Saturday, March 27, 2010

Pokemon and Palm Sunday

I am preparing for my part in the sermon for the Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian and St. Stephen's Episcopal joint commemoration of Palm Sunday. My preparation is rather bizarre - I am sitting on the floor watching my grandchildren watch a Pokemon movie.

You would think I would someday figure out that even movies which appear to be totally silly (like this one did to me) contain theology.

In this movie, the world is being covered by a flowing sheet of ice. I have no idea why, since I was not paying attention, but there it is: A flowing sheet of ice is covering the world. A woman - the mother of a boy - has been dragged into the ice with a lonely and clingy girl who wants a mother of her own.

But fighting the ice is love - the love of the boy for his mother and the love of the boy's community of friends and Pokemons. The children and the Pokemon critters put themselves in every sort of animated danger in their quest to save Mom and Molly

I don't understand the movie, but I believe I understand that love reveals God in the world. When we love each other by fighting against flowing sheets of ice, we are part of the continuing revelation of God in the world.

I pray for you and for me a most holy Holy Week - a week in which God's amazing love is revealed.
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