Seasonal/holiday films were a big deal growing up in the Grisolano household. The seasons of Fall, Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and the Fourth of July had certain movies that the family would watch--and in all seriousness--were not allowed to watch out of that season. Who knows how this trend began, but it was a wise one made by the parentals since it ensured that their children never tired of certain family classics since they were only viewed once a year.
Easter season films were often some of the best since their epic-ness corresponded to the epic nature of what we were celebrating as Christians. Leadng into Holy Week, the family would begin watching the annual "Easter Season films" like The Ten Commandments, The Robe, Quo Vadis, A.D., King of Kings, and Ben Hur. As an aside, epic films always produce some of the best movie quotes for those long-car-ride games you do as a child. (Name the film with the line, ""Were you...(long pause)...OUT there?")
And so this Holy Thursday, I wanted to share with you a clip from the Grisolano Family Classic Archives: Ben Hur--A Tale of the Christ. As a child, I just didn't appreciate the meaning of the film. Judah Ben Hur is a rich Jew living in the time of Christ. As a child, his best friend was a Roman Gentile named Messala. They are separated as friends when Messala's Roman family goes back to Rome. In adulthood, Messala, now a high-level Roman Tribune, comes back to Palestine, where he and Judah Ben Hur attempt to rekindle their childhood friendship. It takes about all of 3 scenes to determine that the noble and virtuous Ben Hur (played by Charlton Heston), is nothing like the self-absorbed and cruel Messala. Tragedy happens--and without going into too many details, Ben Hur loses everything: his family, his home, his freedom, his girlfriend, and his spirit. In the height of his miserable despair, as he being shipped off to the galley of a boat to work as a slave, Ben Hur encounters a man who offers him water:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6LHWyaeEHY
Years later Ben Hur runs into this man again, except it's Ben Hur who offers the man water as the man is being beaten in the streets of Jerusalem. The man is Jesus of Nazareth and it's Good Friday--the day that Jesus, the Christ, was executed.
Ben Hur is so much more than just an epic Chuck Heston film---one of the many that he did over the course of his long career. It's a story of love reaching into the soul of an embittered, hardened, and angry man who was struggling with his loss of hope. I highly recommend going out and renting the film--it's message is as relevant today as ever it was in the 1950's.
There's no avoiding suffering--struggles will happen. But on this Holy Thursday know that there is hope--even in the struggle.
Pax!
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