Fr. Barron comments on "A Serious Man" (SPOILERS)

Another part of a video series from Wordonfire.org. Father Barron will be commenting on subjects from modern day culture. For more visit http://www.wordonfire.org/

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Fr. Robert Barron
• Word On Fire
• A Serious Man
• Coen brothers
• Book of Job
• Catholicism
• Faith
• Spirituality
• God
• Christianity
• Jesus

[Nergoil]

God surrounds Larry with answers and signs - he just can't see them. The Korean student is a sign. The Columbia record club is a sign. The car accident is a sign. The Jefferson Airplane song is a sign.

And all three Rabbis give him correct answers, just nit the answers he wants. The last Rabbi repeats the line from the Airplane song, which is really what Larry's question is. And then gives him the answer. What then? "Be a good boy". Be true to God, to your principles, to yourself.

[wordonfirevideo]

@Nergoil I think that's right.

[alexington459]

@wordonfirevideo

My jewish friends hate this movie, and this has shed another light on it all.

Is it possible that this movie is just laughing at jewishness and their traditions and rituals? The movie seems to want to make the point that they're paralysed as it were, unable to change their 'silly old' jewish ways. A movie about doubt ? - doubt about jewishness, life and God. Find somebody to love? Then comes the Hurricane = 1 more tragedy to befall them. Coen Brothers - nihilistic? Possible?

[wordonfirevideo]

@alexington459 I would tell your Jewish friends to re-read the 38th chapter of the book of Job. It is none other than the voice of God that comes "from the whirlwind." Larry hasn't been abandoned by God; he's being addressed by God.

[chrisgaitan]

This is my favorite movie. I found your interpretation of the film extremely poignant. Initially, upon first viewing, I found the film to be an attack on the very existence of God and the belief in any type of order in the universe. Seeing it more than once led me to find that this was a very one-sided analysis. Your insight on the film from a spiritual, religious perspective is just as valid. As a current agnostic I found this to be very interesting. Thank you for this video.

[Jan96106]

As I final comment, I can understand why Father Barron likes Fargo. Despite the morally bankrupt characters and the violence (disposing of bodies in the chipper), ultimately the film has a very moral message, voiced by the female police chief towards the end of the film, when she tells the arrested man how shocked she is by his actions, all for the sake of a little money. And Margie herself embodies steadfast dedication to her job, her principles, and her less than stellar husband.

[Jan96106]

Absolutely everything in the film is ambiguous: the causal connections, the outcomes, the explanations. Everything. The problem of evil is not a problem if it has a nice, pat, easy solution. Leave the easy solutions to Job's friends.

[rsolis46]

Fr. Barron is redeeming the priesthood with his fantastic taste in film. For the first time in a long time, I agree with one of my priests.

[wspsux]

@alexington459

say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos.

[tlaniganschmidt]

hey...when i found somebody toLove my Confessor told me it was wrong(because I'mGay)...but whenever i got drunk & engaged in "Homosexual-act" i got forgiven.But the moment i found "SomeBody toLove" i was told "no-dice"..& now all you hetero's are feeling morally superior to me....

[billthecat666]

I'd like someone to write a book about this movie, its symbolism and message.

[Szpondt]

What is more, the depiction of the 3 rabbi's isn't quite anti-clerical so much as a respectful posit that clergy are incapable of helping one discover God. You mentioned the old rabbi's wisdom, but where is it? Surely it's not in him quoting a song whose message really doesn't relate to story's events nor provide a plausible solution (precisely because already *is* loving people [wife, children, brother] who aren't loving him back)? It's definitely not in his vapid expression "Be a good boy."

[Szpondt]

Fr. Barron - you bring up good points, but I think some of them are stretches. Ultimately, I don't view this movie as an expression of the Coen's faith but of their agnosticism. If Larry is truly evocative of Job, where is his renewed prosperity at the film's end? After all the trite advice and angst, he's left with an implied death & still has a hateful wife and children. If anything, the whirlwind represents not the voice of God but the Coen's view of the world as chaos, i.e. anti-Providence.