October 15

The Gospel In Modern Media

A Daily Reflection by Fr. Mike Scully
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THE FOUNDATION ON ROCK

The Gospel: LUKE 6:47-49

[Jesus said,] “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

The Media: “Star Trek Into Darkness” (beginning session)

In the fantasy world of the future, when man has the capability of exploring different worlds with spaceships, doing the morally correct action is still just as demanding for a good person as it was when the moral law was first written. Following a moral code that was “logical” as well as “what should happen,” Spock and Kirk in the movie “Star Trek Into Darkness” faced decisions that were not at all easy. Their immediate superior officer had ordered them to kill another human being. Such an action was immoral as Spock and Kirk reasoned. They both knew that killing another was wrong even if a superior officer gave the order. Both Kirk and Spock knew that they should always try to save the life of another no matter what any man-made law said. People’s lives must be sacred in every moral endeavor.

When Jesus looked at the moral law in general, he did not outline it in any way, setting it up logically so that a teacher could easily use his words as a teaching tool. What he did instead was to use a symbol–the foundation of rock–to illustrate what his moral law would do. The moral law includes every action that is based on Jesus’ words, covering not only the situations of the first century AD in which he lived, but the actions of every century that followed.

The setting of the movie “Star Trek Into Darkness” is the twenty-third century, and even though incredible technology is part of every day living, the Christian moral code is still intact. Jesus’ words, listened to and acted upon, remain a code among people who have acknowledged the necessity of some guide for living, even in the circumstances and excitement of outer space.

Captain James Kirk and his first officer Spock of the USS Enterprise knew that the planned murder of another was wrong, even though their “target” John Harrison or Khan was an evil man. It is interesting that in the movie, as in most movies of this kind, there are many “killings” that occur that should have as much attention as the planned killing of one man. It is also interesting that both Kirk and Spock do not follow man-made laws in order to save each other’s life, thus showing that the sanctity of life is much stronger than any law that supposedly allows for good order.

You and I will probably never be involved in trying to determine the life and death of an individual in the circumstances of our own worlds. But we are involved in the action of everyday living, life that includes many actions that are either moral or immoral depending on whether we follow some moral code or not. The Christian will take the words and actions of Jesus that form a rock foundation of morality and make them their guide in every circumstance, no matter how complicated the situation may be.

Prayer

Good and gracious God, your Son gave us a moral code to live by that he called a foundation on rock. Give us the grace to accept your Son’s words as a true guideline for our living. Be with us, we pray.

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme

We are called to do the morally correct thing in everything we do.

Discussion Questions

1. What scene during this session of the movie is most striking? Why?
2. The words are the conclusion to Jesus’ so-called “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke’s Gospel (The “Sermon on the Mount” is in Matthew’s Gospel chapters 5-7). In general, what general directives of Jesus do most Christians follow? What directives do most Christians not follow?
3. In your opinion, which law of Jesus is the most important and why?
4. What laws of Jesus are no longer true for the twenty-first century?
5. In your opinion, as you think of the future, what Christian law will be the most important?
6. Should we spend valuable time and money on exploring outer space? Yes or no and why?
7. In your opinion, in today’s law enforcement agencies, will superiors ever target someone to be killed? Yes or no and why?
8. The meditation mentions that there are many “killings” that happen in life such as in war and so forth. In general, what do you think Jesus would say about these “killings”?
9. What is your opinion of the show “Star Trek”‘s “prime directive”? Why is it a necessity?
10. Scene analysis: Kirk would not allow Spock to die, and broke the “prime directive.” In today’s world, do most people have the same idea of the sanctity of life? Yes or no and why?
11. Scene analysis: the Starfleet soldier betrays his leadership in exchange for his daughter’s life. What would you have done in this situation?
12. Dialogue analysis: Admiral Pike’s words to Kirk: “You think orders are for other people.” Why is this true for many people in today’s world?
13. Scene analysis: Chief Engineer Scott resigns. In your opinion, should he had resigned? Yes or no and why?
14. Dialogue analysis: Spock tells Kirk and Uhuru that he cares. Why is it true that a person who is “completely logical” can truly care for another?
15. Dialogue analysis: Harrison to Kirk–“You seem to have a conscience.” In what ways does Kirk show that he has a conscience?
16. Analysis: Khan (Harrison) explains that Admiral Marcus awakened Khan to force him to use his superior intellect and savagery to develop weapons to eradicate the Klingon empire. In many ways, this is similar to what the military is doing now. Why is this a true statement?
17. Analysis: Khan wanted most of all to save his crew. In your opinion, do most superior officers feel this way about those in their command? Yes or no and why?

Father Michael Scully has spent most of his 40-plus years of ministry working with youth as a religion teacher, high school administrator, youth pastor, and parish pastor. In talks and retreats for high school and college youth, his presentation, “Rock Music and Leadership,” has been presented to over 30,000 young people. He also has given many parish retreats and recollection days. Father Mike Scully is currently serving as one of the vocation directors for the Capuchin Franciscan Province of Mid-America. His radio show “Message at the Top” is aired on KJLS-FM, Mix 103 (103.3) [www.mix103fm.com] in Hays, KS, and can be listened to online on Sunday mornings from 10 am to 12 noon, central standard time.