Jim Caviezel: Easter reminds us of the power of love

Man praying at sunset (iStock)

Holy Week is a meditation on the power of sacrificial love. Christians around the world renew their faith in this one powerful week, which is the summation of what they believe.

It is this focus on Jesus’s passion and death that helps us to understand Christ’s boundless love for us. As we enter the Easter weekend, the message of God’s love has never been more relevant.

In theaters around the world right now, "Paul, Apostle of Christ" brings home this necessary message of God’s love for us amidst great pain and suffering. I play Luke, the physician. The experience of making the film resonated with me deeply.

The remarkable faith and enduring love that Paul and the early Christians showed in the face of brutal persecution and evil ultimately conquered a nation and led to the spread of Christianity worldwide.

The power of love still resonates in our current times, as it has the power to overcome evil, dispel hatred and bolster courage for those who believe.

The power of love still resonates in our current times, as it has the power to overcome evil, dispel hatred and bolster courage for those who believe.

Around the world today, Christians are being persecuted for their faith. Their example is an inspiration. They teach us that the fruit of love is forgiveness – a hard concept for those who have been persecuted and unfairly treated – and only on the far side of forgiveness are we free to love.

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I was honored to play the part of Jesus in the 2004 film “The Passion of the Christ.”  Returning to a religious film with “Paul, Apostle of Christ” has helped me focus once again on the miracle of the Resurrection and the incredible impact Christianity has had on the world and on the lives of untold numbers of believers these past 2,000 years.

What else besides a miracle could explain how the mighty Roman Empire went from persecuting early Christians to embracing their faith? What could explain how the faith preached by 12 flawed men could reach every corner of the planet and transform the world? This is the mystery we explore in “Paul, Apostle of Christ.”

The answer has, of course, been before us all along and there is no better time to consider it than at Easter. Paul says it best: “Love is the only way.”

Peace begins with us.