What's...odd...about it is that, as much as it mocks the quarrelsome, shallow, wealth-and-success obsessed Gemstone family? Every once in a while, a bit of faith slips through. In season one, the megachurch spectacle was juxtaposed with a genuinely earnest presentation of mission work.
In season two? Well, beyond a murderous band of neon motorcycle ninjas, there was a single sublime moment that still sticks with me.
It came as the patriarch of the Gemstone clan, played by John Goodman, was renewing an old acquaintance. Eli Gemstone was sitting in a restaurant with Junior, a friend from his former life as a professional wrestler. Junior was reminiscing about his manipulative, distant, and unloving father, and was clearly nursing some significant emotional wounds.
Seeing an old friend struggling, Eli says, "Let's pray, Junior."
He replies, apologetically, that he's not religious.
Eli returns, "Well, it's a good thing I am. I'll show you what to do."
And then they hold hands, and they pray together. Now, prayer in the Gemstone world is often crassly self-interested, or presented as comedy. But not this time.
The prayer that's offered up is heartfelt, personal, and deeply steeped in grace. It acknowledged pain endured, the strangeness of God's purposes, and the trust that God's mercy always holds out the possibility of redemption. It was short, simple, and meaningful.
"Damn. Kinda nice," said Junior, surprised at how moving he found such good words.
"Dang," I thought as I watched, equally surprised. "That was genuinely a fine prayer."
Every once in a while, the light and purpose of prayer makes itself known through the absurdity of it all.
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