The Movie “Spotlight” reminds us how broken we all are…

Last night Jennifer and I joined good friends and saw the movie “Spotlight.”  Whoa, baby!  Very powerful and intense.  It knocked my socks off.  Made me mad; made me sad; made me realize leaders in the church are as broken as anyone else — no, even more broken; made me feel discouraged; made me cry; and made me think of Paul’s words in Romans chapter 11: “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body so subject to death?  Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

This movie (starring Michael Keaton), which I highly recommend, is based on a true story in 2001 when Boston Globe reporters uncovered and broke the story of Catholic priests molesting young boys.  It ultimately led to Cardinal Bernard Law resigning as Archbishop of Boston amid persistent controversy over his handling of sex-abuse allegations against Roman Catholic clergy under his supervision. Law made the the decision came after months of criticism both inside and outside the church. The enormous criticism of Law surfaced following revelations that for years he had overlooked charges of sexual misconduct by priests. (You can go back and read all the stories, if you want.  They aren’t pretty.)

I work with pastors and faith-based leaders, and I know they are as broken as anyone else.  Even though I love pastors and have a lot of hope for them, they are no different from these priests, and neither am I.  Those priests were some momma’s little baby boy, just like I was — not to mention those boys abused by the priests.  Some momma rocked those beautiful babies, too!  On the days I feel despair and discouraged, and I have those days, I usually turn to Revelation 7 and once again try to slowly let these words sink in and give me hope …

⁹ After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰ And they cried out in a loud voice:

¹⁴ I answered, “Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God
    and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
    will shelter them with his presence.
¹⁶ ‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
    nor any scorching heat.
¹⁷ For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”