"The Passion" revisited. PreVat II Speaks

Last night, Good Friday, I watched Mel Gibson’s “The Passion of the Christ.” I have seen this film each year since it first came out on Ash Wednesday, 2004. This is now a tradition in our household. This is such a magnificent film, and speaks to the very heart of the Christian Faith.

A few days ago, as we sat in church, I heard a priest say in his sermon, “No Good Friday, no Easter; no Easter, no salvation for mankind.” Simple, but direct. That is the Christian Faith.

I, like many of you, have seen just about every Christian movie made by Hollywood. From “The Robe” to “Ben Hur,” from “The Greatest Story Ever Told” to “Jesus of Nazareth.” Yet no film has ever captured pure, solid, Christian belief as does Gibson’s “The Passion.”

Several years ago, prior to its release, I followed closely the controversy surrounding “the Passion,” especially by those who had yet to even see one minute of the film. I was amazed at the outright hatred of so many, especially from Hollywood (who up until then had seen Gibson as a huge star and money maker), from liberal Jews, to liberal Christians (to include several Catholic Bishops), and, of course, from the secular media, most of who detest Christianity on any level.

Much was made of Gibson’s upbringing, his Traditional Roman Catholic faith (he was raised with only the old Mass, refusing to attend the new), and of his father, who was (and is) a sedevacantist (a Catholic who believes the last true Pope was Pius XII). Gibson, for his part, has never stated that he was (or is) a sedevacantist, but he has had some very strong words for the post-Vatican II church that Roman Catholics find themselves in. He also refused to walk away from his father. (Sounds like a current politician running for President today, no?)

One of the many things I found so interesting upon the release of “The Passion” was in the reactions from Christians around the world. (How non-Christian religions viewed this film is of no interest to me.) It seems as though Evangelical and fundamentalist Protestants, along with Traditional and conservative Roman Catholics, loved this film. Yet, it was liberal Catholics, and mainstream Protestant denominations, that had the most criticism of this portrayal of Christ’s Passion. The answer to this is, I believe, in so many mainstream Protestant denominations having steadily moved away from historical Christianity, where their faith, what it is, is based more on Jesus being simply a “good man” or a “good teacher” instead of God himself, the second person of the Holy Trinity. I also believe that it is the “hard sayings” of Christ regarding salvation that has effectively turned off these groups to what they all once held dear.

Not to be left out, I saw many of our older, much more liberal bishops (many who are so wrapped up in the Ecumenical movement) side with the mainstream Protestants over this film, and Gibson’s portrayal of the actual Passion.

My next comment is sure to upset many with in my Church. But, to put it bluntly, I do not believe that a post-Vatican II director could have made “The Passion” as Gibson did. It was, from beginning to end, nothing but Traditional Catholicism. Only one seeped in pre-Vatican II theology, a man of the Council of Trent, could have done what Gibson did so magnificently. I’m sure many would disagree with this statement, but I hold to it.

Lastly, I can never get over the shear brilliance of the casting, the score used, and the use of Aramaic and Latin by the actors. My two favorite scenes are during Christ’s walk to Golgotha. First, when Satan and Mary look at each other from opposite sides of the road. Both know who the other is. Both know what is expected of each in salvation history.

The second, and my most favorite scene, is when Mary runs to her Son, as He falls again with His cross. He looks up at her, puts His hand to her face and quotes Revelation 21:5, “Look, I make all things new!” Incredible film making by an incredible director.

I would ask all of you to think about what that priest said the other day, i.e., No Good Friday, no Easter. No Easter, no salvation.