I picked up this book not long ago because it won a Pulitzer Prize. It took me a week or so to plow through about 100 pages of darkness, sadness, hopelessness, difficulty, questions, misery.
Finally, last night, after a long work day, I decided to push through til the end. I had to know what was at the end of the tunnel.
Darkness. The End.
Even as I read pages 286, 287, 288, 289 I thought the author would release me, his reader, from hours of gray. I couldn't wait for the glorious conclusion of redemption and hope.
Darkness. The End.
I'm not a fan of Pollyanna. I don't like fake, sugary music, films, and books. I'm not in favor of religion that is "in right, out right, up right, down right, happy all the time" because this simply is not real, not real life.
But, come on.
A religion of questions, doubts, complaints, skepticism, deconstruction, depression, darkness, hopelessness ... yuck.
We need a religion that includes the entirety of Jesus Final Weekend.
The darkness of Friday Afternoon.
The uncertainty/hope of Sabbath.
The light at the end of the tunnel of Sunday Morning.
We need the reality of both cross and opened grave.
We need 289 pages of honest light and shadow ... and page 290 filled with happily ever after.
We need neither cheers nor jeers ... but Jesus.
