Note: Each Thursday, I'll be looking at one of the lectionary passages for the upcoming Sunday. Today, we're looking at Philippians 2:1-13.
Let it go.
In spite of Frozen, I don't hear those words as a part of a soaring melody. Instead I hear that phrase coming from the mouth of Sean Connery. Partly because my youth minister Seth used the scene I'm about to mention about as an illustration a handful of times (so credit to him for this blog) and partly because Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is one of the most gloriously fun movies ever to grace the silver screen. Seriously, I'm glad that series went out on such a high note. It'd be a shame to mess with that legacy.
Back to "Let it go."
(Spoilers for a movie that's 25 years old)
Nazi lady Elsa (wait, that's the name of the character in Frozen who sings "Let It Go"; and we're back in!) has taken the Holy Grail past the entrance of an ancient temple-cave leading to catastrophic calamity just as the ancient knight said it would. The Grail is on a small ledge above a seemingly bottomless chasm. She reaches for it while Indiana Jones tells her to give him her other hand. She doesn't listen. She falls to her death.
There's another tremor in the cave which sends Indy flying over the edge, but he is caught by his father Henry (played by the estimable Connery) by one hand. Now Indy is reaching for the artifact. The Grail is worth a fortune. The one that brings it to the world will attain accolades and fame. Oh and it also grants stern life to whoever drinks it. This Grail is the desire of any person's heart.
Death is imminent for anyone that does not escape this cave. Henry is telling Indy exactly what Indy told Elsa before she plummeted to her doom. Then Henry says, "Indiana." The hero stops. Throughout the film, his dad has always called him "Junior." It's the first time we hear the father call his son by name. As their eyes lock, the father encourages his son: "Let it go." Indy gives his dad his other hand and the clamber out of the collapsing cave.
Philippians contains a hymn that calls on the early church to have the same mind as Jesus. It reminds us that Christ, though he was God, emptied himself. He let go of the glory. He let go of the power. He let go of anything resembling selfishness or comfort. This kenosis (self-emptying) of Christ is supposed to the guiding light for Christians; a true north as we navigate through life.
The way of kenosis is a way of humility. It is a way that seeks love for enemies. It is not the way that we would choose.
We would rather pursue our own self-interests. We'd rather grab the glory and fame. We'd rather crush our enemies underfoot: to assume that they are just as evil or dumb or shallow as we assume they are. Sure it's a risk. We know in our heads that pursuing such things can lead to our downfall, but we think that we're different.
Indiana Jones thought he was different than Elsa. First of all, he wasn't a Nazi; so lots of points for that. He thought he could handle it. He could grasp that prize. He would do good with it where others would not. We think that too. We convince ourselves that our selfish ambition is not as bad as others. We'd do a lot of good if we got what we want.
But grasping for that and not choosing the way of humility gets us every single time.
We have to let it go. We have to choose the way where we pursue humility, where we love others, and where we seek to serve. We have to be willing to look like fools and "lose" in a world that is obsessed with winning. For this is the way of our Savior and the greatest human that walked the face of this beautiful earth.
May each of us let go of that which hinders us from having the same mind as Jesus.