We Said Nothing

I should have written a before and an after post. One before I watched The Passion and one after just to see where it has taken me. For our Public Theology class we were instructed to watch Mel Gibson's movie The Passion and I very reluctantly found it in our video store and brought it home. I find violent movies to be damaging to my spirit and I choose not to damage my spirit as much as I have choice in it. So, where did this movie take me? There is too much to say in this one post.

I have to admit, I don't know the story of Christ's Passion. I didn't sit in a single Sunday school class as a child and I am just beginning to recognize the power in the Bible. I have so much to learn! I didn't know that Judas got money for turning in Jesus to the authorities or that he hung himself in sorrow due to his betrayal. I didn't know that no one who was expected to come to Christ's aid did not. To me, this was the most heartbreaking part of the story. I wept when his friends kept quiet while he was beaten and called blasphemer. He was alone in his suffering as the crowd watched, perhaps some cheering, some in awe, some frozen with terror. Gibson had Satan walking through the crowds of onlookers. This immediately reminded me of Professor Thistlethwaite's recent op-ed where she wrote Gibson's portrayal in this scenario was sadly and disturbingly accurate in that "the Devil is always in the crowd that stands by and in so doing abets horrific mass torture and death."

Why do we say nothing? This is the first place this movie took me. I wept for the fact that we watch suffering and betrayal in one form or another on a daily basis and often do nothing. Maybe is this one of the greatest lessons we are taught in the Bible. Loyalty to humanity and God means speaking up when you don't want to, when you fear for your safety, reputation or status. Am I to take from this that we failed to speak up for God? Is this sin to be repeated again and again?

Sometimes it is the stranger, the one we fear or have ignored in the past who comes, even begrudgingly, to our assistance, carries our cross with us, holds our broken heart and hands and gives us comfort. That is why we love the stranger for just when the world gets dark there is light that can come from unexpected places. This is a testimony to the power of God's love for us all. He is everywhere.

Amen.