Enter In

The other night I watched Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" with my first born. He's 12. I am not a fan of sitting through an R-rated film with him, but obviously this one is not a Will Ferrel fraternity romp. For those of you who've seen Gibon's flick it is pretty intense. Pretty brutal. I wanted to share the story of Christ in a different way with my boy. We've spoken about it. He's heard some at church. He even adds the marshmallow Peeps to resurrection Sunday. I think he sort of understands the Jesus crucified for our sins thing—to the degree he could.*

We sat on the couch and watched the movie. There were moments of eyes closing, volume turning down, and other methods of trying to cover up what was going on on screen—but we couldn't.

There were times over the course of the movie where I would give my perspective on what was going on, to try to tie some of it in to what we've learned, Bible stories, etc. One of the most impactive things was when they would pull away from the brutality of the cross and bring you into the upper room as Jesus is sharing his bread and body, and wine and blood. There is a unique storytelling that goes on from the blood of Calvary to the grace of the Supper.

One of the things which stuck out most to my son was when the bruised, bloodied, nailed, Christ asks his Father to "forgive them". My son could not believe this. Well, I think he believed it, but couldn't fathom it. It placed the people who'd abused Christ to the point of death as those who were forgiven—which I believe they were.

And I am in the same "them" which Jesus was grieving for.

Then the curtain tore in two.

Forgiveness. There is such power in it—Through Christ to us, the power to enter in.

Forgiveness. There is such power in it—From ourselves to others, a power to enter in in a different sense.

A Power to enter in to relationship. Enter in to relief. Enter in to conversation. Enter in to building. Enter in to healing. Enter in to change. Enter in to becoming something different.

Can we truly forgive "them" (whoever them is?) if they don't know what they do?  Or even if they did?

And through our forgiveness, offer the activity of entering in?



*I believe that none of us fully get the crucified for our sins thing—at least not here on earth. I know I fall way short of full understanding, but I try my best to "get it".