Redemption

             I watched a movie today that made me think about a couple of things.  The movie was Ironweed with Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep. It is a story that is based on a novel of the same name. I have never read the novel but now I want to. The story is about a man, Frances, who is a bum and a drunk. He is returning to his hometown after 20+ years with his companion, Helen, who is also a bum and a drunk. Today we would say, 'they are homeless' because it's more politically correct.

           We follow Frances and Helen around and watch them drink and freeze on the streets of 1930's New York. Helen seems sick. He takes her to a broken down roadster down by the tracks and tells her he'll find her tomorrow at the soup kitchen. She wakes the next day and starts what will become the last day of her life. This is when the story gets beautiful to me.

         The first place she goes is a church. She kneels at the alter she prays for, of all things, forgiveness. She is so frail. She starts to get up and she finds a ten dollar bill on the floor. She starts to cry and say thank you.

       She goes to get a cup of coffee and some toast. She takes one bite and starts to feel sick so she gives the rest to a lady at the counter and leaves.

    She goes to the music store and sits at the piano and plays a beautiful peaceful song.

   She goes to the bar and drinks. Then she goes to the library and sits by the fire. She falls asleep and is awakened by the librarian, who hands her a magazine.

   She sees someone from 20 years ago. You find out that Helen used to be a singer, she used to go on tours.

   She rents a room for 2 days and carries two suitcases up the stairs and unpacks a record player among other personal items; a hairbrush, a mirror, a picture. She takes a record out of her coat and puts it on the record player.

   She bathes. She brushes her hair.

  Frances comes back the next morning and finds her dead on the floor.

   I can't tell you how beautiful the performance was. All I can say is, it was Meryl Streep so it was depicted so well. But the message is the most beautiful thing. It's a story of redemption. Or maybe redemptive suffering. It's mercy. It's grace. And it's Meryl Streep!!

 But really, it made me think about homeless people in general, and how many of them have to deal with harsh assumptions that are being made about them. After constantly being labeled a bum, I would think a lot of people start believing it. They lose their hope. They turn into it. Identity transforms because of label.

 You might think it's odd that I find that story beautiful. All I can say is I wish everyone could delight in God's presence in a story. Now matter how gritty and ugly and politically incorrect. God loved Helen.


      Redeemed how I love to proclaim it

      Redeemed by the blood of the lamb

      Redeemed by His infinite mercy

      His child and forever I am