Listen to God's voice at the foot of the crucifix." ~St. Gaspar del Bufaro~

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Love For Greater Glory

Last night, I had the privilege of seeing the new movie For Greater Glory.  First let me preface this post by noting that I am no movie critic by any means, nor have I really read many of the reviews that are out there.  Ultimately, this is just my personal reflection about a movie that deeply touched me.


I have heard others speak about the parallels of this movie to the current religious freedom issues in our own country.  This is definitely a haunting theme.  But to me, the movie is much more than that.  The human experience in this movie is capable of triggering a great explosion of love.  Love is no great secret yet it's true meaning is often lost in the day to day shuffle of the meaningless.  "Love" often sounds cliche to a deaf ear but it runs deep in this movie.  I don't mean love in the romantic or shallow sense of the word but love in the deepest recesses of our soul...Only the love that God provides, only the love that God IS, only the love that sacrifices, only a love that is true.
It's the eyes of some of the characters that still bring me to tears...They spoke this love.  Their eyes were powerful reminders that the eyes really are a window to the soul.  When we look into the eyes of those around us, we are capable of expressing God's love in the truest sense, beyond words.  On the other hand, we can also do damaging harm with our eyes.  Do we shoot daggers or do we show Christ? Let's face it, we all need tangible human love to show us the love of God; We are no different from those who are hardest to love or even from those who seemingly have it all holy and figured out.  Every human being needs love to live.   After all, we are human and God knew we would need the tangible, we need one another.  That being known, it's no accident that He left us Himself through the Holy Eucharist as the tangible source and summit of our faith.
In the movie, I saw the eyes become a domino effect of love, leading to God's ultimate glory; Each act of love built on another...  In the beginning, the Monsignor's eyes of love spoke to the boy that he was worthy and chosen; The boy's eyes spoke love right back to the Monsignor and in turn, spoke to the General that God is truth and everything worth dying for;  The boy's eyes also shot love through the heart of his Godfather who betrayed him. In the end, a Mother's eyes gave the ultimate gift of her son for love, followed by the General's eyes that spoke to the priest in brotherly love as they sought mutual forgiveness and the greater good for God's glory.  Like a musical crescendo, Love begets more love.
 The explosion of love and sacrifice at the end of the movie stirs the spirit, to say the least.  As I wept with swollen eyes, I realized that I wept out of a desire to love more.  The love of the characters in the movie should be a reflection of ourselves.  It begs us to answer some questions.  Am I a reflection of God's love?  I find myself pondering this right now, especially this weekend with the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.  There are many people who are starving for love all around us and how will our eyes look at them?   How will I sacrifice myself so that others will know Christ, just as we know His sacrificial love in the Eucharist?   We may just be called to sacrifice our lives in a literal way someday but in the meantime, we are also called to sacrifice ourselves in small ways, each day. 


We may never know how the domino affect of love plays out in this life but we can be guaranteed of it's path to the heart of the Father, the climax of real love. Let us not be afraid to use our eyes and our actions to shine the light of God's true and everlasting love into the souls of our brothers and sisters, lest we forget to put ourselves aside for others.
"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."~John 15:13~


17 comments:

  1. Tiffany, ((missed you!!)) My beloved and I are going to see this movie tonight. We can't wait. We were told it wasn't coming to our city, but I think so many people inquired that perhaps that prompted someone to bring it here. I'm glad I read your review of it, and I'll be reading your review again after I see it myself. It is so timely, isn't it. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.

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  2. Ditto to what Gardenia wrote except I still need to find a "good" time. It is here locally but has some odd hours which has made it so difficult for David and I to see it together. And I really want to see it with him. We will eventually get there though!

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  3. I cannot wait to see this! Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful perspective!

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  4. We saw this movie last night, and it was a beautiful story of love and sacrifice. I was so glad that at the end, they told us the names and dates of everyone who has been canonized or beatified for their martyrdom. I want to read more about the Cristeros War. I see Ignatius has a book on this.

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    1. So glad you liked it, Gardenia. I loved that part at the end of the movie as well... and also saw the book. It's such a powerful film!

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  5. I'm hoping to get a date night soon to see this with my hubby. If not, we'll for sure buy it when it gets to dvd. Would love to support it at the theater though.

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  6. So glad to hear from you! I can't wait to see this movie. I am trying to find a time to take Paul and Erin to see it. You make me all the more anxious to go- I am so glad to have something like this playing at the theater just two blocks from my house. Hopeful- yes?

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  7. Tiffany,

    I have not yet seen this movie, but your reflection is so moving! I love how you focus on the eyes of the characters and how they reflect love. What a beautiful soul you have! God bless you richly!

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  8. Tiffany, re your comment on my blog, I used generic-type fabric paints which I found at Michael's Craft store. we made the shirt last year and it still fits!~!

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  9. Hello- It is nice to meet you :o) I love reading your blog and thank you for writing about this movie...I really want to see it! I just purchased the Glory Story CD from Holy Heroes about Jose Sanchez del Rio.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Jessica and nice to meet you too! I saw those Glory Stories...Hope to purchase them soon:) God Bless!

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  10. lovely review and reflection. the movie left us speechless -- faith in action. rose and i did some additional research the following morning (since we got home at 12pm from the movies). i posted the links/info here - http://joyfilledfamily.blogspot.com/2012/06/viva-cristo-rey.html. especially touching was the Prayer said by the Cristeros of Jalisco at the end of the Rosary.

    the courageous Cristeros will forever be imprinted on our hearts and minds.

    Viva Cristo Rey! Viva la Virgen de Guadalupe!

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    1. Thanks for the link and additional info, Lena! I pray it will be helpful to many. God Bless you for your efforts:)

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  11. It was an unforgettable movie. But very real. My family has seen it all. From Spain, as seen in the movie There Be Dragons(http://www.dragonsresources.com/), some relatives (which was said to be worse than Mexico), in Mexico, my husband's father lived through it, and to Cuba where my parents lived through it. My Mother talks about a dear friend that shouted "Viva Cristo Rey" before he was killed in Cuban in the 60's. But it is still going on. In other parts of the world but we don't see it here or feel it and this movie , I pray will open the eyes and the hearts to those to stand up for our religious freedom!

    Great review! Many Blessings.

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    1. Thank you for sharing your family history, Cecelia. My heart and prayers truly go out to them and all the others across the earth who have been persecuted...All for God's glory but painful nonetheless. I was deeply moved and I, too, pray that many will have their eyes and hearts open to the defiles against the church and our freedom. Thank you again, Cecelia and God Bless your family with Eternity for their sacrifices.

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  12. I was in tears all through the movie, my son was touched too. He is 9. And at first I thought this movie will affect him. But he loved the action in it. He cried with me during the sad parts. My sister told me to take both of my children to see it because they are altar servers and this will be like a teaching experience for them.

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    1. I'm with you in tears, Rosario. It took ma a long time to stop them from flowing! God bless your sweet son for being so touched.

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