The Passion

Bobby and I watched The Passion Live last night, hosted by Tyler Perry. I didn't know what to expect honestly. So after I watched it, I went online to read some reviews. To see what other people were saying about it. I know the story, I've read it multiple times and I was so thrilled that the story of the Cross and the Resurrection were able to be broadcasted all over the U.S. The world needs Jesus right now and to see this just opened my heart. 

So let's talk about it. 

"If Jesus walking into this city today, would you listen to Him, or just say, Hey Jesus- can we get a selfie?"- Tyler Perry

Favorite moments of the night: 

*Chris Daughtry's version of Evanescence's Bring Me To Life: Amazing cover of this song. I love me some Chris Daughtry and him as Judas was great. He was so emotional in this song, giving everything he had. 

*Trisha Yearwood as Mary: There is no one else in my book who could have played a better Mary. Bobby made a comment as to why they got her (being negative) and I said "Ok...think of someone better. Has to be someone pure, older, Christian, singer, full of light, people love, mother figure...." He got really quiet and said "Well, no one I guess. She is the perfect Mary." Every song she sang was perfectly sung. 

*The first time you meet Jesus and Peter: Peter was played by Prince Royce and Jencarlos Canela played Jesus. They are on a trolley going to meet up with the other disciples and they sing "Home" by Phillip Phillips. 

*The Last Supper: One of the best moments of the night for me. Jesus sang Creed's "With Arms Wide Open" and it was the perfect song for what was going on. They all had bread and wine and Jesus blessed each of them and told them of the betrayal coming. 

*The betrayal: Another big moment in the story of the Resurrection. Judas betrays him and Peter denies him 3 times. Judas and Jesus sing "Demons" by Imagine Dragons after Judas shows up with Pontius Pilate's guards played by the New Orleans' police and Peter sings "The Reason" by Hoobastank while he walks through a cemetery and denies Jesus to people who ask him if he was the one with him. 

*The cross finally arrives: This 20 foot illuminated cross makes it way down Bourbon Street (Lord knows that street needs Jesus) to the location where Tyler Perry was. It was beautiful to see how many people started with the cross, to how many actually joined on the way. The numbers grew hughley. 

*Jesus sings "Unconditionally": At the closing of The Passion, as a symbol of Jesus Resurrecting, Jencarlos stood on top of a hotel and sang Katy Perry's "Unconditionally". The power behind the song and the large crowd below, was just a nice ending to the Easter story. 

Least favorite moments of the night:

*Nischelle Turner: I am sorry...I am sure she is a great reporter but she almost ruined it for me. It felt misplaced. I was so into the story and then they would cut to her and the story got lost to me. I understand that the carrying of the cross was a huge factor to this production and a lot of the energy came from the crowd, but the random interviews needed to go away. I felt like they should have just stuck to story and showed the cross making it's way. 

*This "Live" production wasn't actually live: Hate to burst your bubble if you thought it was but only a portion of it was live. Trisha, Tyler, the band, the cross and everything after Jencarlos makes his way to the stage was live. But all the performances of Jesus and the disciples was prerecorded. Unlike Grease, which was all live, this was not. I had gotten my hopes up for this and it failed. Luckily for them, the performances were so good it overshadowed this detail but don't say something is going to be live and it not be. 

*The cross: OK....let me explain what I mean by this. The actual cross itself was gorgeous and seeing it from birds eye view was breathtaking. I'm not talking about that. I am talking about how I wish they had done more with it. Or maybe have Jesus walk with it. It wasn't a live production, he could have. I just felt like they could have done more with it. We as christians see a cross and we think of Jesus. I also thought once it arrived, they should have hung it up for the city to see. Raised it up. But they just left in the middle of the crowd. 

Overall, it was an amazing production. I love seeing the Easter story told in modern day times. 

But seriously...

What would you do if Jesus walked in the flesh? 

Would you sit and talk with him? 

Would you give him a high five? 

Would you take a selfie (I think I would)? 

Would you ask him about loved ones? 

Would you get advice?

I want to know what you would do if Jesus walked as a human being in the flesh in this world...