MATTHEW 6:16-18

[Jesus said:] "When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearances so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you."

Gospelthink: When you do some type of external devotion that others can see, make sure you do it for the right reason. Have I done that?

Sherlock Holmes understood very early on in his relationship with Professor James Moriarty that he had met someone who was quite capable and very accomplished in evil. Moriarty had no conscience and at the same time was a genius. It made for a deadly combination. Holmes realized that in order to beat him at his game, he had to make some personal sacrifices. As always, of course, Holmes knew what he wanted to achieve in order to bring Moriarty down. Toward the end of the movie, Moriarty placed Holmes on a large meat hook to obtain what he wanted from Holmes. Holmes allowed the suffering in order to obtain what he needed from Moriarty. Likewise, realizing at the end of their association that the only way he could win was to sacrifice his life, Holmes took Moriarty with him as they plunged into a river, both seemingly suffering death. Of course, clever as he was, Holmes survived.

Together with almsgiving and prayer, fasting was one of the three principal religious practices of the Hebrew people. Fasting was something physical, something that one could feel. Jesus knew that it was important because there had to be be some control in our personal lives, an element of sacrifice of what we desire on behalf of a greater good. Jesus also knew human nature however, and he knew that people would tend to be proud of themselves when they were sacrificing for a good cause. Such was the reasoning behind his caution about fasting. The need for fasting or some type of personal sacrifice remains however.

It is not only true on the spiritual level; it is also true in the world in which we live. In the fiction world of Sherlock Holmes, for example, evil often was in control as can be seen in the movie "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows." The only way that Holmes would be able to control such evil was by personal sacrifice, giving up something of himself in order to accomplish the goal of eradicating the evil. It is a lesson that must be taken into the real world of day-to-day living.

It is no secret that there is evil in our world. It is present on a global level as well as our own smaller level. Studying that evil, we are quick to understand that much of it, if not most of it, is caused by human beings wanting too much. Unfortunately, we fit right into the pattern. Somehow, we must learn the lesson of "fasting" or sacrifice that Jesus and even a worldly character like Sherlock Holmes teaches. If we want to conquer the evil in our lives, the selfishness that is always so evident in what we do, we must be willing to sacrifice some things. It will teach us to control what must be controlled to make our lives and our world better.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son taught us the importance of sacrifice in our lives. Give us the grace to learn that we must control ourselves and our own desires in order to bring about good in the world and one another. Be with us, we pray.

+++++

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: At times, we must sacrifice what we want in order to accomplish a goal.   

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 60 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking and why?
2. What is the primary reason to fast?
3. Give some examples of hypocrisy in today's world.
4. How do you think God gives a reward for fasting?
5. The meditation equates "fasting" with "personal sacrifice." What are some other examples of "personal sacrifices" that you can think of? 
6. Why is there a need for control in our personal lives?
7. In your opinion, do most people who do good things want credit for doing them? Yes or no and why?
8. Give an example from today's world of giving up something in order to control some evil.
9. The meditation makes the statement that much of the evil in the world is caused by people wanting too much. Do you agree? Yes or no and why?
10. Where do you see the most selfishness displayed in our world today? 
11. Scene analysis: a number of people are killed to "cover up" a sniper shooting of one person. Do you believe that type of activity takes place today? Yes or no and why?
12. Scene analysis: the arms factory. In your opinion, do nations spend too much on arms and the military? Yes or no and why?
13. Scene analysis: Moriarty puts Holmes on a meat hook. Do you think that there is comparable torture in today's world? Yes or no and why?
14. Scene analysis: the operation to make people look the same. In your opinion, is something like this possible today? Why or why not?
15. Dialogue analysis: Moriarty: "People have an innate desire for conflict." True or false? Why?
16. Dialogue analysis: Moriarty: "War, on an industrial scale, is inevitable. I'm just supplying the bullets and bandages." Is war inevitable? Yes or no and why?
17. Scene analysis: the chess game. Moriarty and Holmes "play chess" as they prepare to win the battle against each other. What is the significance of the game?
18. Scene analysis: Scotland Yard confiscates all of Moriarty's illegal possessions. In your opinion, do most of the major companies of our world take part in illegal money games? Yes or no and why?
19. Scene analysis: the only way that Holmes can beat Moriarty is for both of them to "die." In today's world, do you think that there are a large number of people who would sacrifice themselves for a greater good? Yes or no and why?
20. What does the movie "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" teach young people?

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America