MEL GIBSON - actor, film director, film producer and screenwriter
Mel Columcille Gerard Gibson, AO (born January 3, 1956) is an actor, film director, film producer and screenwriter. Born in New York, Gibson moved to Sydney, Australia when he was 12 years old and later studied acting at the
National Institute of Dramatic Art.
After appearing in the
Mad Max and
Lethal Weapon series, Gibson went on to direct and star in the Academy Award-winning
Braveheart. Gibson's direction of
Braveheart made him the sixth actor-turned-filmmaker to receive an Academy Award for Best Director. In 2004, he directed and produced
The Passion of the Christ, a controversial but successful film that portrayed the last hours of the life of Jesus Christ.
Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York, the sixth of eleven children, and the second son of Hutton Gibson and Irish-born Anne Reilly. His paternal grandmother was the Australian opera soprano, Eva Mylott (1875–1920). One of Gibson's younger brothers, Donal, is also an actor. Gibson's first name comes from
Saint Mel, fifth-century Irish saint, and founder of Gibson's mother's native diocese, Ardagh, while his second name,
Columcille, is also that of an Irish saint.
Columcille is also the name of the parish in County Longford where Anne Reilly was born and raised. Because of his mother, Gibson holds dual Irish and American citizenship.
Soon after being awarded $145,000 in a work-related-injury lawsuit against New York
Central Railroad on February 14, 1968, Hutton Gibson relocated his family to Sydney, Australia. Gibson was 12 years old at the time. The move to Hutton's mother's native Australia was for economic reasons, and because Hutton thought the Australian military would reject his oldest son for the Vietnam War draft.
Gibson was educated by members of the Congregation of Christian Brothers at St. Leo's Catholic College in Wahroonga, New South Wales, during his high-school years.
Gibson gained very favorable notices from film critics when he first entered the cinematic scene as well as comparisons to several classic movie stars. In 1982, Vincent Canby wrote that “Mr. Gibson recalls the young Steve McQueen… I can't define "star quality", but whatever it is, Mr. Gibson has it”. Gibson has also been likened to “a combination Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart”. Gibson's physical appearance made him a natural for leading male roles in action projects such as the
Mad Max series of films, Peter Weir's
Gallipoli, and the
Lethal Weapon series of films. Later, Gibson expanded into a variety of acting projects including human dramas such as
Hamlet, and comedic roles such as those in
Maverick and
What Women Want. His most artistic and financial success came with films where he expanded beyond acting into directing and producing, such as 1993's
The Man Without a Face, 1995's
Braveheart, 2000's
The Patriot (acted only) , 2004's
The Passion of the Christ and 2006's
Apocalypto. Gibson was considered for roles in
Batman,
GoldenEye,
Amadeus,
Gladiator,
The Golden Child,
X-Men,
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,
Runaway Bride and
Primary Colors. Actor Sean Connery once suggested Gibson should play the next James Bond to Connery's M. Gibson turned down the role, reportedly because he feared being typecast.
Gibson studied at the
National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. The students at NIDA were classically trained in the British-theater tradition rather than in preparation for screen acting. As students, Gibson and actress Judy Davis played the leads in
Romeo and Juliet, and Gibson played the role of 'Queen Titania' in an experimental production of
A Midsummer Night's Dream. After graduation in 1977, Gibson immediately began work on the filming of
Mad Max, but continued to work as a stage actor, and joined the State Theatre Company of South Australia in Adelaide. Gibson’s theatrical credits include the character 'Estragon' (opposite Geoffrey Rush) in
Waiting for Godot, and the role of 'Biff Loman' in a 1982 production of
Death of a Salesman in Sydney. Gibson’s most recent theatrical performance, opposite Sissy Spacek, was the 1993 production of
Love Letters by A. R. Gurney, in Telluride, Colorado.
While a student at NIDA, Gibson made his film debut in the 1977 film
Summer City, for which he was paid $250. Gibson also played a mentally-slow youth in
Tim, which earned him the Australian Film Institute Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. The release of
Mad Max in 1979 brought Gibson to mainstream attention.
During this period Gibson also appeared in Australian television series guest roles on programs
The Sullivans,
Cop Shop (in 1980), and in the pilot episode of
Punishment (produced in 1980, screened 1981).
Gibson joined the cast of the World War II action film
Attack Force Z, which was not released until 1982 when Gibson had become a bigger star. Director Peter Weir cast Gibson as one of the leads in the critically-acclaimed World War I drama
Gallipoli, which earned Gibson another Best Actor Award from the Australian Film Institute. The film
Gallipoli also helped to earn Gibson the reputation of a serious, versatile actor and gained him the Hollywood agent Ed Limato. The sequel
Mad Max 2 was his first hit in America (released as The Road Warrior). In 1982 Gibson again attracted critical acclaim in Peter Weir’s romantic thriller
The Year of Living Dangerously. Following a year hiatus from film acting after the birth of his twin sons, Gibson took on the role of 'Fletcher Christian' in
The Bounty in 1984. Playing 'Max Rockatansky' for the third time in
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in 1985 earned Gibson his first million dollar salary.
Mel Gibson's first American film was Mark Rydell’s 1984 drama
The River, in which he and Sissy Spacek played struggling Tennessee farmers. Gibson then starred in the gothic romance
Mrs. Soffel for Australian director Gillian Armstrong. He and Matthew Modine played condemned convict brothers opposite Diane Keaton as the warden's wife who visits them to read the Bible. In 1985, after working on four films in a row, Gibson took almost two years off at his Australian cattle ranch. He returned to play the role of 'Martin Riggs' in
Lethal Weapon, a film which helped to cement his status as a Hollywood star. Gibson's next film was Robert Towne’s
Tequila Sunrise, followed by
Lethal Weapon 2 in 1989. After starring in three films back-to-back,
Bird on a Wire,
Air America, and
Hamlet, Gibson took another hiatus from Hollywood.
During the 1990s, Gibson used his boxoffice power to alternate between commercial and personal projects. His films in the first half of the decade were
Forever Young,
Lethal Weapon 3,
Maverick, and
Braveheart. He then starred in
Ransom,
Conspiracy Theory,
Lethal Weapon 4, and
Payback. Gibson also served as the speaking and singing voice of John Smith in Disney’s
Pocahontas.
In 2000, Gibson acted in three films that each grossed over $100 million:
The Patriot,
Chicken Run, and
What Women Want. In 2002, Gibson appeared in the Vietnam War drama
We Were Soldiers and M. Night Shyamalan’s
Signs, which became the highest-grossing film of Gibson’s acting career. While promoting
Signs, Gibson said that he no longer wanted to be a movie star and would only act in film again if the script were truly extraordinary. Gibson is currently filming
Edge of Darkness, which marks his first starring role since 2002.
After his success in Hollywood with the
Lethal Weapon series, Gibson began to move into producing and directing. With partner Bruce Davey, Gibson formed 'Icon Productions' in 1989 in order to make
Hamlet. In addition to producing or co-producing many of Gibson's own star vehicles, 'Icon' has turned out many other small films, ranging from
Immortal Beloved to
An Ideal Husband. Gibson has taken supporting roles in some of these films, such as
The Million Dollar Hotel and
The Singing Detective to improve their commercial prospects. Gibson has also produced a number of projects for television, including a biopic on
The Three Stooges and the 2008 PBS documentary
Carrier. 'Icon' has grown beyond just a production company to an international distribution company and a film exhibitor in Australia and New Zealand.
Mel Gibson has credited his directors, particularly George Miller, Peter Weir, and Richard Donner, with teaching him the craft of filmmaking and influencing him as a director. According to Robert Downey, Jr., studio executives encouraged Gibson in 1989 to try directing, an idea he rebuffed at the time. Gibson made his directorial debut in 1993 with
The Man Without a Face, followed two years later by
Braveheart, which earned Gibson the Academy Award for Best Director. Gibson had long planned to direct a remake of
Fahrenheit 451, but in 1999 the project was indefinitely postponed because of scheduling conflicts. Gibson was scheduled to direct Robert Downey, Jr. in a Los Angeles stage production of
Hamlet in January 2001, but Downey's drug relapse ended the project. In 2002, while promoting
We Were Soldiers and
Signs to the press, Gibson mentioned that he was planning to pare back on acting and return to directing. In September 2002, Gibson announced that he would direct a film called
The Passion in Aramaic and Latin with no subtitles because he hoped to "transcend language barriers with filmic storytelling". After
The Passion of the Christ, Gibson directed a few episodes of
Complete Savages for the 'ABC' network. In 2006, he directed the action-adventure film
Apocalypto, his second film to feature sparse dialogue not spoken in the English language.
On July 25, 1997, Gibson was named an honorary Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), in recognition of his "service to the Australian film industry". The award was honorary because substantive awards are made only to Australian citizens. In 1985, Gibson was named "The Sexiest Man Alive" by 'People' magazine, the first person to be named so. Gibson quietly declined the
Chevalier des Arts et Lettres from the French government in 1995 as a protest against France's resumption of nuclear testing in the Southwest Pacific. 'Time' magazine chose Mel Gibson and Michael Moore as Men of the Year in 2004, but Gibson turned down the photo session and interview, and the cover went instead to George W. Bush.
Personal life
Gibson met his wife Robyn Moore in the late 1970s soon after filming
Mad Max when they were both tenants at the same house in Adelaide. At the time, Robyn was a dental nurse and Mel was an unknown actor working for the South Australian Theatre Company. On June 7, 1980, they married in a Catholic Church in Forestville, New South Wales. Gibson has referred to his wife as "my Rock of Gibraltar, only much prettier" and said, "life is about love and commitment and screw anyone who thinks that's a cliché". They have one daughter, six sons, and one grandchild. Their seven children are Hannah (born 1980), twins Edward and Christian (born 1982), William (born 1985), Louis (born 1988), Milo (born 1990), and Thomas (born 1999).
Robyn Gibson filed for divorce, citing
irreconcilable differences, on April 13, 2009.
Daughter Hannah Gibson married Blues musician Kenny Wayne Shepherd on September 16, 2006. Mel Gibson's spokesman had previously denied the rumor that Hannah was planning to become a nun.
Gibson has an avid interest in real estate investments, with multiple properties in Malibu, California, several locations in Costa Rica, a private island in Fiji and properties in Australia. In December 2004, Gibson sold his 300-acre (1.2 km2) Australian ranch in the Kiewa Valley for $6 million. Also in December 2004, Gibson purchased Mago Island in Fiji from 'Tokyu Corporation' of Japan for $15 million. Descendants of the original native inhabitants of Mago (who were displaced in the 1860s) have protested the purchase. Gibson stated it was his intention to retain the pristine environment of the undeveloped island. In early 2005, he sold his 45,000-acre (180 km2) Montana ranch to a neighbor for an undisclosed multimillion dollar sum. In April 2007 he purchased a 400-acre (1.6 km2) ranch in Costa Rica for $26 million, and in July 2007 he sold his 76-acre (310,000 m2) Tudor estate in Connecticut (which he purchased in 1994 for $9 million) for $40 million to an unnamed buyer. Also that month, he sold a Malibu property for $30 million that he had purchased for $24 million two years before. In 2008, he purchased the Malibu home of David Duchovny and Téa Leoni .
Gibson is a Traditionalist Catholic. As part of his response to a question on whether Pope John Paul II saw
The Passion of the Christ, Gibson said, "I’d like to hear what he has to say. I’d like to hear what anyone has to say. This film isn’t made for the elite. Anyone could see this film, even the occupier of the chair of Peter can see this film". Gibson also referred to him as "Pope John Paul II" in a 2004 'Reader's Digest' interview, and acquaintance Father William Fulco has said that Gibson denies neither the Pope nor Vatican II.
When asked about the Catholic doctrine of "Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus", Gibson replied, "There is no salvation for those outside the Church … I believe it. Put it this way. My wife is a saint. She's a much better person than I am. Honestly. She's, like, Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it's just not fair if she doesn't make it, she's better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the chair. I go with it". When he was asked at Willow Creek church whether John 14:6[58] is an intolerant position, he said that "through the merits of Jesus' sacrifice… even people who don't know Jesus are able to be saved, but through him". Gibson told Diane Sawyer that he believes non-Catholics and non-Christians can go to heaven.
In May 2007, Mel Gibson flew to Hermosillo, Mexico, where he attended a Tridentine Mass during which grandchildren of his friends and two of his children received the sacrament of Confirmation, administered by Archbishop emeritus Carlos Quintero Arce. The same Archbishop Arce consecrated Gibson's private traditional Catholic church in February, 2007.
Gibson's Traditionalist Catholic beliefs have been the target of attacks, especially during the controversy over his film
The Passion of the Christ. Gibson has recently stated in an interview with Diane Sawyer that he feels that his "human rights were violated", by the often vitriolic attacks on his person, his family, and his religious beliefs which were sparked by
The Passion.
Gibson has been called everything from “ultraconservative” to “politically very liberal” by acquaintance William Fulco. Although he has denied that he is a Republican, Gibson is often referred to as one in the press, and 'WorldNetDaily' once reported that there was grassroots support among Republicans for "a presidential run" in 2008.
Gibson complimented filmmaker Michael Moore and his documentary
Fahrenheit 9/11 when he and Moore were recognized at the 2005 People's Choice Awards. Gibson's 'Icon Productions' originally agreed to finance Moore's film, but later sold the rights to 'Miramax Films'. Moore said that his agent Ari Emanuel claimed that "top Republicans" called Mel Gibson to tell him, "don’t expect to get more invitations to the White House". 'Icon''s spokesman dismissed this story, saying "We never run from a controversy. You'd have to be out of your mind to think that of the company that just put out
The Passion of the Christ".
In a July 1995 interview with 'Playboy' magazine, Gibson said President Bill Clinton was a "low-level opportunist" and someone was "telling him what to do". He said that the Rhodes Scholarship was established for young men and women who want to strive for a "new world order" and this was a campaign for Marxism. Gibson later backed away from such conspiracy theories saying, "It was like: 'Hey, tell us a conspiracy'... so I laid out this thing, and suddenly, it was like I was talking the gospel truth, espousing all this political shit like I believed in it".
In 2004, he publicly spoke out against taxpayer-funded embryonic stem-cell research that involves the cloning and destruction of human embryos.
In March 2005, he issued a statement condemning the outcome of the Terri Schiavo case, referring to Schiavo's death as "state-sanctioned murder" on Sean Hannity's radio show.
Gibson joked about 'WMD's in a February 2004 interview with Diane Sawyer and in March 2004 questioned the Iraq war on Sean Hannity's radio show. In 2006, Gibson told the 'Time' magazine that the "fearmongering" depicted in his film
Apocalypto "reminds me a little of President Bush and his guys".
The
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) accused Gibson of
homophobia after a December 1991 interview in the Spanish newspaper 'El País' in which he said that gays "take it up the ass... This is only for taking a shit". Gibson later defended his comments on 'Good Morning America', saying, "[Those remarks were a response] to a direct question. If someone wants my opinion, I'll give it. What, am I supposed to lie to them ?" In his 1995 'Playboy' interview, he responded to GLAAD's protests over his comment with "I'll apologize when hell freezes over. They can fuck off". Eventually, however, Gibson joined GLAAD in hosting 10 lesbian and gay filmmakers for an on-location seminar on the set of the movie
Conspiracy Theory in January 1997. In 1999 when asked about the comments to 'El País', Gibson said, "I shouldn't have said it, but I was tickling a bit of vodka during that interview, and the quote came back to bite me on the ass".
Gibson has also been criticized for
homophobia over his films
Braveheart and
The Passion of the Christ.
Gibson has been accused of anti-Semitism over two issues:
His 2004 film
The Passion of the Christ sparked a fierce debate over alleged anti-Semitic imagery and overtones. Gibson denied that the film was anti-Semitic, but critics remained divided. Some agreed that the film was consistent with the Gospels and traditional Catholic teachings, while others argued that it reflected a selective reading of the Gospels or that it failed to comply with recommendations for dramatization of the
Passion issued by the
Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the USCCB in 1988.
A leaked report revealed that during Gibson's July 28, 2006, arrest for
driving under the influence, he made anti-Semitic remarks to arresting officer James Mee, who is Jewish, saying, "Fucking Jews... Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world. Are you a Jew ?" Gibson issued two apologies for the incident through his publicist, and in a later interview with Diane Sawyer, he affirmed the accuracy of the quotations.
Mel Gibson is known for his sense of humor on the set of his movies. He has a reputation for practical jokes, puns, Stooge-inspired physical comedy, and doing outrageous things to shock people. Gibson is fond of drawing caricatures and hiring high school marching bands to pay tribute to his co-workers. As a director he sometimes breaks the tension on set by having his actors perform serious scenes wearing a red clown nose. Helena Bonham Carter, who appeared alongside him in
Hamlet, said of him, "He has a very basic sense of humor. It's a bit lavatorial and not very sophisticated". On the set of
Maverick Gibson played a joke on co-star Jodie Foster's birthday by secretly rewriting the script to give her character all corny dialogue. Foster returned the favor by hiring a bagpiper in full Scottish regalia to follow Mel around at the 'Vanity Fair' Oscar party after he won for
Braveheart. On the set of
Ransom, Gibson presented Ron Howard and Brian Grazer with a mock
Braveheart For Your Consideration ad when both
Braveheart and
Apollo 13 were nominated for Best Picture. The ad was for “Best Moon Shot”, and featured a picture of
Braveheart's Scottish army mooning the English. While filming
Conspiracy Theory, he and co-star Julia Roberts played a series of pranks on each other, beginning with Gibson welcoming Roberts to the set with a gift-wrapped freeze-dried rat. In addition to inserting several homages to the
Three Stooges in his
Lethal Weapon movies, Gibson produced a television movie on the comedy group in 2000. As a gag, Gibson inserted a single subliminal frame of himself smoking a cigarette into the 2005 teaser trailer of
Apocalypto.
Mel Gibson has said that he started drinking at the age of thirteen. In a 2002 interview about his time at NIDA, Gibson said, "I had really good highs but some very low lows. I found out recently I'm manic depressive". Gibson has not made any other public mention of having bipolar disorder.
Gibson was arrested in Toronto in 1984 for driving with a blood alcohol level between 0.12%-0.13% after he rear-ended a car. Gibson pled guilty and was fined $300 and banned from driving in Ontario for 3 months. This led to a retreat to his Australian farm for over a year to recover, but he continued to struggle with drinking. Despite this problem, Gibson gained a reputation in Hollywood for professionalism and punctuality, so that
Lethal Weapon 2 director Richard Donner was shocked when Gibson confided that he was drinking five pints of beer for breakfast. Reflecting in 2003 and 2004, Gibson said that despair in his mid-thirties led him to contemplate suicide, and he meditated on
Christ's Passion to heal his wounds. He took more time off acting in 1991 and sought professional help. That year, Gibson's attorneys were unsuccessful at blocking the 'Sunday Mirror' from publishing what Gibson shared at AA meetings. In 1992, Gibson provided financial support to Hollywood's Recovery Center, saying, "Alcoholism is something that runs in my family. It's something that's close to me. People do come back from it, and it's a miracle".
On July 28, 2006, Gibson was arrested for
DUI while speeding in his vehicle with an open container of alcohol. He admitted to making anti-Semitic remarks during his arrest and apologized for his "despicable" behavior, saying the comments were "blurted out in a moment of insanity" and asked to meet with Jewish leaders to help him "discern the appropriate path for healing". When pressed for what his thoughts were at the time in a later interview with Diane Sawyer, he cited the vitriolic attacks on his film
The Passion of the Christ and Israel-Lebanon conflict. After Gibson's arrest, his publicist said he had entered a recovery program to battle alcoholism. On August 17, 2006, Gibson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor drunken-driving charge and was sentenced to three years on probation. He was ordered to attend self-help meetings five times a week for four and a half months and three times a week for the remainder of the first year of his probation. He was also ordered to attend a First Offenders Program, was fined $1,300, and his license was restricted for 90 days. He also volunteered to record a public service announcement.
At a May 2007 progress hearing, Gibson was praised for his compliance with the terms of his probation, his extensive participation in a self-help program, beyond what was required.
Although the Gibsons have avoided publicity about their philanthropy, they are believed to contribute a substantial amount of money to various charities, one of which is
Healing the Children. According to Cris Embleton, one of the founders, the Gibsons have given millions to provide lifesaving medical treatment to needy children worldwide. The Gibsons have also supported the arts, funding the restoration of Renaissance artwork and giving millions of dollars to NIDA.
While filming
Apocalypto in the jungles of Mexico's Veracruz state, Mel Gibson donated one million dollars to the 'Rotary Club' to build houses for poor people in the region after some severe flooding wiped out many homes.
Gibson has been involved in discreetly assisting members of the entertainment community with substance abuse problems. He worked behind the scenes to get Robert Downey, Jr. help while at Corcoran State Prison. Hole rocker Courtney Love praised Mel Gibson for saving her from a drug relapse after the Hollywood actor helped force her into rehab. Gibson sought to help the musician at a hotel in Los Angeles when he heard she was using drugs again. Love later recalled,
"I kept slamming the door in (Gibson's) face. There were two drug people with me who wouldn't leave, so they couldn't get me to rehab. But because of Mel, two drug people ran off to have a cheeseburger with him because he's Mel, and then Warren [Boyd](her drug minder) could get me into rehab".
Gibson donated $500,000 to the
El Mirador Basin Project to protect the last tract of virgin rain forest in Central America and to fund archeological excavations in the "cradle of Mayan civilization" In July 2007, Gibson again visited Central America to make arrangements for donations to the indigenous population. Gibson met with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias to discuss how to "channel the funds". During the same month, Gibson pledged to give financial assistance to a Malaysian company named 'Green Rubber Global' for a tire recycling factory located in Gallup, New Mexico. While on a business trip to Singapore in September 2007, Gibson donated to a local charity for children with chronic and terminal illnesses. In September 2008, the Gibsons donated $50,000 to the
Kidney Foundation of Fiji. The check was delivered by son Milo, who stated he loved Fiji and his family was grateful to be able to help the organization.
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Nu numai cei care-L rastigneau, urlau si blestemau, nu doar un popor se desfata la privirea durerilor Lui fizice si morale, ci o lume intreaga, de atunci si pana astazi, a gasit in osanda si in moartea Lui o placere, o satisfactie, un sentiment ca de dreptate si de putere a ei impotriva "blasfematorului" si "inselatorului Aceluia", cum il numeau cu ipocrizie cei care L-au dat spre chinuire si moarte.
Impotriva lor, a tuturor, a celor care L-au acuzat si batjocorit de atunci si pana astazi, Iisus Hristos Nazarineanul, numit in deradere "Regele Iudeilor", rege incoronat cu spini, rege al carui tron era o Cruce, rege fara garda, parasit de ai Sai, pazit sub grea si rece lespede de piatra, pentru ca a izbandit cea mai stralucita si neasteptata biruinta ce s-a vazut vreodata: biruinta asupra mortii si asupra rautatii omenesti totodata. Aceasta biruinta a putut fi tagaduita, dar nu I-a putut fi smulsa niciodata.
Dezamagiti si tulburati, inselatorii de atunci au platit pe strajeri ca sa spuna, impotriva evidentei si a ratiunii insasi, ca El a fost furat noaptea de ucenicii Lui fricosi din mormantul intarit cu paza si peceti. Necredinciosii de mai tarziu au nascocit un sir de ipoteze, presupuse stiintifice, ca sa tagaduiasca Adevarul, faptul dumnezeiesc. Cels si Profiriu, rationalisti si alti inchipuiti luminati, au gandit Invierea lui Hristos cu mintea lor materiala scurta, orbita de patima, strambata de prejudecati anticrestine, si au declarat ca este o amagire.
Impotriva argumentelor stoarse necredintei si a pretextelor cu pacat, Invierea lui Hristos s-a dovedit si s-a impus cu puterea faptului implinit si cunoscut, astfel ca imnul ei triumfal face de atunci, si va face totdeauna, bucuria noastra si a lumii. Impotriva tuturor ratiunilor omenesti, impotriva "intelepciunii" de jos a celor care au cazut in robia superstitiilor si a legendelor necrestine, impotriva a tot ce s-ar putea zice si scrie sta faptul Invierii, transformat in Biserica permanenta si universala, sta crestinismul intreg, ca dovedire si incredintare neclintita si nedesmintita a Invierii lui Hristos.
Impotriva a tot ce I-au spus si-I vor mai spune inscusitii intr-u tagada a miracolului crestin sta dovedit si nezdruncinat, drept si tare ca un munte de adevar dumnezeiesc si omenesc, cuvantul simplu si drept al Apostolului: "daca Hristos n-a inviat, zadarnica este atunci propovaduirea noastra, zadarnica si credinta voastra" (I Corinteni 15,14), iar propovaduirea si credinta Lui si a noastra n-a fost si nu este zadarnica. Impotriva constructiilor de ipoteze si de subtilitati omenesti, sta un argument ce nu se poate rasturna, micscora si contrazice niciodata: cel mai important fapt istoric care s-a produs vreodata, sta crestinismul cu credinta si cu Biserica sa, zidite pe adevarul istoric si moral al Invierii lui Hristos, sta o realitate mare cat 20 de secole.
Cu cat a dainuit si a crescut in acest timp indoiala sau tagada Invierii lui Hristos, cu atata a crescut puterea si insemnatatea ei de biruinta asupra firii si a raului mortii. Cu cat va dainui si va creste inca indoiala sau tagada Invierii lui Hristos, cu atat se va vadi prin contrast adevarul ei triumfator, de fapt, de viata si de credinta; va creste si se va intari in convingerea noastra, bazata pe existenta adevarului Bisericii universale, ca: Hristos a Inviat! Cu cat omul si omenirea intreaga vor cunoaste mai multe biruinte, cu atat va fi mai mare intre toate Biruinta lui Hristos. Nici cele mai stralucite si mai laudate victorii omenesti: ale lui Cyrus, Alexandru cel Mare, Hanibal, Cezar, Napoleon sau ale generalilor mai noi, nu se pot compara cu marea si indoita biruinta a lui Hristos asupra mortii si a raului. Nici cele mai mari biruinte asupra naturii - diguri, canale, tunele, viaducte - sau alte succese omenesti, nu se pot compara ca putere, ca efact si ca importanta cu biruinta lui Hristos asupra mortii, ca rau fizic si ca rau moral, facut lui de necredinta si de rautatea celor ce L-au tagaduit si osandit ca blasfemator si inselator.
Biruintele omenesti creaza stari relative, limitate si schimbatoare, dar Biruinta lui Iisus Hristos a creat o stare absoluta si permanenta, o stare morala de natura, marimea, puterea si importanta spiritului. Biruinta lui Hristos a indreptat un rau imens si cutremurator si a intemeiat o realitate spirituala salvatoare. Fara Invierea lui Hristos, azi nu exista crestinism si nici Biserica; sau, cum zice Apostolul, nu era propovaduirea si credinta; fara Invierea lui Hristos, traiam in intuneric si ne taram in viciu, ne inchinam la idoli. Fara Invierea lui Hristos, omenirea era si azi sufleteste cu 2000 de ani in urma sau, poate, prin regres, cu mult mai mult, in barbarie si mizerie morala. Ce ar fi fost omenirea fara Invierea lui Hristos, fara crestinism si fara Biserica, fara Apostoli, fara Evanghelie, fara Sfinti, fara credinta, fara sublima iubire crestina, fara multele si marile idei si fapte de bine si de cultura aduse de crestinism, fara miile de martiri care au cucerit cu suferinte si cu sange dreptul omului la libertatea de gandire si de credinta, fara virtutile sublime si fara institutiile de binefacere incomparabile ale crestinismului, fara capodoperele de gandire, de caritate si de arta cu care crestinismul a umplut, a innobilat si a ridicat lumea ?
Crestinismul este tot ce a cunoscut mai sfant, mai binefacator si mai salvator neamul omenesc, crestinismul este opera Jertfei si a Invierii lui Hristos.
Crestinismul este tot ce a cunoscut mai sfant, mai binefacator si mai salvator neamul omenesc, crestinismul este opera Jertfei si a Invierii lui Hristos.
Din moartea si din Invierea Lui credem si ne mantuim si traim in marile idei morale care au devenit patrimoniul omenirii intregi. Invatatura si misiunea Lui s-au verificat prin Moartea si Invierea Lui; Moartea si Invierea lui au dat Crestinismului sens si viata, au dat sens mortii si invierii noastre. Lumea pagana cunoaste moartea dar nu cunoaste Invierea; ea traieste pamanteste, marginit, fizic, fara perspectiva vietii viitoare. Traieste in iluzii si placeri o viata ca de colivie, peste care apasa imens, inert si greu mormantul.
Invierea lui Hritos a rupt valul care acoperea omului misterul existentei post-mortem, a deschis vietii omenesti o privire spre zarea vesniciei, a luat mortii rolul si caracterul de sfarsit tragic si dureros. Viata nu este o scanteie efemera si enigmatica in haos; este o existenta de durata cu destin spiritual in eternitatea in care se integreaza cu pret de suflet si cu rost dumnezeiesc. Fara Invierea lui Hristos, Crestinismul s-ar fi inabusit in rasul si in batjocura fariseilor si carturarilor, in insensibilitatea lumii pagane, in teama si neputinta Apostolilor terorizati de strigatele multimii infuriate: "Rastigneste-L, rastigneste-L !" Fara moartea lui Hristos, crestinismul nu avea efect mantuitor, fara Invierea Lui nu avea Viata si putere. Fara Inviere, nu era credinta, nu era nadejde, nu era bucurie crestina. Suferinta si biruinta, durerea si bucuria, Crucea si Invierea isi corespund si se completeaza, ca doua fete paralele si echivalente ale faptului crestin.
Ele sunt polii axei in jurul careia se invarteste viata crestina; ele sunt stalpii de rezistenta ai crestinismului. Moartea si Invierea lui Hristos au transformat suferinta in biruinta, au facut din suferinta si biruinta un singur mod si fapt: modul si faptul crestin, moartea biruita prin Inviere, suferinta biruita prin bucurie.
Moartea si Invierea lui Hristos ne-au asigurat pentru totdeauna intelegerea, puterea si triumful crestinismului in lume. Dreptul, taria si nadejdea noastra de biruinta si de mantuire stau in Moartea si Invierea lui Hristos, pentru ca Moartea si Invierea lui Hristos sunt mantuirea si Invierea noastra. Aceasta certitudine ne intareste sufleteste ca o putere dumnezeiasca. Crestinismul traieste din Moartea si Invierea lui Hristos, Biruinta lui Iisus Hristos, prin moartea Sa, asupra mortii, este biruinta crestinismului prin Hristos asupra raului si a lumii. Biruinta Lui este biruinta noastra de la El, in suferinta noastra pentru El.
Aceasta certitudine materiala si morala, aceasta bucurie a Invierii Mantuitorului, trebuie facuta temei al gandirii si al vietii noastre crestine. Credinta si viata noastra se sprijina impreuna cu Biserica pe ea, izvoraste din ea, se hraneste din ea, exista si rezista prin ea.
Prin Invierea Sa din morti, Iisus Hristos a inviat pentru toti oamenii si, pentru totdeauna, suferinta si moartea, batjocura si necredinta, ipocrizia si oprobiul care au fost aruncate asupra Numelui si lucrarii Lui in lume, pe care El a vrut s-o mantuie si s-o lumineze, s-au prabusit.
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"Dumnezeul duhurilor si a tot trupul", zice rugaciunea pentru morti, a biruit moartea si a surpat pe diavol. Aceasta a facut-o Mantuitorul pentru toti credinciosii Sai. Pentru noi, crestinii, moartea este pentru totdeauna biruita si diavolul surpat. Hristos e biruitor in veci. Lupta si cauza Lui e castigata pentru totdeuna. Realitatea mortii Lui a spulberat socotelile nebunesti ale celor care au gandit si au voit sa-L ascunda lumii. Ipocrizia s-a demascat, infamia s-a vadit, Hristos a inviat, martorii au marturisit si noi am crezut.
Invierea lui Hristos, dupa o parodie blasfematoare de judecata, dupa oprobiul Rastignirii, dupa moartea si chinurile istovitoare, dupa ingroparea in mormantul inchis, pecetluit si pazit bine de strajeri, dupa bucuria lui Iuda, a lui Caiafa si a lui Varava, dupa explozia de ura, de minciuna si de rautate, care L-a ucis pe Fiul lui Dumnezeu, dupa uimirea si groaza Maicii Lui, a ucenicilor si a credinciosilor Lui zdrobiti de moarte, Invierea lui Hristos impotriva voii, asteptarilor si a masurilor luate contra Lui cu puterea arhiereului, a sinedriului si a procuratorului imparatesc - Invierea lui Hristos, impotriva indoielii si a necredintei, a puterii de a intelege si a nadajdui, este o biruinta care ne asigura, ne linisteste si ne apara contra tuturor grijilor si durerilor posibile pe pamant, ca oameni si crestini.
Prin Invierea lui Hristos, grija cea mare si durerea au trecut. In Invierea lui Hristos avem suprema bucurie, putere si garantie a nadejdilor noastre: Hristos a Inviat! Adevarul si dreptatea Lui nu mai pot fi pecetluite in nici un mormant. Moartea si raul s-au biruit, spaima cea mare a trecut Cele mai grele zile pe care le-a trecut pana acum omenirea au fost ziua mortii si a sederii lui Hristos in mormant. Nici un razboi, nici o navalire, nici un asediu, nici o prigoana, nici foamete, nici boala, nici cutremur, nici un cataclism, nici o nenoricire n-au putut intrista si ameninta omenirea cum a facut-o Moartea lui Hristos.
In spaima fapturii intregi, ordinea dumnezeiasca a lumii fusese si parea rasturnata pentru totdeauna, mersul ei infundat intr-un impas absurd si sfasietor: Hristos rastignit, Varava liberat, Iuda rasplatit, Apostolii ascunsi, Caiafa satisfacut in izbanda sa usoara, Pilat cu mainile spalate. Peste viata, peste invatatura, peste faptele dumnezeiesti ale lui Hristos, a fost pusa pe Cruce o inscriptie batjocoritoare: "Iisus Nazarineanul, Regele Iudeilor", iar la mormant o piatra mare, garda romana si pecete !
Hristos a inviat si a biruit, pentru El si pentru noi. In perspectiva noua a vietii crestine, credem si biruim prin Moartea si Invierea lui Hristos, murim pentru a invia si inviem pentru a trai in veci cu Hristos. Prin suferinta si moarte ne bucuram de inviere; prin Inviere ne bucuram si triumfam in triumful lui Hristos, ca triumf al nostru. El a murit pentru noi si a triumfat pentru noi. In Moartea Lui sta mantuirea noastra, in Invierea Lui sta biruinta noastra.
Bucuria pascala, pe care Biserica Ortodoxa o evoca intens si solemn patruzeci de zile, este bucuria si nadejdea noastra cea mai mare, nu doar patruzeci de zile, ci de fiecare zi si ceas al vietii noastre de crestin, de fiecare zi si ceas. Cu fiecare cantare pascala si cu fiecare salut pascal "Hristos a Inviat!", adeverim, marturisim si traim marele Lui Cuvant dumnezeiesc: "In lume necazuri veti avea, dar indrazniti, Eu am biruit lumea" (Ioan 16,33). In aceasta biruinta credem si izbandim, cantand imnul triumfului crestin: HRISTOS A INVIAT !
