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| Some of us never take them off, not even in the shower. |
After failing to appear at a press conference at the Cannes Film Festival for his upcoming film, "The Beaver", Gibson is depicted here wearing a Scapular, or a religious garment that consists of two brown pieces of wool attached to a string worn around the neck. From the looks of it, this is a really cheap one he's worn for ages, it's tied around his neck, the brown colored tag of fabric hanging down. It has an image of St. Simon Stock or St. Micheal the Archangel defeating the Devil, with an inscription which reads, "Whoever wears this scapular shalt not suffer eternal fire". It's a promise associated with the scapular that whoever wears it piously and follows its promises will be taken to heaven.
Photo from the Daily Fail.
Edited for clairity.
I just started wearing one a few weeks ago. The other side is a tribute to the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary.
ReplyDeleteI do take it off when I shower.
His wearing of the scapular is absolutely meaningless, in fact, it's insulting, in light of his behavior. Too many Catholics think these objects of devotion are all they need for sanctity. Don't forget Matthew 7:21-23.
ReplyDeleteToo many self-righteous protestants present themselves as more infallible than the Pope. It's a disgrace the way so many "Christians" hold people in contempt whom they are convinced it's OK to kick at and spit upon while they are down.
ReplyDeleteRemember Matthew 23:28, ye hypocrites
I think Mel Gibson did an incredible job in bringing Jesus to so many throughout the world through his wonderful The Passion of the Christ.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to Mel inside.. and for sure he had a trial- has anyone considered the attack of the devil on him and his strong Faith.. -- I have and I believe I am right.
Mel will be ok.. Jesus will renew this man for defending Him.
Those of you who condemn him -- as Jesus said through the first stone if you have never sinned..o/wise go and pray for your brethern
You are right. Mel is an example of true Gospel living. All because he wears a couple holy pictures around his neck.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you say, Churchlady.
ReplyDeleteI don't think any of us have the right to question his sincerity or understanding of wearing the brown scapular. He made a spectacular fall from grace ... he has been the target of the devil in the most intense ways and it was made worse when he made The Passion and tried to live a devout life. Some of us live our faith's quietly and without much (seeming) struggle. Mel, for whatever reason, has been called to do battle with the devil, often publicly. He needs our prayers.
ReplyDeletethat's "live our faith"
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeletePerhaps it means that he knows that he is a sinner, perhaps it means that he knows he is weak, perhaps it means he is yet hopeful of the mercy of God and the intercessions of our Blessed Mother. Perhaps it means that he knows that without this mercy and intercession he is lost.
Perhaps those who are without sin have the strength to hold on to their bag of stones, we who are sinners will continue to hold on to the hand of our Mother and the promise of God.
Yes, Mel's not perfect and those who continue to treat him with Pharisaical contempt are probably worse off than he is.
ReplyDeleteI think people often misunderstand the wearing of a scapular. It is uncomfortable, and quite often tangles, and is a bother. That is why wearing it is a penance! AND, it has the added effect of a "constant reminder" of our call to live a Christian life.
ReplyDeleteI wear one because I know I need the extra help. I suspect Mr. Gibson wears his for the same reason.
Mel Gibson is under a monumental attack by Satan because of "The Passion". Pray for him and ignore "Inside Edition:, TMZ etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteMel Gibson... a wonderful and talented man. God's justice, peace and love to you Mr. Gibson.
ReplyDeleteWell said Tancred!
ReplyDeleteI wear a scapular medal which isnt authorized unless under severe circumstances. War, etc.
ReplyDeleteIf you are an olympic swimmer...you'd qualify.
I surf....the cloth scapulars just dont hold up.
I qualify
I wear one too. It is a great gift from the Mother of God. Cootos to him!
ReplyDeleteSay a prayer for Anonymous. Who's the patron saint of trollers?
ReplyDeleteI've worn it for years as a devotion to Our Lady and a silent prayer. In this regard, I believe it has been a shield that has kept me from new sins and helped me slowly leave old ones behind. I won't say that Mr. Gibson is my hero, but I don't doubt that making the "Passion" put him in Satan's crosshairs. If he's wearing the scapular it shows he's still fighting and we should be praying for him.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of inviting brickbats to start raining down on my head please allow me a few words about Mr Gibson. These words concern him personally, as a Catholic, and professionally, as a maker of movies.
ReplyDeleteFirst, let us please face reality and not let our emotions get the best of us: Mr Gibson is not "one of the most significant creative artists of our age". Many are understandably grateful for his "Passion" movie. Fair enough. But don't let your enthusiasm for it affect your better judgment (recognizing his inadequacies as a director in no way diminishes the respect due to his project). To illustrate my point I offer the names of some movie makers who ARE some of the most significant creative artists of our age: John Ford, David Lean, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, Marcel Carne, F.W. Murnau, Bernard Herrmann, Alfred Newman, Carol Reed, Abel Gance, Josef von Sternberg, Emil Jannings, Buster Keaton, Max Linder, etc. There is nothing wrong with loving and admiring Mr Gibson and his film, but please don't attempt to place him in the company of the above-mentioned men.
And about his film, "The Passion": when it came out I wished it well but could never sit through it because I felt it was overdone in the extreme (One example: Mr Gibson regales us with a 17-minute scourging scene. Seventeen MINUTES. Someone should remind him that Mr Hitchcock created one of the most horrific scenes in movie history, the shower murder from "Psycho", which lasted on screen a mere 45 seconds. That is the difference between a great artist and one who is not).
But while I could not join in the enthusiasm over his well-intioned film I also refused to join in on the condemnation that hit him after his "fall from grace". He was a Catholic who sinned....just like me. We are all sinners and it hurt me to see this happen to him after the sincere film he made. For that reason I will continue to ask for prayers for him and his family and continue avoiding his films at the same time. This is not a contradiction. It is only my hope that one day he will become a truly good movie maker and start emulating the great directors of the past who knew how to tell a story with taste, discretion and artistry, and that he will continue to strive to live his life as a good Catholic.
God bless the man and his family.
His achievements both in terms of popular appeal and literary depth are substantial. His adaptation of the novel, "Man Without a Face" by Isabelle Holland was nothing short of excellent, and his dramatic portrayal of the Vietnam War not only evoked powerful emotions from those who saw it, but left them to ponder the deep and abiding values of professionalism, duty, honor, friendship and patriotism.
ReplyDeleteOf course his work, The Passion of the Christ was a consummate work of art.
Many await other productions on a similar scale to Braveheart and The Patriot, dealing with the Battle of Vienna. There's really almost no one else who could pull this off.
Can someone help me? I read that Gibson was not a Roman Catholic but belonged to an ultra-orthodox group.
ReplyDeleteHe's Catholic.
ReplyDeleteCatholics are ultra-orthodox.
Interesting sidenote...James Caveziel who played The Christ in Gibson's movie of The Passion has never found meaningful work as a professional actor since the film premiered. He was "warned" by Gibson that this could and likely would happen before production began.
ReplyDeleteIt is not an unlikely coincidence that both
men have suffered as a result of participation in this production...Satan is after all the Prince of this World...and does not suffer fools for Christ lightly. Mel, keep wearing that scapular..Christ works best through our weaknesses and there is no greater protection one can have than that of His Mother.
Despite his much-broadcast public sins, no one can take away Mel Gibson's piety and religiosity. The drive by state run media wishes at all costs to bury him for the splendor of art and truth he created with Passion of the Christ in 2004.
ReplyDeleteBroken down inside? Aren't we all? How do you know he hasn't been to confession for being so stupid as to get involved with a gold-digging Russian prostitute after his wife left him? I think he tries harder than most people to be good and falls further than most people when he falls, mostly because the press advertises his sins like no other. By Hollywood standards he is clean living. By Catholic standards he has sinned but I wouldn't be throwing stones.
ReplyDeleteThe media is furious that he and his movie was received so well at Cannes, with a 10 minute standing ovation. Look what CNN is putting out against him now. The professional haters must be going nuts because he keeps on bouncing back to front and center no matter what horrors he survives.
http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/19/mel-gibsons-passionate-faith/
Dan,
ReplyDeleteSmarminess will get you nowhere. You name your personal view of the luminaries of film and expect everyone else to bow in reverence? Personally, David Lean bored me to tears, much the same as you... and where are the women in your list. Sexist much?
I think Gibson is better than Hitchcock... Anyway, it's kind of like comparing Tolkien to Thomas Pynchon or Ernest Hemingway. The kinds of things that usually pass for high art and supreme accomplishments by elite East toasters are not the things which will be remembered and treasured decades from now. Tolkien will endure and people will have forgotten, mostly, Hemingway's lachrymose and bitter tales.
ReplyDeleteNo one should have to fear Marxist terminology like "sexists" or "racist" here. Don't accept those counterfeits as exchange in a lively debate, ever...
How disgusting...he's wearing a sacred scapular but has a cigarette in his mouth.
ReplyDeleteHow disgusting, someone pretending to be holy with crap for brains.
ReplyDeleteI just read a piece where Mel's Dad, Hutton Gibson, says the SSPX is satanic. It's on his own website so I have no reason to suspect it's not authentic.
ReplyDeleteway to go Mel like a true Christian keep on wearing your brown scapular cause I wear one too. The love of mary with all greatness
ReplyDeleteyou're still a good role model with your brown scapular keep on doing what you're doing
ReplyDelete