Movie- The Boy in Striped Pajamas

Here we are more than 1/2 way through lent, and as a Priest said to me last week, it was his feeling that the readings in the Mass change at the perfect time, everything now is about Jesus as our savior. His thought was that at the 1/2 way point of lent, its clear to everyone that by ourselves we can't make it, we need a savior. The great news for us, not only does He love us, not only does He seek us, but He is willing to die for us.

My wife and I watched a powerful film last night, I suspect one reason the world missed this movie, is because the acting wasn't particularly good, however there was a couple things that moved me in a big way.

1.) Having the heart of a Child- The movie presents something that we all want so badly, and that is to remove all jealously, all pettiness from our life, and begin to view everyone we come in contact with, with the heart of a child. With no pre-conditions, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. Looking for the magic that we know is present in every human life. A child's heart is pure, so its ready for adventure, its ready to be surprised. Fear takes away all the surprise in life, all the mystery. This thread runs through the whole film, his sister is about 4 years older, and already the lies have taken root in her heart, and there's a joylessness that begins to take hold of her. Even in the worst of times, a child is quick to find room for joy. We need to learn from this!

2.) Where have I made peace with the culture of death- This is what struck me most about the film, it would be a waste to watch a film like this, and just see the evil of the nazis, and say, we'll they are just monsters. The question that kept coming to me last night was, "where have I made peace with death, with what destroys, with what tears down," Sadly, the answer that I found was that I make peace with how the world objectives people far too often. The Holocaust did not start over-night, the seeds of death were taking root in the people who committed these crimes probably for years. That's why its so important to root it out. The big and the small lies we believe, and the answer I believe is to foster the heart of a child. Just on a day to day basis to let the beauty present in all lives and in all moments shock us and inspire us.

That's the risk the Christian takes in this world, to love all the time and in all circumstances, and to be a person that creates beauty, and never tears down!