[media presentation below] GospelThink Friday, April 21 JOHN 6:1-15 I fed the five thousand, a symbol of what the Eucharist would mean for you. Prayerthoughts a. Jesus goes “up on the mountain,” a sign that Jesus is the great teacher. In what way in particular has Jesus been a “teacher” to me? b. Once again, Jesus feels pity for the crowd. In my life, in general, do I look at others with a desire to help them if they need it? c. As Jesus deliberately tested Philip, the Lord tests me as well. What have been the “great tests” in my life so far, and how has the Lord resolved them? d. Jesus uses what they have. It is a significant action for my spiritual life. At this time of   my life, the Lord will use whatever I can do to be better if I want. Am I open to the Lord’s wishes? e. Jesus uses words that he will use when he institutes the Eucharist for us. Do I try to receive the Lord in the Eucharist often, and then thank him for his gift? f. It is significant that all were satisfied. Am I satisfied with what is given to me? Do I thank the Lord and those who give me what I need? (This is the task of the meditation.) g. There was food left over. The Lord always gives us more than enough to help us in our lives. Do I thank the Lord enough in my prayer? h. My prayerthoughts….   Today, I will make a list of the people for whom I am most thankful, and pray for them and perhaps write them a note or email. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy MORE THAN ENOUGH  + The actions of the boy in the Gospel is a great source of meditation             – here it is a matter of a large number of people                         – people who are hungry and no food             – a boy has five barley loaves and two fish                         – he knows something has to be done                         – he has something that can help only a couple people                                     – he wants to help,                                                 – but he has to ask: what can I do? + The boy does a couple of things that are significant             – and I think both of them are imperative for the practical spiritual life for you and me   + First of all, he gives what he has             – giving is a problem for people             – the boy gave what he had to others                         – and we can only talk on the scale of our communities                                     – I submit to you that we have to learn to give a little more, to give from what God has given to us                                     – to learn the art of giving of ourselves—generosity—so that we can influence others to give + Secondly, he not only gave what he had             – he gave it to Jesus, and let Jesus do whatever with it                         – that is, he let Jesus work in his life                                     – it involves living a lifestyle that is thoroughly Christian                                                 – as the Apostles did in the first reading                                                             – they went on preaching and teaching even though they had received punishment for it                                                                         – everyone of us can be better in the way that we treat others, talk to others, etc. + There are immense problems in our world, and in our own little worlds of community living             – but two things that boy did in the Gospel:                         – he gave what he had to the situation                         – and he gave it to Jesus, allowing him to work with what he had             – there were 12 baskets left over after he did that                         – that is, what he did was more than enough                                     – I believe you and I can have the same results. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Divirgent” — final session CONTROLLING THE FREE WILL The Gospel MATTHEW 18:6-7 Jesus said: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! Such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!”

Gospelthink: Jesus exaggerates, but he makes his point. Do I cause or have I caused others to sin?

The world of the movie “Divergent” in Chicago of the future, the only place left that was inhabitable on earth, was in turmoil. Caused by the Erudite faction who wanted to rule the society, the Erudite discovered a way to bring about control by forcing the Dauntless to subdue everyone in the society. In particular, they set about to kill anyone in Abnegation, the ruling party. Beatrice Prior, or “Tris” as she was known was Divergent and therefore resistant to the serum of control that Erudite used to govern others. She and fellow Divergent Tobias Eaton, known as “Four” slowly discovered that they had to break the evil designs of the Erudite and lead a small group of like-minded people to bring about peace to their society.

Jesus was adamant about people who caused others to sin. He was quite explicit about a person who might cause children to sin. At the same time, he warned anyone in the world who causes others to sin by using the phrase “woe to you.”  It is a phrase reserved in Scripture for warning people about the possibility of their own destruction if they deliberately refuse to understand what they are doing. The evil people who led the Erudite faction in the movie “Divergent” wanted control. They wanted to be in charge so that they could have their own way. It is a common enough desire of human beings. We want to be “more important” or “more educated” than others. The way they devised to control others was to bring other people’s minds into subjection, to make them follow what the people in charge wanted them to do. Taking away one’s free will may be the greatest evil in our world. From the very beginning of human existence, free will has been a part of human nature. It was a part that even the Creator would not take away, even if it meant that the person would harm him/herself. Free will was a sacred gift. Taking it away violates the very nature of a human being. Forcing one’s will on another therefore is always an evil. It is the fundamental sin of a human being as Jesus warns.  But it is also true that we must have control of ourselves. Jesus’ constant message was that we must not control anyone except ourselves. He knew that our free wills could indeed hurt us, and so his teaching was that we must control ourselves by freely accepting his guidance.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we value the free will that You have given us, but sometimes we do not understand it, since we often want to control others. Give us the grace to recognize the need we have to control our own free wills. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Forcing people to do evil by controlling their minds is perhaps the greatest evil in the world.     DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 67 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. The designation of “little ones” here probably refers to the disciples, and translates to adults causing other adults to sin. It is the sin of scandal from an adult point of view. In your opinion, thinking of adults in the world scandalizing other adults, what is the greatest scandal in the world? Why? 3. What is your understanding of the phrase “woe to..”? 4. Jesus’ words are quite strong about scandal. Why do you think Jesus used such strong language at times in his life? 5. In our world today, what comes to your mind when someone says “control of another”? 6. In your opinion, do most people of our world “control” themselves? Yes or no and why? 7. What are the greatest fears that human beings must face? 8. Scene analysis: Al commits suicide after Tris does not forgive him. In your opinion, did Tris really “cause” Al’s death? Yes or no and why? 9. Dialogue analysis: “Four” says that he does not want to be just “one thing.” Why is it good to desire to think beyond our own personalities? 10. Tris’ father sacrifices himself for the others. Where in our world do we see this type of martyrdom today? 11. What does the movie “Divergent” teach young people?