TGIMMJune16

Movie: "First Man" -- beginning session

COMMUNICATION IN STRESS

The Gospel

LUKE 2:41-50

Jesus' parents used to go every year to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover, and when he was twelve they went up for the celebration as was their custom. As they returned at the end of the feast, the child Jesus remained behind unknown to his parents. Thinking he was in the party, they continued their journey for a day, looking for him among their relatives and acquaintances. Not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem in search of him. On the third day they came upon him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. All who heard him were amazed at his intelligence and his answers. When his parents saw him they were astonished, and his mother said to him: "Son, why have you done this to us? You see that your father and I have been searching for you in sorrow." He said to them: "Why did you search for me? Did you not know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not grasp what he said to them.

Gospelthink: Even at a young age, I explained to my parents that I had to do my Father's business. As I live my life right now, am I following the Lord's wishes?

Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on the moon. But before it happened, there were many trials and failures and adjustments that had to be made. Armstrong was by nature a quiet man, and given the string of failures and loss of friends, he became sullen and was often close to depression. It was especially evident when he was home with his family. He had already lost a daughter to cancer, and his two young sons began to be affected by his "secretness" concerning his missions. Recognizing his distancing from his family, his wife Janet told him directly that he had to communicate better with his family, especially when he became one of the pilots of Apollo 11, the first moon mission. She forced him to tell his family that he might not return and to say goodbye to them.

As one studies this portion of Luke's infancy narrative concerning Jesus, and taking it at face value, one must be struck with the thought that there was some lack of communication between Jesus and his parents and relatives. It is a common enough experience in families. The situation itself is likewise common, an experience in which there is real anguish felt on the part especially of the parents. It was truly a moment of stress, and that which would have taken away the stress, even easily taken it away, was some type of communication.

The lesson is a good one for every family. Janet Armstrong, Neil's wife understood the concept very well as her astronaut husband was engaged with both sorrow over a child's death and his work. Neil's personality easily lent itself to keeping quiet about his life, and even though good in some situations, it was not good when it came to his family. Janet had to remind him of that.

It is a lesson that everyone should know, whether involved in parent and child relationships, adult relationships, and especially marriage relationships. We must be able to communicate with one another. It becomes especially necessary when there are moments of stress. In a family, it is often easier for example, not to tell the children what is happening, but it is certainly not what should happen.

People freely choose some situations such as being a family or working in a relationship with another. It is up to them to make the relationship to be the best that it can be, and communicating with each other is the primary way of making their lives better.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we all know that communication is absolutely necessary in any close relationship. You showed that in your life with your Son and Spirit. In our lives, give us the grace to communicate with the people that we must. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Communication with a person's immediate family is absolutely necessary during moments of stress.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 66 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking and why?
2. The principal reason for Luke's narrative in the Gospel passage was probably Jesus' statement that He had to be in His Father's house. In our own day, do we have enough reverence for the Lord's house. Yes or no and why?
3. There are many people who have the personality that Neil Armstrong showed. If people are naturally shy or reserved, what should they do to learn communication better?
4. What are some stresses that families must suffer during which there must be communication?
5. Some critics of family development have said that with certain jobs people should not be married or start a family. Do you agree or disagree?

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike