The 80th birthday of the extraordinarily famous film “Casablanca,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.
“Casablanca" is set in the 1940s, at the height of the war. As a result of World War II, the Moroccan city of Casablanca is an enclave to which people arrive from all over the world fleeing Nazism. While arriving was easy, leaving was much more complicated, especially if the fugitive's name appeared on the Gestapo lists, which put pressure on the French authorities under the command of the corrupt Inspector Renault. In this case, the target of the German secret police is the Czech leader and resistance hero Victor Laszlo, whose only hope is Rick Blaine, owner of Rick's Café and who years earlier had been romantically involved with his now wife, Ilsa Lund. Rick and Ilsa had met in Paris, but the entry of German troops into the French capital separated them.
The solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord seems a curious feast. On the one hand, it is clear that, if Christ rose from the dead, he had to leave us at some point. But should we celebrate Jesus going away and leaving us here alone? Shouldn't it rather be a sad event?
The power of men is limited, but not that of God. That is why the Lord can leave and stay at the same time, as he had already promised that, and now accompanies us in the Eucharist. God does not make vain promises; he goes where man does not succeed despite of his desire.
On July 17, 1942, five days behind schedule, the film crew moved to Warner's Studio No. 1 to shoot the final sequence of the film: the farewell of the main characters, Rick and Ilsa. The problem, incredible as it may seem, is that no one knew at the time what the outcome was going to be.
Four alternative outcomes were thought of: Rick leaves with Ilsa for Lisbon; Ilsa stays with Rick in Casablanca; Rick is killed while helping Laszlo escape; or Laszlo dies at the airport and the two lovers leave together. None of these endings convinced anyone. Then a fifth alternative emerged: Rick sends Ilsa to Laszlo, not out of weakness, but because he understood that her life was with Laszlo; her work with the leader of the Resistance, in need of support and affection, was too important to be sacrificed for a selfish love: the magical idea of detachment for the sake of duty.
Just as Rick sacrifices his preferences, and convinces Ilsa to leave, with the famous phrase: “we will always have Paris." The Lord leaves this earth reminding us that we will always have the Holy Spirit close by, who helps us to fulfill our duty, our vocation. And he remains, invisible, with us in the Blessed Eucharist. In heaven the Virgin Mary was waiting for her Son to meet Him again, just as she is now waiting for you and me.
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