[media presentation below] GospelThink April 8, Easter Vigil MATTHEW 28:1-10 The appearance of Jesus at His Resurrection. Prayerthoughts a. There are various traditions of the Resurrection story of Jesus as outlined by the different authors of the Gospels. Here the women are probably bringing the spices for the anointing of the dead. Do I try to treat the dead that I remember with prayer? b. Here in Matthew’s Gospel, an angel appears in dazzlingly white clothes, obviously with something to say to the women. What do I need most to hear to be a better spiritual person right now? c. The angel uses the words “Do not be afraid.”  (They are also used by Jesus a little later in this episode.) It  is one of the most used phrases in Scripture. In what area of my life is there “fear.” Do I have a fear of not being as good a spiritual person as I should be? d. The words of the angel say that Jesus is very much alive. Did I show Jesus to be alive as I think of all the actions of my day yesterday? e. They were “fearful yet overjoyed.” Am I a joyful person? In what area of my life can I be more joyful? f. The women announced these things to the Eleven and others. What about my speech?     Is it clear that I believe in Jesus in the words that I speak? g. Jesus himself appears to the women. In what ways has  Jesus “shown himself” to me in my lifetime? h. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will spend ten minutes in a Church or in nature thanking the Lord for giving me my life and energy. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy MEETING JESUS ALONG THE WAY + There have been many stories that have surfaced after the Holocaust in Europe           – one was about a brave 65-year old Lutheran woman in a town in southern Germany           – she was witnessing a slaughter that her country seemed to be making no effort to stop.  She told the magazine interviewer that she simply could not sit back and watch                – with the help of friends who shared her views, she dug a basement below her house and sheltered Jewish refugees who were trying to escape from the Third Reich.                      –  they stayed there until the French Underground could get them passage out of Germany                    – she was an incredible woman who literally gave life to hundreds of people               – when she was asked why she, a Christian, had been so interested in Jews, she had replied, “God doesn’t distinguish race.  Anyway, Jesus was a Jew, and I always thought that I was working with his relatives.”  + When a person is convinced that Christianity is correct, they will see Jesus’ presence in everything they do           – in the Gospel today, the women who were running toward Jesus’ disciples were absolutely convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead                      – and the Gospel says, that as they were running,           Jesus met them on their way and greeted them.           – I believe that this is a significant insight—                      – when a person believes, they will meet Jesus on their way  + The focal point is whether a person believes or not           – it is interesting to study the people who were connected directly with Jesus’ resurrection from that focal point                 – because people who do not believe are going to meet Jesus also, but it will not affect them                      – there was one group of people who had their minds made up long before anything happened                                – namely, the religious leaders who wanted Jesus out of the way           – they would never meet Jesus on their way because they had blocked him out of their minds           – in today’s world, these are the people who have their minds made up with regard to Christianity, and therefore never really discover what Jesus is all about                      – the people who cannot understand the pain of our world, blaming it on God rather than the inhumanity of people                      – the people who do not make God part of their lives even though they say that they believe in God                      – the people who are doing things that deliberately hurt others with no thought of asking for forgiveness           – they will never meet Jesus along their way because they don’t know him  + A second group who met Jesus, but again were not affected by it were the guards in Matthew’s Resurrection account           – Matthew doesn’t say what happened to them, only that they           were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men.                      – they knew exactly what they should believe—because they saw it—but they probably just ran away in fear           – in today’s world, these are the partial believers, the people who selectively choose what they want concerning Christianity, and do not observe the rest                      – they too will not meet Jesus along their way because they will not recognize him at all                                – the people who go to Church but do not listen to the Gospel message of forgiveness, peace, and harmony, yet say that they do                                – the Christian people who deliberately tear down other people’s reputations                                – the Christian people who will not try to make their marriages work or refuse give their children proper Catholic education or not contribute what they should to the Church or toward the poor           – they will never meet Jesus along their way because they have refused to see what he looks like  + The only people who will meet Jesus along their way are the true believers           – the women of Matthew’s Gospel today                      – who recognize what has really happened           – in today’s world, these are the people who choose their religion and go to Church because they know that they need God                      – and so they give of themselves and they mold their selfish desires into what God wants           – and they run right into Jesus + Our prayer this Easter day is that we run right into Jesus in our lives           – but we have to really believe—with all that true believing means—before it can happen.            MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Coco” — beginning session GUIDED BY A DREAM The Gospel JOHN 20:11-16 Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the body of Jesus had been. And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher.

Gospelthink: Mary Magdalene was a special person who really wanted to be close to me. Am I a person that always wishes to carry out what the Lord wants?

Twelve year old Miguel had a dream that was totally different from anyone else in his family. He wanted above all to be a musician like the famous Ernesto de la Cruz. Allowing himself to be guided by his dream, he had to go behind his family’s back to enter a music talent show in his town. In order to do it, he needed a guitar which he found in de la Cruz’s shrine. But taking it brought a curse upon him, making him invisible to the town’s people and a member of Land of the Dead. All along, he kept his dream to become a musician.

Mary of Magdala had a dream of what she wanted to do with her life. Since Jesus had touched her life in a special way, she wanted to follow him wherever it may lead. After Jesus’ death, she did not know exactly what would happen, but her dream was still in tact. It meant of course that she would follow Jesus no matter what, even if he were stolen from the grave. Even before Jesus appeared to her, she was ready to pursue her dream of following the Lord. In the movie, “Coco,” Miguel had a dream that was much different from what his family wanted of him. They had assumed that he would be a shoemaker just like they were. But Miguel’s dream was one of being a musician, in fact, being a famous musician very much like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. He pursued his dream here on earth among the Land of the Living, and even in the Land of the Dead. When he had a chance to go back to the Land of the Living by renouncing his dream, he would not do it. He was convinced that his dream would guide him. Such is the thought of every leader in our world. Leaders have an idea of what it is that they should follow in their lives. The dream may not be that of being a great musician as Miguel’s was, but it will always have the idea of doing better than they are. It may come in the form of following the example of a great leader or doing the best they can with what they have.Mary of Magdala knew what she wanted to do with her life because she possessed the dream that Jesus gave to her. Miguel in the movie “Coco” likewise allowed his dream of being a musician to be a guide in his life. When we are convinced of a dream, we will allow it to guide us.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Your Son inspired so many people here on earth when He was here with us to be better than we are by nature. May we also accept His dream of a Kingdom of happiness and peace, and truly make it our own. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Following our dream often means that we will not follow what others expect or want us to do.    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 48 minutes) 1. What scene during this session is most striking to you and why? 2. Mary calls Jesus a “teacher” here. In your opinion, what is the best description of Jesus? 3. The meditation calls for us to follow our dreams. What is the best way to follow our dreams in our world today? 4. Mary of Magdala’s dream was to follow the Lord wherever the Lord would lead.  What is the best way to follow the Lord in today’s world? 5. In your opinion, do you think that most people always want to do better than they are?