The Happy Ending

Our culture seems to be obsessed with a “realism” that seeks to portray the evils in the world winning out in the end or a “realism” of cold chance. Nihilism is perhaps more pervasive than we realize. But is this truly realism? Is reality just the pain and bleakness in our world, and is art meant to highlight this? From many books and movies that I have been directed to, the answer is yes. I think Tolkien would be dismayed to see this turn our culture has taken. As a generation, we seem to have reacted against the happy ending, dismissing it as too good to be true. Is this why we so often find ourselves skeptical of the gospel? Are we so acutely aware of the dyscatastrophe in our world that we fail to see and appreciate the eucatastrophe that is just as present? I just can’t get away from the notion that a modern rendition of the gospel would focus on the grit and grime Jesus worked in all his life and dwell on the agony and bloodshed of his crucifixion. (The Passion of the Christ, anyone?) Yeah, [crap] happens. But that isn’t the point, in this life or in the gospel. If we focus on the dyscatastrophe in the gospel, we miss the point. Yes, Jesus came to die. But even more importantly, he came to Live, and to bring us Life. The point of the gospel is the eucatastrophe of the resurrection, our chance to be made right with God the Creator. Maybe it’s time to resuscitate the happy ending in our perception of this world. As we strive to heal the evils in our world, let us not fall into the cynicism that so often waits to devour those who wade into the dark. Rather, be fully aware of the good, and let it take your breath away.