Suffolk Presbyterian Church

During my lectionary group, we often throw out some pretty wild thoughts and questions to challenge each other. Last week as we began thinking ahead to Lent, we were discussing Jesus’ suffering and passion. One person said something along the lines of, “From one point of view, you could say he just seemed suicidal. He did nothing to prevent his own death. Nothing!” That’s pretty heavy. Of course, we know that there was more to it than that. He knew he had a greater purpose for his suffering and death. But those around him at that time, save for a few disciples, did not know this.It must have seemed quite bizarre to those watching the passion unfold.

It reminded me of a movie I saw recently called “The Hurt Locker.” It’s a film about an EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) team in Iraq. They go into some pretty risky situations by definition. In fact, the film begins with the team leader’s death. The rest of the story follows the EOD team with their new leader, a man who cheats death several times, donning the bomb suit and hand-diffusing massive car and roadside bombs, often disregarding the advice of his teammates and certainly his own safety. I was pretty sure he was trying to–and going to– get himself killed several times. Suicidal.

But towards the end, there is a cut scene of him, back home with his wife and young, perhaps year-old, son. He seems out of his element, but he is playing with the boy, reading stories and tossing him in the air, and then he begins to talk to his son. I don’t remember the exact words, but he is telling his son that sometimes there is just something, just one thing, that you live for, that fills your soul, keeps you going. It’s the one thing greater than all else, though it can be a different thing for each person.

It’s unspoken, but we know that for this man, it’s diffusing bombs and therefore, saving lives. It’s part of who he is and it’s as though he must do it in order to be truly alive.

He’s not a Christ-like figure by any means, but you can see that, for him, his own death means nothing if he can save the lives of others by using his gift for diffusing bombs.

Are there any movies that have made you think lately? Leave a comment and let me know!