“People haven’t always been there for me but music always has.”

“You can say that I love ‘Love’. It fascinates me.”

“Today Was a Fairytale”, a song Taylor wrote for the Valentine’s Day soundtrack, dropped the third week in January. It quickly became the most downloaded single for any female artist, shattering the record previously held by Brittany Spears.

But in spite of her amazing success, it seems that Taylor has remained a very down-to- earth girl. Recently, on January 26th, she tweeted: “I didn’t notice until now that the person who made my coffee today wrote ‘you’re wonderful’ on the cup. It made my day.”

Fearless Love

In 2008, Taylor Swift’s album “Fearless” topped the charts, selling more than 10 million copies. Swift has received more than 50 major music awards to date, including one at the Video Music Awards in 2009.

Everyone remembers that during that acceptance speech she was interrupted by Kanye West who felt a need to tell the world that he thought Beyonce Knowles actually deserved the award. In a moment of humility, the world saw Taylor show self control, kindness, and respect for the rapper who was saying humiliating things in what should have beenher shining moment.

Taylor Swift’s describes what was going through her mind during the encounter with Kanye West at the Video Music Awards:
“Wow I can’t believe I won… This is awesome… Don’t trip and fall…
I’m gonna get to thank the fans…This is so cool…
Oh, Kanye West is here… Cool haircut… What are ya doing there… Ouch…
I guess I’m not gonna get to thank the fans…”

After that moment, she went backstage and tried hard to hold back the tears, because she had to perform again. There was an outpouring of anger from other artists who called on Kanye to apologize for his behavior. Later on, Kanye personally called Taylor and apologize. She accepted.

“I think allowing yourself to cry on the bathroom floor is fearless. Letting go is fearless.
Then, moving on and being alright, that’s fearless, too.”

From a very early age Taylor has shown herself to be Fearless. Her pre-teen singing talents were discovered through performing karaoke songs locally at fairs and events. By the age of 10 she was an award-winning poet. At age 12 she started playing the guitar. She practiced for many hours every day. She learned to combine her talents for writing poetry with her passion for music.

Her family was very supportive of her talents and dreams. They even moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to provide more opporunities for their daughter’s singing career.

By the time she was 13, Taylor Swift had a contract with RCA Records but Taylor left when the company tried to force her into a predetermined stereotype of a teen singer.

Swift had a strong sense of self even as a young aspiring artist, and she wanted to sing and write her own songs. Scott Borchetta, of Big Machine Records, heard her singing at the Bluebird Café and sensed she could become a powerful artist . He gave her the chance to write her own music with his record company. At just 16 years old, Taylor’s debut song, Tim McGraw, vaulted her into the music spotlight.

Respect

Taylor Swift, like all teenagers, is learning to navigate the world of love. That can be even harder for Taylor because she is a celebrity. One tool that Taylor Swift uses to protect her heart is self respect. Taylor believes in herself. In her music you can hear that her heart is full of ideas, hopes, dreams and heartbreak. She understands what its like to feel like you are invisible, and she understands what it feels like to have her heart broken by unrequited love.
“When I was a little girl I used to read fairy tales. In fairy tales you meet Prince Charming and he’s everything you ever wanted. In fairy tales the bad guy is very easy to spot. The bad guy is always wearing a black cape so you always know who he is. Then you grow up and you realize that Prince Charming is not as easy to find as you thought. You realize the bad guy is not wearing a black cape and he’s not easy to spot; he’s really funny, and he makes you laugh, and he has perfect hair.“
— Taylor Swift,
Rolling Stone Magazine
And through her music Taylor is able to express these feelings to her fans. Rather than needing to express herself by wearing tight or ridiculously revealing clothes, putting up an over-sexed image, or getting into & staying in immoral relationships with guys who hurt her, she chooses to move on and let go. In her songs, we can often find something of ourselves to identify with.
“My goal is never to write songs that my fans can’t relate to.”
- Taylor Swift

Relationship Rebellion

Taylor Swift is leading a very special revolution. It’s not a rebellion based on fighting parents and injuring herself through the same old predictable Hollywood patterns of self-destruction. Instead, she’s revolting against Hollywood’s demand that she destroy her mind, body, and soul in order to fit in with all of the other celebrities. Swift tries to live out her belief in herself and takes care of herself.
“I rebelled against my record label when they wanted to shelve me, and I’ve rebelled against people trying to push me around in the recording studio. To me, that’s always been much more exciting than going out and getting drunk. I remember at high school trying to cheer up my girlfriends who were crying in the bathroom after some party when they couldn’t remember who they’d made out with the night before. You see, I don’t ever want to be that girl in the bathroom crying.”
– Taylor Swift to the Brittish magazine, Seven

Even though she rebels against the studio, Taylor hasn’t had the desire to rebel against her parents.
Taylor’s parents have worked hard to teach her about what is really important in life. On her 18th Birthday Taylor’s parents threw her a party in Nashville with 200 guests:
“This is our gift to her,” said Taylor’s mother, Andrea Swift. “She knows the real gifts in life are relationships.”
Taylor has written about the love she feels for her family in her music.
“I have an excellent father
His strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother
Inside and out, he’s better than I am.”
– “The Best Day”
written and produced
by Taylor Smith
She also rebels through her music when she says that the guy who she’s dating and loves needs to treat her with respect. The idea of being a “princess” is frowned upon in our society at times. Women are told by modern society that being treated like a “princess” by a guy is a sign of weakness, and that they need to give that up if they want a success in their career. Taylor shows us that we can challenge those assumptions.
In her songs she says that she wants the fairy tale society tells her to reject:
“You’ll be the prince
and I’ll be the princess
It’s a love story
baby, just say yes”
– “Love Story”
written and produced
by Taylor Swift
Swift works hard to show through the way she lives her own life that a real fairytale is possible by choosing to respect herself and by rebelling against society’s demand for self-destruction.

Express yourself

Taylor Swift is an example of someone who reflects confidence and inner happiness. In her songs we see the many rejections, not being cool & not fitting in; she fearlessly shows vulnerability.
“When all you wanted was to be wanted
Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now
Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday
But I realized some bigger dreams of mine
And Abigail gave everything she had to a boy
Who changed his mind and we both cried
‘cause when you’re fifteen and somebody tells you they love you
You’re gonna believe them”
- Taylor Swift, “Fifteen”
Taylor Swift wrote this song about her friend who let go of her self-respect to feel a moment of “love” from a boy and lived to regret it. Taylor saw her friend’s pain and vowed to herself that she wouldn’t let that happen to her. So instead of depending on others to make her feel loved, Taylor Swift has chosen to passionately pursue a music career and develop everything she has in her self – all of her talents.

What talents do you have? What are your passions?

“The lesson I’ve learned the most often in life is that you’re always going to know more in the future than you know now!” - Taylor Swift

So what have you done this week to build your fairytale future?

Ever since she was a small girl Miley Cyrus knew she wanted to perform. Her dream has come true on a level that has amazed even her biggest fans (her mom and dad). But is Miley promoting a healthy vision of being a performer or is she slowly abandoning Christian principles?

In this lesson we will look at Miley’s background and her values.

We will also look at what it means to be a Christian in the entertainment world today.

Miley Cyrus was born into a musical family. Her dad is a successful country singer. Many of her relatives are musicians, and she grew up singing and attending her dad’s performances.

But there is more to her background than just being on the stage. Her father and mother are very into family. Miley grew up spending lots of time with her family.

Miley explains that when she was born, her dad’s music career was at an all-time high. But when she was about one or two years old her dad realized that he was losing something more precious than success. He was losing his family. “So he let go his music career and moved with the family … to the farm in Franklin to be the very best husband and dad he could be.” (Miley’s words)

Miley has spent lots of time with her dad, her mom, and all her family as she grew up, and this has continued as she became a star in her own right.

Another value that is very strong in Miley’s life is faith. Her dream is to be a light in the darkness of this world, a sign of hope.

When Miley first met “Prince Charming,”, (Everyone claims that the “Prince Charming” is Nick Jonas, and Miley has pretty much admitted it.) he asked her about her values. She immediately explained that she and her family are “hard-core Christians”.

She says that her whole family has gone to church on Sundays since she was a child, but when Miley was in middle school the family’s faith took a deeper step. “Brandi (Miley’s older sister) brought us to a new church in Franklin. The People’s Church was different. It became family for us. The members of our congregation hold each other accountable for the way we live our lives…For the first time our family started making decisions based on our faith…The People’s Church really opened my heart. It has made me truly thankful.”

Miley admits that one thing that makes her sad is that not enough people know Jesus. She tries to take time to read the Bible regularly, and her recent book is full of her favorite quotes from the Bible. She has also said that Justin Gaston (whom she costars with in an upcoming movie) got her reading the Bible even a little bit more.(Boys can have positive points, sometimes…)

One way Miley tries to live her faith is by helping others. She visits children in hospitals as she travels, a habit she picked up from her dad. She donates a portion of her earnings to charitable causes, such as Youth Service America and City of Hope (a cancer care center).

She also tries to communicate her concern over contemporary issues such as global warming.

Miley also wears a purity ring, as a sign of her Christian commitment to remain a virgin until marriage. “When I got old enough and there were boys in the picture, I asked (my parents) if it was time for me to get my own ring (like her older sister Brandi). My mom gave me one that has a circle on it, to represent the circle of marriage. There’s a little diamond in the center of the circle for me, and when I get married, there will be another diamond added. But until then, it’s just me. And it feels right.”

“The press might make fun of some people for wearing purity rings, but I don’t pay attention to that. They can think what they want. I have my morals!”

But Miley has been in some controversy about whether she really understands all her Christian values.

About two years ago a cover shot for Vanity Magazine appeared in which Miley had her back to the camera and seemed to be nude. In fact she was not nude, but the pose gave that impression. Many parents expressed outrage that a girl who is presented as a role model for young girls could pose for such a shot. The image was sending the wrong message.

Miley and her parents apologized for the image. They explained that in the studio the pose did not seem that provocative, but after they saw the magazine they realized that they had been mistaken.

This past spring Miley tweeted about the Miss California “gay marriage” question.

On her Twitter page, Miley said: “Jesus loves you AND your partner and wants you to know how much he cares!

“That’s like a daddy not loving his lil boy cuz he’s gay and that is WRONG and very sad! like i said everyone deserves to be happy.”

We can agree with Miley that Jesus loves everyone. But Jesus tries to make us aware of sin: those things in in our lives that are hurting us and hurting our relationship with God.

People with same sex tendencies are loved by God. But, like all of us, they are also struggling with sin in their lives. They desire love, but are looking for it in a way that will not bring them true happiness. And they end up drawing other people into a a cycle of unhappiness as well.

Sexual impurity hurts the persons who commit it, and it hurts society as well.

Recently, Miley has been involved in a controversy about pole dancing and provocative clothing. It seems that some poses and wardrobe choices in her debut performance of “Party in the USA” (By the way, OFIA thinks “Party in the USA” is a cool song.) could easily be interpreted as too close to the setting of a strip club. These critics may have a legitimate point. It was imprudent of Miley to accept such a setting for the inauguration of the song.

Also, a number of people have pointed out that many of the wardrobe choices Miley has made on her recent tour have been a bit immodest or provocative. Miley certainly is not a little girl any more, and does not have to dress as a little girl, but is she pushing the envelope too much in the other direction now?

This brings us to a final discussion about what it means to be a Christian and a performer in todays’ world.

Today, it is not easy to understand that things like immodesty and homosexual relationships are impure and destructive. That is because so many shows, movies, and music present the opposite message.

In this atmosphere it is easy for Christians to get confused. It takes real wisdom and discernment to distinguish between loving everyone and approving destructive behavior. Maybe some Christian might be able to explain this to Miley in a loving way. (Know anyone?)

Few can doubt that Miley Cyrus is an extremely talented performer. She has a gift for communicating joy. It is a gift given her by God, and she has worked very hard to develop it. She wants to help people by her performances. She wants to help them experience joy and love. She wants to give them hope. And she does this quite well.

But being a performer can sometimes lead to sending the wrong message. Miley has sent a great message many times throughout her career. But, precisely because she is so full of joy, Miley does not always realize that some aspects of her performances can have a meaning she did not intend. This is where the virtues of prudence, wisdom, temperance, and courage come in. This is where a wise counselor might help a bit.

Let’s pray that Miley continue to look for Christians who are gifted with wisdom to be her friends and advisors. Let’s pray that her friends and advisors continue to help her live Christian values.

We all need constant education and encouragement on what it means to be a Christian. Let’s continue to pray for Miley and encourage her in the good things. Let’s try to set a good example ourselves of what it means to be a Christian in the secular world. The world needs many more messagers of Christian life today.

Arrr… Danger ahoy!

From Peter Pan to the Pirates of the Caribbean, everyone loves a good pirate story. But real pirates aren’t silly swashbucklers like the romanticized treasure hunters we know from movies and books.
On Wednesday, April 8, 2009, four ordinary-looking Somali fisherman, all less than 20 years old, used grappling hooks and rope ladders to board the merchant vessel ship Maersk Alabama. Armed with AK-47 assault rifles, they were seeking to take control of the ship and its crew at gunpoint.
The ship was off the coast of Somalia, carrying medical supplies and food destined for refugee camps. Some of these things belonged to Catholic Relief Services.

Violence breeds violence

Somalia is probably best remembered from the movie Black Hawk Down. Recently, however, this north-east African country has been in the news for many of these types of pirate attacks.
Years of civil war and unrest have left the country very poor, and so many people there turn to violent means of providing for themselves and their families.

Somalia has hundreds of miles of coastline along very busy shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean. Ships here are an easy target for these pirates. Sometimes the pirates are interested in stealing the cargo on the ships. However, most of the time they are looking to get ransom money.

Walking the plank

When they learned that there were pirates on board, the crew went below deck and locked themselves in safe rooms. They had managed to capture one pirate. Only the captain and one other crew member stayed on deck to negotiate with the pirates. What happened next is what makes this particular story very different from the other cases of piracy in the news lately.
The captain of this ship, Captain Richard Phillips, was so concerned about the safety of his crew that he did something unthinkable… He asked the pirates to take him as their prisoner, and in return let his crew take the ship and go free. Once the ship and crew were at a safe distance, they would exchange Captain Phillips for the captured pirate.

Tide turns against him

The three armed pirates liked the idea. Capt. Phillips led them to one of the ships small lifeboats, climbed in it, and had it lowered into the water. Captain Phillips was in close quarters with the men who could easily have killed him at any moment. He showed them how to operate the boat. And then the plan went horribly wrong. The crew of the Alabama, as they had agreed, brought out the injured pirate for the trade. But now that the pirates had their friend, they didn’t release their prisoner. They kept Capt. Phillips as a hostage, and were holding him for ransom.

For five days these bandits held him under constant guard. There was water and food, but there were no bathrooms or showers. It was unbearably hot in the enclosed lifeboat; so much so that Capt. Phillips said he dreaded the sun coming up in the morning. The captain and his captors sat, waiting. The pirates weren’t sleeping and were becoming agitated.

At one point, Capt. Phillips even tried to escape. He pushed one of the pirates guarding him overboard, and dove in the water and swam away. He swam towards a US Navy ship, the USS Bainbridge, that was following them. But it was nearly a half mile away. Before long, he was caught again; only now the pirates were very angry with him.

Is Davey Jones comin’?

By this point, the outcome didn’t look too bright for Captain Phillips. “It was just settling everything. Getting ready to die and just settling everything. You know, saying my last thoughts. Andrea, the kids.” He no longer believed he would leave that boat alive. He wondered why the pirates were dragging things out when he was certain they would kill him in the end anyway.

He had known when he went with them that there was a chance he would die. But he had been willing to take that chance freely, to spare his crew. Now, faced with what seemed certain death, he was at peace with his decision.

Watching and waiting

Thousands of miles away, in a tiny town in Vermont, the Phillips family was experiencing the turmoil of wondering what was happening to their husband and father. “We did not know what Richard was enduring while being held hostage on the lifeboat, and that was really the hardest part… the wondering,” said Mrs. Andrea Phillips.

Mariah, the captain’s 19 year old daughter, expressed the shock of learning that this had actually happened to her family: “This is something that happens to other people. Obviously, I am other people.”

They received visits from Fr. Danielson, their parish priest, who prayed with them and told them not to lose hope.  Captain Phillips was unaware that there were other forces at work in his story. There was prayer power gathering and there was planning by the US Navy.

Living the mystery

These events came about at a very appropriate time of year. The day Capt. Phillips was captured was the Wednesday of Holy Week. The time he made his escape attempt was probably around the time we remember Jesus’ agony in the garden.

On Easter Sunday morning, Fr. Danielson told the Phillips’ friends and neighbors that they should pray more intensely for Capt. Phillips. Father said he believed Capt. Phillips’ story would serve as an example; just like Christ Jesus’ suffering led to His Resurrection, once again God and His goodness would triumph over evil in the end.

A Storm breaks loose

Later in the evening on Easter Sunday, things became extremely tense on the little life boat. One of the pirates had gone aboard the USS Bainbridge for medical treatment, and to try and arrange the ransom payment. When the other three pirates hadn’t heard from him in a while, they got restless. They climbed out of the hatch of the life boat in plain view, and began firing warning shots in the air. The Bainbridge and the lifeboat were both moving, and the waves were bouncing them up and down in the darkness.

Capt. Phillips had no idea what was going on. As he heard the shots, he dove to the deck and got as low as he could. He thought perhaps the pirates were fighting against each other. Or perhaps they were getting ready to kill him.

Salvation is from the SEAL’s

US Navy SEAL snipers took advantage of the opportunity, firing one perfect shot at each pirate. After what felt like a long time, but was only a few seconds later, Capt. Phillips heard the beautiful sound of a US Navy SEAL’s voice, asking him if he was alright. He was saved.

“Hi, Honey…”

A short time later, back at home, Mrs. Phillips, their daughter Mariah, their son Daniel, and their whole family were relieved and elated to hear Captain Phillips himself, on the phone, telling them he was safe.
Mariah said, “You never know how strong your family can be when something like this happens.”
In a statement about how they survived the emotional torture of the five day ordeal, Mrs. Phillips said, “My family and closest friends held onto our faith knowing that Richard would come home.”

“I need a hero…”

What makes Captain Phillips a hero? Is it in conquering or strength? No. Like Jesus, his willingness to surrender himself as a prisoner, to suffer, and accept even death is where we find his true heroism.
Captain Richard Phillips is an example of love and respect for life. The lives of his shipmates meant so much to him, that he would offer up his own to save them. This is the ultimate sign of love and sacrifice. Whether he realized it at the time or not, Capt. Phillips was imitating Jesus Christ, at the very time when Jesus made the sacrifice that saves us all. He willingly offered himself to save others. He spent a few days in a little “tomb-like” capsule, and on Easter Sunday he got to taste a little bit of Jesus’ Easter victory.

Just doing his job

Captain Phillips does not consider himself a hero. For him, what he did was just part of his job. He had accepted the job as a captain, and that meant putting the safety of his crew above his own. Yet there is something we admire about this attitude. When we see his example, we know we have met a real man, a man who puts others first.
True manhood is about service and sacrifice. These are qualities we also admire in so many women, especially our own moms (Happy Mother’s Day to all our moms!), but there is something we typically think of as particularly masculine about the willingness to face danger and take a huge risk for others. Men were designed by God to be protectors. They are called to protect their family and protect their communities. They are designed by God to overcome the fear of danger, because sometimes real life is dangerous. Sometimes risk is necessary for really important things.

Imitating Christ

Jesus Christ was a real man. He overcame his fear of danger. He put our safety above his own. Christ, by his life and death, helps men discover what it means to be a man. Let’s ask Christ to raise up more real men today.
For those of us who are guys, we can make a resolution to learn to love others so much that we are willing to sacrifice for them.
For girls, let’s start thanking some of the real men in our lives for what they do for us, starting with our own dads, or those other men who help keep us safe. And let’s show the guys that we also know how to sacrifice with courage, putting our hearts and lives at the service of goodness and love. The world will be a better, safer place.
Christ wants us to help him do this. It’s part of the call to love that he makes to each of us.

Every girl dreams of finding “the one,” “Mr. Right,” that special guy who looks into her eyes and makes her heart flutter… Every guy searches for that one girl who makes him feel like he’s king of the world. It turns out, no matter how famous or rich you get, that doesn’t change; at least so say the teen pop sensations, the Jonas Brothers. But these guys aren’t dating in typical Hollywood fashion.

Breaking Big

Even if you don’t like their music, there is no denying their success. Though their ages are only 16, 19, and 21, these three New Jersey brothers have already fulfilled a lifetime’s worth of dreams. They’ve sold millions of CD’s and mp3 downloads, starred in movies, and played to packed arenas worldwide. Their pictures and posters line the lockers of tens of thousands of girls, and their fans are so into them it’s almost creepy. So whether or not their latest songs are on your playlist, they must be doing something right to be so successful.

Nick, the youngest in the band, was in a Broadway show at a very young age. By 12, he was approached by Columbia Records and offered a deal to make Christian music. On some of the recordings, Nick’s two older brothers, Kevin and Joe, joined him. The record company loved the sound so much, they decided to market them as “the Jonas Brothers”. Their first album of Christian music didn’t sell well with Columbia Records. But because of both their raw talent and their wholesome family appeal, Disney and Hollywood Records picked them up immediately. Their second CD was almost sold out before it was released.

BB Good in Hollywood

Though they are not making religious music anymore, the same Christian values their parents raised them with still influence their music, lyrics, videos, and, most importantly, their lives. Nick told Fox Extra, “We believe that we are Christians in a pop-rock band. That’s just the way we do it. Our faith is really important to us and it’s a big thing in everything we do.”

Kevin tells Cross Rhymes, “With our music we’re trying to be successful. Our whole thing is to play mainstream music but to be a light in a dark world and to tell people that we are Christians when they ask, ‘What’s so different about you?’ We’re like, ‘Well, we’re Christians and we love the Lord.’ That’s our opportunity to witness to people. We just feel like this is where we belong - ‘This is who we are and let’s just go for it!’”

Lovebug

In spite of their fast-paced, star-studded careers, Nick, Joe, and Kevin seem to be looking for the same things that most teens are. “Like all people our age we are trying to find someone special that we can share time with in our busy lives,” they recently wrote on their MySpace. They admit it is hard to have relationships when they live life the way they do. Many times they find themselves on different continents than their friends. This makes it hard to take a girl they like to the mall, the movies, or a school dance.

The Girl

So what kind of girl does a international, teenage, millionaire, heart-throb date? Well, the list of girls linked to the Jonas Brothers includes famous starlets such as Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Camilla Belle, and Taylor Swift. But you will find a common trait among many of the girls that are seen hanging out with Nick, Joe, and Kevin: most of them have stated publicly that they are saving sex for marriage.

Why should this be important to these three TV, movie, and rock stars? Although they are rich, famous, and can date nearly anyone they would want, the boys have decided that chastity is the most important value to them; both personally and in dating relationships.

The Rings

Not too long ago, in an interview on the Disney Channel, the Jonas Brothers told the world that they wear “purity rings” (also called “promise rings”) to symbolize their commitment to living a chaste life until they are married.

Pushing Them Away

Almost immediately, the press began to make a huge stink about the rings. Some news reporters tried to discredit them. Others brought on experts saying that it is not possible to be a mentally healthy teen while making a promise like this to abstain from sex until marriage. Some people accused the boys of using this as a publicity stunt. It seems that the news media and gossip columnists can’t believe that three famous, wealthy, good-looking guys could possibly survive Hollywood careers while holding on to their virginity.

Holding On

But the boys defend their position. They do their best to keep their private lives private. They try to keep their relationships with young women on a friendly level. This is a very mature attitude, because it shows they realize that at their age, and with their busy schedules, it doesn’t make sense to let a relationship get too serious. Nick explained the rings in an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine, “To us the [purity] rings are a constant reminder to live a life of values. It’s about being a gentleman, treating people with respect and being the best guys we can be.”

That’s Just the Way We Roll

Chastity and purity rings all of a sudden became very popular. From that point on, most of the press for the band consistently included discussions about the rings. A very famous journalist named Barbara Walters wanted to interview the boys. Walters did her best to get the boys to slip up or back down about their purity rings, but they would not break. There was one other thing that was very evident in their interview with Ms. Walters: these brothers stick together.

Band of Brothers

This is the secret to their success both musically, and morally. They rely on each other, protect each other, and find strength in knowing that they’re living chaste lives together. When one of them was offered a part in the movie Camp Rock, their father insisted that all three be included. Their father knows that if they stay together, they can survive the crazy rat-race that usually ruins teen stars.

Strength in family

Another source of strength these guys have is their parents. Dad and Mom are their best friends. And they not only give them advice, but they also know the ropes of performing in a band and going on tour. Their parents were performing Christian artists for many years. Dad is actually their manager and vocal coach. “There’s times when he’s Dad and times when he a manager,” explains Joe. “He’s a ‘dadager’… He’s awesome. We love our dad.” But what the brothers especially admire about their parents are their values. Their parents have dedicated their lives to standing up for Jesus and for Christian values (Dad is a Christian pastor and Mom is his #1 helper). They have also shown the boys that, in spite of the fact that they are not perfect, they can walk the talk, and help their sons walk it too.

“Our family is really close,” said Joe. “We kind of built our whole foundation on making sure that our family is really strong. They’ve always been there for us… That’s why we decided to go (on tour) with our own family bus.” Hanging out with Mom and Dad may not seem very cool to many teenagers and pop stars, but the Jonas Brothers have shown that family can give us strength to live up to our values, even when the attraction of easy, loose relationships seems so powerful.

Keeping All the Promises

The Jonas Brothers have shown us that the best way to keep a commitment to God and to their future spouses is to surround ourselves with brothers (and sisters) who share the same values and who are striving to live a life of faith in God. They acknowledge that despite all their wealth, fame, and good looks, the best gift they can give their future spouses is the complete gift of themselves.

Giving Hope

Nick, Joe, and Kevin also realize they have a responsibility, even in the midst of so much success. They can give hope to others. If they can live a life of purity and chastity amidst the glitz and glam of Hollywood and rock-stardom, they give hope to teenagers everywhere. Girls deserve to know they are worth waiting for. There’s no denying that this is a big part of the success of these brothers.

Attraction

Why are boys so attracted to girls? And why are girls so attracted to boys? Because we are made in the image of God. And God is love. God is relational. God, within his very being, lives in a relationship of love (He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.), and God lives in a relationship of love with his creatures. So, like him, God made us to love. We are made to love him, and we are made to love others.

Special Love

One of the most special ways to love like God is the love between a man and a woman. In married love, spouses dedicate their lives totally and exclusively to each other. In married love, a boy and a girl are called to be the living expression of God’s love for the other person.

Built on Friendship and Respect

But this type of love does not just happen by a physical relationship. It is built on friendship. It is sustained by respect, kindness, and patience. It only truly works when there is total commitment, after a sustained period of getting to know each other and respect each other. When we put the physical relationship before there is a solid friendship and respect, and before there is a total commitment, we find that love does not last. It simply ends in broken hearts.

Something We Can Learn

So, guys, show tenderness to the girls, but show respect. Show each girl you really can wait. You may find that it’s not just the Jonas Brothers that the girls are swooning about (although they might not admit it … until they really trust you.) And girls, continue to believe in that special someone. There are good guys out there, guys worth waiting for. Hold on, and God will bless your love.

God, our Father, we know that every good gift comes down from you. Teach us to always place the greatest importance on what matters most to you. Amen.

The Super bowl XLIII match-up between the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburg Steelers showcased two players who have distinguished themselves as men who see the bigger game, beyond the hype. Though they were rivals on the field, off the field Troy Polamalu of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Kurt Warner of the Arizona Cardinals, share common ground in their Christian faith. In this lesson we will take a brief look at their faith and their values.

For Troy Polamalu, who plays safety for the Pittsburg Steelers, the 2009 Super Bowl was his second time playing in the “big game”. In 2006, Polamalu helped the Steelers beat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. He knows what it’s like to perform under pressure. He has achieved the kind of success that most amateur and even many pro football players will only dream about.

Polamalu normally deflects praise and attention, always reminding others that giving glory to God is more important. In a 2006 article for Catholic Online, Troy states that “success in football doesn’t matter. Success in anything doesn’t matter. As Mother Teresa said, God calls us not to be successful but to be faithful. My prayer is that I would glorify God no matter what, and not have success be the definition of it.”

Troy has dealt with adversity. He was the youngest of five children. Suila, his mother, had to raise all of them alone; on welfare, and in a rough section of Los Angeles. His older brother and sisters were already in a lot of real trouble in high school. “I was just a little hood-rat, walking around parks by myself, hanging out with homeless guys…”

When he was eight years old, Troy’s family visited their uncle and his family in Oregon. It seemed beautiful and serene there compared to the streets of L.A. Even though he was young, Troy saw a chance at a better life. At the end of the visit, he begged his mom to let him stay there. Realizing that this was a better environment for her child, she gave permission.

He loved living with his Uncle Salu, Aunt Shelley, and their three sons. From them he learned about his Polynesian culture; especially, their traditional reverence for family, faith, and personal responsibility. Troy attended Catholic school, and he discovered the power of prayer and dialogue with God at a young age. He developed a deep, personal relationship with God as his true Father. “The beautiful thing about the way I was raised is that I didn’t really have parents, and in that way I had to rely on God.”

Troy defines faith in one word: surrender. “It’s knowing in your heart that God will take care of you… We all have to struggle to overcome our adversities…When Jesus was on the cross, he didn’t say, ‘Father in heaven, He said ‘Daddy.’ This is an intimate relationship. This isn’t praying to the unknown.”

Theodora, Troy’s wife, belongs to the Greek Orthodox Christian church. While they were dating he asked her a lot of questions about her beliefs. As he fell in love with her, he fell in love with her faith. When they got married, Troy passionately embraced her practice of faith. They attend weekly Mass (they prefer to call it Divine Liturgy). He is described by others as a “soft-spoken, Christian family man.”

Troy prays daily, and he says that should be true of every Christian. He also prays during his games, both on the sidelines and after each play. Those who have watched him on TV may remember seeing him make the sign of the cross, a trademark he is happy to bear. To some of us it may seem he makes it backwards, but Eastern Catholics and Orthodox Christians still follow an old tradition of blessing their right shoulder first.

Troy does not spend his free time hanging out with his teammates, studying replay tapes, or watching games; he spends his time with his wife and their new son, Paisios. “Football is, for me, it’s something I do. It’s like [being] a reporter. It’s what you do, not who you are. Football does not define me. How I am with my faith and how I treat my wife is what truly defines [me] as a man. That is my goal in life: to live that way and believe in it.”

Many players and writers comment about how humble and unselfish Troy is. When he is not able to make a big play, he does whatever he can to help his teammates make one. In this particular Super Bowl game, Troy didn’t play the most outstanding game. He spent most of the game quietly helping to cover the Cardinals’ star receiver, Larry FItzgerald. This kept him out of the limelight and action; but he did his part humbly, and for the first three quarters of the game Fitzgerald had only one catch.

The Steelers won 27-23 in what turned out to be one of the most exciting Super Bowls in recent memory, and they set a new record as the only NFL team to win six Super Bowls.

During his post game interview, Troy had his son Paisios on his knee. “It’s a blessing,” he said about winning the game. “I don’t know how much he (his infant son) will remember, but he’ll have two rings in his vault, and, God willing, maybe more. He’s speechless right now as you can see.”

Troy has said he loves playing for the Steelers, because they are a hard working, family owned and family friendly team.

“I hope [winning the most Super Bowls] can be an example to people. It’s a legacy that’s not built on pride. It’s a legacy that’s built on humility and unselfishness.”

Just a few days before the Super Bowl, the teams met with the press for what is called media day. During his interview time, Troy took this opportunity to publicly acknowledge one of his opponents who also uses Super Bowl stardom to share his faith in Jesus:

Read the next article from this issue, about Kurt Warner.

Sometimes life brings tragedy. Pain and loss can surprise us, coming out of nowhere.  In this lesson we will look at one tragedy that happened this past August.  Even though this story is sad, it is a story that can help us.  It can teach us joy and hope, even in the midst of suffering and tears.

A trip they were loving

It was a trip the girls had really been looking forward to, and were thoroughly enjoying. It was a week of being together as friends and seeing a different part of the country together. The trip was a big tradition in their high school, the Cumbres Institute in Santiago, Chile. Their favorite teachers came with them. They were on their last day.

They were returning to their hotel after spending the day at a national park. Since Chile has many mountains, the country roads can be dangerous and winding. This road was no exception.

Tragedy strikes

Fr. Juan Aburto, a local priest who had happened to meet the girls at lunch, was driving home on the same road. He came around a bend and saw a big column of dust ahead of him. As he drew closer he realized that one of the buses carrying the girls had just gone off the road. What he found was tragic.

Apparently, the bus driver of that particular bus had tried to take a curve with too much speed. The bus had flipped over and was lying on its side on a steep hill. There had been 27 girls in the bus. Many of them had been thrown from the bus. Now some of them were strewn around the road or the hill. Some were crushed under the bus. Some were already dead. Some were dying. Some were trying to get up.

Fr. Juan immediately got out of the car and began ministering to the girls. He was in shock, yet he had to help them. He gave the sacrament of the anointing of the sick to the girls who had died and to those who were injured. He prayed with all the girls and consoled them. He was the first one on the scene and the last one to leave.

Faith amid tears

Yet, even Fr. Juan was impressed by what he saw in these girls. They all seemed more concerned about the others than about themselves. They were in tears and in pain, but they prayed and did all they could to help each other. They even managed to sing, in order to keep the more seriously injured girls from falling into unconsciousness before medical help arrived.

The news spreads

Nine girls died in the accident. All the other 18 girls on the bus were injured, some seriously.

News of the accident soon reached the families of the girls. The parents and the directors of the school, including the priest who was the school chaplain, immediately headed north to the place of the accident.  Within hours they were there.

It was a tremendous tragedy for the families and the school, even for the country. These were girls in the prime of life. They were girls who were deeply loved by all around them, and were looking forward to a beautiful future.

Option to trust God

Yet, what began to surface was faith. As the parents and the directors of the school fought back tears, they drew closer together. They all shared a strong Catholic faith. They knew that somehow God could bring good out of this. They knew he was with them in this tremendously sad moment.

A human error caused this tragedy, yet instead of becoming bitter and vengeful the parents announced that they forgave the driver and did not want him to be burdened with their anger.

Help from high places

As news of the tragedy reached the President of the country, she decided to offer the presidential plane to fly both the parents and the bodies of the girls who had died back to Santiago, their home city.

At the airport

Early the next morning (5:00am) the parents met at the airport to receive the coffins containing their daughters’ bodies. The parents cried deeply as they received the coffins.  One mother, as she stooped to kiss the coffin containing her daughter’s body, began to pray the Hail Mary out loud.  This caused all the others to join in. As they waited for the plane to be prepared, they cried and prayed, and even sang several of their favorite hymns from Mass in the midst of their tears.

The journey home

At 7:00am the plane departed for Santiago. The pilot and crew were amazed at what they witnessed. Instead of despair and hysteria, there was tremendous peace.

When they arrived to Santiago, the whole city seemed to be waiting for them. Thousands of people were sharing their sorrow. As the procession of cars made its way through the city, people came out on the street to wave handkerchiefs and accompany them. There were billboards and posters that read: “May they rest in peace.”

Receiving their friends

Back at the school, the students, relatives and friends had been holding a prayer vigil since the previous afternoon.  Students from many other schools came to join them.

At 7:00pm there was a Mass at the school in honor of the girls. It was held outside in the patio, since there were so many people. As the coffin containing the body of each girl was brought to the patio before Mass, a teacher described each girl and invited all those present to receive her. Everyone joined in applause for each girl. Joy mixed with sorrow. The joy came from knowing what wonderful girls had lived among them. The sorrow came from losing these good friends.

Heroic Mass

The official funeral Mass was held the next day, also at the school. More than six thousand people attended the Mass, including 59 priests and several bishops.

During the Mass two girls who had been in the accident read letters to their departed friends. They explained how sad they felt to have lost their friends, but in the midst of their sadness they were very happy, because they knew their friends had reached the greatest happiness. They were with God. They had arrived at their true goal.

Then they described the party that they imagined God was holding for each girl, a party tailored to the personality of each one of them.

Several of the girls present in the Mass were survivors of the accident and had literally postponed important operations on their own injuries in order to accompany their friends in their funeral Mass.

Saying goodbye

Friends and families also accompanied the girls to the cemetery.  As the body of each girl was laid to rest, a small choir sang. The families knew they were not alone. Many others shared in their sorrow.

Some reflections

As the days pass, people continue to be touched by the story of these girls. We hope that this testimony can help all of us. Our faith does not take away pain and sorrow. But it does help us to see that God can draw good even out of sadness and evil. It helps us see that God accompanies us in our sorrow.

God knows and feels our sorrow. Jesus, true God and true man, has given his life to free us from sorrow. But this freedom is not yet complete in this life. Sorrow still accompanies us on our pilgrimage. But it is a sorrow filled with hope. Christ has brought us hope. He has opened up heaven for us. He has brought God to accompany us.

Who were the Chilean girls who died?

Bernardita Barros Vial

Bernardita was 16. She was from a large family: she had 12 brothers and sisters. She was a happygirl, known for being very spiritual and having a great desire to learn. She greatly enjoyed being with her friends, and also directed a group of younger girls who met regularly to discuss their faith and have fun together.

Along with several other friends, she had dedicated her past summer vacation to do missionary work: her two month mission trip was to Barcelona, Spain where she shared her faith with other teens and preteens. Her father is a famous lawyer in Chile.

Magdalena Echeverria

Magdalena was 16. She had four brothers and sisters. She was known by all as being warm and spontaneous.

She had been very excited about this trip and had told her family many times how much she was looking forward to it. She was a top student whose favorite subject was history. She was planning on studying law in college. She had a strong faith and greatly liked participating in retreats, discussions, and faith activities with her friends.

Eloisa Garreud Sutil

Eloisa was 16. She especially enjoyed helping a group of younger girls in their faith. She called them her “little angels” and was sincerely committed to them. She often told those closest to her that she wanted so much to help her “little angels”get to heaven. She had spent her last school vacation in Mexico as a youth missionary.

She was active in student government and often ended up with the top academic rating in her class. She loved skiing, a favorite sport in Chile.  According to those closest to her, Eloisa was seriously considering consecrating her whole life to God.

Elisa Contreras Searle

Elisa was 16. Elisa loved music and dancing. She had several relatives who are famous artists in Chile. She was also known by friends to be a generous person who was good at getting others to reconcile after a disagreement or discussion. She helped everyone to feel united and appreciated.

Trinidad De La Carrera Bezanilla

Trinidad was 16. She was from a large, sports-loving family. She was active in track and field and also competed in tennis on a national level. Those who knew “Trini” say she was a natural leader, active in her faith, exceptionally intelligent and passionate about everything she did.

Valentina Errazuriz Gandolini

Valentina was 15. She was class president. She loved skiing and track and field. She was an excellent student and had an A+ average. Everyone who knew her said she had a deep and lively faith. Like several other girls in her class, she ran a faith group for younger girls. She greatly enjoyed being with her friends, and, like her mom, had a great enthusiasm for art.

Maria De Los Angeles Costa Arteaga

Maria was 16. She She had four brothers and sisters. According to those who knew her, Maria was always more interested in others than herself. She was an energetic girl who greatly enjoyed art and was active in helping others through service projects and faith sharing.

Bernardita Valenzuela Prado

Bernardita was 15. Those closest to her describe her as fun to be around, sincere, and uncomplicated. “Berni” was a member of the Schoenstatt movement, a Catholic organization that promotes growth in the spiritual life, especially through devotion to Mary.

Magdalena Rodriguez Hermosilla

Magdalena was 16. She was the oldest of four children. She loved her parents very much, and especially admired her mom, who is an engineer. Magdalena was an excellent student, with a special talent for math. She wanted to be an engineer like her mom.

Bible Blurbs

When Jesus saw her weeping, he became perturbed and deeply troubled, and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Sir, come and see.” And Jesus wept. (John 11:33-35)

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live. (John 11:25)

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Pope Quotes

Enlightened by faith, we look upon the human enigma of death with serenity and hope. Indeed, according to Scripture, it is more than an end; it is a new birth. (Benedict XVI, November 2, 2005)

Faith, brothers and sisters, invites us to raise our heads and look beyond, to look on high! And thus, today, while we mourn the departure of those who have left us, let us open our hearts to the vision of our eternal destiny. (Benedict XVI, April 3, 2005)

Catechism Clips

1002:  Christ will raise us up “on the last day”; but it is also true that, in a certain way, we have already risen with Christ. For, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, Christian life is already now on earth a participation in the death and resurrection of Christ.

1007: Remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment:  “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth…” (Ecclesiastes 12:1)

1008: Death was contrary to the plans of God and entered the world on account of man’s sin. Bodily death is thus “the last enemy” of man left to be conquered.

1010: Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

Saints & Heroes

Talking to Jesus about the hard things

St. Martha (entered heaven in the first century)

Martha was the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany (the Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead – check out John Chapter 11 if you need to refresh your memory).  She was the busy one who prepared the dinner while her sister sat lovingly at the feet of the Lord.

It’s a pity she is remembered almost solely for that incident, since she has much more to teach us.  When Jesus came to speak with her after the death and burial of Lazarus, they had a conversation that shows how real, how human, how positively normal their friendship was.

Martha comes to him and expresses her regret that Jesus didn’t come in time to heal him.  Then Jesus questions her, trying to stimulate her faith.  She answers so simply, so honestly, so matter-of-factly, and yet her every word evinces reverence and respect.

Finally, our Lord elicits from her one of the most beautiful acts of trust in the entire Gospel.  He tells her that he is the “resurrection and the life” and asks if she really believes it.  She answers, “Yes, Lord, I have learned to believe that you are the Christ, you are the Son of the living God; it is for your coming the world has waited.”

Then her sister Mary has her own conversation with Jesus (in which he breaks down and cries for empathy with their sorrow): equally intimate, familiar, real, human.

Eventually, they take him to the tomb, and he orders the stone sealing the tomb to be removed, whereupon Martha whispers in his ear, “Lord, the air is foul by now; he has been four days dead.”

But Jesus gets his way, and ends up bringing Lazarus back to life.

The point here is not just the miracle, but the relationship that Martha had with Jesus.  It was not abstract.  It was not distant.  It was not “saying the right thing” in order to impress him.  They knew each other, respected each other, and interacted as true friends (though she never failed to show him the respect he deserved).  She trusted him, could (and did) talk to him about anything – their conversation was heart to heart.

And that’s how your prayer needs to be: a personal, sincere, real conversation with the Lord.  Therein lies your key to spiritual growth.

(Source: College Compass)

Winning hearts for Christ through suffering and generosity

St Martin de Porres (entered heaven November 3, 1639)

Martin was born in Peru, the son of a Spanish knight and a black woman (a former slave).  From his childhood he was scorned for being mulatto.

Perhaps it was this experience that made him so sensitive to the message of Christ.  He used to contemplate the crucifix with extraordinary love and devotion, deeply sorrowful at the suffering Christ had to endure, but deeply joyful that Christ had thereby penetrated our miserable lives with his grace and his love.

The only earthly thing Martin loved more than the crucifix was the Blessed Sacrament, which he tried to receive as frequently as possible, and which he often accompanied in prayer for hours on end, even entire nights. He was helped in this endeavor once he became a Dominican lay brother, where he served as community nurse and general caretaker of the Friary of Dominican priests in Lima

This deep appreciation for the sufferings and generosity of Christ was the motor of his own remarkable life.  He spent every waking (and non-praying) hour caring for people in need, seeing in them the needy Christ, the souls for whom Christ had died.  He cared for the sick Dominicans with the gentleness of a mother, and extended that service throughout the city.

He founded orphanages and hospitals, raised money to feed the poor, tended the maltreated slaves, and even took care of stray animals (he kept a “cats’ and dogs’ home” at his sister’s house) – though his Dominican brothers considered his attentions towards the rats and mice a bit exaggerated.

He truly considered others to be God’s children, and himself to be their less worthy brother.  It was with this absolute humility, which overflowed in tireless and selfless service, that he won countless hearts to God – and that was his greatest joy.

(Source: College Compass)

Discussion questions:

1. Have you ever been scared that sad things will happen to you or to those you love? What does your faith tell you about sadness and tragedy? 
2. Does sadness have the last word in the life of a Christian? If not, what has the last word?
3. Where do you think the girls in the accident found the strength to avoid getting hysterical and to help each other when the accident happened? Is it easy to be strong when tragedy strikes? How does our faith help us to handle these moments? 
4. What virtues did these girls exercise in those moments? Do you think it came naturally to them? What things in their lives might have prepared them to handle this well?
5. What do you think about the parents of the girls who died? Do you think it was right for them to forgive the driver? Do you think this was easy to do? What does it show about looking for true healing when tragedy strikes?
6. Are Christians better at healing from tragedy than those who do not know the love of Jesus? Why or why not? How does knowing Christ help Christians to handle tragedy?
7. Do you think Jesus really rose from the dead? Do you think you will rise from the dead at the end of history? Where will you be between the end of your earthly life and the end of history? 
8. Have you ever had any moments where you are really looking forward to heaven? What do you think the best thing about heaven will be? Do you know how Jesus describes heaven? Do you think heaven will be exciting?

Activities:

• Visit someone who is sick or who has few friends during the Christmas season. Bring a small gift. Spend time talking with him or her and listening. Find something fun or entertaining to do with that person during your visit. Ask for some of that person’s prayer intentions and promise to pray for these. Afterwards, send a short note thanking that person for his or her time and mentioning something you learned about him or her during the visit. 
• Visit a cemetery and pray a decade of the rosary for the souls who have died. Find the tomb of a young person and put a flower or something symbolic of your prayers there. (Note: There is a plenary indulgence for visiting a cemetery and praying for those who have died!)

Journal Writing

1. Write about the party God will have when someone you really love arrives to heaven. What favorite things of that person will be there? What friends of that person should be there in a special way? What would you like to say to that person at that party? Think of something funny that you will give that person at that party.
2. Think about what you would like people to say about you at your funeral. Make a list of virtues you would like to work on in order to become a person who shows your faith and values more in life.
3. Write a list of things that remind you about the resurrection. These can be any happy things that have happened in your life, any beautiful circumstances you have experienced, any special moments with God or friends and family, or anything else you can think of. Write a letter to God thanking him for these moments and committing yourself to show a happier face to others, to have the face of someone who believes in the resurrection and believes that the good things in life don’t have to end. Make a resolution about something you will do each day to increase your faith in the resurrection and in heaven.

Debate (Choose one theme)

• Heaven is just a myth invented by people who can’t deal with reality.
• Christians are weak when it comes to suffering.
• This world would be better if people did not believe in God.
• God does not exist, because there is so much suffering in the world.   

Virtue Verification

Accompany - go or be together with. As Christians, we know that Christ always accompanies us: “behold, I am with you always, even until the end of time.” (28:20).

Appreciate - to recognize and be grateful for; be thankful for. Appreciation and thankfulness are key characteristics of Christian faith.

Committed - bind as by a promise; pledge; to give in charge or trust

Faith – 1. Trust in God; 2. Personal relationship with God; 3. Belief in what God has revealed;  4. Faith is a supernatural virtue (a supernatural power). It is a power or virtue given to us in baptism.

Forgiveness - , pardon, mercy. A Christian forgives because he or she knows that Jesus has first forgiven him or her.

Freedom – 1) or liberation from the control of some other person or some arbitrary power 2) a being able to act, move, use, etc. without hindrance or restraint.

Goal - object or end that one strives to attain; aim. Our true goal as Christians is to know, love, and serve God, and to be happy with him forever in heaven.

Happiness – Any contentment in possession of a good. The deepest happiness is found in possessing God and being loved by God. God has put the desire for happiness in the human heart in order to draw man to himself, the source of all love. God alone can fulfill man’s deepest desire for happiness.

Heaven – 1. Heaven is our true home. It is where we were meant to be, after this pilgrimage on earth. 2. Heaven is the place and state where we are totally united to God and completely experience the goodness and wonder of his love. It is where “he will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, (for) the old order has passed away.” (21:4)

Hope – 1. Trust in God; 2. Trust in God’s gift of heaven; 3. Trust in God’s mercy and forgiveness; 4. Trust that God wants the best for us, even in difficult circumstances.

Joy – 1. A state of happiness or fulfillment; 2. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is the result of seeing things from God’s perspective and doing things the way Christ would do things; 3. The highest and most complete joy of which we are capable is the joy of seeing and being with God.

Missionary – A person who is sent (by God and the Church) with the special task of telling others about God’s love. A missionary can go to another country, but all of us are called to be missionaries. We are called to be missionaries to our own friends, in our own schools, neighborhoods, and families.

Peace – One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Peace is tranquility of soul, flowing from awareness of God’s love and friendship.

Pilgrimage – 1. A long journey; 2. A journey made to a holy place or a journey made to draw closer to God.

Prayer – the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.

Reconcile – 1. To bring back together; 2. To win over again to a friendly attitude.

Sincere - without deceit, pretense, or hypocrisy; truthful; straightforward; honest

Sorrow - suffering caused by loss, disappointment, etc.; sadness, grief, or regret

Unite – 1. put or bring together so as to make one; 2. To bring together in a common cause

A doubt can be powerful. The devil used it against Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. He tried to make them doubt that God loved them. It worked. We’re paying for it. The Da Vinci Code, written by Dan Brown, may not be as smart a hoax as the devil’s lie in the garden, but it has confused many people. Now the novel is coming out as a movie. The good thing is that many Christians are uniting in a strategy to respond: education on what our faith in Christ is really about. In this lesson we present a few ideas you can use to educate others about some of the The Da Vinci Code’s mixed-up ideas.

THE CONSPIRACY PLOT

Everyone loves a conspiracy story, and the book immediately captures the reader by opening with a mysterious murder. The clues to this puzzle are hidden in the paintings of the Renaissance artist Leonardo Da Vinci, and are revealed little by little to keep the reader’s interest. In the meantime, an explanation unfolds of a secret plot by the Catholic Church to cover up the “true” story of Jesus through murder and deceit. Ultimately, Brown uses this story to present his idea of the “real Jesus”. This Jesus was a prophet, but not God, and was married to Mary Magdalene. He wanted to start a new religion dedicated to appreciating the “sacred feminine” in the world, and he intended Mary to head it up. Brown claims that Jesus never rose from the dead, and that he could do nothing when Peter stole the power from Mary Magdalene, and forced her to flee. Thus, the apostles built the Church on their own ideas, making up a story about Jesus’ divinity and covering up the marriage. Da Vinci was one of the few who passed on Mary’s secret through the ages through codes in his paintings.

FACT OR FICTION?

Dan Brown’s book has a strong effect, because the opening page of the book claims that all of the descriptions are true. The main characters, Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks in the movie) and Dr. Leigh Teabing (played by Sir Ian McKellan) , use phrases throughout the book such as “historians have always known …” and “scholars know …” to make the reader think that the ideas are the fruit of serious research. Yet, many of the “facts” are actually disproved by scholars in art, history, architecture and theology. Some “facts” are so easily disproved that you hardly have to be a scholar at all to fi nd the fl aw. For example, the story claims that Jesus does not have a cup (chalice) in Leonardo’s painting of the Last Sup per. But if you count the chalices in the painting you will see that Jesus does have a cup. However, the average reader is not going to spend time looking up the details, and Dan Brown banks on this. Brown did use sources for his research, but they are mostly make-believe stories which twist the truth in an inaccurate or hypothetical way.

IS JESUS REALLY GOD?

The Da Vinci Code claims that early Christians saw Jesus as only a mortal, but they voted 300 years later to call him God, only for the sake of political unity under Emperor Constantine. Not true. Look at the Gospels. The Gospels were written between AD 50-100, shortly after the death and resurrection of Jesus (approximately AD 30). They show in many different verses that Christians always believed Christ was the Son of God, equal to God. One central example is Peter’s profession of faith in Jesus: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God,” (Mt 16:16) Christ confi rms that Peter has understood correctly when he says “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For fl esh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father” (Mt 16:17) The Council of Nicea was actually called in AD 325 by Constantine in response to Arius, one man who was creating turmoil by proposing his own idea that Jesus was not really equal to God. He had a clever way of phrasing things that confused some people. But he was going against what the Church already believed. 

Brown claims that it was a close vote. In fact only two bishops voted for Arius, while at least 218 voted to affirm what Christians had always believed. Close? Check your facts, Mr. Brown.

The fruit of the Council was the “Nicene Creed” which Catholics recite every Sunday, professing that Jesus is “God from God, light from light, true God from true God.” The Council simply clarified what the New Testament teaches and the Church always believed. The Council didn’t invent anything.

CAN WE TRUST THE SCRIPTURES?

Another claim that The DaVinci Code makes is that Constantine destroyed “thousands” of other reliable texts that show the human Jesus, and that there were 80 other Gospels that showed a different truth about Christ. In other words, our New Testament is not the truth about Christ, but rather someone’s personal opinion in a sea of other opinions.

It is easy to conjecture. But The DaVinci Code “scholars” don’t seem to have studied very seriously. Over 200 years before Constantine, Christians were already referring to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as the only reliable ones. They were the ones used in Mass, and they were the ones quoted by the bishops and saints. 

One element in the Gospels that inspires trust is their honesty about the weakness of the apostles. They show clearly how the apostles abandoned Christ during his suffering. If the apostles were going to fake their authority they would not have said this. Yet the Gospels are honest in telling the story as it really happened.

OTHER GOSPELS?

The other texts that The DaVinci Code calls gospels were writings produced by groups that did not believe what the Christians believed or mixed Christian ideas with non-Christian ones. They were heretical texts. Many were produced much later than the Gospels. Recently some of these texts have made publicity again, such as the “Gospel of Judas.” They do not show the true Jesus, and they are being used again today to confuse people about Christianity. 

MARY MAGDALENE 

The DaVinci Code claims that Mary Magdalene was hated by the Church, and was therefore thwarted in her mission to begin a different religion to honor the “sacred feminine”. In fact, the book proposes that we should abandon Christianity and adopt a more pagan worship of the creature rather than the Creator.

But it is hard to say that Mary Magdalene is hated by the Church if she is honored as a saint. She has her own feast day. She has inspired devotion throughout the centuries. She is mentioned in the Gospels as the first person to see the risen Christ. She is sent to tell the apostles about the resurrection. She has a prominent place. She is not hated.

WAS JESUS MARRIED?

Although he has no real evidence, Brown concludes that Jesus must have been married because Jews and Jewish rabbis had the custom of always marrying.

A real Scripture scholar would be able to name several men in the Bible who did not marry in order to dedicate themselves to God: Jeremiah, John the Baptist, St. Paul. A Scripture scholar would also tell you that around the time of Jesus there was a Jewish group called the Essenes whose members did not get married. Celibacy (not getting married) did exist, and gained more popularity throughout the history of Christianity. 

It is in the example of Christ that a priest takes the solemn promise of celibacy, to be fully dedicated to God’s work and to serving others as he was. 

IS THE CHURCH TRUSTWORTHY?

The DaVinci Code accuses the Catholic Church of being a type of murderous mafia that despises women and sexuality and is only concerned with keeping its power.

It is one thing to accuse a human organization of being corrupt, but in accusing the Church as a whole, Brown is forgetting the millions of martyrs who gave their lives for others, the history of female leaders and saints, and the status given to the sacrament of matrimony. The Church has an amazing history. Becoming familiar with Church history and doctrine can inspire a sense of awe at its greatness, and can be a convincing testimony of God’s hand working within it.

And it is hard to say that the Church despises women if Mary the mother of Jesus has such a strong role in the Church. She is already present in the Gospels. She had to say “yes” in order for Jesus to become a man. She and Mary Magdalene are among the few brave souls that do not abandon Christ when he is captured and condemned to death. She is treated with tremendous veneration by every Christian generation throughout history.

DECODING DA VINCI

The real-life conspiracy of The Da Vinci Code is a plot to challenge Christianity, make some people lose their faith, and confuse many who do not know otherwise. 

For those who can decode it, who can pick out the important details and the inaccurate half-truths, it is a chance to evangelize. It is a chance to start up a conversation around a hot issue and talk about Christ and his Church. It is a chance to educate ourselves so as to educate others. People need to know what the Gospels teach. They need to know about Christ, the real Christ. 

We can start by reading the Gospels. We can continue by reading some of the other resources available. We can be especially effective by trying to be like Christ: both bold and humble, loving yet courageous.

He is here to help us. With him on our side, we have nothing to fear.

Bible Blurbs

“I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, … so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.” (Luke 1:3-4)
“Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what he told her.” (John 20:18)
“Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the Gospel I preached to you… Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.” (1Corinthians 15: 1-2)
“I am amazed that you are so quickly forsaking the one who called you by the grace of Christ for a different Gospel (not that there is another). But there are some who are disturbing you and wish to pervert the Gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-7) 

Pope Quotes 

“Jesus yes, Church no”, is totally irreconcilable with the intention of Christ. This individualistically chosen Jesus is an imaginary Jesus. We cannot have Jesus without the reality he created and in which he communicates himself. (Pope Benedict XVI, March 15, 2006)

“The Jesus of the Gospels is quite different, demanding, bold. The Jesus who makes everything okay for everyone is a phantom, a dream, not a real figure. The Jesus of the Gospels is certainly not convenient for us. But it is precisely in this way that he answers the deepest question of our existence…” (Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI), On the Way to Jesus Christ, p. 8) 

Catechism Quotes 

“The Church holds firmly that the four Gospels, whose historicity she unhesitatingly affirms, faithfully hand on what Jesus, the Son of God, while he lived among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation, until the day when he was taken up.” (n. 126) 

“What Christ entrusted to the apostles, they in turn handed on by their preaching and writing, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to all generations, until Christ returns in glory.” (n.96)

Saints and Heros

ST. MARY MAGDALENE: 

Contrary to Dan Brown’s claims that she is despised, Mary Magdalene is honored as a saint. Her feast day is celebrated on July 22. She was healed of seven demons by Christ, and stayed close to Christ during his crucifixion, when almost all the apostles abandoned him. She was the first one to see Jesus after he rose from the dead and was then sent to tell the the apostles. Tradition has it that she lived with Mary, Jesus’ mother, in Ephesus until she died. Centuries later her relics (her bones) were apparently brought to France. 

ST. PETER CANISIUS: 

(1521-1597) St. Peter lived in a time of controversy. He helped bring back much of southern Germany to Roman Catholicism after the spread of Protestantism He was born into an important family in Holland. While he was doing university studies in Belgium he went on a retreat directed by St. Peter Fabre, a Jesuit priest, and decided to become a Jesuit himself. He gave everything to the poor and dedicated himself totally to his vocation. During his lifetime he traveled constantly, preached many retreats, founded Catholic schools and colleges, participated in many debates with Protestants, and wrote a very large number of books. His most influential book was a Catechism which was very highly read and was reprinted numerous times. He is often called “the Second Apostle of Germany.” He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1925.

Vocabulary:

Celibacy – Not having sexual relations; usually done in order to dedicate oneself more completely to God and others

Clarify – Make more clear and explicit

Devotion – Reliance on or invocation of a saint or holy person

Doctrine – Official teaching

Educate – Teach; instruct; develop the knowledge

Evangelize – To teach and spread the good news of Christ to others.

Heretical – Religious teaching that is incorrect or opposed to Church doctrine

Hoax – Deceit, deception, lie

Honesty – Speaking and acting in the truth

Hypothetical – Only in theory; make-believe

Matrimony – Marriage; sacrament in which a man and a woman give themselves to each other out of love.

Pagan – Non-Christian; ungodly 

“Sacred feminine” – Worship of women as goddesses 

Discussion Questions

1. Where would you fi nd sources of fact, fi ction, or something in between? How do you know, for example, if something you read on the internet is fact or fi ction?

a. First we need to ask ourselves if the author/source is claiming to be fact or fi ction. In the case of the book the Da Vinci Code, you will fi nd the book in the “fi ction” section of libraries and books—although on one of the 1st pages of the book, Dan Brown presents a “facts” page, which itself has untruths. The devil can take a kernel of truth and spin/manipulate it as a tool of deception.

b. As for how do we know if something we read- whether it be on the internet, newspaper, etc. is actually true and not a slanted version/half truth, here are several tools to decipher a writing’s credibility:

i. Is it a trustworthy source? If you don’t know for sure yourself, ask someone who you trust and who has in depth knowledge on the topic

ii. Cross check the information with other reliable sources

iii. If possible, go to original docu ments/sources (in this case the Bible and Catechism, for example) to fi nd the raw data, or original material-not someone else’s reporting/interpreta tion of the material iv. Don’t assume just because you read something, that it is true.

2. How can you say that Jesus is really God?

• a. He did miracles
• b. He taught with authority. He claimed to be God.
• c. He forgave sins, which only God can do.
• d. He was totally unselfi sh, dying for us on a cross
• e. He was holy, not committing any sin f. Death could not defeat him. He rose from the dead. He has power over life and death, which only God has.

3. How do we know that we can trust the Scriptures?

• a. Because God guarantees their truthfulness through the Church
• b. Because the Gospels are honest about the failings of the apostles.
• c. Because the teachings of the Bible, especially the New Testament, help to make us the best human beings possible: more compassionate, unselfish, holy, courageous, centered on God and the important things, generous, etc.

4. What kind of a person was Mary Magdalene, and what kind of relationship did she have to Christ?

a. Mary Magdalene was cured of seven demons by Christ. After that she followed him wherever he went. (Luke 8: 1-3) She was constantly learning from Christ and she was faithful to him even when he was abandoned by the others. (Matthew 27: 55-61; Mark 14: 40-47; Luke 23: 49-56)

b. Some saints thought she might have been the same woman in the Gospels who was caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) or who cleansed Jesus´ feet with her tears. (Luke 7:36-50) Some thought she might also be Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha.(Luke 10:38-42) This is possible, but the Gospels don’t explicitly say these women were Mary Magdalene, so one is free to think either way. The Christian tradition from the Middle East and from the Orthodox Church does not identify her with the adulteress or the woman who cleansed his feet with her tears. 

c. Mary Magdalene is called “the apostle to the apostles.” She was given the task of telling the apostles about Christ’s resurrection before the apostles actually saw the risen Jesus.(Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-11; John 20:1-18)

d. Her relationship with Christ was one of faith. She believed in him. She loved him in a spiritual way, not a physical way, since she understood that he was holy, the Son of God.

5. How can we really say that Jesus was not married?

a. Because he was totally dedicated to his Father and to the spiritual good of souls.

b. He taught clearly that some people can choose to remain celibate for the sake of God and for dedicating all their heart and soul to save souls. It is clear by his lifestyle that he chose this.

c. If he were married, the Gospels would have said this. They tell about the other people who were close and important to him. They never talk about a spouse because his spouse was the Church.

d. He needed to be totally open to everyone, so he did not have an exclusive relationship.

6. How do we know that the Church is trustworthy?

a. Because so many martyrs have given their blood to defend the truth she teaches.

b. Because so many saints have given such tremendous examples of charity and holiness

c. Because the Church has not been afraid to proclaim the truth even when this has brought her misunderstandings and persecutions.

d. Because the Church has preserved its doctrine down through the centuries without changing.

JOURNAL WRITING:

1. Nobody likes to be lied to and to be seen as gullible. Describe a time when someone took advantage of your ignorance, and how you felt afterwards. Or, describe a time when a movie you saw affected your life and the way you thought about things.

2. Imagine that you are in the Gospel scene with Jesus when he asks his Apostles “Who do you say that I am?” Write about who Jesus is for you. Do you know the real person of Jesus? Write at least one way you can get to know him better.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Plan a movie night as an alternative to The DaVinci Code. Take a group of friends to see another movie, and go out for pizza to discuss it. (Over the Hedge is a good one).

2. Put together a classroom special reserve collection of books in the school library related to these topics: Constantine, the Council of Nicea, Lives of the Saints (with Mary Magdalene, etc.) Offer extra credit for the students who read one of these books and present a short summary report to the class.

3. Invite a visiting speaker to the class to bring a copy of Leonardo DaVinci’s painting of “The Last Supper” and to talk about the artistic significance of it. Or, have someone bring the painting in, and present the facts from the USCCB website (below) about the artist and his intentions behind the painting.

4. Establish a weekly time in which students can ask questions about the faith and receive answers. Encourage the students to bring up the questions that others may have asked them, even if they think that they gave a sufficient response, so that the rest of the class can benefit from knowing the answers. The teacher can invite a guest speaker or the pastor to answer the questions, or correspond by email to other scholars if necessary.

FURTHER FORMATION

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church 

126 “We can distinguish three stages in the formation of the Gospels: 

1. The life and teaching of Jesus. the Church holds firmly that the four Gospels, “whose historicity she unhesitatingly affirms, faithfully hand on what Jesus, the Son of God, while he lived among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation, until the day when he was taken up.”99 

2. The oral tradition. “For, after the ascension of the Lord, the apostles handed on to their hearers what he had said and done, but with that fuller understanding which they, instructed by the glorious events of Christ and enlightened by the Spirit of truth, now enjoyed.”100 

3. The written Gospels. “The sacred authors, in writing the four Gospels, selected certain of the many elements which had been handed on, either orally or already in written form; others they synthesized or explained with an eye to the situation of the churches, the while sustaining the form of preaching, but always in such a fashion that they have told us the honest truth about Jesus.”101 

RESOURCES:

• Amy Welborn, 

- De-Coding Da Vinci: The Facts Behind the Fiction of the Da Vinci Code 

- De-Coding Mary Magdalene: Truth, Legend and Lies, 

- The Da Vinci Code Mysteries: What the Movie Doesn’t Tell You

all from Our Sunday Visitor Publications.

• Steven Kellmeyer, Fact and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code, Bridegroom Press

• Carl Olson and Sandra Miesel, The Da Vinci Hoax, Ignatius Press

• Mark Shea and Ted Sri, The Da Vinci Deception: 100 Questions About the Facts and Fiction of The Da Vinci Code, Ascension Press. (www.DavinciAntidote.com) 

• www.JesusDecoded.com (USCCB website about the book and movie)