Sat, Jan 19th 2019 04:00 pm

 

 

At first, it was particularly difficult for me to reconcile my personal ideas with the fact that our musical was a creative, theatrical production depicting the influence of a historical person. I struggled to see how a public performance could fit with my private relationship with Jesus. There were so many allusions to the biblical stories and parables we hear week after week at Mass. Sometimes the stories were presented in a way to make the audience laugh, which concerned me because I feared it could be viewed as a lack of reverence. However, I looked deeply at how Jesus interacted with the other characters and audience in the plot. He connected to everybody at one point or another. Jesus engaged the other characters: athletes, influencers and scholars on their own terms in order to teach and guide them. He did not talk at them, but talked with them. He accepted them, flaws and all, just as He accepts us and wants what is best for us. This production actually helped me to develop a new perspective as I thought about what it would be like to have the opportunity to interact with Jesus when he came to us in human form. Jesus became more real, dynamic and multi-faceted to me. As I got into character I saw Jesus as an approachable friend.