Passion for Lent

LOS ANGELES – Flash floods filled the streets; not so much from the succession of storms that hit sunny California, but from the tears that poured out of the theaters as The Passion of The Christ opened on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25.

The film, produced and directed by Hollywood actor Mel Gibson, tells the story of the last 12 hours of the life of Jesus, essentially, the agonizing hours before His crucifixion in Jerusalem. Cast includes James Caviezel as Jesus Christ, Matrix Reloaded star Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene, Maia Morgenstern (a Jewish actress) as Mary, Luca Lionello as Judas Iscariot, and Rosalinda Celentano as Satan.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the original title, The Passion, had to be changed due to a conflict with a Miramax project in development with the same title. In the new title, the second the word "The" is capitalized, following the style of capitalizing any word identifying Jesus or God.

Details have to be precise. There is emphasis on accuracy of depiction because since its conceptualization in 2003, excitement, anticipation, and controversy have built around the contentious project. After all, when was the subject of Christ not controversial?

Catholics have always been made aware of the torture Jesus suffered in the hands of His enemies to fulfill His Messianic destiny. Every year, rituals for the season of Lent are practiced to commemorate the sacrifices that had to be made by one Man in order to save mankind. The Pieta Prayer Booklet paints a vivid account of how it was: "The number of soldiers were150; blows received on the head were 150 on the stomach were 108; kicks on the shoulders were 80; spits in the face were 180; beaten on the body 6,666 times, beaten on the head 110 times …wounds on the body were 100 …"

Indeed, it seemed Jesus had to be beaten one time for each and every human sin. And this is one of the many instances where numbers don’t suffice in the telling of the story. That’s probably why this event has been filmed many times in many ways by directors as various as Cecil B. DeMille (The King of Kings in 1927), Pier Paolo Pasolini (in The Gospel According to St. Matthew in 1966) and Scorsese (The Last Temptation of Christ in 1988) each one trying to give the best depiction of what really happened. What’s so special about The Passion of The Christ?

The movie opens with a full moon and the phrase "By His wounds, we are healed." And this proves to be prophetic, for what will follow is a graphic account of the beating that will make anyone wince and squirm. The audience is plunged into bottomless pain, drenched in torment, and drowned in Jesus’ blood. It’s gory. It may not be for everyone.

A woman collapsed during a screening in Wichita, Kansas. Peggy Law Scott, 57, who later died at a hospital.

The film is indescribably violent. The sadism of the Roman torturers is beyond belief. The sheer brutality is unprecedented in the telling of the passion of Christ. Through the cinematic torture chamber, you will look away, fidget, and cringe at the sound of the whippings and of bones being broken. And at some point, the audio effects booming out of the superior cinema speakers will mix with the suppressed weeping and sobbing of the crowd.

Believers cry out of pity and guilt, aware of the teaching that Christ suffered to save us from our sins. Somehow, the years of hearing this and reading about it, do not compare to a few hours of witnessing the scene of how it may have been. Gibson wanted to depict that. He wanted to make the point that it was horrific to watch a man in agony and be nailed to a cross. And the whole point of the sufferings was done for everyone.

Parents and women weep, moved by the passionate performance of Morgenstern as Mary. What is worse for a mother than to see her own son die in such a violent way? Her facial expressions and tears are painful to watch.

And the Jewish community is also crying … foul! Is the movie anti-Semetic? The first few scenes show Jewish mobs scream for Christ’s blood like cannibals who haven’t eaten for months. Even as Pilate refused to sentence Jesus, Jewish authorities insisted that he be punished … put to death. Concerns were raised over whether this movie could stir hatred of Jews.

"It’s a movie meant to inspire, not to offend," Gibson was once quoted. "My intention in bringing it to the screen is to create a lasting work of art and engender serious thought among audiences of diverse backgrounds who have varying familiarity with the story. This is a movie about faith, hope, love, and forgiveness – something sorely needed in these turbulent times."

In all, the once-considered-niche film has successfully managed to capture mainstream attention. Thanks to the religious debates, the movie has hauled $117.5 million in its first five days. It is now playing in 3,043 theaters across the United States. Everyone should see it, regardless of one’s spiritual orientation. To some extent, faith in something reflects the lack of faith in one’s self. Hence, more than the question of religious beliefs is the question of what man is capable of — the heartlessness, cruelty, and brutality on one extreme; and the understanding, compassion, and forgiveness on the other.