The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a movie with an impossible premise. It is impossible to be born old and die young, but along the way, Benjamin Button has life experiences that all of us can probably relate to. Heartbreak, disappointment, hope, love, and all of the possibilities of human emotion come his way. He is not a saint. He partakes of all that life brings his way. He does good things. He does immoral things. He has a "live and let live" outlook on life. In some ways, he is like many of us. Certain themes emerge before movie's end:

1. Death is as natural as life.

2. The stages of life are all natural and to be embraced.

3. All people should be accepted and loved, regardless of their place on the journey.

4. It is never to late to change your goals, and embrace your hopes and dreams.

5. We can't change the choices we have made, but we are always free to make new choices that might produce better outcomes.

In this season of Pentecost we stand between the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman and the Sunday of the Blind Man. One might argue that both St. Photina, and

St. Celidonius probably thought that their life courses had been set until the moments when they encountered Jesus. One became an evangelist of the most unlikely type, and the other, according the church tradition, became a missionary in the area that is now called France.

The Bible and Church tradition are filled with people whose life courses have been set but disrupted by an encounter with the Triune God: the Holy Apostles, Joseph of Arimethea, Nicodemus, Saul of Tarsus, Mary of Egypt, Constantine…

In this season of Pentecost and in every season may all of us be open to the workings of the Holy Spirit of God. May none of us think that we are too old, or too far gone to be used of God. Benjamin Button died in the arms of one whom he had gone to great lengths to love, one who came to love him with a pure love. May we all die loved, and be carried to the arms of our Loving Saviour along with His Father, and the Holy Spirit to Whom belong all honor, glory, and worship forever.