The Lion King (2019)

The new Lion King has returned at last.  Of course, adults going in to see this movie knew what was going to happened.  And still, the theater had more adults than kids in it.  We remember being captivated by a story that moved us.  A story of betrayal, of loss, of hope, and of love.  A story of family.  The familiarity of this story did not stop the world from returning to see it unfold once more.  And this proves a key point about our hearts.  We are drawn to familiarity, even as we hope for surprises and search for beauty. 

Many people question why we go to church each Sunday and do the “exact same thing.”  It just appears to be boring!  A priest friend of mine once made the remark that it is not boring, because when he walks into a church and the Mass is being celebrated, he knows he is home.  It is the same for us as we go about our daily routines, going to the same jobs, and perhaps having a rhythm in our lives. 

Timon and Pumba lived a life “free of worries.”  And they taught this lifestyle to Simba.  It became so ingrained into him that it took a voice from heaven to remind him of his identity.  Is this such a bad lifestyle?  We read in Philippians 4:6-7, “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  The key here is to put our focus on Christ rather than on our own selfish desires.  Simba chose selfishness in that “worry-free” lifestyle, and thus needed redemption.  He needed to get his focus corrected.  We are beloved children, and our pride leads us astray.  Where is our wake-up call?  Perhaps we can look up at the stars and hope to hear the voice of the Father.  And perhaps we will.  But I would start by looking somewhere much closer.

Before I canonize the movie, there is an intrinsic problem with the mentality of the “circle of life.”  While our bodies may decay, and perhaps serve as fertilizer for the grass, we do not consist merely of a body.  A human person is a body and soul.  If you take one of them away, you do not have a human person.  If we go back the words of Mufasa speaking from the clouds he repeats, “Remember who you are.  Remember who you are.”  I am a child of God.  From that relationship flows my identity and mission.  And I am created for greatness. Not to rule over a kingdom which will eventually turn to dust, but to live in eternal happiness in heaven with my Father.

Our challenge is to stay on the right path.  Scar knew very well that telling Simba to not go to a place over and over would lead him to naturally investigate.  We know very well that we should not sin, but the serpent continues to whisper in our ears.  “Just take one bite.  Doesn’t it look so good?”  And so, we must continue to ask forgiveness and confess our sins to receive absolution.  We must keep our focus on Christ, and in that relationship, we will know peace.