::KA-CHING!!! Freakin dope::
Besides The Latino's, Santana and Petra, my dad raised me listening to the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Superstar. I used to think it was cheesy when I was little, but somewhere around 18/19 years old I finally got into it. I mean like psychotically into it.
It was exciting to go see the tour of the Broadway production of this opera cos I knew that Jesus was going to be play by Ted Nealy and..... well, I guess it doesn't matter. What matters is that My dad invited me and we were both excited to see it.
A lot of people criticize the opera as though it makes light of the actual story of Jesus's last week on earth. Mainly because it portrays Judas as being convinced that Jesus is somehow faking the Son of God thing for a poltical gain and it is getting out of hand. And also because it shows Mary Magdalene as totally being in love with Jesus and struggling to not let her emotions get in the way of His mission on earth. Both of these issues I would love to write about today, but I do not have the patience or the skills of G.
No matter what people think of the opera, it means a lot to my dad. It was the sound of Jesus getting 39 lashes on his back, blasting through a sound system in a welding shop at the bottom of a battleship almost 40 years ago, that brought his heart back to God.
So there we sat, 3rd level, Row N, seats 15 & 16, at the edge of our seats so we wouldn't miss anything. Listening to Judas belt out to Jesus that his followers have too much heaven on their minds.
It was so cool to sit there with my dad and enjoy something that intrigues each of us. Neither of us is into sports or cars. So we don't sit in the garage talkin about the stats of the last big game. We discuss grace, God, Latin Rock and Jesus fricken Christ Superstar. Hell yeah.
And yet through all my excitement of enjoying this with my dad... I began to feel a tug at my spirit. God was telling me to listen and to feel. And the God spoke to me....
"He was just a man."
Now, don't think of me as a blasphemer. I know God was not saying that Jesus wasn't the Messiah and Christ, but what he was saying, "The last week of his life was rough. He went through so much. And he was still a human."
I began to pay attention to the story and watched him struggle with a crowd of followers that did not completely understand or grasp his message. The overwhelming rockstar feeling of being followed everywhere. Where you have to preach from a boat on the sea so people don't over crowd you. The dreams.... nightmares of people reaching out to you. Begging for you to heal them. Everyone has a need, and you've got to fill it. The struggle between balancing himself as human as well as the son of God. Being praised with palm trees and a red carpet of coats one weekend, knowing very well that these same people would be screaming "Crucify Him" in just one week. The knowledge that two of your closest friends would be selling you out soon. Screaming out to God, "I don't know if I can do this anymore. I know this was the deal. But I am not sure I can die for the whole damn world anymore." The mocks, the punches in the face, the whips to his back. He did so much and took such a beating for humanity, knowing very well that all of humanity would eventually mock him with their actions anyways. Even to the point of him, as he hung on that cross, feeling God turn his face. "My God.... Why have you forsaken me?"
His whole life was madness. A balance of the mind of God in the mind of a man. Knowing his mission on earth and yet wanting to be human. Trying to keep on track with the Ultimate plan, and yet being completely frightened to death of the future. Trying to find a balance.
Have you ever loved somebody so much... and they were hurting themselves... and you couldn't stop them...so it tore you apart? Imagine feeling that for a whole world of people.
It just became a realization for me that Jesus, while the son of God, was merely a human when he roamed on earth. He had to take on a whole society and generation...and reform it. I can't write it like I understand it... like I feel it. And you won't understand it until you feel it for yourself.
But Jesus Christ truly was... well, a Superstar.
I end with this thought:
"He made the world a grassy road before our bare, wandering feet...Then crushed the stones into the softest sand between our toes...But we're wondering where to sleep" --- Aaron Weiss
3 comments:
the dichotomy of Jesus' humanness and godliness is a difficult topic but i think you really hit the heart of it.
beautiful.
Just that thought of wanting to prevent someone from doing something foolish. And on top of that the toll that it would have taken on his friends. Imagine Peter thinking to himself, "What the fuck is he doing. We were supposed to rule this place. Isn't he going to say something."
When I think about this stuff it just blows my mind. It is like Ja. and I talking about how alone God must be. Hearing him talk about that kills me. Because I know it comes from Ja.'s heart and from the One's.
Good stuff man. Good to have on the mind going into Thanksgiving too.
Word.
Its hard to think of Jesus or even GOD having lonely feelings. But it happens.... it had to have... it still does.
Or else why do I feel like that.
I was created in his likeness, yes?
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