Thwip! Faith lessons from Spider-Man

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hit theaters last week, and it did not disappoint. What. A. Ride. It got me thinking about what Spider-Man can teach us about living as Catholics. Whether he knows it or not, he’s a person of faith, and he’s committed to self-sacrifice and service to others.

Without any spoilers, we can find a few faith lessons in this superhero’s story, along with some echoing words from a few of our friends in heaven, the saints:

1. Fight to protect and preserve humanity. Spider-Man is not perfect, but he is inherently good. He feels a responsibility to protect people and work for a greater cause than himself. He cares about people who are complete strangers to him. He even cares about people that others want to write off. As Dorothy Day said, “We have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community.”
2. Persevere. Spider-Man never stops. Even when he’s bleeding or bruised or not sure he has any webs left to thwip, he keeps going. Where does he find that energy and drive and motivation? That’s not clear. But he draws on the well of goodness inside himself and keeps showing up. “For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand,” St. Paul writes. Spider-Man gives his whole self, pouring himself out every time he fights crime and protects his city.
3. Trust that you’ll have what you need. Trust can be one of the most challenging aspects of faith. We want to feel ready. We want the path to be clear. We want to serve God once we know how the story is going to go. But the door almost always opens before we want to walk through. The problem pops up or the opportunity presents itself, and we haven’t had a chance to prepare. Spider-Man just dives off the building and into the problem. Maybe he’s inordinately brave. Maybe he’s sure of himself. Or maybe he has a deep inner well full of trust. It’s certainly admirable – and seems likely to come from life of faith. “Courage, courage, trust in God who helps you in all things,” said Saint Mary MacKillop.
4. Don’t look for credit. Spider-Man is committed to his anonymity. He’s flashy and zany and creates incredible spectacles, but he does it all under a different persona. Talk about your left hand not knowing what your right hand is doing. He is not acting for himself, but for a greater good. As St. Vincent de Paul said, “Be careful to give no credit to yourself for anything; if you do, you are stealing from God, to whom alone every good thing is due.”
5. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain. Spider-Man doesn’t follow trends. He doesn’t get swept up in whatever’s new or happening now. He’s not swayed by people who seem to have authority or want to take the easy path. He stays true to himself and to his purpose and swings out into the city, looking for problems to solve. The new movie was released on the Feast of St. Ignatius, July 31, so it’s only fitting to give St. Ignatius a word here too: “It is dangerous to make everybody go forward by the same road: and worse to measure others by oneself.” Spider-Man most definitely does not measure himself against others and travels by his own road. It’s a great challenge for each of us.

Even the title of the new movie, “Brand New Day,” serves as an inspiration to all of us who are trying to discover God in our world and live faith anew each morning. May we use the God-given powers within us to help make this world a little better and a little brighter today.

Also See Movie Review: Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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