By Campion Academy News – Loveland, Colorado … More than 400 church and community members assembled on Campion’s campus on April 16 to experience a student-produced passion play, Journey to the Cross.
The event, a yearly celebration of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, is held on Easter weekend.
Nine walk-through scenes from the life of Christ, beginning with his birth and leading to his death and resurrection, were depicted by more than 100 student actors under the direction of chaplains Nancy and Levi Meszaros and drama teacher Erin Johnson.
Isaac, a senior who performed in multiple scenes as the main Roman Centurion, reflected on the event. “As a Roman soldier, I got to imagine the crucifixion and resurrection from a different perspective.” He added, “I thought about how much of a nuisance this whole ordeal would have been to the soldiers at first, but then everything changes when the centurion looks up at Jesus on the cross and realizes that he has crucified the Lord of Lords. He then knelt before Jesus, which I think is the most humbling scene in the entire story.”
Playing the role of Jesus at the crucifixion was challenging, yet impactful, for senior student Jadon.
“When I got up on that cross during the first show, I was scared,” reflected Jadon. “I was in the modern-day equivalent of a loincloth, and so I felt very vulnerable and exposed. Jesus likely didn’t even have that, but he chose not to focus on that.”
Jadon added, “He [Jesus] focused on all of humanity, which he loved, and chose to care for others despite his vulnerability. It helped make the suffering and embarrassment Jesus went through more real, but even more, it made the love of Jesus real. It was an honor to play the role of Jesus, and I would remind everyone to keep his sacrifice in mind constantly in their lives.”
–Campion Academy News; photos supplied
