[media presentation below] GospelThink Wednesday, March 22 JOHN 5:17-30 The Father has given me the task of bringing you to eternal life. Prayerthoughts a. The Jewish leaders certainly understood that Jesus was calling God His Father. As I study my family, living and deceased, have I given them the proper respect? b. Jesus gives life to us. In my life, what are the areas for which I should be most thankful? (This is the task of the meditation.) c. The Lord says that His Father judges no one, leaving it up to the Son. Who have I judged in a negative way, and what should I do to correct the fault? d. The Lord urges us to hear and believe. Have I listened well to the passages of Scripture especially the ones on forgiveness and judging others? e. The Lord speaks of the end of the world. Does the end of the world scare me in any way at all? Why or why not? f. Jesus sought to follow the will of his Father. Do I subject my will to others or am I too selfish to do that? g. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will write down the answer to letter b, saying a prayer for each instance. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  HEARING AND BELIEVING  + One of the characteristics of John’s Gospel is the continual reference by Jesus to his relationship with the Father             – in today’s Gospel, John records that it is the reason why the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him—he was making himself equal to God, absolute blasphemy among a people who refused to even pronounce God’s name             – but Jesus, especially in John’s Gospel, does not let up             – it is clear that part of our reason to believe in him is the fact of his closeness to his Father, calling himself his Son  + It has been our faith from the very beginning that Jesus is God’s Son             – and our spiritual lives are built around that concept + Perhaps the essence of Jesus’ dialogue today is this:             – Jesus says:             I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me [namely his Father] has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life + Two things are presented here for our consideration and our growth in our spiritual lives             1 – hearing his word                         – of course, hearing implies much more than being aware of what Jesus said                                     – it implies truly listening which means both reading his word—that is the reason that the Gospels are so important—and a desire to carry through with what we read or listen to                                                 – that is the way that Jesus’s doctrines of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace, and genuine care for others come into our communities                                                             – it takes time and quiet prayer to do that well             2 – believing in the Father                         – believing in God is much more than saying the words of the Creed                                     – believing in God implies a lifestyle that is evidence to others that God really does exist in our own little worlds                                                 – that we truly accept the words of Isaiah 49, the first reading today—and that God will not forget him/her, and he/she acts accordingly  + And once we have heard Jesus’ word and believed in the Father             – it’s interesting to look at the language of John—then the person has eternal life                         – that is, eternal life has begun, or we have begun our heaven on earth, even with all the challenges that we have, it is the beginning of eternal happiness. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Skyfall” — beginning session LIVING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES The Gospel JOHN 21:18-19 [Jesus said to Peter:] “Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch our your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead to where you do not want to go. He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, ‘Follow me.'”

Gospelthink: When you follow me, it will have consequences. I am living out those consequences now. Is my living that of a true Christian?

The Media — “Skyfall” (beginning session) At one point during the movie “Skyfall,” after M had given the order to shoot at an opponent of Bond, and Bond had been shot instead, she had second-guessed her decision. Bond later reminded her that her job was to make such decisions. The movie is based on a decision that she made in the past concerning one of her agents before James Bond joined MI6, an agent known as Silva. Because of that decision, Silva reminds M to: “think on your sins.” Whether they were sins or not, a person in her position as director of MI6 had to make decisions that affected the life and death of the agents under her care. In accepting the position, M had also to accept the responsibility of living with the consequences of her actions.

It seems as though Jesus’ command to Peter to “Follow me” at the close of John’s Gospel is completely out of place and redundant. Jesus had already called Peter to follow him some time before, and Peter had indeed complied. But Jesus’ statement here at this time of their lives–after Jesus’ Resurrection and at the beginning of Peter’s ministry as leader of Jesus’ followers–meant only one thing. Peter had to accept the consequences of what he had said at the beginning of his association with Jesus. Jesus gently reminds him that his death would be the direct consequence of his promise to follow him. Human beings accept conditions into their lives which demand action. Those conditions can be as important as acting as the leader of an agency in the British government, as M in the movie “Skyfall,” or as commonplace as a promise to a friend. When we accept such choices, we are accepting the consequences as well. We may not even think of the consequences of what we choose, but they will come, some time, some way. Some of the actions are of immense importance in our lives because they will affect our whole future, such as the commitment to a way of life like marriage or a life-changing vow. Sometimes they involve only a small adjustment to our ordinary life-style. But always there will be consequences. If we accept a responsibility, it means that we must face the consequences that the responsibility brings. One of the freely chosen actions that Christians have made in their lives is the promise to follow the directives of Jesus Christ in the way we live. For Peter, it would ultimately result in martyrdom. The following of Jesus should have just a profound affect on every Christian. If we accept the condition of Christianity into our lives, we will accept the consequences as well–we will follow Jesus in everything we do.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we have chosen to follow you by following your Son. Give us the grace to honestly accept the consequences of that decision in the way that we live. And give us the grace to always accept the consequences of our decisions. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We must live with the consequences of decisions that we make.   THE GOSPEL 1. Jesus speaks of the time of being younger. As you think back of your younger years of life, what was the most important thing that you learned? Why? 2. Jesus is referring to Peter’s death which the disciples would have known about already when the Gospel was written (around 95 AD). The presenter may want to give a brief description of Peter’s death according to the Catholic encyclopedia. What is most significant about Peter’s death? Why? 3. Give some examples of “modern martyrs” in today’s world.    THE MEDITATION 1. What were some other consequences of Peter’s decision to follow Jesus? 2. In your life right now, what major decisions have you made? What are the consequences of those decisions? 3. The meditation mentions the decision to marry. What is the major consequence of such a decision? 4. In your opinion, do most of the couples who enter into marriage honestly think of the consequences of their decision? Yes or no and why? 5. Name another serious decision that young people make, and outline the consequences. 6. Do most Christians understand that they have made a decision to follow Jesus in their lives? Yes or no and why? 7. Do most Christians follow Jesus in “everything” that they do? Yes or no and why?    THE MOVIE, PART 1 (approximately 66 minutes) ***[the presenter may want to divide this session into two parts]*** 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. Scene analysis: The opening chase scene. What is most “believable” about the scene? What is most “unbelievable”? 3. Scene analysis: Gareth Mallory suggests that M resign rather than be forced to retire. Some make the accusation that most important early “resignations” in government or politics or church organizations happen instead of “being fired”? In your opinion, is the accusation true? Yes or no and why? 4. Scene analysis: While Bond is recovering in the tropical paradise, he gives into alcohol and sexual immorality. In your opinion, does such a portrayal even in a PG-13 movie adversely affect young people? Yes or no and why? 5. Dialogue analysis: M tells Bond that she made the “only decision” that she could make. Is it a true statement? Yes or no and why? 6. Dialogue analysis: In the word association, Bond responds to the word “Skyfall” with “Done,” and leaves the session. What is your explanation and why? 7. Scene analysis: M lies about Bond passing the reassessment tests. Why do you think she lied in this situation? 8. Scene analysis: The assassin Patrice. In your opinion, is it possible to have “no remorse” when you kill another human being? Yes or no and why? 9. Analysis: The sex slave trade. The presenter may want to give some statistics on the present status of this sin. What is most despicable about the sex slave trade that is happening? Why? 10. Dialogue analysis: The note to M: “Think on your sins.” In your opinion, did M treat Silva wrongly? Yes or no and why? 11. Dialogue analysis: Severine and Bond’s discussion about fear. What is the most fearful thing in our world right now? Why? 12. Dialogue analysis: Bond says to Severine to let him help her. What can authorities do about the sex trade? In your opinion, are the authorities doing enough to prevent it?