Glee is without a doubt one of the most controversial shows on air today. It has received rave reviews and harsh criticism. I will be the first to admit that I have not always been the biggest fan of the show. But earlier this year I conquered my fear and watched one episode and I have been relatively addicted to it ever since. I don’t always agree with the message that the show sends to its adolescent viewers. But this week’s episode, “Born This Way”, has a respectable message and it can even help us understand our Easter call to spread the word to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
This past weekend we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through his resurrection we realize the call that He is now giving each and every one of us. Jesus was persecuted, because he didn’t fit in with society. He was spat on, whipped, tortured, crucified and eventually He died for the totally imperfect and abnormal us. And if there is one thing that this week’s Glee episode portrayed it was the perfection that we don’t see in ourselves but often see in each other. We accept one another for being good at this or that. But we don’t always accept the way that God made us. God made us this way, whether it was through birth or through life experience which we know can form and change us. There might be something that you’re ashamed of when you look in the mirror but I can guarantee that God would hold you up like a banner in war against Satan. We were made in the image and likeness of God, therefore there is absolutely nothing WRONG with us. God accepts you for who you are deep inside. He sees your deep dark secret and he embraces it for who you are. He sees your weaknesses and your sin and only wants you to lay those at His feet in prayer. Glee showed this week that it is important and even crucial to our survival to embrace ourselves for who we are, because in life there are no re-dos. All of the characters rocked out at the end of the episode and wore tee-shirts that bore in large and almost protruding letters, their characters own insecurities. Even the school guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury admitted she suffered from OCD.
Getting over our insecurities can be VERY difficult and in this culture it is unfortunately also the cause of depression and suicide. But there are ways you can make it easier on yourself. Everyone has at least one thing that they wish they could change about themselves whether it’s physical or part of their personality; it nonetheless has a huge impact on their personal lives and friendships. Most of us don’t surround ourselves with friends that build us up. We have two great examples of true friendship. The first one is of course Jesus Christ. He accepted people who were considered low class and unworthy. He ate with sinners and servants instead of the rich and famous (who by the way were also sinners). One of his closest followers and friends was a prostitute. Yet by accepting that she had made mistakes and learned to turn her life around she became an iconic figure for all of us. Jesus is the ultimate friend. And while we sometimes have a hard time imagining Jesus as a realistic every day friend (which he is), we can also look to Glee. The whole idea of the Glee club was to help one another deal with the differences which truly make them unique. Surrounded by friends who truly cared about them, members of the Glee club were able to not only accept who they are but shine as who they are. As Catholic Christians it is our duty to embrace who we are and to work on our weaknesses while we lay all of these at the feet of Jesus. Be proud of what God gave you and shine as his an example of him on Earth.
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