TGIMMthetree1

	THERE WILL ALWAYS BE GOOD

The Gospel

LUKE 13:1-5

Some people who were present there told [Jesus] about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. He said to them in reply, "Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were greater sinners than all other Galileans? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did! Or those eighteen people who were killed when the tower at Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than everyone else who lived in Jerusalem? By no means! But I tell you, if you do not repent, you will all perish as they did."

The Media -- "The Tree of Life" (beginning session)

In many ways, Terrence Malick's movie "The Tree of Life" is a masterpiece. The director sets out to tell the story of good and evil using the life of one family as a basis. Beginning with a quotation from the book of Job in which God tells Job that Job cannot understand the mind of God and then a mysterious wavering light that symbolizes God's guidance, Malick traces how God works in the lives of the O'Brien's of Waco, Texas. Mrs. O'Brien recalls that the religious sisters taught her that the world consists of the forces of nature and grace, and that both will be evident in anyone's lives. Mr. O'Brien shows "nature" at work; his wife is the picture of "grace." When the O'Brien's lose one of their sons, the movie concentrates on the feelings of the older son Jack and in particular his attitude toward his father. Director Malick explains to his audience the pain of the loss in the family by teaching how even the world was created with the idea of good coming out of chaos. Using the medium of the art form of a motion picture, Malick teaches that God's consistently good activity is always present in today's difficult world.

In the Gospels, Jesus was often confronted with evil and the accidents of life. His attitude was one of acceptance by trying to change what he could. But mainly Jesus was interested in what could be learned. When he studied some evil or an accident, he taught his followers that such things will happen in life. The important thing is that we learn from it, and be willing to change as a result.

Evil and tragedy are often the subject of the media of our world because they are an important part of our human existence. Everyone of us either has suffered or will suffer through some situation that can be thought of as "tragedy" or "evil." Life is that way. Director Terrence Malick uses a motion picture to bring the point home. But he does not simply let the subject rest by saying that there is evil and that good can come as a result. He shows in both breathtaking brilliance as well as simple day-to-day living that in the providential plan of God the answer to evil must be looked at from the broadest of perspectives. God is directing this life; as God told Job: "Who are you to question?"

Of course a magnificent movie beautiful in many ways, no matter how well produced, will not take away the horrible tragedies and unfortunate evils that hurt our earth and individual families. But everyone of us can reflect on the lesson of such a movie. The pattern of life will always have an element of "bad" or "evil" or "unhappiness," and it is there for a reason. We are the better for it; our world is the better for it. There is suffering. There is pain. But there will always be good.

PRAYER

Good and gracious God, the problem of evil and pain constantly confronts us. We do not like it, but at the same time we are very aware of your presence in our lives. Guide us to understand that you will always bring about good, no matter how bad our situation may be. Be with us, we pray.

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GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme: The pattern of life is one that includes evil but always for a good reason.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
(session: approximately 66 minutes)
1. What scene during this session is most striking and why?
2. At times we do not pay attention to the horrors of murdering people, as during war, etc. What is the best way to increase our awareness of the evil of murder in our world?
3. Jesus specifically refers to our need to "repent." What is your understanding of being "repentant"? See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 1430-1433.
4. Choose some past event that was labeled as "bad", and show how "good" came as a result.
5. What is the best way to help someone who has suffered a tragedy?
6. Project: outline the discussion of "good and evil" in the Catechism, numbers 312-314.
7. What is the greatest evil that is committed on earth? Realistically, what can you do about it?
8. The opening quote from Job: "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation...while the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" (Job 38:4,7) What is most striking about the quotation? Why?
9. Analysis: What do you think is the meaning of the mysterious wavering light that occurs every now and then in the movie?
10. Scene analysis: the death of a young person. As one can expect, there is great sorrow by both the Mom and Dad at the loss of their son. What is the Christian understanding of such a loss?
11. What is your opinion of how Malick introduces evil amidst the good by going back to the creation of the world?
12. Scene analysis: What is the significance of one dinosaur stomping on another dinosaur's head?
13. The movie acts out the thought of "nature" and "grace" as part of the human existence. In your opinion, what is the definition of these two terms?
14. As you view the movie, what is your guess of the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien? Why?

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