[media presentation below] GospelThink Saturday, July 22, St. Mary Magdalene JOHN 20:1-2,11-18 Mary Magdalene was an important person to me because she truly cared. Prayerthoughts a. Mary of Magdala was anxious about Jesus and her desire to be with him. Am I anxious in my desire to have the Lord really be part of my life? b. Mary senses that something is wrong, and immediately goes to someone she trusts for help. Am I willing to share with trusted others in difficult matters in order to have their help? c. Mary of Magdala was weeping. I am often very sad about something that happens. Do I take the time to pray for the situation as well as feel sad? d. There are two angels at the tomb here in John’s Gospel (it is different from the other Gospels). There are people in my life who are “my” angels. Who are they, and have I thanked them enough for what they do for me? (This is the task of the meditation.) e. Mary jumps to the conclusion that “they” have taken the Lord. In my life, do I jump to conclusions too often, sometimes hurting others’ reputations? f. We often do not recognize Jesus in other people. As I study the activities of my life, who are the people that I should recognize as Jesus more than I am? g. Jesus wanted Mary not to hold on to him, but to announce his presence to his brothers. Where in my life right now is it not clear that I have heard the announcement that Jesus is Lord? h. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will list my “angels” and take the time to thank them if I have not done so. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE EFFECTS OF THE RESURRECTION  + Mary Magdalene was the first person whom Jesus appeared to after the Resurrection in John’s Gospel           – this is a familiar story                     – Mary dutifully informed the Apostles and then stayed at the tomb,                                – finally recognizing Jesus                                          – and Jesus saying that she should inform the Apostles and she does with “I have seen the Lord”           – the first reading is also chosen especially for this feast                      – since Mary Magdalene was a sinner who became a new creation  + Both readings and Mary Magdalene’s life make a perfect meditation as we strive to grow spiritually           – the basis of any spiritual life is Jesus’ Resurrection                      – we believe that Jesus has risen and we can say with Mary Magdalene: I have seen the Lord                                – and our life patterns itself after Mary Magdalene                                          – in the sense of having turned away from God                                                    – and the desire to turn back to God, the ultimate reason why we are here           – Jesus’ Resurrection should have an effect on us                      – or as Paul writes to the Corinthians: the love of Christ impels us as a result                                – and it impels us primarily in the way we treat others                                          – we no longer look on anyone in terms of mere human judgment                                                    – that is, we look on them as God would look on them                                                               – namely, since we are all chosen by God, redeemed by Jesus, everyone deserves love and concern                                                                         – that remains, of course, one of the most difficult things to do in our lives                      – and we ourselves should approach life from the idea of a new creation                                – Jesus truly has redeemed us                                          – we are made new and our attitudes should show that  + The feast of Mary Magdalene is the feast of a truly human person           – she was redeemed and her life changed                      – it is a tremendous example for us. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “X-Men: First Class” — final session MORE EVIL THAN BEFORE The Gospel MATTHEW 12:43-45 Jesus said, “When an unclean spirit goes out of a person it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my home from which I came.’ But upon returning, it finds it empty, swept clean, and put in order. Then it goes and brings back with itself seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they move in and dwell there; and the last condition of that person is worse than the first. Thus it will be with this evil generation.”

Gospelthink: Evil never stops working in our lives. Do I resist the evil around me every day?

Erik Lensherr, eventually named Magneto in the X-Men comic books, is a study in the make-up of evil. As documented in the movie “X-Men: First Class,” he was separated from his parents in a concentration camp during World War II, and watched Sebastian Shaw, an evil fellow mutant although he did not know it at the time, kill Lensherr’s mother in cold blood. He became enraged and after finally leaving the horrors of the camp, was eaten up with revenge as he searched for Shaw. Finally finding him, and satisfying his revenge, he found that his fellow mutants were not appreciated by a world that they could help. Choosing to make revenge and hatred the foundation of his life, he enticed some of his mutant friends to join him, as he became the evil force of Magneto in the world. Meanwhile, his once-upon-a-time mutant friend Charles Xavier chose to follow the good, establishing a school for mutants who will work with the government.

How does evil gain such control in the world that it becomes an almost irresistible human force? Simply put, we let it. Evil or the devil or an unclean spirit as Jesus calls it is always looking for ways to establish a foothold in human nature. When our human nature is at a low point, we are prone to let it take over, and so we choose the evil. A study of an evil empire will always show a time when the empire was persecuted, and the empire is reacting to that time by becoming evil. It can be studied on a personal level as well. A case in point is the mutant Erik Lensherr or better known as Magneto of comic book fame. His early life was not good. Too many things did not go well and he became overwhelmed with the fact that evil had been done to him. Discovering that he was a mutant, he found a way to allow revenge and rage to control him through his powers, thus becoming an evil force in his world, “getting back at” that world. With Lensherr, it was even more pronounced because he had intended to follow a good path when the world turned against him. Our struggle with evil is not as dramatic or embracing as the rise of an evil empire or discovering the ability that we can easily bring about revenge with human powers. But it is a struggle just the same. Without too much imagination, we can conclude that our pasts were not as good as they could have been, that we have been wronged in some way. It is at that time that our human natures are prone to allow evil to enter in our living. The evil spirit as Jesus calls it can take over. And even if we manage to clear it out at first, the evil will find other spirits that can find a place to rest. But, the fact of grace is that we can resist. Evil can take over, but with God’s grace, we can overcome it. We have the grace to resist any evil, and as Charles Xavier in the movie, we can remain in the good if we accept the grace of God.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, your Son has told us that evil is strong in our world and will not rest. But we also know that you will continue to be in charge of the world. Give us the grace to always choose you and resist the evil around us. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Evil is strong, but we can resist it.     DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 61minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. Jesus seems to call the world an “evil generation.”  In what ways is our present generation “evil”? 3. The activity of Jesus has made an impact on the evil spirits, but their power is far from broken.  What is the best way to break the power of evil spirits?  [The presenter may want to make a presentation on “prayer.”  See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2598-2616.] 4. The meditation says that God gives us the grace to overcome evil. What are the principal reasons why we do not use the graces that God gives us? 5. Name some evil empires which became evil after intense persecution. 6. Name some ways in which “early lives” do not go well. 7. Project: make a presentation on “grace” from the Catechism, numbers 1996-2005. 8. Scene analysis: As Erik and Charles team up, Charles reminds Erik that his focus must lie between rage and serenity. Why would people choose “rage” as their focus? 9. Text analysis: Charles to Erik: “There’s so much more to you than you know.” Why is this a true statement? 10. Text analysis: Erik says that he and Charles want the same thing. Why is the statement not true? 11. What does the movie “X-Men: First Class” teach young people?