The Theology of Superheros

Anyone who knows me knows that I love superheros. Comics, movies, television. While all the other little girls were watching Care Bears, I was watching Batman: The Animated Series & X-Men. Obviously I'm not alone. For all these larger than life characters to exist, there has to be a market for them. There has to be a craving for these larger than life characters with complex back stories that swoop in & save the day. The question is, why? Why are we so fascinated with these characters with these super human abilities & a deeply instilled sense of justice? Is it a desire for adventurous fiction or is it a deep craving of the human soul?

I think we all wish to be saved. We all wish for some mysterious person to swoop in & save the day. We want someone to care even though they don't have to. And all these properties aren't enough, they have to have a human quality to them. It's not enough that Superman is almost invincible or for Batman to go into the dark places of Gotham to save its' citizens from the slime of the city. All these superheros have a human aspect in them. Clark Kent struggled with developing an identity & sense of self in his adopted home planet, Bruce Wayne struggles with the horror of losing his parents at a young age. Clearly it's not enough that we have a saviour, that saviour has someone who has faced the hardships of life that we can identify with.

The thing that some people don't recognize though is that we've already been saved. Jesus was fully God & fully human & that sounds pretty superhero-esque to me. Take a look at the gospels, they read like a comic book except they're not fiction! Jesus is born to a virgin, lived through the struggles of life (with no sin), was betrayed by someone close to him, murdered, & rose from the dead. He did it all to save us because God couldn't stand the thought of us being dragged down by sin, helpless to get out by ourselves. That sounds like a superhero to me, except this wasn't written by Stan Lee! It's actual history! And this whole saving thing isn't a one time deal. Jesus still works though those who follow him, the members of the church & promised to come back again.

And now some of you probably think I live in a comic book. Well, my faith is my reality. I see the difference God has made in my life & in the lives of others I know. Maybe not everyone agrees with me, but can you explain why I have such joy & happiness in my life? One of my friends calls me "Little Miss Sunshine on uppers." This joy isn't natural, it's a mark on my life left by the devine.

What to do when your life is a barf bag

So what exactly is the protocol when life uses you as its' own personal barf bag? See, I was minding my own business, walking along in my life, singing "tra-la-la-la-la" & then life just decided to up chuck on me. Now I'm covered in yucky vomit chunks & reek of that oh-so-unpleasant aroma of bile. Wonderful, isn't it? So what do you do when life throws up on you & you're stuck without a change of clothes? To be honest, I'm not really all that sure. What I can tell you is that right now I'm living in Psalm 23. I'm simply trusting that God will get me through this dark valley of death & I'm looking forward to those green meadows. I'm profusely blessed with many people who are incredibly supportive & I'm extremely thankful for them.

I also take my joy where I can. Last night I fell asleep with Waldo (my 8 month old kitten) right by my head & this morning we had some time to ourselves. I think Waldo is an example of God providing me my needs before I know I need them. In this time of strain where I've been transported to this strange land where my life doesn't make sense anymore, I have Waldo to make me smile. In a way he helps remind me who I am, that I am a person who can find joy & laughter in strange places.

So that is my story & where I am at. If you are reading this, then I hope that life hasn't thrown up on you too, because it's not the most pleasant experience. I think I'd rather be anywhere but where I am now. But if you are in the midst of an experience that makes you feel like you too are a barf bag, then find comfort that you are not alone. Life is wonderful & beautiful, but sometimes we just get barfed on & there is always hope to get through it!

On the Great Walk of Life

"What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step. It is always the same step, but you have to take it."-Antoine De Saint-Exupery, from "Wind, Sand, and Stars"

 I absolutely love that quote & the story behind it. See, Antione was a pilot & one of his friends crashed in the mountains. So, for the sake of his family, he got up out the wreck of his plane & began to walk. He walked so that should he die, they'd be able to find his body & his wife wouldn't have to wait 5 years to get the insurance money. If he had stopped he would have frozen to death. By a miracle he was found & brought back to the base. When Antione talked to him, his friend told him how he had to push himself forward because he knew if he stopped he'd freeze to death.


I find that's all I can do sometimes, is walk. When things are rough & it's hard to find the joy in my life I just continue walking because it's what has to be done. There are days that my life is hard & I propel myself forward because if I stopped to sit, I'd let my stress/anxiety/sadness/etc freeze part of my soul. I know in those times that eventually I will look & see how many steps I've taken & how far I've come. So those days where it is hard to walk I celebrate every step, even though I may be stuck in a blizzard & can't see where I'm going. And in those times I am incredibly thankful for those who walk beside me.