When people think about movies that can help us on our spiritual journeys they tend to come up with things like "The Ten Commandments"

or "The Passion of the Christ" or possibly even "The Chronicles of Narnia." Don't get me wrong, these are good films, even great films and

they can certainly be of benefit on the journey of faith. Indeed even the recently released "DaVinci Code" can help us on our spiritual quest so long

as it moves us to continue our search for the One who loved us into being.

My family and I watch a lot of movies. My husband especially enjoys sciencefiction and fantasy movies. I like fun, romantic comedies and serious, make-you-think epics. Our boys like 'space' movies, Harry Potter, and anything Scoobi-Doo.

I suppose, as an occupational hazard, I have a tendency to watch and see films in a slightly different light, always attentive to movements of grace, mercy, compassion and forgiveness that disclose God's presence along the way. Sometimes feature length films have an incredible way of speaking to the heart in ways that overt spiritual conversations and events, like church, simply can't. And I'm not talking about the 'saccharine sweet hit you over the head with a moral' type of movie, I'm talking about well acted, well produced, mainstream movies that bring to life themes of reconciliation, redemption and healing in tremendously powerful ways.

Allow me share two examples.

"An Unfinished Life" (2005; Written by Mark Spragg and Virginia

Korus Spragg; Directed by Lasse Hallstrom; Starring Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman and Josh Lucas) This film follows the lives of several people whose stories are intertwined in a variety of ways. Sometimes life just seems to go from bad to w o r s e a n d s o m e t i m e s the decisions we m a k e h a v e l o n g e r reaching ramifications then we can imagine. And sometimes naming the truth can set us free. This film demonstrates the incredible freedom gained through the power of forgiveness, and how forgiveness is a journey of healing all on its own.

"Nanny McPhee" (2005; Screenplay by Emma Thompson; Directed by Kirk Jones; Starring Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Kelly MacDonald and Thomas Sangster) This is a fun family film that helps to uncover the difference between 'needs' and 'wants' and how it is that when we become less self-centered we are more able to see what is really already present in our lives. Emma Thompson has an incredible gift f o r uncovering truth w i t h humour a n d patience, brought to life in her character, Nanny McPhee. The children of the widowed Mr. Brown live in fear of their, as yet unfound, stepmother and so do everything in their power to see that it will never come to pass. Naturally, the house is constantly in chaos, the children are unruly to put it mildly and Mr. Brown is at his wits end. Nanny McPhee comes to teach five lessons but also acknowledges that what the children (and Mr. Brown) may learn is entirely up to them. As the lessons are taught, a transformation takes place in the lives of the Brown family and those whose lives they touch.

These are the kinds of films that touch our hearts and our minds and can help us move in a direction that can bring healing and wholeness into our lives. When we can watch a film and see a bit of our own lives in them, we can, perhaps, begin to see how things like mercy and forgiveness can play out and new possibilities can emerge. This has the effect of softening our hearts and opening our ears and eyes to something outside ourselves that can bring us life. And that is a movement of grace coming from the One who loved us into being, the One who desires wholeness in lives, the One who came that we might have life in abundance.

Something to think about the next time you pop some popcorn and turn on the big screen. Enjoy!