This is my commandment – Love one another as I have loved
you.
Jim Caviezel, the actor who played Jesus in the Passion of
the Christ, understood the meaning of that love.
Mel Gibson asked him to take the part – when he was 33
years old. He had the initials JC.
While playing this role:
-
Was hit by lightning
-
When the Whipping went wrong he had 14-inch
gash on back
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It was so cold on cross suffered hypothermia –
would later need heart surgery.
-
While carrying cross his arm was pulled wrong
way = dislocated shoulder – captured on film.
One scene – carrying cross – over 100 pounds – he falls to
ground. Nearby the mother of Jesus is watching. She is so saddened by what she
is sees, she is afraid to get closer. But then she has a vision of a young boy
who is playing and falls. She runs to comfort her son Jesus. And now she understands what she must do,
she runs to Jesus. She can’t save him from what he must go through, but she can
be there! She can keep loving him!
Elie Weisel said that while they were in Auschwitz, the
Nazi’s told them to forget family and friends – think only of yourself – this is
the only way to survive.
The opposite happened. Those who lived only for themselves
were more likely to die, while those who lived for a parent, a sibling, a
friend or an ideal had the best chance of survival. Not selfishness but love. Love brings out the
best in us.
Love is not for the faint hearted. It is not a feeling or
an emotion. It is about a commitment. It is “willing the good of the other.”
You see, this is life, the carrying of crosses. Life is not
easy. Life can be very hard. We are fragile. We have all sorts of challenges.
We are limited in what we can do.
We can be filled with bitterness. We can be filled with anger
and hate. We can lash out at people. We can hurt ourselves and others.
Or
We can say – bring it on!
We can pick up that cross, those crosses, and follow Him.
We can help others carry their crosses. We gathered last night at the Knights
to have a benefit dinner for the Scampoli’s. Richie died too young, and that
can fill us with anger. Or, we can do something, We can love – the hall was
jammed, and over $20,000 was raised.
When Mary knelt before Jesus on the ground, he lifted his
head and said – See, I make all things new!
Where there is hatred – now love
Where there is injury – now pardon
Where there is doubt – now faith
Where there is despair – now hope
Where there is darkness – now light
Where there is sadness – now joy.
I give you a new commandment – love one another as I have
loved you!
