[media presentation below] GospelThink Saturday, June 18 MATTHEW 6:24-34 I want you to choose me as your master, and to depend on me for the things that you need. Prayerthoughts a. I have to worry somewhat about food and clothing. But am I placing too much concern on those externals? b. God takes care of the living things of the world. God will take care of us if we try to follow what God wants. c. Thinking about my death often comes up in the Lord’s words. I need not worry about  it if I have placed the Lord to be part of my life. d. The Lord addresses me as you of “little faith.” Do I think of my belief in God as much  as I should? e. God knows what we need, and will help us as we try to help ourselves. The point is my trust in God. Am I aware that the Lord truly cares about me and is helping me be the person that I know I should be? f. The idea is that I must put the Kingdom and the moral conduct set up by Jesus to be first in my life, and then everything else will fall into place. g. God will work with me today as I place myself continually in God’s presence. h. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will formulate my own prayer of trust in what the Lord has done and will do for me. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  OUR FREE WILL  + The Gospel gives an important distinction as we live our lives           – if we serve the master called mammon, we will be victims of worry and anxiety, and we will believe in luck which ultimately will always run out                      – and we despair           – but if we serve God, we may have all the worries and anxieties of life, but we will seek God at the same time, and God will help us see that everything that happens to us is for good  + In the Christian understanding of things, there is no such thing as luck           – Jesus points out such a fact even in nature                      – God is truly in charge of everything that happens                                – God takes care of the grass of the field and the birds in the sky and the beautiful flowers that no human being can create                                          – Jesus says: how much more will God be interested in human beings, taking care of them, directing their lives toward the good   + In God’s understanding, everything fits into the pattern           – God will work with us as we try to accomplish what we want to accomplish, giving us the chance to choose what we want                      – at the same time, God allows things to happen in our lives which change, alter or enhance the desires we have, thus bringing about the make-up of our lives                                – it seems as though we are choosing, and at times it seems as though we are governed by outside forces that have nothing to do with what we want                                          – but what is actually happening is that God is working with us as we go about our choices at every juncture in our growth                                                    – and it is all for our good  + But there is a catch           – God will bring good out of every situation, it is true                      – but there is something that cannot be overlooked                                – you and I have a free will, and we can pursue our dreams at will                                          – but we must make God part of our free will           – Jesus says that as we go about doing what we’re doing in life           Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all of these things will be given you besides.  +Right there is our problem: we use our free will, but we don’t seek the Kingdom of God first           – the prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures tried to tell the Israelites just that, like Zechariah in the second book of Chronicles                      – but they used their free will only, and they were abandoned by the Lord  + What it means is that we keep doing what we do in life           – we live and move, we raise our families, we help our grandkids, we make money to support ourselves, we take care of the people in our lives that we must, we enjoy life and relax at times                      – but we do all of those things with the kingdom of God in mind           Seek first the kingdom, Jesus says  + Free will is essential for us to be free in this world, but the Lord tells us to choose freely to control that free will by always seeking the Lord’s will as we use ours. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Concussion” — final session WHAT IS THE TRUTH? The Gospel JOHN 18:37-38a Jesus answered [Pilate], “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Gospelthink: I say the truth to Pilate, namely that I am a King. Have I made the Lord King of my life, as evidenced by my actions?

Dr. Bennet Omalu in the movie “Concussion” gradually discovered that the truth was that the popular sport of professional football could possibly kill the players later on in life. The violent sport could cause a brain injury that could not be discovered by any of our medical skills before the actual death of the player. Immediately the “business” side of the National Football League began to throw roadblocks against his work, and literally Dr. Omalu was ostracized as a pathologist in the town of Pittsburgh where he had settled. Losing his home and reputation, he had to move to another city to find another job. But he never gave in to the pressure to drop his discovery. He knew the truth, and as he said, he had hoped he would be rewarded simply because he told everyone about it. The NFL finally listened to him.

Pontius Pilate’s famous question of “What is truth?” was a much deeper question than merely the question of who Jesus was. It was a question that Pilate himself with his life had to struggle with. It is also a question that can be a guide for living well. Jesus knew that if people were interested in the truth, they would listen to what he said. We all must seek the truth in everything we are involved in. If we possess the truth, as Jesus said elsewhere (John 8:32), it will always give us the freedom to do what is right and just. Dr. Bennet Omalu knew the truth about the medical condition known as CTE ((Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). He had discovered and shown with proof that too many blows to the brain area of a person’s body could cause mental illness. His discovery, of course, caused the National Football League community to speak out against what he discovered. Since they “owned” Sundays, as the movie pointed out, they did not want their franchise to be threatened by anyone, even if it meant the death of some of its players. Dr. Omalu lost his home and job as a result of his discovery, but the “truth” was his guide. He understood that if people were told the truth, it may help some to live better lives, not unlike Jesus who wanted his truth to be known by all. Dr. Omalu faced the criticism with the help of his wife, by letting the “dead speak,” and suffered the consequences. The application to our lives of the action of Dr. Omalu is easy enough to say, just as the application of Jesus’ truth is easy enough to talk about. But to actually put it into practice involves an acceptance of the truth into our living styles. The truth will indeed set us free, but it may in the end cost more than we care to give.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Your Son has told us the truth, and we accept it completely, although at times we fail. Enable us to have a true love of Jesus’ “truth,” indeed any truth, so that our lives will be better. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: No matter what the obstacles, one must be faithful to the truth.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 55 minutes) 1. What scene from this session of movie is most striking and why? 2. Analysis: Who are the people that belong to the truth of Jesus? 3. What is your definition of “truth”? 4. Why does the truth set us free? 5. Is it a true statement that the NFL “owns” Sundays? Yes or no and why? 6. What do you understand by the phrase “letting the dead speak”? 7. In what ways could the truth cost us? 8. Do you think that the NFL would actually order Dr. Omalu to retract his statements about CTE? Yes or no and why? 9. Scene analysis: Why would the FBI enter into the whole question of Dr. Omalu’s discovery? 10. Scene analysis: The movie gives the impression that Prema’s still-born was because of the pressure that was placed on her. Do you believe this is true? Yes or no and why? 11. Analysis: Should Dr. Omalu have taken the job in Washington, DC? Yes or no and why? 12. Analysis: Do you believe that it is true that 28% of football players will suffer from CTE? Yes or no and why?  13. Will this movie make any impact on football in America? Should it make an impact? 14. Give an argument in support of the game of football in America, even given the possibility of head trauma. 15. What does the movie “Concussion” teach young people?