Thursday, March 19, 2009

Is it weired?

I have been working a lot of extra hours on a second job I picked up for a short term thing. While I have been working on the CAD drawings for this second job, I have had the t.v. on in the background. But today has seemed like a really crappy t.v. day. I resorted to DVD's. Including the complete 1956 Cecil B. DeMile epic "The Ten Commandments" staring Charelton Heston and Yul Brenner. You know, the one that ABC runs every year at Easter. The classic piece of American Cinema. Also on tap for the day was "Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj" and the only movie that I like that Leonardo DiCaprio stars in, "The Man In The Iron Mask," which also includes John Malkovich and Jeremy Irons.

Anyway. About 5:30 I went home to train, run, and feed Omar the Wunderpuppy. Then back to the grind. I went channel surfing for a couple of minutes and ended up putting on "Sister Act."

At this point I think it is prudent to mention, I have already slid well towards total madness.

Back to the story. So the movie goes on as I continue to work on my project. But as the end of the movie comes and the nuns are performing for the "Pope," I actually got a few goosebumps.

For the record: 1) I am not in any way, shape, or form Catholic. Quite frankly, there several things in the disciple of the Catholic Church that I think are off base. I don't hold that against any Catholics, as I have lots of family and friends who are practicing, but it is not for me. 2) I consider myself to be a person of extremely deep faith. I was raised in the United Methodist Church and was VERY active through high school. I don't attend services regularly but still have all of the faith I had then, or maybe more. In fact, I can tell you where I was and the exact date that I accepted Christ. July 7, 1999. In Oneida, IL. Sitting in the bleachers of the R.O.W.V.A. High School Football Field, about 2 rows below the back rail, and just barely North of the Press box. The band Aldersgate from the Wesley Foundation at Western Illinois University (my future Alma Mater) played. Their drummer miss-stepped and fell off the semi trailer they were using as a stage. The feature speaker was a christian comedian named Pat Hurley. I had heard him speak a couple times before that day, but this evening in particular, something he said moved my heart. 3) I like some of the modern christian rock and praise music.



Which brings me to my basic question. Is it weird that a movie, staring an actress that I really don't particularly care for, actually moved my spirit in a small way? Or is it the movement of the Holy Spirit?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

most religion presents basically the same message, in different ways. Unfortunately, it's the catholics who have put so much of it into music. I, for one, love old gospil and choir music, when given an up-beat twist (it's ok, you can laugh). Ever notice how no one knows a song that the catholics used for centuries, and then BAM!, someone puts a likeable melody with it and it's catchy as hell. I'd say it wasn't the movie, but music speaks to you like it does me.
Dragonfly

Wes said...

God can use even Whoopi Goldberg for His work. ;) I'm not overly fond of her either, but that part of the movie moved me too.

Some of the things that attracted me to the Catholic faith (from the Southern Baptist)were the traditions going clear to the founding of the Church (for the answers Baptist ministers just couldn't/wouldn't provide), the history, and the music - especially the old Latin songs, that unfortunately aren't sung much anymore. The "Alleluia" in particular gives me goosebumps, and nothing is more relaxing or soothing to me as Gregorian chants.

Having been raised Southern Baptist, I do still like the old gospel hymns (many of which we sing at Mass) and choral music, but for reverence (and history), there's nothing like a sung mass.

For me, anyway. :)

*an unfortunate Catholic* ;-)