During Sandra Bullock's Oscar acceptance speech, she said that all children are special and deserve a chance. Her words have been interpreted by many as being very pro-life in nature. If you have seen the movie The Blind Side, it does have a pro-life message. The movie speaks to our soul about the difficulties that people encounter in this world. It also points out how someone can have a huge impact. By choosing to help a kid in need, the character that Ms. Bullocks portrayed certainly heeded the call of Jesus Christ. She, like the Good Samaritan, saw someone who was damaged and hurt and decided to take that person into her home and family. Again, if you saw the movie, her motives were questioned and she even questioned herself. But in the end, the beauty of her Christian outreach shone through. It is an inspirational film and sends a positive message. That is unusual in this day when so very often movies go for shock and awe. Another movie that received a lot of attention and won a few awards was Precious. Although very different in tone and certainly not for the faint of heart or children under 17, the movie did have a solid pro-life message as well. Precious was raped by her father twice but did not abort either child. The first child had developmental issues, probably due to the incest, yet Precious still loved her child and did the best she could towards raising both of them. The hand she was dealt was terrifying and toxic, yet through the kindness and love of her own Good Samaritan's, she survived. Finally, I want to mention that I recently watched Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. The movie in an unflinching look at a specific time in Maya history. Most anthropologists have noted that the movie is authentic but with all Hollywood productions, it does take some poetic liberties. What I found so engrossing about the movie was its focus on family. Jaguar Paw, the movie's main character, places his family above everything else including his own life. His wife, Seven, also shows a deep devotion to her children. Although the movie is violent, the message that emerged for me was of love and devotion to family. As we continue on our Lenten journey, I hope you are spending time preparing for the Easter miracle. It has become a tradition of mine to watch the Passion of the Christ during Holy Week. It is a powerful reminder of what our Lord and Savior was willing to do for us. The message is so powerful, it forces you to confront your relationship with Jesus. I encourage you to watch it again.
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...
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