ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHING
April 10, 2022
Joseph Campbell was a fascinating writer in the area of myth and religion, and one of his quotes that I love is one you might have come across at some point. He wrote: “You are the Hero of your own story.” I read those words and find myself taking them in many different directions, but they strike me as words of empowerment that lead to transformation. In Campbell’s study of what he called the Hero’s Journey, there is a common myth told in every culture throughout history – a person leaves home, encounters challenges, finds helpers, faces death, is transformed, returns home, but does so as a different person. There are many in the Bible who follow this or a similar path, and as readers, we are drawn to such stories. This same idea is found in Star Wars, Harry Potter, the Hobbit or even the Wizard of Oz. Yet this Hero Journey is not simply to be read, but lived. And as followers of Jesus, our journey is one seeking transformation. As those called to a life of humility, it is hard to claim the status of “hero,” yet the idea Campbell was presenting was more about the journey itself. Holy Week is a microcosm of Campbell’s idea, but one we can learn from and seek to embody.
Guide me in the days ahead, O God, and make me aware of all there is to learn about the journey of transformation. It is a path I need to walk again and again. Amen.
