“I Have Chosen You”

THE PASSION OF CHRIST:

“Mel Gibson warned Jim Caviezel that the character was going to be very difficult and that if he accepted, he could be marginalized in Hollywood. Caviezel asked for a day to think about it and his response was: “I think we have to do it, even if it is difficult. And one more thing my initials are J.C. and I’m 33 years old. I didn’t realize that until now.”

Mel responded with a candid, “You’re scaring me.”

During filming, Jim Caviezel (who plays Jesus) lost 45 pounds, was struck by lightning, accidentally whipped twice, leaving a 14-inch scar, dislocated his shoulder and suffered pneumonia and hypothermia from standing almost naked on a cross for several hours outdoors.

His body was so stressed and exhausted from playing the role that he had to undergo 2 open heart surgeries after the production. Just the crucifixion scene took 5 weeks out of 2 months of shooting.

“I don’t want people to see me. I just want them to see Jesus. Conversions will happen through that.”

Pedro Sarubbi, who played Barrabas, felt it wasn’t Caviezel who was looking at him, but Jesus Christ Himself. “His eyes had no hatred or resentment toward me, only mercy and love.”

Luca Lionello, the artist who played Judas, was a declared atheist before filming began. Eventually he converted, confessed and baptized his children.

One of the main technicians who was Muslim also converted to Christianity.

Some producers said they saw people in white giving advice, but when they finished filming they never returned.

The Passion of the Christ is an R-rated US film and U.S. highest box office of all time, with $370.8 million! Globally, it raised $611 million. More importantly, it has reached many souls from all over the world. Mel Gibson paid $30 million out of his own pocket for the production because no studio would accept the project.

Jim Caviezel proudly proclaims his faith in Christ in the midst of Hollywood evil. Although Caviezel is a devout Catholic, his role in the Passion of the Christ has enabled him to minister in churches from many denominations.

Ben-Hur is a 1959 American religious epic film directed by William Wyler, produced by Sam Zimbalist, and starring Charlton Heston as the title character. A remake of the 1925 silent film with a similar title, it was adapted from Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Ben Hur won 11 Academy Awards, in all the major categories, out of 13 nominations.

“The Passion of the Christ” received no Academy Award nominations let alone one of the awards. Nor was it promoted by Hollywood.

In the span of the 45 years between the productions of both of these movies Jesus Christ has gone from being revered to reviled. Is this how far we have come as a culture or how far we have fallen?

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. ’If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” – John 15:18-25

Christ’s words ring as true and clear today as in the past. Such persecutions simply don’t make the headlines.