Welcome to the Reflection and Discussion Guide for Son of God.

The purpose of this Guide is to assist those who have viewed the movie Son of God to deepen their faith and to meditate on the important truths the film conveys. The Guide consists of five Scripture verses taken from six separate scenes of Son of God: the Creation of the world, the Incarnation, the Call of Saint Peter, the Walking on Water, the Last Supper, and the confrontation between Jesus and Pilate. This Guide is simple and easy to use. It allows for a flexible approach. There are four principal movements. First, Sacred Scripture is the inspired and revealed Word of God. Therefore, this Guide is based foremost on the verse of Sacred Scripture that appears in numbered and bold print in this guide. Each verse is selected based on its use in the movie, Son of God. The second movement essential to this Guide is that the reader views the entire movie, Son of God. This is crucial, since the scenes from the movie can serve as a type of meditation on the identified and highlighted Scriptural verse. The third movement takes place in the several brief paragraphs on the following pages that follow each verse. These paragraphs serve as a reflection on both the Scriptural verse and the scene from the movie. Finally, based on the Scriptural reference, the movie, and the reflection, several reflection/discussion questions follow each reflection. This Guide can easily be used individually or with a group. In whatever manner you choose to use this Reflection and Discussion Guide, recall that the Holy Spirit is THE Guide, the One Who leads us into the full truth about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Rev. Msgr. J. Brian Bransfield is a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. He currently serves as the Associate General Secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. He is the author of Meeting Jesus Christ: Meditations on the Word and Living the Beatitudes: A Journey to Life in Christ and The Human Person: According to John Paul II, among other works. 2

The Creation of the World

1) In the beginning... (Gn 1:1; Jn 1:1).
The opening scene of this epic movie, Son of God does not simply provide a convenient starting point for the film. The opening scene does far more. It forms and sets the truth of the spiritual scene as well. The very first sounds we hear in the movie are the sounds of water and the crackling of fire. The opening frame passes from the dark screen, to a view of the mighty waters of the deep, and then the crackling fire. The first words we hear are In the beginning... Immediately, by sight and sound, we are plunged into the creative event of God at the very foundation of the world. Those first words, In the beginning..., are not just any words. They are the inspired word of Sacred Scripture, The Bible. They are, in fact, the very first words of the Book of Genesis, as well as the very first words of The Gospel of Saint John. Genesis, the first book of the entire Bible, tells us an important truth about God, us and the world: In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, and the earth was without form or shape, with darkness over the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over the waters (Gn 1:1-2). The Gospel of Saint John tells us the exact same truth from another theological perspective, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (Jn 1:1). In its opening moments, Son of God draws on both the Old Testament and the New Testament to witness to the crucial truth that God is the creator of all that is. Just as its opening words, the opening scene of Son of God reiterates the truth of Creation. The scene reminds us of the description of the opening scene of Creation itself. Its all there: We first see the dark screen and hear the waters of the deep; then we see the waters as light spreads. The darkness and the water represent the primeval chaos. Next we hear the crackling of the fire and see the flames. We can almost feel their warmth against the grey, formless seas. The fire represents the light of the Holy Spirit of God. His Spirit moved over the surface of the waters in the moment of Creation. The man we see in the opening scene of the movie Son of God, is St. John the Apostle. St. John is also an Evangelist, that is, he is the human author of the fourth Gospel. We recognize the opening scene as St. John in exile on the Isle of Patmos. He is composing the fourth Gospel.

Overall, three important truths already emerge. First, notice the presence of the Trinity: the Father creates the world through His Son by the action of the Holy Spirit. God reveals himself as a mystery of three divine Persons in one God. Second, God creates the world out of His abundant love and unsurpassable generosity. Man has not done anything to cause God to create. Creation and human life are sheer gifts from God. Third, the words that Saint John is speaking, the opening verse of the fourth Gospel, are inspired by God. Saint John speaks them as he tends the fire. This image reminds us of the teaching on Biblical Inspiration: the Holy Spirit assists the human author, in this case, Saint John, to hand on faithfully and free from error the truth that God has made known for our salvation. Remember the words of Saint Paul in 2 Tim 3:16: All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching.

Reflection/Discussion questions
A) Many people begin their day in a hurried rush. This is understandable as we have many responsibilities to take care of. As Christians, how do we begin our day? As busy as we are, isnt it important that we find a way to recall that each day is Gods creation and that we are called to honor His gift? What prevents us from remembering God at the beginning of our day? What can help us to remember God at the beginning of our day? B) As Christians, how do we begin our week? Do we honor God through keeping the Lords Day holy? How can we plan to make sure that we worship God on Sunday through attending and participating in the life of the Church? C) When was the last time you or I read the Bible? Does the Bible, the inspired Word of God, have an honored place in our home? Is it possible for my family to sit down together every day to read even a short passage of the Bible together? Each day God recreates and reforms me through the light of His grace. How is Gods light coming alive in me and how do I share that light with others?

The Incarnation
2) And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us (Jn 1:14).
Son of God next describes the mighty deeds of God that take place in the history of salvation: the creation of man and woman, the preservation of Noah, the call of Abraham, the transformation of Moses and the call of Israel, the struggle for the Promised Land, the victory of Joshua. The film is drawing attention to the crucial point: all of these deeds which are wrought by God in the time of the Old Testament on behalf of His people come about in and through the Word. The Narrator paraphrases the truth of The Gospel of Saint John and tells us that Gods Word was the light shining in the darkness .... Already, in the early frames of the film, the truth of Genesis, God created the heavens and the earth (Gn 1:1), joins with the astonishing truth of St. John, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. All things came to be through him (Jn 1:1,3). The Old Testament and New Testament unite and lead us to the wonder of the Incarnation: the One through Whom the world was created, the One Who acted to save His people time and again, has become flesh. The Narrator highlights the utterly astounding truth: This light not only acted on behalf of Gods people through prophecies and events, but He came into the world. All of the promises of God are brought to fulfillment in the coming of Christ. Saint John proclaims, And the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us (Jn 1:14). 4

This great truth is portrayed as we see Saint Joseph with the Blessed Mother searching for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Here, the film depicts the account of the birth of Jesus which we find in the Gospel of Saint Luke (Lk 2:1-7). St. Joseph travels to Bethlehem with Mary, who has conceived Jesus in her womb by the power of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35). The Holy Family is there to be enrolled in the census by order of Caesar Augustus. While Joseph and Mary are there, Mary is ready to give birth. There is no room for them in the place where travelers were to lodge (Lk 2:7). They take shelter in a stable. Mary gives birth to Jesus and places Him in the manger. In the film, Our Lady is asked the name of her Son. Mary responds, His name is Jesus. This moment of the film, Son of God captures the crucial truth of Christianity and deserves careful meditation. Jesus is the name the angel Gabriel gave to Him at the moment of the Annunciation. When Mary says yes to God, to be the mother of his only Son, it is then, at that moment that she conceives the Son of God, the Word, in her womb. Yet, Mary herself testifies that she is a Virgin. The Child she conceives is truly her own. She conceives not by a husband, but by the power of the Holy Spirit; thus the Child born to her is the Son of God. Jesus, Son of God and Son of Mary, is true God and true man.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
A) Jesus, the Son of God, the Word made flesh, is at the center of the movie Son of God. Is He also at the center of my life? What does it/would it mean for Jesus, true God and true man, to be at the center of my life? B) What does it/would it mean for me to have a personal relationship with Jesus in and through the Church? C) What is the joyful and most blessed part of being a Christian? What is the most difficult part of being a Christian? D) How would you explain to someone who has not heard of Jesus the importance of His birth?

The Call of Saint Peter

3) I will make you fishers of men (Mt 4:19; Mk 1:17).
The scene that depicts the call of Saint Peter the Apostle begins with Jesus walking through the mountains and arriving at the Sea of Galilee. Jesus looks out on the coastline. We immediately sense the echo from Genesis once again: God looked at everything that he had made, and he found it very good (Gn 1:31). There is a second reminder of Genesis as well: Jesus pauses in front of the sea and breathes deeply. One recalls immediately the Spirit hovering over the water: a mighty wind sweeping over the waters (Gn 1:2). As in Genesis, God is about to create once again. He is about to recreate Peter. And Peter, as we shall see, is very much in need of recreating. A fishing village spreads across the shoreline. There are many boats, nets and people going about their daily difficult work. Jesus walks amongst them to the edge of the water. Peters boat is just now returning to shore. Jesus stands a few yards from the water, from Peters boat. The Lord is thinking, still praying. He grips a smooth small rock in his hand. He is already envisioning Peter. It is the Lord who will change Peters name from Simon to Peter, meaning rock, and place him in authority over His Church (Mt 16:18; Jn 21:15-19).

In the movie account, Jesus asks Peter a simple question: Do you need help? Peter responds abruptly, I am not looking for any help. And beside there is nothing to help with. Peter is full of excuses. Notice the difference between the Lord and Peter. For the past several moments of the film Jesus has been looking, gazing across the mountains and the sea. And he sees Peter. Peter on the other hand, by his own admission ...is not looking... Peter is trapped in his own world at this point. Peter mistakes Jesus offer for help: Peter thinks Jesus wants to help him catch fish. But Jesus wants to help Peter become everything God has called Peter to be. Jesus enters the water and wades out to Peters boat. Notice, here the Lord does not walk on the water. That would be too much for Peter at this point. Jesus strides into the water. Peter protests again. You cannot just climb into my boat. Jesus agrees and asks Peter for help. Exasperated, Peter extends his hand. Jesus then tells Peter, Were going fishing. Peter replies, There are no fish out there this time of day. In fact, there are no fish out here any time of day. We see the fear and resistance of Peter. Yet, Jesus calmly persists and promises Peter that he will give him a whole new life. Peter repeats that there are no fish to be caught that day. Peter rows out from shore. Jesus reaches over the side of the boat and stirs the water with His fingers. The hand of God is moving over the waters. It was the finger of God that inscribed the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stone (Ex 31:18). The finger of God is now moving over the surface of the sea and of Peters very existence. Peters resistance is transformed into astonishment as the fish fill his nets. Peter is led from the miracle of the great catch to ask about the identity of Jesus. Jesus says, Peter, come with me. Give up catching fish and I will make you a fisher of men. Peter asks, What are we going to do? Jesus responds, Change the world. The Gospel message begins with a call to repentance. The Greek word for repentance means change. Jesus is summoning Peter to call the world to repentance, to turn to the life of grace and virtue.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
A) When and where do you and I resist the Lord? What excuses do we use to keep doing our own thing and not follow Jesus? B) When did Jesus encounter me with a call to follow Him? C) What is Jesus calling you and me to in our lives today? Have we been faithful to His call? D) What do you and I need to allow God to change in our life? How can we do that?

The Walking on Water

4) Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore, was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it. During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came toward them, walking on the sea (Mt 14:24-25; Mk 6:45-52; Jn 6:16-21).
The Scriptural account of Jesus walking on the water follows the account of the miraculous multiplication of the loaves and fish. After Jesus fed the crowd the excited masses wanted to carry Him off to force him to be King. As is so often the case, the crowd misunderstands the message of Jesus. The Kingdom that Jesus proclaims is not a worldly Kingdom. His glory will come only through the Cross. Jesus flees from the crowd.

After he has fled the crowd, Jesus spends the night in prayer apart from the disciples. He has told his followers to go ahead to the other side of the lake. The disciples embark from the shore in a boat. The boat represents the Church. Notice the wooden mast of the boat, as it is being hoisted, is reminiscent of the Cross. The Cross of Jesus and the Church are directly connected, for it is on the Cross that the Lord offers His sacrificial self-gift, His body, to His Bride, the Church. The Church is never simply an institution. She always remains the gift of Jesus Christ through whom He bestows the Holy Spirit on the world. The sea, often turbulent, represents the world. Jesus sends His Church forth into the world always with the power of the sign of His Cross. In the scene, a violent storm arises on the sea. Ominous dark clouds gather quickly. The thunder drums as heavy rains pour down upon the sea and the boat that carries the disciples. Lightning streaks across the sky repeatedly, ripping into the dark clouds. As if in response, the lake swells as high and turbulent waves roll, turning the once placid surface into a high valley and mountain of water. It is as if sea and sky are in a race to continuously outdo one another in sinking the boat. The craft is tossed about like a childs toy. It is in danger of being swamped. The Church never fails to meet the dangers of the world. The temptation is to turn back in the face of fear and danger. The disciples work feverishly to do all they can to remain on course and afloat. Notice in the film that St. Peter stays at the helm. When Thomas demands to turn back, Peter recalls the commission of the Lord. As our Christian journey becomes difficult, as we face painful and perplexing situations, we can react the same way. We are tempted to turn back, to abandon the journey that the Lord has directed. Notice what happens for the disciples. It is just at this moment of supreme difficulty that one of the disciples suddenly asks, What is that? They now see a mysterious human figure in the distance coming toward them walking on the water. In the panicked scene, Thomas says, It is a ghost. They then realize it is Jesus walking toward them on the sea in the midst of the threatening storm. As we see Jesus walk on the water, we are reminded of the primeval waters at the moment of Creation. Just as he walks on the waters of the stormy lake, so too he was present over the tumultuous and formless waters described in Genesis (1:2), for all things came to be through him (Jn 1:3). Jesus calls to Peter and summons Peter to walk to him across the water. The Lord tells Peter not to be afraid. Peter begins to walk on the water toward Jesus. As he walks, Peter is distracted by the storm and takes his eyes off Jesus and begins to sink. Notice that it is only when Peter concentrates on the danger and the threat that he begins to sink. So long as he keeps his eyes fixed on Jesus he can walk on the water. In the ancient world, going under the water is a symbol of death. As Peter sinks, at the most dire moment, Jesus reaches forth His arm, just as He will on the Cross, and saves Peter from the depths of the sea. Only Jesus can save man and deliver him from the dangers of sin and death. Just as He saved Israel through the waters of the Red Sea (Ex 14), the Lord now saves Peter. The prophet Isaiah foretold that the Lord opens a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters (Is 43:16). Jesus walking on the water is a miracle that further strengthens Peters confession of faith in the divinity of Jesus. As Job says in the Old Testament, it is the Lord alone who tread on the back of the sea (Job 9:8). The Book of Wisdom says that the Lord has furnished even in the sea a road, and through the waves a steady path (Wis 4:3). The walking on the water is meant to lead the Apostles and disciples even further into the mystery of the identity of Jesus as the only Son of God. The miracles of the loaves showed that Jesus had power over food, over bread. The miracles of the walking on water showed that He had power over nature and over His own body. Later, He will bring these two together as He turns bread into His body at the Last Supper.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
A) When have you and I felt that the Christian journey was becoming too much for us? When are we tempted to turn back? B) When have we had the sense that God is acting even in the dark and painful times of our life? C) Do we trust that God reaches forth His hand to save us? Why is it difficult to trust? How can trust grow?

The Last Supper

5) This is my body which will be given up for you... This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood (Lk 22:19-20; Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; 1 Cor 11:23-29).
At the time of the Passover Meal, Jesus sits at table with the Twelve Apostles. He celebrates the Last Supper with them. The Last Supper takes place on Holy Thursday evening, the night before Jesus dies. In the course of the meal, Jesus takes bread and wine and, as an everlasting pledge of His divine love, and so that He might always be joined to the faithful members of his Church, institutes the Sacrament of His Sacred Body and Precious Blood. Jesus, by His words, associates the bread and the wine on Holy Thursday evening with His sacrifice on the Cross that is to take place the next day, Good Friday. At the word of Jesus, the bread and wine become His true Body and Blood. He empowers and commissions the Apostles to do this in memory of Him. Thus, in instituting the Eucharist, the Lord also institutes the holy priesthood. In doing this the Lord perpetuates and extends the sacrifice He will make on the Cross so that His gift of love may be shared until He comes again. The Church has been faithful to this command of Jesus from the very beginning, particularly in the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 16:2). The weekday celebration of Mass is also of specific importance in growth in holiness. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass makes present and sacramentally offers Christs one, perfect and unique sacrifice on the Cross by which he accomplished the work of salvation and atoned for sin. The Eucharist is therefore the center and culmination of the Churchs sacramental life and mission. The bread and wine is changed, by the power of the Holy Spirit and the action of the priest in pronouncing the words of consecration, that is, the words of Jesus spoken over the bread and the wine, into the Body and Blood of Christ.

Jesus is present in an utterly unique way in the Eucharist. The bread looks like, tastes like and appears to be bread, but it is no longer bread. It is the Body of Christ. The same is true of the wine. The wine looks like, tastes like and smells like wine, but it is no longer wine. It is the true Blood of Jesus. The whole Christ, body, blood, soul and divinity, is present in the Eucharist, really, truly and substantially. The Eucharist is the superabundant source of untold grace and virtue. The Lord said, Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him (Jn 6:56). The Lord thus makes us sharers in His absolute victory over sin and death. The faithful who have carefully prepared themselves, and are properly disposed in the state of grace, are invited to receive Christ in the Eucharist during Mass. By this action, the believer shares reverently in the sacrifice of the Lord. The Church likewise reserves the Blessed Sacrament so that it may be taken to the sick who are not able to attend Mass because of their illness and especially to the dying so that they may receive viaticum in preparation for a holy death. All have the opportunity to venerate and adore the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament reserved in the tabernacle in church or placed on the altar in the monstrance. Feasts such as the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ, or Corpus Christi, are opportunities to offer special thanks to God for the treasured gift of His Son. Nourished by this Sacrament, our communion and bond with the Church is strengthened. In the Eucharist we give praise and thanks to God the Father for the great work of salvation won in Christ His Son by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Eucharist prefigures the fulfillment of the life of grace in the glory of the heavenly banquet (Rev 19:9) and gives us the strength we need in our journey to eternal life.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
A) Do you and I recognize the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, especially on Sunday, as a gift? How might we prepare better to participate in Mass and to receive the Lord? Why do you think the Holy Eucharist is referred to as the Source and Summit of the Catholic faith? B) Is the Holy Eucharist, Jesus gift of Himself, at the center of our lives? Do you believe the Holy Eucharist can help you become a better person? How important is that to you? How can we better live the Holy Eucharist throughout the week? C) The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. Are we generally thankful? How might we live more in a spirit of gratitude? 9

The Confrontation with Pilate

6) For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth (Jn 18:37).
In this scene, Pilate interrogates Jesus. At first, the Lord is blindfolded. The eyes that see from end to end of the universe blindfolded. The creature blindfolds his own Creator and attempts to hide before Him. Recall that Adam and Eve hid before the presence of the Lord in the Garden after Original Sin (Gn 3:8). The hands of the Lord are also chained. Man attempts to tie the very hands that formed and shaped the oceans and the mountains. And so, the most pivotal and consequential courtroom trial in all of history commences. Pilate commands Jesus, Are you the King of the Jews? (Jn 18:33). The identity of Jesus is the ultimate question placed to the human race. No other question in human history looms as large. The Lord answers Pilate: Do you say this on your own or have others told you about me? (Jn 18:34). Already Jesus has turned the tables on Pilate. Jesus is now the Witness and the Judge. Pilate becomes the defendant. Pilate asks Jesus a second time, Are you the King of the Jews? (Jn 18:33). In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus responds, My kingdom does not belong to this world. If my kingdom did belong to this world, my attendants [would] be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not here (Jn 18:36). The Lord is inviting Pilate into the mystery. But it is not Pilate who is blindfolded by fear and power. Pilate repeats his question a third time: Then you are a king? (Jn 18:37). All Pilate has in the presence of the Lord are questions. Jesus answers, You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice (Jn 18:37). Next, Pilate asks Jesus, What is truth? (Jn 18:38). At this point in the film, Jesus looks up and his face is bathed in light. Jesus looks to His Father in heaven and the light of the Holy Spirit illumines the face of the Son of God. Pilate glances up briefly and then walks away. Truth is not simply an abstract notion or a theorem. Truth, above all else, is a Person: Jesus Christ is THE ultimately truthful One. He is truth itself. He is the Way and the Truth and the Life (Jn 14:6). People today glance at the truth. Modern man glances at the truth of Christ. The question is whether the glance will become a gaze. The Lord allows His light to shine on all people in and through His Church. Sadly, like Pilate, some choose to hide from the truth of Christ, to attempt to blindfold the Lord, and even to walk away from this truth. The Lord summons us to be truthful in our words and actions and to avoid all duplicity and hypocrisy. We ought never to be ashamed of the Lord Jesus and of testifying to the Truth. We ought never to neglect the truth or reject it. Putting away falsehood (Eph 4:25) is not always easy. Many situations require the Christian to stand up and witness to his or her faith. The light of Christ shines in our conscience, and the gifts of courage and counsel illumine our path, so that we can witness the truth of Christ before all the world and fulfill our obligations to the Lord. We are assisted in this great task by the Sacraments and the teaching of the Church that guides us to profess the true faith and preserves us from error.

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Only the revealed truth of Christ, found and handed on in the teaching of His Church can truly set men and women free (Jn 8:32; 17:17) and make them holy. Truth is the way of salvation. The truth of Christ and the teaching of the Church do not contradict right reason. In fact, faith and reason align to form the transcendent vocation of the human being. Faith is the free assent to the entire truth that God has revealed in Jesus and through His Church. The Holy Spirit assists the believer in accepting and learning the truth of Christ. The example of the Christian life is sorely needed every day. Our modern culture is rife with relativism and skepticism, the neglect of an abiding objective truth in everyday life. We are called and strengthened to live our faith in every situation we encounter. In all charity, we witness to the inviolable dignity of human life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death, to the need to care for the poor, feed the hungry and welcome the stranger.

Reflection/Discussion Questions
A) Which truth taught by the Lord do you find most difficult to understand? Which truth of the Lord do you find most difficult to communicate and share with others? B) What are some of the occasions youve found yourself in where you had the opportunity to witness to the truth? Did you feel apprehension? What are some of the ways in which faith and reason align? C) Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to defend the truths of the faith? Could you imagine such a situation? What can you and I do to share the truth of Jesus Christ, in all charity, with our neighbors, family and friends?

Conclusion
The reader may have noticed that the accounts of the crucifixion of Our Lord and His Resurrection are not reviewed in this Discussion Guide. This is not an oversight; it is an invitation. The reader is invited to gather this week for Sunday Mass in his or her local Catholic Parish, and also to gather during the annual Holy Week celebration to take part in the Sacred Triduum, that is, the liturgy of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. Only in these holy moments does this Discussion Guide fulfill its true purpose: to lead the reader to experience the mystery of Christ directly. Seeing the movie Son of God is a first step. Reflecting on this classic film is a second step. The third step is perhaps the most important: We must now go forth again and tell people about the beauty and truth of Jesus Christ and Him crucified, risen, ascended to the Father and alive in His Church. As we do so we are not alone. We are never alone. The Holy Spirit is with us, and Our Lady, the Blessed Mother, guides us to Her Son. In the community of the Church, and assisted by all the angels and saints, we call to the world yet again in order to witness to the everlasting truth that Jesus Christ is truly the Son of God.
Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States of America, second typical edition 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC. Used with permission. Son of God: Catholic Companion Reflection Guide 2014 J. Brian Bransfield. All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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