The Passion Of Christ

Well, it seems that I’ll be the last to actually put something about the movie The Passion Of Christ in my blog. I’m intrigued by the movie. I first heard about it last year or so. Not really sure what it was, but that Mel Gibson was doing a movie about Jesus and wasn’t going to be in English. First thought was, “What was Mel Gibson doing a movie about Jesus for? What does he know?” (not a kind thought, I guess). I’ve seen Mel do some movies where he was everything but Christ-like. But he’s also the director/star of probably my all time favorite movie, Braveheart, so it made me think, “This could be interesting.” But my second big thought was, “Aramaic? Who the heck wants to watch a movie in Aramaic?”

You’d hear a blurb about it now and then. Gibson is finding no financial backing. Jews don’t like it. Tough times filming the movie. Lead actor struck by lightning. Pope likes it. Pope doesn’t like it. Pope’s not really conscious of what’s really going on. Yadda yadda yadda.

But then the media gets it all stirred up in a hurry. Then certain groups are invited for a special prescreening and the reviews start coming in. “Beyond Words.” “Violent and Gory.” “Magnificent.” “World Changing.” Yadda yadda yadda. The Jews don’t like it because they feel it puts the blame of Christ’s death on them. Who knows what the Pope really thinks. Most prominent Christian people seem to give the movie a thumbs up. Some disagree with it. Some think Mel denies the Holocaust (that the heck?). Yadda yadda yadda.

But I began to think about it on Monday. This will be a movie that’s talked about for a long, long time. It’s a movie that one day my kid(s) will know about and recognize as one of the most prominent movies about Jesus’ ever. I guess I’m saying, “This is gonna be big!”

We’re planning taking the Youth of our church to our local theater on March 3rd. I’ve read it’s a really violent depiction. Lots of blood and some gore. Not a “feel good” movie at all (no one wins a date w/ anyone.) I’m hoping that this can and will be a springboard for many of our youth, many of our church’s congregation, and even our community (heck, our country/world). God can use it, I believe.

The actor playing Jesus had this to say about who killed Jesus:

“The crowd standing before Pontius Pilate is not accusing an entire race for the death of Christ anymore than the heinous actions of Mussolini is condemning all Italians or the acts of Stalin condemn all Russians,” he elaborates. “Many people that are Jewish, that are brothers and sisters, have seen this film and have loved the film. I think what it will do is bring truth to the world, and when people look at themselves in the mirror at the end of the day, peace will eventually come from that.”