by Carole Anne Scott

When I was a very little girl, Walter Cronkite and some of his colleagues took part in a weekly live television show called "You Are There." In that series, the prominent TV anchors went back in time to inter-view actual famous people, such as Socrates and Galileo, who were living in interesting and trying times.

Each episode would focus on one particular day in that historical person's life and would reenact it, presenting probing philosophical points along the way. The show attempted to answer the question asked at each episode, "What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times...and you were there."

For Christians, no day, with the most significant exception of Faster, "altered or illuminated" our lives more than Good Friday when Jesus Christ gave His life for the sins of all humanity. In the controversial new movie, `The Passion of The Christ," director Mel Gibson, a traditionalist Catholic, seems to be trying to take us to the foot of the cross so that we can see, in as graphic and convincing a manner as possible, just what the sacrifice of Jesus really entailed. Certainly, in terms of human suffering, there is nothing comparable to the kind of torture Christ endured at the hands of his Roman executioners.

My cousin, Nicky, a retired New York City Police Department sergeant, told me that he actually had to close his eyes at some of the film's more violent scenes, the ones showing Jesus being beaten. Surprised that someone who had literally seen everything in the course of his police career found parts of the film difficult to endure, I asked Nicky why it had affected him so deeply, given all human cruelty he had personally witnessed. He replied, "I saw a lot of awful things, including some pretty gruesome murders, but I never saw someone being beaten for hours on end. It was a really powerful picture of what Jesus went through for us."

As corroboration of Nicky's sentiments, I soon came across a review in which renowned film critic, Roger Ebert opined, "This is the most violent film I have ever seen." Impressed by its beautiful cinematograhy, powerful performances, depth of feeling, and unique presentation of a theological concept, Ebert went on to give the movie his famous "thumbs-up" rating. Even so, he warned that " the film is unsuitable for young viewers, but works powerfully for those who can endure it."

Gibson seems to be challenging his audience to stand at the foot of the cross and endure it. This film in all its graphic realism shouts out with a very powerful "You Are There" realism. The answer that shouts back is, "Can you stand to be there?"

Certainly. few among the original disciples could stand to be there. Virtually all of them scattered and fled, either through fear or perhaps also through a hopeless conviction that Jesus' mission had ended disastrously and being there to witness the cruel ending could serve no further purpose for them.

Among the apostles only John could tolerate the crucifixion. He was the beloved oneinto whose care Jesus entrusted from the cross, His dear mother. As the song we used to sing as children at the Stations of the Cross proclaims of Mary, "mournful" and "weeping," she was with Him "to the last."

This film portrays her love in heartbreaking realism. When watching it, you feel what Mary must have felt as she accompanied Jesus on this, His most tragic journey. The touching "Pieta" scene of her holding her Son's broken body, her own heart stabbed by that proverbial sword of sorrow, is incredibly moving.

Whatever your opinion of the film is, on the positive side, it certainly can be said that it has stirred up an incredible amount of discussion and thought-provoking talk about Jesus' life and death. That is in large part what Mel Gibson had intended. He was so personally committed to this project that he poured an estimated $30 million of his own money into making the movie, so that he wouldn't have to deal with a studio's attempts to challenge his view of how it should take shape. That is one huge example of putting your money where your faith is.

Of his intent, Gibson has stated, "This is a movie about love, hope, faith, and forgiveness...[Jesus] died for all mankind, suffered for all of us. It's time to get back to that basic message. The world has gone nuts. We could all use a little more love, faith, hope, and forgiveness."

Indeed we could, but ironically, the film seems to be stirring up as much negative controversy as positive emotions. Many Jewish leaders have expressed concerns that it will reawaken anti-Semitism, much as the Passion Plays performed in the Middle Ages did. In fact, at the time of this writing, fearing that it might stir up increased instances of anti-Semitism, the French were trying to decide whether the film should be banned from even being shown in that country.

Despite the controversy, most people should come away from the movie with a balanced view of what happened. In any place or time, certain individuals will always act to maintain the status quo. The Jewish high priest Caiphas was one of those people. It is obvious that he viewed Jesus as a threat to the existing Jewish faith and to his position as leader. There would be no other way for him to view Christ, especially after He had pro-claimed Himself to be the "Son of God," the Messiah, the "resurrection and the life" and especially since by word and by deed, Jesus, though not about to abolish the existing Jewish law, clearly meant to change it.

Part of that change involved living by the spirit, not the letter of the rules. It is clear in the Gospels that the Jewish leaders found many of Jesus' actions offensive and intolerable. These included curing people on the Sabbath, eating dinner without performing the ritual washing for purification, causing a scene in the Temple by overthrowing the moneychangers' tables, associating with the marginalized, the downtrodden, the sinners, and the tax collectors working in league with the Romans. Any thinking person can come to the realization that this type of individual would, by his very actions, get into trouble with the existing rulers, Gibson’s film makes it clear that the Romans wielded the true power and they committed the atrocities, not just against Jesus, but also against all those whom they viewed as threats to their oppressive rule.

It is most unfortunate that anyone would ever have perceived the Jews as "Christ-killers." There is no theological basis for that assumption. All of us are in a sense responsible for the death of Jesus because none of us is without sin. From a theological perspective, Jesus died willingly, in obedience to the will of His Father, for the sins of all humanity.

Anti-Semitism makes no sense at all when considered in the context that Jesus Himself, His Mother Mary, and His apostles. all were Jewish. Mel Gibson's film makes this point clear. It also contains scenes where other Jewish people protest against the cruel treatment of Christ. Many feel, however, perhaps justifiably so, that he should have gone further in answering the charges of anti-Semitism by toning down the crowd scenes.

In all of this, it is essential to remember that Christ died forgiving His enemies. That is one of the most central reminders we should take away from the Biblical accounts and from the film.

As of this writing, "The Passion of Christ" is enjoying enormous commercial success. This is amazing considering that the movie is subtitled, which is usually not a popular feature with the general paying public. It was filmed in Latin and in Aramaic, the language that would have been spoken in Israel during Jesus' time. (As a side note, history buffs are outraged at the choice of Latin for the dialogues between Pilate, the Jewish priests, and Jesus. Although Latin was the official language of the Roman Empire, the language spoken at the time in its eastern sector, Israel included, was definitely Greek.)

Even those who are not religiously motivated are calling the film an artistic master-piece. The casting seems perfect for all the roles. Powerful performances are turned in by James Caviezel as Jesus, Maia Morgenstern as Mary and Monica Bellucci as Mary Magdalene. Particularly haunting is the presence of the Devil in the dark-cloaked form of actress, Rosalinda Celentano. She is at once enticing and repulsive, seemingly simultaneously both male and female, as mysterious and alluring as evil can possibly be.

Though this film is certainly not for everyone, it does provide a moving and powerful visual reenactment of the sufferings Jesus endured. During this Lenten season, you might feel courageous enough to see it, perhaps as a form of Lenten penance.