While [Jesus] was still speaking, someone from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” On hearing this, Jesus answered them, “Do not be afraid; just have faith and she will be saved.” When he arrived at the house he allowed no one to enter with him except Peter and John and James, and the child’s father and mother. All were weeping and mourning for her, when he said, “Do not weep any longer, for she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him, because they knew that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and called to her, “Child, arise!” Her breath returned and she immediately arose. He then directed that she should be given something to eat. Her parents were astounded, and he instructed them to tell no one what had happened. 

Part of the religion of ancient Greece consisted of myths and legends concerning gods, heroes, and the nature of the world as the ancient world understood it. Although quite extensive because the ancient Greeks used myths and gods to explain everything in the universe, the myths can be considered in an individual way, and interesting stories can be created around them. The movie "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief" based on a novel by Rick Riordan centers on the myth that the gods sometimes paired with mortals bringing offspring that were called demigods. Percy Jackson was one such demigod, the son of Poseidon and a human mother. At the beginning of the movie, Percy gradually discovers that he must have help to grow up in a world that was far different than he had at first thought. He needed the help of his mother whom he loved deeply; he needed the help of the difficult training that it took to be a successful demigod; and he needed the strength that only water in particular could give to him in a special way. Percy's teenage life was no doubt more unusual than most, but he still experienced the confusion that only maturity could settle.             

Jesus knew about children. He knew that they needed all the help they could get. And so, he reminded the parents of the child that he had just cured that they should give her something to eat. One surmises that Jesus was well aware that if the environment in which a child lived was not healthy, the child could easily be hurt. One could also guess that he knew how confusing a young person's life could be, and so he wanted to remind the girl's parents about how much she needed them.

Children are vulnerable. As one views the beginning session of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief," one cannot escape the feeling that because of the way he grew up, Percy Jackson would need help. The average teenager will obviously not encounter centaurs and furies and gods who are angry, but he/she will experience the feelings of wonder and despair that Percy felt as he was growing.

The movie is total fantasy, of course, but it presents an important lesson for any adult who has the responsibility of raising children in the world in which we live. It is also an important lesson for older young people who realize what they have come through already in their lives. They can realize what the circumstances of their lives have brought to them and react appropriately. If the circumstances were good, it may mean that they will enter adult lives with a good foundation. Or, if the circumstances were not good, it may mean that they will have to understand the problems they have inherited, and change before they grow older.

A special note to parents and adults: the human being's early life is not easy, and just because all adults have lived through it and survived, it does not make it any easier for those who are involved in the process of growing. Young people, in general, are powerless. Teenagers carry no clout in the arenas of life that “really matter.”  At the same time, they can easily be taken advantage of—whether it is by sick adults or adults who should know better. One of the tasks of every adult is that of being a youth advocate—an adult speaking for the rights of teenagers who cannot speak for themselves. If more of them would do it, we might have less child and sexual abuse, fewer teachers who use their students for their own gain and more interested people who would be available for young people to call on when they need it.  

PRAYER
Good and gracious God, we all grow up in a family setting. Some backgrounds are good, some not so good. Help us understand that no matter what our childhood was like, or how confused we may be, we can always turn to concerned people who will help and gratefully, we can always turn to you. Be with us, we pray.

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

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