‘The Passion of the Christ’ returns to cinemas — just when we need it most

Twenty-two years ago, something extraordinary happened in American movie theaters.Across the country, audiences sat in near silence as the final hours of the Lord’s life unfolded before them. There were no superheroes, no elaborate special effects, and no English dialogue. Instead, we watched a brutally realistic depiction of a scourged and bleeding man carrying a cross through the streets of Jerusalem toward His execution.Every person watching the film also carries a reality we prefer not to contemplate: With every passing day, we move closer to our own death and our own face-to-face encounter with the living God.I saw “The Passion of the Christ” four times on the big screen — and I was hardly alone in going back more than once. Each viewing was emotionally overwhelming. I shed plenty of tears, but none more than during this scene, as Jesus is beaten nearly beyond recognition.Shared encounterMel Gibson’s 2004 film became a cultural phenomenon. It ultimately earned more than $610 million worldwide and, for 20 years, remained the highest-grossing R-rated movie in domestic box-office history. More importantly, it became something increasingly rare in American culture: a shared encounter with the story at the heart of Christianity.Now, “The Passion” is back.From September 10 through 17, the film returns to theaters nationwide, newly remastered in 4K with Dolby Atmos sound. Audiences will also see an exclusive behind-the-scenes preview of Gibson’s long-awaited sequel, “The Resurrection of the Christ: Part One,” scheduled for release in May.For those of us who saw “The Passion” in 2004, its return offers an opportunity to revisit a remarkable cinematic experience. But nostalgia isn’t the most important reason to go.An entire generation has never experienced this film in a theater.The oldest members of Gen Z were only grade-schoolers when Gibson’s epic debuted. Many were toddlers or not yet born. They’ve grown up in a radically different culture from the one that encountered “The Passion of the Christ” 22 years ago.An urgent invitationThey should see it.Not simply because Mel Gibson made a powerful movie, but because of whom the movie is about: Jesus Christ. The Word incarnate. The man who walked willingly toward Calvary, stretched out His arms on a cross, and gave His life for humanity.That is exactly what makes this rerelease different from the return of some beloved Hollywood classic. We aren’t simply being invited to revisit a movie. We are being invited to contemplate an event that changed human history.And just maybe we need that invitation now more than ever.Look around.Wars rage. Natural disasters bring scenes of devastation into our homes. Human life is discarded through abortion and euthanasia. Families are fractured. Loneliness, addiction, and despair afflict millions. Technology connects us instantly, yet people seem increasingly incapable of understanding one another.The world is shaking. What will awaken us?RELATED: Mel Gibson’s long-awaited biblical sequel is finally happening Amanda Edwards/Getty ImagesConfronting the familiarChristianity offers a startling answer. A crucified man.The central image of the Christian faith is not a throne, a sword, or a display of worldly power. It is God giving Himself away.“For God so loved the world,” Scripture tells us, “that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16).”The Passion of the Christ” forces us to confront what those familiar words mean.The scourging is difficult to watch. The road to Calvary is exhausting. The Crucifixion is horrifying, and that is precisely the point.Sin is not trivial. Love is not mere sentiment. Our redemption came at a price.Every person watching the film also carries a reality we prefer not to contemplate: With every passing day, we move closer to our own death and our own face-to-face encounter with the living God.Seen in that light, “The Passion of the Christ” is not entertainment. Instead, it’s a question: Who do you say Jesus Christ really is?The only questionIt’s a question every human being should struggle with. It’s precisely the question that has drawn Christian leaders like Cardinals Raymond Burke and Gerhard Müller, Rev. Franklin Graham, and Pastor Samuel Rodriguez to tout the film’s rerelease — and to encourage Christians to prepare spiritually for what comes next.The original film also changed what Hollywood believed was possible. Its enormous success opened new opportunities for religious filmmaking and raised expectations for how biblical stories could be portrayed on screen. The renaissance that followed eventually gave us productions such as “The Chosen,” which has introduced the gospel to millions worldwide.But “The Passion” remains unique; perhaps because it refuses to make Christianity comfortable.It reminds us of Christianity’s astonishing claim: The Creator entered His creation. God became man. He suffered. He bled. He died.For you.And then comes the most important part. The story does not end at the cross. That’s why the forthcoming sequel matters.Christ dies on Good Friday. But Sunday comes.More than two decades after “The Passion of the Christ” first stunned audiences, its return offers our troubled culture another opportunity to stand at the foot of the cross.