Which Jesus?

In the new comedy "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Rickie Bobby" there is a very humorous prayer in which Will Ferrell as Ricky Bobby says grace before a meal. The video clip is online here: Talladega Nights Prayer.

In the prayer he prays to "Dear Lord Baby Jesus" and continually mentions "infant Jesus" until his wife and father-in-law remind him that Jesus was a grown man. The group goes on—mid prayer—to discuss other images of Jesus including Christmas Jesus, Teen Jesus, and Bearded Jesus as well as Ninja Jesus fighting Samurai and Jesus with giant eagle's wings.

The grace, like the movie, is silly and intends to be so. The prayer may be sacrilegious, but it does call us to question our picture of Jesus. No matter what picture we have, the real Jesus is beyond that picture. Whether you see Jesus as a bathrobed, blond-haired, blue-eyed Messiah or the homeless man you saw on the corner when last you wound through downtown Jacksonville, Jesus is ready to break down that image so that you can move closer to real thing.

A sermon in the archives on this is More than The Good Shepherd

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor + King of Peace Episcopal Church