Have a Little Faith (2011) - full transcript

In the
beginning, there was a question,

a question that took me
eight years to answer.

Thank you very much.

It came one night when I'd
returned to my small hometown

in New Jersey for
a book signing.

In the crowd was a
face from my past.

Think of the most
pious person you know.

For me, that was my childhood
rabbi, Albert Lewis.

♪ Hello Mitchell ♪

♪ Well, hello Mitchell ♪

♪ It's so nice to have you
back where you belong ♪



Wow.

Can't believe you're here.

Might I have a word with you?

Wonderful talk.

You had them in the
palm of your hand.

Thanks.

And another number one book.

I tell you, the entire
synagogue is very proud of you.

Look, I'm sorry I don't
get back there too often.

It's a long trip from Detroit.
Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah.

This is not an inquisition.

I came to ask you a favor.

Me?
You.

Okay.



Will you do my eulogy?

Your what?

My eulogy.

It's what they say when...

No, I know what
a, are you dying?

Not yet.

Then why do you want me...

I'm 82.

I like to be prepared

and I think you're a good
choice, so what do you say?

Uh.

Think about.

"Will you do my eulogy?"

That was his question.

My question was more blunt.

Why me?

I was a writer, a sports writer.

I've never done anything
like what he was asking.

But as he walked
down that hallway,

although I didn't know it yet,

I was already following him.

This is a story about
believing in something

and the two very different
men who taught me how.

One was Albert Lewis who
followed a traditional path.

He studied, was ordained,

took a position at our
temple and never left.

The other was Henry Covington.

On your knees!
Don't run!

Hands behind your head now!

He came to faith
in a more roundabout way,

starting with the things he saw

as a child in the
early '60s in Brooklyn.

All right, Henry, you wanna try?

Mm-hm.

Recite your numbers.

Two times two is four.

Uh-huh.

Two times four is eight.

Uh-huh.
And two times eight, 16?

That's right.

Numbers matter, boy.

It's how you count your money.

♪ I brought you flowers
and I gave you due ♪

♪ But money's the only thing
that seems to cure your blues ♪

What you think you're doing?

Ha.

It's Friday night, I'm
gonna do what I wanna do.

Yeah, I know where you going.

Mm-hm.

And I'm still going.

No, I'm sick of this, Willie!

Do you hear me?

Uh-huh!

People across the
dang street heard you!

Am I right, Henry?

Cleaning houses, seven kids,

and then you go
run around on me!

Woman, shut your mouth!

Come on now!

Come on.
No more!

Put the gun down!

Mama!

Wilma, Wilma,
come on, come on now!

Wilma, put it down now!
You gotta run fast!

Come on, put that gun down

now, Wilma!
You gotta run fast!

Put down your
gun, don't be stupid now!

Come on, come on, come on now!

Wait now, wait, wait now!

Someone once said
that children are proof

that God is not discouraged.

But what keeps a child
from losing faith?

Hi baby.

Hi mama.

Are you being a good little man?

Mm-hm.

And you've been doing
to church every week?

Mm-hm.

The Lord is watching
over you, Henry.

I feel it.

I feel you gonna be the
one to bring his word.

When are you coming home, mama?

Look, you know your mama's
not a bad person, don't you?

Does your father tell
you I'm a bad person?

He says you're a bad shot.

You say your prayers
every night, okay?

And you thank Jesus for what
he's given you, you hear?

Yes, ma'am.

Opening
day of the 2000 season

from the Tigers brand new
ballpark in downtown Detroit.

A eulogy?

Isn't that his job?

I know, right?

What'd you tell him?
I told him

I'd think about it.

But you're not even religious.

Well, I used to be,
when I was a kid,

I'd go to synagogue
every Saturday.

Today's Saturday.

And I am covering
a baseball game.

Sports is a religion, all right?

The good Lord wanted me to hit
that curveball over the wall.

Yeah, yeah, yeah,
good Lord wanted

the pitcher to get rocked.

Religion is so over
the top these days.

Either they wanna
steer everyone's life

or they want everyone
to let go of the wheel.

Leave it up to the good Lord.

How are you gonna do a
eulogy for a clergyman?

I don't know.

Maybe I shouldn't go.

When's your flight?

In an hour.

Plenty of time. Let's debate it.

First of all, why me?

I'm not even observant.

That makes you unworthy?

Yeah.

Well, he doesn't think so.

We got to his
services once a year.

That's more than some people.

I'm married to a Christian.

And he's
always been great to me.

I'm way too busy.

You have time for your
books, plays, newspaper, TV.

I'll miss the game.

There are other games.

What if I just don't
want the responsibility?

It's not a job, Mitch.

It's a favor.

Yeah, I know.

He's asking me a favor.

Adam hid in the Garden of Eden.

Jonah hopped a boat and
got swallowed by a whale.

There's a fine tradition of
man running away from God,

but here I was
back in New Jersey,

headed in the
opposite direction.

Entree, entree.

Is something wrong?

No, I just, I've never seen you

out of a suit or a robe before.

Well, robes can be difficult
if you clean your garage.

Coming?

Nice socks.

Well, I keep meaning
to clean up in here.

Come in, come in.

Oy.

Have you read all
of these books?

Yes.

That's impressive.

Maybe not.

I mean, there's books,
and there's action.

You have a file on God?

Yes.

But don't tell him.

To start, I thought I'd try
to get to know you better

for the, you know, for the...

Yeah.

Thing. Eulogy.

That's right, the eulogy.
The eulogy.

Um.

So I'll ask you some questions.

Ask away!

Make my day.

Let's start with God.

Do you believe in God?

Yes.

Occupational hazard.

You ever speak to him?

I speak to God all the time.

Really? What do you say?

These days?

I say,

♪ Dear Lord, if you're gonna
take, take me already ♪

♪ And if you're gonna
leave me, leave me ♪

But leave me with
enough strength

to take care of my congregation.

Do you get an answer?

Still waiting.

♪ Whoa, Jesus gave me water ♪

♪ Jesus gave me water ♪

♪ Jesus gave me water ♪

All right, there you go.

I'll put a little
bit more on it, okay?

Now, God loves you, dear.

Hi there, young man.

There you go.
Thank you, Pastor.

God bless ya.

Henry.

Is that you?

Where you been?

I can't eat nothing.

Pick up those dishes.

Pick up that mess I made.

Take those dishes
to the kitchen.

I hustled my whole life

and now I gotta lie
here like a cripple.

Don't wait for nobody

to give you nothing
in this life, Henry.

You want something, you take it.

You hear me?

You take it.

Henry never
forgot his father's words.

As he grew into a man on
the streets of Brooklyn,

he adopted the hustler's
credo: Take or be taken.

What you bothering
them for, Henry?

She ain't for you.

It ain't like she for you.

That girl's cold.

I don't want her.

Uh-huh.

Hold up.

Henry!

Morris!

What's the bad word?

Morris, you know anything about

a gray Camaro disappeared
off Pitkin Avenue last night?

Nuh-uh.

Nuh-uh?

We'll see.

Man, why didn't you
tell me about no car?

How much you get for that?

We could take him out, Henry.

I ain't with that, man, nah.

You ain't got my back, man?

How much you get
for that Camaro?

Ah!

Oh!

What?
Keep going, keep going.

Come on, come on.

You can't crack that.

Watch me.

Wasting your time, man.

All right, come on, six.

Girl, you know how
to toss them balls.

I got a necklace for you.

You got a necklace for me?

You don't even know my name.

Your name's Annette.

I've been seeing you.

You've been watching me,

everyday across the
street, you and slumpy.

He ain't no good.

Uh-huh.

You talk to him?

It was a short conversation.

What about you?

Why you wanna talk to me?

When you want something in
life, you gotta take it.

Well, one day I'm
gonna buy us a house.

How you gonna get it?

Shoot some dice, I don't know.

Come on, six.

Come on, six!

That was three months ago.

You still won't forget it.

Sasha!

Is that you?

Hey!

Police, stand back!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Hands in the air!

Brooklyn PD, get down!

What are you doing?

What is going on?

Henry Covington,
you're under arrest

for the death of
Officer JL McLendon!

What?

Friday night!
He was with me!

I didn't do nothing!

That's not what some
of your boys tell us!

Stop this!
Who?

Get him up.
Let him go!

Get off of me!

You have a
right to remain silent.

Anything you say
can and will be used

against you in the court of law.

I didn't do nothing!

Can I get you anything
else to drink?

More beer!
Moore beer, please.

Mitch will have some
Manischewitz wine.

Funny.
So you went to

his house in Jersey?

Yeah, just ring the doorbell.

So?

I didn't know clergymen
had doorbells.

I thought they just
sensed we're coming.

So his house was all holy?

He's a rabbi, not a monk.

What did you talk about?

I asked him if he
believed in God.

Oh, start with the easy stuff.

Asked him if he had vision
like a burning bush.

And?
He said it doesn't

happen that way,
usually something unexpected pulls you in,

before you know it, you're...

You're making miracles.

Or asking for one.

That's not enough, is it?

How do you know you have
enough for a eulogy?

I don't know, Apostle Albom.

Looks like you're gonna be
missing a few more ballgames.

♪ Hello Mitchell ♪

♪ Well, hello Mitchell ♪

♪ It's so nice to
have you back ♪

What?

Your vest.

You like?

Army/Navy store.

Come in.

We'll pick up where we left off.

My search for
a eulogy meant more trips

back to my old
congregation in New Jersey.

Please be seated.

Which reminded me

that watching Albert
Lewis do his sermon was

like watching a
great master paint.

A country preacher
decides to put

the fear of God into
his congregation.

So he comes in bellowing,

"Remember, everyone in this
parish is going to die one day!"

Then he looks down and he sees
a man in the front smiling.

He says, "Why are you so happy?"

The man says, "I'm
not from this parish!

"I'm just visiting my sister."

Albert knew when funny was

the right medicine

and when not so funny
was the right medicine.

My friends, you
cannot simply say,

"We're not from this place."

We're losing touch
with one another,

disconnecting from our Kehila
Kedosha, our sacred community.

We forget God.

We forget our rituals.

We forget our ties
with one another.

And if we lose our ties to
each other, what have we got?

Huh?

Thanks Rabbi Lewis.
Thank you.

Gotta go now.

Shalom.
Bye-bye.

You know, I'd never have gotten
close to you at that age.

Why not?

I was terrified.

Of me?
Yeah.

You were like this giant.

We used to call you the
Reb, like a superhero,

The Thing, The Hulk.

The Reb.

Honestly, if I saw
you coming, I ran.

No.

Oh, I hid in the mop
closets, seriously.

Had we known that,
we would've added you

to our custodial staff.

Oh, I found your class.

Graduation from
our Sunday school.

Remember?

There I am.

That was a whole other life.

Henry Covington, imprisoned
for a crime he did not commit,

felt betrayed by life,
and mad at the world.

He grew bitter and distant.

When he got out,
Henry married Annette.

And for a while, they tried
to live a quiet working life.

But as he grew older,
Henry felt foolish walking

the straight and narrow path.

Although his mother had once
told him he'd be a preacher,

Henry had his eye on
more material things.

Oh hey, baby.

I'm sorry I'm so late,

but that last call I had,
it just, well, took a while.

I would've brought you a shirt.

Yeah, I, let me get you a drink.

Okay.

What's happening, Donnie.

Yeah, hey, hey,
what up, bug man!

I'm just playing with you, man.

What's up?

Nothing, man, nice party.

Yeah?

Yeah.

Nice suit, man.
Yeah.

Where you get that?

Do you like that, you know
that's the real deal, right?

Yeah.
Huh, you know that's

the high twist wool,
Italian tailored.

Yeah, you want a suit
like that, man, hm?

Yeah, I want a suit like that.

Yeah, are you willing
to do what it take

to get a suit like that?

♪ I got my mind on my money ♪

♪ And my money on my mind ♪

♪ Got my mind on my money ♪

♪ And my money on my mind ♪
♪ I got my mind on my money ♪

♪ Money on my mind ♪

What you need, baby?

What's up, big fella?

What you need?

All right, there you go.

♪ Got my mind on my money ♪

♪ And my money on my mind ♪
♪ I got my mind on my money ♪

♪ My money on my mind ♪

♪ Got my mind on my money ♪

♪ And my money on my mind ♪
♪ I got my mind on my money ♪

♪ My money on my mind ♪

♪ The thing I got I sell
it, get it all the time ♪

♪ A male from the jump, a
hustler from the start ♪

♪ Something in your chest,
then open up your heart ♪

♪ I get it, nice to see
ya, they get it, get it ♪

♪ Gotta have it, have
it, take it all ♪

♪ Man, if they let
me, Ima run it ♪

♪ Put something on it,
instead of bet it ♪

♪ It's that money,
don't make no money ♪

♪ Got my money on my mind ♪
♪ I got my mind on my money ♪

♪ My money on my mind ♪

♪ Got my mind on my money ♪

♪ And my money on my mind ♪

You know, I didn't have
a suit until I was 13.

Oh, man.

What?

Bad news?

Detroit's down two in the ninth.

I'm sorry.

You were saying?

Yeah, Bar Mitzvah, 1930.

My father gave me a suit.

I was so proud.

Later, my cousin Daniel was,

well, his family had
some money, unlike us.

He sees me and he
breaks out laughing.

"That's my old suit!

"Hey, guys, Al is
wearing my old suit!"

Was it?
Yeah.

My father got it from my uncle.

I was so ashamed.

Later that night, I
said to my father,

I said, it's not fair.

Their family's not religious
and they have money.

We're religious and we don't.

What did he say?

He said,

♪ God knows what he's doing ♪

And that was the
last we spoke of it.

So your dad was a singer too?

Oh.

Very funny.

So you're coming, I'm going.
Ah.

I left you both some
honeydew in the kitchen.

It's on a plate.

♪ Honeydew ♪

♪ Oh, honey don't ♪

♪ You're my honey ♪
Oh, my Dan Caruso.

A pleasure to make
your acquaintance.

Shalom bredem.

Good to see you, Mrs. Lewis.

Sarah.

Sarah.
Bye now.

So the suit story.

People make too much outta
stuff, new clothes, new cars.

"What profits a man
if he gains the world,

"but loses his soul," right?

That's Jesus.

Right. Sorry.

No, don't be sorry.

It's still good.

Have you ever
noticed how babies,

their little fists are
clenched like that?

Yeah.

That, I say is because when
a baby enters the world,

they don't know any better.

They wanna take everything.

But I'm an old man.

I'm gonna die soon.

How am I gonna die?

That's because when
we're near the end,

we finally realize we're
not taking anything with us.

What about you, Mitch?

Your hands are more
like this or this?

Take it
straight back, all right?

Back it up.
All right.

Okay.
This way, this way.

Okay, come on.

A crib for the crib, baby.

People just
brought this to us?

Look here, girl.

I gets what I want!

You gonna stop all this
once the baby comes, right?

Ooh, hold up.

Ah, my man.
What's happening, Donnie?

What's happening, Henry?

Oh yeah.

Look here, it's party
in the city, right?

Yuppie crowd, you dress sharp.

You know how we do it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Right, you stay till
all this is gone, man.

All of this?

And this too.

That's a lot of weight.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, look, man,
they got money, all right?

You just make that
happen for me, baby.

All right, I'm gonna
make it happen for you.

Wow.

♪ Party people ♪

♪ Yeah, Tag Team back again ♪

♪ Check it to wreck
it, let's begin ♪

They say that power
gives you the praise of men,

but weakness brings you to God.

That night, heading
down another hallway,

Henry was feeling powerful,
but he was weak at heart.

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

You're the guy, right?

Mm-hm.

Let's do some business.

Not here, baby.

Come on.

All right.

You're the man.

Why don't you guys
hop on this train?

Yeah, let's make
it a real party.

Yes, sir.

We can do that.

We need some ladies.

Okay.

Ladies, you join us?

That's what I'm talking about.

Everybody lay dead.

Me and you go in here.

All right, all right.

You sit tight.

So why don't you hit
some of that with us?

No, man.

Come on, you're the man.

I mean, what's a
party without the man?

I said, no, man.

Well, you say no, it makes
me nervous, you know?

'Cause I can say no.

No man, no party.

I mean, I just wanna make sure

that we're on the
same side here, right?

Right?
Close the door.

All right.

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

♪ Whoomp, there it is ♪

Should we
put this in the eulogy,

the rabbi rode a golf cart?

Not a golf cart.

A shopper's assistant.

And why not?

Hello Rabbi.

Isha woman.
Hm?

Hindu, fascinating
religion, such customs.

One of those.

Aren't you supposed to cheer
lead your own religion?

Our own religion.

I do.

I think ours is an
infinitely beautiful faith.

Four of those.

Four cans of cake frosting?

Yeah, goes back to
my depression days.

Coupons, I can't resist.

Well, if our religion
is so special,

how can you be
supportive of others?

Did God make tres?

What?
Did God make trees?

Yeah, okay...
Why trees?

Why not a tree?

I mean, he's God.

What he makes is perfect,

so why not one perfect
tree for the whole earth?

Instead, he gave us
the oak, the spruce,

the elm, the redwood.

Right.

So maybe faith is the same.

Many trees, the branches
all going to him.

Have you looked at
the world lately?

The trees are
attacking each other.

That's not faith, that's hate.

Engaged in the name of religion.

And wrongly.

Thou shalt not kill.

Honor thy neighbor.

If I mean these things and the
other guy means these things,

what do you get?

Peace on earth.

You get orange
juice, the big one.

I've got a coupon.

Amen.

How you doing, Reb?

♪ The old gray rabbi
ain't what he used to be ♪

♪ Ain't what he used to be ♪

♪ Ain't what he used to be ♪

You do that every morning?

Yes, I like speaking
to God first thing.

Catch him when he's fresh.

What about you?

What's your morning ritual?

This and SportsCenter.

It's a TV show.

Well, you could squeeze

a little prayer in
during commercials.

Janine prays in the morning.

For anything in particular?

Probably me.

No.

Her family, their
health, other stuff.

What other stuff?

Whoa.

You wrote a book?

Oh, many years ago.

Just a collection of thoughts.

What's Tour Glory!

Yeah.

A man said that to
me in the islands.

You know, "Mister,
what's your glory?"

Lovely question, huh?

What did you say?

Teaching.

My glory is teaching, our
traditions, our commandments.

And what about you, Mitch?

What's your glory?

I'm supposed to be asking
the questions here.

Remember?

You good there, Henry?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, man.

I'm good, I'm good.

You know you ain't
the customer, right?

Come on, Donnie,
you ain't gotta say that, man.

How much you
bringing me back on this, Henry?

On this right here?

Yeah.
10 grand.

10 grand, Henry.

10 grand.

That's the supply.

Out there is the demand.

Right here is the bank.

I understand, Donnie.

I know you're the bank.

I'm the bank, Henry.

And I'm the bank guard.

Crack cocaine, it's
swallowing our young people.

Leaving behind wages
and ruined lives.

This guy talk like a preacher.

My mama always said I was
going to be a preacher.

You?

That's just funny.

Oh no.

It's all gone.

We smoked it all up.

Ain't none left?

No, there ain't none left.

We gone smoked up $10,000
worth of Donnie's stuff.

Look, y'all got to
help me get some money.

I got no money...
Come on, Louis, what kind...

I got no money, man.

What you mean you got no money.

I got no money, all right?

What about you?
You got some money?

No, man, I got no...

What you mean?

Come on, come on.

Come on, man!

I got nothing.
No bank, Henry.

Hey, y'all
don't go nowhere!

Henry!

Hey, hey, what you doing?

All right, y'all gonna help me.

Both of y'all.
Okay.

Y'all gonna drive me to
hospital, you understand?

You understand, say it!
Yes, understand!

All right, we're gonna
take you to the hospital!

We gonna drive you,
we gonna drive you.

Come on, what you doing?

Hey, hey, Donnie.

So who did it?

I don't know, man.

I was making the drop
and somebody popped me.

Jewel Joe's guy?
Yeah, maybe.

Look, I chased after him,

but the bullet in my leg
and everything's like...

I tried to save the product.

Donnie, I really tried
to save the product.

And my money?

Took everything, man.

Look, you want me to
go after them, Donnie?

I'll go after him right now.
You just lay down.

Lay down.
No, I'll go right...

You get some rest, Henry.

Hm?

Oh God.

Oh God.

Lord, save us from
this darkness.

Please, please, please.

No, no, no.

That's fine.

When I was younger,

I couldn't wait to get
out of my little hometown.

Thanks for covering
for me, Gene.

Yeah, I'm back tomorrow.

But now the Reb kept
drawing me back,

even after I had enough
material for his farewell.

Of course, when someone
asks for a eulogy,

you kinda figure time is short.

But after four
years of visits...

♪ Hello Mitchell ♪

♪ Well, hello Mitchell ♪

♪ It's so nice to see you
back where you belong ♪

So you see my new friend, huh?

We go everywhere together.

I can't shake him.

Driving here today, I
saw the old building.

Ah, I
miss that tiny place.

Tucked between two churches.

Episcopalian
one on the east.

And a
Catholic one the west.

We were
like an Oreo cookie.

Okay.

The new synagogue
is so big, I...

Oh.
Okay.

Get you there.

Whoop.

Can you turn?

Are a guppy?

I got you.

All right.

Good.

Thank you, kind sir.

Sure.

I was saying, the new
synagogue is so big.

I mean, I see families
I don't even know

the names of their kids.

You used to know
everybody's name?

Oh, certainly.

Children are the biggest
reasons family joined

the congregation.

Maybe that's why
Janine and I never...

Never what?

We don't have kids, we
don't belong anywhere.

Everyone belongs somewhere.

What you don't do for kids,
you could do for others.

"Do for others,"

isn't that how most men
of God challenge us?

And it begins with
the understanding

the pain of those around you.

Sometimes the pain of strangers,

and sometimes the pain
of those closest to you.

I don't like this.

I don't like it either.

So you're just gonna rob
people on the street now?

Well, I got to do
something, Annette.

You pregnant, Donnie ain't
giving me no more crack to sell.

I got to do something.

We gotta take care
of the baby, right?

You think he's going to heaven?

Why wouldn't he?

Because of the things we do.

He was a
clean soul, baby.

Henry, we couldn't even
get him his own grave.

I know.

There's no marker...

We'll gets the money.
Where he's buried.

Our son, Henry.

I thought we'd be coming
home with the baby.

She was four when she died?

Four.

An asthma attack.

Today you can survive
and live a long life.

It was 1959.

Too early.

And her name was...

Rena.
Rena.

Yeah.

It means joy.

She was.

Were you angry with God?

Oh, furious.

Did it make you question
God's existence?

Quite the opposite.

It was having something to cry
to that allowed me to heal.

And from then on, whenever
I had to comfort someone

who'd lost a child,
I knew what to say.

When I'd leave their home,
I'd point to the sky and say,

chalk one up for you, Rena.

Come on, the game
starts in five minutes!

So Trish I will meet you

as soon as you're
done with work, okay?

Test, one, two.

Peanuts, peanuts!

Get your peanuts!

Your sign, there's an A in...

I'll take some.

$3.

I've seen you before.

Do you live around
here or something?

Test, one, two, test...

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Excuse me, don't

forget your peanuts.
Stop it.

Oh yes, thank you.

Thanks.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

♪ After a while ♪

♪ This too shall pass ♪
Your hands up!

♪ After a while ♪

Stick up, come on,
put your hands up!

Your hands up!

Your wallet?

Huh? Give me the money!

Come on!

$20.

$20.

♪ Stuck between if and when ♪

♪ You pray and tried ♪

On your knees!

On your knees!

Hands behind your head now!

♪ God's purpose, soon
you'll understand ♪

I told you it wasn't me, man.

I ain't even got a gun!

You can't hold me, man.

Sir, look carefully.

Is this the man that robbed you?

♪ It won't hurt
you after a while ♪

♪ After a while ♪

Can't do this no more!

Did you get the money?

I got arrested.

I got busted.

The guy I robbed, if
he had fingered me,

I could've gone
away for 15 years.

15 years, do you understand me?

Yeah, but you're here now.

Yeah.
You're here.

You're here now.
I'm here now.

I'm here now, but I
don't understand it.

I mean, I stuck
a gun in his face

and he told the people he
couldn't tell if it was me or not.

Like, he say he don't wanna
send an innocent man to jail.

Now why he do that?

Maybe it's a sign, Henry.

Maybe it's a sign?

Oh, please.

This is plain foolishness.

Yo, I'll be back.

No, Henry...
I'll be back, I'll be back.

What
are you gonna do?

Yo, Donnie, open up!

You know what this is.

You know what this is. Back up.

You're a damn fool, Henry.

Don't worry about that.

All right, where is
it? Give it to me.

Where's what?

Where's it at, Don?

Give it to me.

Give it to me, don't make me

kill you for it!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!

Whoa, whoa, whoa...
Don't make me kill

you for it!
Right here, brother.

All right, easy, brother.

Easy speasy.

Easy nothing!

More!

So what you're...
More!

Yeah, you a big man with a gun.

Yeah, huh?

You know me, Henry.

You know I ain't gonna let you

just walk off with my hard work.

Shut up.

You think
you're in control now?

Look at you, look at you, boy.

Shut up.
Uh-huh.

This is a dog chasing a bone.

Huh?

Yeah, yeah, look at you.

All right, there you
go and run away, boy.

Yeah, I can catch a
dog any time I want to.

You prepare to meet
the devil, junkie!

I know where you live, Henry!

Annette,
Annette, get up, baby.

What?
We got to go, we got to go.

I missed up, I missed up.

Come on now, I need you
to get up now, let's go!

Come on!
What are you talking about?

He's coming.

Who's coming?

Donnie.

I'm sorry.

Hey!

Hey!

Get away from that window.

Go hide at your mama's house!

Go on now!

Donnie.

Just get me through
this night, Lord.

Please.

Please.

I know I got nowhere to
go, but please, Jesus.

Help me, help me.

You get me through this night,

oh, you can have
me in the morning.

Just get me through the night.

Just get me through this night.

Just get me through this night.

I'm yours.

I'm yours in the morning,
anything you want me to do.

Six
years had now passed

since Albert Lewis
asked me for a eulogy.

I was beginning to think
that he would do mine.

At work, I found myself
pondering things he'd said, like,

"What's your glory?"

Here I was, a writer in a city

whose biggest story
was its own decline.

So, one week, instead
of a football game,

I tried a more
substantial assignment.

Hey.

Ain't you that Mitch
Albom writer, man?

Yeah.

Well, I'll be.

Yeah.

So what happened to you?

What happened to me?

A fair question
given the location.

No one expects to end
up in a place like this.

After dinner, these men had
prayed and thanked the Lord,

and I kept thinking, thank you?

For what?

But lying there that night,

I began to understand
how grateful we can be,

for even the smallest human
kindness when we need it,

like a place to sleep
when you don't have one.

Everyone belongs somewhere.

Hadn't the Reb said that?

A man seeks employment on a farm

and he hands his letter
of recommendation

to his new employer.

The letter reads simply,
"He sleeps in a storm."

Desperate for help, the
owner hires the man.

Several weeks pass,
and one night,

a powerful storm rips
through the valley.

The howling wind
awakens the owner

who calls for his
new hired hand,

but the man is sleeping soundly.

So the owner leaps outta
bed and races to the barn,

and sees to his amazement

that the animals are secure,

the bales of wheat
are bound and wrapped,

the silo doors are latched,
and the grain is dry.

Ah.

Now he understands.

He sleeps in a storm.

My friends, if we
tend to the things

that are important in life,

if we are right
with those we love,

and behave in line
with our faith,

we will never wallow
in the agony of

"I should have, I could have."

No.

We can sleep in a storm.

Does he treat you
with such chivalry?

Not a chance.

Where is your walker?

Ah.

I don't like the
congregation to see that.

I mean, who wants a
rabbi with apparatus?

Your message was
beautiful today.

Thank you.

I'm stopping.

Stopping what?

Sermons, all of it.

No, you can't retire.

I'm already retired.

No.

Rabbi Emeritus.

Ooh, fancy word for ancient.

Come on, you've been
here for 58 years.

You're just getting
the hang of it.

Yeah.

Sure.

Yeah.

Okay.
I'm stopping soon.

Ah.

And now this.

A vital story you did
about the homeless.

Thank you.

Ah.

Spent the night
at a shelter, huh?

Never seen him so
grateful to come home.

And the reaction in Detroit?

Almost as much as if I'd
written about football.

No, it was good.

Even raised some money.

Started a little charity.

Janine kinda pushed
me into that.

Ah.

Another reason I like you.

Thank you.

"He who saves a single life,

"it's as if he saves
the entire world."

Who said that?

It's the Talmud, Mitch.

Your faith.

She's a nice church, ain't she?

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

You're the peanut guy.

Yeah, and you the guy
with the tape recorder.

That's right.
Yeah, I remember you.

Wow.
Yeah, yeah.

So they have a
homeless shelter here?

Yep.

You look like you
doing all right.

No, it's not for me.

I was wondering if you

or if this place
needed some assistance.

Ah, Brother Cass.

Brother Cass.

I'm the elder of
the church here.

Oh, I'm sorry, Brother Cass.

Mitch Albom.

Okay, well, you need to
come talk to the pastor.

Come on in.

You worried about your car?

No.

You should be.

And one day,
we're gonna fix that!

Are you
the maintenance man?

Maintenance man, mm-hm!

Also the security guard.

Some days, I'm the accountant.

Some days, even the cook.

But everyday, and twice
on Sunday, I'm the pastor.

Henry Covington.

And you are?

Embarrassed.

So I understand
you wanna help us out.

Yeah, started
this little charity.

For why?

Why what?
Why you wanna help?

I don't know, why do
most people wanna help,

to do some good, right?

Well, we got some drug dealers.

You see those two
fellas up there?

They wanna help too.

All I gotta do is let them
operate outta the basement

and they'll pay to fix
everything around here.

Well, I'm not a drug dealer.

Well, I was.

Look, I'm an ex-con, okay?

I did some time
for manslaughter.

Were you guilty?

Not of that,
but plenty other stuff.

Like what?

Armed robbery, assault,
sold all kinds of drugs.

Wow.

Crack addict.

Heroinhead.

Alcoholic.

You reconsidering your offer?

No.

Wondering at what point
are you disqualified

from the pulpit.

I had a night,

thought it was the end,

thought I was gonna be
murdered in the street,

so I made a deal with God.

If he got me through the night,

he could have me in the morning.

Sun came up, I was still alive.

So I went inside and fell to
my knees, thanked the Lord.

A week later, the guy who
was after me got locked up.

So you kept your promise.

Yep.

Long road.

Got clean and joined a church,

became a deacon, then an elder.

Eventually, got
sent here to Detroit

to start a place and this is it.

I Am My Brother's Keeper,

a church with a
hole in the roof.

A church.

Oh.

The boiler repairman's here.

Okay.

I appreciate your offer,

but maybe you should
check us out first,

come to Sunday service.

I'm Jewish.

We start at 11.

My background
doesn't bother you?

Not if mine doesn't bother you.

I've never really been to a
Sunday church service before.

It's probably not that much
different from a synagogue.

You ever been in a synagogue?

Oh yeah, once.

For what?

We were robbing it.

Wait.

You're going to church?

Kinda got roped into it.

You weren't even active
in your own religion.

Now you're double-dipping?

Pastor is different.

He's been a crook,
drug dealer, junkie.

Yeah, does he do
sermons on safecracking?

Well, he didn't have
to tell me that.

He's not bothered by the
fact I'm not his faith.

Mitch.

Hey.

Of course not, you're
giving him money.

Well, not yet.

I mean, he hasn't asked for it.

He said I should get
to know him better.

You know, it's kinda like...

What?

You're right.

I'm getting involved
with two clergymen.

Don't worry.

You'll always got
us horsemen of the

apocalypse to balance you out.

Hello.

What?

When?

All the way from
Detroit, you came.

He's sleeping.

What happened?

A small stroke, they say.

What's small about
a stroke, I say.

Do you want me to stay with him?

If you don't mind.

No.
No.

The kids will be back soon.

I could stretch my legs.

Go, go, go.

You never know the
moment when a eulogy goes

from something you think about
to something you require.

♪ Hello Mitchell ♪

This was
not that moment.

♪ Hello Mitchell ♪
♪ Hello ♪

Albert.

♪ So nice to have you back ♪
♪ To have you back ♪

♪ Where you belong ♪

Hey.

Ain't this a pickle?

Please tell me
you're gonna be okay.

I'll be okay.

♪ I'll be okay ♪

And if I'm not okay,
that'll be okay too.

Well, look who's
awake, the singing rabbi.

How are you feeling?

Well, it's a sin to lie,
so I'll tell the truth.

Lousy.
Oh.

Are you family?

No, no, I'm not.

Oh.

Well, I'm sorry,
only family's allowed

in intensive care.
Oh no, he's family.

He's my gishente cloont.

I'm sorry?

What, you don't speak Yiddish?

All right then.

Thanks.
Excuse me.

Come.

What's a gishente cloont?

Who knows?

What can I do to help?

You could pray for me.

♪ Hallelujah anyhow ♪

♪ Hallelujah anyhow ♪

♪ Never let my
problems get me down ♪

♪ When life's
troubles come my way ♪

♪ Lift my hands
up high and say ♪

♪ Hallelujah anyhow ♪

Yes!
Amazing grace!

Amen!

Hallelujah!

Grace and peace!

Brothers and sisters, you
know, I could've been dead.

That's right, I say,
I could've been dead.

I should've been dead.

But his grace...

His grace, that's right!

He saved a wretch!

You know what a wretch is?

I was a wretch.

Oh yeah, I was a
crackhead, an alcoholic,

a liar, and a thief.

I was all these things.

Then came Jesus.

Yes!
Yeah!

Hallelujah.

He lifted me up!

He recycled!

You know I call Jesus the
greatest recycler I know.

Yesterday, brothers and sisters,

another portion of our
ceiling came tumbling down.

And I have to be
truthful with you.

I have to be truthful and
tell you that I despaired.

I despaired!

And I realized something.

God don't care about a building.

Yeah.

See, he cares what you do,

but he don't care
about no building!

He cares about
what's in your heart!

So, my brothers and
sisters, my friends,

if this is the only place

where we can come
together to worship,

this broken building
with its cracks,

and its leaks, and a
hole in the ceiling,

with the water pouring
down from the heavens,

if this is the only place
we have to come together

to worship God in Jesus's
name, then it's only to him.

Amen.

Hallelujah!
Hallelujah anyhow!

Hallelujah!

♪ Hallelujah anyhow ♪

♪ Never let my
problems get me down ♪

Hey, I brought you
a ham sandwich.

Oh no, I'm fine.

Oh, wow.

Stupid me.

Jewish people don't eat no ham.

No.

It's not that.

Well, you mind if I eat it then?

No, no, go ahead.

Oh, okay.

Listen, listen...
Though, coming through.

Listen, you need to hear my
story when you got a minute.

Yeah, yeah.
All right.

Yeah.

Is it
anybody's birthday?

It'll be somebody's.

Good words today.

Thank you, baby.

You came.

How long has that roof
hole been going on?

Oh, the roof hole.

What, 10 years, 10 years,
baby, the roof hole?

Mm-hm, started small.

It's the only thing
in this church other

than me that's expanding.

There's no money to fix it?

I wish.

What about dues?

Dues?

Well, our folks don't
pay enough dues.

Here it is.

Wow.

This must've been
so beautiful once.

Yeah, it was the biggest
Presbyterian church

in the entire mid-west
120 years ago.

Got so neglected they
practically gave it to him.

Get on in here!

We got food!

Come on, get inside.

Is that him?

That's him.

Bless you.

Bless you.

Jesus loves you now.

God loves you.

Thank you,
Pastor, God bless.

Come on,
take what you need now.

♪ Hello mother ♪

We have defeated
the little stroke.

Careful as you come up.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You all right there, Reb?

I'm fine.

Okay, we're going back.

Ah, hello home!

Okay.

One more!
Oh!

Oh!

It's lovely to be here again!

Hi.
Oh, good.

The singing.

Things can get back to normal.

There we are.

Ah, thank
you, thank you.

Here.

Keep drinking water.

I will do what you say.

Why start now?

It's nice the way you two kid.

I like that.

Well, Al and I have had 30
wonderful years together.

You've been married
longer than that.

True.

On Monday, you get
a good two hours.

On Tuesday, you get
a good 45 minutes.

You add it all up, a
wonderful 30 years.

Some philosopher, huh?

Who's gonna take all
of this when I'm gone?

I'll take a copy of What's
Your Glory! off of you.

I'm flattered.

So I've been meeting
with this pastor.

What?

You need advice, you
come to the synagogue.

No, no, no, no, not that way.

What way?

I know you prefer
asking questions.

It's all right.

This guy in Detroit,

he runs a homeless
shelter out of his church.

There's this giant
hole in his roof.

Well, can you help?

I don't know.

This guy has done
some very bad things.

Done or doing?

Do you think people can change?

If I didn't think that, I
shouldn't be in this business.

I've seen people change.

It can be inspiring.

Hey Cass.

Hey, hey,
hey, Brother Mitch.

I'm looking
for Pastor Henry.

Yeah, he's right over there.

He'll see you.

He'll be on his way
over in a minute.

Why don't you come on
in here and get warm?

Cold out there.

Come on in here.

Get out of the cold, man.

Yeah, I'm coming.

Now, remember now, still
got to hear my story.

Yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah.

Winter surely is coming.

Cass told
me to wait up here.

That's fine, that's fine.

I just had to take care
of a little business.

What kind of business?

Pastor business.

This poor roof won't
keep nothing dry.

Heat comes in, goes right
up out the hole in the roof.

We're so far behind on our gas
bills, I can't even tell you.

How much
would it cost to fix it?

Well, somebody said 80,000.

They might as well be
saying eight million, huh?

Maybe this church
is too big for you.

I believe that God put
me here for a reason.

And I know we are
going to find a way.

The right way.

The right way.

You coming to service on Sunday?

Again?

First time was just a warmup.

I'll try if I get back
in time from New Jersey.

What's in New Jersey?

I'm visiting my old rabbi.

A rabbi?

You got a thing for the clergy?

It's a eulogy.

It's complicated.

Oh.

Well, Sunday then.

That Sunday,

there was no heat in the church,

so the congregants
constructed plastic walls

to fight the cold and rain.

Nothing, it seemed, could
dampen their spirits.

♪ Oh, lay down my burdens ♪

♪ Down by the riverside ♪

♪ Study war no more ♪

Praise the Lord!

Praise God!

Amen.

Our reading for today,
comes from the book of Acts,

and tells us about Paul...

After he was changed.

After he was changed, the
people mistrusted Paul

because he used to
persecute the church

and now he praised it!

So people say, "Well, how
can this be the same guy?"

You know, it's amazing how
some people can't see you now

'cause they wanna keep
you, what, in your past.

It reminds me of when
I talk to some people

from my old days
back in New York.

They say, "Well,
you know Henry got

"a whole new game working
up there in Detroit.

"He a pastor now.

"He running a whole new game."

See, just like Paul, they can
only see him for what he was

and not what he became!

When you see people
only through their past,

you're missing what
God can do with him.

You are not your past.

Hallelujah.

Hallelujah!

Hey now!

Bless the Lord, bless the Lord!

A little Down by the
Riverside, if you please.

♪ Hold my burdens ♪

♪ Down by the riverside ♪

Oh!

Whoa.
What happened now?

Hi honey.

I'm making pasta
for the nephews.

We can take it with us when
we go over there tonight.

What's wrong?
I don't know what I'm doing

in that church.

It's freezing.

We're all in a plastic tent
and then the power got cut off.

During the service?
They're, like, months behind

on their payments.

So now there's no heat
and no electricity.

Well, can't the charity
collection help?

No, no, no.

It's too much, they
need a whole new roof.

Besides, I'm not sure...

What?

I saw Pastor Henry talking
with these drug guys.

For all I know, he could
be using their money.

Oh, come on.

Well, he's got the history.

He's a pastor now.

What, you've never heard
of a crooked pastor?

You never heard of
straightening out?

Janine just listen to me.

I wanna do something
to help people,

but between a rabbi and a pastor

and the church
and the synagogue,

I just, I'm not sure
about any of this.

I know.

So just do what feels right.

Gotta have a little
faith in yourself.

The time had come
for the Reb's final sermon.

He could've bragged about six
decades in one congregation,

instead, he apologized.

For not being able to
save more marriages,

to the teenagers I did not take
enough time to get to know,

for failing to ease the
pain of grieving parents,

for failing to study more

because illness and
distraction stole my focus.

For all these things,

to you, my congregation,

and to you, dear God,

grant me atonement.

"Grant me atonement."

Those were his last three
words on the pulpit,

then he took a seat in the
back row of the sanctuary.

His sermons were now complete.

Great to hear from you,
and how is your sister?

Yes, I'm very pleased that
the surgery was successful.

Yes.

Oh, good, good.

Of course, we'll hold
your seat in Sheol.

Don't worry.

Yes.

Yes, and a very happy Thanksgiving
to you and your family.

Thank you.

Bye-bye.

Why are you still
calling congregants?

You're retired.

Yeah, the old
members like to hear my voice.

Keeps them connected.

Kind of my only connection too.

No, no.

All the tradition in
this room connects you

and it will after I'm gone.

Okay.

Here's a thought.

What if when you
die, you find out

you get five minutes
alone with God?

Oh.

You can ask anything you want.

Anything.

What do you ask?
Oh.

All right.

First, I would give three
minutes to my family.

I'd say, Lord, if any
of them are hurting,

speak to them.

Don't speak to me.

Okay.

And then I'd take another minute

to help anybody in the
world who's in need.

You still have one minute left.

And in that one
minute, I would say,

dear Lord, I've tried
to lead a good life

and follow your teachings
and be of help to others,

so, Dieu, after all
this, what's my reward?

And what do you think he'd say?

He'd say, "What are you
talking about, reward?

"Albert, that's what
you're supposed to do."

So we toast everyone who's here,

and we remember
everyone who's not.

And Mitch is
probably gonna tease me

'cause he's been overdosing
on all this stuff for a while,

but can I just say,

Lord, we all know how blessed
we are and we thank you.

Amen.

Amen.

♪ Yes, Jesus loves me ♪

♪ Yes, Jesus loves me ♪

♪ For the Bible tells me so ♪

Let us give praise
this Thanksgiving.

Brothers and sisters,
let us raise our voice

and praise God
this Thanksgiving.

Amen.
Thank you, Jesus.

Whatever you're going
through this evening,

brothers and sisters,
say it with me, I am.

I am.

Somebody.

Somebody.

Because God loves me.

Because God loves me.

Because God loves me.

Because God loves me.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Harvey.

God bless
you, God bless you.

Todd.

Thank you very much.

God bless you.

There you go.
Come on, Smiley.

Come on in
here, God bless you.

Verne.
Bless you, Simon.

For real.

Johnny.
Bless you too.

Thank you.

Glenn.

Wayne.

All right now, baby.

I'll see
you in the morning.

Mm-hm.

Try and get warm.

All right.

Dear Lord, please send
us some help if you can.

If you can.

Hey.

Hey.

I didn't know you were here.

You watch over them all night?

If I don't, who will?

So cold.

Yeah.

I was just asking God for help.

You know, sometimes, they mess
up when they read the meters.

You're praying for
a meter mistake?

Sometimes a mistake is the
best thing that can happen.

Henry, I saw you with
those drug dealers.

Are you working with them?

I have to.

Marcus and Deron,

promised them a better
life if they quit dealing.

Well, I can't say
I'm really doing

too much for them at
the moment though.

Wait a second, that's them?

Yeah, they're junkies too.

If you're dealing, you're using.

I know what I'm talking about.

You were counseling them?

Yeah, what else?

You made a lot of
money in that business.

Even half a million one year.

Well, you gotta
want that money now.

No, I'm exactly where
I'm supposed to be.

What do you mean?

When I was young, Mitch,

I broke every one of the
10 commandments, you hear?

I should be in hell for the
things I've done, Mitch.

God would be justified.

You do so much good now.

Well, you can't work
your way into heaven.

God showed me that much grace.

I be blessed, but either way,

I sure wish he would
send us some electricity.

I gotta go.

All right then.

All right.

I used to think I knew so much.

I could look down and scoff
at things, even faith.

But I realized that night
that I am not better

or smarter than
anyone, only luckier.

The men sleeping on Henry's
church floor never looked down.

They only looked up to
find comfort and love.

And I realized that in
looking at Henry Covington,

I was seeing the rarest
of things, a changed man.

Hey Mitch.
How you doing?

That church series, good stuff.

We should be doing more of that.

Thanks.
They cut their power

and their heat,
unbelievable, at Christmas.

Yeah.

Lewis, Albert Lewis?

He's getting tests.

What are they saying?

Oh.

"Heart issues.

"The strokes.

"He's 90."

That's mostly what they say.

Hey.

Ah, family.

I'm home from the war.

Ain't this a pickle?

You gotta start acting your age.

You're not 89 anymore.

Thanks Gerald.

I'll be fine.

Okay, Rabbi.

Gerald?

Nice fella.

What did they say?

Eh.

They said everything,
they said nothing.

I'll be okay.

Well, so long as you're here,
might I have a word with you?

Let's find the doctor, come.

Help me?

Here, go in.

Thank you.

♪ The old gray rabbi ain't... ♪

Is still what he used to be,
still what he used to be.

Good, good.

Still what he used to be.
That's good.

Okay?

You won't be able to make
fun of my clothing this time.

See, I'm wearing a robe.

Thank you.

You know, my friend,

it might be time for you
to write something down.

I'm not ready.

What, do you need more material?

I'm not talking
about the eulogy.

Why else have you been
coming all this time?

I came because you
needed something.

I kept coming

because I needed something.

And did I give you
what you needed?

Thank you for making an
old rabbi feel useful.

Dear Lord, please give
Mitchell many, many more years

so that when we see
each other again,

we'll have lots to talk about.

Do you really believe that?

Don't you?

I don't think I'm going the
same place you're going.

Why not?

You're a man of God.

Ah.

You're a man of God too.

Everyone is.

Are you still helping those
poor souls in Detroit?

I'm trying.

Keep trying.

That's your glory.

Eight years after he asked me

for his first and only favor,

I delivered a eulogy
for Albert Lewis.

I stood where he used to stand.

I looked out the way
he once looked out.

Eight years ago, you came to me.

I saw our congregation and
I realized he was right.

And you said you
had a favor to ask.

I was home.

Eight years later,
I sometimes wonder

if the whole thing wasn't
some clever rabbi trick

to lure into some
adult education course.

You told me

that I would find
something to say

when this day came.

But it is here

and you are gone,

and this pulpit seems
as empty as a desert.

Where do we look for you now?

This is your house, Reb.

You're in the rafters,
the floorboards,

the walls, the lights.

You're in every echo
through every hallway.

You are woven through us,
from our birth to our death.

You educated us.

You married us.

You comforted us.

And when we howled at God,

you stirred the embers of
our faith and reminded us

that the only whole
heart is a broken heart.

Look at all the broken
hearts here today, Reb.

How do we say goodbye to you

without saying goodbye
to a piece of ourselves?

Where do we look for you now?

By the way, about the singing,

Walt Whitman
sang the Body Electric.

Billie Holiday sang the blues.

You sang everything.

You could sing the phone book.

I would call and say,
how are you feeling?

And you'd answer,

♪ The old gray rabbi
ain't what he used to be ♪

I teased you about
it, but I loved it.

We believe that you are
with your forefathers

and your daughter.

May God keep you.

May he sing to you,
and you to him.

Where do we look
for you now, Reb?

We look where you
had been trying,

good sweet man of God,

to get us to look all along.

We look up.

Hey. Mitch.

I brought something
for the pastor.

Come on in.

Henry!

Yeah?

Mitch is here!

Go ahead and have a seat.

All right.

Henry!

I'll be right down!

Mr. Mitch!

I don't know if you saw the
story, came out last week.

Oh yes, I did.

Yes, indeed.
Okay.

Lord works in mysterious ways.

Now I want those.

Yeah.
Meet me at the church?

Got something I wanna show you.

Hey Brother Mitch!

Hey!

What's going on?

How you doing, Cass?

Where've you been?
I was just over

at Pastor's house.

I know that
place real well.

Come on, man, get in here.

Might be cold.
I'm coming.

Ooh, guess we don't have to
worry about a white Christmas.

No, we sure don't
with all this snow.

So how did you meet Henry?

Well, he kinda met me.

He actually offered me
a job unloading trucks.

Oh really?
Yeah.

Unloading ham
trucks to be honest.

One ham for the
church, two for me.

Me and a buddy of mine, we'd
throw one, two into the bushes.

You'd steal them?

Yeah, we'd steal them.

I was still on drugs.

I was still using.

What'd you do?

Man, I did everything.

I did heroin, crack,
pills, alcohol.

You name it, I did it.

Did Henry know
you were stealing?

You know, he really did
because one day he came to me

and he said, "Cass, do
you got enough to eat?"

The way he said
it, I kinda knew.

I kinda felt real low.

Is that
what made you stop?

Well, I didn't stop.

Actually, I would get the hams

and I would sell
them for more drugs.

Yeah?
I was homeless.

Kicked in the door, I was
living in an abandoned house

over in the projects.

But one day, somebody,
in my little home,

they came in and they stole
all the copper piping.

I kinda woke up in
a pool of water.

I guess it was sorta
like a baptism.

But now, I'm all soaked.

I ain't gonna be able
to go work for Pastor,

but I went over
there to tell him.

He looked at me and he said,

"Well, I'm gonna get
you some clean clothes."

Threw me the keys to the church,

told me how to get in and
how to cut off the alarm.

And right there, amazed me.

So when in came back, he said,

"Well, Cass, where
you going to live?"

And I said, I ain't
got no place to live.

And he said...

And the man looked
at me and he said,

"Why don't you
come live with me?"

Here's this man
I'm stealing from,

he didn't really know me,

he didn't know me,

he moved his family upstairs

and he let me live on his
couch for a whole year.

We became real good friends.

If he wouldn't have came,

he wouldn't have gave a guy
a chance, I'd be dead now.

I know I'd be dead now.

This is the story you've
been trying to tell me.

Thought you should know,
and the man needs your help.

Whoa!

Presents!

Hallelujah.

People coming from everywhere!

Churches, schools.
Wow.

We had a synagogue send
all kinds of stuff.

So many people read your story,

the heat and power got
turned on the next day.

We got snow.
Yes, we do.

It's a miracle.

It is.

It is.

You know, Mitch,

I owe you an apology.

When you first came around,

I didn't understand why a Jewish
person would wanna help us.

And I apologize.

I should apologize to you.

I judged you.

Forgive me.

That I do.

That I do.

Your rabbi passed, huh?

He did.

You would've loved him.

I have his obituary.

There he is.

Your hands up!

Is this the man that robbed you?

Is this the man that robbed you?

This is the man?

The Reb.

Reminds me of a man who
did me a favor once.

Praise God.

All right
now, come on in.

Everybody gets a present.

Whoa.
Yeah.

Merry Christmas, I guess.

Merry Christmas.

In
time, I wrote a book

about the Reb and Henry.

And amazingly, people
began to send envelopes

to the church with
five or $10 inside,

until one morning, just
before the next Christmas,

the congregation gathered for
a different kind of service.

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Pass the shingles ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ All down the hill ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Pass the shingles ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

I realized later,

it's not about having
the answers in life.

It's about the search
for the answers,

that choosing to believe in
something bigger than yourself

that makes the journey of faith

so challenging
yet so worthwhile.

Whether it's sitting with an
old rabbi and talking about God

or replacing a church's
rotted roof hole

with something a little more
inspiring, we share this world.

We can share it well.

And there's nothing quite

like different people
finding common ground

to fix the holes in their lives.

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

♪ Amen ♪

Hey Mitch, Mitch!

In the
beginning, there was a question.

In the end, our
questions get answered.

God sings.

We hum along.

A simple, beautiful song.

♪ Whatever will be, it will be ♪

A year
later, I did another eulogy.

This one, for Henry.

He died at age 53.

♪ Bury me ♪

Henry's
family remains deeply involved

with the church.

♪ Will you walk out on water ♪

And Cass is one of
the people who preaches there.

♪ Will you leave
a path to follow ♪

♪ A beautiful world ♪

I am in
love with hope.

♪ Here ♪

♪ A beautiful world here ♪