The Greatest Showman ... The Greatest Lie

After weeks of "Froze"and "Twolls" on constant repeat at our house, mom and dad were in desperate need of something different. Anticipating some backlash from the almost two year old with a brand new baby brother, we held our breath as we selected The Greatest Showman. Neither of us had seen the movie before, but we knew there would be some singing and dancing which seems to be the determining factor on if Em will be content.

After about 30 minutes, Henry asks "who is that?," referring to Michelle Williams. She looked familiar to us both, but we just couldn't place her. He looked it up, confirmed it was Michelle Willams. We go on, continuing to watch the movie.

At one point during a dance sequence, Em jumps up and with the most precious little voice says, "mama, dance! dance!" She grabs her baby doll and swings it around in her arms as I join her on our living room dance floor. The simple way she is excited by things like a dance scene in a movie reminds me of her innocence & my duty to protect it at all cost. But, that's a post for another time.

The movie wraps with a scene of Michelle and Hugh's characters in the theater watching their oldest daughter preform at a dance recital. The child I had watched experience the joy of dancing earlier was now snuggled in my lap, her silky curls brushing my cheek. Michelle's character nestled on her husbands shoulder, full of joy and pride for her daughter, for the family she had built. My heart broke for Michelle in that instant, the actress not the character she was playing.

All I could think was, "Michelle, was it really worth it?" She has indeed answered that question for us already, when she was on stage accepting an award. A cold metal idol.

We live in a world where women are told that in order to be great they must be anything but what they are biologically made for. Our sole biological purpose as women is to bear & raise children. Biological purpose, far be it from our only purpose but to deny that is to deny our femininity. Women are incredible beings, perfectly designed and beautifully created by our loving Father. The evil one has convinced some women that to bear children is a burden, to be great is to be untethered to a child. More successfully he has perpetrated a less extreme, more widely accepted and far more devastating lie that women not only cling to but champion in a twisted act of virtue signaling. The lie that it is better to be selective & that it is right, just & good to be able to choose when you have a child, by means of abortion, is directly in opposition with the truth, beauty and goodness of our Father.

The greatest tragedy of humanity is the disregard for our unborn children, mothers who don't want them and fathers who won't protect them, men who lack masculinity and women who have lost touch with femininity. Regardless of how or when a child is born in the womb, that life has value, deserves dignity & should be protected.

Jesus is pretty clear on the matter of protecting children, in Matthew 18: 7;9 - "Woe to the world because of things that cause sin! such things must come, but woe to the one through whom they come!" followed by…" It is better for you to enter into life with one eye than with two eyes be thrown into fiery Gehenna"

After the movie was over, Henry was getting the baby settled and Em wanted to join in on the bedtime snuggles. Perfect! I snuck away for a little reading. In His divine providence the chapter I was on offered the explanation to my reaction to seeing Michelle Williams cast in the role of a mother.

Letters to a Suffering Church by Bishop Barron has been on my bookshelf for over a year and I just haven't been able to open it until recently. The book is Bishop Barron's "cri de coeur" as he calls it, a cry from his heart. It's topic is the sexual abuse crisis within the Church. If you are here, I can only imagine you too are a Catholic mother and it goes without saying why it has been so hard for me to read this book.

The book, so far, hasn't touched on abortion, as that is not its goal. Bishop wrote one line, that made it all so clear to me. While, I can't put into words exactly why my heart broke into a million pieces when the camera panned in closer to Michelle Williams eyes. What I can tell you, thanks to Barron's book, is that scripture is the light in the darkness. In chapter 2, poignantly titled Light from Scripture, he explains what Gehenna is. Due to my lack of theological knowledge I had been missing a very important piece to this verse. I assumed "fiery Gehenna" was a way to describe "hell" that would have made since to the listeners at the time. BUT what it actually is, is so much more perfect!

If you start reading at the beginning of Matthew chapter 18, Jesus is answering the question of "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Children of course is the answer we are all so familiar with. Barron explains why this answer is so vitally important and enlightened me to the truth if Gehenna which brought a lightbulb moment about Michelle Williams and her abortion.

First, "Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt 18:4 & Mark 9:35 "if anyone wishes to be first, he shall be last." Bishop Barron continues, "Then he took a child and, in a gesture of irresistible poignancy, placed his arms around him, simultaneously embracing, protecting and offering him as an example. The clear implication is that the failure to accept, protect, and love a child- or, what is worse, the active harming of a child- would preclude real contact with Jesus."

The failure to love a child, accept or protect the child is a preclusion to a real relationship with Jesus. I knew part of my sadness for Michelle was because she is a victim of the greatest lie of the evil one, that it is better to be selective & that it is right, just & good to be able to choose when you have a child, by means of abortion. Bishop Barron had illuminated a new component of my heartbreak. This action she had taken, because of the evil ones lie, would make it completely impossible for her to have a real relationship with Jesus. Oh, but thanks be to God, we have a loving and mercifully forgiving Father!

Second, Gehenna. Jesus uses Gehenna as a fiery place those who attack children wouldn't want to be sent. Barron explains the use of Gehenna is no accident (could the son of God even have those?!). During the time the Old Testament would have taken place, Gehenna was a place where children were sacrificed to idols.

Let that sink in for a moment, Gehenna was a place where children were sacrificed to idols.

Michelle Williams stood on stage at the golden globes and credited her success, her ability to hold that golden statue in her hands to the abortion of her child, to her right to choose life or death for another. My heart breaks for her that she has been so deceived as to think that award means anything at all compared to a child. My heart breaks for her that she thinks choosing the time, place & a loving supportive spouse (all good things) is a reason for the destruction of a precious innocent soul. A masculine man, a true partner, devoted and loving is a true gift but we can’t just pretend our children didn't for a moment exist because a less than masculine man was the father. Career success is a beautiful thing, but we can't place it above our Fathers timing.

More than that, my heart breaks for all women who have been convinced of the lie that children are a roadblock to success, for the women who have been told they aren't amazing enough to be mothers and award winners (doctors, professors, housekeepers, chefs, waitresses or whatever their dream may be) because hear me when I say, women are AMAZING. My heart breaks for the society that called her speech empowering, when in truth is was the perpetuation of the evil ones lies. My heart breaks for the mothers who lost their children to a lie and are living with that suffering. My heart breaks for Michelle who lost her child to a lie & is still believing it & is using her platform for its propagating.

My hope is, through the guidance of our blessed Mother, women can regain their femininity & faith. That women will raise children to be beacons of light in the darkness. That women will stamp out the lies and deception of the evil one who hisses "you can't" and shout to anyone who will listen, "Is anything too marvelous for the Lord to do?" (Gen. 18:13-14)

Pray with me now, sister.

Come Holy Spirit, You are worthy, you are enough, you are beloved.

Lord, come into the hearts and minds of women everywhere, whether they are lost and searching for you, or exhausted and spiritually dried up, come to us now, Lord. Move the mountains in our path to you, through the intercession of your most Holy Mother. Let her be our guide to navigate the lies and deception of the evil one. Be with us Lord, as we go out into this world and fight to keep our faith and femininity alive. In your most Holy Name, for your most Sacred Heart. Amen

Peace in Christ,

Kate