The strength to turn a cheek

I saw ìThe Passion of the Christî today when work day ended. It is an amazing film, which moved this Catholic greatly.

I must say I am quite baffled now by most of the stinging criticism I heard before, and am seriously considering taking my two oldest kids to see itóI think itís that good and that important a message.

IMHO, the movie is the story of Christís suffering, crucifixion and death quite faithfully rendered, at least as far as I can tell after a lifetime of teaching and going to church. But in all my years of Catholic education, I never heard a word about who was ìguiltyî of Christís death other than me, myself and everyone around me. So when I looked into the faces of hatred and violence in this film, I recognized only my own failings as a human and Christian, not somebody elseís.

But one thing I did think of during the film disturbed me greatly. Seeing Christís suffering at the hands of mobs in several scenes made me think of those three Delta and one Ranger (all formers) who died in Iraq recently, only to have their bodies dismembered and put on display in front of cheering crowds. That thought didnít make me want to hate Iraqis or Muslims, but it did make me think these four were somebodyís begotten sons, and that their deaths better have more meaning than who wins this national election, or who can be fingered for this or that failure on the Hill.

American troops consistently display a level of care for ordinary Iraqis that is living proof that this nation can love its enemies more than itself. When I speak of shrinking the Gap, I do not mean out of fear, but frankly out of love for our fellow humans that they may be allowed to enjoy the same sort of social peace within which we have for so long prospered. I believe the fundamental individual connectivity offered by globalizationís advance is a key to that peace, because where I see that connectivity denied, I locate all the mass violence in the systemóand the sort of hatred that brings crowds to dismember bodies and cheer at their public display.

I fear we will be turning many cheeks in the coming years in this global war, but I see no other way to defeat terrorism than through connectivity extended. Firewalls wonít do it. Border security wonít do it. Smoking holes wonít do it. But connectivity will.