athew2

September 22

[media presentation below]

GospelThink

Monday, September 22

LUKE 8:16-18
If you truly listen to my word, I will give you even more understanding.

Prayerthoughts
a. Jesus tells a story that involves my being a light for others to see. Others observe me all the time whether I like it or not. Am I showing the virtues of Jesus to the world?

b. There is nothing that will remain hidden, nothing that will remain a secret. Are there some actions that I do that I would not like the majority of the world to know? Why?

c. The Lord states a phrase that he often uses, saying that we must truly hear what he says to us. Are there some sayings of the Lord that are too difficult for me to listen to?

d. We must also take care what we hear. Do I find myself listening to idle gossip and negative conversation about others, maybe even sometimes contributing to it? Perhaps I should say a prayer for those people that I have been too critical of.

e. The Lord promises that the person who really tries to do well in judging others will be rewarded and the person who does not do well will not be rewarded. It is a scare tactic from the Lord, and one we should listen to.

f. My prayerthoughts….

Today, I will read Ezra 1:1-6 and write an
important thought from it.

Some Thoughts on the Liturgy

LISTENING CAREFULLY TO GOD

+ This passage of Luke’s Gospel continues the thought of this section of his Gospel which is dealing with the Word of God

- that Word of God must be present to all— it is put on a lampstand

- everyone must have access to it—nothing hidden

+ The statement to center in on perhaps is Jesus’s statement:

Take care, then, how you hear.

- both here at Mass and in the privacy of our mental prayer

- and in particular, how do we apply the Word of God for our lives

- one of the essentials of Roman Catholicism must be the belief that God is talking to us in words of Scripture

- and it is likewise essential how well we are listening

+ In the first reading, a pagan king by the name of Cyrus, ended what the Hebrew people call “the Babylonian Captivity”

- and the reason why he did, as described in the historical book of the Hebrew Scriptures called the book of Ezra

- is very simply that he was “inspired” by the Word of God as spoken by Jeremiah the prophet

- that is, he listened to what God told him to do

- and then he acted

+ God does not talk to us in as a direct manner as is described in the Hebrew Scriptures, but we know that God continues to inspire us

- God inspires us especially through the words of the Gospel that we listen to every day

- there is always something that can make us a little more “Godly”, a little more “Christian” in the words of this Mass, especially the Gospel

+ And further, a statement that ought to make us sit up and really listen—

To anyone who has, more will be given.

- as we listen to the Lord, and really want to follow through with his directives, the Lord will make us understand more

- and just as important, the more we understand his Word, the more will be required of us as we try to carry out his Word

+ The Word of God is essential to our faith

- and we must listen to it well.

MEDIA PRESENTATION

Movie: "The Woman King" -- final session
A GOOD YOUNG ADULT

The Gospel

LUKE 2:39-40

When Mary and Joseph had fulfilled all the prescriptions of the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. The child Jesus grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him.

Gospelthink: My early life was a normal earthly life, growing and learning.

In the fight with the Oyo after Nawi was captured, Nanisca, Nawi's mother and the leader of the Agojie made the decision to rescue her. In the meantime, Nawi befriended one of the slave traders, the half-Dahomean Malik who managed to give Nawi her freedom from the slave traders. Going directly against the orders of King Ghezo, Nanisca with a group of like-minded warriors set out to rescue Nawi. With the help of Malik, they managed to do so and the triumphant Agojie return to Dahomey, where Ghezo privately admonished Nanisca before crowing her the "Woman King." Nanisca and Nawi privately acknowledged their familial relationship.

How would Jesus have lived in his earlier years? The Scriptures do not tell us very much about his time when he was growing up early in his life. No doubt his living was the same as the other young people of his time--learning to love and obey, how to pray in the Synagogue, how to act, why to act a particular way, and what he could do in the future. According to Luke the Evangelist, Jesus prepared in a special way because as he tells us, Jesus was "filled with wisdom and the favor of God was upon him." Jesus was no doubt studying what kind of future he might have and realizing what was needed.

Nawi in the movie "The Woman King" did not have that type of preparation. She did not know her real father and mother; she grew up to be such an independent child that her foster father could not control her, eventually giving her to be trained by the Agojie because she would not marry. Only later in the movie do we discover that Nawi was the actual daughter of the Woman King Nanisca.

We do not know of their relationship after the discovery save for Nanisca's rescue of Nawi from the slave traders. But from the last scenes we are led to believe that it was a good relationship, one in which Nawi could grow into a special daughter and good young adult.

It is of immense importance that the young people of our world grow up in a wholesome family situation. Just about every song and movie that describes "evil" later in life traces back the evil person's origin to a poor family life. Why is that?

It is a relatively easy answer to find. The developing young mind must have a certain amount of stability in order to grow. As a delicate flower must have the proper environment, so the young person must have the necessary atmosphere to learn about life and love, freedom and responsibility. If the young people do not experience a stable basis for their growth, they will enter adulthood wounded.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, our lives are often difficult lives because of how we react to the circumstances of life. Give us the grace to understand how to prepare ourselves for a good future life. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Growing up with a loving family is the best preparation for a happy life.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 63 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. What does the movie "The Woman King" teach young people?
3. Most Scripture scholars contend that Jesus did nothing "miraculous" when he was young. Do you agree with that assessment? Why or why not?
4. Give your own definition of an "independent child."
5. Give an example from the media of someone "evil" who had a very poor upbringing.
6. What virtues should a Christian young person develop as he/she matures?