Gospelthink: One of the most important of my directives is that people are more important than anything. Have I made all people important for me?

During the movie "The Lone Ranger," John Reid who became the Lone Ranger felt the futility of trying to be an honest just man in the midst of very dishonest people. As his friend and confidant Tonto pointed out to him, a person almost had to be "outside" the law in order to uphold the law. With that in mind, and at Tonto's insistence, Reid deliberately put on the mask to hide his identity and become an "outlaw." He did it so he could do the best he could to bring about good in the very evil situations in which he found himself. The justification he used was a straight-forward one that reflected his God-fearing conscience: if the only way to help people is to work outside the law, then so be it. People are always more important than law.

Perhaps the domineering thought of Jesus' interaction with us when he was here on earth is the thought that people are more important than any specific law set up for the common good. Consequently, even the sacred law of keeping the Sabbath holy, that is, refraining from doing certain actions, had no bearing over human needs. As Pope Francis remarked in one of his writings, all of us must accompany the growth of everyone with mercy and patience as they grow.

John Reid was guided by the same ideal. Mercy and patience and the good of people is the most important idea when it comes to law. There must a law of the land, but sometimes such a law does not "cover" every situation. A just and honest person interested in law, then, will realize that sometimes one must act "outside the law" in order to accomplish good. Consequently, the Lone Ranger's gesture of putting on a mask is a statement of the principle that people are more important than law.

You and I obviously have laws that we must follow. We are governed by international, national, and even local law. It is certainly for the common good. Without law, there is usually only chaos, chaos that somehow comes back around to what a person wants, and nothing else. But at the same time, at times people are "trapped" by the law. The best possible good would come only if they went against the law. The Christian must be aware that mercy and patience for people demands something other than law.

The great philosopher Plato once remarked that no law is mightier than understanding. We must always have the welfare of people at heart as we deal with laws that govern our behavior.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son knew that law was important in order to function in society. But he also knew that sometimes the "law" could get in the way of what was right. Give us the grace to always respect the law, but especially the understanding to help people no matter what the law says. Be with us, we pray. 

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We can only work outside the law when it becomes clear that we can help people more than the law can.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 70 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking and why?
2. In the Gospel, Jesus defends his disciples on the basis of an exception of the law. Do you think that there is always an exception, given no matter what law? Yes or no and why?
3. Project: the presenter may want to make a presentation on the law of the Sabbath as given to Moses in the book of Exodus 31:12ff.
4. In your opinion, in what way was the Sabbath made for man?
5. Project: the presenter may want to spend some time on what Jesus means by calling himself the "Son of Man." See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, number 440.
6. The statement to "keep holy the Sabbath" is one of the ten commandments. Have people in general kept the directive? Yes or no and why?
7. In general, do most people have a genuine interest in other people? Yes or no and why?
8. In your opinion, do too many people act "outside the law"? Yes or no and why?
9. Give an instance from the world's events in which a person acted "outside the law" to bring about good.
10. When does someone become "trapped" by law?
11. In your opinion, what is the meaning of "understanding"?.
12. Scene analysis: Reid and Tonto are trapped inside the burning barn, and "Silver" saves them. The scene is obviously fantasy, but in your opinion, do animals "understand" when their owners are in danger? Yes or no and why?
14. Scene analysis: Collins lets Rebecca and Danny go, obviously a sign of love for them. Even in the most hardened of criminals, there is something good in them. Do you agree and why or why not?
15. Scene analysis: Tonto's early life. What is the best way to help young people who have had difficult days in their growing up?
16.  Analysis: From your study of this time period, what was the fundamental reason why "Indians" did not trust "white people"?
17. Analysis: Reid once again is interested only in justice for Butch. Could this have been a place where Reid should have taken "justice" into his own hands? Yes or no and why?
18. Analysis: The reason for Cole's treachery is money, the silver. Why is "too much money" still a problem in today's world?
19. Analysis: The viewer should not miss the irony of Cole dying with his silver. What philosophical conclusion comes from the scene?
20. What does the movie "The Lone Ranger" teach young people?

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