God chooses the least

Yesterday Wendy and I started our Christmas shopping. Hopefully this doesn't become a Ledesma family tradition!

To rest our weary feet we stopped by the Angelika and watched Slumdog Millionaire.
The movie literally makes you cry and cheer. It's painful and brilliant. You can read some review excerpts at Rotten Tomatoes. It is the best movie I have seen all year.

As we sat and watched the credits roll at the end of the movie, I wondered about the $12.50 per ticket and two and a half hours out of our shopping day we spent watching the movie. Was it worth it?

Absolutely! And then some.

But, because the theater was so crowded and slow to exit, we had more sitting and thinking time and I thought this, When we die, as I believe, we go to Heaven (hopefully) and we enjoy in the goodness of God and the company of passed souls. While there, good and dead, will I think that my time spent on this movie was worth it?

And the answer was YES! That's how good this movie is.

The main character is a "slumdog," a "meek," a "poor," a "least," and he dares to dream, find a better life, and love. I love underdog stories and, remember, God repeatedly chooses the least.

In today's Gospel the angel Gabriel goes to a young woman named Mary and says, "Do not be afraid!" He explains what her role in history will be and when she presents her doubt he reminds her that "nothing will be impossible with God." And she believes and the rest is history.

In Slumdog Millionaire, Jamal Malik survives the slums by having no fear and believing. It's simple but it's powerful. It's a great story and perfect for the holidays.

You should see it.