Jamie Dornan’s film joke on death

It is an affectionate look back at his native city, and includes some acute observations on our divided political landscape. There were also some memorable jokes that revealed our dark Ulster humour.

The character played by Jamie Dornan told a joke about a man meeting with his doctor.

The doctor says, “I’ve got some bad news for you, and some even worse news’.

‘Let’s have the bad news first, then’ says the patient.

‘Well.’ Says the doctor, ‘You have only twenty-four hours to live’.

‘That’s bad’, says the patient, ‘but what news could be worse than that?’ ‘The doctor replied,’ I was looking for you all day yesterday’.

Death will one day knock on every door, but no one knows when that day will come. As we advance in years we know that day will come sooner rather than later.

Roy Acuff, a country singer from an earlier decade, was asked about his health, and replied,

‘The health’s good, but it’s the age that’s bad’.

When the American President John Quincy Adams was asked the same question, he answered, ‘John Quincy Adams is all right, but the house he lives in is dilapidated, and it looks as if he would soon have to move out’.

Jesus was often questioned about when the end of the world would come.

Unlike some brash commentators down the ages, he confessed ignorance, saying ‘No-one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father’(Matthew 24; 36).

But in the light of that uncertainty, he issues a warning. If a householder knew when his house was about to be burgled he would have kept watch, in order to prevent the crime.

Since the time is uncertain, vigilance needs to be constant.

We need to live in such a way that the event does not find us unprepared, or engaged in anything unworthy.

Unlike the believers in ancient Thessalonica, who lounged around waiting for the return of Christ, (2 Thessalonians 3;11), we need to combine humble faith in Christ with a determination faithfully to discharge the duties that lie to our hand.

Martin Luther said that if he knew the world would end tomorrow, his duty today would still require him to plant his garden - and to collect the rent!

An old American spiritual also bore testimony to this practical approach: ‘He’ll find me picking cotton when he comes’.

No one put it better than a great Scottish churchman who was asked if he thought much about dying.

‘No’, he answered and continued; “ Are we not here to do whatever God may ask of us, as each new duty comes.

Today I have to work at a sermon; tomorrow to preside at several committees; and one day it will be to die.

Let us seek to do each of them, as each comes, with all our heart and unto Him”.