Confession Times
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From the Friars: What’s Your Limp?
Since the Feast of St’s. Philip and James (the Less) ordinarily falls on this day, May 3, I would like to reflect a bit, on the moving scene between Jesus and ‘little’ James in the show ‘The Chosen’. Note that this younger James (known as the ‘brother’ of Jesus and son of Alpheus) is called Less solely in order to distinguish him from James the greater or elder (son of Zebedee). Jordan Walker Ross, the actor who portrays Little James in ‘The Chosen’, was in fact, able to hide his life-long disability upon being hired for the role. Jordan suffers from cerebral palsy and severe scoliosis, which has significantly compromised his flexibility, gate as well as height. His ‘disability’ and limp created countless insecurities in the budding actor due to severe bullying in his youth and he even considered suicide as a teenager. When his limp was eventually discovered on the set, Jordan assumed he would lose the role. But instead, his condition was worked into the script, which led to the moving scene I mentioned above.
In this scene, Little James approaches Jesus privately, as the apostles are being sent out to heal others and proclaim the ‘Good News’ of the gospel. After asking why, being called to heal others he has not been healed himself, Jesus replies, “Because I trust you.”
Jordan Walker Ross is Little James in this scene from “The Chosen”. (Image: Angel Studios)
“To show people that you can be patient with your suffering here on earth because you know you’ll spend eternity with no suffering.”
When James, now teary-eyed, complains that the others are “so much stronger and better at this” and that he feels more like a burden than a help, Jesus gently reprimands him and then says: “When you find yourself finding true strength because of your weakness and when you do great things in my name in spite of this, the impact will last for generations!” Jesus ends by reminding him that he will indeed be healed, that it’s “only a matter of time.”
Ross has since seen his limp as a strength rather than a weakness. He now invites many celebrities and professionals on his Podcast (the title of this article) to share the personal struggles and insecurities in their own lives to help others become aware that they are not alone in them.
So…What’s your limp?
Christ is risen, Alleluia,
Br. Pio