Update on The Passion of the Chirst:

I've had some time to really sit down and think about the film and really assess how I really feel about it. I really liked it. I thought it was very moving and very real, raw and emotional. It really put into perspective the suffering that Christ went through for all of my sin. For my sin, your sin, and everyone's sin for that matter! It showed him in the garden praying to his Father in Heaven and begging him to not have to go through this, and it showed his willingness to obey and let the Lord's will be done, not his own. It really was a testimony of his faith, and a testimony of the great sacrafice he made for me and the willingness to experience that so that I would never have to. He paid the price for me! He endured all things, and conqured all things and rose again. I now will be resurected because of him.

There was a very clear battle between good and evil in this film, and it really showed me that it is very real. There is a war over my soul, and I will not let Satan win. I know that I have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that through him all things are possible, and even when I doubt and have questions I will find answers in him!

The brutality and violence in the film that is being considered controversial or unneccessary is all very relivant and needs to be in there. Watching his journey from being arrested and then being put on trial, then being beaten and harrassed, taken over to Harrod, then back to Pilate and so forth, then being mocked, ridiculed, spat upon, etc. Then seeing him being handcuffed to the beating post and hearing him say, "Father, I'm ready*" (*or something similar) and then seeing the torture and humiliation that he endured for ME! Watching his sweet mother powerless in the situation and weeping wanting to help him was so overwhelming. I mean, that part of the story you don't really hear about, and I commend Mel Gibson on bringing the humanity of the situation to the table. Jesus was the son of Mary and to witness that relationship and having him see her there, and trying to comfort her and having her being there powerless and loving and comforting him was so touching. It was so wonderful and heart breaking. Almost more so than the actual, main plot of the film I think. I mean, the film is about the last 12 hours of Christ's life, and to have a glimpse of ALL of it, not just reading how it is in the gospels, seeing it live, showing the divinity, the humanity, the compassion, the forgivness, and the bond between a mother and her son...WOW! What a great message! I loved this film!

Yesterday right after I saw it I wrote my entry and said something like, "the violence was overwhelming and that if you wanted to see a cruxifiction this is your movie, if you want to see Christ's ministry, this isn't your movie..." Now that I have had some time to process it all I take that back. There is a message, and a bit of Christ's teachings - done through flashbacks. It works though, it's not cheesey at all. Like, it was neat to me to see Jesus being whipped over and over and when he is released he sees a shoe of one of the Roman soldiers and it makes him think of when he washed the feet of his disciples. THAT! THAT'S WHAT I MEAN! The WHOLE story. Even if religious freedoms were taken in order to make that happen, it really struck a nerve with me personally. When he was on the cross it goes back to, "this is my body...this is my blood...do this in remembrance of me" and so forth.

Seriously though, Mary's journey throughout the film was what spoke to my heart the most. I already knew the other part of the story, and seeing that part was difficult, but it made me realize what he went through for me, and it opened up a whole new vision of it for me. BUT, seeing how Mary saw it, feeling how Mary felt, experiencing all that Mary experienced really moved me. It tugged at my heart so much more. Everything from, "I am here [son]..." to, "Flesh of my flesh, heart of my heart, let me die too..." WOW! That raw, emotional, deep love that Mary had for her son brought the story to a whole new level for me. It was really moving.

So, looking back at yesterday's entry I have to say, disregard it, and go see the film. I strongly encourage you all to see it! I know that I'll be going again for sure with my wife, probably a third time with my mom, and maybe even a fourth time with other friends who've yet to see it. Really, please, go see it - it will really build your testimony of Jesus Christ.

Until next time...

Written by Jere at 4:42 p.m.