I love children’s films. They capture essential truths in simple form and I greatly enjoyed the new Lego Batman movie, released this week, despite not being a great fan of Batman myself (perhaps I identify too readily with this angst-filled vigilante and don’t need to be reminded of his inner turmoil!) There is something rather cute about seeing these characters in typical Lego mode…
The Lego version not only has great action featuring a host of characters from children’s fiction and the infamous villain, the Joker, but looks at an essentially serious theme: how life really is about relationships and how we should not live in isolation for fear of being hurt when people die or let us down. Batman has to learn to care about and work with others again if he is to emerge from his solitary, rather lonely life.
God’s love for us is not something to be kept selfishly to ourselves; it is something to be shared with others, as Mark reminded us this morning. ‘Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.’ (1 Jn 4:7) Only when we are truly connected to God and other people can we really understand the meaning of life.