I love Hamilton so much that I don’t want it to become ubiquitous and overdone. I loved it when James Corden shifted the lyrics for the Tony’s opening last summer. I loved it when First Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn transformed Hamilton into their 2016 pageant yesterday: Bethlehem: A Christmas Musical.
How does an infant Savior, son of a whore pious virgin
Born in the middle of a forgotten spot right here in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve
The hero of our story? We’ll move slowly. Did I mention he was holy?
But I don’t want Hamilton to become a meme like – say Pumpkin Spice.
We’ve all observed the pumpkin spice-ification of American culture from lattes to pancakes to tacos. Memes are fun and distracting from real life.
We need distractions from Real life right now and not just because we can’t find the right gift for grandma. Patton Oswalt is my muse these days. I don’t know what Mr. Oswalt’s spiritual proclivities are, but he has helped me on the road to Christificating my life this season.
A couple years ago, Jordan Cooper wrote this article on Christification for Patheos and it’s what we are (trying to be) about in Advent. I can’t become Christ. But I can seek to become more like the Incarnate One.
It usually feels easier these days just to get angry or curl up in a ball of grief. But even Patton Oswalt has arisen because it’s the only way to get through the day. He does it for his daughter. We do it for our children or our country or maybe our God.
God did it for us. It never gets old. It can’t be memed.
A Church for Starving Artists 