Easter 2007

Less than 2 hours away from Easter Sunday, here I sit at my lap top with the "Passion of the Christ" playing in the background. I was flipping through the channels about an hour ago, not wanting to watch the "Ten Commandments' for the umpteenth time, scanned all the way down to the movie channels to find that I had TMC, and guess what was playing. I immediately flipped the station and sat and watched.

What some of you may not know is that I love this movie. Some may call me crazy because I have seen it sooooo many times I have lost count, but it is the most moving piece of film that documents one of the most famous reality story out there. The last days of Jesus Christ. The film making alone is truly amazing, but then the telling of Jesus' crucifixion is nearly true to form (notice I said nearly, cause yes I know that there are a handful of scenes leading up to the crucifixion that are not in the bible). The parts that are not biblical are poignant and moving, but the filming and flashbacks are only a tiny portion of why I love this movie.
Within the first 5 minutes I begin to cry. The minute I see the soldiers coming to take him. Even now, tears run down my face.


I remember going to the opening 3 years ago on Ash Wednesday. I took a car full of people and a box of tissues, cause I had cried from just seeing the trailer. I sat between friends as I watched the soldiers on the screen beat and spit on him. I remember closing my eyes at some scenes and hearing this voice tell me, "no Jessica, you need to see this. You need to know how and why cause this is for you." So I held my friend's hand and felt her tears hitting my hand. I squinted and began to pray in my seat, grateful prayers. When discussing the movie with people I would later tell them, it had to be that harsh and violent, for Jesus came to take on the sins of the world. The world numbers many dead and alive by these standards.

Every time I watch is movie I get something new to take away from it. This time, since I am trying to be in the word everyday, I know the scriptures that the scenes reference. That is probably the most thrilling thing for me, to be able to quote the scriptures for certain scenes.
There are so many parts that I could dwell on, but I will only dwell on 3.

One of my favorite parts is a flashback to when Mary Magdaline comes crawling on her knees to the feet of The Lord. I have felt like that on so many occasions. That disgusting feeling and thinking no one in the world could possibly understand, but then there HE is. He takes Mary and makes her clean (she repents of her sins) again and it changes her world. I have seen that in my own life and I am so grateful for it.


My other favorite scene is when the tear falls from heaven and the whole earth shakes. I didn't catch this till just now, but everyone is running around and panicking except for Mary Mother of Jesus, Mary Magdaline, and John. They just stood before the cross. No fear. This part reminds me that I have nothing to fear if I trust in the Lord.


And lastly there is my all time favorite part. You see the cloth Jesus was wrapped in deflate and there HE sits. He is PERFECT. The only marks on His Body are the marks from where nails went through His hands. He smiles and gets up and that's the end of the movie. Why is this my favorite part? Because it shows that He is ALIVE and all of that was for you and me. I always feel that the last part of that sentence should be captioned in the movie to drive the point home.

I remember when the movie was over, people getting up around me and my friends. We knelt no the sticky floor of the theatre and prayed. We couldn't leave. When we were finally asked to move by an usher, we left not speaking a word to each other and got into my car where I put on the song "Grace Like Rain" and drove. To this day I still can remember smiling through my tears as we sang the song at the top of our lungs.

This Easter is my first time away from many of you. Away from traditions and two church families that I love with all my heart. This Easter I am reminded of all the memories I shared with you all around this time and I am grateful to those of you who helped get me to where I am today. For sharing your love of Our Lord with me and teaching me to do the same. That is what I take away from this movie, THE LOVE OF ONE MAN FOR US ALL.


Hopefully I made some sense here, since I am very tired and have been really ill. I wish everyone have very happy Easter, may it not be all about Easter egg hunts, candy, and fake plastic grass. May you take the time to share in the Lord's Love with someone, the way you shared it with me.