For Greater Glory - Movie Review

A MUST SEE FILM!

For Greater Glory is about the Cristiada, or Cristero War, in Mexico during the 1920s. Since seeing the movie on Friday June 1st, I cannot help but replay many of the scenes in my head. The imagery was beautiful, the story—captivating. What’s more, the reality of this historical tragedy hits close to home.

The movie opens with the President of Mexico addressing the nation with his plan to restrict the practice of Catholicism including Mass and clerical garb for clergy. The President’s reasoning behind his new law was to modernize the country and rid it of “religious fanatics and superstition.” The initial reaction of the people is passive and there seemed to be an overwhelming consensus that this new law would be temporary. The Mexican government attempted to silence non-violent protests by making the consequences known to the public. Priests were dragged out of churches and killed, while Sacred images were burned and destroyed.

Taking the battle for freedom in their own hands, groups of “Cristeros” all over Mexico were fighting back against the government, engaging in violent battles with the Federales (the Mexican Federal Police). The Cristeros began to organize and formed an army to better strategize with hopes to overthrow the government and restore religious freedom to Mexico. Under the guidance of a retired military general and strategist, Enrique Gorostieta (played by Andy Garcia), the Cristeros become a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Jose, a young altar boy, quickly captures your heart as you watch his child-like faith inspire believers and unbelievers in the film and in the audience alike. Jose stands the true test of his faith throughout the entire movie as he first assists local parish priests and later leaving his family to assist the Cristero movement. Jose’s unwavering faith and servant’s heart catches General Gorosieta’s attention taking him from a defender of religious freedom to a defender of faith.

The reality of this tragic era in Mexican history extends beyond the screen and into the heart of any person of faith. Living in a society today where religion and faith are often mocked and ridiculed as “superstition” and people of faith are called “fanatics,” we see yet another battle for personal freedom. With so much on the news about government mandates, religious freedom, and Church/State relations, perhaps we should look at what has been in order to prevent what could be.

This movie will make you wonder if you would have the courage to stand up for our faith to the point of imprisonment and martyrdom. Honestly, what would you do if our government issued laws and mandates stating that the Church cannot practice her religion freely? Would you think of it as something that “will never last?” or would you stand up against it? If it was illegal to say “Long live Christ the King,” would you still shout it from the rooftops?

It’s not what you said, it's how you said it.

Being married only 11 months, I already know that how I say something is equally important as the actual words I am speaking. When my wife asks, “How do I look?” and I respond with an unenthusiastic “Fine,” there is a miscommunication. For me, the word “fine” means that there is nothing wrong with the way she looks. Fine, however, can mean a great number of things. She wants to look better than fine—she wants to look beautiful, and even deeper than that, she wants to be appreciated. While I am thinking she looks beautiful and I am certainly thankful for God blessing me with such an amazing wife, what I says and how I say it can portray something less glamorous. Such a simple exchange of words, which on the surface seems so “everyday” can actually carry a deeper, more intimate expression.

For a long time in the Church, many of the faithful have been left confused with what was said and how it was said. When we say things like, “The bread will be distributed in the center aisle…” we can easily lead others to believe that the Holy Eucharist is simply bread—something much less glamorous than the “Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.” There is no wonder why so many Catholics do not believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist. I will be the first to admit that Transubstantiation (the complete transformation of substance from bread and wine to Christ’s body and blood) is difficult to wrap our minds around. This has been the case since the beginning—look up John 6:60.

Just because something is difficult to understand or perceive does not make it false, instead it calls us to open our minds and challenges us to deepen our faith in what Christ teaches. It’s not necessarily what you say, ie. making a reference to Christ as the Bread of Life is perfectly fine, in fact it is taken directly from Scripture (it is also mentioned in the 2nd Eucharistic Prayer). It is, however HOW you say it—referring to the Eucharist as simply bread, is not accurate. On the same token, saying “wine” instead of Precious Blood is also false. Moreover, when the Church proclaims the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, she is truly annunciating what we believe and profess. It is our duty as believers to profess what we believe, to not shy away from teachings that are hard to understand. We are called to enter into a deeper understanding of what we believe. One of the best ways to do so is to bear witness to the truth—to say what we mean and mean what we say. After all, it’s what we say AND how we say it.

What's your sign?

As Catholics, we have become so accustomed to “rituals.” Some of these “rituals” become almost second nature to us. For example, we enter the Church and dip our fingers in Holy water and make the sign of the cross. Then, as we make our way to a pew, we genuflect and cross ourselves again. After that, we kneel to pray and make the sign of the cross yet again. And finally when our prayer is done, we cross ourselves one last time. Because we do this so often, we can sometimes forget what we are doing.

The sign of the cross is not simply an “on/off” switch for prayer. It isn’t a symbolic way of putting on an taking off our prayer hat. The sign of the cross is such a huge blessing in our lives. We get to bless ourselves in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—one God, three Persons—perhaps the greatest mystery of our faith. Think about it. When we enter/leave Church, when we pray, when we genuflect, we are invoking God—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! We bless ourselves and call upon the very same God who created the Heavens and the Earth, who sent His only Son for our salvation, whose Holy Spirit was breathed upon the Apostles and each one of us during our Confirmation.

How vast and wonderful is God! We cannot even comprehend the depths of who he is! Yet we bless ourselves with the greatest mystery of our faith. Let’s make a conscious effort to avoid making this an empty motion of our faith. Let’s acknowledge what we are doing and let people know what our “sign” is—the sign of the Cross.