On Sunday evenings Marilyn and I watch ‘Call the Midwife.’ Marilyn loves the programme because it involves things medical and babies. I love it because it is set in the late fifties and the opening sequence shows a road that leads directly to London docks with a ship in view at the end of the road. The programme features a convent where the nuns are midwives. There are also other midwives who aren’t nuns, and regular local characters such as the policeman who married one of the midwives.
In the episode we were watching this evening a distressed lady in labour turned up at the convent one stormy evening. She banged on the door, which was eventually answered by a nun with dementia who is no longer able to participate in matters medical. The only midwife around was in bed having had one glass of wine too many after falling out with her boyfriend (a vicar). The nun with dementia managed to get her thoughts together and was able somehow to help the lady in labour to the local doctor’s surgery where a baby girl was safely delivered. Returning to the convent the nun stopped on the stairs to look at a picture of Jesus. She blew a kiss to the picture and thanked Jesus for the safe delivery of the baby, and her success despite her scrambled mind. What stuck me at that instant was the display of pure love for Jesus from the nun.
I know that it is only a television programme but I find that God has a habit of using life to provide timely little nudges and reminders. The thought that an actress playing a nun with dementia can teach me something might seem a little strange, but God does seem to place His reminders in the strangest of places. We just need to be alert to them. That is how an actress playing a nun with dementia blowing a kiss to a picture of Jesus reminded me of how much I need to be in love with Jesus. And how simple and easy it should be.
Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. ’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important:‘Love your neighbor as yourself. ’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. (Matthew 22:37-39 NLT)
snowgood said:
Your post reminds me of Michael Caine’s Alfie.
It’s an old film, with powerful message. It starts out appearing to glorify “laddish” behaviour, but twists around to show the sorry side of a self centred life style.
i’m guessing it was set in the early sixties.
Films have moved on since then (sadly).
David said:
I don’t think I have seen Alfie. But I do know that movies often have powerful messages. We watched The Railway Man recently. That had a powerful message about forgiveness. The Blind Side is another film that challenged me.
snowgood said:
I’ll look out for The Railway Man, and Roz has been watching the midwife prog too. You must watch Alfie soon, if only to see what England was like 40 odd years ago.
David said:
Just found a trailer on YouTube. We lived in Guernsey when Alfie was made. We moved to England two years later and I remember encountering strange things like double decker buses and trains. The Railway Man is a bit harrowing in places, which is not surprising given the fact that a Japanese POW camp is involved.
Julie (aka Cookie) said:
I too enjoy the show but I’m more partial to Keeping Up Appearances 🙂 What a lovely reminder of how we all need to fall in love with Jesus–over and over and over again—
Love to you David—Julie
David said:
Thank you Julie.
Heather Mertens said:
Love this a million times over. I’m thankful to see Him in the tiniest, even hidden only to me, places. Thankful for that you see Him in those surprising life spots too. 🙂
David said:
I watched it again on iPlayer this morning! The nun might be losing her marbles but she knows who is watching over her. She pauses on the stairs, blows a kiss to the painting, and simply says thank you. The look on her face says everything Heather. Complete love. Given and received. I wonder if the producer and cast realised the power of that moment?