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May 19 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels March 22, 2004 Passion reveals powerful truths I didn't expect to like Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ." Critics have noted historical inaccuracies, an overly "gorrified" crucifixion, and a restricted view of the life of Jesus. In spite of its shortcomings, I was moved by the implicit depiction of such a spiritually powerful life. A life that was so profoundly committed to speaking and living the truth that injustice and suffering could not diminish it's influence. Jesus' extraordinary example of selfless love and forbearance, illustrated by his submission to the crucifixion, makes us uncomfortable. And it should. The price of loving often means a painful struggle with selfish pride, stubborn indifference, and cynicism in ourselves and in others. And it means staying the course of love, as well as truth, despite the odds. The story of Christ's Passion resonates in our lives when the need for truth-telling feels like a fearsome and unbearable cross. It illustrates the strength of character as well as the grace necessary to trust our deepest convictions. For Jesus, his remarkable life was the ultimate answer to Pilate's wry question "What is Truth?" He lived his convictions. Hearts were fed. Lives were transformed - morally as well as physically. The magnitude of Jesus' spiritual ministry is barely visible in Gibson's rendering of the Passion, but it must have been vivid to the lives he so dramatically changed. With compassion, he touched the lepers and they were healed. With spiritual authority, he restored the soldier Malchus' severed ear. To his friend Lazarus, who had died, he restored life. For them, the Word became flesh -- theory became reality. For these and for many others, the love of Christ was far more than a sentimental abstraction. It was, and still is, a tangible, palpable force for good. For all its excesses, Gibson's film reminds us that the question, "What is Truth?" can be an unsettling one. Ultimately, it's a question best answered by our lives. Carol Kelling Phoenix DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams