Le blog de la Bergerie
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Le blog de la Bergerie
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I have been thinking about writing my own reaction to the
announcement of Scorsese new movie but, since I have not seen it, I have been
procrastinating for weeks. Today a friend asked me if I wanted to go and as
I gave her my reasons for NOT going, I decided to put them down on paper. I
also read Brad Miner's view on it and I liked very much the fact that his criticism
is centered on apostasy. Here is my first reason! Another friend just sent me
Bishop Barron's comment on apostasy and I applaud his comparison with soldiers
engaged on a dangerous mission in enemy territory and their treason. I heard
that just a few days ago Martin Scorsese was at the Castro for a private screening
of his movie and, since I am on the other side of the hill, I wished I could
have gone and asked him "Are you sure you are finished with this movie?"
I read Endo's novel a few months ago, long before even hearing about the movie.
I do not plan to see it for two crucial reasons, at least crucial enough to
me for this decision. The first one is apostasy, which is a big deal, it is
huge, it is horrible, and it is definitively something that should never be
downplayed or minimized or sugar-coated (even via beautiful art) in any way.
Because of this (recoiling at the very idea of apostasy), I found Endo's novel
difficult to finish, I disliked his ambiguity and his banalization of apostasy.
Especially considering that, in the first part of his book, he wrote so lovingly
about the faith of the two missionaries and their zeal. But later, when he describes
their tortures and their temptations to give in, you can see something else
creeping into the original story and it becomes an apology for failure, an intellectual
exercise in ethics which made me feel, me, the reader, manipulated, exploited
with a cavalier attitude, a sort of Why not? Who cares? I hurried through the
rest of the book. Afterwards, I did wonder if I had missed something (plus English
is not my native language) so who knows, it is possible I am wrong and there
was something I failed to understand. I let it go. I had planned to read other
novels of his since I had found his name in a list of Catholic Authors but I
just did not do it. Then I heard via facebook of Martin Sorsese's movie impending
opening and I saw many people in my Catholic circles praising it loudly before
it was even out. I was puzzled by this and wondered if Scorsese took a stand
departing from the novel for the ending but I never heard or read anything along
those lines.
On the other hand, everyone said again and again how violent it was and this
only reinforced my second reason for NOT wanting to see it. Exposure to graphic
violence is not a good thing, whether it is coming to us through movies or videos,
whether it is imposed to us in what is called daily news, we should not let
go of our critical mind and swallow it as if it is normal because it is not!
For our soul and mind and heart, it matters greatly what we are exposed to.
Graphic violence is surrounding us more and more. In a sense it is similar to
most addictions, it is desensitizing us on many levels. Just as we should be
careful and watch what we eat because there is a price to pay if we stuff our
face with too much food or regular amounts but with bits of poison. Repeated
exposure to violent images carries a danger, think of the consequences of children
growing up with domestic violence… There are consequences to "regarding the
pain of others" as Sontag articulated so well in her 2003 essay. Desensitization,
with possible passive participation, or a certain pervert voyeurism implied,
there is often a definite manipulation and exploitation (for political reasons
to advance an agenda or for profits to promote a product). Although it can backfire
as in the use of shocking war photos which are offered originally to stir us
into protest but can also end up forcing us to actually "shutoff" because of
overload etc... One thing for certain is that graphic violence is never naïve
nor innocent.
As a believer, I even think that to "watch" is to participate, since there is
much more than what is seen in the visible world, there are no fifty shades
of neutrality in the faith of Christ, the truth of the Good News stands on its
own and He is very clear about this. In the Three Comings of Christ, we say
that Christ came once at a specific time in a specific part of this planet,
but he also lives with the most holy Trinity in all eternity, outside of time,
from the very beginning to the end of times, and finally the third Coming is
when He comes into our heart, via the sacrament or possibly in prayers or through
a miracle… The third coming is the one where we, each one of us, can participate
by welcoming him. He, who is Love (and goodness and beauty, justice and peace)
constantly invites us to "choose him". We are free to choose, free to embrace
him and to be faithful to him, and free to share this most amazing good news
with others. The freedom to choose him is why we are on earth! At least this
is how I see it. And that is why we should be careful to reject anything that
will distract us from the truth, anything wrapped up in ambiguity, in attractive
or confusing violence. I heard once of a little test when trying to judge the
content of something, anything, a song, a book or a movie.
We should always
think of its fruits:
1) is it bringing me closer to God?
2) is it encouraging me to follow Christ?
3) is it helping me to love the Church more?
So can a movie about missionary priests shedding their faith under manipulation
and torture be edifying to us, the Body of Christ? I don't know.... Can it stir
up the fires of faith and charity in spite of its ambiguity? Possibly. Is it
in an indirect manner a criticism of any missionary effort to native culture,
confusing imperialism with evangelization (as recent political correctness implies)?
Would not surprise me! But it is really too bad since it is completely missing
the point of the Great Commission.
The best missionary endeavor embraces what is good and fair in a native culture
but infuses it with the truth and charity of the Gospel, offering them the love
of Christ as abundant water is offered to a parched land. I am interested in
learning about the history of missionaries in general and I am a book lover.
There is much I can learn for myself, for today, for others. For instance, another
book about Jesuit Missionary on the American Continent is "Saint among the Savages"
and reading and re-reading it always helps me to appreciate this gift of faith
and at the same times, it opens up my heart to others, whether they be Christians
or not, believers or seekers or not. The fruit is always positive in my relationship
to my neighbors. Fr. Isaac Jogues learned the Native American languages, worked
to better their lives, to heal them of disease, to provide them with food and
shelter, to protect them. Some tribes readily accepted the message of Christ
and those pages are extremely moving. Other tribes fiercely rejected him and
first tortured him (cutting off some fingers) then killed him. Saint Isaac Jogues
was very aware of the dangers but felt called by God to go back, even if it
implied giving his life, which he did in 1646. The last page of the book (written
in 1935 by another Jesuit) says that, thanks to the blood of the martyrs, thanks
to their prayers before the Great Throne, the Blackrobes were back among the
Iroquois and that "within one generation emerged that saintliest of souls, the
virgin of the Mohawks". God had raised a Saint among them!
All I know is that we are in a new time of martyrs for the Church and the pace is picking up. There has been thousands of them in our own present times, which is why ambiguity is completely inappropriate. There are entire sites devoted to tracking violence against Christians such as Open Door USA, Aid to the Church in Need; Catholic Relief Services; Samaritan's purse; Mercy USA for Aid & Development; The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). To name a few of the victims, think of the 21 Egyptians beheaded on the beach in Libya in 2015, think of Kayla Mueller, enslaved and raped before being killed last year, think of the 4 sisters of Charity and the 12 people working with them killed in Yemen last Winter, think of Fr. Hamel being killed at the end of Mass last July in a church in France...