TGIMMcharlie2

	THE BEST WITH WHAT WE HAVE

The Gospel

MATTHEW 10:1-4

Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

The Media -- "Charlie St. Cloud" (final session)

The key to understanding Charlie St. Cloud's predicament in the movie named after him is what he was told by the paramedic who had saved his life earlier. He told him that there had to be something special for him to do in his life since God had given him a second chance. Reinforced by the medal that the paramedic had sent to him after his own death, Charlie slowly began to understand that his gift allowed him to save the life of someone that he had come to love.

Jesus did not choose perfect people to help him establish the kingdom he wanted. He did not choose already-made saints. There were no religious leaders among his chosen few, no leader of a synagogue, no expert in the Law of Moses, no one versed in the Scriptures. They were ordinary men who made mistakes, who would not understand what he was doing, who would deny that they even knew Jesus, and one of them would even betray him at the end of his work on earth. And yet Jesus gave them "authority." He taught them that they had special gifts, and that they should use them for others.

Charlie St. Cloud thought that he had been given the gift of being with Sam so that he could keep a promise. But after he received the St. Jude medal from the paramedic who had saved his life, he began to see otherwise. He began to understand that God had given him a "second chance" as he was told, not to keep the memory of Sam alive, but to find his friend Tess. He had been given a special gift, and he became determined to use it as best he could.

The thought of doing the best that we can with the circumstances we have is a very important virtue to develop. No one has a "perfect" set of circumstances, no matter what the undertaking may be. Something will be wrong, something will be broken, something will not work right. But dedicated people will learn to work with what they have, to simply do the best they can with what they have been given. Once we do, we will make our world better.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son chose ordinary people to help him accomplish the redemption of humankind, helping them to see the gifts they possessed. As we undertake a life of true maturity, give us the grace to understand and use the gifts that we have. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: Everyone of us has a gift to offer that no one else has.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 48 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking? Why?
2. This Gospel passage begins the second major speech by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel, a speech that has been named the "missionary discourse." If you were in charge of a group of people who you were sending out to your neighborhood to help it, what two or three things would you tell them to do?
3. Jesus passes on to his disciples his powers of healing. If you were given the power to heal one disease in our world, what would it be, and why?
4. Why do you think Jesus chose Judas Iscariot, his future betrayer, to be one of the Twelve?
5. How do you think the Apostles felt about their newly acquired powers? If you suddenly had these powers, what effect would it have on you?
6. Give an example of someone who refused to give up and then accomplished something important.
7. Scene analysis: Mrs. Ferrente tells Charlie that the St. Jude medal was the answer for him, which meant that there was some lost cause that could use his help. What are the principal "lost causes" in our world? What, if anything, is being done about them?
8. Scene analysis: Charlie is convinced that Tess is alive. If you are convinced about something and no one believes you, who can you turn to for help?
9. Scene analysis: When Sam realizes that Charlie is not coming, Sam walks into the light, a symbol that better things await him in eternal life. What is your understanding of heaven?
10. Scene analysis: Charlie sees the falling star, and feels that Sam is showing him the way. In your life so far, what has happened that showed you some direction that you followed?
11. Dialogue analysis: Sam tells Charlie (although this time Charlie cannot see him): "You hurt because you are alive." Mental pain is a part of our human condition. In general, what are some ways to work with the mental pains in your life?
12. What does the movie "Charlie St. Cloud" teach young people?

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike