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	EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY

The Gospel

MATTHEW 9:18-19, 23-26

An official came forward, knelt down before [Jesus], and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.

The Media -- "Source Code" (final session)

When Captain Colter Stevens of the United States Air Force found himself trapped in an experimental program called "Source Code," he at first resisted the task he was forced to perform. But as he began to relive the last eight minutes of a passenger train's existence, he began to understand the possibility of saving lives once again, something that he was trained to do. He began to feel the beauty of living, something that he himself might not be able to experience in this life, but he knew that others could. He wanted to save his new-found girlfriend Christina, he wanted to save the lives of everyone on the train, he wanted to carry out his task of saving the people in Chicago. So, he asked his contact in the program, Captain Colleen Goodwin to grant him the time he needed. He managed to accomplish the task, and at the same time brought everyone around him to respect the beauty of their lives. In the process, he discovered a new use for "Source Code," one that would continue to save lives in an alternate reality.

One of the recurrent phrases that is used in the movie "Source Code" is "Everything's gonna be okay." It may not have seemed like it, there may not even have been a cause to believe it, but it turned out to be the reality. Captain Stevens gave the reasoning. It lies in the beauty of life--life for those on the passenger train that Stevens was trying to save; life for the people in Chicago that was his mission; indeed his own life. As he said in profound respect: "Look at all this life."

"Everything's gonna be okay" could very easily have been the words that Jesus spoke to the official in Matthew's story in his Gospel. Without using the words specifically, Jesus assured the man that his daughter would be okay and then brought it about. It is clear that Jesus not only wanted his followers to have eternal life, but that he wanted people to have a happy earthly life. He raised people from the dead in order to continue to enjoy this life. The Christian ideal is a happy life here, and a happy life hereafter.

The lesson is obvious. God has given us life. In the Christian understanding of things, Jesus has redeemed that life, and the Holy Spirit continues to guide us toward a happy eternal life. Logically, the Christian must respect all life--life created from the first instant by a man and woman, life while we enjoy our beautiful world, earthly life that is about to end, and the infinite happiness of eternal life. Our problem comes in not paying attention to what we have. Captain Stevens in what he thought was the last minute of his earthly life asks the question: "What would you do if you knew you only had one minute to live?" It is a question that should guide every minute of our lives on this earth. Our lives are so sacred that every minute is important.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, you have given us life, life here on earth, and life to be enjoyed with you in heaven. Make us more aware of what you have given to us, and give us the grace to live our lives well. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: We never want to forget the beauty of life, especially when death is so close.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 45 minutes)
1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. There is profound sorrow at the death of a child. What is the best way to help someone who has lost someone close to them?
3. The commotion that the evangelist Matthew refers to in the story is the usual way of grieving in his time. What are the different ways that people show grief in our present day?
4. The Christian should be able to say "Everything's gonna be okay" every day. What is the theological reason for the statement?
5. In what way do you see "the beauty of life" in your life right now?
6. If part of the Christian ideal is a happy life here on this earth, why are so many Christians unhappy?
7. The Christian doctrine includes the idea that our lives on earth should be good enough to allow us to have a happy eternal life. Most of all, what should a person accomplish here on earth in order to enjoy eternal life?
8. There is much argument among the people of our world about those who do not respect life as much as they should. What is your opinion about why people believe in abortion and mercy-killing of the old? (See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 2270-2279)
9. Answer Stevens' question: what would you do if you knew that you had only one minute to live?
10. In your opinion, is it morally correct to force someone to save millions of people? Yes or no and why?
11. The movie talks of Stevens' ability to "save people"; in what ways can a person in your situation "save" the people around you?
12. Scene analysis: Captain Goodwin makes the decision to allow Stevens to die in peace. She is directly disobeying an order, but it is what was promised to Stevens. Do you think that she should be punished? Yes or no and why?
13. Dialogue analysis: Stevens wonders whether there is an alternate reality to the one that is happening. If there were an alternate reality of you and your circumstances right now, what would you change if anything?
14. Scene analysis: Stevens calls his dad, and they talk about the love they have for each other. What is the best way a son or daughter can show love to a parent?
15. Scene analysis: at the end of the final eight minutes, the director freezes the picture with everyone happy. It is exactly what Stevens wanted to accomplish with his life. What should be the ultimate goal for people with respect to others in our world?
16. Scene analysis: the closing. The implication is that we can create multiple alternate realities in which "everything is gonna be okay." What is the one thing in this present reality that can make everything good?
17. What does the movie "Source Code" teach young people?

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