Becoming a Source of Hope to Those Around Us

One of my favorite movies—one that’s always shown on TV every year on February 2—is Groundhog Day, which is widely considered one of the best comedies ever made. As many of you no doubt know, it stars actor Bill Murray as a vain, self-centered TV weatherman in Pittsburgh named Phil Connors, who is sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities at the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney. Supposedly, if the groundhog there sees his shadow during the annual outdoor ceremony that morning, there will be six more weeks of winter. In the movie, Phil becomes trapped in an unexplained time loop, forcing him to repeat the events of February 2 over and over again—without anyone else realizing it. Once Phil figures out what’s going on, it occurs to him that he can do whatever he wants without any consequences—so he gorges himself on high-calorie food, steals money from an armored car picking up bank deposits, gets drunk, tries to pick up women, punches an annoying former high school classmate who’s now an insurance agent, gets arrested by the police for reckless driving, impresses people watching TV by shouting out all the answers to the questions on that night’s episode of Jeopardy, kidnaps the groundhog, gives into despair and tries to commit suicide in various ways, gets rejected and slapped again and again by Rita, the news crew’s producer, and so on. Each time Phil wakes up the next morning, back to square one—Groundhog Day is beginning all over again.

The movie shows different versions of February 2, each with unique events, thirty-nine times—though the director and the actors later said this was meant to represent a period of time lasting anywhere from seven to ten years. Eventually Phil begins to change for the better, mainly because he genuinely wants to win Rita’s affection and respect. He gradually but sincerely becomes kind, thoughtful, and truly concerned about others, spending his free time doing all sorts of good deeds, saving people’s lives and solving their problems. By the end of the movie Phil’s character is completely transformed, and he finally awakens on February 3 with the chance to move on with Rita, while having a new outlook on life. Sometimes people do change for the better, with their true inner self finally becoming visible; in effect, their light begins to shine forth as they become the persons God intended them to be. Today, of course, the Church isn’t celebrating Groundhog Day, but the Presentation of the Lord, in which Jesus was revealed as the true Light of the world. Unfortunately, many people remain trapped in the darkness of sin—and so, as Christ’s disciples, we are called to let His light shine forth through us.

One reason it’s painful and depressing to be caught in the darkness of sin and error is that it seems there’s no way out; therefore, it’s easy to give into despair and lose all hope. This was humanity’s condition before the coming of Jesus; the original sin of Adam and Eve meant the gates of Heaven were closed, with even holy and righteous persons being judged unworthy of eternal life. That’s why Simeon, a true servant of God, was so happy to see the infant Jesus, Whom he called “a light of revelation to the Gentiles, and glory for [God’s] people Israel.” Simeon knew, by means of a private revelation from the Holy Spirit, that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah or Savior. Simeon himself had once been the Jewish high priest, a position that rotated from year to year. It was the duty of the high priest to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people, but these had no power to forgive sins. However, the Letter to the Hebrews tells us that Jesus came into the world as “a merciful and faithful high priest” to take away our sins and restore us to God’s grace, and the prophet Malachi foretold that He would refine sinners like gold or silver, purifying them by the forgiveness of their sins. The appearance of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus in God’s Temple in Jerusalem truly was a turning point, and a promise that the long reign of sin was coming to an end.

When we were born, we inherited a share of original sin, and—on our own—we were powerless to do anything about it. Through Baptism, however, this sin was washed away, and we became part of God’s family and members of His Church. This wonderful grace was deepened when we received First Communion, strengthened in Confirmation, and is renewed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Each day we are meant to grow a bit more in our faith and come a little closer to Jesus—and when we do, we are allowing His light to shine ever more brightly through us. This is a great privilege—and a heavy responsibility. People who know we’re Catholic may be attracted to the Church, or repelled by it, based on our words and example—which means we must make it a priority to be kind, helpful, caring, forgiving, and accepting toward others, treating them the way we wish to be treated. If we’re not sure what that means in any particular situation, we can silently pray, “Holy Spirit, help me to know and do what You desire,” and then act on the inspiration and use the grace we’re given. Even if we’re involved in just a simple encounter or a small event, God’s grace can truly shine forth, thereby making a real difference in the world.

In the movie, Phil Connors changed completely; he no longer spread clouds of cynicism and selfishness, but became an honest and compassionate person able to bring the light of peace and joy to those around him. We probably won’t experience anything quite that dramatic, but by opening our hearts to the fullness of God’s grace, we too can become a source of light and hope to those around us. Jesus is inviting us to live in this spirit—not only today, but throughout the coming year.