[media presentation below] GospelThink Tuesday, March 21 JOHN 5:1-3a,5-16 I found the man who was most in need of healing, and I healed him, even though I knew that the scribes and Pharisees would object. Prayerthoughts a. Jesus sought out one man in particular who was most in need of help. In my life, do I seek out people in need of help, and attempt to give them the help they need? b. Do I try to heal those who need it, that is, do I bring life to whatever situation that I am in? c. Jesus had healed the man and slipped away. He had done the good deed, and then did not care whether he was given the credit or not. Do I seek too much recognition from others?   d. Jesus tells the man not to sin. In my spiritual life, do I sincerely admit that I am a sinner? e. The man told the Jews about Jesus. Am I willing to spread my faith when I have the opportunity? f. The Sabbath was a sacred time for the Jews, and they tried to use the fact to persecute Jesus. Is the Sabbath, Sunday for us, a sacred time for me? g. My prayerthoughts…   Today I will make a resolution to do something “sacred.” Some Thoughts on the Liturgy THE CHRISTIAN IS LIFE-GIVING  + The beautiful imagery of the reading from Ezekiel is acted out in the Gospel          – it is water from the temple that gives life and makes trees bear fruit and the trees’ leaves are used for medicine                   – that is, water that is truly from God          – Jesus is the perfect image of the living water who truly cares for people  + The application for the Christian is clear and quite challenging          – we are people who freely choose the Christian life and we should therefore be the living water to others                   – flowing from God, that is, having our source in God now present through Jesus Christ here in the Eucharist, in the Sacraments                   – and now everything we touch should be just as life-producing as Jesus was life-giving to the man in the Gospel                   – the symbolism of the two readings together is magnificent for the Christian, and it has direct bearing in our daily lives  + The personal question from the liturgy should be:         – as we flow from God through Jesus, is our touch life-giving?                   – that is, in whatever situation we find ourselves, are we bringing life to it                   – life-giving to our family in whatever form that comes as parents, grandparents, friends                            – do others recognize God in us?                            – if others judged God by us, how would they view God – mean, good, negative, positive?                   – life-giving to our workplace                            – is our attitude at work what might be called the attitude of Jesus?                   – life-giving to the different people we meet                            – in the Gospel, Jesus sought out the person that was most hurting                                     – do we seek out situations in which we can help with the talents that we have?  + The drawback of the beautiful imagery of the readings is that it may be lost in the mundane world of day-to-day living          – we can’t let that happen, because the world really needs us to be life-giving in our approach. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Marshall” — beginning session WHEN SOMEONE ELSE GETS THE CREDIT The Gospel LUKE 10:1-9 The Lord appointed seventy (-two) others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'”

Gospelthink: I sent disciples into the area telling them to preach the Kingdom. As I live from day to day, do I preach the Kingdom in my actions and words?

The movie “Marshall” is a true story early in the life of United States Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. His task early in his life as a NAACP lawyer was to travel the country defending people of color who were wrongly accused of crimes because of racial prejudice. In one particular case, defending a man by the name of Joseph Spell, he was denied by the judge to speak in court as he defended Spell. Marshall had to enlist the help of lawyer Sam Friedman, a friend of Marshall’s brother, to be Spell’s lead counsel. Marshall guided Friedman at every turn. In many ways Friedman proved himself quite capable, but accepted the direction of Marshall. Friedman accepted the challenge, doing the best that he could even though he did not get the credit.

According to Luke the evangelist, the seventy two disciples were just as important as the Apostles in the early days of Jesus’ ministry. They spread the message of Jesus, namely, that the Kingdom of God was at hand, and they cured the sick in the towns. It was due to them that the message of Jesus became known in the surrounding neighborhoods of Galilee. But they are often not thought of, and only the Apostles seem to “get the glory” of doing the work that Jesus gave the disciples to do. One of the virtues of the Kingdom that Jesus was preaching was the virtue of humility, that is allowing the truth to dominate no matter who gets credit for it. Sam Friedman was such a person. In the movie “Marshall,” he had to accept the task of being spokesperson for Thurgood Marshall who could not try the case against Joseph Spell because of Marshall was a black man. At first, Sam was reluctant to take the task, but he became more and more open to help if he could. In fact, he did the best that he could even though it was Marshall who received the credit. In our dealings with people, one of the “sins” in which we find ourselves is “judging” others because we think that they are inferior to us. Certainly, at the very least, it is very difficult for our human natures to accept no credit when we deserve it.  We find ourselves not being humble enough to allow the truth to come out even when we are not recognized for what we have done. The old adage is true: “There is no telling the good that can be good when you do not care who gets the credit.”

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Your Son’s Kingdom included the virtue of seeking the truth in every situation, even when we deserve some credit but do not get it. Give us the humility to accept Your Son’s direction and work for the truth, even if we do not receive the praise that is due to us.  Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We should do our best even if someone else gets the credit.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 54 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking and why? 2. In the Gospel account, why do you think Jesus gave his disciples direction not to take extra material with them? 3. What is your understanding of the Kingdom of God? 4. What do you believe was the most important virtue that Thurgood Marshall showed in his young life? 5. Give your own definition of “humility.” 6. What is the principal reason why some people cannot tolerate ourselves getting credit when we should?