[media presentation below] GospelThink Wednesday, November 8 LUKE 14:25-33 Following my directives is more important than anything you do, even more important than family. You must prepare yourselves. Prayerthoughts a. Jesus often uses exaggeration in his sermons. Here “hate” is a strong word with the thought that even family must be secondary to being a disciple of Jesus. Am I a good disciple of Jesus by showing in my actions, thoughts and words that I am a follower of Jesus? b. “Carrying our cross” refers to accepting the problems of my life as part of the plan of God. What are the principal problems in my life right now and have I accepted them with the thought that God wants me to have these problems as this particular time in my life? c. Obviously, I must work for solutions to my problems. Do I acknowledge that God will work with me in overcoming the problems? d. Jesus’s two examples speak of being prepared before you do something. Do I prepare     for my spiritual life as much as I should? e. Jesus uses another exaggeration in saying that we should renounce “all” possessions in order to prepare for our spiritual lives. Do I have too many possessions, some of which I could give to others? f. The spiritual life needs “salt” to make it real. Do I have a schedule every day that includes some Gospel reading and thinking? g. My prayerthoughts…       Today I will spend about ten minutes in the outdoors thanking God for my life. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE TRUE DISCIPLE  + In the Gospel, Jesus tells two short stories to get a point across          – that point—you must have some idea of what you are saying or doing—that is, what it entails—before you say or do it                   – if you want to build a tower: you had better plan on having enough wherewithal to finish it                   – if one king is marching against another: the king had better know what to expect before he starts something          – it is a characteristic essential to any leadership situation: appraisal of the situation, what it is going to take to finish it or accomplish it  + Jesus says that it is like that with regard to being a disciple or follower of his          – and the readings spell out what that means          – *** it means knowing what is really important in life                   If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother…          – the Lord is not against family or the proper taking care of self or material goods                   – he is talking in exaggeration, as he often does, and says that even those things most close to us cannot be more important than God          – *** it means taking up the cross                   Whoever does not carry his own cross….          – in that life that we are living, that life in which God is the most important, things are going to happen which are painful – the cross –                   – we don’t understand them                            – and the only way we can, is to say that God is in charge, and when God is in charge, only good can come out of any situation          – *** it means having control over the material goods that are part of our lives                   Everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions…          – again, it is an exaggeration on Jesus’ part—we cannot renounce all of our possessions, but we can’t let them dominate our lives          – *** and borrowing from the first reading, words that Jesus had spoken and Paul reiterates to the Romans                   The one who loves another has fulfilled the law.          – that is, if you want to be a follower of Jesus, we must know the importance of the other person                   – it involves love of everyone without exception  + The true disciple will understand all of those points. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Avengers: Endgame” — beginning session THE RETURN TO HOPE The Gospel JOHN 1:47-52 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him: “Here is a true Israelite. There is no duplicity in him.” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me? Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Gospelthink: I see that in Nathaniel there was nothing fake about him. Am I totally honest with myself and with others?

The movie “Avengers: Endgame” begins after the evil Thanos had literally destroyed half of all creation. He had acquired all six Infinity Stones and therefore could have infinite power. Further he had destroyed the stones so that he now had absolute power over the world. The Avengers’ team had adjusted each in their own way to the new way of life which they had not wanted at all. Because of a discovery on one of their parts that there was a possibility of using time alteration to their advantage, they soon decided to do something about their plight and that of humankind. They could use a quantum leap and travel back in time before their present dilemma and steal the Infinity Stones so that they can right the wrongs that Thanos has caused.

Nathanael was no doubt looking for something. He did not know what it was, but whatever it was, it was connected with hope, hope for himself, hope for others. Jesus recognized that characteristic in him, saying that he was a “true” Israelite, a believer who had no duplicity in him. He was sincere and therefore someone who could truly understand a cause like Jesus was to teach, and give himself to it. The cause for the Avengers in the movie “Avengers: Endgame” was nothing less than helping a world that had been overcome completely by evil. Hope for a better life had disappeared and the team had had to admit defeat. Now, discovering the quantum leap, they were able to think in terms of a life once again, a life that could bring about for humankind what God had intended. It seemed an impossible task. Nathanael, as honest as he was, could not find any hope in the world as he saw it, and so he was searching. The Avengers saw no hope in living the way they were, with half of the world literally destroyed. But both were up the task. Both must have known that there would be danger in bringing about their desired outcome, but they set about doing it. You and I live in a world that often is without hope. We see it because of the evil that has come upon so many people–people starving, people suffering from addictions of some kind, people who are hurting because of loss or fear of death. We need hope. Nathanael wanted fulfillment in his life; the Avengers were desiring to have a world that was whole again. As do we. Nathanael found that hope in Jesus and his doctrine. The Avengers following the lesson of Jesus to love everyone found it in their lives. We must be able to look at the lessons that Jesus taught and accept them in such a way that we are truly influenced by His wisdom.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we are in need of hope because we see a world that is in so many ways overcome by evil. Thank You for sending us Your Son, and help us truly listen to His wisdom. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Although we may be close to despair, we see hope in what we can do.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 85 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie was most striking to you? Why? 2. In your opinion, what is the definition of “duplicity”? 3. We tend to adjust to evil as the world after Thanos did. In general, how do people “adjust” to evil in their lives today? 4. What is your definition of “hope”? 5. What is the life that God has intended for us? 6. Name some people of history who were “up to the task” of helping humankind. 7. What is the best way to be influenced by the wisdom of God?