“What is He?”
November 30, 2022
Fr. John Riccardo
Like so many over the holiday break, our family at ACTS XXIX went to the theater to watch the first two episodes of Season 3 of The Chosen. In fact, some of us went twice. It’s a joy to see this beautifully done visual meditation on Jesus’ life perform so well not just online but at the box office (it finished third over the holiday weekend, despite being on half the screens of major releases).
To be sure, the writers are taking some liberties, especially with character development, in their telling of Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection. I know some people find this troubling and would prefer to simply read the Scriptures. Personally, however, I find what is on the screen to be a great grace in reading the Word of God, and especially in reading the Gospels.
Perhaps because we are assaulted by so much information on an hourly and daily basis, many of us have fallen into the habit of simply “scanning” text, whether it comes to us via newsfeeds, emails, or the Word of God. Scripture, however, isn’t meant to be scanned; it’s not data. It’s God’s communication to us, and it has the power to change and transform our lives, not just give us some helpful tidbits. To say that Scripture is “inspired” (God-breathed) doesn’t simply mean that the Holy Spirit inspired the human authors as they wrote; it means that God breathes out on us as we read it and pray with it. Accordingly, just as one savors a fine glass of wine, or a tasty meal, God’s Word is meant to be lingered over, relished, and thoroughly enjoyed.
The imagination is a gift from God, and though it can be used – like anything else – for purposes contrary to God’s original intent, it is just that: a gift from God. And one of the most powerful places to employ the imagination is in prayer. Especially when reading the Scriptures. St. Ignatius of Loyola encouraged us to use our imagination and senses or, better, to give the Holy Spirit permission to make use of them, so that we can enter into various scenes in Scripture and receive whatever graces God desires to give us rather than just read the words on the page. Since the Holy Spirit was there when the various events were taking place, and since the same Spirit lives in us by virtue of baptism, we are to ask Him to “take us” to various moments in the Gospels so as to hear what the Lord wants to say to us here and now.
This is one of the reasons, I think, why The Chosen is so engrossing. Jonathan Roumie’s portrayal of Jesus is such an attractive, engaging, witty, human – and yet so much more than merely human portrayal that it serves as something like kindling to get a fire burning in us as we pray with the scenes that are familiar to so many of us but which perhaps we have never dared to use our imaginations to enter.
One of the closing scenes of Episode Two shows an encounter between Simon the Zealot and a character named Atticus. Though not a person named in the New Testament, Atticus is a member of the very real cohortes urbanae, a special body of Roman soldiers created originally by Caesar Augustus to provide additional security and maintain public order. The relationship between Atticus and Simon is fascinating to watch, as Atticus has seen for himself the life-changing impact Jesus has had on this zealot who had trained his whole life to kill Romans. Until he met Jesus. At one point in their conversation, Atticus looks at Simon and asks, “What is he?”
The Chosen captures so well the simple, historical truth that people who encountered Jesus were stunned, over and over again. They left everything to follow Him. Or they wanted to kill him. What He wasn’t for sure was ordinary. Let alone boring.
As we wade into this first week of Advent, let us make an intentional effort to linger daily with God’s Word, avoiding the temptation to scan it. And let us invite the Holy Spirit to make use of our imagination and help us enter into the various scenes we pray with that we might be stunned anew by the Lord.