Hello groupmates! Sorry, something went wrong when I sent my post. Just sharing my reflection on the movie Ice Age 3.
The Mammoth couple, Manny and Ellie, are going to have a baby. Manny couldn't wait for the baby to be born that he was constantly doing his preparation for its coming.
Later on, a number of issues were presented in the story. Diego, the sabretooth decided that he had to go because, apparently, living a family life diminished his natural skills as a predator. Manny got disappointed at Diego because of this belief. Sid, feeling that he was being left out, decided to find a family for himself.
On Sid's quest for a new family, Sid found dinosaur eggs which he took and treated as his own babies. When Manny found out about the eggs, he told Sid it will not be good to keep them and asked him to take them back. The story went on until they later realized that it was already too late for the eggs to be taken back. The mother of the eggs already arrived and was furiously searching for her lost eggs.
In her search for the lost eggs, she destroyed everything that got on her way including what Manny had prepared for his soon-to-be-born baby. When she saw three baby dinosaurs who were with Sid, she recognized that they were her own babies. She took the babies and unknowingly also took Sid together with them.
Early at this point of the movie, it showed that the emphasis of the movie is about the value of family. Even when eggs weren't hatched yet and even when the baby mammoth wasn't born yet, the parents were already protecting them. There is a joyous anticipation of their unborn's birth and of the hatching of the unhatched egg embryos. It also gave different perspective about having their own family.
Ice Age 3 taught how to value friendship. When Sid got taken, Manny, Ellie and the rest of the herd tried to save Sid. They were willing to go through all the dangers even when Ellie, the lady mammoth, is about to give birth anytime soon.
It also demonstrated what it means to be a part of a family. Nowadays, some people think that family life slows them down, as Diego the Sabretoth thought. People sometimes avoid this life because of their desire to easily prosper in their respective careers without loosing focus caused by concern for other people. Yes, self-sacrifice is an integral part of family life, but furthermore, it is in it that we also find the purpose of our existence.
Our gifts and talents are meant for helping other people. Our purpose in this planet is not just to live for ourselves, but to glorify the Lord by serving Him and our neighbors.
In Pope Benedict XVI's Encyclical "Spe Salvi", it is highlighted that every Christian's role is to save oneself and to save others. One's process of salvation cannot be separated from the necessity to contribute in other people's salvation. That is why, when referring to Jesus' commandment, it is written that the 'one' commandment that overarches every thing is the love of God and the love of neighbors. We strive to achieve true happiness which is not limited for ourselves alone. It is the happiness that is in Christ which unites us to the whole Church.
When we have our own family, one of the parent's responsibity is the family's protection and support . And as what the herd has shown, they as a family were united to help rescue their friend Sid. Our unity moves us to help to our brothers and sisters who are materially and spiritually in need. Even those members of the Church family who have died, who have gone to heaven or purgatory, are very much part of that Church's unity, constantly praying for our truimph in this earthly journey.
In the middle of the story, while searching for Sid, the herd stumbled upon Buck who had developed great survival skills against a creature that many have dreaded. It was a great blessing when Buck offered the herd his much needed help. Buck's purpose is to protect other animals from Rudy. He was so sure he wanted to stay and keep fighting Rudy to the point that he destroyed the bridge to the outside world that is free from Rudy's terror. He finds meaning in fighting and controlling Rudy. For us, we also try to discern God's call for us which leads us also to find our own happiness. As Bo Sanchez have said, God calls us to a role where we have our happiness, talent and passion. The presence of these elements are the indicators where we'll find our vocation in life, where God's plan for us is.
Buck displayed a selfless act helping Manny and friends look for Sid. He knows that the search and rescue operation is dangerous, but he still helped them. He doesn't have in mind anything in exchange for it. He just wanted to help them avoid the dangers that he had been before. For Christians, we are called to help other people. We are called to have compassion for our neighbors who are in need. We should be sensitive to the situation of the needy in order for us to respond with charity. In consoling others, we make our presence felt and let the needy know that we haven't forgotten them. Buck is also a symbol of Christ. As Buck has encountered the danger of facing Rudy, even to the point of being almost eaten by him, Christ has experienced human suffering and death. Just as Rudy truimphed over Rudy, so also Christ also truimph over suffering and death, moreover destroying the slavery of sin. He is able to console us on all stages of our life when he has lived a human lif. In His sanctifying of human life and human works, Jesus makes it possible for God to dwell in us and to wak with us.
While Manny and friends struggle in a rescue mission, things begin to look brighter between Sid and the dinosaurs. The relation of the newly hatched baby dinosaurs with Sid had developed and the mother dinosaur realized that her babies had grown to recognize Sid as their parent. Sid tried to raise the babies up to eat different food but their natural food preference still became dominant . Naturally, the mother dinosaur was able to determine what the babies wanted. It just goes to show that mommies know best. As the natural desires of the baby dinosaurs manifest who they really are, our thirst for God reveals what the meaning of our life is:"our souls are restless until they rest in you".
In the end, everyone was so happy to welcome the newest member of the family, Manny's new baby. It is every marriage's goal to be open to life by participating in procreation. In fact, for true marriage to happen, the couple must have the intention of having their own kids. The Church's openess to life and family goes hand in hand with her recognition of man's invaluable dignity created in God's image. Scott Hahn's citation of one of JPII's reflection gives light on why we value family this much. JPII acknowledges that God in his essence is not in solitude, His very essence is being a family which we humans reflect. Manny's actions brings to our attention the many issues that involves the unborn. The baby elephant and the eggs, although yet unborn or hatched are treated by Manny and Sid as how born children are treated. Far much more respect is called for an unborn human being whose dignity is innate from the moment of conception. The respect for thus human dignity moves the Church to go against actions such as abortion (man's dignity is inherent from conception), and in vitro fertilization (process to artificially fertilize egg then many 'fertilized eggs'/babies are discarded after choosing one from them)
St. Joseph, please protect the family of Christ, the Church.
Your groupmate,
Eric
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