[media presentation below] GospelThink Thursday, July 7 MATTHEW 10:7-15 I give instructions to my disciples and to you to help everyone understand the Kingdom of God. Prayerthoughts a. Obviously, I cannot heal the sick around me. But do I show signs of personal concern—a card, a visit, etc.—to the people that I know who are ill? b. The Lord tells me that I am to give without concern for cost, that is, to give without expecting anything in return. In my giving to others, what is my motivation? c. Jesus wanted his Apostles to travel “light” because he did not want material things to hold back the message that they were to preach. As I live in the world, are there material things that are holding me back from God’s presence? d. Jesus realizes that the Apostles will face rejection, and rather than talk against those who rejected them or threaten them, he tells them simply to shake the dust from their feet,  or in other words, just leave and go to the next situation. Often I cannot do that—I would rather seek out some type of revenge. What is the area in my life where I am  most prone to revenge? e. My prayerthoughts… Today, I will write a prayer for all missionaries in our world. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  GIVING TO OTHERS  + The story of Joseph continues in the first reading today           – Judah explains to Joseph the whole story of how they got down to Egypt without Judah knowing who he was talking to           – Joseph finally broke down and told his brothers who he was                      – and Joseph makes the statement that was indicative of how God works with difficult situations:                                It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you.                                          – that is, God always directs things for the better  + In fact, God through Jesus continues to direct our redemption           – in the Gospel, Matthew continues to speak what has been called the “missionary discourse”/ sermon                      – announce to the Israelites, Jesus says, that they must take part in the kingdom of God                                – the secret of the spiritual life—accepting the kingdom of God  + What is important as we accept that kingdom is the way we are to behave on the journey           – the Apostles are given tremendous power—           …cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons…           – what would we do with that power?                      – what would we do if we had the power to do anything we want?           – what the Apostles are to do, as Jesus sees it, as sort of a conclusion to all the power they have, according to Jesus is to…..give:           Without cost you are to give.                      – give to others, make their lives better                                – in fact, Jesus says, take nothing for your owninterests                                          – do it all for others: that is to be your one concentration           – and even if they don’t listen to you                      – don’t call down fire and brimstone                                – although we’re led to believe that they could have                      – he simply says: leave and let God take care of it  + One of the gifts of the spiritual life that we are called to           – is that of giving, being generous to others           – as we try to become closer to the Lord,                      – we have to learn the art of giving to other people. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Allegiant” — final session OPEN TO THE TRUTH The Gospel JOHN 7:49-52 Nicodemus, one of their members (the Pharisees) who had come to Jesus earlier, said to them, “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.”

Gospelthink: Nicodemus was not afraid to speak on my behalf. Is it clear from my speech that I am a Christian?

Having encountered David, the person in charge of the Bureau of Genetic Welfare, Tris was recognized to be a “pure” Divergent, and was given special treatment in the facility. At first, she was convinced that this Bureau was the answer to the problems in her world. But as Four and the others were taken into the facility and given different assignments, Four discovered that it was not what Tris thought. He finally convinced Tris that they must once again go back to Chicago to try to set things right. They found that David had convinced Evelyn in Chicago to release some debilitating gas on the populace in order to control everyone. Four and Tris found a way to stop the gas and David, but the movie closes with David watching everything that happened, no doubt ready to try to change things as he wanted them.

It is clear from the Gospel of John that Nicodemus the Pharisee was considering the possibility that Jesus was not an enemy of Israel. Nicodemus knew the law of Moses and therefore he knew how his fellow Pharisees were thinking when it came to understanding Jesus. He had begun to wonder about what he considered to be truth. So, he had visited Jesus early on in Jesus’ ministry, and now, as he worked as a religious leader of Israel, he knew that he had to pursue the truth. One of the things that we must remember as we accept something to be true is the possibility that we could be wrong. In the movie “Allegiant,” Tris had hoped that the solution to the problems of Chicago was what David showed her in the Bureau of Genetic Welfare. But, with the help of her friend Four, she saw that she was wrong, and was able to correct her thinking. She was open to the truth. One of the facts of human nature is that we can become convinced of something that is not at all true. And part of maturity is to be able to change when we discover that something in not true. We do not like to do it because it will mean admitting that we were wrong. But the mature person will always be open to the truth, and thus be willing to adjust his/her thinking.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we are convinced that You have spoken the truth to us through Your Son Jesus. Make us always aware of the truth, and give us the grace to follow it in our lives. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Part of the solution to a problem is to continue discerning the solution to find the truth.        DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 56 minutes) 1. What scene during this session is most striking and why? 2. In the Gospel, why do you think the Pharisees were so disbelieving of Jesus? 3. In general, do you think that most people try to find the truth before they act? Yes or no and why? 4. In particular, do you believe that most people who are in charge of some organization are truthful? Yes or no and why? 5. What is the best way to determine whether something is true or not? 6. Dialogue analysis: Tris–“Everyone is worth saving.” Do you believe that all people accept this belief? Yes or no and why? 7. Analysis: As Tris and Four and their friends come back into Chicago, they find chaos because of the warring factions. In your opinion, is it possible to bring about peace without war? Yes or no and why? 8. What does the movie “Allegiant” teach young people?