I was still fretting as I put out the water pitchers. "But what will everyone talk about?" Abigail looked up from laying the silverware and laughed merrily. "Theo," she asked, "when have you ever known students to be at a loss for words? You don't have to worry about that!"

This business of professors hosting dinners for the Christian student groups was a new thing, nothing like teaching a class. Even though I was acquainted with most of the students, I wasn't sure what to expect.

When the guests arrived, I picked out Laura to ask the blessing. No sooner had she reached the Amen than she looked up and asked brightly, "Has anyone seen that new movie, 'The Passion of Christ'?" Six or seven voices answered at once. Abby caught my eye and winked: What did I tell you?

"Zack and I were going to see it together, but I couldn't go," Julie said. "Then I read that it was anti-Semitic. Is it?"

Jesse scoffed. "You'd only think so if you thought the gospels were anti-Semitic."

"Some people think the gospels are anti-Semitic," said Zack.

"Do you think that?" Jesse asked.

"Of course not," said Zack. "Naturally the people who put Jesus to death were Jewish — it was a Jewish country. But of course all the people who defended Him were Jewish too."

"He was a Jew," said Amy — "the Jewish Messiah. And don't forget what He said to the Samaritan woman: 'Salvation comes from the Jews.'"

"Did He really say that?" asked Julie.

"Yes," said Zack.

"But it's not in the movie," said Don.

"Why not?"

Don said, "The movie is only about the last twelve hours of His life. But I'm more interested in how it depicts the Roman governor, Pilate."

"Why that?" asked Laura.

"Some movie reviewers say it lets him off easy."

"Why do they say that?"

"Because he didn't want to kill Jesus. They say he wasn't so much wicked as weak."

"Weakness doesn't get him off the hook," said Amy. "He was one of those people who try to do evil so that good might result. To spare Jesus crucifixion, he had him flogged, and look what happened. Jesus ended up being flogged and crucified."

"But does the movie make that clear?" asked Julie.

Amy said, "I think it does."

Theresa said "Maybe the reason some movie people think it lets Pilate off easy is that Pilate uses the same excuse that they use, and they think it's a good one."

Every head turned. "What do you mean?" asked Julie.

Theresa looked self-conscious. "Pilate thinks that if he permits murder instead of commanding it, then he's not to blame. He says 'I am innocent of this man's blood. See to it yourselves.' That's just how a lot of pro-abortion people talk. 'I'm not pro-abortion, I'm pro-choice.' Most people in the movie industry are pro-abortion, aren't they?"

"I never thought of that," said Jesse. "It's the same thing. 'I wash my hands of the matter.'"

Katie was seated at my left. "Can I change the subject a little?" she asked. "Could someone explain to me why there are so many non-scriptural things in the movie?"

"Like what?" asked Don.

"Like all that Satan stuff. That's not in the gospels' account of the Passion."

"But it could have happened," said Mark.

"I suppose so, but doesn't it go too far? Take the beginning of the movie, when Jesus is praying in the Garden of Gethsemane."

"What's the problem?" said Zack. "He knows what's about to happen, and He's tempted to lay down His mission. So doesn't it make sense to show the Tempter?"

"That's not what bothers me. But the snake coming at his foot, and the way He stomps its head — what's all that about?"

"Genesis 3," said Zack.

"What about Genesis 3?" asked Katie.

Zack answered, "The first Messianic prophecy. Adam and Eve have already been led astray by the serpent. God is speaking of a future descendant of Eve who will be the serpent's enemy. He says 'He will crush your head, and you will strike His heel.'"

"I don't get it," said Katie.

"It's symbolic," Zack said.

"Right," said Mark. "Jesus is the descendant of Eve, through Mary. The evil one strikes His heel — that's about His suffering on the Cross, get it?"

"Oh, I see now," Katie answered. "And He crushes the evil one's power — that's about His winning our salvation. But I still think it's confusing to stick all that symbolism in the movie. What would a nonbeliever make of it?"

Zack shrugged. "He could ask someone."

"While we're on the subject of asking someone" said Mark, "could I ask someone why Mary and that other woman rush in to sop up all the blood after Jesus is flogged?"

"How could they let it lie on the pavement?" Theresa asked. "That was Jesus' own sacred life, and He shed it for us. Not one drop should be wasted."

Don gave Theresa a quizzical look, as though they had talked about this before.

Julie shuddered. "Do we have to talk about blood? I've heard that the movie is really violent. That's another reason I haven't seen it."

"It's not half as violent as what really happened," said Peter. "I did some reading about Roman flogging. The whips they used pulled away strips of skin and cut into the muscle. It's a wonder that Jesus didn't die right then. He must have been strong."

Julie pushed her plate aside.

"Now that's interesting," said Mark. "Crucifixions sometimes took a couple of days, and I've always wondered why Jesus died in only one. But if what you're saying is true —"

Peter nodded. "Then He was half-dead of His injuries before He even set out on the Via Dolorosa."

"What's the Via Dolorosa?" asked Laura.

"The way of the Cross," said Jesse. "The road He was forced to walk, carrying it, from the place of His trial to the place of His crucifixion."

Don spoke. "In the movie, did you see how He seemed to embrace it?"

"Embrace what?" asked Julie.

"The Cross."

"I wondered about that," Laura said. "It makes sense, though. Isn't the Cross why He came?"

"For this I have come into the world," Peter quoted.

"That's not right," said Zack. "Finish the sentence. 'For this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.'"

"Sure," said Amy, "but how do you think He bore witness to it? Like He said, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.'"

"Hold on," said Katie, "back up again to the Via Dolorosa. I know who the guy was who was forced to help Jesus carry the Cross — Simon of Cyrene, right? Wherever Cyrene was."

"North Africa," someone said.

"But who was the woman who ran up to Him to wipe the sweat from His face?"

"Not to wipe sweat, to wipe blood," Zack said.

"I'd say both," said Peter.

From my left came a little gasp.

"Are you ill?" I asked Julie quietly.

"I'm okay," she said. "It's just — I hadn't imagined it all quite so vividly before."

Katie was saying, "All right, it was blood. But who was she?"

"St. Veronica," Theresa said.

"I know there's no St. Veronica in the gospels."

"No, but there's an ancient tradition about her."

"Never mind that," Don said. "I think we're missing one of the most important things."

"What?" Jesse asked.

"Mary. In the movie, Christ's whole Passion is seen from the perspective of His mother." This time it was Theresa who gave Don the quizzical look.

A girl I didn't know laughed and said, "I was wondering when you guys would notice that."

"Hey, I noticed," said Mark. "It was like the movie was saying, 'If you want to see Jesus the right way, look through her eyes."

"Isn't that a little extreme?" Zack protested. "When people make a big deal about Mary, it makes me nervous."

Abby and I began to clear the dishes. From the kitchen, we could hear only bits of conversation that floated above the rest. I gathered that Zack and Mark were still at it, and at one point I dimly heard Mark saying, "She said 'All generations will call me blessed.' When was the last time you called her blessed?" I couldn't hear Zack's reply.

Laura came into the kitchen with a big stack of glasses. Abby gratefully took them from her hands, asking "What do you think of it all?"

"'All' is a big word," Laura answered, "but I've been turning things over in my mind. Every time we have communion at my church, we use the same words. 'This is my body, given for you. This is my blood, poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.' I never thought much about them."

"And?" prompted Abby.

Laura smiled. "From now on," she said, "I think I will."