considering my life, when do I listen to the “world”—my own cares and situations—and thus miss any spiritual conclusions to what I should be doing?

e. Is it a true statement to say that “Often I prefer to have the Word of God choked by the world in which I live”?

f. Jesus’s statement that I ought to hear if I have ears is a statement of how important this story is. Why is it so important for my spiritual life?

g. My prayerthoughts…

Today I will read 1 Timothy 6:13-16 and write an important thought from it.

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Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

JESUS’S STORY OF THE SOWER

In Matthew’s Gospel today, Jesus gives us a story about the gift of ears, that is, listening to God. If we are asked to place ourselves in one of the categories of Jesus’ story, we want to put ourselves in the “rich soil” category, the category in which we truly listen to the word of God. A good case can be made for that: we go to Mass on a regular basis; every week most of us receive the Lord in the Eucharist; we pray, we read the Scripture.

But, I think a spiritually healthy way to consider this parable, is not to consider placing ourselves in one category, but to admit that at different times we are in all the categories. Sometimes we are the path in Jesus’ story, that is, as Jesus explains it in the Gospel, we are ones who hear the word of the kingdom without understanding it, and evil comes and steals away what was sown in our hearts. There are things about Scripture which we do not want to listen to and refuse to understand all the time—forgiveness and love of everyone, for example. It gives rise to “selective listening” or allowing ourselves to be exceptions to what Jesus tells us to do.

Often we are nothing but rocky ground, namely, one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy, but such a person has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, such a person immediately falls away. When the going gets rocky—and it will—we forget religion and forget God. Our problem is one of consistency, we do not stay with what God wants as we live our complicated lives, giving rise to the contradiction of “partial Christianity”—in which we believe, but only at certain times.

Often we are in the category of thorns, that is, a person who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. The problem often is two-fold—worldly anxiety (translate: pleasure) and money—riches as Jesus mentions. Is it not interesting that it was the same problems for Jesus’ time as well as ours. Our priorities get all mixed up, and in general, we allow an increased bank account and too much pleasure to make decisions that hurt family and relationship with God.

Sometimes, of course, we are rich soil, and we listen with the intent to be the people we should be. When we do, we are people who have the gift of ears, listening to everything that the Lord says. It is only then that we will be able to keep the commandments without reproach, as Paul urges Timothy in the first reading.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "Hereafter" -- beginning session

KNOWING A PAINFUL PAST

The Gospel

LUKE 8:43-48

A woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years, who had spent her whole livelihood on doctors and was unable to be cured by anyone, came up behind [Jesus] and touched the tassel on his cloak. Immediately her bleeding stopped. Jesus then asked, “Who touched me?” While all were denying it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are pushing and pressing in upon you.” But Jesus said, “Someone has touched me; for I know that power has gone out from me.” When the woman realized that she had not escaped notice, she came forward trembling. Falling down before him, she explained in the presence of all the people why she had touched him and how she had been healed immediately. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Gospelthink: I heal anyone who really desires it. As I pray to the Lord, am I confident that the Lord hears me and will answer as he wills?

In the movie "Hereafter," George Lonegan was a genuine professional psychic who looked on his gift of being able to communicate with the dead as a "curse." It was a curse because it ruined the chance to have a normal life for him. During the practice of his art, he discovered many people who wanted to know about their past, but the knowledge often did nothing more than make them miserable. It had an impact on George's own life since he was unable to deal with the emotions of painful reunions with the dead and of knowing disturbing family secrets. Indeed, our past and bringing it up again can be painful. But for the Christian, God's grace is always present, constantly bringing about the possibility of dealing with a painful past.

In the Gospel story, the woman who touched Jesus' garment had a painful past. It was physically painful to be sure, but it was most probably mentally painful as well. She had consulted the doctors of her day, and they could do nothing for her. She had practically given up on her life, no doubt, probably close to despair, but she had heard about Jesus and his healing power. Meeting him one day, she touched him in the hope that he could help her. Jesus rewarded her faith in him.

In the movie "Hereafter," George Lonegan knew that there was an "afterlife" because his "gift" allowed him to be in contact with it. But he had given up his profession of going into the "afterlife" because of the pain that he saw in people's lives--both the pain of the people he was trying to help and his own personal pain. The fact was that he came to know too much about his clients and friends. Some things, George explained, were better left unknown. In the movie, Melanie, one of his romantic interests who pushed him to reveal her past, left their relationship, and would never be part of George's life again. She left because as George had warned her, "Any chance that we had something will just move on." Too often George's "gift" became a "curse" because it destroyed the possibility of his own happiness.

Pain in whatever form is something that we try to avoid. Perhaps even more than the physical pain, the mental pain of loss or loneliness or depression causes people to desperately search for some answer. Such an answer may come to a person who runs away from the problem, but most often not facing the problem only brings about different problems. We must learn to face the situation that is causing the pain, and address it directly.

George Lonegan did not have the advantage of faith, even though he knew that there was an "afterlife." Christians can find a solution to problems through their faith. As the woman in the Gospel chose to touch the Lord, Christians can reach out to him, listen to his words, follow his actions, and eventually find a solution. Facing their problems directly, believers will sincerely ask the Lord to help with the pain. Faith in Jesus will eventually bring the answer, finally giving personal peace.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, there is pain in our lives, and we often look for answers apart from you. Give us the grace to listen to your Son and choose to accept you totally into our lives, so that we will be able to find the peace we desire. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: What happened in our past is often disturbing, but with God's help we can overcome any pain and truly live well.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 60 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. Project: outline and discuss a section of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition on faith, numbers 142-175.
3. What can you do if you want to help someone who is depressed because of his/her incurable illness?
4. In your opinion, what is the most difficult mental pain in people's lives?
5. Do you believe that there is such a thing as a genuine "psychic," that is, a person who can contact people who have died? Yes or no and why?
6. If a person were to discover something very disturbing about their past, what should they do?
7. If George Lonegan was a believer in Jesus, how could he use his "gift"?
8. The meditation speaks of "personal peace." What is your definition of "personal peace."
9. Scene analysis: Marcus and Jason desperately try to help their mother who is addicted to drugs. What can young people do to help a parent who has a drug/alcohol problem?
10. Scene analysis: Marcus is sent to a foster home. What is your opinion about foster homes?
11. Dialogue analysis: George is able to determine some of the past with his gift, and says that "some things are better left unknown." Do you believe that this is true? Yes or no and why?
12. Dialogue analysis: Marie asks: "What happens when we die?" What is the answer most people would give?
13. Scene analysis: Dr. Meredith hopes that Marie will be able to persuade the scientific community about the reality of life after death. Do you think that most scientists believe in life after death? Yes or no and why?
14. Scene analysis: Marcus loses his (Jason's) cap temporarily and misses the train which explodes (2005 London bombing). Later on, Marcus discovers that Jason (from the afterlife) was responsible. Christian doctrine suggests that there is no such thing as luck. What is your feeling about luck?
15. Scene analysis: Melanie leaves the relationship with George presumably because George knows too much about her past. In romantic relationships, can people know too much about another? Yes or no and why?