The Beauty of Entertainment: MJ and Farrah, "Air For Life"

One of the Great Spiritual Doctors of the Middle Ages, St. Bonaventure, referred to God as the Divine Artist of which created things are vestiges of His Essence, and of which the human soul is in His image. Without making any judgments, one cannot deny that both Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett have given us not just an echo of God's Divine Mystery, but also have brought us close enough to the Eternal Creative Fire as to not just warm, but HEAT UP our souls with truth, beauty, and goodness.

It is no coincidence that Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, products of the Entertainment Industry, died on the same day. Something quite profound happened and is proof that the Entertainment Industry is not just good for tabloids, excesses, and "I am a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here." God LOVES entertainment! A bit of Him was manifested in The talented lives of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. We may never see the likes of such musical and dancing talent that Michael Jackson exhibited since age 10. But what is true and amazing and makes one stop in awe is that such talent is just a flicker from the Divine FIRE of God. The beauty and impact of Farrah as a cultural Icon of beauty, may only be matched or surpased by a few, but is only a small taste of Divine BEAUTY. With the deaths of these two Hollywood Icons, a global phenomenon has taken place - a God moment - GOD TRULY HAS SPOKEN THROUGH THEIR DEATHS!

What has He spoken? Two Hollywood Icons - two lives that reveal that wealth, fame, and power are not the answer to eternal happiness and joy.

If one stops to reflect on these two deaths (as the world has), one can't deny who is in charge - the One, Immutable, all Loving God - I call him God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (One God - three Persons) - But I realize, if your not a Christian, you may call God something else.

In the end though, we all can agree that God is our "air For life" and He alone has control over life. AMEN! And Farrah gave a strong witness to this in her last months as she held onto her rosary more than her fame. God Bless you Farrah!

["Air For Life" - Andy Moor]

Farrah - what a courageous and strong woman. MJ, we love you and your innocent like love for the world. And though your personal life dealt you some rough blows leading you to find refuge in entertainment, we trust in the image of Divine LOVE - THE CROSS that says I know your heart and you are still mine if you so choose to be.

I close with this excerpt of a letter I sent to Farrah 1 month before she died:

Farrah, my Mother, whom I lost to pancreatic cancer back in 2001, would surely be following your story today and pulling for you and I am sure she still is today. She was strong like you, but human. In those difficult times, she knew of God’s love for her through the people (“angels”) He would send into her life to console her. May you, if not already, know of this divine care for you (of which Ryan I am sure is one). I hope this letter finds you comfortable and peaceful and very much embraced by the love of your family during these difficult times for you. And most of all, O Daughter of Corpus Christi, Texas (“Body of Christ), know that God loves you and always “Trust in His Merciful Love” for you.

Sincerely with the Love of Jesus Christ.... Fr. Don

Kings of Leon or Princes of Darkness?

 New Ethos has made it our mission to showcase artists whose work embodies an overarching spirit of truth, beauty, and goodness.  One hot band that has caught the world's attention for their mysterious and not so straight forward lyrics are Kings of Leon, a rock band from Tennessee.  KOL consists of three sons of pentecostal preacher --- Caleb (lead singer, rythm guitar), Nathan (drums), and Jared (bass) Followill --plus first cousin, Matthew Followill (lead guitar).  KOL, who recently released the hit song, "Sex on Fire", are becoming quite an intriguing story.

Many of the "bluenoses" out there might be fanning themselves in disgust (or maybe guilty pleasure) over the fact that a faith based organization like New Ethos would even consider a story on a band like Kings of Leon - unless, of course, we are to scold and boycott such a band that seeks to stir human concupiscence.  Surely they must be the Price of Darkness, right?  Ok, so maybe "Sex on Fire" is not a song I would play at a Catholic youth prayer service.  But there is something much deeper to reflect upon when considering ones evaluation of this undeniable cultural phenomenon in the music world called the The Kings of Leon - namely, what (or who) is behind their music?

When I first heard "Sex on Fire", I was quick to dismiss KOL as some out of control sex 

abberant punks.  But later I stubbled on a few more of their songs ("Closer", "Use Somebody", "Crawl"), read some of their interviews, and realized this band could not be reduced to a KC and The Sunshine Band trying to evoke hormonal fever.  There was something else going with these sons of a preacher man (Leon).  Their music is quite good and unique and their lyrics do invoke some reflection.  In "Crawl" - "As the rat, and the fly - They're searching for an alibi - As we await the wrath - They never went to Sunday Mass." [A political overture on America].  Or, in "Closer" - "She took my heart - Think she took my soul... Two thousand years of chasing, taking its toll."  [Presumably written by Caleb while coming off an addition to pain killers].

Combine these lyrics (of which bloggers interpret to be anything from about vampires to Christ) with their pentecostal upbringing [Check out interview that reveals a more "Christian" KOL ( Kevchino Interview )] and what is one to think about their "who" or "what" is behind

their music?

As one continues to probe around their videos and interviews, you can also see a not so "Christian" KOL talking about getting drunk, using profanity, getting high and the like.  So "who" or "what" is behind their music?

New Ethos makes no judgments on KOL but recognizes their talents and the potential such a band can and will have on a culture if indeed they remain faithful to their roots while as artists, not being afraid to "go outside the box" and create true, beautiful, and good music as God has gifted them for. 

Though KOL may have some rough edges right now (remember, God is patient with us as He sees us not as we are but how we will be if we cooperate with his grace - I am a perfect example of that work in progress), I cannot help but hold faith and hope for what God may have in store for this band, especially with comments such as this from Nathan: "We didn't give up that music (pentecostal, gospel) for rock and roll; we had the music in us all along.  Understand Aretha Franklin, she was a Pentecostal girl.  AL Green.  We don't want to come off as a church band, but we're not scared of the fact that a lot of our influences musically come from our past."

KOL, are prayers are with you for your success (as God would want it) and we will be patient with your private "over indulgences" at times - but could you please, if you have the chance, and we are no prigs, rename that song to "Spirit on Fire" instead?

Fr. Don