The Force Be With You

I am not the fanatic that my sister is nor do I come close to my son or my husband’s expertise, but I do love Star Wars and kept a goofy grin on my face throughout most of the new Force Awakens as I watched it with my husband and children.

My son and I also greatly enjoy curling up on Saturday mornings to watch the new Star Wars Rebels cartoons. And even before he somewhat patiently began begging for a Star Wars Advent calendar, I was already feeling compelled to buy him one.

I am glad that he has fallen in love with the Star Wars series and enjoy hearing him talking with his friends through the issues of the movies and books. I hear echoes of the same conversations and debates that my sister and I shared playing in the front yard or gathered around the playground with our friends.

To talk through the trials and tribulations of the Rebellion is to consider the ultimate battle of light and dark and of good and evil. It raises the question of hierarchy, domination or superiority in society and how to give hope and show bravery, kindness and empathy when faced with fear and challenges in life.

The Rebels aren’t out for gain or glory; they are fighting for fairness and the right to life. There is a great beauty to the Rebellion’s protection of the innocent as well as the preservation of creation. Moving beyond ego to recognize the good of the whole certainly is a powerful story that rises again and again.

The movies and book emphasize a higher positive power that cannot be seen but can be felt and believed in with faith. The Force enables individuals to realize their true gifts and to use them to combat the dark side. It empowers simple people to greatness, and strength comes from believing. Even when facing great obstacles, the characters of Star Wars realize that The Force is with them, and they courageously charge to take their stand against the dark side. “May the Force be with you” is repeated time and time again. Knowing The Force is on their side, they have hope.

In Hank Stuever’s article “George Lucas: To feel the true force of ‘Star Wars” for the Washington Post on December 5, 2015, he wrote, “Lucas wanted to make a movie that would teach children the central ethic of right and wrong, good and evil. ‘I want[ed] to see if I can bend their lives at a particular point in time when they’re very vulnerable,’ he recalls, ‘and give them the things that we’ve always given kids throughout history. The last time we had done it was with the Western. And once the Western was gone, there was no vehicle to say, ‘You don’t shoot people in the back’ and such.’”

While recently watching Disney’s “Legacy” episode of Star Wars Rebels with my son, Ezra, one of the show’s main characters, had a vision of his parents from whom he had been separated and who he sadly realized must be dead.

“You are going to need to stay strong…,” said his father. His mother continued, “Remember, Ezra, without hope we have nothing.”

As Ezra considered the loss of his parents and the task facing the Rebel force, his mentor Kanan said to him, “The Jedi teach that life doesn’t cease at death but merely changes form with The Force. Your parents are alive in you, Ezra; they will be always.”

Each Sunday, our family and many more across the world greet each other saying “Peace be with you.” We are purposely making the effort to connect and to remember and realize that we are all a part of the great Kingdom. There is strength and comfort to be found in this shared community and story, and it does not end with death. We each have the peace of God within us to celebrate the joy of life and to challenge the dark side.

The story of the Kingdom is repeated again and again; it is ongoing. Generations take time to nurture the story in their children. Star Wars. Jesus. They are good stories.

The Peace be with you. The Force be with you. Have hope. 

With love and light, 

LT