A bitter-sweet ep that makes me tear up for two reasons. First, a beautiful young actor named Patrick Swayze guest stars as a wounded soldier who learns he has leukemia. I can't recall what type of cancer Mr. Swayze died of in reality, but the ep foreshadows his future in a very spooky way. The second reason is a wonderful performance by William Christopher (whom we also lost to cancer not too long ago) as Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy. IMHO, it was Emmy material.

Father Mulcahy walks into the crowded mess tent where Cardinal Reardon awaits. The Father is in his bathrobe. After Colonel Potter announces him, he steps up to the podium.

"Good morning. Well, uh, here we are. It's Sunday again. I'm sure you've all come expecting to hear a sermon. Well, I'd like to admit I'm not as prepared as I'd like to be. In fact, I'm not even dressed as I'd like to be. You see, I was working on my sermon....which I'd hoped would be a particularly inspirational one in honor of Cardinal Reardon. But I was called away....And to be honest, I never got back to it. So, if you'll just bare with me, I'd like to share with you the reason why. I want to tell you about two men; each facing his own crisis. The first man you know rather well. The second is a patient here. Well, the first man thought he was facing a crisis. But what he was really doing was trying to impress someone. He was looking for recognition.....encouragement....a 'pat on the back'. And whenever that recognition seemed threatened, he reacted rather childishly.....blamed everyone for his problems but himself; because he was thinking only of himself. But the second was confronted by the greatest crisis Mortal Man can face....the loss of his life. I think you'll agree that the second man had every right to be selfish. But, instead, he chose to think not of himself, but of a brother (becomes emotional)...a BROTHER ! And when the first man saw the dignity and selflessness of the second man, he realized how petty and selfish he......(looks toward Heaven and removes his glasses; his voice deepened by emotion, his eyes full of tears) I....I HAD BEEN !! It made me see something more clearly than I'd ever seen it before. God didn't put us here....for that 'pat on the back'. He created us so He could be here Himself.....so He could exist in the lives of those He created....In His Image. (composes himself, takes a deep breath and puts his glasses back on) I know you didn't come here to listen to me. It...it gives me great pleasure to introduce His Eminence, Cardinal Reardon."

The Cardinal stands and walks up to the Father and gives him a huge bear hug.

"If I do say so, Father.....You're a tough act to follow."

Whenever I think of Mr. Christopher, I think of this scene.

"