Composed by: Br. Pio Benedict
               
It has been said that this time of year offers no saving grace.  Spooks, goblins, devils and ghosts, oh my!  But is this always true?  Can it also have its saving graces?  In the past, I have written about five books that have influenced my faith; well, the same can be said about movies, especially those shown during this Halloween season.

Take for example “The Exorcist” or “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.”  Get past the special effects and think about it.  A display of good versus evil:  the war for good, God’s holy power in the ultimate fight;and the power of the Church, through our Lord, Jesus Christ shown in all its power and majesty.  As we read in Matthew, chapter 8 and Luke, chapter 8, the demonic exists; sometimes a reminder of this fact isn’t a bad thing: Listen and learn, don’t play with things we do not understand, don’t open doors that need to remain closed.

Next, let’s talk about “Dracula.”  Where else is the power of the Catholic Church displayed so prominently? We have the cross, the Eucharist, holy water, the crown of thorns and even the altar.  The symbolism in these movies is dramatic.  The power of the Church and priests is shown in all their splendor in the battle of good against evil. 

Finally, at least for now, let’s consider Stephen King’s “The Stand,” a story which tells of the calling of God to a rag tag group of strangers.  They are drawn together by a simple old woman who is seen as a prophet, leading this group in battle against the demonic and pure evil, culminating with the hand of God cleansing the world of its evil.

Many more examples exist; these are only a few.  It seems like the perfect time of year to talk about this.  No, this isn’t a deep, long drawn out thesis on anything or a discussion of the depth, ideas or teaching of the church.  Sometimes “simple” works and I think that faith can be inspired from a multitude of different things, simple and complex. 

For me, I enjoy these reminders of the power of good over evil, the power of our Church and our Lord over the legions of evil.  It is good to see Dracula cower from the cross or the possessed writhe in agony from holy water, with the light of day washing away the darkness and the hand of God destroying pure evil.  The symbolism displayed makes my faith grow stronger.   Yes, evil makes its in-roads, tries to establish that foothold, but in the end the power of goodness, light, the Church and our Lord Jesus Christ always prevail.  Listen and you shall hear and always remember the words of Padre Pio, “Pray, hope and don’t worry.”

Image Source: Chesire Cat Pumpkin by Noweia

Composed by: Sr. Joseph

Having grown up a Christian and a Catholic, I believed everything that was taught, without ever really questioning the fundamentals of our faith. I always thought that everybody who had grown up in church believed the same things as well. But not too long ago, I had a conversation with one of my siblings and that changed everything. He asked me if I honestly did believe what the church teaches, especially that Christ died so that we may live. He said, he thought it all just sounded fictional. For a moment, I was really surprised. But that got me thinking and maybe even questioning a little. Did I really believe? Or had I just never really taken time to think it through?
 
Not long after that, I was watching the news one evening and there was a story about a gentleman who had been killed by a gunman in a theater, as he tried to shield his girlfriend from the assailant’s bullets. He gave up his life, so that she may live.
 
The next day, as I walked to evening Mass, that story kept playing in the back of my mind and I kept thinking of the girl, whose boyfriend had died protecting her. I kept thinking: To know that somebody died so that you may live must be so much responsibility. It means that you no longer live just for yourself. In everything you do, every decision you make, you must think deeply of the long-term consequences, remembering that somebody else would have been alive if they hadn’t protected you. So, then your life is very special and you must make it count. Then suddenly, a small voice said to me: “See, Christ did the same for you, so you too, must let him live through you.”
 
I guess sometimes it is easy for this to sound fictional, since it happened a long time ago. But, I thought the story of the gentleman who gave up his life to protect his girlfriend was a good reminder.
 
Remember then: The King of creation gave up His life, so that you may have life and have life abundantly. So then, honor His sacrifice and make your life count for the greater good.
 
Image: Jean-Baptiste Regnault. Deposition (c. 1789)