Saturday, April 07, 2007

Killing Me Softly (About A Boy)



The video clip below from the movie, ABOUT A BOY ties in with HOLY SATURDAY for me. While watching it a few minutes ago, I recalled Dr. Ray's sublime program Thursday re: his reference to a "quarter and sub-atomic particles" making up that quarter. How so much of what we perceive we really can't see.

All of His followers thought Jesus was "dead and gone" on that Saturday, after burying Him in the tomb Friday. They thought He had died a "miserable failure," they were lost in their deep mourning, confused, sad, maybe grappling with doubt, frustration, feelings of betrayal, for they were only seeing with their physical eyes...and they were completely wrong. They had no idea what was taking place in a world they couldn't see. They had to walk through Saturday though, through the emptiness and the pain and anguish, before seeing the dawn of a New Day, Sunday. We have to walk through a lot of "empty Saturdays" during our lives.

Marcus, (the boy in the movie) is struggling terribly on stage, all alone, nervous, squirming inside. He's afraid, wanting to run, yet clinging to his last "shred of dignity" just to finish...to "sing it and get it over with." He's being quite brave to keep singing, but yet full of doubt and fear, too. He only sees the jeering crowd of kids. BUT he's not aware of what is "going on" with Will, whom he doesn't see. Near the curtain, out of his peripheral vision, just to his right, on the same stage, stands his friend. Will's arrived and he's thinking of a plan to help Marcus, even if it costs him his"cool" reputation and his own embarrassment. Even if they both "go down in flames" he wants to help Marcus and be there for him. Marcus is only hoping for the horror to end and find the nearest EXIT.

When "Will" steps onto the stage, to face ridicule for his friend, that's when he becomes "Jesus" to me (I tear up every time.) It's not the 'end of the world' anymore, as it seemed, but it's "resurrection Day" for Marcus. Will starts playing the guitar and Marcus soon knows it's all going to be okay.

Sometimes we don't see Him because we don't think God would appear "there'' - in "that movie," or "that book" or on "that street" or in "that pew" or in that crumpled, wrinkled old "has been" person, or that "mentally disabled child," too ill to speak for herself. And some don't see Him in that "wafer" either. But I find Him there many times brighter than in some faces in some churches. Not that He's not there in those faces, too, but those faces are attached to people who are sometimes way too busy and in too big a hurry to exit Mass. When if they'd linger a while, they might notice Jesus in a visitor or a lonely soul who's not been to Mass in years, or someone crying all alone. He's there and speaking if we're looking and listening for Him. And even if we're not, He Is. Because He always Was. And because He'll forever be... "I AM."

Just keep seeking...you will see and find Him. He's not playing hard to get, He's stretching and testing your "eyes of faith" and that's how you're going to grow.

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