Battling the “Dark Side” with Star Wars and pregnancy

I’m a Star Wars fan. I’ve seen each new movie right after its release – including The Force Awakens, which we saw on a humongous IMAX 3D screen. For a refresher – and to introduce my wife the ways of the Force – Helen and I binge-watched the new, remastered Blu-ray versions of the first six movies.

But I’m not a Star Wars cultist. I may look and sound like Chewbacca before my morning coffee, but it’s really me, not a costume. Mostly, I’m intrigued by the classical literary and religious themes such as good vs. evil, family rivalries, heroism, and redemption.

The religious parallels of Star Wars – the Force representing God, for example – are impossible to miss. Fallen angel Darth Vader acknowledges, “The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force.” And, before willingly becoming a sacrificial lamb, Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi cautions Vader, “If you can cut me down, I will become more powerful.”

Religion, in fact, was at the heart of the Star Wars franchise from the beginning. One of filmmaker George Lucas’ original goals in the 1970s was to address secularism’s dismissal of religion.

“I put the Force into the movie,” Lucas told one interviewer, “in order to try to awaken a certain kind of spirituality in young people – more a belief in God than a belief in any particular religious system. I wanted to make it so that young people would begin to ask questions about the mystery.”

Star Wars, as does most art, imitates life. But when life tries to imitate art, the balance of life may get skewed. To capitalize on the hype over the release of The Force Awakens, a church in Germany held a special, Star Wars-themed service. Lucas Ludewig, pastor of Zion Church in Berlin, was pleased with the results. Attendance more than doubled to 500 people. Some carried toy light sabers into the church. Others attended in costume. Most were young people who don’t usually attend services. 

“I think the whole question of God is very interesting,” said Scott McGuire, who came dressed as Chewbacca. “But getting up early on a Sunday is one of those things. But for something like this, I'll go.”

And that was the pastor’s goal – evangelizing through pop culture. He was very pleased with the turnout.

“We were very happy to see so many people in the church today,” Ludewig said after the service. “They trust us to make them part of the church service without making it too Christian or too Star Wars, but to find a good compromise.”

You may want to re-read that last sentence. A pastor wanting to find a compromise to avoid being “too Christian?”

Ludewig’s stated goal was to fill the pews using the sizzle of Star Wars. He accomplished that. But in doing so, he shortchanged those newcomers by compromising on the substance of Star Wars – self-sacrifice, forgiveness and redemption – the very themes that George Lucas found so dear.  

Jesus wasn’t about half-measures. He didn’t avoid the substance of his mission. Jesus didn’t ask the Sanhedrin for a suspended sentence. He didn’t petition Pilate for 39 lashes and three years’ probation. He didn’t appeal to Rome for parole. He accepted his whole sentence.

Like Ludewig, Rev. Leonard Chuwa is a clergyman who can also be unconventional. Fr. Chuwa is the director of formation and ethics at St. Vincent’s Healthcare in Jacksonville. But unlike Ludewig, he is not looking to compromise. In fact, he says he has been criticized for going in the opposite direction.

Fr. Chuwa sometimes celebrates Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Jacksonville. In a pre-Christmas homily, he presented an analogy that he warned may make some men uncomfortable. He asked the congregation to imagine what it would be like to be – pregnant with Jesus!

Fr. Chuwa is definitely not concerned about being “too Christian.”

On the surface, taken literally, such a concept would seem pretty outlandish and definitely difficult for men to fully appreciate. But, as an analogy, is there any better way to describe the close and intimate communion Jesus offers us? Fr. Chuwa simply expressed in physical terms the beautiful and fulfilling spiritual relationship Jesus offers to us all. There are many Bible passages that examine how we can and should be overflowing with the Holy Spirit. The concept of being pregnant with Jesus simply makes that idea come alive in a concrete and more understandable way. That’s no half-measure. That’s Jesus in full.

I don’t expect to go to Mass any time soon looking like Chewbacca. Only Helen gets to see me that way – which means she earns stars in her crown every morning. I don’t expect to be pregnant any time soon, either. But after hearing Fr. Chuwa’s analogy, I will continue to struggle for the spiritual equivalent. Maybe that will earn me a star or two in my own crown. Maybe that struggle is my Star Wars.

Revealing Our Priorities

Dean and Debbie have been members of Saint Joseph’s parish in Jacksonville for many years. They try hard to keep a low profile, but they’re not always successful. That’s because they are true examples of God’s love for all of us.

The Heatons are foster parents. They adopt the children whom, quite frankly, nobody else wants. Physically disabled children. Mentally disabled children. Severely disabled children. The entire beautiful brood sits right in front of the choir every Sunday at 10 o’clock Mass. Their love for their kids is obvious to everyone who sees them. The entire Heaton family, especially the kids, is truly an inspiration.

That’s why what happened this past Sunday was so disgusting.

Clergy are very reluctant to raise the issue etiquette at Mass. There’s really no benefit to it. They risk alienating parishioners. Some may say, “Just be glad I’m even here.” Others may find a more “tolerant” parish, or stop going to Mass altogether.

Well, I’m not a clergyman, and I left my tact at the office today. This instance of disrespectful behavior was so far over the line, I’m just not going to let it go.

As Debbie edged toward the communion line, pushing the wheelchair of one child and holding the hand of another, two people cut her off as they raced toward the exit. They were completely oblivious to what they were doing, and to anyone and everyone around them. They were on a mission to escape the church as quickly as possible. And absolutely nothing was going to stop them.

To say they were disrespectful to Debbie and her children is an understatement. But that’s not the worst. As they bolted for the door, probably having just received the Eucharist themselves, they also cut in front of the true presence of our Lord. Yes, after just receiving communion, possibly with the host still in their mouths, they thoughtlessly and ignorantly barreled through – leaving the Heatons, the God of the Universe, and everyone else in their wake.

Obviously, staying until the end of Mass was out of the question for them. But what was so pressing that they couldn’t stay in their own line on their way out of the church? What was so ridiculously important that they had to treat the Heatons that way? What was awaiting them that was worth treating Jesus – who died for them, too – with such disrespect?

As Catholics, we are told to love, not judge. I take that command – a command, not a suggestion – very seriously. Because I know that someday I will have to account for all of my many sins. So I hope God will forgive me for pointing out the splinter in another’s eye while ignoring the plank in my own. But the Heaton family deserves much more respect than they received.

And so does God.