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Feb 28, 2004 “It is as it was.” There is some debate whether or not Pope John Paul II actually uttered this quote, but I can tell you that this is what came to mind as I viewed “The Passion of the Christ.” I arrived at the theatre to take in the 3:30 show. When I sat down during the running of ads and various movie trivia on the screen, I noticed that many in attendance were munching on popcorn and sipping soda. I had decided that day that I would not purchase anything at the snack counter; it seemed inappropriate to me to be consuming snack food while watching Christ be tortured and put to death. After the movie had started I noticed during Jesus’s arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane that no one in the theatre was eating. After the movie was over, I saw several people bringing out nearly full bags of popcorn and cups of soda from the theatre. I guess they also felt that it was inappropriate. As I watched, I noticed several things that would escape the casual viewer, but not anyone who has studied the Gospels and the prophecies of the Old Testament of Jesus. One early example: Satan appears to Jesus in the Garden, trying to dissuade him from going ahead with his death and resurrection. Satan releases a poisonous snake to kill Jesus while he is lying prostrate on the ground during a prayer. When the snake gets close enough to touch him, Jesus then rises, finished with his prayer, and seems to take no notice of the snake so close to him. I remember thinking, “He’s going to stomp its head.” Sure enough, Satan turns away for an instant, thinking he had won, but Jesus eyes him coldly, then stomps the snake’s head, recalling Genesis 3:15 “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring ; they will crush your head, and you shall bite their heel.” This happened so fast, and the sounds up to that point had been so quiet, and the stomp was so loud in contrast that the teenage girl sitting next to me nearly jumped out of her seat. I came to the realization as Jesus was being punished by the Roman soldiers that yes, this is the most violent movie I had ever seen, but this was very different: unlike horror flicks where violence is rampant, gratuitous (and seemingly unending in some cases) this was the ultimate example of turning the other cheek and loving your enemies; Mel Gibson’s approach portrayed it perfectly. Several scenes made the tears flow for me; the most poignant was when Jesus’s mother, seeing him fall on the street of Jerusalem at one point, recalled him falling as a boy and herself rushing to his side. She then rushed to his side in the present, stating then as now: “I’m here.” Jesus replied, “See Mother? I make all things new.” Gibson added in a number of flashbacks, showing what the different individuals who had been touched by Christ were recalling as they watched his suffering, and many more recollections by Jesus himself. I had heard from various sources that immediately after viewing The Passion it took a while for anyone to say anything. Having experienced this myself, I know why no words are spoken: this movie will wrench all of the emotion out of a person so that none is left at the end. I know it did for me. When I got back into my car, I was very thankful that I had my John Michael Talbot recordings with me, because nothing else seemed appropriate; no other music, no talk radio shows of any kind, not my own words; they all seemed downright blasphemous. Only Talbot‘s dulcet tones seemed appropriate; this may have something to do with the fact that Talbot takes the lyrics for his songs verbatim from Scripture. When The Passion of the Christ comes out on DVD, I will be among the first to purchase it. This has become my favorite movie about Jesus, passing my longtime favorite Jesus of Nazareth. The reason? Finally, a Jesus movie that doesn’t rely on Hollywood embellishments to be powerful. (Save one; I won‘t comment on it to ruin it for other who have not yet seen The Passion. Even then, it is in tune with the Scriptures.) Finally, a Jesus movie that doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. “It is as it was.” ------------ About the author: Paul Carter is unique; he thinks that a Grant Green jazz guitar solo, The Federalist Papers, an El Greco painting, the National Football League, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church are all interesting. When not working a home business, he is a graphic artist. Email Paul Carter: paulcarterdesign@earthlink.net Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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