[media presentation below] GospelThink Monday, December 4, Advent I MATTHEW 8:5-11 The centurion showed great faith in me. Prayerthoughts a. The centurion was not only a Gentile; he was in the service of the Romans. Yet, even though he may have been rough and harsh at times, he is still concerned about his servant. Do I show enough concern for all others, no matter who they are? b. Jesus is most willing to help everyone. Do I show that same type of willingness? c. Am I convinced that Jesus will be with me always and that he will always send “the word” to help me? d. Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith, saying probably in exaggeration, that he had not seen such faith among his own people. What are the ways I can strengthen my faith? e. My prayerthoughts…   Today I will read Isaiah, chapter 2, and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE LIGHT OF THE LORD  + The first reading of the first couple of weeks of the Advent liturgy is dedicated to the book of Isaiah             – Isaiah is a prophet of the 700’s before Jesus                         – a prophet who having seen horrible destruction foresees a time of peace                                     – using beautiful imagery: people will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks—total peace, no weapon of destruction                                     – God will protect with a cloud by day and fire by night                         – and so the prayer—let us walk in the light of the Lord  + Using that exhortation, the spiritual person will ask the question often of how to walk in the light of the Lord             – Isaiah gives his answer—it must be a way of peace                         – war and lack of peace on a national level is a concern of ours and should be                                     – so that we are continually praying that the leaders of people will finally make use of God’s grace                                                 – and move toward peace-                         – but we have to be concerned about peace on a personal level                                     – peace in our own homes and workplaces                                                 – making sure that we are not the cause of unrest and hatreds and malcontent                                     – and peace personally                                                 – which can only come from spending time with prayer and thinking about God’s desire for us  + Another answer is given in the Gospel—how does one walk in the light of the Lord?             – he works on his faith                         – one of the problems with Matthew’s community was that they didn’t have the faith they needed                                     – and so Matthew hammers away at faith, recalling how Jesus called on faith throughout his ministry                                                 – here with a Gentile, who was polite enough to realize that a Jew risks ritual defilement to enter a Gentile home                                                             – and so he states the now famous—because of our liturgy—statement about not being worthy                                     – but the big thing about the centurion was his faith which Jesus says was stronger than any in all of Israel                         – how do we work on our faith?                                     – we keep on trying to strengthen it by our living it out  + If we want to walk in the light of the Lord, we will be people of peace and we will be people of faith. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “The Young Messiah” — final session I AM TRULY ALIVE The Gospel JOHN 1:1-5, 10-14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, but his own people did not accept him. But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision but of God. And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

Gospelthink: My “beginning” as God is given to you in the Gospel of John. I have accepted him, and is it evident by my actions?

In the movie “The Young Messiah,” the seven-year old Jesus finally discovered who he was when his mother explained it to him, but even then, he was not able to understand it. After his mother told him about his origin, he began thinking in his own mind about what he had to do. His thoughts are a guide for anyone who is trying to be a Christian: “There is still so much that I don’t know, but I do know this. I think I’m here just to be alive. To see it, hear it, feel it, all of it. Even when it hurts. Because, Father, I am your child.”

The magnificent beginning of John’s Gospel gives the poetic fact of Jesus’ reason for existence. Jesus is the Word and is and always will be God. God made this world and everything in it, and not only that. God decided to send Himself–God, Jesus–to this world to show us the way to eternal life. Perhaps the most embarrassing statement of Scripture is John’s opinion that “His own people did not accept him.” But God came nonetheless, and showed us the way. In the movie “The Young Messiah,” Jesus is the God that had come to show the way for the human race. He was just like us in every way except sin. Consequently at the age of seven, because he was only seven, he did not completely understand the divinity that he possessed. But, as described in the movie, Jesus even at a young age, realized his calling. As he says, he had to be alive, truly alive–to see it, hear it, feel it, all of it, even when evil tried to interfere. Such is the call of a Christian–to be truly alive. What it means is that we experience the wonderful life that God has given us, no matter what the circumstances that surround us. We are given this life with all it means. God has given us the technology that we have to advance our learning and our love of all. What a shame it is that so many have not understood what God has done for us. The young Jesus said at the close of the movie, addressing his Father: “I am your child.” It is a statement that each of us are privileged to make as well. We are alive, we are the children of God. We rejoice and live as best we can.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, You have given us life, and have sent your Son to show us how to live and act. May we truly accept our life, and live it as best we can. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We are here to be alive for God. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (session: approximately 51 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. In what ways has the world truly accepted Jesus? In what ways has the world not accepted Jesus? 3. What are the most important directives of Jesus? 4. Dialogue analysis: The young Jesus asks the scribes: “How is the Lord a carpenter?” Answer the question as best you can. 5. Analysis: In your opinion, what do you think will happen to the Roman soldier Severus? 6. Dialogue analysis: The complete closing statement of Jesus in the movie is: “I’ve learned so much since leaving Egypt. I know everything I can for today. I even know I’m going to die. I used to wonder if angels would come to me, if they would sing to me, if they would fill my dreams. There is still so much that I don’t know, but I do know this. I don’t think I’m here to see angels or to hear them sing. And I don’t think I’m here to make it rainy or sunny or anything like that. I think I’m here just to be alive. To see it, hear it, feel it, all of it. Even when it hurts. Someday you will tell me why else I’m here. I don’t know when, but you will. I know that. Because, Father, I am your child.” The statement is excellent theology. What part of the statement is most impressive and why? 7. The meditation gives some thoughts about “being alive.” What are some other thoughts that are important as we consider our lives? 8. What does the movie “The Young Messiah” teach young people?