Yes, I admit that I was one of the apparently millions who went to see Jurassic World this weekend. So without giving too much away (no spoilers here), I was happy to see that the story finally returned to the theme park that started the entire franchise. It was interesting to see how much technology is used in those types of operations (assuming what they showed was true to life). What I really want to focus on is the main issue of the movie; namely that the scientists decided they need to not just revive dinosaurs from the past but to genetically create a new one. That is where the plot gets ramped up and that is also where the religion theme begins to emerge. It seems that humans always create problems when they try to be God. It happens here and it happens in our daily lives. Deciding who lives and who dies through abortion or capital punishment. The entire field of genetic engineering really causes me to pause. I understand that God provides the miracle of modern medicine to help us. He endows us with curiosity and cognitive skills to learn how things work. God wants us to discover how to cure diseases and provide a better quality of life but think about why we need to do a lot of this tinkering with science. Many of the maladies that continue to cause us problems are situations we have created ourselves. Many of the modern wonders of the world are humankind's attempts at being God-like. We want to demonstrate that we can do things but frequently don't consider the consequences. It happens in Jurassic World. Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should. Joshua 24:15 says "If you don't want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve." When we choose to serve ourselves instead of the Lord, we create plots for movies like Jurassic World or worse.
Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
