As with most all of my posts I find inspiration from things I come across in my normal day to day activities. I was watching one of my favorite movies of all time ‘Hook’. In the movie, Robin Williams, who plays Peter Pan, returns to Neverland as an aged man. The lost boy who was never supposed to grow up, became a husband and a father. I found some things that we could learn from this movie even 27 years after its release. Here are two.
First, Peter can’t return to his flying ways until he first thinks of happy thoughts. What was his happy thought? His kids. The joy he remembers from the birth of his first born son. The memory of being in the hospital and meeting his bundle of joy. Remember what Tinkerbell does? She covers him with fairy dust first, let me try to equate that to our Sacrament of Baptism. As the dust allows Peter to once again fly, Baptism for us Christians gives us a new birth with Christ.
“and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 3:12
And though he faces persecution from those pesky pirates and Captain Hook himself, Peter and the Lost Boys all seem to be filled with joy.
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds” James 1:2-3
The scene that actually crushed my soul was the one at the :40 mark of the video linked above. Rufio, the prime minister, if you will, while Peter was away, takes on Captain Hook on a 1 vs. 1 sword fight. I feel as though he is trying to prove to everyone, but most especially to Peter, that he is capable of being the Pan. Which ultimately is the leader of the Lost Boys. In the fight, they joust back and forth while Rufio is also throwing verbal jabs. In a moment, all that changes when Hook catches Rufio off guard and plunges his sword into Rufio’s chest.
As he lay dying in Peter’s arms, He asks him, “You know what I wish…? I wish I had a dad like you.”
Brothers, we do have a dad like Peter Pan. We have an even greater Father in heaven! One rich in kindness and mercy. One that is always there to pick us up when we fall. One that is going to receive us like the Prodigal Son that has returned. All we need to do is to be like the kid in the clip that says “Oh dad, I’m sorry…” Our act of contrition and his unending mercy can change our world! Don’t let pride get in the way of His love. The enemy will tell us that our sin is too great to forgive or that we are not worthy of that type of love. Go to reconciliation, go to the baptismal fount and be reminded of your baptism, go and sit with Jesus in prayer (Adoration if possible!). You’re worthiness for love is not dependent on how you feel. Go repent and sin no more. Bangarang!
Gentleman, it’s time to be real men of faith.
Disciples At The Ready 