The Way of Grace

Mrs. O’Brien: The nuns taught us there were two ways through life – the way of nature and the way of grace. You have to choose which one you’ll follow.

Nature only wants to please itself. Get others to please it too. Likes to lord it over them. To have its own way. It finds reasons to be unhappy when all the world is shining around it. And love is smiling through all things.

Grace doesn’t try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries.

The nuns taught us that no one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end. The only way to be happy is to love. Unless you love, your life will flash by.

–from The Tree of Life, written by Terrence Malick

---

Click here to see clips from the movie set to John Tavener’s beautiful Funeral Canticle, which is a piece of music featured in the movie.

The Thin Red Line

Japanese Soldier: Are you righteous? Kind? Does your confidence lie in this? Are you loved by all? Know that I was, too. Do you imagine your suffering will be any less because you loved goodness and truth?

Private Edward P. Train: Where is it that we were together? Who were you that I lived with? The brother. The friend. Darkness, light. Strife and love. Are they the workings of one mind? The features of the same face? Oh, my soul. Let me be in you now. Look out through my eyes. Look out at the things you made. All things shining.

–from The Thin Red Line, written by Terrence Malick

Trailer here.