One Life: An Inspiring True Story

The other evening, we watched One Life, which shares the story of one man who arranged for the rescue of 669 (mostly Jewish) children in Czechoslavakia at the very start of World War II.  Anthony Hopkins stars as that one man, Nicholas Winton, looking back in the early 1980s at his experiences.

As told in the film, Nicholas Winton did NOT identify as a religious man, at least at the time of his great heroics.  Yet, Winston's moral courage was clearly a response to that great law that God has written on all of our hearts. 

1959 The natural law, the Creator's very good work, provides the solid foundation on which man can build the structure of moral rules to guide his choices. It also provides the indispensable moral foundation for building the human community. Finally, it provides the necessary basis for the civil law with which it is connected, whether by a reflection that draws conclusions from its principles, or by additions of a positive and juridical nature.

1960 The precepts of natural law are not perceived by everyone clearly and immediately. In the present situation sinful man needs grace and revelation so moral and religious truths may be known "by everyone with facility, with firm certainty and with no admixture of error."¹² The natural law provides revealed law and grace with a foundation prepared by God and in accordance with the work of the Spirit (Catechism of the Catholic Church)

They show that the demands of the law are written in their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even defend them (Romans 2:15)

Those of us who have the advantage of the full teaching of the Catholic Church should be particularly humbled by examples such as those of Nicholas Winton.