Reaction to The Passion

In my previous entry, i mentioned that the brutality of The Passion movie was not as bad as i expected.  I was further surprised by my reactions to all the physical pain that Jesus endured.  While it saddened me to see Jesus beaten, scourged, demeaned, and ultimately sadistically crucified, i was not moved to tears.  I didn't get mad, angry, want to fight back.  I don't admit that proudly nor with shame -- it just is. 

Perhaps my reaction is a function of being so familiar with the story, down to the gory details.  Having heard many sermons over the years that go into excruciating detail of what happened on Good Friday, expounded with excellent rhetorical and emotional manipulation (i mean that in the best way -- really).  I mean, since i was a kid, i've known about the nail holes, about the spear-piercing (although i never pictured it like Gibson shows), about being severely whipped (must admit that one particular scourge-blow made me gasp), about the crown of thorns.  And not just "knowledge", but skillful preachers have put me there on the scene.  Mel Gibson's movie just put the vivid pictures in my head up on the big screen.

Still, i found it strange, my reaction, because i fully expected to be nauseous, or sobbing, or both.

Instead, i was most moved by the scenes with Mary.  Starting when John bursts into the home where Mary was the night of Jesus' arrest, and gives her the news.  And continuing through pretty much every scene she's in, particularly as she watches the scourging.  And when she finds a way to get close to Jesus as He carries the cross, and stoops to comfort him.  As she watches her son die.  As she kisses his bloody feet.

My reaction to Mary brought to mind what i found to be a general reaction to the movie.  I found myself with an increased understanding of and appreciation for the spiritual predilections of Catholics.  Not to worship Mary by any means, but to revere her.  Also, a desire to partake of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper (the Eucharist for Catholics) way more often than the quarterly-or-so frequency of most Baptist congregations. 

And an odd fondness for relics, prompted by seeing the crown of thorns in the dirt toward the end of the movie, and wanting a piece of it.  Just to touch it, or to touch the stones along the Via Dolorosa -- anything to get closer to the Christ who died for me.  To have something to hold, something tangible, to clutch it tightly.  Likewise, I finally gained an understanding of those who make pilgrimages to the Holy Land.  My thoughts have always been "i have Jesus in my heart, why do i need to go to Jerusalem?"  But now i get it.

Those are my emotional and sociological reactions.  Theologically, no new great insights.  Just a needed reminder of what is most important in life.  And another reminder of the folly of most doctrinal disputes.  When we can't even master the basic tenets of loving God and our neighbors, why should we arrogantly argue about the relatively trivial?

P.S.  I read an excellent article and review of The Passion in First Things.  Check it out.