Review: Nefarious, the Movie

 

The three of us were the only people in the theater to watch Nefarious (although to put it into proper perspective the empty parking lot indicated that the other 19 movies playing at that movie house were equally empty).  At the designated movie start time began the previews of “coming attractions.”  The six previews were all R-rated, and the “highlights,” the scenes to attract your attention to these movies, were all utterly disgusting.  From swearing, cursing, and blaspheming God’s name, to close-up sexual scenes, in a way these previews were actually a perfect introduction to the prime movie, Nefarious.  Nefarious is a movie about evil, demonic possession, and what demons so easily get us to do.

We went to see Nefarious because it was given great reviews --- “up there with The Passion as a movie Christians should watch.”  If your thoughts of The Passion movie jump to the horrible scourging scene, yes, Nefarious has an equally memorable torture scene, but like The Passion the movie Nefarious also has many deeply spiritual words and actions.  The movie presents not only “what” is happening, but also the underlying “why” of the events.  Nefarious showed clearly how the devil often works.  Using what we view as our good intentions, the devil in the movie brags how he convinces us to use grossly sinful ways to achieve these “good” intentions.  He keeps us focused on the outcomes, which we view as highly desirable --- although left unsaid was the fact that we viewed them as highly desirable because in some way they benefited us, and our self-centered-ness.  (I can attest to this truth, as I myself recently acted with good intent, until I was made to see that my intent was being achieved by grossly focusing on my actions, as I ignored the friend I was speaking to.  And, laughably, my topic was how we can better love our neighbor, as I ignored mine!)

My friends and I agreed with the reviews we had heard; this is a movie everyone should see.  Unfortunately, it acts as a mirror that shows us a pimple, and we don’t want to see it.  Nefarious will show most viewers some of their “pimples.” I’m sure the previewed R-rated movies we saw will likely have larger audiences than Nefarious, which further exhibits the need for this movie.  Oh well, perhaps the torture scenes will be emphasized in any Nefarious previews, and act as invites to those R-rated movie goers. 

And THE LIGHT Shines in the Darkness

I did my Tuesday midnight adoration hour, my personal Christmas midnight mass early Christmas morn. It was indeed a holy hour for me, and I felt a great joy.  Later that Christmas morning, I went to attend the 10:30A mass, arriving early to say my Morning Prayers and to light a single small candle at the foot of the statue of Mary.  That action would soon have a renewed significance.

I honestly didn’t notice, as mass began, that the church lights, the many beautiful chandeliers which hang from the church ceiling, were not lit.  I was focused on the beauty of the Christmas morning liturgy.  But come the homily, Fr. Ed focused everyone on the absence of the lights.

“No, we didn’t have a power outage,” he said as he pointed at the lights, “but this morning our light was meant to be there, those six candles surrounding the altar.”  And then he explained further.

In Bethlehem, where we have a sister parish which we support, is the Grotto of the Nativity, the exact spot where it is believed Jesus was born.  Fr. Ed said that he had once visited that site, and “the nativity room is a small, below-ground grotto, lit by a single candle.  It is an awesome experience to be there.  It is the spot The Light came into this world.”

Fr. Ed explained that recently, from that candle at the Grotto of the Nativity, another was lit.  Arrangements were then made to allow that lit flame to be flown on an airliner to this country.  “Actually, when the airlines were told what was being done, they allowed for the exception to their rules and waived the airline fees of the people bringing that light, bringing it here to our church.  That light from the Grotto of the Nativity was the light used to light these six altar candles.”

“And the Light shines in the darkness.”

And Fr. Ed went on to explain how with the Birth of Jesus, the Light came into the darkness and how it was intended to light us, so that we too could shine in the darkness.  His light was just the start; we must continue to transfer that light, to be His light in the darkness of this world.

It was a most moving Christmas homily.  And it gave me a renewed perspective to that single small candle I light each Sunday morning.  I want to be a small light in this world. 

Even as you gave birth to the Light, Mary, strengthen my little flame, and help it to light others.  Amen.

And at the end of the mass they took up a second collection, for our sister parish in Bethlehem.

A Christmas Letter 2019

I'm behind again on posting some reviews of good reads, however I have received some positive comments on my Christmas letter this year, which I enclosed with my cards to distant friends and relatives.  So I post it here, no matter how distant you are.  
The words I wrote apply to you, also.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah!

This has been a year of blessings for many the Lord has brought into my life.  Early this year, I and a few friends moved Jackie out of her dangerous and bug-infested trailer into a new apartment, culminating a 2-year effort, during which she grew in awareness that her life was important, and we’d not give up on her.  Now she maintains a clean home, attends church each Sunday, has connected with once-estranged family members, and knits and does other things “to help those in need”.  And now, when I see her, Jackie smiles.

This year also brought to conclusion my (and others’) efforts to sustain a woman through her long and costly divorce.  When our paths crossed, she was over $100 thousand in debt and at risk of losing her house and custody of her five children, as the nearly 2-year long divorce process dragged on.  The divorce was completed this year; she kept the house, and has full custody of the kids, and she is now totally debt free.

The P.O.R.C.H. project --- Providing Others Renewed Confidence and Hope --- I helped begin last year is now up and running under the care of the Canton Community Foundation.  We are finding the lonely and forgotten in our community and matching them with caring hearts.  With God’s help we will work out any bugs in the process and then next year teach other communities what we have learned: Only people can solve the loneliness and sadness problems in our country, not money.

And finally, I want to mention another effort I supported: the launching of an orphanage for street kids in the Philippines.  John Drake, from Jackson Michigan, was on business in the Philippines about 10 years ago when God put in HIS path a small dirty trailer which used to be a pig slaughterhouse.  He was revolted by the smell, but looked inside and saw young children sleeping on the floor.  When he got back to Michigan, God wouldn’t let him forget what he saw, and finally he KNEW he had to do something.  He went back to the Philippines and started an orphanage for street kids there, and I was one of his early supporters.  The Lingap Center is now rated as one of the best run orphanages in the country (see John’s latest newsletter and just a snippet of what his kids are doing, attached).  John calls me one of the early Lingap founders with him, and the kids there, halfway across the world, pray for me.

John and I took opportunities God put in front of us to merge our talents with that of others God put in our lives to help HIS children.  We did a little thing, and God brought together others to make it happen.  In my old age, I am still learning how we can all, together, make a difference in this world if we are open to God’s call, and trust in His help.  Amazing things can happen; I have seen them.

Crises and tragedies were the beginnings of the good endings I wrote of above.  So, in faith I expect that the many crises and tragedies I and my friends now bear will also see good endings.  I have learned to trust in God.  I once read that without suffering there cannot be growth, and there cannot be love.  The above stories are a witness to that truism.  And I expect that those who are suffering now will find it to be true also, if they can learn to trust, and work with others to make good things happen in this world.

All these people, and you my friends, are always in my prayers.