Mystagogy

A Blues Brothers mystagogy was originally posted on The Living Church's Covenant blog on May 19, 2015.

My wife and I recently had a chance to entertain ourselves by watching The Blues Brothers, that 1980 classic, again.

Every other time I’ve watched this movie, the repeating theme wherein the “brothers” insist that they are on a “mission from God” came across to me simply as part of the joke of the movie or as a blasphemy (as it did to Aretha Franklin’s character in that famous scene), especially when I found myself in a rather pious mood.

This time I felt rather differently. Between the last time I watched this old comedy and this recent viewing, a lot of life, growing up, sorrow, and spiritual direction has intervened. I believe the brothers were indeed on a mission from God. And I believe it is “proved,” time and again throughout the movie by the constant intervention of grace.