[media presentation below] GospelThink Sunday, July 23, Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time MATTHEW 13:24-30 We must be “wheat” and not “weeds,” Prayerthoughts a. I am part of the good seed that has been sown. Given my circumstances right now, what are the three good things that I do. How can I do them better? b. What are the three evils in this world that I encounter? What can I do about them? (This is the task of the meditation.) c. There are good and bad people in our world. Do I judge people? Perhaps I should add a prayer for them when I find myself judging them. d. We often want the Lord to take the evil out of the world. I have to believe that the Lord knows why he has allowed them in the world. Again, I should take the time to pray for them in my daily prayer. e. The Lord gives his definition of eternal damnation—burning. We should listen carefully, and then deliberately choose to follow the Lord’s directives in our lives. f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read Romans, chapter 8, and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy THE ART OF INFLUENCE           In the Christian arena of life, there are “wheat” and “weeds”. The “wheat” are the citizens of the kingdom that Jesus is preaching about and the “weeds” are the followers of the evil one. Jesus’ story concentrated on whether we are “wheat” or “weeds,” that is, a citizen of Jesus’ kingdom or followers of the evil one. One of Jesus’ scare tactics is that we should be a citizen of the kingdom because if we are following the evil one, we will be “gathered for burning,” that is, go to hell.            There may be some “weeds” among us, that is, followers of the evil one, but I doubt it. Generally speaking, they do not hang around church or church services or places that promote Christian leadership and living nor do they read spiritual books. And if there are, our Lord’s story should shock them into changing their ways because the end result of the “weeds” is not so good. Basically, however, we are all “wheat,” I suspect.           Here is an important fact for the “wheat”: although we go to Church or to situations that smack of Church, or read Church-like books, we are not always in that Church setting. Which means that outside, we are going to run into other “wheat” and we will run into “weeds.” Now, we do not know which are which—followers of the evil one, or citizens of the kingdom. All we know is that we should be trying to be the “wheat.”            What is the job of the “wheat” in Jesus’ story as we rub up against other “wheat” and especially the “weeds” in our arena of life? What should a citizen of the kingdom be doing? In one of the Christian writings a number of years ago, there is an ending suggested to the parable as Jesus told it. The writing closed the story of Jesus this way: after the Master told his servants to wait until harvest time—           When harvest time came, the Master found that as the wheat and weeds grew together, the wheat had begun to change the weeds and the weeds actually began to look like and act like the wheat. At harvest time there were very few weeds to burn.            Perhaps that is what the “wheat” in the real world is supposed to do. Not only is the “wheat” to enjoy the kingdom of God with all its benefits, but in the present, the “wheat” must work with the “weeds” that are around them, and try to change them. That is, try to influence them in such a way as to make them become “wheat,” and make them citizens of the kingdom rather than followers of the evil one.            The point is: we influence people. No matter where we are, we convey an attitude of who we are and how we feel. And one of the conclusions to Jesus’ story can be that you and I have the capability of changing someone from being a “weed,” a follower of the evil one, to being “wheat,” a citizen of the kingdom. We do it simply by our attitude, the attitude of a person of the kingdom of heaven. A person who is convinced that the message of Christianity is really good will make it part of their lives, all the time. Incidentally, this influencing of others is not something we are always conscious of. We may be conscious of practicing or at least trying to achieve a good attitude of living, but we may not know that we are influencing others.            It is possible that our very presence can influence the “weeds” of this world enough for them to change. The question of Christianity is: how are we doing? That is, are we showing enough positive influence on others so that if they are “weeds,” they will not remain that way for long, because of us? MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” — beginning session HOLDING NO SECRETS The Gospel MARK 4:33-34 With many such parables [Jesus] spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Gospelthink: I used stories in my sermons but I explained them to my disciples. As I read the stories of Jesus, do I try to apply them to myself?

The movie “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” in many ways is just another spy-thriller, but in some ways it stands above the normal. Jack Ryan is a brilliant economics analyst besides having a military background that has moved him to serve his country without rancor or hatred of others. He is also quite above normal in his love life. As he recovers from his injuries received in defense of his country, during his painful rehab, during the time that he is recruited by Thomas Harper and the CIA, and during the beginning of his new job, his love deepens with his future wife Cathy Muller. The first part of the movie can be considered to be a love story that teaches about the most important elements of true love.

It is interesting to study Jesus’ life from the point of view of searching for principles that guide a married life. Jesus did not speak of formal preparation for marriage because there was no such preparation during his time with us. But studying the virtues that he wanted the people of his Kingdom to possess, one in particular often stands out. People who will be close in some relationship must know each other well. Consequently, he and his disciples for example had to have clear knowledge of what Jesus meant in his teaching. The Gospels relate that Jesus explained everything to them. Such close knowledge of one another is fundamental for marriage in today’s world. In the movie “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,” Cathy Muller, later to be Cathy Ryan, understood the fact very well. One of the qualities that makes the movie so interesting is that Jack Ryan had to understand that even as he learned the skills of a CIA operative, he had also to prepare well for his upcoming marriage. In Cathy’s mind, it meant honesty whether the CIA agreed or not. Having secrets that were not shared with each other was not honesty. It is a valuable lesson for people about to be married. No matter what the circumstances of the situation of the couple, if the marriage is to work, there must be a sharing of secrets between them. In fact, if there is anything that can tear a marriage apart later, the fact that they did not communicate everything to the other may very well be the primary reason for the failure. Jesus knew the importance of being open to people who were close to him; it is a lesson that anyone who aspires to a close relationship should realize.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, in your goodness you have taught us how important it is to be close to special people in our lives. Give us the grace to not only understand your lesson as we turn to You in prayer, but help us to be more open to those who are especially close to us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: If there is true love between couples about to be married, they will keep no secrets from each other.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 49 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. The spiritual lesson to be taken from the Gospel passage is that Christians should be close to Jesus as they try to imitate him in their daily lives. Do you believe that most Christians try to be “close” to Jesus in the way they think, act and speak? Yes or no and why? 3. Why do you think that Jesus spoke with parables or stories to most people? 4. Besides the sharing of secrets, what are some other important principles for married people? 5. In your opinion, what is the best way to prepare for an upcoming marriage? 6. In your opinion, are there ever any exceptions to “complete sharing” with a person you will marry? Yes or no and why? 7. Give your own definition of “honesty.” 8. What are some other causes of marriage failure? 9. Character analysis: Jack Ryan at the very beginning of the movie. What do his actions show his character to be? 10. Analysis: What effect has 9/11 had on our world today? 11. Character analysis: Viktor Cherevin. What do you think is his fundamental problem? 12. Scene analysis: Ryan fights the person who tried to kill him. He finally kills him, but it has a profound effect on him. What can be done to help someone who has killed another? 13. Analysis: Cathy thinks that Jack is possibly having an affair. At this point in their relationship, what should happen if there was an affair and why? 14. Analysis: In married life, after there has been an affair, should the person who had it tell his/her spouse? Yes or no and why? 15. Scene analysis: Ryan meets Cherevin. Why does Cherevin consider Ryan “dangerous”?