And to Close Off Yom Kippur...

For the final minutes of the Day of Atonement, I watched two 7th Heaven episodes, both from the third season. They were about Dr. Hastings, "the doctor who almost killed Matt."

Matt Camden is the oldest Camden child. When he was delivered, he almost died, since Dr. Hastings was young and inexperienced, and also too proud to ask for help.

Roughly twenty years later, Annie Camden is pregnant with twins, and she and Eric (her husband) see Dr. Hastings in the hospital. They are outraged, since Dr. Hastings almost killed their firstborn (Matt). Why's he still have a job? But when they meet with Dr. Hastings, he humbly admits his guilt. He says that he started believing in God the day that Matt was born, since someone was obviously looking out for all of them at that time. And he relates that his experience with Matt made him decide to go back to medical school for three more years of residency. He became better at delivering at-risk babies, and he ended up saving lots of lives.

And Annie decides to give Dr. Hastings another chance, when there are complications as she gives birth to Sam and David.

I thought these episodes were appropriate for the Day of Atonement, because they touch on repentance, forgiveness, humility, and second chances.

There was one thing I didn't like about the first episode, however: Matt's girlfriend Heather broke up with Matt and got engaged to someone else, then she asked Matt's father (Reverend Camden) to conduct the wedding service. What audacity! What gall!