In the clip above : a dramatization of the Holy Spirit at work | Francis of Assisi meets Pope Innocent III for the first time | From Franco Zeffirelli’s biopic
The Holy Spirit is a critical aspect of Christian faith. He, the Holy Spirit, is part of the great mystery of the triune Godhead. The Christian faith believes in one God with three separate persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. For the Christian, the existence of one God in three personas is beyond comprehension. Belief in the trinity, therefore for we humans, is, in part, an act of faith.
Jesus comforted his disciples by telling them that while he would be leaving this world, they should not fear because He would send a comforter, the Holy Spirit , to not only be with them, but live within them. In this way, the very Kingdom of God is within us through the power of this Spirit. And the comforter will, as Paul says in Romans, — comfort, guide , encourage, and even pray for us in ways, once again, beyond comprehension. It’s quite a concept to have God, in the persona of the Holy Spirit, praying for us.
In relationship to movies and media, one seldom sees the mystery of the Spirit unfold.
This is a sequence from Franco Zeffirelli‘s biopic of Francis of Assisi entitled Brother Sun, Sister Moon, released in 1972.
Francis of Assisi visits Pope Innocent III in 1205. The local Assisi church does not support young Francis’ manner of worship through poverty; in fact, it is believed that the local church itself schemed to burn down Francis’ small alternative chapel.
Sir Alec Guinness plays Pope Innocent III. Faulkner Graham plays Francis .
The power of liquid eyes in film acting has never been more apparent than in this sequence.
Please pay close attention to Alec Guinness’s hand in this sequence. He uses it twice to reveal the spirit that takes him back to Jesus. It is an inspired but hammy performance.
Through the Spirit of God, the Pope and Francis are able to pass through all constructs of worldly endeavor and find a peace and understanding that is beyond this world.
It is an incredible reminder what the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit is about: love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, and self-control.
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Please note: Brother Sun and Sister Moon is under copyright to Paramount Pictures and is being screened here under the education provisions provided under section 107 of copyright law. The picture is available through Netflix and Amazon.
