For Greater Glory - Movie Review

A MUST SEE FILM!

For Greater Glory is about the Cristiada, or Cristero War, in Mexico during the 1920s. Since seeing the movie on Friday June 1st, I cannot help but replay many of the scenes in my head. The imagery was beautiful, the story—captivating. What’s more, the reality of this historical tragedy hits close to home.

The movie opens with the President of Mexico addressing the nation with his plan to restrict the practice of Catholicism including Mass and clerical garb for clergy. The President’s reasoning behind his new law was to modernize the country and rid it of “religious fanatics and superstition.” The initial reaction of the people is passive and there seemed to be an overwhelming consensus that this new law would be temporary. The Mexican government attempted to silence non-violent protests by making the consequences known to the public. Priests were dragged out of churches and killed, while Sacred images were burned and destroyed.

Taking the battle for freedom in their own hands, groups of “Cristeros” all over Mexico were fighting back against the government, engaging in violent battles with the Federales (the Mexican Federal Police). The Cristeros began to organize and formed an army to better strategize with hopes to overthrow the government and restore religious freedom to Mexico. Under the guidance of a retired military general and strategist, Enrique Gorostieta (played by Andy Garcia), the Cristeros become a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Jose, a young altar boy, quickly captures your heart as you watch his child-like faith inspire believers and unbelievers in the film and in the audience alike. Jose stands the true test of his faith throughout the entire movie as he first assists local parish priests and later leaving his family to assist the Cristero movement. Jose’s unwavering faith and servant’s heart catches General Gorosieta’s attention taking him from a defender of religious freedom to a defender of faith.

The reality of this tragic era in Mexican history extends beyond the screen and into the heart of any person of faith. Living in a society today where religion and faith are often mocked and ridiculed as “superstition” and people of faith are called “fanatics,” we see yet another battle for personal freedom. With so much on the news about government mandates, religious freedom, and Church/State relations, perhaps we should look at what has been in order to prevent what could be.

This movie will make you wonder if you would have the courage to stand up for our faith to the point of imprisonment and martyrdom. Honestly, what would you do if our government issued laws and mandates stating that the Church cannot practice her religion freely? Would you think of it as something that “will never last?” or would you stand up against it? If it was illegal to say “Long live Christ the King,” would you still shout it from the rooftops?

It’s not what you said, it's how you said it.

Being married only 11 months, I already know that how I say something is equally important as the actual words I am speaking. When my wife asks, “How do I look?” and I respond with an unenthusiastic “Fine,” there is a miscommunication. For me, the word “fine” means that there is nothing wrong with the way she looks. Fine, however, can mean a great number of things. She wants to look better than fine—she wants to look beautiful, and even deeper than that, she wants to be appreciated. While I am thinking she looks beautiful and I am certainly thankful for God blessing me with such an amazing wife, what I says and how I say it can portray something less glamorous. Such a simple exchange of words, which on the surface seems so “everyday” can actually carry a deeper, more intimate expression.

For a long time in the Church, many of the faithful have been left confused with what was said and how it was said. When we say things like, “The bread will be distributed in the center aisle…” we can easily lead others to believe that the Holy Eucharist is simply bread—something much less glamorous than the “Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.” There is no wonder why so many Catholics do not believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I will be the first to admit that Transubstantiation (the complete transformation of substance from bread and wine to Christ’s body and blood) is difficult to wrap our minds around. This has been the case since the beginning—look up John 6:60.

Just because something is difficult to understand or perceive does not make it false, instead it calls us to open our minds and challenges us to deepen our faith in what Christ teaches. It’s not necessarily what you say, ie. making a reference to Christ as the Bread of Life is perfectly fine, in fact it is taken directly from Scripture (it is also mentioned in the 2nd Eucharistic Prayer). It is, however HOW you say it—referring to the Eucharist as simply bread, is not accurate. On the same token, saying “wine” instead of Precious Blood is also false. Moreover, when the Church proclaims the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, she is truly annunciating what we believe and profess. It is our duty as believers to profess what we believe, to not shy away from teachings that are hard to understand. We are called to enter into a deeper understanding of what we believe. One of the best ways to do so is to bear witness to the truth—to say what we mean and mean what we say. After all, it’s what we say AND how we say it.

What's your sign?

As Catholics, we have become so accustomed to “rituals.” Some of these “rituals” become almost second nature to us. For example, we enter the Church and dip our fingers in Holy water and make the sign of the cross. Then, as we make our way to a pew, we genuflect and cross ourselves again. After that, we kneel to pray and make the sign of the cross yet again. And finally when our prayer is done, we cross ourselves one last time. Because we do this so often, we can sometimes forget what we are doing.

The sign of the cross is not simply an “on/off” switch for prayer. It isn’t a symbolic way of putting on an taking off our prayer hat. The sign of the cross is such a huge blessing in our lives. We get to bless ourselves in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—one God, three Persons—perhaps the greatest mystery of our faith. Think about it. When we enter/leave Church, when we pray, when we genuflect, we are invoking God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We bless ourselves and call upon the very same God who created the Heavens and the Earth, who sent His only Son for our salvation, whose Holy Spirit was breathed upon the Apostles and each one of us during our Confirmation.

How vast and wonderful is God! We cannot even comprehend the depths of who he is! Yet we bless ourselves with the greatest mystery of our faith. Let’s make a conscious effort to avoid making this an empty motion of our faith. Let’s acknowledge what we are doing and let people know what our “sign” is—the sign of the Cross.

Who Needs a Superhero?

“God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Savior. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1)

Many people think the Holy Spirit is a Christian’s super power. The Holy Spirit guided the authors of Sacred Scripture as well as descended upon the Apostles who were able to do marvelous things. The Holy Spirit has been likened to an impersonal “force” similar to the one from the Star Wars saga. The Holy Spirit is not a “power.” Theologically, a power is a rank of angels and since the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, he ranks higher than the angels-He is God. The Holy Spirit is not a “force,” but an encourager, a protector, and an advocate. As the Catechism states, in the Holy Spirit we become the adopted sons and daughters of God. As sons and daughters of God, through the Holy Spirit, we can call God “Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6).

It is through the Holy Spirit that we come to know God and His will for our lives. How many times did the apostles and followers of Jesus misunderstand His teachings and parables? How many times did they ask Him for signs and wonders? Yet once the Holy Spirit is poured out upon the Apostles, they understand all that was spoken to them (John 14:26) and they proclaim it to the ends of the earth. In a way it would seem as if the Apostles received a super power, because their uncertainty is replaced by wisdom and knowledge; their fears are replaced by fortitude. Peter, who once made the decision to deny our Lord was filled with counsel and courage to lead the early Church. Through their mission, many came to believe with piety and fear of the Lord. What others see as super powers, are given to us as gifts-gifts that keep on giving. (See Galatians 5:22-23) So I ask you, who needs a Super Hero?

At the Heart of the Gospel: Book Review

Whenever I read a book, I tend to mark pages that hold insightful quotes or powerful passages. While reading Christopher West’s, “At the Heart of the Gospel,” I nearly marked every page. At the Heart of the Gospel is not just a catchy title, but explains the purpose of this book and, I will go as far as saying, Theology of the Body as a whole. In the same way in which the body needs a heart to survive, it is not the be all and end all of what it means to be living. Theology of the Body, in turn, is not the be all and end all answer to the world’s problems. As John Paul II previously mentioned, and Christopher West now acclaims, the body offers the most in depth look at the Father’s love for us. In no way does it give us the complete picture, but it’s the best we have on this earth.

While his latest book is certainly readable for a large audience of those interested in the topic, I would recommend a brief familiarization with the topics at hand. Theology of the Body is becoming a “craze” in youth and young adult ministry. However, in my experience, many young people want to learn more about it without fully understanding what they are undertaking. There are preconceived notions by many young people which will leave them disappointed after studying this material. Theology of the Body is much more fruitful for those who study it in its proper context, that is, as a deeper look at how God created us and how that reveals God to man.

All in all, I found Christopher West’s newest book to be a phenomenal read. Of course, I am trying to be as objective as possible while not ignoring the fact that I focused a majority of my studies on this area of Theology. West truly has gift for taking the works of great theologians and philosophers and making it readable, relatable and understandable for today’s audiences. I would argue that I found the book much more enlightening because I have read West’s previous works as well as have a rooted knowledge in the subject matter. This is not to say that the book cannot be read with a basic understanding of TOB material.

West provides insights not only to John Paul II’s works, but numerous theologians and philosophers as well. Addressing many Catholic concerns of the present generations, West provides a glimmer of hope in what seems to be an ever-growing relativistic society. West presents solutions to major issues such as human sexuality, the definition of marriage, and the world’s utilitarian view of the body. All of which, I may add, are primary motivators in John Paul II’s call for the New Evangelization within the Church. The solution is simple-get to the Heart of the Gospel. Find out HOW and WHY God created men and women. Find out what purpose our bodies have. Find out what it means to be truly man and truly woman. View the body and sexuality in their proper context-not ugly or dirty, but beautifully created by God, for God.

Personal Reflection on the Holy Family

On December 28th I, along with seven others, piled into a 15-passenger van and headed to Minnesota. Why on earth would anyone want to go to Minnesota in the middle of winter in between Christmas and New Years? And why would they drive? The answer: A good friend of mine decided to get married in the heart of winter in one of the coldest states in the U.S. Because he was such a great friend (I consider him a brother) and the fact that I was in the wedding party, made me pack my bags and drive 26 hours to Minnesota. Flying was out of the question due to the fact that the holidays bring about jacked up airfare (over $1000 for my wife and I to fly there). Nevertheless, the Lord rewarded me in more ways than I could have hoped for.

I was amazed at the wedding. Not only did I meet one of the nicest families as I was introduced to my friend's new in-laws, but I experienced the Holy Family during this journey. As I witnessed my first wedding since my wife and I were united in July, I was overwhelmed by the devotion the bride and groom had to Christ. I witnessed their love of the Lord manifest in the celebration of their Nuptial Mass, which happened to fall on the feast of the Holy Family. As I explained to the couple during the reception, I had not felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in such a way in a long time. I never, with the exception of my own wedding, had been so prayerful during a wedding celebration. I thanked them for their constant focus and the way they made sure their guests knew who was at the center of their relationship. I felt as if we journeyed to Nazareth to be with the Holy Family simply because I was surrounded by holy familIES! The holiness and faithfulness of many of the couples in attendance also inspired me to live a life worthy of being called "Christian."

As I continue to reflect on the life Jesus, Mary, and Joseph lived during Jesus' childhood and adolescence, I am filled with excitement as I await the day I raise my own children-bringing them up in the ways of the faith. I have such great support and examples in my life to draw from. So, if you were to ask me if I traveled anywhere special this holiday season, the answer is YES!

Books I plan to read and review in 2012

"The Bible's Best Love Stories" by Allan F. Wright

"The Rite" by Matt Baglio

"At the Heart of the Gospel" by Christopher West

"Night of the Confessor" by Tomas Halik