Do you remember the successful movie (earned $33 Million) called "Pay it forward" that came out in October of 2000 staring: Helen Hunt, Jim Caviezel, Jon Bon Jone?
I was delighted seeing it when it camae out and thought the story line to be clever and very Christian. Of course you have heard of the golden rule: "Do onto others as you would them to do unto you." Well, this movie says: "Do good onto others as others HAVE done good unto you." Thus any good done unto us needs to be paid forward to others who are unrelated to the good done unto us. For example, in the movie, a man needs a ride...and the owner of the porche not only gives him a ride but gives him the entire vehicle as well! Now seems that the ower of the vehicle had been the recipient of a great agenerous gift. Well, he paid that great gift forward by giving away his porche to a stranger in need!
Well, if this principle is true and Christian, what about all the good that our parents, children, teachers, priests, religious and friends have done for us? How do we pay all that forward!
Here is how a young man named Ken who had been adopted did it:
At age 14, Ken decided to one day pay forward the kindness that his adopted parents did for him. He was determined to adopt a child when he got married. It is interesting how Ken's story became public. Seems there was a talk show on radio going on where there was a heated debate if a child conceived in rape should be aborted or not. The sides were very adamant on both sides. Ken called in and changed the whole tone of the debate. He said that as a teenager he would seek out his birth mother to thank her for having him. It turns out that she had been raped by a man who threatened her life if she revealed his identity to anyone. So, she still could not bring herself to tell Ken, her son, who his father is. But she decided since her child did not do anything wrong being a baby that she would have him and give him life and make sure he was cared for by being adopted.
Ken did get married some years later and adopted a special premature girl who had special needs. He had three other children of his own. When relating his story to the talk show, his voice broke twice as his emotions became too much for him. He then said that he called in to give those babies in the womb a voice because they had no voice. He told the radio audience how much he loved his special little adopted daughter. (as told on EWTN)
Seems that Ken paid forward the love he had received from his birth mother, his adopted parents, and the Love of God in his life.
Everyday God shows His Love for us in some new way.
Here is how I feel we all can share forward the love we have received, too:
1) Love others for their own sake not what you can get back from them.
2) Be kind to strangers you meet on the street. I met one today while walking to Mass...he came with me and went to Mass too...and was hungry to I made him a nice meal. He was grateful and racked my leaves...I let him so that he would have the joy of giving. I helped him and we worked together. He was quite hungry - cleaned the dish...had lots of milk and I gave him something to drink to take with him. Dave was a gift and a grace...he did look homeless....but he was an angel in many respects.
3) Pray for others....counsel and guide the young...give an encouraging
word whenever possible.
4) Try to model and teach COURAGE to others from your heart and life:
Here is some good thoughts about courage from my own life experience:
In my time of 74 years, I have seen a lot. When I was in high school Seminary, Pope Pius XII was in Rome. I even was able to vote for President Kennedy after seeing the his debate with Nixon. I did not vote for Nixon because I told my class mates at University of Detroit that "deep down inside Nixon at his center there was no executor". History proved me right. Even Jesus said to his adversaries who would not listen to reason: "Time will prove where wisdom lies."
Inside President Kennedy there was a true and great person who loved courage in all arenas of life. He was a hero in WWII as a PT Boat Captain and knew courage meant putting your life on the line which in the end he did. I have all the papers for the week when he died. I remember how silent the whole room came to be at Ford Motor Company’s Body engineering: all phones went dead and small groups gathered to mourn our fallen beloved President.
Here are some of his ideas...especially the last page in his Pulitzer Prize in literature book: "Profiles in Courage":
Here is what I read in that book on the last page of his Profiles in Courage, a Pulitzer Prize for literature winner: "In whatever area in life one may meet the challenges of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience - the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men - each man must decide for himself the course he will follow. The stories of past courage can define that ingredient - they can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul."[p. 266]
"Courage is the virtue that President Kennedy most admired. He sought out those people who had demonstrated in some way, whether it was on a battlefield or a baseball diamond, in a speech or fighting for a cause, that they had courage that they would stand up, that they could be counted on." [Robert F. Kennedy's Foreword, p. 9]
"The true democracy, living and growing and inspiring, puts its faith in the people - faith that the people will not simply elect men who will represent their views ably and faithfully, but will also elect men who will exercise their conscientious judgment - faith that the people will not condemn those whose devotion to principle leads them to unpopular courses, but will reward courage, respect honor, and ultimately recognize right." [p. 264]
"For in a democracy, every citizen, regardless of his interest in politics, 'hold office'; everyone of us is in a position of responsibility; and, in the final analysis, the kind of government we get depends upon how we fulfill those responsibilities. We, the people, are the boss, and we will get the kind of political leadership, be it good or bad, that we demand and deserve." [p. 265"For without belittling the courage with which men have died, we should not forget those acts of courage with which men - such as the subjects of this book - have lived ." [p. 266]
"A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality." [p. 266]
-John F. Kennedy
Profiles in Courage
Yes, for that courage, let us all look down into our own souls - where God dwells.5) Love others for their own sake unconditionally. 6) Since your parents changed your diapers so many times, be patient with the unpleasant faults of others. Love the unlikeable. 7) For God's sake be kind to everyone God sends into your life. Amen.
Peace and love, Pio
Bio: Pio Peter Zammit, age 74, father of 6 children and 15 grandchildren offers unique perspectives and life experiences to this case:
1) BA in Philosophy, St. Joseph College, Rensselaer, Indiana;
2) MA in Psychology and post-graduate work in Psychopathology, UDM;
3) Graduate and Under-graduate diplomas in Theology/Pastoral Ministry (summa cum laude), Sacred Heart Major Seminary;
4) 3 years of UD Law school/alumnus (Ford Motor Scholarship): Plaintiff was appointed "Chief Justice" by and for UD Moot Court - twice .
5) Retired with "outstanding performance review" after 34 years with the Ford Motor Company, Body Engineering, as Program Analyst B.
6) Invited to work in the legal department at Ford Motor Company, World Headquarters, 1972.
7)Trained by the Archdiocese of Detroit: gave the Plaintiff experience with "criminal justice" by working in prison ministry for 5 years in Scott Correctional Facility, also in Detroit prison system and in Macomb County correctional system.
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