This evening I was at St Catherine's, Bramley: having seen La La Land last night, that seemed an interesting starting point for a reflection on the nature of 'enduring love'. It's a joyous film on so many levels - the sort of escapism many of us seek in the midst of seismic shifts in the political sphere. However, despite the colour, energy and optimism, this is a film which shifts gear in a profoundly honest and moving way. Human beings live with memories as well as hopes; we carry many stories with us - rooted in the truth of our experiences. Sometimes the intensity of our emotions mean we visual 'what ifs' and 'may bes'. How do we treasure lost loves, live with attention to the present and look towards the future with assurance? Exploring that would have been beyond the realms of a 5 minute homily! Watch the film and see where it takes you - to la-la land or into reality.
La La Land: it’s magnificent spectacle and unashamedly joyous: a movie offering us escapism.
This is a spoiler free zone: but the thing about such fabulous cinematic story telling is that it makes think afresh about love, dreams, sacrifice and purpose.
From the amazing opening sequence to the final scenes, it’s more than a clever homage to Hollywood’s Golden Age. There’s energy, song, dance, fantasy and poignant questions about priorities, choices and relationships. Is there a love that can endure?
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It held together by one musical theme: a haunting phrase which draws Mia into a jazz bar. She’s captivated.
Seb, the pianist, had carefully rehearsed that piece: he listens to it on vinyl - the needle careful lowed only to be raised after a few bars. He sits at piano and plays it back; he listens again; repeats the phrase. That night, he chose to ditch the set playlist of cheesy Christmas music and he plays the jazz he loves tentatively and with increasing confidence and delight....
... and as we watch Mia and Seb fall in love, it becomes their theme - the soundtrack to their life; their memories, hopes and feelings
Seb is gifted: he wants to open a jazz club; but he’s so reluctant to compromise on the purity of the tradition that he risks killing the very thing he loves.
Mia is a barista who wants to be actress; or an actress doing a few shifts in a cafe: she goes to audition after audition and wonders if it’s time to abandon her dream.
City of the stars, they sing, are you shining just for me.
City of the stars, just one thing everybody wants.
And that one thing? Love from someone else.
Dreams, disappointment, ambition, hard work, opportunity, compromise, success: that’s all in the mix. But as the song goes on, beyond the dances and rush of romance, we long for a voice that says: I'll be here; and you'll be alright.
Mia and Seb find in each other someone who understands them: they offer encouragement, stability and reassurance to each other as their seek to achieve their personal goals.
Their human love is stretched by circumstances, geography and the fulfilment of what they want to achieve. That’s a difficult truth. The love we receive from others - romantically, in families, in friendships and in this community - is precious. It changes us; we want it to last for the long haul; but it is valuable even when life takes us in different directions, and we let go.
At it’s very best our human love reflects something of God’s love. And that’s the point of our reading. We love because it is a gift of God. It's a love that endures.
Not only that, but God loved in a way that we could recognise: in sending his Son Jesus, we learn what love looks like. God loves in being with us.
In Jesus, love reaches out to us in the depths of failure, frustration and hurt; and to the heights of enjoyment, fulfilment and energy. It’s a love that forgives us when hurt others; a love that heals us when we feel broken; a love that gives us courage to stand up for what is right; a love that strengthens us to be who we’re called to be.
God is love.
God is with us.
God’s love is in us!
God’s Spirit helps us to express love in kindness, patience and generosity. What might endured in g look like here. And when people see our love for each other - they aren’t in la la land; they glimpse the reality of God’s love. A love that is more real. A love that endures. A love perfected in us.
© Julie Gittoes 2017
