I just sat through the latest "comic book" movie, Batman the Dark Knight Rises. In that movie as well as most other superhero films of late, the world is a mess. It's immoral, greedy, self-centered and just plain bad. Our leaders are liars and worse, they lie because they feel the need to protect us from the truth because we are just not as smart as them. Into this mess a villan arrives to wreak havoc and punish the world for its depravity. Of course a hero, or heros show up and in the end victory is won and the world is free to sink back into its yuck.
After the movie ended, my lovely wife and I sat and quietly tried to think of something to say that didn't sound crazy. Indra broke the silence by saying she needed to visit the restroom and wash the dirty feeling left by the film off. The next morning as I looked at the news I saw the world portrayed in the film. Families murdering each other, random attacks killing people minding their own buisness and plans for more just thwarted in time. I see people so overwhelmed by the violence and corruption that they are willing to pretend that the government is not just as bad, and sell their freedom for safety. In the end the evil around us seems to win by default.
With some time for prayer and reflection it occurred to me that I had been responding to the decline of our society like the folks in the movies. If we can just elect the right leaders things will be better, right? We just need to get Captain America in office and then we will be free...um, to sink back into the yuck. A super hero to stop the bad guys and bring back our way of life, but our way of life is often about being greedy, self-centered and just plain bad!
I was convicted in a big way that the only hope was people discovering real Love. Jesus said the world would know we belonged to Him because of the love we have for one another. He did not say our doctrine, buildings, vestments or willingness to lie about the Truth would be the answer. Love is why Jesus came here and died on the cross. Love is why on the third day God overcame death and completed the pathway home through the resurrection.
I know that many in this world react to love with a laugh or a punch. Yet many react to love with a changed heart and life. The Church is this worlds superhero. Imperfect, confused and often unwilling to fulfill its call, it is the hero that saves the world anyway. This hero doesn't let the world sink back into its yuck, but prepares it for the coming of the One who really will bring victory. I know that all of us in the Church need to step over the man made divisions of denomination, race, and culture to do what we were made to do. Let's save the world!
