What a surprise to find a whole classic movie on Youtube – The Bells of St Mary’s – 1945 – Bing Crosby and Ingrid Bergman. I remember it was a favorite of my Dad’s – really so many classic movies were (except It’s a Wonderful Life – he detested that one – I don’t think he was a fan of Jimmy Stewart… but I digress).

So, I don’t think I remember watching (start to finish) this Bells of St Mary’s – and it has so many good spiritual moments – as well as contrived ones…  but moments that do stick out were scenes of the extension of Grace that had to be given over and over. It has comic elements too – even kittens and doggies get into the mix – and oh the most precious little kids doing the Christmas play – singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

The final scenes find the lead school-master sister (Ingrid Berman) struggling to not hold onto bitterness for an assignment she didn’t understand – it was unrevealed to her later that she was being sent away to a dry climate for a little while to improve from the beginnings of tuberculosis. We see her praying “Please Lord take this bitterness from my heart” – and the final scene shows her joy – that she knew the Lord did – that she knew what was causing this trial and all was being done in love. She didn’t pray to reverse her situation but to tolerate it. She wanted to obey the Lord and the direction that the organization of nuns and priests were directed (they took an oath of obedience – to symbolize their obedience to the Lord.) Another great scene was when the sister was explaining that you don’t give up things to be a nun – but you take on a bigger love, bigger role, bigger gift being gifted the Lord.

In LOVE – that is truly how the Lord can explain things to us – how He deals with us – how He wants to bring us under His Wing – and how we can move from disappointment and bitterness into acceptance and understanding. There ARE times in our lives where we are being asked to comply – to stay still for a bit – to BE. Let us let the Lord explain the reasons behind things to us (some day) – and let us listen for HIS Bells in our heads and hearts…

Here is the video – thanks YouTube: https://youtu.be/mPkBwJiN4-M?si=B5gIF_4XN0Q8lo3E

and here is the Wikipedia synopsis: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bells_of_St._Mary%27s