09-12-24

ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
September 12, 2024
Was anyone else genuinely bummed to hear about the death of James Earl Jones? It’s not like I ever met the guy or even enjoyed some friendly correspondence, yet there was something about him that made it feel as if he had been a part of my life. Of course, some of it was his voice, specifically offering the iconic voice of Darth Vader. He spoke, and you listened. But I also appreciated his role in The Hunt for Red October, a movie that I have rewatched more times than I can count. But James Earl Jones was also in a lesser-known movie entitled Cry, the Beloved Country. He plays a minister in South Africa, and though it is before the full implementation of apartheid, it portrays the real-life struggles associated with systemic racism while also showing the messiness of life and people trying to step outside their assumptions. And then I can’t ignore his appearance on the TV show Big Bang Theory, where he played himself, having dinner with Sheldon. He was hilarious! I find it fascinating how a character from a movie, book, or play can get inside of you, but it also happens with the actors who take on a certain role. Art forms, like moviemaking, are intended to connect with the audience beyond just the visual. The hope is to draw us into the story, and when that happens, we are no longer outside observers. We are participants, alongside these characters, or the actors who are bringing the characters to life. Faith-centered storytelling is intended to do the same.

Draw me into your story of love, O Living God. I am not looking to be an observer of the faith, but a full participant. Amen.