IT seems as if a line has been drawn in the sand over Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of The Christ forcing people to choose the Way of the Cross of the suffering Jesus or a feel-good sanitised Jesus.
It boggles the mind that Michael Apthorp (CL 14/3/04) would speak of the film as depraved or revolting as I found myself continually begging forgiveness for my sins during the viewing of Mel’s masterpiece.
I have seen The Passion of The Christ a number of times as an aid to my Lenten journey of repentance.
Since first seeing the film I find myself weeping at Mass as I now have a visual aid to help me more fully comprehend that our Blessed Lord’s sacrifice at Calvary is our Mass and that I am at the foot of the cross with the beloved disciple John and Mother Mary actually participating in our Saviour’s redemptive mission.
I can hardly believe the magnitude of God’s love for us.
Far from seeing Emperor Gibson naked (as described by Michael Apthorp) perhaps it would be fairer to say Gibson has added one more item of clothing to his garments in preparation for attending the wedding banquet of the Lamb in eternity.
To Michael Apthorp’s prediction of an exodus out of the Church due to people in the pews being psychologically damaged and scandalised by priests zealously supporting The Passion of The Christ, I’ll leave the last word to St Paul (Hebrews 13:17): ‘Obey your leaders … they must give an account of the way they look after your souls; make this a joy for them to do, and not a grief – you yourselves would be the losers’.
JENNY DAVIES
Holland Park, Qld
