TGIMMmission1

	GO AND DO LIKEWISE

The Gospel

LUKE 10:29-37

A scholar of the law said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. A priest happened to be going down that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. Likewise a Levite came to the place, and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him was moved with compassion at the sight. He approached the victim, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them. Then he lifted him up on his own animal, took him to an inn and cared for him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction, ‘Take care of him. If you spend more than what I have given you, I shall repay you on my way back.’ Which of these three, in your opinion, was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?” He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”

The Media -- "Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol" (beginning session)

Anyone viewing the movie "Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol" is impressed with the action sequences and a superb movie presentation. It also contains the usual "good and evil" portrayals. But perhaps what should make an impression on anyone who studies the movie is the absolute insanity of the "evil" that is presented, and the knowledge that there are some people who might believe it. In the movie, Kurt Hendricks, a brilliant man in so many ways, maintained that the next stage of human evolution must be brought about by nuclear war. In his mind, civilization had to begin again, and it would happen only with the destruction of the earth. He is governed exclusively by his thought on the matter, oblivious to what anyone else might believe. It gives rise to the importance of a belief system that expresses a love that we should have for other people. Unless we are guided by such a belief system, such as Christianity, we will never have any deep respect for the humanity around us.

In the "Mission: Impossible" presentations, the IMF team is never pictured as people committed to Christian principles as such. But it is clear from the presentations that love of decent humanity rates high in importance. From a Christian point of view, they were acting out of pity for the people who were hurting for some reason. Because they were, they could respect humanity. If they did not have such a thought, the IMF team would not exist.

If our world does not have some guiding principle that governs them, we will destroy ourselves, exactly the scenario of movies like "Mission: Impossible--Ghost Protocol." And so if we want to bring about good for our world in some way, we must have a deep respect for all humanity. There is no better person who has lived in our world that has shown this than Jesus Christ. Over and over in the Christian Scriptures, we hear recorded: "He had pity on them." His premier story about the life we should lead, the story that he ends with the words: "Go and do likewise" is the story of pity and respect for humanity, even the poorest of the poor, the story we have come to call "The Good Samaritan."

One of the documents of the Roman Catholic Church begins its treatment of the importance of humanity this way: "The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, everything genuinely human raises an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of people. United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for everyone. That is why this community realizes that it is truly linked with humankind and its history by the deepest of bonds."

It is the Christian belief that we are a community composed of people, and we should be linked to all of those people by the deep bonds of love and pity. We must be guided by such a thought in everything that we do.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, you have made us members of a community. In many ways, we are all connected in one way or another. Help us develop a true love for everyone so that we will see the need to help our world as best we can. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: As Christians, we must be committed to the importance of all of humanity.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 61 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking and why?
2. What are some other parables of Jesus in the Gospels, and what are their messages?
3. Jewish religious leaders avoided the loving service portrayed in Jesus' story. It was an accepted practice, but it was wrong, as Jesus points out. Name a situation in our lives right now where there is some accepted practice, but it is wrong.
4. The story would have been shocking and unacceptable to Jewish people who despised the Samaritans. Name some groups in our world right now who do not get along, and find reconciliation difficult if not impossible.
5. Jesus' story implies that everyone is a neighbor. Do most people believe this? Yes or no and why?.
6. If "love and pity" includes everyone, does it not also include those of humanity who are not "decent", namely those in movies who are the "bad guys"? What does this mean for a Christian?
7. In general, do you think that the people of the world support enough the groups who take care of others? Yes or no and why?
8. The meditation speaks of a guiding principle for the world. As you study the world right now, what is its guiding principle?
9. In your study of history, who in the past besides Jesus is one who has inspired others by showing pity and love toward others?
10. The document quoted in the meditation is from the Second Vatican Council called "The Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World" or "Gaudium et Spes." The presenter may want to outline the document or a part of it for classroom presentation.
11. Are Christian people guided enough by the thought of love of others? Yes or no and why?
12. Scene analysis: IMF agent Hanaway is killed. Do you believe that the violence shown on movies such as this one affect adversely our younger generation? Yes or no and why?
13. Scene analysis: the prison. Do you believe that our prison system is set up properly in order to rehabilitate the prisoners? Yes or no and why? If there is one thing that you would do for our prison system, what would it be?
14. Analysis: In real life, if part of the Kremlin were destroyed and suspicions were put on America, in your opinion, what would happen? Why?
15. Character analysis: Kurt Hendricks. He is a brilliant scientist who is "crazy." Do you think that there are real people who would fit into such a category? Yes or no and why?
16. Analysis: Do you think that there would be many people who would agree with Hendricks that the world is in such bad condition that we have to begin all over again? Yes or no and why?
17. Analysis: Do you think that there are people in our world who have no guidelines to follow except what they want? Yes or no and why?
18. Analysis: If you were an IMF agent, what would be your guideline?
19. Analysis: the scene at Burj Khalifa. What was most striking about the scene? Why?

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