Worthy viewing

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ provides a challenging Lenten meditation for anyone old enough and willing to stomach the violence.

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The violence is graphic and intense but, other than being focused so long on one person, probably no worse than many movies. It begins with Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane and includes the scourging at the pillar, the crowning with thorns, whippings on the road to Calvary, the crucifixion and the piercing of his side with a lance. The violence was not gratuitous in the sense that it titillated, though it is questionable if Jesus could have survived the scourging, let alone the other abuse the Roman soldiers gleefully doled out.

There were some short flashbacks of Jesus' life, mainly as relief from the torture scenes. (The Last Supper, though brief, excellently tied it to the Cross and gave witness to Christ's Real Presence in the Eucharist.)

Historical and scriptural inaccuracies

There also were historical and scriptural problems. All the characters spoke either Aramaic or Latin (scholars say the soldiers probably spoke Greek). Gibson identified Mary Magdalene as the adulterous woman Jesus saved from stoning - the Bible does not. Lk 8:2-3 says Jesus drove seven devils out of Mary Magdalene, who, it indicates, was an early follower of Jesus and might have been one of the women who helped Jesus financially.

	Related articles ... • Bridging the Gap by Bishop David A. Zubik --    When life isn't what God intended from the Feb. 27, 2004 issue: • 'Passion' film earns plaudits • Bp. Zubik: 'Passion' shows God's love • Catholic film office reviews 'The Passion'

Pontius Pilate was depicted as an ineffective and weak leader who wanted to free Jesus, but instead obeyed Caiaphas. In reality, Pilate was a bloodthirsty tyrant who crucified thousands of Jews and was so extreme that Caesar removed him from office. No believable reason is given for his behavior here.

The movie also put words into Jesus' mouth. For example, he tells his mother on the road to Calvary, "I make all things new." Jesus did not say these words; they came from the Book of Revelation (21:5). Other words are pulled out of context - a jarring technique for a film claiming authenticity.

Concerning anti-Semitism, I take Gibson's word that he is not anti-Semitic and he did not intend to make an anti-Semitic film. Still, the members of the Sanhedrin did look stereotypically Jewish, while Jesus and his disciples did not.

As Christians, we must be sensitive to Jewish concerns about anti-Semitism given 2,000 years of history that have included pogroms, forced conversions, exiles, synagogue vandalism and the Holocaust at the hands of Christians. What Christians see one way, Jews often see differently. This film offers Christians and Jews an opportunity to discuss our differing understandings.

Technically, 'The Passion' was superb

This is not a movie one watches. Instead, we witness and experience salvation history and face our own culpability for Jesus' suffering and death. We are with Jesus as he prays, defeats a temptation to flee and implores his Father for answers. We feel his humanity as he suffers and sense his divinity as he accepts it all out of love. It asks us to reflect on how we let others manipulate us as Caiaphas' followers let him manipulate them to bring about an end we would oppose if sanity, not fear or anger, ruled.

The movie may have its strongest impact on those who have spent little time prayerfully with the suffering Christ of the Gospels. Sadly, these people, who may not know why some Jews demanded Jesus' death, won't find the answers in The Passion. It's unfortunate that, instead of treating that quickly and shallowly, Gibson didn't go into that more fully and cut some torture scenes.

As Christians, we must never forget that by the Paschal Mystery we celebrate, Jesus purchased our salvation by his death and resurrection and that, because of him, we too will conquer death.

Despite its shortcomings, the movie has numerous positives. The acting was generally excellent, particularly Jim Caviezel as Jesus and Maia Morgenstern as Mary. The cinematography, costumes and sets were excellent. People - especially adults - are going to it in near record numbers and then discussing it seemingly everywhere. The opportunities it presents for evangelization are great.

By all means see The Passion. But first, read at least the entire Gospel of Mark. Then, for Lent, pray and meditate on the gospels and the movie and discuss them with others. Mel Gibson has done a tremendous service by making such a public and graphic statement of his faith. In so doing, he challenges us to consider what we believe and how we live it. It's a challenge worth taking.