Keys of the Kingdom

There wasn't much on television last night, just the usual murder and mahem so we decided to watch a movie on Netflix.  An old 1944 black and white staring Gregory Peck caught my eye.  It was titled Keys of the Kingdom and it centered around a fairly independent thinking missionary priest in China.  Maybe I am just easily inspired but by the end of the movie tears were streaming down my eyes.  It may have just been a story but it was an inspirational story about a man who followed his heart and did great things and changed many lives for the better.

The main character bore a striking resemblance to my Uncle Leo who was a missionary priest in Korea about that time.  It was probably just a coincidence.  Then again, are there any coincidences?

This next Sunday's reading has been on my mind a lot this week.  It is a continuation of the story of Jesus and his family as they are visited by the magi and their exile for a time in Egypt.  The story of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the movie of Father Chisholm in Keys of the Kingdom are exactly that, stories.  We all have had lives with experiences worth telling.  You can think of it as his/story or her/story. 

I believe we grow closer together as a community when we share what has happened in our lives with each other.  I know bits and pieces about the people in our church family but I really do not know their stories.  I would like to change that and I am going to propose tomorrow that the people in our church write down as much as they choose about themselves and their life journey.  I will do the same.  We will see what happens.

Blessings to you all,
Fr. Fred

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