TGIMMAugust15

	WE ARE EQUAL

The Gospel

MATTHEW 22:35-40

A scholar of the law, tested [Jesus] by asking, "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."

The Media -- "Lincoln" (final session)

Abraham Lincoln, described well in the movie "Lincoln" did not believe in slavery. He believed completely in the passing of the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution, namely that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude...shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." He believed it in spite of the fact that it seemed to block the possibility of peace among the States divided by the Civil War. He espoused it because slavery was wrong. No matter what the economics of the time was especially in the South, no matter what "everyone thought," no matter what "had always been done," he believed that slavery was against human dignity. For Abraham Lincoln, no one should be a slave to another. It was as simple as that. He wanted to end the war that had slavery as an issue, but he wanted to end slavery at the same time. He was able to accomplish both.

Abraham Lincoln was a Christian. Love of another was not an option to him; it was a commandment. It turned out to be a passion for him with regard to the slaves of his country. He had already passed the Emancipation Proclamation, but still was not enough. As he said in the movie "Lincoln," he did not want the courts to revoke such a decision that was given to him only because the country was at war, and so he had to make it part of the Constitution. He may not have spoken the Christian commandment of love of neighbor as the foundation of his decision, but it certainly was at the very heart of his thinking.

Lincoln believed that all people were created equal, as he said on the battlefield known as Gettysburg. He knew that God created people with that in mind. He knew even more that the country he was leading fundamentally believed in the principle. But it seemed that the African-American had been forgotten. They were not equal, and if his nation was to "long endure," he knew what he had to.

Abraham Lincoln removed the stigma of prejudice from the law. It is a matter of history, of course, that it was not accepted as well as it should have been by a country who only slowly began to understand the implications of what Lincoln accomplished. Incredibly in modern day, there is still legal prejudice toward people simply because they do not look or act the way some think they should.

But perhaps the concentration of a country which is continually striving to make every one equal should turn inwardly. Perhaps more than anything right now, we need people who not only agree in some way with the principle of human equality in law, but people who accept the principle in the way they personally interact with others. We must learn to value every person we encounter with the human dignity we afford ourselves. Every person includes every person--the person who does not like us, the special education student, the obnoxious bully, the mean person, the person who has hurt us, the person who does not share the same philosophy as we do, every person who comes into our lives.

Lincoln said in his Second Inaugural Address quoted in the movie: "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on." We are equal. We must consider everyone in that light.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son declared your principle of love for everyone. Give us the grace to fight all prejudice and hatred, and may we learn to truly love everyone. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: No one should be a slave of another.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 70 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. If love is the greatest commandment of the law, what element of love is the most important?
3. Jesus places love of God and love of another on the same level. Even though this is the truly Christian principle, in your opinion, do most Christians follow it? Yes or no and why?
4. In your life right now, who is a good example of a person who follows the law of love?
5. Even though Jesus spoke the commandment, in the past Christian people continued to possess slaves. What do you think was their reasoning? The presenter may want to take the time to present the history of slavery in the world.
6. Most social critics of our world say that there are people in slavery right now. Where do you see "slavery" in our world?
7. In what areas do you see "prejudice" lived out in our world right now?
8. Is there "prejudice" in the high schools of America? In the colleges of America?
9. In general, do you believe that the United States has been able to live up to what Abraham Lincoln desired for his country? Yes or no and why?
10. Character analysis: Describe the character of Representative Thaddeus Stevens as presented by the movie.
11. Analysis: In general, why does it take so long for people to have full equality?
12. Character analysis: Describe Mary Todd Lincoln as presented by the movie.
13. Scene analysis: Did Lincoln lie about the "peace" negotiators? Yes or no and why?
14. Analysis: Is political pressure a good thing for our country?
15. Scene analysis: Representative Stevens "softens" his view on slavery in order to pass the amendment. Was he morally wrong in what he did? Yes or no and why?
16. Scene analysis: Representative Stevens has a African-American common law wife. In your opinion, has America completely "accepted" bi-racial marriages today? Yes or no and why?
17. Analysis: Lincoln's Second Inaugural. The presenter may want to obtain a copy of the speech, and discuss it. What is most important about the speech? Why?
18. What does the movie "Lincoln" teach young people?

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