Marcelino, a widower, lives with his elderly mother and aunt. The whole family is a bit antiquated, even for the 1950s in which they live. They have let themselves become out of date, but desperately want to be modern. So starts the play Maribel y la extrana familia, from Spanish playwright Miguel Mihura. Then, one afternoon, when the elderly ladies are listening to the latest record from Elvis Presley, Marcelino brings home his beloved, a girl named Maribel, whom he had met by chance and with whom he had fallen in love. Maribel is really a truly modern with the latest in style, speech and dress, or so the family interprets her actions. Indeed, she is a lady of the evening, who was instantly confused by the way don Marcelino treated her, with respect, and even love. The elderly ladies welcome her, also, with love, wanting to learn her modern ways. Maribel begins to reciprocate their love, and visits every afternoon, also seeing to some of the daily care of the elderly ladies. As she teaches them her modern ways, she takes on more and more of their language and stable way of life. Maribels best friends (and coworkers) Niní, Rufí, and Pulí, come to see her, fearing that she has been duped, and that this strange family has nefarious purposes. They see that she is already speaking in a more refined manner, and they fear the don Marcelino may want to take her life. They remonstrate with her, there at the house and later at Marcelinos chocolate factory, nearby to where Maribel lives. Finally, they induce fear in her, and she flees for her life. Once gone, though, she realizes that her friends satisfaction at rescuing her, was really self interested, that she was not in danger, and she hurries back to the strange family, collapsing into the arms of the one who loves her best. Sometimes in life we get into unfortunate situations. Sometimes we know we should change, but dont always know what we should do. It can feel more comfortable, sometimes, to remain in an bad situation, than to make the efforts to leave it behind. A person sinking deeper and deeper into debt may not want to confront realities, and do what needs to be done to bring about a real improvement in life. Those who get behind on their housework may find themselves with piles of goods in their parlours, piles which they fear to attack and clean up. Someone who is too attached to what they wanted to give up for Lent, and so seeks every opportunity to make use of it, is not living an appropriate penitential season. Often we want to overlook the obvious, because this is easier than having to make the effort to adjust. We can often overlook sin, because to confront it would be uncomfortable. Sin is described as having a glamour, indeed, we renounce the glamour of evil, as we renew our Baptismal promises, but how often do we really leave sin behind? We can remain quite comfortable with our slovenly or sinful ways and not want to reach beyond. What is beyond is much better, though, the loving and caring community of the Church, the grace filled instrument of Gods sacred action on earth, the healing graces flowing forth from the words of absolution. Insofar as we embrace the Church, we learn to speak in new ways, we learn to confront our weakness, we learn to see life in a clearer way. Like Maribel, we sometimes have friends who want to talk us out of what we know is better for us, because they do not understand our commitment, they do not understand our community, they do not understand our desire to change. We have to look beyond the world, not always judging with a secular lens, to come closer to that embrace, the embrace of Jesus through the Church. This Sunday, as we rejoice in our Lords goodness, let us rededicate this Lent to a growth in grace, a flourishing of Gods goodness in our lives, and an understanding heart to reach out to those most in need.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 22:16:37 +0000
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