Aaron McLellan--Boondock Saints

In the movie “Boondock Saints” there are two Irish brothers from South Boston who very religious, performing Catholic rituals and going to church.  After a terrible and violent experience with some Russian mobsters the two brothers have somewhat of an experience or union with the transcendent.  They are sleeping next to each other in separate beds when they both awake at the same time.  They seem to be partially pulled out of there beds and are helpless to the being (which cannot be seen) pulling them upward.  It is almost like God is calling them out as he pulls them toward him.  Water from the old cement ceiling is dripping down on them as if God is anointing them with oil, which was done in the Old Testament by a prophet to show who God had anointed and called to be the next king of Israel.  A voice that they both seem to be able to hear tells them that they must shed the blood of the evil men who shed innocent blood.  The mysterium tremendum is evident.  When it is over they said to each other “Destroy all that is evil, so that which is good may flourish.”  When the moment is over they look at each other and seem to except that God has called them to rid evil from the streets of Boston.  Although I don’t agree with this strategy for ridding evil, they had a good idea.  If I could slightly change their calling it would be to rid evil through love and not with more evil.  This would be a good Old Testament way of solving the problem but Paul writes in Ephesians, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”  It seems that we should be ridding the evil from the people and not the people from the world.