Can a story become too familiar?
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Can a story become too familiar? Can a story become overdone? Can a story lose its meaning through repetition? That was People magazine's review of the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Even though the movie was based on Tim Power's 1987 fantasy novel On Stranger Tides, Johnny Deep still gave the same performance and the storyline seemed to mimic the three previous Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The reviewer wrote that the movie was "a rote replay of the series' earlier outings."
Can a story become too familiar? This is too often the case with the gospel stories. In today's reading, how often have we heard the story of the three wise men; the star; the encounter with Herod; the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh so often that we really no longer hear it? In fact we no longer hear but we have also lost the dramatic effects of what was occurring. Let us be sure that the stories of the Bible do not become just another movie sequel for us.
Can a story become too familiar? This is too often the case with the gospel stories. In today's reading, how often have we heard the story of the three wise men; the star; the encounter with Herod; the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh so often that we really no longer hear it? In fact we no longer hear but we have also lost the dramatic effects of what was occurring. Let us be sure that the stories of the Bible do not become just another movie sequel for us.
