CAUGHT IN COMFORT

Hi! In case you don’t remember me, I’m Cai! If you DO know me, then you know I am a big movie guy, which means you also know that this summer has been absolutely incredible for me. 

From titles like ‘Toy Story 5’ and ‘Supergirl’ (my 4th favorite superhero) in June to ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ (the best superhero ever) in July. But the biggest Hollywood spectacle of the 4 was ‘The Odyssey.’ And to be totally honest with you, that was the one I had the least faith in. 

BOY WAS I WRONG.

I’ve known for some time now that some of my favorite movies are inspired by Homer’s Odyssey; I just didn’t think Nolan would do a great job with it. Again, BOY WAS I WRONG. There are many different types of lessons to be learned from The Odyssey, whether it be political, sociological, economic, or spiritual; each one is relevant to us today. So without further ado, let’s walk through what makes this story so important and how we can learn from it. (Count this as a spoiler alert I guess, but this story has been around for around 2700 years. So at this point, I'm not sorry.)

Let’s start by breaking down the story of The Odyssey. Odysseus was the King of Ithaca. He was called upon by Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek forces, to assemble young men from Ithaca to fight in the Trojan War. When they arrived in Troy, there was no good way to get in. It was the most heavily fortified and protected city in the world. So, they sat for 10 years. Plotting. Searching for weaknesses. Until one day, Odysseus had an idea. You know the story. They built a horse as a peace offering, or at least to appear as one. They hid inside as it was moved into the city and propped up for all the people to see. Then they came out in the middle of the night and snuck to the gates to let the rest of the Greek army in. It is here that Odysseus loses himself. He loses himself as he watches 10 years of pent-up rage and aggression be let out not just on enemy soldiers but on women, children, and idols. 

Not only that, he also loses his favor in the eyes of his gods. After they capture Troy, they begin their venture home. But Odysseus, giving in to his pride, decides not to follow Agamemnon home; he takes his own route to Ithaca. Yet as we all know, pride goes before the fall. 

As Odysseus and his men travel home, they survive off of the hospitality—or the pillaging—of the cities they decide to land in. Until one day, they land on the island of Sicily. They came upon a sheep, which led them to its flock. Unbeknownst to the crew, the flock’s shepherd was Polyphemus the Cyclops, son of Poseidon. This is where Odysseus loses the first of his men to his prideful venture. It’s also where he angers Poseidon even further. Odysseus and his men escape Polyphemus’s cave by stabbing his eye with a burning torch. Polyphemus cries out to his father, begging that Odysseus would never return home. And that if he must return home, he would arrive late and bitter, after losing all his men. And his prayer is answered. 

Odysseus and his men encounter many trials, such as giant cannibals, Circe the witch, traveling to hell itself to receive a prophecy from Tiresias, resisting the temptation of the sirens, a deadly whirlpool, and a six-headed snake monster. But none of these things could stop Odysseus. 

They finally found shelter exactly where Tiresias told them they would. But they still had to adhere to his warning; if you eat the sacred cattle of Helios the sun god, you will die. Because they were trapped on this island by a storm, Odysseus’ men heeded this warning for a month. Until finally, they succumbed to their desires. 

After eating the cow, the storm finally cleared up. It seemed as if they were being shown mercy, when really they were walking—or sailing— straight into their demise. Poseidon sent a storm to kill the men and destroy their ship. Everyone died, except for Odysseus. Odysseus washed up on the shore of Ogygia, home of Calypso. Calypso rescued him and fell deeply in love with him.

She offered him eternal life if he would stay with her as her husband. Odysseus rejected her offer and spent every day crying on the shore, longing to return home to his wife, Penelope. But Calypso trapped Odysseus by giving him lotus flowers, causing him to lose his memory. She did this for 7 years, until Odysseus finally remembered who he was and what he had set out to do. As he returned home, Calypso told Odysseus that Poseidon wanted to kill him, but Zeus would not let him. BUT, Odysseus had to relinquish control. He could not set his own sails or choose his direction; he simply had to trust his gods and let the waves carry him home. 

Now that I’ve given you the first 3/4 of the book report, let’s park here for a second. I want you to understand that Calypso is so much more than just a character in The Odyssey. For seven years, Odysseus lives on an island where he never has to struggle. He is given comfort and pleasure and even offered immortality. On paper, it’s everything he could ever want. But every single day, he sits out on the shore, staring at the ocean as he longs for something he doesn’t even remember. Because he knows that comfort is not fulfillment. 

That’s why Calypso is so important! Remember that list of horrible obstacles Odysseus faced? Not a single one stopped him - but comfort did. 

We live with the danger of our own Calypso aka comfort every single day. And no, it’s not actually the goddess Calypso. It’s different for everyone. 

It could be your phone, a relationship that you’ve outgrown, or a job that’s comfortable enough to keep you right where you are. It’s anything that feels safe but quietly keeps you from becoming who you’re meant to be. 

The biggest thing standing between you and the life you want is not failure; it’s comfort. 

You see, Odysseus was never the strongest soldier, but he was always the smartest. Meaning, he knew how to handle every situation. Throughout Nolan’s Odyssey, you see him having an answer to every problem. BUT when he was finally permitted to go home, it was not by his own capability. He had to relinquish control and trust his gods. The same gods who kept him from going home in the first place. He did not set the sails, he did not choose the direction. He just trusted. The way he did before the war, before he lost himself.

And after 20 days, he finally made it home to Ithaca. He returned not as a king, but as a beggar. He returned to see a land, once great, overrun by suitors for his dear wife Penelope. These suitors took advantage of Odysseus’s riches as they competed for the role of Penelope’s husband and king of Ithaca. Again, he watched and waited. Until one day, he was able to reveal himself and return to his wife Penelope. 

So you’re probably wondering, “how does all of this apply to me?” Don’t worry, we have finally arrived at that point.

The Odyssey is not just a meaningless myth, it’s a carefully crafted story meant to provoke thought and reflection. And right now I want to provoke you to reflect. 

Have you become prideful like Odysseus? 

Have you walked away from what you’re called to because you think you know better? 

Have you become comfortable and complacent and perhaps forgotten the path you were set on? 

I’m here to remind you today, YOU’RE NOT TOO FAR GONE!! Put your trust in God and allow Him to carry you. Merely believing in God and actually putting your faith and trust in Him are two totally different things. 

See, Odysseus believed in his gods when he was leading the destruction of Troy. He believed in his gods when he pillaged cities on his voyage home. He believed in his gods when he travelled to hell. He believed in his gods when he encountered monsters and witches. 

But his belief is not what brought him home - it was his trust. Trust leads to surrender, and true surrender leads to reaching whatever it is God has for us. 

I’m reminded of the story of Peter walking on water. Beforehand, Peter believed in Jesus. But it was his trust in Jesus that empowered him to do the great thing, AND it was his disbelief that made him stumble. 

I’ve made two main points today. One, comfort kills. 

Two, trust and belief are two different things. 

I look at both these stories and think, “Where am I not getting it? Where am I not fully trusting God?” But I also ask, “Where have I become too comfortable?” 

Peter literally WALKED ON WATER with the Messiah. He spent every single day with Him. I wonder if that caused him to become comfortable to the point where he didn’t even realize the magnitude of the moment he was in. 

How often do I do that? How often do I get caught up in the pride and comfort of ‘churchianity’ that I don't even realize just how great God truly is? 

I encourage you to reflect on all of that today. 

Where are you not getting it? 

Where can you trust God? Where have you allowed yourself to become prideful? 

What feels safe but really isn’t? 

Don’t let comfort keep you from the command that is on your life.

MICAIAH LYNCH