October 2

The Gospel In Modern Media

A Daily Reflection by Fr. Mike Scully
previous   |   more gospel meditations   |   www.frmikescully.com   |   next

WIDE AWAKE TO LIFE

The Gospel: LUKE 1:76-79

[Zechariah continued his prophecy:] “And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins because of the tender mercy of our God by which the daybreak from on high will visit us to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

The Media: “Wide Awake” (Katy Perry)

“I’m wide awake. Yeah, I was in the dark. I was falling hard with an open heart. How did I read the stars so wrong? And now it’s clear to me that everything you see ain’t always what it seems. I’m wide awake, yeah, I was dreaming for so long. I wish I knew then what I know now, wouldn’t dive in, wouldn’t bow down. Falling from cloud 9 crashing from the high. I’m wide awake.”

Zechariah’s prayer in Luke’s Gospel gives us a very good image of what Jesus accomplished in what theology calls redemption: the “daybreak from on high”–Jesus–comes to “those who sit in darkness” and guides them to peace. Redemption is nothing more than making human beings more aware of what we, the human race had been doing. And once we were “more aware,” we became “wide awake” to the reality that we had to change. In Luke the evangelist’s words, once we were “wide awake,” we left “darkness and death’s shadow.” Jesus gave us life and guided us to peace.

The person in Katy Perry’s song finally begins to realize some things after she has gone about a life that was spent “in the dark.” She had spent her “life, falling hard with an open heart.” She did not understand what was happening–she read the stars so wrong. Her vision became clouded, and she began to do things that seemed to put her on “cloud 9,” but were only hurting her, so that later she could only “crash.”

The beginning of maturity is to finally realize what we have done, and the desire to do something about it. There are two distinct parts to such a personal redemption. First of all, we must become “wide awake.” Unfortunately, many times it does not happen soon enough, and in some cases, not at all. Our world has many examples of perpetually selfish people who continue to hurt themselves and others. But once we wake up to what is happening, the second part of our redemption is to do something about where we are. We cannot just give up and say that we are too far gone, or that the road before us is too difficult. We must begin to do something. We must do what we can to take ourselves out of the darkness. The belief of the Christian remains that we must have the example and grace of Jesus to accomplish such a redemption.

In the song’s excellent official video, Katy Perry acts out the words of the song. The lady in the song overcomes all adversity in order to be herself, returning to her childhood innocence, breaking down all the barriers that have blocked her.

Prayer

Good and gracious God, your Son has given us redemption, enabling us to recognize our own darkness and thus change for the better. Help us discover the courage to study ourselves and bring about a personal redemption. Be with us, we pray.

GUIDE FOR CLASSROOM PRESENTATION AND PERSONAL ENRICHMENT

Theme

Perhaps we have rushed into what we think life is, and missed what is real.

Discussion Questions

1. The Gospel passage begins by referring to John the Baptist who is preparing for Jesus. Project: make a presentation on John the Baptist and his work.
2. John prepared for Jesus. What are the best ways to prepare for Jesus in our own hearts right now?
3. Analysis: “The tender mercy of our God.” In your opinion, do most people consider God “tender” or more “punishing”? Why?
4. Analysis: Jesus leads us to a path of peace. What are the ways to bring about peace in your locale today?
5. In what ways are young people “in the dark”?
6. Text analysis: “Falling hard with an open heart.” Explain the meaning of the phrase as you understand it.
7. Text analysis: “Cloud 9.” What is your understanding of the term?
8. What are some things that we know now that it would have been good to know earlier in life?
9. The meditation mentions Jesus’ redemption. Project: make a presentation on Jesus’ redemption. See Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, numbers 599-618.
10. What are some examples of people “crashing.”
11. Define “maturity” as you understand it.
12. The meditation says that we must begin to “do something.” What is most needed in our own individual lives right now?
13. View the video to the song. What is most striking about it and why?
14. What does the song “Wide Awake” teach young people?

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.