Encanto and Faith

The husband and I watched Encanto somewhat recently, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I cried more than once. There is one song that still keeps me crying, no matter how many times I listen to it.

“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” was all over my TikTok FYP.

As the first child of immigrant parents and an older sister, “Under Pressure” definitely had relatable lyrics.

But my favorite song is “Waiting On A Miracle.” It’s no competition for me.

I think that Stephanie Beatriz did an unbelievably amazing job in conveying so much emotion in the song. I had to hold back from bawling on the spot when first hearing it.

Lyrics and emotions aside, the animation was gorgeous. The way the fireworks explode on beat during the outro? *chef’s kiss*

Okay, back to the song.

The part that gets me is actually the outro.

I am ready!
Come on, I’m ready!
I’ve been patient and steadfast and steady!
Bless me now as you blessed us all those years ago
When you gave us a miracle
Am I too late for a miracle?

Even though this movie has nothing to do with the Christian God, faith is a big part of the movie.

There’s something about the way she puts out how she’s been faithful (patient, steadfast, steady) and demands to be blessed too, being the only one seemingly without a gift.

When she is asking for her own blessing, it doesn’t come off as insolent. Instead, there’s this sense of a sad desperation. After spending so many years feeling and being treated like the black sheep of the family, of wanting to be as “special” as the rest of her family, she just wants to be like them.

If anything, I think that this moment and demand is an act of faith. I would say that it, in some ways, actually reminds of when Jacob wrestles with God.

She wouldn’t ask for this blessing, if she didn’t believe that this magical candle was truly capable of it. She wouldn’t ask, demand, unless she truly believed that it was the one to grant the rest of her family with their abilities.

What I admired about Maribel is that despite having all the reason in the world to resent her family, to be angry at this magical force, and to resent everyone around her, she just… doesn’t.

A comment on the “Waiting On A Miracle” video read, “This could have been Maribel’s villain origin story and it would have been completely justified.”

Hahaha, but honestly? Yeah? Her family doesn’t even notice/care that she isn’t in the family photo shot??

Anyways.

So, I really admire Maribel. Despite her own struggle with not having an ability, her heart is good, through and through. It doesn’t hold her back from wanting to save her family. She is able to meet her abuela in forgiveness, with compassion and empathy.

She questions her lack of a gift, while not necessarily wavering in her faith. Her faith remains strong.

When she is demanding to be blessed, saying that she has been patient and faithful, it stirred and resonated with me.

The past several years has felt like wave after wave, always getting bigger and bigger. So many times did I cry to God, demanding that He does something, wondering if my faithfulness and service meant nothing.

Of course, unlike Maribel, I was absolutely insolent.

It’s been a long time since I’ve cried to God like that, only because it’s been a long time since I really gave two craps about things with God.

I still pray, yes. I pray without much conviction. I pray out of habit or expectation or promises and requests.

I still believe in God’s existence, yes. I still believe that in theory, God is good, sure. But, in my own heart, I have long started to doubt the reality of God’s goodness.

It’s a weird place to be, to believe that God is good and yet… not. To question what God’s “goodness” means.

I hope that someday, I will have a faith more like hers.