“Bohemian Rhapsody”: They tried to kill it—arguably the greatest achievement of rock group Queen—before the public ever even heard it.
Record producers just could not wrap their heads around it. The song seemed to whirl about like one of its lyrics: “any way the wind blows.” Some parts seemed to be going somewhere, but then never arrived. Some seemed completely out of context. Several interjections didn't seem to relate to anything.
And most unforgivable of all: It was six minutes long!
It was intended to evoke a sense of opera. The author, Freddie Mercury, died before sharing his take on the song’s meaning. Despite being recognized as one of the greatest pieces of rock music ever recorded, people are still confused by it to this day.
Through the lens of time, though, a theme has emerged. In the early 2000s, long after Freddie's death, the song was released in Iran. The band told that audience the song was about a young man who accidentally killed someone. He then sold his soul to the Devil in a Faustian bargain, cried out to God for help, and was finally redeemed by way of intercession.
“Bohemian Rhapsody” could be a redemption story.
Listen to it here (with lyrics displayed) to experience that confusion, firsthand:
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=jFKBR1ggTMY
Some confusion also crops up in this week’s Gospel of John passage. Nicodemus, a leader in Israel, meets with Jesus under the cover of darkness. He’s looking for straight answers. And he gets them—sort of. They are straight answers. They’re just not answers he understands.
People were often confused by the words of Jesus. Some messages seemed to go in one direction, but never actually ended up where expected. Some seemed to spring up completely out of context to what was happening around them. Some didn't seem to relate to anything.
Now, two millennia after Jesus walked the Earth, it would be easy to scoff at their confusion. But how might it go if we tried to condense into a few words all the hope of heaven, the long-laid plans for human redemption, and the wisdom of using self-sacrifice to defeat an evil enemy?
See what I mean? Unenlightened people would likely be confused by what we said.
So, what brings us that enlightenment?
Jesus told Nicodemus how we would come to understanding through the Holy Spirit. Like the wind, the Holy Spirit has no human restrictions: Its beginnings and endings cannot be discerned. And it is essential to our understanding of Jesus, His message, and His actions. Without it, the whole thing looks and sounds like foolishness.
Without the Holy Spirit to guide us, our spiritual journey would take us—any way the wind blows.
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PHOTO: Adobe Express filtered through Photoshop Express
Flash mob performs “Bohemian Rhapsody” in the town square:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=I4bdB4kCPfI&pp=ygUbYm9oZW1pYW4gcmhhcHNvZHkgZmxhc2ggbW9i
What if “Bohemian Rhapsody” was an actual story? Here’s one short film depicting how that might be (contains gun violence):
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PJO7bcRVPvI&pp=ygUXQmVoZW1pYW4gcmhhcHNvZHkgdmlkZW8%3D
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Join us Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast on Zoom* and in person at Our Breakfast Place. We start at 8:00 and enjoy an hour of scripture, discussion, prayer, and whatever we order off the menu.
Yes, we meet longer than “Bohemian Rhapsody.” But on the plus side, we will let you go…
Blessings,
Steve
*Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=l&d=26
Print them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Ax_SecondSundayinLent.pdf
Genesis 12:1-4a
Psalm 121
Romans 4:1-5, 13-17
John 3:1-17 or Matthew 17:1-9
Second Sunday in Lent (March 1, 2026)
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