[media presentation below] GospelThink Saturday, December 23, Special Advent LUKE 1:57-66 My friend John’s birth and the people asking what it all means? Prayerthoughts a. The Lord has shown great mercy toward me as well. Perhaps I should take some time right now to thank the Lord for his love and mercy toward me. What should I thank the Lord for the most? b. Who would you choose in your acquaintances that you would most like to imitate? c. Zechariah followed the directive of the angel to call his son John. Do I try to discern the personal directives of the Lord each day for me in these Scriptures? d. In my speech, do I “bless God” enough, that is, offer praise to God? e. The crowds wondered about what John would do. In the time that I have left on earth, what do I most want to accomplish? f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read Malachi, chapter 3 and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE HAND OF THE LORD  + Luke in his Gospel speaks about those who heard the news about Elizabeth’s birth          – and wondered what it meant                   – they really did not know the answer, but their comment is an interesting one: surely, the hand of the Lord was with him  + We know, of course, what all of it meant          – but it may help our spiritual lives for us to spend a couple moments on their phrase, “the hand of the Lord” was with him                   – what does it mean to have the hand of the Lord in our lives?  + From the reading from the prophet Malachi, the hand of the Lord might be a “violent” one –using fire and lye, that is, acid in order to purify themselves to meet the Lord          – there are no doubt some areas in our lives in which we need to apply a little lye or acid to refine us a little more than we are already  + The hand of the Lord was certainly the directing force in Luke the evangelist’s infancy section of his Gospel,          – here, concentrating on the personality of John the Baptist again                   – John the Baptist who was to offer a challenge to those who listened to him                            – saying that the hand of the Lord is upon all of us  + Generalizing for all of us, the hand of the Lord is upon all Christians in a sense          – leading us to make the Lord truly a force in our lives          – but especially to us who are called to a deeper spirituality                   – this Christmas celebration ought to be something truly special for us and therefore all of the celebrations that we have should be Christmas celebrations that keep Christ as the center of it. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2” — final session THE LURE OF POWER The Gospel JOHN 19:12-16 Pilate tried to release [Jesus]; but the Jews cried out, “If you release him, you are not a friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus out and seated him on the judge’s bench in the place called Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was preparation day for Passover, and it was about noon. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your king!” They cried out, “Take him away, take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

Gospelthink: Pilate was weak because he wanted to be important. Do I place too much emphasis on wanting to be liked so that I sacrifice good behavior?

It all came down to this. From the very first moment of Harry’s knowledge about what was happening to him, he knew that something was the cause of everything that happened. It began in the early days with the mark on his forehead, and what the mark made him think about when it ached. It continued through all the adventures of magic that he and his friends had learned, and finally it had all ended. Harry, Hermione and Ron, all of them scarred in some way, were side by side, their beloved damaged school of Hogwarts was in the background. Harry had conquered Voldemort; he had won. As he and his friends looked back at it all, Harry finally realized that everything had been nothing more than a desire for power. And now Harry had the means to accomplish what Voldemort had wanted–the Elder Wand. Harry Potter was invincible. With complete understanding of the moment, Harry quite deliberately broke the wand in two, rendering it useless, and threw it away. In the last analysis, Harry knew that in order to truly live, he had to give up the desire for power.

John’s Gospel more than any of the other Gospels was written with the express purpose of saying that Jesus was God. Therefore even though Jesus became man and died for us, he always deserves our worship because of his divinity. One of the statements of Jesus’ divinity that John the evangelist makes comes during the interchange between Pilate and Jesus before Pilate condemns him from death. Pilate places Jesus “on the judge’s bench” at Gabbatha, acting out the belief that all power resides with Jesus, the true judge, no matter what the circumstances of life might be. Arguably the worst problem in our world is the misuse of power. Thomas Jefferson once wrote: “Experience has shown, that even under the best forms of government, those entrusted with power have, in time, perverted it into tyranny.” Our human natures like to be in charge; we like the feeling connected with power. We are not as ruthless as Voldemort in the Harry Potter movies, but if we were given the chance to be invincible, the chances are that we would take it. The overall consideration of the Harry Potter saga is what unbridled power will do. It is very easy to understand as we look at the nations of our world, and those who have more power than anyone else. Power indeed often turns to tyranny. But, the impact of what happened with Harry Potter must touch each of us in an individual way. We desire the power that might be given to us by something like an Elder Wand, but we must be aware of what it can do. Too many people are hurt, too many people are forgotten, too many people are simply not cared for because people with power tend to misuse it. Perhaps the only way to curb the power that people desire is to acknowledge that there is One who has more power than anyone else. Recognizing what Jesus taught while he was here with us may be, in the end, the single most important guide for all people who have or want power.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, one of the sins of human beings is pursuing power too much. Your Son has taught us how to act in our world, and it is clear that he wants us to be people who recognize that the ultimate power must be with you alone. Then and only then will we act in a caring way. Give us that grace, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: In order to truly live, we must give up the desire for power.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 80 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. In the Gospel passage directly before this one, Jesus reminds Pilate that he would have no power if it were not given to him by God. Why do some powerful people neglect such a teaching? 3. The meditation calls to mind the fact that placing Jesus on the judge’s bench is a statement by John the evangelist that Jesus deserves to be honored as supreme judge because he is God. What can be done to bring more people to an understanding that Jesus is God? 4. Project: using John’s Gospel, show some areas in which it is very clear in the Gospel that Jesus is God. See some footnotes in The New American Bible in John’s Gospel. 5. On an international scene right now, where do you see a misuse of power? 6. How does the misuse of power bring about a lack of caring about others? 7. If you had all the power in the world at your disposal, what would you do first?  8. Analysis: Severus Snape actually turns out to be a good person, just the opposite of how the audience has thought of him. Analyze why he had to do the things he was asked to do. 9. Scene analysis: Harry realizes that in order to kill Voldemort, he, Harry, must die. Harry then becomes a true martyr in order to bring about good. What are the characteristics of being a martyr? 10. Dialogue analysis: Harry’s parents assure him that they will always be with him. Do you believe that people who have died are in touch with us in some way. Yes or no and why? 11. Scene analysis: Harry goes to a “heaven-like” place. In your opinion, do most people believe in heaven and hell? Yes or no and why? 12. Dialogue analysis: Dumbledore tells Harry: “Words are … our most inexhaustible source of magic, capable of both inflicting injury and remedying it.” Why is his statement true? 13. Scene analysis: the now-grown Harry and Ginny, Hermione and Ron, and Draco and his wife watch their children go to school to Hogwarts. What is the movie “saying” about their lives in this scene? Why? 14. What does the movie “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, part 2” teach young people?