Friday the 13th and the Pain of Letting Go

           

           Tommy Jarvis appears in three Friday the 13^th Movies (4, 5, and 6). The first movie, he is a child and attacks Jason Voorhees who is attacking his sister. The second, he is in a troubled home for youth. He keeps having flashes of Jason until Jason appears. The third begins on a stormy night. Tommy and a friend are walking through a graveyard to the grave of Jason Voorhees. Jason has destroyed Tommy’s childhood. Jason had broken Tommy mentally too. But now Tommy, who wants to make sure Jason won’t return, digs up the grave of Jason Voorhees.

            In a fit of rage while looking at the decaying body, he grabs a metal spike from the fence and begins stabbing the lifeless body. “Die!” he keeps shouting. And then leaving the spike in, he grabs gasoline to burn the body when lightning strikes the metal spike reviving Jason Voorhees.

            Slasher flicks aside, I really do like the Friday the 13^th movies. I don’t know why. I think they are predictable, but even the off humor and gore is funny. I don’t watch them a lot, but sitting down to watch this, I was struck by something.

            If Tommy hadn’t dug up Jason’s body, Jason would’ve stayed dead. If Tommy hadn’t gotten lost in his pain and anger, Jason would have remained rotted. But refusing to let it die, Tommy brought back the darkness to the world.

            I think of my own life. Are there things that I am hurt or angry about that I can’t let go? Well, yes. I think it’s true for everyone. Being hurt isn’t a bad thing and even being angry about being hurt isn’t either. I think it comes down how do we treat people when we are hurting. I know I push people away. I know I’m not the nicest person when I am going through something. And for some reason, I am highly skeptical of everyone too when I am hurting.

Matthew 11:28-30

            “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”                        

            Do we go to Christ when we are feeling overburden? Do we honestly and sincerely seek him to help us with our pain? Do we really believe that in Christ, we can find peace? I can honestly say no.

           

            What makes the 6^th Friday the 13^th movie scary is this whole slaughter is from one man’s inability to get past his own past. If Jesus is offering us a way to carry our pain, our weariness, our sadness, our burdens – then why don’t we let him?