Gospel Reflections for February 22, 2015
The Academy Awards are famous for that dramatic pause just before the envelope is opened announcing the winner.
The 6,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences vote on the winners in each category, but who knows why they vote this way or that? It is hard to say why some films win while others don’t. A few studios even sponsor campaigns in the Hollywood press to push for this or that nominee.
Some stars, directors, and producers are “In” while others are “Out.” All of them do everything they can to get in “In.” The rewards can be immense ticket sales and amazing profits.
I was assigned for several years at St. Monica’s Church in Santa Monica, which had a large number of young people who were very “hungry” for the rewards that come from making it big in Hollywood. Who wouldn’t do all they could to get those rewards! How could they resist!
Well, Jesus resisted …and His story is in today’s Gospel.
Satan offers Jesus very tempting rewards that he thinks Jesus is “hungry” for; immense power, prestige, and privilege, but Satan is wrong. Jesus is certainly “hungry” but for something completely different. He is only hungry for us to love …to love God, others, and our self.
Love is certainly an overused word, especially in Hollywood. However, in our Catholic faith, authentic love is a profound and meaningful experience. When someone says “I love you,” and you know it is truly authentic; you feel a profoundly joyful experience. When we authentically say “I love you” to someone else, it is also a deeply meaningful event.
Well, that is what our Catholic faith is all about, giving and receiving true and authentic love. That is the only experience that is the source of real human happiness.
Lent is a time to reflect on all these things. The ashes simply remind us that we do not have all the time in the world …so let us use our time well.
Check out the University catalog at TheUniversitySeries.org and learn more about this source of real human happiness that only comes from Our Lord.
(You can learn about The University Series here.)
If you use this season of Lent to reflect on your life and how well you give and receive love, then in Heaven it will be your name that is called when the envelope is opened!
Good Bless!
Fr. Dave
Della and I are looking forward to your University classes. Like Jesus, your ministry is all about showing and sharing the love of God.
Gino
See you soon in the University! Thank you for your compliments. I appreciate them.
I know true love first hand. I was married to the most wonderful person on the planet. for 61 years.. It was the most significant element of my life.
I know that my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren love me. I love people and I give my love to them. But, vis a vis love, my great difficulty is accepting love. I don’t know why but I have difficulty accepting that people love me as I love them.
Thanks for “Adam & Eve. I learned a lot.
You bring up a very good point. Learning to receive love is an important part of our faith. Remember that Jesus let the penitent woman wash His feet and anoint them with oil. What a lesson for all of us!
Our Lenten season began opening night of the University Series with the opening of a love letter from Father Joe. ‘The Making of a Memoir’ was a reflective, touching, and joyful look at Father Joe’s life, trials and triumphs, teaching all of us how to turn our stumbling blocks into stepping stones. We are deeply transformed by his love and gift of self. What better ‘trophy’ to have on the shelf of our hearts than the lessons of a life well lived and LOVED! Looking forward to a transformational Lenten season.
I was giving a talk myself last Thursday, but I heard from many people how inspiring the presentation was about Fr. Joe. I had a chance to visit him soon afterwards and gave him the reviews, which made him very happy!
At least the odds are greater that our names will be included in the Heavenly Awards – if our performances get good reviews!
Well said!
I agree that the movies do not portray True Love. Instead the focus is on the physical aspect. I am always shocked by the amount of gratuitous sex is used to get more money at the box office. I have known a number of people in the movie industry. Despite their success, many of them are not happy!! Are you going to watch the Oscars? What movie do you think will win Best Movie? The favorite seems to be “The Theory of Everything”.
There are some good movies, but a lot of movies that do not help our culture very much, as you say. I rarely watch the Oscars beyond the opening act. Then it gets boring for me!
GOOD analogy of the Hollywood shallowness (more often than not!) and what Jesus teaches us!
It must be hard for conscientious Christians to survive in that atmosphere! But, then the rest of us are also
surrounded by that same shallowness that permeates the world of today. Lent IS a GREAT time to
straighten up an “fly right”!
We really enjoyed your teaching on Adam/Eve and Evolution at St. Julies on Thursday. Among the many gifts the Lord has given you – “teaching” and your great sense of “humor” are very much appreciated by the “Flock”!!
Thanks for sharing your gifts with us! Blessings, Patty and Bob
Thanks for your comments! I very much enjoyed the Adam & Eve & Evolution session. I like to have a good time when I teach and I am glad the people appreciate my humor!
Enjoyed your thoughts. Haven’t been able to get back to u on your thoughts as my computer was down. I enjoyed what you said about the movie industry and love. The only movies I watch I get at the Christian book store. They have some great movies there that I can count on not to be sexual or violent. I do not go to the movies often except I went to 2 this last month. One I walked out on and the other was based on a true story about that world war . hero who went through torture in a Japan camp during ww2. I understand that Billy Graham has a sequel to it and will get it when it comes out. When I moved to Simi I never got cable and listen to music or Christian radio.
About Lent. I believe we need to reflect, however this last year I have been doing Torah reflections. When I read the Hebrew Bible in the past I raced through it to just read it and get it over with. This last year I have been reflecting on it and what it means to me.. You could really see Christ in there and it was also very convicting. I feel I can really understand the New Testament with more understanding. I also feel that going into lent will have a deeper meaning to me. I look forward to it.
I can’t get to the University as my car is still down. There r a couple of classes I would like to take, so I’ll be praying for them and you.
Thanks for your message. You made a wise move to read the Torah slowly, and with reflection. I am sure many insights will arise from that! Sorry to hear about your car. I hope you can connect with someone to drive you.
Your thoughts Father Dave are beautiful!!! It is all about authentic love!!! God created us to love and we see it so preciously lived in our Jesus!!!! He is true love!!!We need to see spiritual uplifting movies from Hollywood that will influence our world in a
opps my computer skipped……. in a beautiful authentic love!!!!Then when we open our envelope, if we live Jesus’ love , Heaven is ours!!!!
Well said!
Fr. Dave,
We really appreciated your insights on love. It couldn’t be more timely……Today is the 52nd anniversary of Merlene and my first date!
God bless!
Larry,
Happy Anniversary! I have very much enjoyed working with you on the Shroud of Turin movie project, and meeting your great family as ell!
Thank you Fr. Dave for your commentary on the different “shades of love”
Many are indifferent to the love that Jesus wants us to have, thus the moral decline in our
society. Jesus has given us His true recipe for Love, one that is worth “Living and Dying for”
You have a gift for connecting current events to the readings at Mass, and we thank you for
sharing that insight with us.
Thank you!
Fr. Dave
I was watching CNN last night and they are presenting the new series, “Finding Jesus”.
It starts on Sunday March 1st at 9 pm. The program should be very interesting to all of the people attending the University Series!! Scholars will examine artifacts from the time of Jesus. Will you be tuning in?
I hope the series is done accurately. Too often television prefers the sensational rather than the accurate picture of the ancient world.