Sunday 17 May 2020

The Mission (1986) - Mendoza's penance.

1 comment:

Andrew Kenny said...

'Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh..'

I like this film clip from 'The Mission' which shows Mendoza, the former slave trader and murderer of his brother, trailing his armour behind him as a penance for his sins while making his way to the new Mission set up by the Jesuit missionary Father Gabriel. He is thoroughly exhausted, not only by the weight of his weapons but also from the weight of the guilt and remorse of his sins.

When he reaches the mission one of the tribesmen recognises him. He knows that the wretched figure is the slaver who had killed and enslaved many of his fellow natives and in turn rushes over to Mendoza with a knife. At first, it looks like the native will kill him, which would be a blessed relief for broken Mendoza. However, the native changes his mind and instead of cutting Mendoza's throat cuts the rope that held his burden setting him free. The tears of joy soon flow as he experiences the undeserved forgiveness. He had tried to earn the forgiveness himself through his penance but it was only the native who could do it for him.

So with us, even as Christians we may still carry the burden of our guilt and sin and continually try to do penance in order to earn forgiveness and heal our guilty conscience. But the price for our sin has already been paid through the suffering and death of Christ on the cross. When we come to an end of ourselves and cry out : 'WRETCHED MAN WHO WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS BODY OF DEATH?' The Spirit points us again to Christ's death for us and sets us free. In response to this overwhelming love and forgiveness of God we can only be humbled and impassioned to return our love back to God in surrender and obedience.