That Old Time Religion!

We have talked about how we often romanticize the past. I have used the line "Nostalgia is a remembering of the past that never was." We long for a day where nothing bothers us, the weather is perfect, our best friends are ready to play, our favorite TV show is on, and we have that warm feeling in our heart. One might call it a longing for peace. Too often though, we pretend this actually happened in the past. In reality this day never happened. We have experienced snippets of this have we not? Maybe not a whole day or even a whole hour, but maybe five minutes of peace.

As we move into our Summer rhythms it would be good for us to acknowledge when we have these moments and claim them. Then give thanks. It reminds me of the Simpson's. Before you dismiss the Simpson's I will share this quote from Dr. Paul Cantor, professor of political science at the University of Virginia: "...Even when [the Simpson's] seems to be ridiculing religion, it recognizes, as few other television shows do, the genuine role that religion plays in American life ... in Homer Simpson it also suggests that one can go to church and not be either a fanatic or a saint."* 

Now back to the Simpson's. In many of the shows irreverent moments the writers of the show often stop the action for a moment of clarity. In one episode, when the Flanders and the Simpson's go camping, between scenes of goofiness, Homer, who goes to church every Sunday but struggles to follow the rules, raises his glass to praise Ned, the Evangelical who works too hard to be good, and exclaims him as his best friend. In that moment there is a catharsis, it lasts for a few seconds, of hope peace. Ned struggles to reciprocate. Then of course chaos follows quickly after. Seems like real life to me.

It is those moments that I think we remember. We then stitch together moment after moment to form our nostalgic memory. I have that memory. It involves soccer and swimming with friends, getting engaged, birth of children, celebrations and lots of laughter.

Maybe we can turn our nostalgic memories into our hope for a peace filled future. Maybe this is what Jesus is calling us to when he calls the disciples to come and sit around the fire and enjoy some fish as he does in the Gospel of John. 

These are just some thoughts as we anticipate vacations and warm sunshine. I pray that we all find moments of peace. And it is okay to be neither a fanatic nor a saint.

*Pinsky, Mark I., The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The spiritual life of the world's most animated family. copyright 2001, Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville.