Prairie Hills Covenant Church

There is a scene in the film “The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers” that features the British actor, Bernard Hill as a king of a declining kingdom. He is standing among the earthen tombs of a cemetery. He is holding a white wild flower that grows over the tombs. He is lingering in the cemetery following the funeral procession for his adult son, who was killed in battle. Turning to Ian McKellen, who portrays Gandalf - an ancient wizard, Hill delivers this line, “No parent should have to bury their child.” That line was improvised by Hill. It turns out, as he read the script and prepared for the scene he was reminded of the line, which had been spoken by a close relative upon the death of her child. He didn’t submit it for consideration in the script, he simply delivered the line during filming. The line resonated so deeply that director, Peter Jackson, kept it in the film. The pain and loss that accompany the death of a child are unequaled. In this week’s Scripture, Jesus encountered a father and mother at