John Paul II was an actor, just like you. Therefore, he knew the power of art better than any of his predecessors.
Exactly. This is where his power came from. He understood people, and it helped him to win over the hearts of millions. He is simply a saint.
You were 33 years old, your initials were J.C. and you played Jesus.
Don't you tell me it was a coincidence! There are no coincidences. I keep hearing about "accidents" and "strokes of luck." Secularization affects the entire world, including the USA. Only atheists believe in coincidence. There are no coincidences for God. Even when God resurrects the dead, they will say it happened by accident.
When one doesn't believe in God, one believes in anything. G.K. Chesterton claimed that.
At the same time, one doesn't have the right to do what they like and decide about everything. Live without morality? Without goodness? Where is love in all of this?
Maybe that is the reason why they killed God, like Nietzsche. When there is no God, they can do what they want.
We can see that in America every day.
It's even more visible in Europe. The founding fathers of America could not imagine it without God. The French Revolution started with killing the priests and spitting on Jesus. But let's go back to Hollywood and your work. Mel Gibson warned you, when you took the role in his film, "You will not work here (in Hollywood) anymore." To what extent was he right?
All of the sudden I stopped being one of five most popular actors in the studio, and I hadn't done anything wrong. I just played Jesus. Was I personally affected by this rejection? Well, everyone has their cross to bear. The world changes…but I will not be in this world forever. Neither will the producers from Hollywood. At some point, everyone will have to answer for what they have done.
Where do you think this reaction comes from? Are people afraid of such films? Of evocative pictures of Jesus on the screen? People really loved it. Over half a billion dollars global earnings is a great success for a movie. There are even reports on conversions after watching the film!
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It isn't me who should answer this question. They should, shouldn't they? I just did my job. The film has inspired millions of viewers. Let the producers answer whether they are afraid of this success. My career is not over. After all, I starred in some prominent, Hollywood films. I also played in a popular TV series called "Person of Interest."
At the same time, I've never forgotten that the name of Jesus is above all else. It is also the most controversial name of all times. Love is controversial and he is love incarnate. Jesus was telling the Romans about love and they killed him because of that. "Who is that man to tell me what kind of person I'm supposed to be?" they asked arrogantly. He was betrayed by his own people and abandoned by everyone. My duty was not only to show it all on the screen. My real duty is to live in accordance with the Gospel every day and to give witness to the truth. And it all comes down to John Paul II again: "Totus Tuus" – "Totally Yours." If you want to know how he inspires me, this is it. Totally Yours.
Devotion to the Virgin Mary.
This is the essence of my faith. My relationship with Jesus is thanks to her. She brought Jesus to us. My evangelical friend asked me once why I don't reach out to Jesus directly... I think it's a valuable question. Back then, I didn't know how to respond to him. However, looking at John Paul II, I found the answer. That's why Poland like no other country is tied closely to Jesus. You bond East and West together. The Devil hates it, although he has already lost. Jesus and Mary have already crushed him. A single Polish man crushed Communism. How did John Paul II achieved this? With love.
In my opinion, we weren't stuck behind the iron curtain for no reason. Maybe it was the plan of God that we don't understand yet. Poland was not so affected by the events of 1968, unlike the USA and the West. We didn't adopt moral relativism, nihilism and hedonism. Therefore, the counterrevolution and evangelization of the Western World may actually start in Poland.
An atheist would say it's a coincidence! But you're right, it's the plan of God. My country was blessed, it was said to be like heaven. In spite of that, people are losing faith. They abandon Jesus. (In the story of Moses), 40 days in the desert happened for a reason. For me, the Catholic Mass is the source of constant empowerment. That's where I can meet Jesus. And it's not simply about having the symbolic wafer. It's about an actual transformation. Bread and wine? No, it's the body and blood of the Christ. This is worth dying for. Every day I pray to die with Jesus in my heart, not to ever abandon him.