Go to the Movies

Seeing how everyone has superpowers

12/13/2021

Mt 21:23-27 When Jesus had come into the temple area, the chief priests and the elders of the people approached him as he was teaching and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? And who gave you this authority?” Jesus said to them in reply, “I shall ask you one question, and if you answer it for me, then I shall tell you by what authority I do these things. Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?” They discussed this among themselves and said, “If we say ‘Of heavenly origin,’ he will say to us, ‘Then why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ we fear the crowd, for they all regard John as a prophet.” So they said to Jesus in reply, “We do not know.” He himself said to them, “Neither shall I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

One of my favorite ways to relax and kick back is by watching movies, and my favorite movies are action, superhero movies, like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. See, I do more than just sit around and read the Bible all day! Recently, I saw, probably for the fifth time, the movie “Justice League,” which featured not one superhero, but six: Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Aquaman, and even Cyborg.

Each superhero has a unique “superpower.” My favorite character is Flash, who can run really, really fast. When I was a little kid I even named my bike “Flash” because it was really, really fast. In the movie, Justice League, the various heroes are getting to know each other and Flash asks Batman, “So, what’s your superpower?” And Batman answers coldly: “I am rich.” But Batman used his wealth to help the poor and persecuted in Gotham City.

In the gospel Jesus identifies John the Baptist’s superpowers, namely, baptizing and prophesying. Jesus ask the chief priests and elders of the people: “Where was John’s baptism from?” In other words, do they recognize John had superpowers that came from heaven, a gift of God? But sadly, they answered: “We do not know.” The chief priests should have watched more superhero movies and they could have identified a superpower when they saw one!

In a sense, Jesus had put together his own “Justice League,” comprised of heroic characters like John the Baptist, Peter, James, Mother Mary, Bartholomew, and Jude Thaddeus. Indeed, all the saints are part of Jesus’ “Justice League,” because each with his or her own unique gifts and abilities, is trying to bring God’s justice and mercy to the world.

December 13th is the feast of St. Lucy, who also had a very unique superpower. She is patron saint of people who have eye problems. But before she was famous for curing vision issues, she was from a very wealthy Roman family. And at a very young age, she wanted to give her money away to help the poor. She could say like Batman that her superpower was “I am rich.” But according to tradition, a Roman nobleman wanted to marry Lucy, but she wanted to be completely committed to Christ.

He tried to flatter her by telling her how beautiful her eyes were, so she actually gauged out her eyes and gave them to him since that is what he loved so much about her! The family was astounded, though, when they prepared her body for burial, and found both her eyes were perfectly and beautifully restored. Hence, she is patron saint of people with eye disorders. That is her real superpower, besides being “really rich.” St. Lucy was part of Jesus’ “Justice League” and brought God’s justice and mercy to the world.

Folks, I would suggest to you that it is not only superheroes who have superpowers, but so does each and every person God has made. Every human being, created in God’s image and likeness (Gn 1:27), is endowed with some gift and ability. Maybe you are gifted in music and can play an instrument easily. Perhaps reading and writing are your forte. Maybe languages come easily to you and you can “habla espanol” and “parle francias.”

You may find technology your trick, or you are a magician with math. Your superpower could be cooking and I would love for you to test your superpower on me! Others can draw and design, paint and do pottery and write poetry – that is, they are creative. Or, maybe your superpower is like Batman’s and St. Lucy’s and your answer is “I am rich.” Instead of looking for people’s super-weaknesses (which we all find easy to do), look for their superpowers instead.

In other words, watching superhero movies helps me to see other people not as “ordinary” but as “extraordinary” and I love to ask, like Flash asked Batman, “So, what’s your superpower?” Let me leave you with possibly my all-time favorite quotation from C. S. Lewis. He wrote: “There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations – these are mortal and their life is to ours like the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit – immortal horrors or everlasting splendors.” Oh, by the way, there is a new superhero movie out now called “The Immortals.” Anyone want to go the movies with me?

Praised be Jesus Christ!