I watched “Millions” last Sunday, which is one of my favorite movies.  It is about a very religious little boy named Damian who has recently lost his mother and is having visions of saints coming to help him as a way of dealing with her death.  He comes upon a lot of money for reasons that I won’t get into and spends the entirety of the movie trying to figure out how to use it to perform a miracle and help the poor.  In one scene, Saint Peter shows up at his house and has a very cute discussion with him about miracles that made me reflect on what a miracle really is.

Really wish that you could read this and imagine their fantastic British accents.  It makes it all that much better.  Anyways…

Saint Peter:  Damian. Listen.

One day I was with you know who, Jesus.

And he went up into the mountains

and thousands of people followed him.

The police said five thousand, five thousand.

Damian:  Everybody knows this story.  Loaves and fishes.

Saint Peter:  See, I knew you’d say that. That’s what everybody says.

Anyway, this kid comes up to us, about your size,

His name was… no I have forgotten.  I still see him sometimes.

Anyway he comes up with these loaves and fishes.  Sardines.

And Jesus blesses them and passes the plate round.

Now the first person he passes it to, passes it on.

He doesn’t take anything.  He just passes it on.

Do you know why?  

Because he had a piece of lamb hidden in his pocket.

And as he is passing the fish, he sneaks a bit of meat out

and pretends he’s taken it off the plate.

Do you see what I’m saying?

And the next person, exactly the same story.

Every single bastard one of them has their own food.

And every one of them is keeping it quiet.

Looking after number one.

But as that plate went round with the sardines on

They all got their own food out and started to share.

And then that plate went all the way round

And back to Jesus

and it’d still got the fish and the loaves on it.

I think Jesus was a bit taken aback.

He says, ‘what happened? ‘

And I just said ‘miracle’. And at first I thought I’d fooled him.

But now I see it was a miracle, one of his best.

Because this little kid had stood up and…

Everybody there just got bigger.

Do you understand what I’m talking about?

 Damian:  Not really.

 Saint Peter:  I’m talking about you.

 Damian:  Now I’m really lost.

 Saint Peter:  You’re trying too hard.  That kid he wasn’t planning

 on doing a miracle.  He wasn’t planning anything, 

Except lunch.

Something that looks like a miracle turns out to be dead simple.

I guess I like to think of miracles this way.  Cause the truth is, most people don’t go around every day causing earth shattering events. Or shooting lightning out of our their fingers. Most of us live our lives pretty simply and try to be as nice to each other as possible.  Even when we haven’t had enough sleep (coffee) and are feeling rather grumpy.  And maybe we say something to another person that brightens their day.  Or makes them laugh.  Or shifts their perspective.   Sometimes I think that should be enough.  To help us feel we’ve witnessed a miracle.

Happy Friday!