Sisyphus, Groundhog Day, and Solomon

A brief break from the current series, probably posting something more edifying than data analysis for the rest of Advent. 

In Greek myth, Sisyphus was the fellow condemned by the pagan gods to spend eternity moving a boulder up a hill -- only to watch it roll down again, so that he must start over at a job that he knew was pointless. A lot of us can relate to that feeling of endlessly working at a futile task, of that despair or even bitterness.

In the movie Groundhog Day, the main character found himself trapped endlessly repeating the same pointless and silly day. After many failed attempts to break the cycle, the main character found the real escape by accident as he persisted in trying to make the most of the day he had. He was slower to despise other people, slower to hate himself and his job. He became less judgmental, less cynical and therefore less arrogant. By the end, he made a genuine human connection and found his day worthwhile.

Solomon -- reputed to be the author of the book of Ecclesiastes -- wrote his frustration that any gains made in his lifetime were likely to be undone in future generations. Solomon reasoned that if God exists, then there is vindication for the long hours -- and long years -- of doing the right thing when nobody knew or cared (or faulted us for it). There is a right recognition of all our efforts, and that they have not ultimately been lost.

As we look outside of our endless cycle of days for some sign that it matters, I find myself glad to see Christmas on the horizon: a sign that human life matters to God. It's a sign that God keeps his promises. A sign that we are not stuck in an endless loop waiting for a crash. The manger, like the empty tomb, points to a hope that God is faithful, and because of that life has meaning.