[media presentation below] GospelThink Saturday, October 7 LUKE 10:17-24 I give lessons on being joyful and more child-like. Prayerthoughts a. There was real joy for the seventy-two who returned from their missionary activity. Am I a basically joyful person? Where can I be more joyful? b. The Lord tells his disciples and us that we should be joyful at our spiritual accomplishments leading to eternal life. As I study my day yesterday, were my actions the actions of a truly spiritual person? (This is the task of the meditation.) c. What is my understanding of “childlike”? d. Often being “childlike” refers to people who are not solicitous for power. How do I want too much power? e. What is God’s will for me? f. Jesus has given us His idea of God in the Gospels. Does God play a significant role in my life right now? g. I have truly seen Jesus in the Scriptures. Am I trying to identify with Jesus enough in the words that I read? h. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will go through yesterday, listing the principal actions of the day, and determine whether I was truly good in my desires. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE 72 DISCIPLES            The “72 others” that Luke speaks of here in the Gospel is a group of people that we do not know much about. They were a group that Jesus sent out to the places that he intended to visit, and they were to prepare people for the kingdom of God.   I think that that is a good description of what we are all called to do as Christians today: prepare for Jesus by announcing that the kingdom of God is here. We might be called the “modern 72.” “Preparing for the kingdom of God” means in today’s world that we must be people who lead ourselves and others to an understanding of the presence of God in our lives.           It was the ultimate reason of why Christian people set up the Church as we know it today. That is what our Church should be all about, namely, creating the presence of God in this world today.  It was that presence of God that the prophet Baruch promised would be present once again to a grieving Israel.  Unfortunately, the Church’s presence to the world has suffered over the two thousand years of its existence, not because of God’s dealing with it, but because of the people who made up the Church over the years.  Principally because of selfishness and the desire for power, over the ages the Church has often evolved into something that God did not want.            The chances are that the Church has become nothing more than an exclusive club that has a history. Of course, that is not what we are called to be. We are given the task of “the 72” to go out and bring the presence of God into the lives of ourselves and others. Is it not true that too many people have allowed our Church to be something like a club, interested only in themselves and not worrying about anyone else? Evil may have entered into “the 72” and changed the Church, and now a number of people are hurting because we are not doing the tasks that have been given to us.           The Catholic Church is a life-giving presence of God in our world today—we make it that way by preaching and living the presence of God in our midst in this world right now. We may be doing it a little, but we can always do it better. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Jumanji: The Next Level” — final session HOW TO ACCOMPLISH LOVE OF ENEMIES The Gospel MATTHEW 5:43-45 Jesus said: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”

Gospelthink: I desire that you get along with everyone, even those you do not like. Am I doing it?

The friends of Spencer finally found him in the avatar of a female cat burglar in the game of Jumanji. Discovering a way to change avatars, the original players each discovered what they could do. But Spencer’s grandfather Eddie and former partner Milo had been brought into the game with the original players. They got into an argument about their work in the restaurant business in real life that ended violently. Then after the group was joined by two other players who were friends of theirs in real life, Eddie and Milo finally reconcile. Milo explained to Eddie that he was terminally ill and wished to make amends with Eddie before he died. The group change avatars again, and eventually Spencer rekindled his relationship with Martha. The seven eventually must go through a number of situations in order to obtain the jewel which that finally did. Once they were free to go home, Milo decided to stay in the game, while Eddie thanked him for his friendship.

If there is one doctrine that sets Christianity apart from other major religions, it would probably be “love of enemies.” Jesus makes it clear that we must not only tolerate or put up with those who dislike us, but we must love them. No other religious leader has ever said that; it is a totally unique doctrine. And it is likewise well documented in history and even in the present day that most Christians have not followed this doctrine as well as they should have. In any given situation among human beings, almost always there will be an instance of disagreement and hatred among them. It is almost inevitable that someone somehow will upset another. In a sense, they become enemies, and in general, will avoid one another. Such was the case between Eddie and Milo in the movie “Jumanji: The Next Level.” Like so many people who had worked together at one time, they grew to hate one another because of some reason, and they became irreconcilable. It is significant how the two made up their differences. Together with the other people who were trapped in the game with them, they had to undergo all kinds of difficulties as they “played” the game. That could have caused them to see how petty their dislike of each other was. But that did not do it. They made up by talking, plain old communication. They both explained what had happened between them when Milo finally made up his mind to do something about his dislike of Eddie. Given any disagreement, the situation can be “made better” simply by talking with one another. Perhaps there must be further action after the initial communication, but any reconciliation must begin with the desire to talk it out. It is an important fact to learn for the Christian. Jesus makes it clear that his doctrine includes love of enemies, love of people that we do not like or those who do not like us. Love is what he counsels. It begins with a true understanding of how each feels, something that can only be attained by communication.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, Your Son told me that I must love those that I do not like for whatever reason. Help me hear Him a little better than I am doing at the present time. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: Even a deep hatred between people who were friends at one time can be resolved.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 57 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. What does the movie “Jumanji: The Next Level” teach young people? 3. In what areas of our world do we see a true love of enemies? 4. In your opinion, are there any other doctrines besides love of enemies that other religions do not share? 5. In your opinion, what is the principal reason for hatred of others? 6. Why is it so difficult to communicate with another, especially one that we know well?