During Sandra Bullock's Oscar acceptance speech, she said that all children are special and deserve a chance. Her words have been interpreted by many as being very pro-life in nature. If you have seen the movie The Blind Side, it does have a pro-life message. The movie speaks to our soul about the difficulties that people encounter in this world. It also points out how someone can have a huge impact. By choosing to help a kid in need, the character that Ms. Bullocks portrayed certainly heeded the call of Jesus Christ. She, like the Good Samaritan, saw someone who was damaged and hurt and decided to take that person into her home and family. Again, if you saw the movie, her motives were questioned and she even questioned herself. But in the end, the beauty of her Christian outreach shone through. It is an inspirational film and sends a positive message. That is unusual in this day when so very often movies go for shock and awe. Another movie that received a lot of attention and won a few awards was Precious. Although very different in tone and certainly not for the faint of heart or children under 17, the movie did have a solid pro-life message as well. Precious was raped by her father twice but did not abort either child. The first child had developmental issues, probably due to the incest, yet Precious still loved her child and did the best she could towards raising both of them. The hand she was dealt was terrifying and toxic, yet through the kindness and love of her own Good Samaritan's, she survived. Finally, I want to mention that I recently watched Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. The movie in an unflinching look at a specific time in Maya history. Most anthropologists have noted that the movie is authentic but with all Hollywood productions, it does take some poetic liberties. What I found so engrossing about the movie was its focus on family. Jaguar Paw, the movie's main character, places his family above everything else including his own life. His wife, Seven, also shows a deep devotion to her children. Although the movie is violent, the message that emerged for me was of love and devotion to family. As we continue on our Lenten journey, I hope you are spending time preparing for the Easter miracle. It has become a tradition of mine to watch the Passion of the Christ during Holy Week. It is a powerful reminder of what our Lord and Savior was willing to do for us. The message is so powerful, it forces you to confront your relationship with Jesus. I encourage you to watch it again.
Born during the turbulent era of the French Revolution, Saint Jeanne Jugan rose above hardship and a lack of formal schooling to become a profound vessel of Christ’s mercy. After losing her father at a young age and working through her youth as a kitchen maid and nurse, her life radically changed one freezing night when she encountered a blind, paralyzed elderly woman with nowhere to go. Jeanne carried the woman back to her own home, placed her in her own bed, and began a lifelong mission of radical hospitality. This act of profound love blossomed into the Little Sisters of the Poor , a thriving community dedicated to sheltering and honoring the destitute elderly. Despite later facing heavy trials—including being unjustly sidelined and stripped of her leadership by a controlling chaplain—Jeanne accepted her obscurity and exile with a joyful spirit, resting her complete trust in God's hidden providence until her death in 1879. In our daily lives, Saint Jeanne Jugan invites us to lo...
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