Last night Brian and I saw the Passion of the Christ. I am still speechless. It had been so hyped up that I wondered if it would be as moving as everyone says. It went above and beyond. Yes, it was violent but no more violent than other movies of historical nature (ie. Schindler’s List or Saving Private Ryan. (And why, may I ask, is that violence permissible while the Passion’s is reprehensible??). But the violence is secondary; it is the story of Christ that shines above all else. I was moved to tears – I would have been literally sobbing if I hadn’t fought it back. Instead I reached for Brian’s hand and we cried silently together.
There are so many aspects of the movie that moved me, I don’t know if I could express it all now. However, the major points are the following:
1. The depth of Christ’s love. Not only the depth of his love for us but the length He went to in order to share that love. It was hard to be angered at the Jewish rabbis or the Roman soldiers when it was my personal sins that sent Jesus to the cross. Each blow brought back to mind sins I have committed and the vice I still live with. But even more so, it struck me of how deep Christ’s love is and how superficial mine is. I want to love Christ more, not just intellectually knowing him or having an emotional, fickle love for him, but a deep love that permeates my being.
2. The value of the cross. How often do I complain about this and that or roll my eyes when I have to deal with so-and-so again. God gives me countless moments of grace throughout my day and I’ve thrown them away with my (interior and exterior) complaining.
3. The relationship between Jesus and Mary. The Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary were united in the sorrowful passion. My heart was renewed in my love for Our Lady. And in a lighter moment, I loved the scene with Mary when Jesus was building a table. You could see the tender love they had for each other as Mother and Child. It also brought out a playful, affectionate side to Jesus. In other Jesus movies I’ve seen Jesus is either very stern or flippantly joking.
4. The power for the Mass. It was a power punch to see the parallel between the Passion of Christ and the Mass. I don’t think I can attend Mass again without the images of Jesus replaying in my head. And even more so, there have been many times I have not gone to daily Mass for legitimate reasons. But how hard have I been trying to make daily Mass (and Holy Hour and daily visits etc)? If Jesus went through all that to give me the grace of the Mass, what am I willing to do to receive those graces? And what better way to deepen my love for Christ than to receive him more often and more fervently in the Holy Eucharist?
5. The seduction of evil. The portrayal of the devil was powerful. This morning I was supposed to do something I didn’t want to and as my mind was rationalizing it away I pictured the devil whispering those excuses in my ear. That was a wake-up call and I quickly accomplished the task God desired me to do.
6. Christ thirsts. Christ thirsts for souls and we are the tools that will bring those souls to Him. And there are souls hungry for Christ. The sound of crying and sobbing during the movie emphasize that. Afterwards even some “tough guys” were shaking as they smoked their cigarettes outside. It reminds me to pray for the conversion of sinners, especially those I love, whom are far from Christ, and those who have no one to pray for them. I can’t help but ask myself how can we better help to extend Christ’s Kingdom, whether in the little daily things or the bigger ministry things. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “If you are what you should be, you will set the whole world ablaze!”
7. Applying all this to my life. This movie was powerful but emotions are quickly forgotten and old ways are eager to reign again. I don’t want to be like Peter, who one moment says he will never leave Jesus’ side, and the next moment he denies ever knowing Christ. This Lent is a perfect time to work on the areas in my life that need attention. And there are ample opportunities to grow closer to Christ through the Mass, Confession, Stations of the Cross, Scripture study, the Rosary, Holy Hours, etc.
There is so much more that can be said but I’ll leave it at that for now. If you’ve already seen the Passion, your comments are welcome. If you haven’t yet, may you be blessed when you do!