CUTAWAYS: STEAMBOAT BILL JR.

Yes, I’m well aware there were some major releases at the multiplex this past weekend, but I just wasn’t in the mood. So, rather than subject myself to The Other Woman or The Quiet Ones (both currently sitting below 40% at Rotten Tomatoes), I instead reviewed Messenger of The Truth, a documentary detailing the martyrdom of Blessed Father Jerzy Popieluszko during Poland’s struggle against communism in the 1980s. Okay, so it’s not the cheeriest subject matter I’ve ever reviewed, but it’s surprisingly inspirational. And I’ve gotta tell you, after a grueling Lent topped off by a Holy Week chock full of potentially life changing problems, I was ready for some inspiration. Seriously, Lent was awful. The entire time it felt like I was Buster Keaton in that famous storm scene from Steamboat Bill Jr…

Fantastic! Is there any wonder guys like Jackie Chan worship at the altar of Keaton and Lloyd?

You know, thinking about the stormy events of life, it would be tempting to say some people just have bad luck. The thing is, Catholicism isn’t too big on the idea of a person’s life being guided by blind chance or some other undirected cosmic force. Oh sure, some older translations of the Bible use the word luck, such as the RSV in Sirach 8:19 where it says, “Do not reveal your thoughts to every one, lest you drive away your good luck.” But newer translations such as the NABRE do away with such questionable terminology, opting instead for “Open your heart to no one, do not banish your happiness.” The new take makes it much clearer that what the Bible is talking about is not some random force of nature, but just whether or not an event has a desirable outcome.

No, we Catholics are definitely in the camp of Divine Providence. The old Catholic Encyclopedia tells us that, “As applied to God, Providence is God Himself considered in that act by which in His wisdom He so orders all events within the universe that the end for which it was created may be realized. That end is that all creatures should manifest the glory of God, and in particular that man should glorify Him, recognizing in nature the work of His hand, serving Him in obedience and love, and thereby attaining to the full development of his nature and to eternal happiness in God.”

I can’t say yet that I recognize how some of the crap that happened over Lent will ultimately manifest God’s glory, but I have faith that it will. Until then, I suppose I’ll just grab onto something and see where the wind takes me.