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Cultural thoughts on the passing of Senator Kennedy

            A lot of blogs and online articles that I see regarding the passing of Senator Kennedy tend to point out two things from his life: his tragedies, and his successes. Within those two motifs of this political icon’s life lie something deeper that I noticed and that I would like to talk about. If you really sit down and think about it, the world in which we find ourselves is easy to figure out. There are no guessing games and no clues to follow. There are straight facts via observation--- no punches are pulled. What do I mean?

            What I mean to say is that the world in which we find ourselves looks at a situation like the passing of Senator Kennedy in a variety of ways. I would like to focus on one in particular. Our society looks at this man’s life, as I said, through the lens of his tragedies and successes. Interestingly, the tragedies focused on fall within his personal life; and the successes focused on fall within his professional career as a long-time Senator. Now, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican or neither (as I think all Christians should take this position, but that’s for another time); then you would agree that he has certainly made a significant impact in Congress.

To be sure, his successes on the Senate floor are numerous—no least of all being a Senator for over 40 years! In an age where people quit their jobs because of the difficulty or people you work with everyday; just think about the stress and pressure on being a Senator—not to mention having to fight for your job every few years against somebody else who wants it really bad. Difficult, to be sure.

            Similarly, you hear a lot about the tragedies from his personal life. A public figure never escapes public scrutiny (they should know this before signing on), but the reputation of Senator Kennedy certainly precedes him. I do believe in a person’s ability for personal transformation, as apparently this happened a number of years ago following the acquitted trial of his nephew and his indirect involvement in the whole thing (he quit drinking and womanizing after this point); I think that while our culture continues to bemoan, accuse, and downright judge a man it is a beautiful time for Christians to stand up and bestow grace and forgiveness upon an act of confession and repentance. It is a beautiful time indeed, and a time where Christians can be distinct from the world in which we find ourselves, a world that loves to judge and point fingers at sin while neglecting the log in its own eye (see Matthew 7:5). Which brings me to my point.

            For all the attention from the media and media-wannabes on Senator Kennedy’s “tragedies” and “successes”, I think there is a better discussion to have in talking about this important public figure. What I mean to say is that the idea of leaving a legacy and how a person is remembered is an often neglected, yet highly important aspect to…life. Have you ever thought about legacy; whether your own or someone else’s? Have you ever thought about how you will be remembered? How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered more for your “tragedies”, or for your “successes”?

            The problem with living in a secularized society like America is that there is hardly any emphasis (because the worldview is askew) on the afterlife. For the secular media covering the passing of Senator Kennedy they will have their hay-day and have TV, radio, and political personalities talk about him, his “tragedies”, his “successes”, and there will surely be talk of the other two brothers—John and Robert. But after a couple weeks when this event is no longer “news worthy”, the media will move on. The people will move on. The media will eventually forget. The people will eventually forget.

            That is the problem of the secularized culture in which we find ourselves. But for the distinctiveness of the Christian culture, there is more. There is the belief in an afterlife. There is the belief that time does not stop for you after you are gone. There is the belief that life does not stop for you after you are gone. If you are a Christian, death is only the beginning of life. For a devout Christian, as Senator Kennedy was (Roman Catholic), then there is no doubt (nay, the ASSURANCE of Christ on the cross) that he is in glory, in eternity with God first and most importantly and reconciled with loved ones as an add-on bonus.

            I think that there is memory in the afterlife. I think that a person is consciously aware of their previous time in this life. I think that when we interact with one another in such a redeemed state we will know who each other are and what sort of impact we had on each other’s lives. Indeed, we will know the legacy of the life that we have lived. We will know not only the reality of the “tragedy” of life as it is now, but we will also know the “success” for those of us who daily choose to live a Christ-centered life in guidance and obedience to the Holy Spirit.

            Our “legacy” does not end with an NBC special or a web-site tribute page. Our “legacy” lives on, into eternity. What kind of legacy will you leave? How will people remember you? Recently I have been thinking a lot about this and can only imagine when I cross from life to eternal life and my blinders will be removed. I will be able to see from dimness to unbelievable clarity. I will be able to see how it is that everything I do and everyone I encounter, what kind of impact I had on that person. It’s scary to think about the times I know that I have shrugged off a street beggar, or been short with the person at my Wells Fargo branch for taking so long to make a deposit. It’s scary and I can only hope by the grace of God that I have not done anything to harm my witness of the risen Lord.

But I also think about the times that I know I have made an impact for the Kingdom of God in a real and superlative way. The times that I have been bold and confident in discussions with others on spiritual issues. The times that I have told someone I would pray for them, and actually do it. Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal was right when he described humans as “deposed royalty”. For all the times that we think we are good (royalty), there are equal times of us being bad (deposed). It is in these times that as Christians we can rest assured that our “legacy” is not in vain. How we are remembered is not forgotten. We are never forgotten, least of which by a Holy Divine 2,000 years ago in a place very far from here and very different from here. Atop a wooden cross, nailed, beaten, dead. And yet…risen again in glory to erase the offenses to God once and for all, for all those who might believe in Him. Now that’s some legacy, that’s some kind of remembrance. That’s some kind of God.