Monthly Archives: December 2010

Hoping With…

30 Thursday Dec 2010

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Adapted from original posting on here 12/30/10.  Inspired by Grey’s Anatomy, season 3, episode 12

Hoping is a communal action.

Dr. Preston Burke says it best in a season 3 episode of Grey’s Anatomy.  George O’Malley’s father was diagnosed with advanced cancer.  We no longer see “George the doctor” but “George the patient’s son.”

As his father’s body experiences organ failure, George turns to Burke, the cardio surgeon, to discuss father’s health.  Preston alludes that George’s father probably won’t be coming back from this.  Preston tells George that what he can do is “hope with you.”

Hoping with… what a unique way to show solidarity with those in pain and those grieving. Usually, hope is something that I will do for me and you will do for you.  Hoping seems like a very private and internal journey.  But what if the journey of hope is intended to be something we do with others?  When our hope seems dwindling, what if someone comes along side of us and keeps the hope going?

Hoping with someone has its risks.  Maybe it means that we risk our emotions in hoping.  We sit in the depths of the ditch with our neighbor, and our heart is with them in that ditch.  As their hope becomes our hope, we, too, risk having hope pass us by.

If we identify with the Christian faith, we are undoubtedly in the hope business.  We are in the tomb with Christ, hoping for resurrection.  We are with the women at the tomb, hoping for a better day.

Hope isn’t just for Easter.  At Christmas, hope comes as we wait for the birth of someone who embodied God’s love.  Hope comes as we know night will not last forever, and longer days are ahead.

For what are you hoping?  How can I hope with you?

Back to the Future III can even be constructed

30 Thursday Dec 2010

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“Your future hasn’t been written yet.  No one’s has.  Your future is whatever you make it.  So make it a good one.”

Doc, Back to the Future III

Again I am reminded of Process Theology when watching Back to the Future.  There is no predestination – everything has not been set in God’s mind.  God is like the DeLorean, the only constant, travelling throughout time.  God is with the characters as they travel throughout the decades, making choices that impact the universe and future. 

Now, I’m not saying that the DeLorean is God.  Nothing is God except God.  But when constructing the theology of this movie, it seems as though that would be the place to start.  The energy which runs the DeLorean is the Holy Spirit.  Basically, the spirit changes throughout time – sometimes the DeLorean is run on lighting, sometimes plutonium, sometimes garbage, sometimes steam.  The context in which everything happens is valuable to the story.

Christologically speaking, Marty would be the obvious choice.  However, so would Doc.  It’s a team effort.

Ok, this may seem crazy to those who have not taken Constructive theology.  So basically, it’s like this: The DeLorean/time machine is the constant when travelling throughout the decades as God is the constant travelling with us throughout the decades.  The energy running the DeLorean is the Holy Spirit in this case which changes from decade to decade.  Again, it’s always a constant – just changing based on context.  The salvific characters are Marty and Doc.  It’s a group effort.  Both are needed to make changes to the future and past.

One more thing – just because the DeLorean is destroyed does not mean God is destroyed.  There are new time machines used in the past (the train).  There will be more in the present and future.  God, Holy Spirit and Christ are changing based on the context of the time period, but are constantly present in one way or form.

The seemingly bland call of George Bailey

12 Sunday Dec 2010

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Call isn’t necessarily something spectacular, like Superman or Batman.  Sometimes call is as quiet as the wind breezing past the summer leaves.  Sometimes it is the seemingly ordinary when others have grandiose calls.

Take, for instance, George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life.  George continues to find himself cemented to his hometown while his brother and others are called in other directions.  His brother goes to college, works outside of Bedford Falls, goes to war and becomes a war hero.  His friend Sam begins a plastics business.  Everyone lives the dreams that George himself could never had.  Because of the perspective that George has on his life, he takes for granted the little moments that create the universe.

George’s call is seen in life’s little moments.  George saves his brother.  George makes loans available to those who couldn’t otherwise afford a house.  George gives people ideas.  George loves the town and those in the town, willing to maintain an honest business for the good of the people.  George’s call is as important as everyone else around him except that the perception of his call is what the world sees as small.

What if George hadn’t answered those calls?  We see the outcome in the “what if George wasn’t born” portion of the movie.  His brother would have died.  The death of his brother rippled into the world.  Others would have died because hadn’t served in WWII.  His friends would live on the streets.  The town would have been bought by Mr. Potter and turned into the slums.  George’s mother and wife face the world with angst.

George Bailey was called to be alive and called to serve in Bedford Falls.

Just like George, everyone is called in both unique and ordinary ways.  The world would be a very different place if we made different decisions or if we had never been born.  Yes, we get frustrated with our lives.  We forget that the little steps impact the greater universe.  And we get upset with the track our lives are on.

So when we don’t feel that our lives make a difference or that we have a purpose here, know that we are all George Baileys – willing to take the little steps in front of us and building a better kingdom of God.