[media presentation below] GospelThink Thursday, May 25 JOHN 17:20-26 I pray in a particularly intimate way for you and those you influence. Prayerthoughts a. “I pray for those who will believe in me through their word.” It is a direct statement that our God wants us to use the grace that God continues to give us. Perhaps I should pray my own prayer of thanksgiving for what God has given me. (This is the task of the meditation.) b. Jesus wants us to be unified in our approach to God, believing that Jesus truly is the Son of God. Obviously we do, but have there been moments in my life recently in which I have not shown agreement with the Lord’s direction in my behavior? c. The Lord prays for unity in our approach to our God. Have I shown true unity in the way I have behaved toward those people who are different believers than I am? d. The Lord prays that we may have eternal life. It should be the same prayer that we utter for all people with whom I come into contact. e. The Lord reminds us that the world does not know Him. Have I spent too much time with the “world” and not enough time in prayer with the Lord? f. The Holy Spirit continues to inspire me to make known the name of the Lord. Are my acquaintances aware of my belief through my actions and words? g. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will visit a Church or spend some quiet time in my home and answer letter a. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  JESUS PRAYS FOR US  + I find it very interesting that Our Lord prays for us specifically in the High Priestly prayer in the Gospel:           I pray not only for these, but for those who will believe in me through their word.                      – that is for you and for me  + And as you search this section of the High Priestly prayer, it is also interesting how he prays for us:           – he prays that we may be one                      – unity is very important for Jesus                                – because no one is higher or better than anyone else                                          – we are all united as one family                      – often we are far from the unity that the Lord wanted for us                                – and the reason is that we destroy the unity because we like to feel better than others or different from them  + Jesus also prays that you and I will experience what he will soon be experiencing           – praying that our lives will eventually have the eternal life that we long for           – Jesus, the Son of God, asking his Father to receive us into eternal life                      – that’s pretty impressive, I believe   + And finally he prays that you and I will continue to make his Father known throughout the world           – that is, Jesus wants us to spread the message of the fact of God’s presence in everything we do           – the way Paul was doing in the first reading                      – Paul is back in Jerusalem and as usual, is still having trouble with the Pharisees and Sadducees           – very cleverly he sets up an argument between those two factions of high priests                      – and continues to bear witness to the Lord with his preaching, as the Lord himself instructs him  + The High Priestly prayer of Jesus enables us to get into the mind of Jesus and see what he prays for           – and when he prays for others, he prays that they—you and I—will be one, that all will experience eternal life, and that we will make the presence of God real in our world. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Skyscraper” — final session TRUE LOVE IN A FAMILY The Gospel LUKE 2:1-7 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town. And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Gospelthink: This is the way I began my life on earth–simple and poor. As I live my life, is it clear that I have chosen to live as Jesus did?

Will Sawyer, the wounded veteran was hired by the security company whose job was to insure that the world’s largest building The Pearl have the highest security. Unknown to Sawyer, through insider contacts, the building was set on fire by an evil gang in search of the owner’s money. Sawyer had brought his family with him for the occasion, his wife and two children, who were truly the love of Sawyer’s life. The love of the family was evident throughout the movie, even as they were caught in the fire that eventually would destroy the building. One can argue, as many critics of the movie did, that the accomplishments of Sawyer were too fantastic to be true, but the one thought that dominates all of the action was the fact that this family had a love for each other that was real. It is the guide for the whole movie.

No matter how we study the beginning of the family of Joseph, Mary and Jesus, it is a study of love.  Even when circumstances were not the best, love was no doubt the glue that kept the family together.  At the very beginning of their family, they had to travel to a different land, choose less than adequate lodging, and build a make-shift home for a new-born child. One can only imagine the problems that surrounded the loving family, and one can easily surmise that the only way the family could remain together was through their love for each other. One cannot easily define love in a family. About the only thing that can be done is to study the actions that are involved in the family and surmise from them what the love is. Jesus was the human son of Mary and Joseph. It became clear that love was present by the actions which described how the family reacted to one another and to the environment in which they lived. It was clear from the beginning of the movie “Skyscraper,” that the love within the Sawyer family was real and sincere. It was especially evident between the husband and wife, Will and Sarah. They of course did not know anything of the adventure that they would experience, but one is certain from their actions that no matter what their experience might be, their love would remain strong. The example of love in the Sawyer family may be exaggerated because of the unusual situation of the movie itself. But it is a lesson about family love that every family should study carefully and put its lesson into their own situations.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, your Son began his life on earth in love, giving him the necessary foundation for his later life of ministry. Help us learn the lesson of the Holy Family, and foster true love in our families and lives right now. Be with us, we pray.

+++++GUIDELINES FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: The most valuable love in our world should be the love of a family. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 52 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. What does the movie “Skyscraper” teach young people? 3. There are some difficulties with the information that Luke gives us in the Gospel, but the idea is that the date of Jesus’ birth is extremely important. In your opinion, do the people of the world consider Jesus’ birth to be an important religious event? Yes or no and why? 4. Obviously, commercialism has taken over the Christmas event. What is the best way to celebrate Christmas in a more religious manner? 5. What is the greatest challenge that young families must face today? 6. What do you consider to be the most significant “love actions” in the Holy Family? 7.  In your opinion, do most families show truly significant love? Yes or no and why? 8. What is the most important sign of love in a family?