Home Movies
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series II Cycle A
One evening, for some unknown reason, Kay found herself alone in her basement watching old home movies. Kay's children were busy with outdoor activities so she went to the basement for some much-needed solitude. She was feeling rather melancholy without knowing why. As she watched the old flickering 8mm movies, which she had not seen in years, she immediately recognized her grandmother. It was wonderful to see her grandmother alive years after she had died, if only on the old home movies. Kay had not known her grandmother when she was young and healthy. In the movie her grandmother was the picture of health and vitality. She had died when Kay was not quite a teenager.
In the movie her grandmother was standing in front of their row home in the city. It was Easter Sunday as her grandmother, young mother, and aunts were getting ready to go to church. Her grandmother was wearing a beautiful blue dress with a flower pinned to it, while her mother and aunts proudly wore Easter bonnets.
Kay remembered hearing her mother tell her that on nice days the family would walk to church. What struck Kay that evening was how her grandmother was smiling. She did not remember seeing her grandmother smile much. What she did recall was her grandmother's suffering with a lengthy illness. Kay could not help but be drawn to her grandmother's smile.
In her anxiety Kay said out loud for no one to hear but herself, "If only she knew what would happen to her." In the movie her grandmother seemed so healthy. If only life could return to that simpler time when families went to church together. The movie seemed to have a message for her, if only she could freeze frame that idyllic scene: the smiling face of her grandmother, who would not find out about the disease that would claim her life for another thirty or more years. Kay wondered if her grandmother would have been smiling had she known what would happen to her. Upon further reflection Kay realized that in the movie her grandmother was close to Kay's present age. Like her grandmother at her age, Kay did not know what the future held for her either. As Kay thought about these things she found tears in her eyes.
As she sat watching home movies Kay recalled her grandmother's funeral. She remembered the words of the pastor who told everyone present that they would one day be reunited with their loved ones. Those words seemed to calm her thoughts. Those long-forgotten words were reassuring for Kay as a young girl and now years later they gave her a sense of peace.
Her grandmother showed her something important, something she would never forget, and that was her faith in Jesus Christ. Even as her illness progressed she held firmly to her faith. Her grandmother lived and died with the assurance that God would take care of her and never desert her. Sitting alone in her basement Kay reconnected with her grandmother if just for an instant. She understood that she was with God. Kay's own faith was rekindled. Her grandmother left her something precious -- something that she wanted to give to her children and, God willing, someday to her grandchildren.
In the movie her grandmother was standing in front of their row home in the city. It was Easter Sunday as her grandmother, young mother, and aunts were getting ready to go to church. Her grandmother was wearing a beautiful blue dress with a flower pinned to it, while her mother and aunts proudly wore Easter bonnets.
Kay remembered hearing her mother tell her that on nice days the family would walk to church. What struck Kay that evening was how her grandmother was smiling. She did not remember seeing her grandmother smile much. What she did recall was her grandmother's suffering with a lengthy illness. Kay could not help but be drawn to her grandmother's smile.
In her anxiety Kay said out loud for no one to hear but herself, "If only she knew what would happen to her." In the movie her grandmother seemed so healthy. If only life could return to that simpler time when families went to church together. The movie seemed to have a message for her, if only she could freeze frame that idyllic scene: the smiling face of her grandmother, who would not find out about the disease that would claim her life for another thirty or more years. Kay wondered if her grandmother would have been smiling had she known what would happen to her. Upon further reflection Kay realized that in the movie her grandmother was close to Kay's present age. Like her grandmother at her age, Kay did not know what the future held for her either. As Kay thought about these things she found tears in her eyes.
As she sat watching home movies Kay recalled her grandmother's funeral. She remembered the words of the pastor who told everyone present that they would one day be reunited with their loved ones. Those words seemed to calm her thoughts. Those long-forgotten words were reassuring for Kay as a young girl and now years later they gave her a sense of peace.
Her grandmother showed her something important, something she would never forget, and that was her faith in Jesus Christ. Even as her illness progressed she held firmly to her faith. Her grandmother lived and died with the assurance that God would take care of her and never desert her. Sitting alone in her basement Kay reconnected with her grandmother if just for an instant. She understood that she was with God. Kay's own faith was rekindled. Her grandmother left her something precious -- something that she wanted to give to her children and, God willing, someday to her grandchildren.
