Pastor's Note

CIRCLE OF LIFE
March 9th, 2008

I was privileged to see ‘The Lion King’ last Sunday. Those who know me are aware that I love Broadway musicals and have an extensive collection of CD’s (and even old vinyl LP’s – which I still play at times.) So I was looking forward to this long-awaited production.
As others will attest, it was first rate and extremely entertaining. For me, however, it was much more than a show. There were some wonderful lessons about life throughout the story and in the songs.
Probably the most evident was the need for Simba to accept his call in life. It would have been easier for him to continue to live in an unreal setting with minimal responsibilities. But he was needed for something greater. Eventually, he heard the call to return to Pride Rock.
In some ways ‘The Lion King’ is like the old morality plays of the Middle Ages. Good conquers over evil; commitment to others wins over self-interest; forgiveness for failures is not only necessary but possible. While we are on this planet, there is ‘more to do than ever can be done’ (from ‘Circle of Life’). So we have to choose carefully what we want to do with our time and talents. Every decision is important.
In the next few weeks, as Lent flows into Holy Week we will see what commitment is all about as Jesus accepts his Father’s call and embraces the cross.