This is a synopsis of Lisa Bourne’s article “Passion of the Christ actor: We must be ‘warriors’ ready to risk our lives for the Gospel” published on lifesitenews.com on January 4, 2018. 

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The Passion of the Christ star, Jim Caviezel, star and veteran of numerous other film and television productions made a surprise appearance Wednesday evening at the SLS18 (Student Leadership Summit 2018) conference sponsored by The Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS).  The event has run January 2-6 in Chicago, and geared to form Catholic college students to be missionaries in their lives, in particular on campus.

Jim Caviezel prefaced his talk with his forthcoming movie Paul, Apostle of Christ, sharing how the filmmaking experience showed him that to be great in the eyes of God, we must first be small and accept Him entirely, allowing Him to guide us.

It was not by chance that he was called to acting, he said, sharing how earlier roles lead to his being tapped to play Christ in Mel Gibson’s epic film of Christ’s Passion and Resurrection.

He recounted how completing the role of Christ entailed great trial and suffering for him, including physical aspects of scourging, being crucified, struck by lightning, and open-heart surgery after five-plus months of hypothermia.  Caviezel’s shoulder was also separated while carrying the cross during filming, which he continued to withstand to finish the film.  This was like a penance, he said.  “When I was up there on the cross I learned that in His suffering was our redemption,” Caviezel shared. “Remember the servant is no greater than the master.”  “Each of us must carry our own cross,” he continued. “There is a price for our faith, for our freedoms.”  He told the crowd that the suffering made his performance, “just as it makes our lives.”

Caviezel went on to stress that the resurrection, and indeed our salvation, comes at a price.  “Guys, there was a lot of pain and suffering … before the resurrection,” Caviezel stated. “Your path will be no different. So embrace your cross, and race toward your goal.”

“The world needs proud warriors, animated by their faith,” he added. “Warriors like St. Paul, and St. Luke, who risked their names, their reputations, to take their faith, their love for Jesus into the world.”

We often fail to respond, dismissing God’s call, Caviezel told the Catholic crowd. And it is now time for this generation to accept that call, ourselves entirely to Him, he said, returning to prayer and fasting, scripture and the sacraments.

“By God, we must live,” Caviezel concluded, “and with the Holy Spirit as your shield and Christ as your sword, may you join St. Michael and all the angels in sending Lucifer and his henchmen straight right back to Hell where they belong!”