Preaching Christ's Passion

by Fr. Roger J. Landry - February 18, 2005

Scripture scholars often describe the four Gospels as "passion accounts with very long introductions." This is because the preaching of the apostles — and the earliest Christian writings —focused above all on the details of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection.

St. Peter, immediately after bursting through the doors of the upper room on Pentecost, proclaimed in a idiom understandable to all: "Jesus of Nazareth — you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up" (Acts 2:22-24).

St. Paul tells us that the catechesis he received upon his conversion focused precisely on this: "I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3-4).

So much did St. Paul specialize in the proclamation of Jesus' paschal mystery that he says he resolved to know and to preach nothing other than "Christ and Christ crucified" (1 Cor 2:2).

One year ago next week, we saw what happened when that Gospel of Christ crucified was proclaimed on the big screen.

Just as when St. Paul preached it, Mel Gibson's visual portrayal in The Passion of the Christ became a "scandal to Jews and folly to Gentiles" (1 Cor 1:23). Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League attacked the film, saying that it would fuel anti-Semitism. It didn't. In fact it had the opposite effect: it led some at-large criminals to turn themselves into authorities. Gentiles in Hollywood and the secular media ridiculed the film, saying that it was nothing more than an orgy of "religious sadism." Folly indeed!

But just as with St. Paul's original proclamation, the visual presentation of Christ crucified became "for those who are called … the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:23). People came back to the sacraments after long years away. Catholics and Protestants prayed together — in public cinemas. Many Protestants were intrigued by the presentation of Mary, the Mother of the Redeemer, and her fortitude as she followed in the bloody footsteps of her Son. Many Protestants also saw for the first time, in Gibson's artful flashbacks, the connections between the Eucharist and the Cross that to Catholics are second nature. Most of all, it helped all Christians realize just how much Jesus suffered — voluntarily, out of love — for each of us.

One group that was particularly moved by The Passion was Catholic men. For the first time in a long time, there was a depiction of an unmistakably masculine Christ. Jim Caviezel's portrayal was of a Savior whom today's men would leave "fishing boats" and "tax tables," "houses, family members and fields" (Mt 19:29) to follow.

In much of recent Christian art, Jesus hasn't even appeared human, not to mention masculine. Many modern crucifixes make him look like an emaciated extra-terrestrial. On Missalette covers, Jesus' sacred humanity is reduced to a stick figure. In the last major Hollywood movie about the Gospel — Zeffirelli's 1977 film Jesus of Nazareth — actor Robert Powell's portrayal made men wonder if Jesus ever could have been a carpenter, since he looked barely capable of lifting a hammer. It seemed that Powell had taken Jesus' statement that he was "meek and humble of heart" (Mt 11:29) and absolutized it. There was no room for the same Jesus who once identified himself as the "stronger man" who would overpower the devil and divide his spoils (Lk 11:22).

This is one reason why Jim Caviezel's performance in Gibson's superbly-directed movie was so refreshing. He combined both Jesus' strength and his tenderness. His portrayal of Christ helped men to see with their own eyes more clearly who they're called to be and how they're called to love. Men at last witnessed an image of their Lord who was more like Curt Schilling than Bob Stanley. They finally saw a Jesus consistent with their images of a hero.

It's no surprise, therefore, that Jim Caviezel has become so popular among Catholic men. The fact that he is a devout, practicing Catholic increases that admiration. He turns down blockbuster roles if they require immoral scenes. Every penny he earns from his speaking engagements goes to the pregnancy help center his wife Kerri helps to run.

Jim will be coming to Boston on the feast of St. Joseph (March 19) to headline the Boston Catholic Men's Conference. He'll speak on how portraying the crucified Christ changed his life and encourage men to have their lives altered by imitating the love of the same Christ crucified. Men interested in hearing this message may register at bostoncatholicmen.org.

I'll have more to say on the importance of this conference next week.

Father Roger J. Landry is pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in New Bedford, MA and Executive Editor of The Anchor, the weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Fall River.