One of my favorite movies is "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" And one of my favorite scenes is when Delmar is baptized. This is a movie "about three stumble-bum convicts who escape to go on a quest for treasure and who meet various characters while learning where their real fortune lies in the 1930s Deep South." One of the "real fortunes" is salvation through baptism for Delmar.
Here is a bit of the dialogue around the event (excuse the language):
[Delmar runs out to be baptized]
Pete: Well I'll be a sonofabitch. Delmar's been saved.
Delmar: Well that's it, boys. I've been redeemed. The preacher's done warshed away all my sins and transmissions. It's the straight and narrow from here on out, and heaven everlasting's my reward.
Everett: Delmar, what are you talking about? We've got bigger fish to fry.
Delmar: The preacher says all my sins is warshed away, including that Piggly Wiggly I knocked over in Yazoo.
Everett: I thought you said you was innocent of those charges?
Delmar: Well I was lyin'. And the preacher says that that sin's been warshed away too. Neither God nor man's got nothin' on me now. C'mon in boys, the water is fine.
Delmar fully acknowledged that God saved ("warshed him clean") him from his sins. This is what we are asking God to do for us when we pray this portion of the Lord's Prayer. We are telling God "I am sinner, can you help me be clean?"
Prayer*:
Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River
Jordan did proclaim him the beloved Son and anoint him
with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his
Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly
confess him as Lord and Savior; who with thee and the same
Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting.
Amen.
*Book of Common Prayer, Collects, Traditional 162
In Christ,
Jack Ladd
No comments:
Post a Comment