Regarding “Box Office Passion” (Feb. 22-28):

The first week of Lent, we saw the release of The Passion of the Christ and the release of the John Jay report on the sexual-abuse crisis in the Church in America. I believe the Holy Spirit was working through both of these events to bring about a spiritual renewal of the Catholic Church, the Bride of Christ, in our new millennium.

The Passion film is returning our focus to Christ crucified and to the incredible sufferings he endured for the purification of his bride, the Church. “By his stripes we were healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The sufferings depicted are hard to endure, knowing that the film substantially follows the Scriptural account of the four Gospel accounts. We Christians have always meditated on the sufferings of Our Lord and those of Mary at the foot of the cross. In the film, we see what our sins and the sins of the whole world have done to the innocent body of Christ.

In the John Jay report, we see what the sins of members of the Church have done to the Church as the body of Christ and especially to her most innocent members, her young people and children. The John Jay report rightly assigns much blame to negligent and complicit bishops, and it is my prayer that such bishops will resign. This will be a great help for the healing of the Church, but it would be wrong to blame the bishops and abusive priests alone for the suffering of the Church and innocent children in our time.

After our parish showing of The Passion, we returned to the church for a holy hour, and you could feel the sorrow and hear the sobs of those who wept for Jesus while repenting of their sins. Similarly, as we weep for the sins of those who abused children and the bishops who turned away like Pilate, trying to wash their hands of it, we need to remember that it was also our sins — our lack of faith, our American materialism and our sensuality — that have also affected the Church in our times.

Let us look upon the sorrowful face of our Mother Mary, the Woman of Sorrows, and ask her to plead for mercy for us and for the whole world — even for those bishops and priests who have sinned gravely. On the cross, Jesus cried out, “Father, forgive them!” We must cry out, too, for mercy and to forgive all who have sinned against him and his holy Catholic Church, the bride he purchased with his own precious blood.

FATHER BENJAMIN B. REESE

St. Mark Roman Catholic Parish

Peoria, Illinois

Moving Pictures

The graphic, powerful images of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ are moving the hearts of many. But for those already spiritually sensitive and receptive, would it not be more helpful for them to form their own images of the Passion, such as while praying the rosary, meditating on the Stations of the Cross, during the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius and so on?

Perhaps when this magnificent movie comes out on video, such contemplative souls could view the realistic scenes within a few minutes at a time before pausing to meditate and pray. I'm wondering what our more holy priests and wise, experienced spiritual directors would think about this. I, for one, would be open to their insights and guidance.

Fat her Jeffr ey W. King Vanderwagen, New Mexico