In summary, Billy Joel sings from the perspective of a boy who is trying to convince a good Catholic girl (aptly named "Virginia") to come out of her religious cocoon and have fun with him. The song hits home for me because I was raised Catholic, but I believe the tongue-in-cheek lyrics can be meaningful in a broader sense...
I’d like to devote the next few posts to my response to this song. I’ll start with this verse:
They say there's a Heaven for those who will wait
Some say it's better but I say it ain't
I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints
The sinners are much more fun…
I can’t blame The Piano Man for painting such an unflattering picture of religious folks. It saddens me to think that our sourpusses and precious rules can be so off-putting that people not only reject us—but also the God we claim to serve and even the hope of Heaven. Sure there’s a time to “cry with the saints,” but there are also times for laughing and dancing (Ecclesiastes 3).
Let’s not forget how Miriam led a parade with her tambourine, and King David shook his groove thing in the streets, and then Jesus kept the party going with a wine miracle! Clearly, it’s not a sin to have fun.
So what's happened over the centuries? Why have so many of us traded the adventure of following God for a seat on the legalism train? All aboard! No tickets required. Just leave your joy at the door. Please be sure to glower out the windows at the shameless sinners who have the audacity to enjoy their lives…
I’d say it’s about time that the church had a facelift. I’m not advocating cosmetic surgery (although that might be helpful for those of us with permanent scowl wrinkles). I’m talking instead about fixing our eyes on Jesus so that our faces are actually inviting: “Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces” (Psalm 34:5, NLT).
To paraphrase Jesus in Matthew 22:34-40, the laundry list of religious rules can be boiled down and purified to just one ingredient: love. This week, let’s be mindful of how we’re demonstrating love to those around us. Let’s sing, and dance, and laugh, and dare I say it? Let’s have fun.
