All in the Family was a very successful 1970’s sitcom that was centered around a blue-collar New York family, Archie and Edith Bunker (the husband and wife played beautifully by Carroll O’Connor and Jean Stapleton), their daughter (Sally Struthers), and hippie son-in-law (Rob Reiner), whom cigar-smoking Archie called “meathead”.
They were a blue-collar family in Queens New York and Archie had the unfiltered shipyard mentality of the era, equally discriminating of everyone who didn’t measure up to his standard of patriotism, working class justice and common sense. Many people might classify Archie Bunker as a “bigot”, and he did spread his behavior generously to everyone he encountered, highlighting many of the social conflicts experienced through America’s turbulent cultural changes that were significant to the era.
Like many comedies, they were funny because they touch on real personal conflicts and the actors have free license to say things that the average person would refrain from speaking in public.
I was cruising the internet one day and one of the final episodes caught my eye, it had to do with Edith’s death and the scene when Archie expresses his grief and sorrow, overcome by his broken heart. His lamenting the loss of the wife he loved so much is one of the greatest and most touching scenes in television.
The relationship between Archie and Edith was one of matrimonial devotion. In contrast to the thoroughly and sincerely abrasive, yet devoted, Archie, Edith was the extraordinarily selfless, dutiful and loving wife, with the old-fashioned, have no-concern-about-the-patriarchy thinking.
There’s something true about your loyal friends, they remain committed to you even after they figure out the real you.
With passionate energy and discipline, Edith Bunker catered to every sundry need of Archie from his meals to his can of beer and slippers. For his part, he would never question his sense of being head of the home – that was, nevertheless, the role of the bread-winner, man, father and husband in the culture portrayed in the series.
The show ran for an amazing 9 seasons. The old familiar family living room that was the backdrop of so many scenes that entertained us with the coarse and naive behaviors while suffering through the family conflicts that we could all sympathize and connect to.
The show’s introduction was classic with the couple singing a duet “Those were the Days” at the piano about sentimental reflections and gratitude of values that seem to be fading into the past. It heralded hard honest work, traditional roles between men and women, the value of a just and law-abiding society, and a culture that promoted all of it. Everything that seemed to be under attack in the evolving times of the 1970s and were often issues highlighted throughout the series. The song became a household part of our lives in America.
All this makes watching the scene of Archie’s lament all the more poignant. Facing the death of a loved one who complemented the other so well, can bring on the regret ever more so. Grief especially flows when one reflects on those times when one should have been more selfless to their mate and recognizing life for what it really is, a short time in the sun.
“Let your fountain be blessed,
And be glad in the wife of your youth….” – Proverbs 5:18
How precious it is to have someone in your life who has truly been selfless and devoted like Edith was to Archie. While our lives are rarely taken to the extremes as portrayed in a sitcom, we need to recognize the subtleties of real life and appreciate them no less so.
In his coarse and stoic way was Archie also devoted to Edith. Two imperfect yet devoted people who complement each other in their unique roles with all their strengths and flaws.
Marriage, an institution created by God, is intended to be symbolic of the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church.
Unlike our earthly marriages bringing together to sinful people, the heavenly marriage between Christ and the Church (the Body of Christ) will be without sin and eternal. Nevertheless, even in our imperfectness, each person is equally valued by God but each also has differing roles, not unlike the relation between the very human and imperfect (as we all are) Archie and Edith.
With the self-sacrificing love that Christ exhibited for His Church, Christian married couples are intended to strive to use Christ’s example and teachings as a role model. Christ’s leadership and servanthood provide a never ending path to greater levels of loving sacrifice.
Although we grieve the loss of loved ones, believers in Christ are encouraged and comforted via the Holy Spirit by our Lord and Savior who through His mighty works (i.e. defeating death after taking upon Himself the burden our sins and receiving, for our sins, the wrath of God), His righteousness and mercy secures our glorious future in heaven and upon the “new earth” (Isaiah 65:17, Isaiah 66:22, 2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1).
And though we may grieve for our loved ones we have confidence in the work of God in the future: And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.”
5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He *said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” – Relevation 21:3-5.
That’s something that I hope a grieving Archie Bunker can come to faithfully receive.
For a one minute explanation of the Gospel, watch this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCP9UcC7BzE
For a review of the Ten Commandments: https://www.challenyee.com/the-ten-commandments/
CKY
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