“The Fiddler” is one of
the many surrealist paintings by Marc Chagall that reflected the life and
culture of his Eastern European, Jewish childhood. In his tradition, a violinist played at all
major ceremonies of life – bar mitzvahs, weddings, funerals and festivals –
because of the belief that we can achieve communion with God through music and dance. The Fiddler represents the changes and phases
of life and God’s presence through it all.
In this painting, Chagall’s Fiddler has a green face, a symbol of life
and living; he’s perched on a roof, which represents the uncertainty and
precariousness of life; and he’s playing his fiddle with a joyful smile on his face,
a reminder of how we should face life’s challenges. Chagall’s Jewish roots taught him that life is
a gift from God that’s meant to be enjoyed and celebrated. And that’s what today’s readings are talking
about.
Our first reading and
our Gospel tell us of parallel miracles.
In our passage from Kings, God answers Elijah’s prayer for the return of
life’s breathe to the widow’s son. And
in our Gospel, Jesus himself calls the widow’s only son back to life. These powerful stories aren't simply about
miracles – they’re about the miracle of life.
They teach us that our God is a God of life who liberates us from
death. “This call to life isn't just
meant for the man in the coffin. The
call is meant for us too.”[1]
God is life, and our
lives are gifts from God. That’s why we’re
called to support and protect life from conception to natural death. “Throughout his ministry among us, Jesus was
a staunch protector of life.”[2] He healed the sick and restored the dead to
life. Jesus didn't come to die. He wasn't a masochist. He came to live and to bring life abundantly
to all of us.[3] “In
the person of his Son, God visits his people and endows [us] with the fullness
of life”[4]
– life everlasting. Just as Elijah and
Jesus entrust the resuscitated sons to their mothers, God entrusts us with the
gift of life. The question for us, then,
is: How are we going to live it?
Albert Einstein
reportedly said that “There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you
can live as if everything is a miracle.”
It’s our choice. We all know that
life can be tough. Life’s challenges and
difficulties throw us out of balance every day.
And sometimes when we've already fallen down, it seems like life just
keeps piling on. But life is also filled
with tremendous joy. God wants us to be
happy. He wants the joy in our lives, which
reflects God himself, to be the constant that carries us through the tough
times so that we cherish our lives, celebrate them and love them. He wants us to live in his eternal happiness right
now. Life is a miraculous gift. Whether or not we choose to live it for the miracle
it is is our choice. As I see it, you
can either be Macbeth, or Mr. Magorium:
Shakespeare’s Macbeth said, “[Life] is a tale told by an idiot, full of
sound and fury, signifying nothing.”[5] Zach Helm’s Mr. Magorium said, “Life’s an occasion.
Rise to it!”[6]
And I’ll add, enjoy it and celebrate it!
That’s what Tevye did. Do you remember him? He’s the main character in Fiddler on the Roof, a musical that took
its name from Marc Chagall’s painting. Like
Chagall, Tevye understood that life is a gift from God that should be enjoyed and
celebrated no matter what challenges we face. That philosophy, which is the message of today’s
readings, is captured perfectly in Tevye’s famous toast:
To
life! To life! L’chaim!
L’chaim!
L’chaim! To Life!
A gift
we seldom are wise enough
Ever
to prize enough.
Drink
l’chaim! To life![7]
Listen to"To Life" on YouTube
[1]
Fr. Kenneth E. Grabner, C.S.C., “A Resurgence of Life,” Living Faith, vol. 29, no. 1 (April-June, 2013) at June 9.
[2]
Patricia Datchuk Sánchez,
“What Would You Do?” National Catholic
Reporter, vol. 49. no. 16 (May 24 – June 6, 2013) at 27.
[3]
Elizabeth A. Johnson, Consider
Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology
(New York, Crossroad, 1990) at 91.
[4]
Edward J. Ciuba, Who Do You Say That I
Am?, 2d ed. (New York, Alba House, 1993) at 83.
[5]
William Shakespeare, Macbeth, act V, scene
5, line 26 (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1954) at
[6] Mr.
Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, dir. Zach Helm, perf. Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman,
Jason Bateman, 20th Century Fox, 2007.
[7] “To
Life,” Fiddler on the Roof, music, Jerry
Bock, lyrics, Sheldon Harnick, book, Joseph Stein (1964).
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