“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” -John 3:16
There have been a lot of movies made but perhaps none as moving and intense as “The Passion of Christ.” The movie, about the life of Jesus Christ, has left its mark on everyone. I read these facts and observations about the movie:
Mel Gibson, who was the brains and money behind the movie, warned actor Jim Caviezel that playing the character of Christ was going to be very difficult and that if he accepted, he most likely would be marginalized by Hollywood.
Caviezel asked for a day to think about it and his response to Mel, who was funding and directing the movie was, "I think we have to make it, even if it is difficult." And something else, my initials are J.C., and I am thirty-three years old. I didn't realize that until now.”
Mel responded with "You're really scaring me you know."
During filming, Jim Caviezel, who plays the part of Jesus lost forty-five pounds, he was struck by lightning, he was accidentally struck twice during the scourging scene leaving a deep fourteen-inch scar, he dislocated his shoulder when the cross was dropped into the hole with him on the cross. He then suffered pneumonia and hypothermia from being nearly naked with only a loin cloth on the cross for endless hours. The crucifixion scene alone took five weeks of the two months of shooting.
His body was so stressed and exhausted from playing the role that he had to undergo two open heart surgeries after the filming production. Jim explained, "I didn't want people to see me. I just wanted them to see Jesus because conversions will happen through that." Almost like a clairvoyant prediction many amazing things happened.
Pedro Sarubbi, who played Barabbas, felt that it was not Caviezel, who was looking at him, but Jesus Christ himself. As he played his role of Barabbas, he said of Caviezel, "His eyes had no hatred or resentment towards me, only mercy and love."
Luca Lionello, the artist who played Judas, was an avowed atheist before shooting began. He eventually converted and baptized his children. One of the main technicians working on the film was a Muslim converted to Christianity.
Some producers said they saw actors dressed in white they didn't recognize during one of the filming sessions, and when they reviewed the recordings, they realized they couldn't see them in the footage.
The Passion of the Christ is the highest grossing U.S. religious movie, as well as the highest R-rated film of all time, with $370.8 million! Worldwide, it grossed $611 million.
More importantly, it has reached hundreds of millions of people around the world. Mel Gibson paid thirty million dollars out of his own pocket for the production of the film because no studio would take on the project.
Today Jim Caviezel simply and boldly proclaims his faith in Christ. He says that the experience was a miracle for him as he represented Christ as an actor and he became a greater believer of Christ.
The Passion of Christ is not a fairy tale movie. It’s the more-than-true story of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s the story of God’s love and provision for us. We all have to respond to God’s amazing provision of life and eternal security.
May we all submit ourselves to God through His Son Jesus Christ, no matter the costs.
By Eric Joseph Staples ©
www.lifeaid101.com
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