[media presentation below] GospelThink Monday, March 13 LUKE 4:24-30 The people of my hometown rejected me because I said some things that were unpopular. Prayerthoughts a. Jesus senses that there is jealousy involved as people speak about him. in my thoughts are there people of whom I am jealous? What can I do about it? b. Do I tend to follow the people who are around me in the spiritual life? Without judging them, how can I try harder to grow in my own spiritual life? c. Jesus refers to Elijah and Elisha who cured the widow and Naaman. They were also prophets who were working with their own people just as Jesus was. The people who did not agree with Jesus were merely making up reasons to dislike him. Our task is to help those around us if they need it. Is there anyone in my acquaintance I should pay more attention to? d. The people of Nazareth rejected Jesus. I obviously do not reject him, but which of his teachings should I listen to more? e. Jesus did not “punish” the people in Nazareth. He simply walked away. Do I tend to hold grudges against people who do not agree with me? f. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will read 2 Kings, chapter 5, and write an important thought from it. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  A TRUE PROPHET  + In the Gospel today, Jesus spoke the truth to his neighbors in Nazareth of Galilee          – they probably had come to the conclusion that even though he was different, he would fit into the pattern that they wanted him to follow          – suddenly, he was speaking about other people being just as important as they were: the widow in Sidon, a non-Israelite and Naaman, the subject of the first reading, were non-Jews                   – and Jesus was accepting them, even implying that they would be more acceptable than the Jews          – once it became clear to them that he would not fit their mold, they were filled with fury and wanted to kill him  + Jesus did not fit the mold of the religious leaders of Israel because he had an agenda that would be defined in terms of love and acceptance of everyone          – using a similar thought, Elisha in the first reading did not fit the role of a prophet and Naaman expected Elisha to behave in a certain way, and was ready to forget his cure even  + Jesus and Elisha were prophets          – the classic definition of a prophet is someone who comforts the disturbed, and disturbs the comfortable          – both sides of the definition are important to us who want to improve our spiritual lives  + Our primary message must be to comfort the disturbed, that is, the Christian idea of caring about others          – for us, it is the message of Jesus, the message of love—everyone is important  + And secondly, we who want to improve our spiritual lives are called to disturb the comfortable          – first of all, we realize that oftentimes we are the comfortable, and we need to be made aware of what we are doing          – secondly we disturb the comfortable by our example                   – we are saying to people: look at us—we believe in God, and we are proving it by our lives, and our silent cry to them is: “so should you”  + A prophet is someone who comforts the disturbed and disturbs the comfortable          – part of a growing spiritual life is the idea of being a prophet. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Contagion” — beginning session DEDICATED TO TRUTH The Gospel MARK 4:10-11 When [Jesus] was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables.”

Gospelthink: I wanted my disciples to know the meaning of the stories I told. Do I look for the deeper meaning of the words of Scripture?

Truth is often difficult to determine. The medical experts who tried to define the virus that was killing people in the movie “Contagion” were at a loss at first as to what it was. They had to try to discover its origin even as a panic began to build in the world around them. They had to fight not only the panic but also the selfish ignorance of people who claimed to have knowledge of what was happening. Discerning the truth is even more of a problem when there are so many factors that cloud the issue. The movie shows that people dedicated to obtaining the truth will pursue it while remaining realistic and without panic, even though personal harm may result.

In the movie “Contagion,” Dr. Erin Mears was a professional who knew firsthand what was involved in the containment of a virus. She wanted to pursue that truth even though her decision would later end in her submitting to the disease. Dr. Leonora Orantes likewise was a professional who recognized that the only way to pursue the truth was to study it in the confines of the area where it started even though there was strong hostility that led to her own capture as a hostage. Dr. Ally Hextall knew that injecting herself with an antidote that may not work could mean her death. They all knew that the truth had to be the driving force even over personal safety. The driving force in the Apostles’ lives had to be knowledge of the Kingdom of God. They were to preach it, act with it, and finally most of them would die because of their belief in it. In Mark’s Gospel, they had heard Jesus preach to the crowd in stories about the Kingdom, but they could not be satisfied with stories. They had to know the truth about that Kingdom. And so, they had to find out that truth by paying closer attention to the one who was preaching that Kingdom. Perhaps the most important part of reasoning for an undertaking of any kind is the truth behind what we are doing. Why are we doing what we are doing? What is the intention behind our action? What is the truth that we are trying to develop? The truth should “drive” us. As the doctors in the movie “Contagion” were driven by obtaining the truth, so must anyone dedicated to a good life. Those of us who are following Jesus must be dedicated to the truth that he taught just as the Apostles pursued the truth with him. It must guide our actions, even though at times such guidance may bring about a personal risk.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we must be people dedicated to the truth. You gave us the truth through your Son, calling us to follow him in pursuit of your Kingdom. May we always be dedicated to what is true in whatever we are pursuing. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We must always determine the truth before we act. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 49 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. In the Gospel, Jesus used the parables to make people think about how they could understand life a little better, and in particular how it applied to his teaching about the Kingdom. What is your understanding of the Kingdom that Jesus was preaching? (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2816-2821). 3. Of all the truths that Jesus taught, what do you consider to be the most important? 4. What are some of the parables of Jesus that you remember, and what are their meanings? 5. In your opinion, is “pursuit of the truth” a driving force in today’s world? Yes or no and why? 6. In general, why do you think Jesus often used parables or stories rather than just teach direct doctrine? 7. In general, what do you think it means to have “the truth” be a driving force? Give an example. 8. Do you think that most Christians truly follow Jesus’ truth? Yes or no and why? 9. Analysis: the blogger journalist Alan Krumwiede. He continually distorts the truth, making conclusions that are not truthful and the like. Why do people behave this way? 10. Scene analysis: Mitch Emhoff receives word within minutes of his wife’s death and his son’s death. What is the best way to “manage” such pressures in life? Why? 11. Analysis: Jory, Mitch’s teenage daughter, feels somewhat responsible for her brother’s death. Why do teenagers often feel responsible for things that they could not have caused? 12. Analysis: Homeland Security suggest the possibility of terrorist action in the handing on of the disease. Do you think that such a possibility is realistic? Yes or no and why? 13. Analysis: Mitch discovers that his wife had been cheating on him. If one person in a relationship is cheating on the other, and the other discovers it, what should the couple do? 14. Analysis: If you have lived in one of the infected towns in the movie, how would you have reacted? 15. Dialogue analysis: Alan Krumwiede claims that drug companies use tragedies to turn a profit. Do you believe this to be true? Why or why not? 16. Analysis: Dr. Sussman who discovered the virus could have turned it for his own profit, but did not. Do you think that most people would have behaved this way? Yes or no and why? 17. Analysis: Dr. Cheever is concerned about Dr. Mears. Do you think that most people in charge have this much concern for their employees? Yes or no and why? 18. Analysis: Dr. Orantes is kidnapped. What would be your principal concern if you were taken as a hostage?