Over Easter I have been re-watching the TV series “BROKEN” written by Jimmy McGovern, now available on DVD. Accompanying this I have been studying a Lent Course produced by Church of England, Birmingham.
The course & viewing are so powerful & challenging that I have resolved to revisit every Easter. It’s important to hear the voices of those who aren’t heard: the poor, dispossessed, wrongly accused, betrayed. (Themes we meet in the Easter story.)
BROKEN focuses on the life of Roman Catholic Priest Father Michael (Sean Bean) who despite past traumas & feeling inadequate attempts to being the light of Christ into the lives of the people he ministers to.
The viewing is not for the faint-hearted with many upsetting themes of death, suicide, abuse, violence, racism. It portrays life at its most gritty & unvarnished. It raises many questions about how to live faithfully when life is very hard. There are no easy answers.
It raises issues of poverty vs. morality, having courage to tell the truth, guilt vs. shame, justice vs. forgiveness, righteous anger & reconciliation.
BROKEN captures how hard it can be for people in ministry & how much they need to hear the support of their congregation.
Perhaps you can find the time to think of someone in ministry who has helped you, and then thank them for what they have done for you…………