FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT
(Invocavit)
Readings:
Key Verses (using the World English Bible):
2 Cor. 6:2b-4a: “Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God.”
Matt. 4:8-9: “The devil… showed [Jesus] all the kingdoms of the world, and… said to him, ‘I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.’”
Reflection
Last week, an article on my Facebook feed caught my eye. It was entitled simply, “Why we refused to cut a gay character from our Christian film”, and began with the words, “Hear ye, hear ye: God’s love is for everyone!” Naturally, I read on.
“Pass the Light is about Steve Bellafiore, a high school student who runs for Congress to be a voice in opposition to the hate-mongering candidate Franklin Baumann.”
Franklin rallies his supporters by preaching against the sexual immoral, including homosexuals. Steve counters by advocating love and understanding for everyone in order to create one community of action. Though neither one of them is gay, the film features an African-American gay and Christian male named Trevor. Portraying such a character is risky business in the Christian family-friendly film industry. The filmmakers knew this, but nonetheless felt compelled to enter into the discussion. (See the trailer here.)
Most of the popular reaction to the film was actually positive. But when it came time to find a distributor for the film, “we were asked flat-out to cut the character Trevor and his entire storyline… because he was gay, [and] the core Christian audience will not accept a gay character.” The discussion was over.
For the filmmakers, this was unacceptable, and for one of them, Victor Hawks, it was especially personal. From his days in musical theater, he had come to appreciate the talent, passion and com-passion of the gay community, where he felt joy, laughter, and, yes, even God’s presence. But the distributors were adamant that Trevor needed to go. For us on the outside, it may be a no-brainer: forget them and figure something else out! But can one afford to act hastily when others have invested money, time, and work into your film? Getting a big-name distributor ensures that you can pay them back. But cutting Trevor would mean cutting a major part of the film, one which they truly believed in. Victor writes, “we were at a standstill.”
It’s the First Sunday in Lent, and traditionally we read about Jesus’ fasting in the wilderness, where the devil tempts him with food, glory, and power. It’s a dramatic passage, but maybe a little too simple and superficial to us lay-folk. After all, did you really think the Son of God was going to give in to Satan? Would you really side with the “guy with horns and a pitchfork” (so to speak)? But at the same time, the story behind “Pass the Light” shows us that temptations are still very much alive. And when they don’t involve situations of life and death, when its main characters aren’t obviously larger-than-life figures like Christ or the devil, it’s much harder to know what to do. After all, what’s the harm in cutting Trevor? They would be avoiding offense, division, and they’d at least still have Steve’s message of universal welcome and joint collaboration. That’s still something, whereas, if they kept Trevor, they’d lose everything!
But what about all the members of the LGBTQ community, especially the youth, who need to see a Trevor? What about the gay teen living in an unsupportive, even hostile, town with no one to turn to? What about the lesbian couple searching for God, only to find one closed door after another? What about transgendered persons, looking for someone who will recognize their identities, and minister to their needs? In the heat of the moment, a seemingly small decision like deleting a fictitious character can have very big and very real consequences.
Ultimately, the filmmakers decided that:
“We believe that God’s love is for everyone. Everyone. If we were to cut this character just because he was gay, we would be saying, ‘It is OK that you are erased. We’re more comfortable if you don’t exist. And you can’t be Christian if you are gay.”
Powerful words in a powerful statement of affirmation! By a stroke of luck—or, we might call it, the grace of God—a small distributor has picked up the film. There is also an online campaign (“See the Light”) to promote the film further, and I encourage you to visit and contribute if you’re so inclined. In the end, the filmmakers didn’t have to compromise their work, those who didn’t want Trevor could move on without incident, and people will get to hear about God’s unconditional love, a very needed message for everyone—especially, one might argue, in the queer community.
Lent ushers us directly into the trials and hardships awaiting the Christian faithful during this season of repentance and self-examination. We’re fortunate that, in most cases, they won’t be as epic as those that Jesus or Paul faced. But we have to pay attention nonetheless, for they are still genuine tests of our character, showing whose side we’re on.
Prayer of the Day
O Lord,
for our sake you fasted forty days and forty nights.
Give us grace to use such abstinence,
so that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit,
we may ever obey your godly motions
in righteousness and true holiness
to your honor and glory;
for you live and reign with the Father and Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Amen.
—Collect for the First Sunday in Lent, Book of Common Prayer, 1662
Grant, almighty God,
that, through the yearly practice of Lenten devotion,
we may advance towards a mystical understanding of Christ,
eagerly following the disposition of his character
by worthy association;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
—Collect 1 for the First Sunday in Lent, Gelasian Sacramentary, 5th century; translation from Latin by Joseph A. Soltero, 2015
Hymn: “Forty days and forty nights”
(Words: George Hunt Smyttan, 1822-1870; adapted by Joseph A. Soltero, 2015
Tune: ‘Aus der Tiefe rufe ich’ ('Heinlein'), melody attributed to Martin Herbst, 1654-1681, harmony by William Henry Monk, 1823-1889)
Forty days and forty nights,
You were fasting in the wild;
Forty days and forty nights,
Tempted and yet undefiled.
Should not we your sorrow share,
And from worldly joys abstain,
Fasting with unceasing prayer,
Strong with you to suffer pain?
Then if Satan on us press,
Jesus, Savior, hear our call!
Victor in the wilderness,
Grant we may not faint nor fall!
So shall we have peace divine,
Holier gladness ours shall be.
Round us, too, shall angels shine
Such as served you faithfully.
Keep, O keep us, Savior dear
Ever constant by your side,
That with you we may appear
At your endless Eastertide.
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