[media presentation below] GospelThink Thursday, October 12 LUKE 11:5-13 I tell you to be persistent in your prayer and understand that I know more than you do about what you need. Prayerthoughts a. The Lord introduces this prayer of petition presentation with the thought of persistence. Am I persistent in my prayer, praying with the knowledge that the Lord is listening? b. Every prayer that I say to the Lord will be answered. Do I pray with that thought in mind? A prayer of thanksgiving to God would be in order here. c. Again God answers every prayer. Jesus reiterates it twice here. It is very important then that I know this because there are times in my life when I doubted it. What were some of those times, and how have they been resolved? d. God knows more than I do. In my prayer of petition, I may be asking for things that would have been harmful to me. What are some examples of the past when I prayed for something, but God saw that it should not be given to me? e. Sometimes our prayer of petition actually asked for something evil and we did not know it, but the Lord did. What is my reaction to a prayer that does not seem to be heard by God? f. The Lord knows what is best for me–he promises the Holy Spirit–and so my prayer of petition for whatever I desire must close with “,,,but You know better than I.” g. My prayerthoughts…   Today, I will write a prayer of petition for someone or something for what I desire most at the present time. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy  THE PRAYER OF PETITION / THANKSGIVING  + As one listens to the prophet Malachi today           – it is clear that the Lord will be with the person who serves God                         – and for those who fear the Lord, “there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays”  + The Gospel says that the Spirit will be given to those who serve God and seek the sun of justice with its healing rays           – it is a classic statement on what we call petitionary prayer with some important elements:  + 1 – Jesus starts off with a statement about persistence           – how important it is to keep petitioning, keep asking things of God                      – not in the sense that God needs to be told, but in the sense that we need to tell God what we need                      – it makes the person who asks realize that he/she must have God’s help                      – and it makes them realize that God is in charge                      – prayer is not for God, it is for us—to make us realize how much we really must depend on God  + 2 – That God will answer           – there will be some answer that God gives to the prayer of petition                      – we can count on that                                – because God is always aware of our needs and will only give us what is good for us  + 3 – That God will answer with the Holy Spirit, that is, with good things           – maybe the most important part of the prayer of petition                      – the whole discussion of knowing that sometimes we will not be asking for the good                                – the snake/fish and scorpion/egg statement                                          – God will not give us evil, even if we think it is good                                                    – and therefore, we have to depend totally on God  + 4 – A conclusion to all of this:           – we can look at the prayer of petition as a prayer of thanksgiving:                      – saying to God that we know God will only give us good, and so we look at what happens to us as the good that God wants                                – and we thank God for it, whatever it is that happens  + The prayer of petition is more than asking and receiving           – it is the understanding that God will always give good to those who ask                      – and being thankful for it. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “Limitless” — beginning session OUR DESIRE TO BE LIMITLESS The Gospel LUKE 12:1 Meanwhile, so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. [Jesus] began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven—that is, the hypocrisy—of the Pharisees.”

Gospelthink: I warned my disciples to stay away from hypocrisy. Am I honest in the way I lead my life?

Being “limitless” in what we can do is the obvious thought of the movie “Limitless.” At some time in Eddie Morra’s life, he realized that he was very limited in what he was doing. He wanted to become a writer, but it seemed that nothing was happening in his brain. In the course of his wanderings, his ex-brother-in-law gave him an amazing pill. It was not a narcotic or anything that was usually considered a “drug,” but it did amazing things to his mind. He finished his novel at break-neck speed, he won at poker, outsmarted the investment market, becoming a Wall Street expert, made loads of money, won over a woman who had rejected him, and in general, he knew how to handle every situation well. He was indeed “limitless,” but like any drug, the pill known as NZT-48 was addictive in its own way. Gradually, Eddie experienced the other effects of the pill.

The dictionary defines “leaven” to be “a substance used to make dough rise.” Jesus understood it to be something that took over a person’s life in a complete way. Hypocrisy in Jesus’ mind was the leaven that controlled the Pharisees. In terms of modern culture, it might be called a “drug,” a substance that altered the thinking and actions of the people who took it. NZT-48, the drug that Eddie Morra took was like leaven. It completely altered his life, and made him aware of things that he had never been aware of before. But he also found that after he took it, he needed to have it. He needed to have it not because it was something his body craved, but because he liked the power and the pleasure it gave him. Like leaven the desire for power and pleasure spread throughout his very being, becoming more important to him than anything else in his world. He loved the feeling of being limitless, and would do anything to keep it. Such a feeling is the desire of human nature. In one way or another, our human natures desire to be limitless–we want the power and pleasure that will give us what we want. It is the reason why people take illegal drugs; it is the reason why people disregard the direction of their consciences. Basically, we want the feeling, and we will often sacrifice anything to get the feeling. Jesus realized what direction our human natures might lead. He could easily see how hypocrisy and desire for power controlled the religious leaders of his time. And so he warned his followers, telling them in essence to study their desires closely. Like leaven, those desires can completely overtake us, and so we must accept the guidance that Jesus gives to keep everything in proper perspective.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, we continue to struggle with our desires and feelings. They lead us in a direction that can often be harmful. Help us recognize the importance of choosing the guidance of your Son in all that we do. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: We all have a desire to be limitless with our lives, and we must also take into account how much we are willing to sacrifice to achieve it.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 49 minutes) 1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why? 2. Luke the evangelist contrasts the great size of the crowd with “small” attitude of the religious leaders. From your knowledge of Scripture, what should have been the principal characteristics of the religious leaders of Jesus’ time? 3. Hypocrisy might be defined to be “surface respectability.” Give your own definition of “hypocrisy.” 4. In your opinion, is hypocrisy a problem in today’s world? Yes or no and why? 5. In our world, what evils “take over” people’s lives? 6. Our modern culture in many ways is a “drug culture.” What are the principal illegal drugs that are used in our society? In your opinion, which one is the most evil? 7. How should a Christian view the drugs that are used in our society? (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, number 2291) 8. Speaking in a general way, in your opinion, what would people want most if they could do or have anything they wanted? 9. Eddie Morra wanted power and pleasure more than anything else. In today’s world, how do people attain more power and pleasure in a legal way? 10. Christian doctrine would say that attaining power and pleasure even legally could be wrong. Why? 11. What do you think is the “proper perspective” that the meditation refers to? What is the principal guideline that Jesus gives in order to “keep everything in proper perspective”? 12. Scene analysis: The movie opens with Eddie Morra contemplating suicide. What are the causes of suicide in our society, and what can the person who is contemplating it do about it? 13. Scene analysis: “Having sex” outside of marriage is presented in the movie and other movies as something that happens a lot. Do you believe that it happens often in real life? Yes or no and why? Do you believe that this has an affect on the young people who watch the movies? Yes or no and why? 14. Dialogue analysis: As Eddie reflects on his taking the NZT-48, he asks the question: “Was it worth the risk? What would you do?” What would you do if you were in Eddie’s position? 15. Scene analysis: Eddie borrows money from someone. When should a person borrow money from the bank or others?