Meaning of Easter by Fr. Barron

Posting will resume after the first Sunday of Easter.

Have a Happy Easter!

In the meantime, Fr. Barron on the meaning of Easter.

Some points:
Jewish expectations after one dies.
Novel idea of encounter of betrayers and returning betrayed.
Novel idea to bring peace to Earth.

Noah Movie is an Adaptation from the Original Genesis Story And So Is the Church

The Noah movie with Russel Crowe follows the pattern of all book adaptations that I have seen. The movie departs substantially from the book. The question is, how much departure is too much?

Image source: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2014/02/21/do-christians-care-if-noah-movie-jibes-with-bible-survey-says-yep/

Here are three takes on the question:

(1) Fr. Barron "Noah: A Post-Modern Midrash" ("The midrashim—extremely popular in ancient Israel—were imaginative elaborations of the often spare Scriptural narratives.")

[Update 4/15/2014 YouTube: "Fr. Barron comments on 'Noah'"]

(2) The Catholic World Report "Noah: A Theological Reflection: Darren Aronofsky’s controversial film is sometimes divisive and divided, but is also deeply serious about Scripture and essential questions"

(3) Alfonzo Rachel "ZoNATION: Does the Noah Movie Float?"
"Zo knows that liberal Hollywood has long leeched off the Bible to promote their world view. Whether it's making characters that are religious fanatics to make people prejudiced against the Bible, or cherry picking scriptures and twisting what they don't even really believe in to justify their world view. The 2014 Noah movie is no exception."

The traditional Christian understanding of Noah's ark compares it to the Church. The word Church comes from the Latin word ecclēsia (ecclesiastical is the adjective in English). It literally means to "call out from".

In a similar way that Noah, his family, and animals were called out from the fallen, disordered world, Jesus and His Bride the Church are to call all of humanity from its fallen-ness, or sinfulness onto the boat of the Church. We are all called to be passengers on the boat that Jesus built, and baptism is the way onto the boat. We just have to answer the call and follow Jesus on His Way.

Image source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Arche_No%C3%A9_Vaisseau_Eglise.jpg

So, maybe the latest Noah movie departed from the original Genesis Noah story in some substantial ways. The Church also has in some aspects, but She relies on Jesus for the Way to depart from the world today.

 (The picture above shows Noah's Ark in the upper portion, while the lower portion shows Jesus in the boat with His followers, the Church. Many church building show Noah's ark which represents the Church.)

The Search for Spock and the gods of Genesis

***Spoilers Alert!*** Between Star Trek II and III, there were really three main people who wanted the Genesis device and its "secrets": Dr. David Marcus (Kirk's son), Khan, and Klingon Captain Kruge.

Image source: http://cdn.filmschoolrejects.com/images/startrek2_commentary3.jpg

The Genesis device was capable of bringing to life a dead planet or killing a live one for its "new matrix" (or creating a new planet all by itself from nebula matter some how). In either case, already existing matter had to be present to reorganize matter at the subatomic level.

Dr. David Marcus, Khan, and Captain Kruge wanted the power to create or destroy for themselves (for honor and/or "ultimate power"). It was like the battle of the Roman or Greek gods once again, except now, the mortals used science.

The battle raged between them until they were all dead.

On the other hand, God created the universe (or multiverse, etc.) out of nothing. He (not male, just subject placeholder) created all time, matter, and dimensions. The Book of Genesis describes this in a poetic manner, where the point is that God created it out of love, not domination.

For more on this see this video by Fr. Barron.

Fr. Barron on The Hunger Games

***Spoilers Alert!***

Fr. Barron says it best about the first The Hunger Games movie in the video below. All I have to add to Fr. Barron's commentary is the realization that all of the names of the people in the movie were non-Christian names. If The Hunger Games is indeed a movie that relates to this planet and this universe in the future with these name changes, perhaps the fumes of Christianity are really running out as Fr. Barron said may be happening.

Father Barron on Bob Dylan

Every once and a while, I'll be sharing some of what I would like this blog to accomplish via Fr. Barron.

Fr. Barron and the "Geek Priest" from Holland have really inspired this blog to connect pop culture and Christianity.

I hope that you get as much out of my commentaries as you do from at least 10% of Fr. Barron's.

Below is a commentary of his favorite singer, Bob Dylan (Blowing in the Wind and Rolling Stone).

Move Past Spirit of Vatican II

Fr. Barron: Evangelization is one of the three great pillars and missions of Catholicism.



Let's stop debating/meeting about settled issues in order to preach and share the Gospel with Holy-Spirit-inspired boldness.