“There is no prevention; there is no cure. It is getting worse…. They brought in a holy man… but he ran away in terror,” says Lilly to the bartender, narrating her exorcism episode. Lilly, a young woman, has been acting “weird” and fighting suicidal tendencies for a long time. Many elders in her community think she is possessed; local officials believe she is crazy, and religious leaders speculate that she is a woman seeking attention from men. But only she knows that she is yearning for love and understanding from her community. As Lilly is about to grab the mug from the bar counter, someone stops her. “I said leave…,” her eyes meet the man’s. “That is not for you,” says the stranger. “Don’t touch me,” growls Lilly. The bartender intervenes and asks if she is ok. The stranger’s gaze disturbs her. “Leave me alone,” shouts Lilly and rushes out of the bar. The mysterious man follows her as she increases her pace in panic. But when she hears her real name, she stops and, in disbelief, asks, “Who are you?” With a smile on his face, the stranger reassures her by exclaiming, “Mary, Mary of Magdala, I have redeemed you!” At that moment, tears flow down her cheeks, and she embraces Jesus. It heals her, and the rest is history!
As we renew our commitment to walk with the youth, we suggest taking inspiration from The Chosen, a multi-season English TV series. Firstly, we believe it can help us take “a long loving look at Jesus,” who called, healed and accompanied not just Mary but also the disciples. Secondly, we can learn from the team of The Chosen, to create faith ‘content’ that is inspired by and embraces the Scripture, but doesn’t shy away from being creative. Jesus in this series is so cool, unlike in classic movies. Many may take offence at a ‘cool’ Jesus because He is portrayed differently. But is it not time we got used to ‘the different’? In addition, The Chosen is an excellent choice for our youth immersed in the entertainment industry’s salaciousness. It is also a treat for those who are turned off by the saccharine piety of mainstream Christian movies.
Happy binge-watching Jesus.
Watch it for free here: www.thechosen.tv
Nithin Monteiro, SJ, (KAR) is currently pursuing his Ph.D Studies in Ethics & Artificial Intelligence at XIM University, Odisha. Contact: [email protected].
