Years ago, there was an amazing English teacher in my high school
that treated us students a bit differently – like people who could think
analytically and judge the merits of ideas and experiences. I think I
did some of my best academic work for him, and quite often, Mr Wentworth
comes to mind when I am contemplating Anakin’s ultimate end (for now)
on the Second Death Star. Mr Wentworth questioned how redemption was
offered and possible for Anakin at the end of his life since most of his
life had been in the service of darkness and evil. It is indeed a tough
question. Does it give us the possibility of living a terribly immoral
life and stealing a space in Heaven through a few words? If so, then
where is the motivation for goodness in this world? I think the answer
is much deeper and existential.
We
are called to be unified to the light side in this world. To do good,
to love others more than we love ourselves, and to give all that we have
for the welfare of our neighbor. To be virtuous, moral, compassionate,
beings carrying the image of the divine. Those things call us to empty
ourselves of selfishness and deception, both of which might be seen as
virtues in our modern society. When a lone Jedi fights against the Code
of the Order, it leads to personal pain with repercussions on all
involved. This is seen in the way Anakin’s relationship with Padmé
progresses (there has been a fair bit written about the unenviable
pathology of that union). It is when the will of the person and the will
of goodness align that true joy and eternal happiness are found. I
think of the examples of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan when ruminating about those
who have lived the good Jedi life and aligned their wills to that of
the Force itself.
A few weeks ago, a friend gave me a framed poster that has really got
me thinking further about the good life and the potential of redemption
from one’s sins. The more I look at it, the more things I see. It is
called The Return of the Prodigal Son and was painted by Rembrandt some
time right before his death in the mid-17
th century. The
Parable of the Prodigal Son is a common enough story that I think many
people know it (and ought to, if they are thinking deeply about the
tragedy of Anakin the Fearful). A father has two sons. The younger takes
his inheritance while the father is yet alive, and blows it all on
loose living. Finding himself in a sad state, he goes back to his father
in full repentance. His Father embraces him and holds a feast in his
honor for his return. The older brother, who never left home, becomes
very jealous, finding no joy in his brother’s return. The father tells
him that all should celebrate the return of a fallen brother.
In the painting, we see the moment that the son is embraced by his
father. Our eyes are naturally drawn to the lighter parts of the scene.
First, the bright and loving face of the father as he receives his
long-lost son. The younger son, just back from doing terrible things, is
truly and humbly penitent. We can hear the depth of sorrow and turning
of the son in the words of one of the hymns of my Church, “When I think
of the many evil things I have done, wretch that I am,/ I tremble at the
fearful day of judgment./ But trusting in Thy living kindness, like
David I cry to Thee:/ Have mercy on me, O God, according to Thy great
mercy.”
Our eyes then drift over to the right side of the scene. The older
brother who is jealous that forgiveness is so easy. He also does not
think about the thing in his own heart that he may need to excise. After
all, he has his rights! Here is the celebrated question – how is it
that the son who lived a God-pleasing life in all respects, and who
faithfully served his father, could display such envy? This is because
the older son had everything given to him in order to love the father,
but made an idol of his blessings.
We drift further back into the painting and see the attendants of the
household ready to obey the commands of the father. What should they
do? Put the boy in prison or prepare a feast? Feast, of course! The son
was sprung from the prison of his own making. But keep looking. More
witnesses appear from the background. A man emerges from the shadows and
then a woman a few steps above all. They are the witnesses to the
greatest miracle ever to come from a human – utter penitence for
profligate living that is met by absolute forgiveness from the father.
So,
on our circuitous route (which is either a function of my brain or the
Orthodox way of teaching), I hope you have seen that Anakin’s place with
the blue shiny people is not mere sentimentality. It is the embodiment
of a true change of the soul and self sacrificial love. Redemption is
not about the magic formula of saying the right things before
expiration, but the true turning of the depths of the soul to what is
good. With Anakin losing the mask of hatred and destruction, the scars
of his battle filled life are still present on his face. However, his
heart had truly turned from that evil. The unending love of his son was
enough to win him back.
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