Posted on 01/04/2006 3:17:27 AM PST by Teófilo
So must we.
The Picture
Folks: please study the following picture (Click on it to enlarge it to its full size):
Now, please, consider this: there are three stories behind this picture. The first one is the story that the actors and director who put this remarkable scene together wanted to convey in the highly acclaimed movie picture, The Passion of the Christ. The second is how I "stumbled" upon this scene and captured it, and the last one—and the most important one—is the story of the love that a real Son had for his real Mother.
The First Story
The scene is straightforward: in a "flashback" scene shortly after his arrest, Jesus (played by actor James Caviezel) reminisces on, shall we say, "better times" at his carpenter's shop. He's building what's recognizably a modern table.
Modern viewers do not see anything remarkable about this until Mary, Jesus' Mother (played by Romanian actress Maia Morgerstern) enters the scene and questions the design. Jesus replies that the table is destined for a wealthy customer. Mary remarks that the customer must like to eat "standing up." Jesus replies that he's about to make the chairs that go with the table and then demonstrates how the whole concept is supposed to work, by sitting down on an imaginary chair by the table. Mary attempts to do the same but then loses her balance, remarking wryly that the design "will never catch on."
The viewer then realizes that Jews of the time consumed their meals while reclining on the ground, that a modern table was completely atypical in that setting. The scene captured 2,000 years of separation in space and time between us and the Lord's own time, at the same time, thoroughly humanizing both Jesus and his Mother, Mary.
What followed was endearing. Mother Mary sternly told Jesus to come inside to eat, to take off his apron and to wash his hands, to which he dutifully assented. As Mother poured water on his hands, He rinsed his hands, cupped his hands, caught a bit of water, and then playfully splashed her. She recoiled, surprised and in obvious pleasure. Then He embraced her, pulled her to himself, and kissed her.
The scene ends with a return to the present: Jesus coming back to his current situation. Shortly thereafter, as He was being led to his fateful meeting with the Sanhedrin, He sees His Mother, their eyes made contact, and as He lingered on the sight of his Mother, He was roughly pushed away.
The Second Story
I gave myself for Christmas a DVD recorder-player for my computer. I figured that I was in need of massive external storage space. I then began experimenting with the movie-playing capabilities of the new DVD drive and I rediscovered that such DVD software would allow the user to take "still pictures" of whatever movie was playing, and I happened to be playing The Passion of the Christ. So, I continued on watching the movie until I got to this scene—one of my favorites in the entire movie. Funny, I didn't remember the kiss, so I played the scene over and over until I got the "right angle" and this picture is the result.
The Third Story
The third story is the historical one, the one that encloses a theological lesson of immediate importance to every Christian believer: that there was a Jesus of Nazareth who was the unique Song of God and the unique Son of Mary; whose followers considered Him the awaited Jewish Messiah and King and also God's supreme self-manifestation in history. There was also a Mary of Nazareth whose unconditional "yes" to God started this singular adventure of the spirit, and who had been present at every important scene of Salvation's drama: at its beginning, at its high point, at its closing, and at its new beginning.
This placement of Blessed Mary in the Gospel clearly underlines her eschatological significance, that her historical role as Mother of the Messiah—and the Jews believed then as they do now that the Messiah's Mother would participate somehow in the glory of her Son—did not end when the number of her days on earth came to an end. Just as Jesus' sonship to Mary continued after His resurrection and glorification, Mary's motherhood transcended history and continued after her Son resurrected and glorified her. Her motherhood extended itself to every Christian who clung to the saving deeds and the Love of the Son.
The biblical figure of Mary forms the basis of the Catholic devotion to Her, but as far as most Protestant Christians are concerned, it is a figure that has been lost, that should only be understood in merely natural terms. Many Catholics today—most of them in academia—are also inclined to see her in this way. This is wrong.
This picture taken from The Passion of the Christ, this artistic representation, demonstrates a profound theological and christological Truth. Jesus loved his Mother. Sure, why shouldn't He, she was his Mom! Surely Jesus was capable of natural, filial love. But, can the Son of God love His earthly Mother only with a merely natural, human love? Because He was not only fully Man, but also fully God hypostatically united in one Person, every human act of Jesus was also a divine act; as Jesus did, God did.
Therefore, the uniquely natural, filial love Jesus felt for his Mother was at the same time uniquely and infinitely supernatural. The miracle of the Son's love for his Mother is not that He loves Her as God would love any human being, but that He loves her as a Son would truly love his Mother! Is the same Love, but infinitely and inexhaustibly given, and felt; it's perfect human love transposed to an infinite, divine key.
The Son loves his Mother. There was no other person on earth that He loved with such filial love and yet, beyond the sense of the finitely human, lays the same filial Love. There was no one else on earth that he would embrace and kiss this way.
So, let me refocus what I've said above, when I stated that the biblical figure of Mary forms the basis of the Catholic devotion to Her, by stating that it is the Son's love for His Mother that forms the basis for the Catholic devotion to Her. All of us Christians are called to love her as the Son loves her, in the present tense. As we participate in the Son's Divine Life, into his Death and Resurrection, through Baptism in Water and the Spirit, we also become spiritual children of his Blessed Mother by the same grace of adoption that made us children of God. That's why we can call God "Father" and Mary "Mother."
Protestant Christians—mostly in the Reformed tradition— and a number of carnal Catholics who deny Mary's Motherhood ignore the clear sense of the Scriptures and the filial love with which early Christians regarded the Mother of Jesus, because of the supernatural love that He showed Her.
This picture is worth a thousand words. As He did, so must we. He loves Her, so must we. She is his Mother even now, and she is our Mother too. My challenge to you is: dare to love her.
PING
It too is one of my favorite scenes. An endearing love that is not lost in the moment of the brutality that was about to befall Christ.
Along with that scene is the one in which Mary recounts in her mind Jesus falling for the first time, as she sees him stumble while carrying the cross. Jesus's words to Mary, "Behold I make all things new!" just takes your breath away. Although perhaps not biblically exact, it is perfect for what's about to take place.
I dare say it took the breath away from all of us who watched it. The absolute devotion to her son should be no less for us.
Thank you for such a thoughtful reminder.
God bless....
Thank you for your feedback! I appreciate it. Please, include briefly in your prayers. Thanks!
-Theo
Wow!! We are now basing theology off of a modern movie.
Perhaps you missed the three paragraphs dealing with the Biblical underpinnings.
True Catholic art reflects Catholic theology, whether in the Sistine Chapel, or on a movie screen.
It saddens me that you missed the point.
-Theo
The absolute devotion to her son should be no less for us.
Amen.
What the heck is that supposed to mean?
The third story is the historical one, the one that encloses a theological lesson of immediate importance to every Christian believer: that there was a Jesus of Nazareth who was the unique Son of God and the unique Son of Mary
Our pastor always concludes his homilies with - Jesus Christ 'Son of God and Son of Mary.
This Baptist considers Mary a great lady and I respect her, but I pray only to Jesus. Its His grace taht saves me.
Yet another point in that scene - the table is not merely a modern table, it also prefigures the Altar of Sacrifice. Especially when Jesus sits down on it, I think to test the steadiness of the table. It made me stop and think for a moment - the Sacrifice on the Altar . . . and of course his Mother is right there . . . as she was throughout and is always.
We're asking her to pray WITH us to her Son . . . because as the Queen Mother she is especially beloved to Him.
In your congregation, you might ask a particularly devout and holy person -- a respected deacon, perhaps -- to join you in prayer. James 5:16.
I use the exact same phrase in my version of the Jesus Prayer - Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary, have mercy on me, a sinner.
We also ask her to pray for us, as the "Hail Mary" states. Somehow, the impression is that our prayers somehow "end" when we address prayers to Mary. Mary's humility, as well as that of all of the saints and angels, wouldn't permit it. God's omniscience also enters into the equation.
Just exactly as you would ask a friend to pray for you.
She is there, of course, at his birth and conception.
She is there at Cana, when he reveals himself as more than a teacher.
She is there when he dies.
Her life surrounds, intertwines and wraps around his in so many ways. She is signpost and witness to all of these things.
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