[media presentation below] GospelThink Saturday, February 10 MARK 8:1-10 I fed the many people that were listening to me. It is a symbol of my presence to you in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Prayerthoughts a. Once again, Jesus feels pity for the crowd and talks to them to make them feel better.  In my life, in general, do I look at others with a desire to help them if they need it? b. The disciples questioned the Lord’s decision to feed them. As I read the Gospels, do I try to understand completely what the Lord is saying to me? c. Jesus uses what they have. It is a significant action for my spiritual life. At this time of my life, the Lord will use whatever I can do to be better if I want. Am I open to the Lord’s wishes? d. Jesus uses words that He will use when He institutes the Eucharist for us. Do I try to receive the Lord in the Eucharist often, and then thank Him for His gift? e. It is significant that all were satisfied. Am I satisfied with what is given to me? Do I thank the Lord and those who give me what I need? (This is the task of the meditation.) f. There was food left over. The Lord always gives us more than enough to help us in our lives. Do I thank the Lord enough in my prayer? g. My prayerthoughts….   Today, I will make a list of the people for whom I am most thankful, and pray for them and perhaps write them a note or email. Some Thoughts on the Liturgy   BEING SATISFIED WITH WHAT WE HAVE   + The liturgy continues the story of the second sin in the book of Genesis           – the part where we have the tendency to blame others for our sins                      – the man blames the woman; the woman blames the snake                                – it is an important lesson for us                                          – the only thing that will give us complete satisfaction is to learn to admit sinfulness when we did something wrong                                                    – and we all sin; therefore sin is our fault   + I believe that idea of reaching true satisfaction is a good thought to consider           – in Mark’s Gospel, there are two times when Jesus gives food to the people because he felt pity for them                      – one here, feeding 4000 people, and another feeding 5000 people                                – in both instances after the people had eaten, Mark comments that they were satisfied                                          – satisfied because their hunger had been taken care of                                                    – that is, they didn’t want more   + One of the problems with our human natures is the desire to have more           – that is, we often are not satisfied with what we have                      – anything that will give us more than we have, easier than we have it, better than we have now, is of great interest to us                                – in a sense, that is just fine because technology and bettering things is a way to grow for our world                                          – but when it leads to selfishness that can never be satisfied, then it is not so good   + The people whom Jesus fed were satisfied with what they had           – there was no need to have anything else                      – because their hunger was taken care of   + It’s interesting that the Church always interprets these stories of feeding great numbers of people in Eucharistic terms           – the words that are used are the words of the institution of the Eucharist which is the food that always satisfies since it is the body and blood of Jesus himself                      -there is no need for anything else   + You and I are called to be satisfied with what we have in the sense that selfishness and always wanting more can destroy any well-being that we have. MEDIA PRESENTATION Movie: “White House Down” — beginning sessionPEACE IN A WORLD OF TROUBLEThe GospelJOHN 16:31-33Jesus answered them, “Do you believe now? Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Gospelthink: Yes, I have conquered the world, but there still will be trouble. In my life do I turn to the Lord when I am troubled?

President James Sawyer in the movie “White House Down” was a man of peace. He saw the opportunity to push the issue with a treaty between allied countries to remove military forces from the Middle East. As with most political issues, the reaction of the United States government was mixed. There were some who felt that peace was desirable but they felt very cautious about what should be done. There was others who were totally against it because to them, it made America look weak in the eyes of the world. In fact, Martin Walker, the head of the Presidential Detail had suffered a personal lost during a previous conflict, and he was looking for some way to bring about peace by force. He became so hopelessly obsessed with the idea of working for what he considered correct that he literally forgot about what was good for the rest of humanity.

Jesus knew that his peace would bring about trouble. He knew it because he understood human nature. Much of the time, our selfishness desires “peace” as we define it instead of what the Lord wants. Consequently, he warns his disciples that they would not understand the peace that he would give them. They still had the trouble of the world that would challenge them, but in the end, he promised them that there would be peace. In the movie “White House Down” President Sawyer was very much aware of those who opposed him in the area of peace. He understood their feelings, but he had the feeling that it was time to do something positive, and so with determination he set about accomplishing his goal. His problem was “the trouble” that Jesus spoke of, a “trouble” that caused the White House to be a war zone, and one that could have taken his own life in the process. Jesus calls his followers to be people of peace. Our problem is the same problem that was to plague his Apostles, the same problem that overcame the calm of the White House in the movie, what Jesus called “trouble” in the world. That trouble comes in different ways–people who refuse to understand peace in Jesus’ terms, people who are ruled only by selfishness. Or bringing it to a personal level, it is the trouble that happens as we try to be people of peace as best we can in that troublesome world. But in the end, the Christian will always have the last say. There will be peace, because as he said, Jesus has truly conquered the world. We approach that eventuality with confidence.

PRAYER Good and gracious God, your Son challenges us to be people of peace, even in this world of trouble. Give us the confidence that your Son had in You, so that we can be the people of peace that we should be. Be with us, we pray.

+++++ GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT Theme: When we work for peace, we may disturb people who do not totally understand.   DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: (session: approximately 61 minutes) 1. What scene during this session is most striking? Why? 2. In your opinion, in the Gospel what was the principal reason why the disciples left Jesus a little later during his Passion? 3. Text analysis: “you might have peace in me.” What is the meaning of the phrase? 4. In your opinion, what is the principal “trouble” that the world has? Why? 5. What is the major difference between peace that we want and the peace that the Lord gives? 6. Are there important people in our world who really do not want peace? Yes or no and why? 7. In your opinion, at this moment in history, if anything, what could the President do to bring about peace in the world? 8. Analysis: how would you describe a “person of peace.” 9. In general, what is there about “bringing peace” that people refuse to understand? 10. In your opinion, within your lifetime, do you think that there ever will be “total peace” in the world? Yes or no and why? 11. Scene analysis: President Sawyer asks for a special view of the Washington monuments. What does this say about his character? 12. Analysis: John and his daughter Emily’s relationship is strained. What could John do in order to make the relationship stronger? 13. Analysis: the movie is full of violence and killing throughout. In your opinion, does this have an effect on young people? Yes or no and why? 14. Analysis: As you study Emily in the movie, is there anything else the eleven year old could have done to escape? Yes or no and why? 15. Character analysis: Skip Tyler, the computer genius who has hacked into the White House computers. What causes people to do something like he was doing?