In 2004, my friends and I went to a local cinema to watch Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ. We arrived at the cinema in high spirits chatting away without a care in the world, but by the time the movie ended, I could barely stand up from my seat. While others began to make their way out of the theater, I continued to sit in a numb and traumatized silence, shocked by the raw and violent scenes I had just witnessed. I was surrounded by a crowd, and yet felt completely alone as I reflected on what Jesus endured to show his love for humanity.
