This movie shattered my view of Christ on the Cross as a Catholic. In all of my life of going to church and looking up at Christ crucified, he always seemed so serene with a crown of thorns and a slight stab wound. Seeing Christ as a bloody pulp (excuse my expression) hanging from the cross was a complete eye opener. Gibson sent a message to my faith to wake up and understand the brutal path Christ followed to wipe sin from man.
I'm quite a lapsed Catholic really, and while sometimes I can find a good excuse as to why, the real truth is that my faith is very weak. Can't seem to figure out how to change that.
The Catholic Churches that surround me are composed of almost nothing. I used to like to listen to a local evangelical radio station, but then I heard the pastor say that God winked at divorce, there went that listening tour.
So combined with my weak Faith is the inability to find a sound Church, a sound Catholic Church. Preferably where there are no deacons, just Priests, where the Altar is not treated like some sort of stage.
If my beloved Msr. McCabe were around today he'd be pulling those performers off of the Altar turned stage quicker than you could say, Bless me father, it's been --years since my last confession.