Everyone likes a good movie/show recommendation. In that spirit, I’ll share one with you. It’s a series called The Search, which was produced by the Augustine Institute and which is available to our parishioners for free through our online FORMED account (you can access it through our parish website). Released last spring, The Search is well worth your time. It is a 7-part video series hosted by Chris Stefanick, with each 30min episode engaging some fundamental question about life.
What makes The Search so effective, besides the beautiful visuals it provides, is that it starts with the basic questions that every person has, even non-religious people. Too often, people in our day presuppose that existence has no intrinsic meaning. If we take for granted that life itself is meaningless, we think it’s up to us to decide for ourselves what life is going to be about. This usually has the effect of making us feel dissatisfied and sad. That’s because our actual desire for meaning always turns out to be greater than any “meaning” we might be able to dream up for ourselves.
This is the insight presented by The Search. It addresses the mystery of human desire, which nothing seems to satisfy except that which transcends the natural world. It examines the question of what it means to be human, and what we mean (and don’t mean) when we speak of God. The program only begins to delve into the identity of Christ Jesus and His significance for us in episode 5, after having laid a compelling foundation that opens our eyes to our need for salvation. Then, finally, the series explains to the viewer why the Church is necessary – what it is, what it isn’t, and what it has to offer us as its members. Throughout the series we hear not only from catechists and priests, but also from scientists, psychologists, artists, a lawyer, and even an astronaut. Their contributions move us to consider again the wondrous world in which we find ourselves, the remarkable and unique strangeness of human beings, and the adventure that life is when we discover that we live it together in relationship with God and each other. If you’re looking for something to watch with your family – especially high school and college students – The Search is a great option. If you do watch it, please let me know what you think.
To access our FORMED account, click here. If you’ve never accessed it before, you will need to “sign up.” Thanks to a generous benefactor, FORMED is provided to you and your families at no cost.
posted 2/27/21
The Parish of St. Cecilia-St. Gabriel 