Ok, I'll weigh in ...

I saw "The Passion," or as others are referring to it as "The Movie," the beginning of last week. I needed some time to ruminate on it before just adding to the corporate opinion.

Well here is my take.

I was deeply moved by the artistry of Mel Gibson, I was deeply moved by the nonEnglish language. It caused me to be deeply involved with the story as well as it contributed to the unsettling feeling I had through the whole picture. It let me know that it wasn't an Western Story, but a different culture and a different time. That was important. Truth transends culture and time. We are still those same people in a different culture and time. The portrayal of Peter, Judas, and the disciples, were incredible. I was particularly moved by John. Not much dialogue but he emoted wonderful through his eyes.

The actors were never over the top, James Caviezel did a great job as the God Man. I was touched repeatedly by his eyes of compassion towards those around him. Especially for Mary.



I was touched by Mary, the mother of Jesus. It was not the acting, which was wonderful, it was not just her part in the story, which was excellent and revealing, but it was the truth of the Mother. By that I mean, and I hope I can convey it correctly as a male, with childbirth comes a sense of connection, spiritually, emotionally, physically,... intuitively is probably the correct word for the connection. It is a part of the mother to be connected with the child. I watched it with Christel, my wife and our children. There is something there that I don't have nor fully understand, but envy.

Therefore, Mary's role is more than the woman to bear the baby but the woman who also bore His call. There is more to her than I ever imagined. This was an answer to a prayer asked over a year and a half ago. I was asking Him to explain Mary to me without the politics of religion. I heard both sides and wasn't convinced either way. But in seeing her He began to teach.


I was never taught about Mary other than during the Christmas pageants, in fact when we did discuss any thing about her she was kept in the Catholic Church and never the protestant. Why is that. I want to love and honor her. Scriptures tell us she will be called blessed by the generation to come. WE DON'T. She is marginalized like all women. (And I won't go too far there.) But she knew Jesus better than any one. More than the disciples, more than the priest, and more than any Protestant today. We marginalize her because we have to change some pretty heavy theology to talk about her. I would not make her part of the trinity, but she is more than the biological container of the gestation of the messiah. She is the holy mother. I think it is time to remember her, honor her, call her blessed.

She understood the value of His blood, it was precious. I was ready to move on to the next scene, she stayed and mopped up. The Mother.

Do we not bless her because she is a woman and women were never considered of much value in those time as well as today. Do we not think much of her because not much is written of her in our scriptures?

This did not steal any of my love and devotion to Christ, it opened up love in a new avenue that I will walk from now on.
What do you think?