www.frmikescully.com

	THE RISK OF BEING A HERO

The Gospel

LUKE 5:1-11

While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets.” When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that they were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man.” For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him.

The Media

"Spider-Man 2"

beginning session

The beauty of the fantasy movie "Spider-Man 2" is its humanness. Peter Parker or Spider-Man begins to realize just how difficult it is to be a hero in society. He is helplessly in love with Mary Jane Watson whom he feels he cannot love because it will put her in danger. He has lost his job. His beloved aunt is facing foreclosure on her mortgage. He throws away his Spider-Man uniform in despair. He is on the edge of a breakdown. But his Aunt May reminds him and indeed all of us, that human beings need heroes; people need to have others who hold on a second longer to win the day. They need hero examples who are steady and willing to give up the things we want the most, even our dreams. In fact, she says, there is a hero in all of us that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble. And finally enables us to die with pride.

Jesus was such a hero. The future Apostles realized it as they watched him and talked with him. They realized that he was much more than a person who could bring about a great catch of fish. Indeed, as Simon Peter expressed, he was a man who brought people to their knees as they looked at their lives. He was the hero they needed, the person for whom they could leave everything and follow.

One of the important things that Jesus taught his Apostles and followers was that we may need heroes in our lives, but in the end we must be the heroes. Spider-Man's Aunt May had it right. In various ways, depending on our circumstances, we must be the heroes of our situations, the people who are willing to give up our own selfishness, people who are honest, people who inspire others to strength, people whom others will follow as they enable them to hold on in life.

One of the great saints from the past is Thomas More who never really wanted to be a hero, but was. He told his daughter once:

If we lived in a State
where virtue was profitable,
common sense would make us good.
And we’d live like animals and angels in the happy land that needs no heroes.
But since in fact we see that avarice, pride, lust and stupidity
commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, justice and thought,
and we have to choose,
to be human at all, perhaps we must stand fast a little,
even at the risk of being heroes.

It is a lesson for all of us.

THOUGHT

In your opinion, what does "being a hero" mean in today's world?

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son was a hero in every sense of the word. He set out a plan of life so that we too can become heroes for a world who really must have them. Help us want to follow his plan, and give us the grace to do it well. Be with us, we pray.

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