mean almighty

Seeing Evan Almighty, the film, was rather providential.

Slowly coming off a really major slump, getting a few laughs from a movie treat with my mother and sister was just cherry on my strawberry ice cream. After all, life has always been sweet, only sometimes, we get the colds.

As i have never been good in telling stories, can we do away with the plot? Well, it is a simple (but heartwarming, yes, even with crazy Steve Carrel in it) story about Evan Almighty, the man tasked by God to build an ARK to save the animals and the people from the great flood. Morgan Freeman, reprises his role as the Almighty, God in the flesh who instructs Evan to build his ark. Evan is ridiculed for the crazy idea of building a boat in preparation for the great flood, when they haven't been getting rains because of drought. His family thinks it was just a bizarre case of midlife crisis and temporarily leaves him. God appears to Evan's wife (as a waiter), and makes her understand why she needs to go back to Evan and stay by his side.

This is where the most striking message of the film steps in, at least for me. God the waiter, tells Joan (Evan's wife) "God: Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

Often times, when we pray, we expect things to happen and unfold the way we want them to happen. Although the Almighty that we know can surely make things happen, as in just happen, the answers to our prayers may often take on a different shape. Some of which we hardly even recognize. He chooses not to lay everything on a platter -- you pray for a house and he will give you means to earn enough to buy a decent home for your family; you ask for true friends, then you will have to lose the phony ones to make you value the real ones. you ask for clarity and he gives you time to get there...

The great flood doesn't come, but a poorly constructed dam breaks off, causing a quiet lake to run in torrents over the city. Evan and his ARK (which actually stands for Acts of Random Kindness done one at a time) saves the day, and sacks the profiteering politician, Congressman Long out of office. The ARK thing was a nifty wordplay by God, He says these ARK, done one at a time, can change the world. Incidentally, one of the songs played in this movie is John Mayer's Waiting on the World to Change.

I remember reading this from Paulo Coehlo, perhaps an apt closing for this meandering, he calls this, "The Prayer that he Forgot":

Lord, protect our doubts, because Doubt is a way of praying. It is Doubt that makes us grow because it forces us to look fearlessly at the many answers that exist to one question. And in order for this to be possible…

Lord, protect our decisions, because making Decisions is a way of praying. Give us the courage, after our doubts, to be able to choose between one road and another. May our YES always be a YES and our NO always be a NO. Once we have chosen our road, may we never look back nor allow our soul to be eaten away by remorse. And in order for this to be possible…

Lord, protect our actions, because Action is a way of praying. May our daily bread be the result of the very best that we carry within us. May we, through work and Action, share a little of the love we receive. And in order for this to be possible…

Lord, protect our dreams, because to Dream is a way of praying. Make sure that, regardless of our age or our circumstances, we are capable of keeping alight in our heart the sacred flame of hope and perseverance. And in order for this to be possible…

Lord, give us enthusiasm, because Enthusiasm is a way of praying. It is what binds us to the Heavens and to Earth, to grown-ups and to children, it is what tells us that our desires are important and deserve our best efforts. It is Enthusiasm that reaffirms to us that everything is possible, as long as we are totally committed to what we are doing. And in order for this to be possible…

Lord, protect us, because Life is the only way we have of making manifest Your miracle. May the earth continue to transform seeds into wheat, may we continue to transmute wheat into bread. And this is only possible if we have Love; therefore, do not leave us in solitude. Always give us Your company, and the company of men and women who have doubts, who act and dream and feel enthusiasm, and who live each day as if it were totally dedicated to Your glory. Amen.

Amen.