[media presentation below] GospelThink Sunday, October 22, 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time MATTHEW 22:15-21 I point out the necessity to pay attention to the civil authorities. Prayerthoughts a. Jesus’s enemies wanted to trap him in his speech. What about my own speech? Do I try to be honest in everything I do? Does my speech include too many “curse” words? b. The Pharisees and Herodians were giving Jesus false praise in order to catch him in a trap. As I study my talk of others, am I too sarcastic with them or insulting in my speech? c. Jesus’s enemies are trying to trap him with regard to his relationship with the civil government. We often have difficulties with the civil government. Do I at least pray for those in the government? d. Jesus recognizes their hypocrisy. Studying my behavior, am I being hypocritical toward anyone or anything? e. Jesus says in effect that we should respect those who govern us. Am I at least respectful in my words about those who work in government? f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read 1 Thessalonians, chapter 1:1-5 and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy CHURCH AND STATE            The year was 1532; the country was England. The man was very much involved in what might be called the arena of daily living. He was a teacher and a lawyer, a politician, a good husband and father. Intertwined in that arena was another arena that for him was equally important—what might be called the arena of activity for God. He did not want those two arenas to come into conflict, but they did in that year of 1532.            The man was Thomas More, Chancellor of England, and he had a decision to make between those two arenas. The only person above him in the English government was the King of England himself. And that King had determined that if a person did not sign a document that made the King head of the Roman Church in England, the person was to be convicted of treason and would die.            Thomas More’s daughter Margaret and everyone around him pleaded with him to sign the document. Margaret even accused him of wanting to be some kind of hero, and in response to her, Thomas More said some words that every Christian must carefully listen to:           “If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable,                      common sense would make us good.                      And we’d live like animals and angels in the happy land that needs no heroes.                      But since in fact we see that avarice, pride, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, justice and thought,                      and we have to choose,                      to be human at all, perhaps we must stand fast a little,                      even at the risk of being heroes.”  Thomas More knew that the Church had to direct his State, and he died defending that thought in 1535, a true hero.            Thomas More tried to avoid the conflict between Church and State. Jesus temporarily avoided that conflict in the Gospel today. He could see what the Pharisees and Herodians were doing: if he said that it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, the Jewish people would hate him; if he said it was not lawful, they would say that he was a traitor. He avoided the trap, simply saying that we must live in the two arenas as best we can. What he was to say later on was that in the end, the arena of God is more important than the arena of daily living.            This is a very practical concept for us, because you and I live in a world of work and play that is intertwined with the arena of God. Every moment with God such as Mass for example is a pause in the arena of daily living. Often, there is no conflict between what we do in Church and what we do in the arena of daily living.            But conflicts will come because as Thomas More says: we live in a world where virtue is not profitable. When conflict comes, then the arena we choose must be as Thomas More chose, namely, the arena of God. That is never easy. Too often we forget about God—we allow our arena of daily living to occupy all of our time, talent and treasure, and simply do not even consider the arena of God. When it comes to satisfying our humanly natural and good desire to enjoy ourselves in life, we must choose God and Jesus to guide it. When it comes to making a living, working with our money, we must choose God and Jesus to guide us. When it comes to a desire to be more important and to be superior to anyone else, we must choose God and Jesus to guide us.           Jesus tells us today to           Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. Thomas More did that as much as he could, but in the end, he knew that we do not live where virtue is profitable. In fact, we live in a place where justice and virtuous thinking are often not acceptable. So, as Thomas More said, maybe the Christian must stand fast a little, and move ourselves back into the arena of God, even at the risk of being a hero. MEDIA PRESENTATION Song: “Unsteady” —  X Ambassadors A “LITTLE UNSTEADY” The Gospel LUKE 2:21-24 When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, Mary and Joseph took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,” and to offer the sacrifice of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Gospelthink: In my early life, my earthly parents gave me the foundation that I needed to live well. Have I made Jesus the true foundation of my life?

“Hold on,” the young person sings because he/she is a “little unsteady.” “Mama,” the child sings, “come here. Daddy, I’m alone ‘cause this house don’t feel like home. If you love me, don’t let go. Hold on to me. Mother, I know that you’re tired of being alone; Dad, I know you’re trying to fight when you feel like flying. If you love me, don’t let go.”

Mary and Joseph knew the law when it came to their child Jesus. But they knew more than that. As attested by the accounts found in the Gospels, they were very much aware that they were necessary to help the young Jesus grow up in their world. They realized that they were the stability that the growing Jesus had to have. One can readily understand why this is true. The developing young mind must have a certain amount of stability in order to grow. As a delicate flower must have the proper environment, so the young person must have the necessary atmosphere to learn about life and love, freedom and responsibility. If the young people do not experience a stable basis for their growth, they will enter adulthood wounded. The group X Ambassadors labels such a situation for the young as being “unsteady.” They sing their song as if the child or teen is speaking and the young people “beg” to have Mom and Dad hold on to them because they are a “little unsteady.” Even if they–Mom and Dad–find difficulty in remaining together, the child tells his parents that they must be there for him/her in order to make their living together to feel like a home. Thinking about the song, perhaps two conclusions must be considered. One is the obvious one for the parents of our world. The song and the example of Mary and Joseph in the Gospels shows the importance of parents as a young child grows, from early until adulthood, a lesson to be learned for all parents. The song also calls on children who are old enough to speak their minds to their parents, respecting them, giving them good reason to hold on to them. A case can be made that all of us are “unsteady,” but certainly those of us who are younger must have the stability necessary for a good foundation.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Mary and Joseph were good parents as Your Son began his life with us on this earth. May we all learn the importance of a good family as we grow in this world. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Young people absolutely need their parents in order to grow well.  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. In the Gospel, it is clear that Mary and Joseph were good Jewish people who followed the law. In general, do you think most Christians follow the law of Christianity in their lives? Yes or no and why? 2. What are the characteristics of parents who offer a stable foundation for their children? 3. In general, in our world, do most parents offer true stability to their children? 4. Text analysis: “Little unsteady.” What is your understanding of the phrase? 5. What is the principal effect on the young children when Mom and Dad cannot get along? 6. In general, what does it mean that children should treat their parents with respect? 7. What does the song “Unsteady” teach young people?