Last night we watched a film on DVD called The Visitor. It is one of those little films that doesn't get much attention because there are no stars, no special effects, yet gently leads us to ponder important stuff. The story is of a college prof in later middle age whose life has become rather meaningless and without purpose after the death of his wife.
Through a strange and totally unexpected series of circumstances his life intersects with those of a young couple, both "illegal aliens," one from Senegal and the other from Syria. Somehow the couple brings a new energy to his existence, largely through the young man who teaches the professor to play a drum. When authorities catch up with the young Syrian the passion of the professor is kindled on his behalf. It is an interesting story of who belongs and who doesn't, especially in a post-911 world.
This morning in worship we heard the passage from Matthew 25 in which Jesus says we will see him in the hungry, the dispossessed, the prisoner, and the stranger. The Visitor invites us to ask some important questions which fit well with this scripture.
5 comments:
So glad you enjoyed the movie David. It's one of those movies you just need to talk about and ponder after seeing. So many layers and levels of meaning.A hidden gem for sure.
Yes Shirley, Ruth has seen it twice now and gained a lot from the second viewing.
Matthew 25 has been one of my most loved passages. I used it once in an eulogy to describe my Uncle's lifesytle. Not only should we see Jesus in the hungry, dispossessed, imprisioned and the stranger, but we should see ourselves. We are all in the same state of helplessness when things get down to the bare bones of it. A life can take so many turns. The hungry have a greater understanding of hunger than the fed. Sometimes wisdom and insight come with hunger pangs, and conversely someone who has never hungered may never acheive that same wisdom and insight. Having gone hungry I can attest to this. I am not a better person now that I have access to food, though I can assure you I was often treated as a lesser person while I went wihtout it. I am aware that I am a wiser more compassionate person having gone hungry and having been judged over it, than I may have been had I always been fed.
These words from the Phil Collins song come to mind pupil.
She calls out to the man on the street
sir, can you help me?
Its cold and Ive nowhere to sleep,
Is there somewhere you can tell me?
He walks on, doesnt look back
He pretends he cant hear her
Starts to whistle as he crosses the street
Seems embarrassed to be there
Oh think twice, its another day for
You and me in paradise
Oh think twice, its just another day for you,
You and me in paradise
She calls out to the man on the street
He can see shes been crying
Shes got blisters on the soles of her feet
Cant walk but shes trying
Oh think twice...
Oh lord, is there nothing more anybody can do
Oh lord, there must be something you can say
You can tell from the lines on her face
You can see that shes been there
Probably been moved on from every place
cos she didnt fit in there
Oh think twice...
I am not sure if it is proper to post one's own poetry in some else's blog. But I wrote this a long time ago. I am convinced we all have similar dreams, which we tend to ignore when passing by a living person having the same dream while awake.
I have had walking dreams in the past, but I am always barefoot,
Having forgotten my shoes.
I am always lost,
Stranded in traffic,
Confused.
I never find my way home.
Never know how it was that I had walked,
Barefoot,
With bleeding feet,
So far away,
So far away from even the comprehension of distance,
From any idea of direction,
To such hopelessness,
Such forgetfulness.
Unguarded.
To a place of such need.
I have dreamt of busses speeding past me,
Of strangers who could not see me,
Of streets with small stones and broken glass,
And traffic roaring at intersections.
I have stood at many intersections,
Trapped in the center,
Unseen,
With feet pleading for shoes,
For the dignity of protection.
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