"For Greater Glory" movie

This week my husband took me on a daytime date to eat lunch and to see "For Greater Glory." We get to go to movies in the theatre only a few times every other year (the year I have a baby younger than one, not at all!), so I was rather giddy with excitement. I took a tiny red handbag with me and John gasped, asking, "Mama, what is that?" I explained that it was a lady's purse without diapers, wipes, water bottles, or snacks.

"For Greater Glory" is about the Cristeros in Mexico and Blessed José Sánchez del Río, a 14-year-old boy who was martyred during the persecution by Plutarco Elias Calles. The movie can be difficult to watch at times, so keep in mind that the little boy is tortured before his murder. That said, I, who am a total wimp, found it excruciatingly more difficult to watch that Bl. Jose's mommy was brought by his side to watch his murder and she encouraged him to hold on to his faith, not to apostatize. Would I have the strength to so perfectly follow the model of Our Blessed Mother by the Cross?

I found the movie to be extremely inspiring. If my government was so repressing the peaceful practice of my religion, would I be so brave as to attend Mass, knowing soldiers might burst in and shoot me to death? (Apparently 90,000 Mexicans were killed during the three-year persecution.) Would I be willing to fight for my God-given rights? What would I be willing to lose? And are we making the correct small choices day in and day now, with our little son, that he would have achieved enough Catholic manhood by his teenage years that he would choose martyrdom over apostasy?

I highly recommend this movie!

And does anyone have a book on the subject of the Cristeros to recommend? I am now highly interested in learning more about this period of our history.



I'd also like to recommend the Glory Story of Bl. Jose! My kids give it two thumbs up!