Mockingjay, Part 2

Last week, we finally witness the fourth and last installment of The Hunger Games movie series, based on the books by Suzanne Collins. It did not disappoint. This was a story that gripped me from the first chapter of the first book, and its echoes linger with me today. Unlike some other recent movie adaptations, this whole series captured the spirit of the original story. The finale was no exception.

 The interesting thing is that in my first post on this story (2012), I jumped ahead to Mockingjay because the themes of the story needed to be seen from the vantage point of their conclusion. In that post, I made the following observation:

Ultimately, the Hunger Games trilogy is a story of redemption, setting captives free, and standing up for "the least of these." And doing so at great personal cost. It reminds me alot of a true story, one that happened about 3,500 years ago.

And the final movie installment was true to this theme. It was powerful.

SPOILERS AHEAD:
COME BACK AFTER SEEING THE MOVIE






The highlight of the movie for me was the scene where District 13 President Coin (Julianne Moore) had gathered Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and her friends in a conference room to discuss what to do now that the evil Capitol regime had been overthrown. How do you punish the oppressors? How does such a damaged society move on? Is there room for vengeance? How do you move on?

After the Exodus, the Israelites faced the same dilemma and they didn't handle it so well. They went through judge after judge, trying to find a godly leader to make them the people that God intended when he led them out of Egypt. But the subsequent history consisted of a repeated pattern of 1) promising to serve God and do things his way, 2) failing, 3) reaping the consequences, and then 4) starting over.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

And so, as the new makeshift council met, President Coin proposed the unthinkable. A new Hunger Games to kick off the new society, supposedly as a substitute for mass executions.

As the proposal was put to a vote, it was hard to imagine how anyone could even propose such a thing. We began to see in the eyes of Coin and Katniss the same thing, but from a different prospective. This government would be no better than the old. Symbolic gestures designed to keep the people under oppression.

Yep...Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

What happened next gave me chill bumps. Katniss voted for the new Hunger Games, but with a condition. A condition that would allow her to put a stop to Coin. And then, in a marvelous piece of acting by the brilliant Woody Harrelson, Haymitch votes the same way with a look in his eyes that said, I don't know what you're up to, but I trust you."

Stories tell us about ourselves. This one told us about our self-destructive tendencies, our longing to overcome them, and our repeated failures to do so. But it also tells us about hope, about the need for someone to stand up and break the cycle. Thank God for the Messiah Jesus who came to break the cycle for us. If we will follow him, if we will trust him even when we don't know what he's up to in our lives, there is hope.

And for that I am thankful.

Fringe: Finishing the story

Once again it's time. Time for one of my favorite television shows to finish its run. This time it's Fringe, and I'm going to miss it.

To me, the best shows, the best movies, the best books are those that tell an epic story. Movies that come to mind are mostly those told over multiple releases, and often are based on a book series. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. For television, LOST is the one that sets the standard for me, but there have been many others.

Fringe is one of the all-time greats. It is unique in that it such a wonderful show with magnificent actors but it never gained a large audience. I personally believe it may become this generation's Star Trek - a show that was canceled after one season but became a cult classic and the inspiration for a series of movies. Through digital media, many will discover this gem after the curtain has fallen.

This show was smart, thought-provoking, centered on extremely interesting characters, and even funny. The acting was amazing and the characters compelling. On the surface, it appeared to be about science fiction, but it was really about this collection of people who became a family. It was a story about choices, and how all our choices are important and affect people in ways we can't even start to understand.

Forgiveness. Love. Family. Choices. Fate. Free will. Redemption. Faith.  If these interest you, Fringe is your story.

So I'll gather with family and friends to see the end tomorrow night. I'm expecting a powerful conclusion. I love a great story.

And what a story it was.

In 140 words or less: Red Dawn 2012

Red Dawn is a remake of the 1984 classic:



Remembering how much I liked the original, I watched them back to back tonight.

There is no comparison. The writing, pacing, and dialogue were on a whole different level. Leaving the  cinema tonight, I was moved and inspired by the story in a powerful way.

In the movie, there are forces of evil threatening and attacking our freedom as Americans, and this small group of kids fought back, causing havoc among the enemy forces. They do so at great personal sacrifice and make a difference.

As I watched, I thought about the forces of evil we all face - they are real. Am I willing to fight back? At what cost?

It entertained, made me think, and I left with a new perspective. If I were you, I'd check it out.

Dachau: A matter of perspective

Two years ago, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the beaches of Normandy.

It was an amazing experience, with an overwhelming sense of history. To realize that so many, many people gave their lives to punch a hole in the Nazi defenses was sobering. Without that offensive, who knows what the world would be like now? As a friend of mine said, we might all be speaking German.

But I've got to say, I did not fully sense the significance until this last Saturday. Oh yeah, I knew how important it was. I knew that victory in World War II ended the monstrous reign of Adolf Hitler. But I didn't really feel it. Not until Saturday.

Why? Well, this last Saturday I was in Munich, Germany at the end of a business trip. And being so near Dachau, we decided to visit the former concentration camp.

I cannot even put into words what I saw over a period of about three hours. We walked the grounds where tens of thousands were mistreated in unimaginable ways. They lived without adequate sleeping facilities, adequate food, or adequate human interaction. When they died from these intolerable conditions, they were cremated en masse without a shred of dignity. Toward the end of the war, many of them were led into gas chambers to be executed.

Note: I took a lot of pictures because I never want to forget what I saw. I considered putting them here, but I've decided not to (with one exception below) for two reasons: First, I don't think the pictures do justice to the true horror that was Dachau, and second, I couldn't get past the fear that posting the pictures would trivialize and/or sensationalize the pain of those who died there. I want to do the memory more honor than that.

Here is the thought that has stuck with me since the visit: I feel like I understand what I saw at Normandy so much more. Why did those men give their lives? For their country? Yes, of course. But in this case it was so much more than that. They died so that the atrocities at Dachau and other such camps would end. They died to free the captives, captives who suffered as much or more as any group of people in history. As I walked, sat, and prayed on the grounds of Dachau, my mind kept going back to Normandy. and to those great young men who bravely advanced so that at some current and all future victims of the Third Reich could be saved.

Rows of crosses at Normandy...

...led to the destruction of rows of barracks at Dachau:

And that's a good, good thing.
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As I reflect on these two experiences, I can't help but think about what we are celebrating this week, Holy Week. Friday we will meditate on the cross of Jesus, and how he paid the price for our sin. He set us free and made a relationship with God possible. But like the sacrifice at Normandy, we can't fully grasp the meaning without understanding what he was rescuing us from. We were totally lost, a victim of all the evil the world can pile on us. We may not have realized it, but our situation was desperate. If we don't' see that, we can't see how great the death and resurrection of Jesus. So my prayer for myself is that I will see myself as I really am, so that I can fully appreciate what Christ did for me.

Just as I now more fully appreciate what the heroes of Normandy did. Context is everything, isn't it?

The Hunger Games...what's all the fuss about?

If you've read my blog at all, you know how much I love this book series. And you also have read how much I loved the movie. But I've got to say I had no idea how deep a chord it would strike with people. Its production company Lionsgate recently estimated that its opening weekend box office take would be about $75 million. They were wrong...try $155 million!

Why? What about this story has grabbed hold of so many? I'm sure there are as many answers as there are fans, but I have a few thoughts.

There are so many directions I could go with this. There is the fact that it is about finding out who you really are in the midst of adversity. There is the disturbing commentary on our society today. Panem in a lot of ways is an extreme version of our culture: the premium value put on entertainment, the reality TV phenomenon, the disregard for the poor and outcast, and the utter devaluing of human life. There is how Katniss learns that love is a choice, not a feeling, a lesson lost on our romance-addicted culture. All of that is in there and more.

But all that is symptomatic of our deepest needs, our ultimate purpose, the reason we were placed on earth. Whether Ms. Collins meant to or not, she has struck at the heart of who we are. And why stories like this mean so much to us. Ultimately, The Hunger Games trilogy is a story of redemption, setting captives free, and standing up for "the least of these." And doing so at great personal cost. It reminds me alot of a true story, one that happened about 3,500 years ago.

Spoilers ahead both for the movie and ALL THREE BOOKS

If you haven't read the whole trilogy, you'll want to stop here. But please read it soon and then come back!
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"What am I going to do?" I whisper to the walls. Because I don't really know...What they want from me is to truly take on the role they designed for me. The symbol of the revolution. The Mockingjay. (Katniss Everdeen, Mockingjay, Chapter 1)

At this point in the story, Katniss is being asked to do something great, something a lot bigger than herself.

The whole story has been leading to it. In fact, that is one of the the things I love so much about the movie adaptation of The Hunger Games. By cutting back to the Capitol during the games, they give us a glimpse into what Katniss is unwittingly stirring up back in the districts of Panem. We see concern growing among the powerful, and hope growing among the downtrodden. (The cutaway to unrest in District 11 is priceless.) So as the first movie comes to an end, and President Snow delivers his passive-aggressive little speech, we know something much bigger is afoot.

So she struggles. Is this her destiny? Is it worth it? Is there even a chance of it working out? Most of all, will she risk her own personal interests (including her family) to do something great? We know that she is capable of great sacrifice, because when we first met her she volunteered to meet near-certain death on behalf of her sister. And she has been willing to die in order that Peeta might live. So can she do it again?

What am in going to do? Is there any point in doing anything at all? Of course I hate the Capitol, but I have no confidence that my being the Mockingjay will benefit those who are trying to bring it down...What am I going to do? Could any good I do possibly outweigh the damage?

How many times has this been asked? I'm just one person. Do you ever feel that way?

But then, due to a shocking event she witnesses involving someone she loves, she ends up here:

 What am I going to do? I take a deep breath. My arms rise slightly - as if recalling the black-and-white wings Cinna gave me - then come to rest at my sides. "I'm going to be the Mockingjay."

This struggle rings so familiar. About 3500 years ago, another people was in slavery and bondage, and needed a Katniss. They had been enslaved for 400 years and needed a leader to bring them freedom.

His name was Moses.

But Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" (Exodus 3:11, NIV)

Sound familiar? I'm not the one. I'm inadequate. I'm out here in the country minding my own business and have been for 40+ years. Why me?

It goes on, as Moses struggles with his role.

"What if they do not believe me and sat 'The Lord did not appear to you'?...I have never been eloquent...I am slow of speech and tongue...Please send someone else." (Exodus 4:1,10,13, NIV)

As God was making it clear, through a burning bush no less (Moses! The man whose bush is on fire!), that he was the one needed to bring freedom to the captives, he was full of excuses. But God had an answer to every one of them, so ultimately he obeyed. He confronted the most powerful man in the world. And the rest is history.
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Our story is one of bondage; it always has been. There is an enemy, and he has subjected us to slavery just as surely as Pharaoh did.

Or President Snow. Or Darth Vader. Or any number of other fictional characters who are created from deep in the heart of an artist who senses the truth.

We live in a world of growing despair. Hunger. Violence. Injustice. Meaningless, empty physical relationships. Broken families. 147 million orphans. The list goes on and on.

We are desperate for a real live hero, someone who will set us free from our despair. Someone who will be willing to sacrifice their own life, if necessary, to free us and give us meaning.

 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
   to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  

Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:18-21, NIV)

Yes, we do have someone! Jesus of Nazareth proclaimed at the beginning of his ministry that this was exactly his purpose. And, when the time came for him to fulfill his purpose, he also struggled. He prayed in great agony, pleading for there to be another way. So much agony that he sweated blood. Redemption is never easy - it's costly, more costly than anything else. But he accepted the cup of God's wrath on our behalf, and has bought freedom for all of us.

We need more heroes in our books and movies like Katniss Everdeen. Heroes who, though flawed, rise up to do great thing. But most of all, heroes who remind us that there is hope. That no matter how our own version of the Capitol beats us down, there is One who has beaten it and can give us hope as we struggle against it.

And that is a story worth telling.
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P.S. (please read): There is way too much in The Hunger Games for me to even scratch the surface. Hey, you're probably already thinking this was the longest post ever. But there are two excellent posts that do it more justice than I, and come at it from a different angle. Please take the time to check out the two links below:

Let The Hunger Games Begin: Why the story of Katniss Everdeen resonates with so many readers

In the Open Space: Why we need dystopian stories like The Hunger Games


Happy reading! "Thank you for your consideration."

Remembering D-Day

Normandy Beach

A little over a year ago I had the awesome opportunity to visit Normandy. It was almost surreal to see in person the place where so many gave their lives to turn the tide of World War II. I saw the beach where the troops came ashore (top left) and a massive cemetery where Americans who lost their lives there are buried. A little more detail about my visit is contained in this blog post.

Today is June 6, the anniversary of the historic day. The Allied invasion took place 67 years ago today, and the world will never be the same. Therefore I ask that you pause for a moment and think about the sacrifice that was made to maintain freedom, and to defeat the evil that was Adolf Hitler.

The world is a better place because of the ones buried here:

US Cemetery at Normandy

Thank you, Lord, for their courage.