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The
Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert
for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts and the
angels ministered to him.
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| Gospelthink: I was tempted and so will you be tempted. Do I turn to the Lord during my time of temptation? | ||||
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Adonis
"Donnie" Creed felt like he was ready for anything. His family was
growing, he was challenged to defend his title by the son of the man
who had killed his father, and he had the confidence that he could
accept the challenge with no difficulty, but Rocky refused to train him
because of the circumstances of the people involved. After Adonis lost the
fight he lost his desire to live and his mother turned to Rocky to
help. During a time when he was with his daughter Amara watching her
for Bianca, Donnie took her to the gym, and she seemed satisfied with
his activity which inspired him. He asked Rocky to train him again,
which Rocky did, but the training was much more difficult than anything
that Donnie had ever done. He finally won the match because of his
superior training and preparation.
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The
same Spirit who descended on Jesus in His baptism now drove Him
into the desert. The result was a radical confrontation and temptation by
Satan who attempts to frustrate the work of God. The presence of wild
beasts may indicate the horror and danger of the desert regarded as the
abode of demons. It was a significant moment of preparation
time before he began his ministry. Theologians agree that Jesus was
preparing himself for the important work of redemption during his
sojourn there. It was a difficult undertaking, but the redemption of
humankind was likewise difficult.
When Adonis decided to ask Rocky Balboa to help him prepare for the fight with Victor Dragon, Rocky knew that it would be the biggest challenge that Adonis ever faced. Therefore his training had to be enough to withstand the sheer strength of Drago. It meant preparation that was quite difficult. It is evident from the movie that the preparation Rocky gave Adonis had to measure up to the power and strength of Drago before the fight. Most of us Christians will not have to prepare to physically fight someone who is strong and powerful. But as we study what Jesus went through preparing to give us redemption, as a Christian we must look forward to a difficult time of preparation to gain our heavenly goal. As Jesus felt, it is not a difficulty that stems only from being alone. The difficulty does not come from the direct onslaught of demons, nor of physical pain. Our difficulty lies in ourselves. Just as Adonis had to gradually understand Rocky's training as a way of preparing himself for the intensity of an incomparable battle, so it is for us who suffer the power of evil. We must study ourselves and see that we need the help of Someone who can make us stronger to withstand the temptations of the world that often is evil. It is not an easy task, but we have help. In Jesus' temptation, the evangelist Mark tells is that angels ministered to him. Our angels consist of the help that God gives us through the grace we receive every day of our lives. |
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PRAYER
Good
and gracious
God, Your Son suffered temptation like we do. We beg you to continue to
give us the grace to be courageous as we face the difficulties of
living well. May we always accept You as our guide. Be with
us,
we pray.
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Theme: Accepting a difficult challenge, we must be ready to accept difficult preparations.GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM
PRESENTATION AND
PERSONAL ENRICHMENT
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 61 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you? Why? 2. What does the movie "Creed II" teach young people. 3. In our world, what are the greatest temptations that people face? 4. In your opinion, what was most difficult about our redemption that Jesus accomplished? 5. Name some difficult preparations that take place in our world. How do they help the people involved in them? 6. What are the best ways to overcome loneliness in our lives? Why do people have such a difficult time to carry through with them? 7. In what ways are "we" the problem when it comes to prepare for eternal life? 8. In the Christian understanding of things, what are the helps that we have as we prepare ourselves? |
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |
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