Life4seekers

What is 'The Passion'?

BBC One is screening a dramatic adaption of 'The Passion' this Easter but what does 'The Passion' mean?

‘“Passion” means agony or suffering. The “Passion of Jesus Christ” is generally understood to begin with the final meal Jesus had with His twelve apostles (the Last Supper); it continues through His agony and betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane, His trial before Pontius Pilate, His scourging at the pillar, His carrying of the cross, and ends with His crucifixion and death.’

Image © BBC

Why is it so called?

Jesus experienced agony and suffering for each one of us, and therefore what He did is called The Passion. The last week of His life, in particular, was a living expression of the original meaning of this word – “Passion”.

‘As horrific as Jesus’ death was, we need to appreciate a fundamental truth of human existence: authentic love involves sacrifice. Love involves the total giving of self.

'Love can even mean “[laying] down one’s life for one’s friends” (John’s Gospel, chapter 15, verse 13).

'So there is transcendent meaning in sacrifice and suffering. If endured for the good of others, it is truly sanctifying (1) and salvific (2). To a world that tries to avoid discomfort of any sort, this seems ridiculous. Instead, it is just one of countless examples of how the way of Truth runs counter to human expectations. This, by the way, has always been the case. The first people to hear the story of Jesus were just as struck as we are today at the strangeness of it. Saint Paul wrote 2,000 years ago, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthian chapter 1, verse 18).’

Some of the above text was sourced from: ‘A Guide To The Passion: 100 Questions About The Passion Of The Christ’; answers one and sixteen. This book is being offered free to Life4seekers visitors and is published by www.xt3.com

To receive a copy please e-mail your name and address to: questions@life4seekers.co.uk Also see: http://www.life4seekers.co.uk/the-passion/

sanctifying (1) = make or declare holy
salvific (2) = derived from ‘salvation’ meaning deliverance from sin and its consequences through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

"BB" and Voyeurism: a life-giving or life-sapping reality?

However, much I try, it’s getting more and more difficult to avoid the “BB” culture. I found that the recent Channel Four TV show, for example, easily became compulsive viewing and soon dominated an evening’s entertainment.

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Even if you’re reading this and are not a “BB” fan, you can’t have failed to notice that for several weeks, Big Brother has dominated newspaper headlines, with contestants featuring on national magazine covers. (As legal proceedings may be underway, I won’t make any comment on the allegations of racism, except to say that under all circumstances it is wrong and can never be tolerated.)

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But shouldn’t this genre of television deeply perturb us all?

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It could be argued convincingly that it’s superficial, meaningless, mundane and wantonly invades the most basic of human needs – the need for privacy. What possible interest could there be in pictures of people sleeping or eating? Why should we be remotely interested in meaningless games and challenges? Why should we be entertained by watching someone reveal their inmost secrets and insecurities on national television?

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Why?!!! Because it makes for great entertainment; feeding our insatiable desire to ‘intimately know’ celebrities.

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Looking at the bigger picture, are programmes like this life-giving; really for the good of society and those participating, those watching?

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From what I have seen, I don’t think they are. Rather than giving life to those watching or participating, they at times result in exposure and shame. The words life-sapping spring to mind as even viewers, (myself included) fall prey to late night TV viewing and probably the transformation of self into a porky couch potato.

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On the spiritual level, “BB” has positively provoked me though to consider the things that do give me life and my concept of God and relationship with him.

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Does sitting on my sofa watching endless hours of TV, for example, lead to healthy and happy living? No. Do I need to ensure that my life has a body, mind and spirit balance? Yes. Who is the real “Big Brother” in my own life and what is my relationship with him? That’s a much bigger question...

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For me, the “BB” eye, takes on a God-like persona – an all-seeing and all-powerful entity. He sees who is behaving and who is not. He grants favours to those who are successful at tasks and those who are not. Is God the creator of heaven and earth like this? If he is, I find it’s a concept that’s detached, terrifying and leaves no room for love or genuine feeling. Where do you stand on this?

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In my own life, I’ve found that I’ve been signposted to a God who is, yes, all-powerful and all-knowing (so kind of Big Brotherish), but also a God of love, full of tenderness and forgiving. I’ve discovered a meaning to my life through meeting him, something which doesn’t happen when I watch reality television.

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So, that concluded, shall I continue to watch “BB” or not? There lies a mystery…

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Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article do not represent those of Life4seekers nor the Catholic Enquiry Office. They are one person’s reflection on a recent television phenomenon.

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