This morning after Mass, a friend and I booked it, all 1.2 miles to my car, to make it to a showing of For Greater Glory, the new movie just out this weekend about the Cristeros (soldiers of Christ) and the conflict between the Mexican government and the Catholic Church. Wow. Talk about powerful! I'll try not to give too much away. My parents had told me it was pretty sad and to bring tissues, but I was not expecting to cry through the ENTIRE movie. We were a few minutes late, but not 5 minutes after arriving I promptly burst into tears...aaand didn't stop until 20 minutes into the car ride home.
At one point, the Federales are shown barging into churches and killing priests, so that was pretty heart wrenching after coming from a beautiful Mass this morning. But in one church, after they hung the priest, they showed the soldiers smashing statues, shooting the tabernacle, and burning the crucifix. I know that those are not real people, but I love God and Our Lady so much that it hurt to see them so disrespected. More tears. <<<SPOILER>>> And just when you think it's over, the credits roll and they mention that the priest who gets shot in the head manages to live for a few short hours - just long enough to go to confession. Even more tears. And sobbing.
But what a beautiful movie. One of the priests says toward the beginning that "there is no greater glory than to die for what you believe in". And as these Catholics are being murdered, every single one of them forgives their killer. Every single one prays for God to have mercy on their souls. What a beautiful message. I told my friend in the car back how humbling it was that they could truly forgive them while I had a hard time not being angry, let alone forgiving, someone who emotionally wounded a dear friend of mine. What a long way I have to go in my spiritual journey. But thank God for all of these saints who had such heroic virtue! St. José Luis Sanchez, pray for us! ¡Viva Cristo Rey!
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