The Majestic

I am not really a fan of very many Jim Carrey movies, but The Majestic is one of those few exceptions.  My husband and I watched it a few nights ago and it was a real tear jerker.  It is a sad  but poignant movie.   The jist of the plot is: 

The film portrays a man who suffers a complete memory loss from a car wreck just outside a small town on the California coast.  Much of the plot and mood of this film is based on the mourning of this small town at having lost 64 of their sons to the horrors of WWII.  He is mistaken by all as the MIA son of the ever-optimistic owner of the town's movie theater and becomes an icon of hope for all the townsfolk there.  As the story unfolds, the movie effectively and powerfully portrays the coming to terms of a courageous but wounded American town and the bittersweet sacrifice of their cherished sons -now forever gone.

The film had me reflect upon a talk I love by President Thomas S. Monson entitled "Mrs. Patton -the Story Continues" (October 2007 General Conference).  In his talk he reflects on the true story of his neighbor widow and her grief at the loss of her only son in the Pacific Theater during WWII.  He talks of the hope in the Savior that all may have with the sudden loss of a loved one.  President Monson talks of the healing and hope of the Atonement and Resurrection; that through our beloved Savior, all may live again -and live united as a family.  He cites such beautiful scriptures as John 11:25-26, John 14:2-3, and Alma 40:7, ending with the following:

"...As part of my message, I explained to Mrs. Patton that such knowledge would sustain her in her heartache—that she would never be in the tragic situation of the disbeliever who, having lost a son, was heard to say as she watched the casket lowered into mother earth: “Good-bye, my boy. Good-bye forever.” Rather, with head erect, courage undaunted, and faith unwavering, she could lift her eyes as she looked beyond the gently breaking waves of the blue Pacific and whisper, “Good-bye, Arthur, my precious son. Good-bye—until we meet again.”

I quoted the words of Tennyson, as though spoken to her by Arthur:

Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

When I put out to sea, …

Twilight and evening bell,

And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

When I embark;

For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crossed the bar. 

...my personal testimony as a special witness...[is] that God our Father [is] mindful of her—that through sincere prayer she [can] communicate with Him; that He too had a Son who died, even Jesus Christ the Lord; that He is our advocate with the Father, the Prince of Peace, our Savior and divine Redeemer, and one day we would see Him face-to-face."

 I too know of the power of the Savior's supernal sacrifice and resurrection.  He has given us a way to see, embrace again, and to always be with those loved ones we thought to be forever lost.  Our Redeemer has mastered the seeming despair of death and the complete tragedy of sacrifice and loss -and so is it any wonder that in Corinthians we read: "O death, where is thy sting?"  United again will be those many mourning mothers and fathers.  Held again will be the many wives and children of those who've died for a better world.  Their grief will be finite and, come resurrection's dawn, all injustice of broken heart and inconsolable sorrow shall be made aright.  And to all those who have died in the defense of freedom, or those who have lost a loved one in that cause, I end with this powerful scripture:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." "... and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."

(John 15:13, Mathew 10:39)