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Stories about people's lives being changed by this movie are many these days. Every one of them causes me to weep. This one is no exception. The tears are tears of worship, adoration and gratitude. I'll never cease to be amazed at the POWER of the Gospel. And of Gibson's film (God's blessings and protection surround him).
I've also heard from those who are intimately involved in reaching the Muslims that it is not uncommon for Muslims to have dreams about the Lord Jesus, and from there, to develop a hunger and thirst for the Gospel. This is said to be a common, though unheralded, phenomenon. May there be a great outpouring of God's grace upon them while there is still time.

"The Passion" takes Italy by storm
Wed 7 April, 2004 21:20

By Shasta Darlington

ROME (Reuters) - Mel Gibson's controversial "The Passion of the Christ" has taken Italy by storm after it opened across the Roman Catholic country two days before Good Friday.

The movie was shown on 700 screens around the country on Wednesday, about one third of the total, including cinemas in the southern town of Matera where much of it was filmed.

In many cinemas, tickets sold out hours after going on sale.

"Not even 'Lord of the Rings' raised expectations this much," Leandro Pesci, director of one of Rome's biggest cinemas, told reporters.

"So many people have come to make mass purchases. One man bought up two hundred tickets."

In the Vatican's backyard, no viewer restrictions have been imposed on the graphic film about Jesus Christ's last hours and crucifixion, giving it a further boost.

The "Passion" was given an R rating in the United States, prohibiting minors from seeing it.

The movie has been a box office smash, grossing more than $260 million in just three weeks in North America alone.

But it has stirred controversy in virtually every country where it has been shown, with critics denouncing it as anti-Semitic and a distortion of Christian teaching.

In Italy, it was no different.

"This film has utterly shocked me. I've never seen such a cruel film in all my life," said pensioner France Funaro, visibly shaken and his voice trembling as he left a Rome cinema.

Gibson, a devout traditionalist Catholic, denies the film is anti-Semitic and says the bloody scenes of Christ's scourging and crucifixion are accurate reflections of his suffering.

The movie portrays the last 12 hours before Christ's death, which is commemorated on Good Friday.

Last month, James Caviezel, the actor who plays Christ, was received by Pope John Paul. The pontiff saw the film in December and the Vatican denied reports he had endorsed it.

The Vatican's president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Monsignor John Foley, met the foreign press in Rome before the film's release.

"I've seen the film several times. I personally did not find anything anti-Semitic. I found the film very impressive, very moving," Foley said.

"Even with its terrible violence I thought to myself 'this is the price of our sinfulness... I am to blame for the death of Christ, not any particular group'."

Every one of them causes me to weep. This one is no exception. The tears are tears of worship, adoration and gratitude.

My favorite line from the movie that breaks my heart every time I replay it in my mind
"behold mother, I make all things new again"
this was said on the way to Calgary in the movie. Driving home the point that this was not an "incident" where a righteous man was unjustly killed but rather a carefully orchestrated plan for the lord to be able to sacrifice himself to save our souls.