(The Passion of The Christ opens nationwide tomorrow for its second theatrical release. The new version is titled The Passion Recut, since approximately 6 minutes have been cut from the film. The following column by Archbishop Favalora was written last year.)
My dear friends,
I have yet to see Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of The Christ. I was invited to a special showing but I was unable to attend.
I saw news reports the first few days. They showed men and women, young adults, teenagers, crying, unable to speak, as they left the theater. It reminded me of men I have known who have made a Cursillo and wept uncontrollably after coming face to face with the reality of God's love for them.
For many Christians, apparently, The Passion of The Christ is more than a movie. It's a religious experience. Some have described it as the Stations of the Cross on film.
Others have complained about the seemingly endless scenes of scourging and suffering, the disturbing images of a brutally bloodied Christ.
Down through the centuries, great artists have also graphically portrayed Christ's agony, suffering and dying.
Catholics pray the Stations of the Cross to remind us of the suffering and death the Son of God endured for us and for our sins, so that we can be convinced of just how much God loves us.
Witnessing Christ's suffering in a very intense way helps us come face to face with the reality, the depth and breadth, of God's love for us. It gives us hope that, whatever pain and suffering we might be undergoing in our lives at any time, God understands because God, in the person of Jesus, suffered, too, and horribly.
Apparently, that was Mel Gibson's intent in making The Passion of The Christ, and that is precisely what his movie has done for many people. Through the modern medium of film, Gibson's images have touched the hearts of millions.
Let me address the concerns that anti-Semitism might come from this film. The Catholic Church must never be a part of anti-Semitic attitudes or behavior, nor can any of the followers of Christ. The documents of the Vatican Council and the U.S. bishops have indicated that the reason for the death of Jesus is sin "“ our sin and those of the entire world.
I would certainly admonish anyone viewing this movie to be carefully reminded of this theological context. Jesus' death was to unite the family of God, never to divide it.
Gibson has been quoted as saying that he hopes those who see the film will be moved to "read the book." Indeed, "the book" is the living word of God. It is not just meant to be read. It is meant to become a part of us. It is meant to change our lives.
My prayer this Lent is that The Passion of The Christ will serve as a springboard for believers to renew and refresh their faith, to delve deeper into the Gospels and their own lives, and to admit that their own sinfulness continues the scourging and crucifixion of Christ in the world today.
Through this movie and our continuing Lenten reflection, may our eyes be opened to see the crucified Christ in the suffering of the poor, the hungry, the sick, the lonely, the captive, the victims of war and famine and political repression.
May we all be moved this Lent to change our lives, to be more forgiving and less judgmental, to be more inclined to love others as God has loved us "“ unconditionally and to the death.
