Sandlot

[Benny, guy in Dodgers hat, has just brought along Smalls to be part of the team, but the guys on the team don't want him.]

I loved this movie growing up.  I wish I had a childhood like this.  None the less, this movie speaks to a current issue that we have today, but also something about our faith.  It speaks of bullying, the team calling him a "geek, L-7 weenie," and all sorts of other insults.  So the Smalls can't play baseball right now, does that mean he is a loser?  So often kids make fun of other people when they have faults of their own.  We need people like Benny to stand up to the bullies of our world.  We need those who see the person on the outside looking in to bring them in, and defend them. Notice the criteria that Benny uses to argue for why Smalls should be allowed to play because Yeah-yeah is part of the game, which means other people should be allowed too.  How else do you think that Yeah-yeah learned how to play in the first place?  Somebody was nice enough to show him how to play.

This leads into the point that is important about our faith.  We are meant to share our faith, not meant to keep it in all the time.  This group of ball players would have been happy to keep playing the way they have always been playing, but if they did that, then their time would eventually die out, just like our faith.  "Faith is not a personal treasure like a bank account or something to be kept in a strong box. A faith that is not shared with others might as well be embalmed." -Pope Francis.  Pope Francis states this so well.  We are meant to have a faith that is contagious and outreaching.  We, as a Church, have been in a defensive mode for so long, but we are not meant to hold on to our life, but rather lose it for His sake.  It is risk that God requires of us.  Attempt to live outside your comfort zone.  Reach out to the so called "losers."  Love people, bring them along to things.  Take the time this weekend to invite somebody to Mass.  

Karate Kid

[Daniel has just gotten done doing a lot of work for Mr. Miyagi, after Mr. Miyagi promised to teach Daniel Karate.  He asked Daniel not to question him, but told him to do all that he asked. Daniel was fed up with doing all these chores for Mr. Miyagi.]

How often are we in this position with God?  We are so upset at what He makes us do?  It seems so pointless, just a bunch of rules to follow that seem to have nothing to do with what I really want.  I would be wrong to think that, just as much as Daniel was wrong to think that Mr. Miyagi was not teaching him Karate.  Miyagi promised Daniel that he would and he did.  This is the same way that Christ looks at us.  He asks us, "do you want to be my disciple, do you want to follow me?"  We say yes, but then we complain about following Him.  

Take this opportunity as the time that God is speaking to you and telling you the reason you have been following the rules is so that you do learn what you set out to do in the first place.  So often people wonder how "following the rules" of the Church, or doing the "right thing" will make us happy.  It is precisely in doing those things that disposes to be happy.  Just as Daniel thought these things had nothing to do with Karate (his goal), we often think that rules have nothing to do with happiness.  Daniel did these tasks, learned the movements for Karate so that when he was attacked he would know what to do, he learned Karate without even knowing it.  We learn what it is to be human by following the rules that Christ has laid done for us.  These rules dispose us to be able to actually handle the problems of life, and retain joy in the face of sorrow. 

The goal of the Christian life is to recognize how He is loving me and teaching me in the mundane tasks of life,  going to work, changing diapers, taking out the trash, loving your kids, being patient with your brother or sister, mom or dad.  Daniel could not see that Karate is contained in the chores of life, just as we cannot see Christ in those same chores, but do not give up hope.  Daniel came to realize slowly, just as we are called to.  Ask God to reveal Himself in the mundane task of today.