You can click on the link below to watch the official trailer for the Oscar Winning Best Picture: Moonlight
The film covers three time periods – young adolescence, mid-teen and young adult – in the life of black-American Chiron
As a child, Chiron lives with his single, drug addicted
mother Paula in a crime ridden neighborhood in Miami.
Chiron is a shy, withdrawn child likely due to his small size and being neglected by his mother, who is caught up the depths of the disease of addiction
Chiron is bullied, including being called names that he doesn’t understand beyond knowing that they are meant to be hurtful. Besides his Cuban-American friend Kevin, Chiron is given what little guidance he has in life from a neighborhood drug dealer named Juan, who can see that he is neglected, as well as Juan’s caring girlfriend Teresa, whose home acts as a sanctuary away from the bullies and away from Paula’s abuse. With this childhood as a foundation, Chiron may have a predetermined path in life, one that will only be magnified in terms of its problems when he reaches his difficult teen years when peer pressure affects what he and many of his peers do.
Hear these words from the prophet Isaiah 43.15-25
I am the Lord, your Holy One,
the Creator of Israel, your King.
Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
who brings out chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;
but you have been weary of me, O Israel!
You have not brought me your sheep for burnt-offerings,
or honored me with your sacrifices.
I have not burdened you with offerings,
or wearied you with frankincense.
You have not bought me sweet cane with money,
or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.
But you have burdened me with your sins;
you have wearied me with your iniquities.
I, I am He
who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins.
__________________________
Moonlight is a beautiful film but it is not an easy film to watch
I think for white people of privilege it is difficult to be confronted by the life of a poor young black man growing up dealing with drug addiction, violence and more
This is not in my realm of experience
but the theme of wanting to know who you are— of finding yourself…..
and of wanting to be loved— we all have been there
Little is the name Chiron is called as a child
he is bullied and tormented at school
at home he is neglected by his drug addicted mother
Chiron finds love, acceptance and support from the most unlikely place
After seeing Chiron chased by a group of boys Drug dealer… Juan reaches out
Juan and his girlfriend provide love, comfort, —Grace
Grace—
This passage from Isaiah resonates with the unlikely grace he experiences
Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. I will not let you be destroyed…
we all want to be seen for who we are
to be named
to be loved as we are
Chiron… experiences that with Juan & Teresa
They provide a refuge for him
There is a beautiful scene where Juan teaches Chiron to swim
he hold him in the ocean and tells him
— I got you, I won’t let go, trust me, (the drug dealer)
lie back and I will hold you
Chiron opens up and asks Juan & Teresa
What’s a faggot?
faggot a word that people use to make gay people feel bad about themselves
am I a faggot?
No, you could be gay but don’t let anyone call you a faggot
you don’t have know
When Chiron is older Teresa is still there for him, provides a place he can escape to… a sanctuary
Teresa tells Chiron— its all love and all pride in my house
a place he is welcome anytime
a place where he is fed
a place where he is taught how to make a bed
a place where is loved unconditionally
Chiron’s mother, Paula, comes to a place of confession
a place of recovery, of being broken and struggling to keep her head above water
she changes her people, places and things—
She’s in Georgia, has left Miami—
of barely making it
But a time of recovery to trying to make amends
a time she tries to reassure her son of her love for him
a time when he is making choices that she regrets
the film, like real life, does not have a predictable, everything works out happily, ending
The fact is we discover the presence of God in the very ordinary moments of vulnerability, of touching, or offering compassion and love.
And, at the same time, the film points out that life is not only full of wonder, but also brings sorrow and suffering…. neither Moonlight nor the gospel flinch from this reality, but both bring us through to the possibility of hope and salvation.
I believe that in the bible salvation is not about who gets into heaven, it is a more earthly concern.
Salvation is about being saved from oppression or evil or illness.
Salvation is what you need if you are a slave in Egypt or an exile in Babylon or a leper in Jesus’ day.
So as I watched the movie I was not thinking of salvation in terms of the characters getting into heaven, I was thinking of salvation from poverty, from drug culture, from violence, from homophobia.
Usually, in my liberal and progressive arrogance, I look at poverty and think the answer is a higher minimum wage or a guaranteed income but this film made my usual quick answers seem inadequate.
It would take an act of deep transformation to bring salvation to the characters.
It would take an act of Grace
It would take an act of God.
I am reminded that it is not up to us, that we should work to make the world a better place
And that ultimately God will be God. Amen
Resources
We Went to See Moonlight: And I Give it a Reluctant, but strong Recommendation.
Why is an Evangelical Pastor Excited About Moonlight Winning Best Picture?
“Moonlight” Glows as a Splendid Character Study of Growing Up Black and Gay in Miami
A sermon by Rev. Gary Paterson on Feb 19, 2017
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