Like the Death Star at the end of “Star Wars: A New Hope,” let me cut this day to your explosive vision of puns, memes and space battles: May the Force (and May the Fourth) be with you. And did you know that Master Yoda was wrong?
Yes, this is the heresy of the Jedi, but let me repeat: Yoda, he was wrong.
“Do or don’t do,” he said in “The Empire Strikes Back.” Concluding, “There is no ‘try’.”
Balderdash. Argal-bargal. absurd. This saying must be wrong. This will not happen?
Life – whether here or in a galaxy far, far away – has gray areas and liminal spaces with lots of in-betweens, changes and attempts on the way to getting something done. What isn’t “trying” a prerequisite for doing something? Granted, I am not a follower of the Jediism religion; My nature is that of a practicing Catholic. As the nickname suggests, my religion requires constant following or observance. It’s not as simple as do or don’t do.
or is it?
I’ve had this bone to pick with this favorite green master for years. However, it was a recent conversation with my 9 and 6 year olds that brought this Jedi mind trick – err, philosophical difference – back to the fore.
For the past three years, I’ve had to do a call-and-response with my kids when either I or they walk out the door in the morning:
Me: what are you going to do today?
Children: Hear. Learn a lot. Do “good, great”.
One morning, in a playful mood with my nice but sometimes naughty children, I said sadly, “Will you too?” And one replied seriously, “I’ll try!”
His reaction reminded me of the dialogue between Padawan Luke Skywalker and Jedi Master Yoda in “The Empire Strikes Back.” When Yoda asked Luke to try a new, more challenging, bit of training, Luke responded, “I’ll try it.” Then Yoda replied, “No. Don’t try. Do or don’t. There is no ‘try’.” ,
I couldn’t even imagine barking at my own child – who had said they would try, honestly like Luke – “No! You Desire Hear You Desire Learn. You Desire Do ‘good, great’. There is no effort. just doing!”
And I thought to myself, Yoda was wrong.
As fast as a lightsaber could cut off an arm – or a disciple’s sword could cut off an ear – my objection to Yoda left me worried about whether my objection was contrary to Jesus’ commands, or my own practice of the Catholic faith. It was the opposite of what I’m trying to pass on to my children. After all, Jesus does not say, “Try to love your neighbors,” but rather, “Love your neighbors” (Matthew 22). To the rich young man (Matthew 19) He does not say, “Try to sell what you have and follow Me.” No, he says, “Go, sell what you have and follow me.” Similarly, with the works of mercy (Matthew 25), the language is of actionable commands to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, etc. Not to try and do it, but simply, like Yoda, to do or not to do. Complete commitment.
Perhaps it is I, not Yoda, who has got my privileges wrong? Perhaps I am practicing my faith wrong and teaching my children questionable life lessons! The mantra of “Listen, learn much, do good, do good” that I have given to my children came from a graduate school professor who paraphrased a quote from St. Vincent de Paul: “Doing good is not enough. It must be done well.”
Perhaps, my frustration with Yoda is not that he is wrong, but rather that I believe what is more important is how something is done – not just whether it is done or not.
I believe that it often takes several attempts to do something well. Yes, it is important to perform acts of kindness; And yes, either you are doing them or you are not doing them. But how you do them matters just as much – emotion, intention, attitude and reason all matter. Ask a 9 or 6 year old to apologize to their sibling and they probably will, but it may or may not be accompanied by genuine remorse.
“You expect us to be perfect!” My 9-year-old recently declared this when I scolded my kids for not listening properly after school.
“No, I don’t want or expect perfection,” I replied cautiously. “People do some distorted things to achieve perfection – or worse, to appear perfect. What I expect is progress. I want you to listen the first time I ask you to do something. Try harder.”
This brings me to the final point. Yes, Yoda and Jesus speak in clear commands of commitments, not mere attempts; And yet, in the gospel we also find beatitude (Matthew 5). It takes work to be kind and humble, pure in heart and poor in spirit; There will be successes and failed attempts, and there will be opportunities for forgiveness when we fail or miss the mark. But thankfully, as long as we keep at it – keep forgiving, keep trying – we really get a chance to live out the holiness of the gospel. Maybe not with perfection, but at least with honesty.
Just as Luke Skywalker will grow in wisdom, age, and grace, I hope my children will do the same, even if they don’t have Yoda to guide them. As long as they keep trying, they will be great listeners, they will learn a lot and, I have no doubt, they will “do very well” – loving God, neighbor, and themselves with all that they have. Perhaps Yoda is not wrong. Perhaps I took it too literally, because trying is often the same as doing.
May the force be with you; And from your soul too.
