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As
they were coming down from the mountain, the disciples
asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come
first?” He said in reply, “Elijah will indeed come
and restore all things; but I tell you that Elijah has already come,
and they
did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So
also will the Son of Man suffer at their
hands. Then the disciples understood
that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
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At the end of the movie
“Remember The Titans”, grown-up Sheryl Yoast reminds the
audience that their task in
their town was to “make [integration] work night and day.” The only way to accomplish
harmony was to really desire it, and then take the time to work at it. Part of the work was to endure the sacrifice
that went with it. It is not easy to
bring about something good, mainly because much of the sacrifice
involves
personal participation. We must
compromise our own desires to bring about the overall good. During this last session of the movie, we see
both Herman Boone and Bill Yoast, as well as their players, begin to
fully
understand such a truth.
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Jesus knew about
suffering. He knew that it was part of
his future. He knew that it was part of
the life of the person who was his “forerunner,” John the
Baptist, calling him
Elijah in the Gospel of Matthew. John had been
killed because he had spoken a difficult message; Jesus would be killed
for the
same reason. Both John’s and Jesus’
death were a sacrifice that had to be endured in order to accomplish
what they
wanted.
Our task as believers in Jesus Christ may not be as monumental as having to suffer death for a belief nor even as difficult as overcoming the racial prejudice of a section of a country. But if we want to accomplish good in our own world, if we want to treat others the way they deserve to be treated, if we want to give ourselves the proper preparation for a good life, it will take some sacrifice. We may have to give up some of our selfish desires. |
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THOUGHT
What
do you think is the biggest sacrifice that
a person must make in order to achieve true leadership?
PRAYER Good
and gracious God, it is difficult to pursue sacrifice, but it is often
necessary if we want to improve our lives. Help
us understand the various sacrifices that are needed for us to be
better people. Be with us, we pray.
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©2007
Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America |