“Everyone wants resurrection but no one wants
suffering.” Those are the words of actor Jim Caviezel, best known for portraying Jesus
Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of
the Christ.
suffering.” Those are the words of actor Jim Caviezel, best known for portraying Jesus
Christ in the 2004 film The Passion of
the Christ.
In this video, Caviezel explained that
playing the role of Jesus entailed a great amount of suffering—even a
dislocated shoulder, pneumonia, a 14″ laceration, and he was struck by
lightning while hanging from the Cross.
He said that Mel Gibson warned him that perhaps he should not take the
role since it could damage his future reputation as an actor. But Caviezel felt the part was for him. “My talent came
from God,” he told Gibson. “We’re all
called to carry our own cross if you don’t pick up and carry your own cross you
will be crushed by the weight of it.”
playing the role of Jesus entailed a great amount of suffering—even a
dislocated shoulder, pneumonia, a 14″ laceration, and he was struck by
lightning while hanging from the Cross.
He said that Mel Gibson warned him that perhaps he should not take the
role since it could damage his future reputation as an actor. But Caviezel felt the part was for him. “My talent came
from God,” he told Gibson. “We’re all
called to carry our own cross if you don’t pick up and carry your own cross you
will be crushed by the weight of it.”
And carry
his cross he did. At one point, hanging
on the cross and struggling to breathe, he considered that he could die out
there. In the film, when Caviezel’s body
turned blue, that was not stage makeup; it was real. If he were to die in the making of the film,
he felt that was okay because his life would have been used to turn people
towards God.
his cross he did. At one point, hanging
on the cross and struggling to breathe, he considered that he could die out
there. In the film, when Caviezel’s body
turned blue, that was not stage makeup; it was real. If he were to die in the making of the film,
he felt that was okay because his life would have been used to turn people
towards God.
“I was
struggling physically, but our Lord was sustaining me,” he said. “I wanted to experience every bit of it as it
was given.” According to Caviezel, this
is what all Christians are called to do. “Our Lord’s death was for all but the
modern day Christians say, ‘But Jesus did that, so I don’t have to.”
struggling physically, but our Lord was sustaining me,” he said. “I wanted to experience every bit of it as it
was given.” According to Caviezel, this
is what all Christians are called to do. “Our Lord’s death was for all but the
modern day Christians say, ‘But Jesus did that, so I don’t have to.”
Caviezel
warned people that it’s not reality to think Jesus saved us from
suffering. “Okay then, why did Peter
have to do it then? And why did John have to do it and why did all the apostles
have to sacrifice themselves, and what about all the martyrs?”
warned people that it’s not reality to think Jesus saved us from
suffering. “Okay then, why did Peter
have to do it then? And why did John have to do it and why did all the apostles
have to sacrifice themselves, and what about all the martyrs?”
The devil
wants to take advantage of our weaknesses, Caviezel said. But he implored us to be strong And when people excuse sin saying it’s their
freedom to choose, he said: “Every generation of Americans needs to know that
freedom exists not to do what you like, but it’s having the right to do what
you ought.”
wants to take advantage of our weaknesses, Caviezel said. But he implored us to be strong And when people excuse sin saying it’s their
freedom to choose, he said: “Every generation of Americans needs to know that
freedom exists not to do what you like, but it’s having the right to do what
you ought.”
According to
him, our democracy cannot be sustained without a shared commitment to moral
truth and reasoning. “Set yourself apart
from this corrupt generation my brothers and sisters,” he said. “You were not made to fit in, you were born to
stand out.”
him, our democracy cannot be sustained without a shared commitment to moral
truth and reasoning. “Set yourself apart
from this corrupt generation my brothers and sisters,” he said. “You were not made to fit in, you were born to
stand out.”
Caviezel
explained that no matter what anyone has done, Jesus will forgive and have mercy,
but we need to turn to him every day. ”You
can’t be an Olympic athlete or a world champion by practicing once a week,” he
said. “You have to take Jesus Christ into your life every day.” Jesus wants much from us, according to
Caviezel, and will continually bring us to the next level if we stay close to
him. An important way to do that, Caviezel said, is to pray, fast and to read
the Bible. (He was involved in making an
audio Bible with The Word
of Promise complete with a full orchestra and cast of 500 actors.)
explained that no matter what anyone has done, Jesus will forgive and have mercy,
but we need to turn to him every day. ”You
can’t be an Olympic athlete or a world champion by practicing once a week,” he
said. “You have to take Jesus Christ into your life every day.” Jesus wants much from us, according to
Caviezel, and will continually bring us to the next level if we stay close to
him. An important way to do that, Caviezel said, is to pray, fast and to read
the Bible. (He was involved in making an
audio Bible with The Word
of Promise complete with a full orchestra and cast of 500 actors.)
By staying
close to God, Caviezel said people will feel the Holy Spirit go through them.
“And People will be looking at you and saying, what are you on? “ he said. “You will be on Jesus Christ.”
close to God, Caviezel said people will feel the Holy Spirit go through them.
“And People will be looking at you and saying, what are you on? “ he said. “You will be on Jesus Christ.”
Caviezel ended
by telling people that everyone is perfect.
“There is no one else like you. He is coming to you right now, all he
has to hear from you is yes.” He
reminded them that Jesus asked us to love one another and we should not to
worry about being famous or known in this world. “People will forget but God never
does,” Caviezel said. “I would rather be an unknown here and have my name up
there.”
by telling people that everyone is perfect.
“There is no one else like you. He is coming to you right now, all he
has to hear from you is yes.” He
reminded them that Jesus asked us to love one another and we should not to
worry about being famous or known in this world. “People will forget but God never
does,” Caviezel said. “I would rather be an unknown here and have my name up
there.”
~~~~~~~~~~
For more inspiration, check out Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families. Follow Patti at Twitter and like her Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families and Catholic News & Inspiration on Facebook. Sign up at the right column to receive articles in your inbox. God bless you!
For more inspiration, check out Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families. Follow Patti at Twitter and like her Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families and Catholic News & Inspiration on Facebook. Sign up at the right column to receive articles in your inbox. God bless you!
