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I cried buckets of tears at the end of this movie, but there’s no doubt that City of Angels ranks high in my list of favorite spiritual movies. It tells the story of an angel whose mission is to guide people who are nearing death into the spiritual world and who falls in love with a human being and gives up his angelic status to be with her. Nicholas Cage plays this role very passionately and Meg Ryan as the doctor he falls for is the apt foil to his brooding angel.
Seth (Cage) is impressed with Maggie’s (Ryan) dedication to her job and her zest for life. He reveals himself to her and slowly falls for her. When he tells her that he is an angel, she has trouble accepting his identity and rejects him. Seth wants to become human to be with Maggie, so he gives up his angelic status by falling off a skyscraper (after learning how it’s done from another angel-turned-human who did the same).
He has no money and no job, and when he is unable to find Maggie at the hospital, he follows her to her cabin in the mountains. He is mugged and robbed on the way and arrives at her doorstep bleeding and injured. Maggie realizes that he has become human in order to be with her and they rejoice in their togetherness. But that is short lived as she dies the next day in an accident and is escorted to the spiritual realm by Seth’s angel friend. The movie ends on a positive note with Seth proclaiming that he does not regret becoming human because even a second spent with Maggie was worth the sacrifice.
This movie made a profound impact on me because it showcases the power of love. It tells us that no sacrifice is too great for love and that if one wants, one can do anything for true love. Also, the sad ending made me realize that nothing is permanent and that we must be prepared to deal with life’s blows just as we enjoy the blessings it gives us.
Seth embracing his new life as a human even though the reason he gave up being an angel no longer exists showed me that we are responsible for our choices and that we must accept the consequences for our actions without blaming others. Only then is it possible to live life peacefully and contentedly.
This guest post is contributed by Rachel King. Rachel welcomes your comments at her email address: