What would it be like if we encountered Jesus again — walking among us on Earth — dressed as an ordinary man? Would we recognize Him?
Alex, our friend, lent us a DVD his brother sent him from the States. The title was “Joshua”. We only got to view it in its entirety today as we spent a lazy Easter afternoon at home.
ChristianCinema.com describes the plot as follows:
Based on Joseph Girzone’s best-selling novel, this thought-provoking film asks, “What if Jesus visited small-town America today?”
We all knew he was different. And we all knew he was somehow special. But none of us knew how much trouble we were in. And how much we would end up needing him…”
A man arrives in a small town. At first, no one knows his name; no one knows where he came from. He’s strong. He’s smart. He’s “easy on the eyes.” The locals want to call him a stranger, but when they meet him, he makes them feel quite the opposite – like they’ve known him their whole lives.
Theo, a lovable giant of a man, is the first to shake his hand, the first to learn his name. “Joshua.” It’s one seemingly simple sound that soon makes its way around town, into the hearts and minds of young and old. Joshua’s name falls on the lips of Maggie, the pretty local girl-turned-news anchorwoman. It reaches Kevin, a troubled teen searching for his place in the world. Joshua’s name reassures Joan, a housewife trying to put passion back into her marriage, and it reaches into the soul of a revival tent preacher to pull out a lifetime of shame.
Joshua is seemingly everywhere at once, making the kind of impression that few have ever felt. But it is exactly this influence that creates a division between the stubbornly orthodox Father Tardone and the well-meaning but less-than-confident Father Pat, two priests who believe very strongly in the same thing, but in very different ways.
“Sometimes you gotta’ tear something down to build it back up again.”
As a carpenter, that’s one of Joshua’s favorite sayings. So when the charismatic stranger sets his sights on re-building the burnt down Baptist church, it comes as little surprise that many in the town, regardless of their faith, lend a hand. But what ends up getting built back up are each of their lives, their hearts, their trust in themselves and each other. Joshua has shown them how to believe. Especially Father Pat. And that draws the scrutiny of Father Tardone, who is not pleased with Joshua and his hold over the community.
“Deep in the hearts of so many people, there’s an emptiness that nothing in this world can fill,” Joshua admits, and this is especially true for the seasoned pastor. Why does he shun what others embrace?
When the reluctant priest finally recognizes the way, finally says the word through a whisper and a tear, it comes with the force of a revelation. “Joshua.” It is an exclamation of faith, a declaration of love and the realization that hope indeed does have a name.
That name is “Joshua.”
Hubby and I loved the movie so much and watched even the bonus features of the DVD like the behind-the-scenes features. Apparently, Joseph Girzone, its author, is a retired Catholic priest. He now has a second career as a full-time writer and speaker.
Watching it made me think: really now, if a man like Joshua (let’s put it in perspective in Pinoy speak — if a man maybe called Jose — came to our city or barangay or subdivision, and acted like Joshua did, would I have recognized Jesus? Would I have been like the people in trouble who saw their hope in him? Or would I have been like Fr. Tardone who initially viewed him with suspicion and disdain? What would my heart have said to me about this man?
The words of our community conference just recently echo now in my ears: “See My Face; Be My Face”. Six short words; 6 POWERFUL words. Jesus does not need to physically be with us again these days. All we need is to look at all the people we encounter in our day-to-day life and try to see if we can see Jesus in them. And then look inwardly into ourselves and feel Jesus within us trying to reach out to these people through us.
This fictional movie was not just meant to be entertaining, I think, but sends a powerful message of God walking with us everyday and more often than not, we actually do not recognize him.
Hubby and I will try to check out if this is available here. Does anyone know if this DVD is available here in Manila?
I strongly recommend that if you can find a copy, don’t fail to watch it. It is a movie fit for all ages.
(our boys with Fr. Danny)