Hasta La Vista, Baby!
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series IV Cycle C
The Marines have been in the headlines in recent years, and the publicity has not always been positive. Over 19,000 Marines are stationed in Okinawa, the largest contingent of the Corps outside the U.S. A couple of years ago, a 23-year-old Marine was held in two arson cases, and a 21-year-old corporal was detained on charges that he had molested a sixteen-year-old girl. Many felt that something was wrong with the Corps.
Then James Jones had an idea.
Thirty-four years ago, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jones was a platoon commander in Vietnam. He saw South Korean marines doing tae kwon do and noticed that his own men were afraid of them. He had also heard that the Viet Cong tried to stay away from areas that were patrolled by the South Koreans.
He wondered why the marines had absolutely no martial arts training. He decided to do something about it. In 1986 he started a martial arts training program in his battalion at Camp Pendleton, California. After he did so, he found that alcohol-related incidents dropped off, as did the frequency of off-base disturbances.
Today, every Marine is required to learn Asian martial arts. The goal is to help recruits blend the physical with the mental. Marines, more than ever, are now being called on to serve as peacekeepers. They need to know how to react in certain situations, and to learn also not to overreact.
Today's Marine is equivalent to the medieval knight or the Japanese samurai warrior. There is a certain mystique that is embodied by the word "marine." Jones wants his boys to carry forward the aura of invincibility without needing to use the force of which they are capable. There's no lack of testosterone in the Corps. The problem is to harness it; to know when to be aggressive and when to take the measure of the situation.
Like Jesus was doing during his famous temptation by the devil in the dry, dusty mountains east of Jerusalem. He had already been in this hot, freeze-dried desert for a number of days, if not weeks. Then the devil appeared with a few suggestions, or temptations.
Notice how restrained Jesus is. He must have had some martial arts experience. He has the power. He has the energy. He could have told the devil in his best Schwarzeneggerian tone: "You're toast." He could've called for a smart bomb that would've vaporized the dude on the spot, and said, "Hasta la vista, baby."
But instead, he demurs, knowing his strength, and simply says: "One does not live by bread alone." Or, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
Perhaps we, too, overreact in temptation and testing. We want God to give us a grand gesture. We want laser-guided precision. We want, in fact, the easy way out.
Instead, God wants us to understand that we have the power -- more than enough to withstand any temptation that comes our way.
Then James Jones had an idea.
Thirty-four years ago, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Jones was a platoon commander in Vietnam. He saw South Korean marines doing tae kwon do and noticed that his own men were afraid of them. He had also heard that the Viet Cong tried to stay away from areas that were patrolled by the South Koreans.
He wondered why the marines had absolutely no martial arts training. He decided to do something about it. In 1986 he started a martial arts training program in his battalion at Camp Pendleton, California. After he did so, he found that alcohol-related incidents dropped off, as did the frequency of off-base disturbances.
Today, every Marine is required to learn Asian martial arts. The goal is to help recruits blend the physical with the mental. Marines, more than ever, are now being called on to serve as peacekeepers. They need to know how to react in certain situations, and to learn also not to overreact.
Today's Marine is equivalent to the medieval knight or the Japanese samurai warrior. There is a certain mystique that is embodied by the word "marine." Jones wants his boys to carry forward the aura of invincibility without needing to use the force of which they are capable. There's no lack of testosterone in the Corps. The problem is to harness it; to know when to be aggressive and when to take the measure of the situation.
Like Jesus was doing during his famous temptation by the devil in the dry, dusty mountains east of Jerusalem. He had already been in this hot, freeze-dried desert for a number of days, if not weeks. Then the devil appeared with a few suggestions, or temptations.
Notice how restrained Jesus is. He must have had some martial arts experience. He has the power. He has the energy. He could have told the devil in his best Schwarzeneggerian tone: "You're toast." He could've called for a smart bomb that would've vaporized the dude on the spot, and said, "Hasta la vista, baby."
But instead, he demurs, knowing his strength, and simply says: "One does not live by bread alone." Or, "It is said, 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.' "
Perhaps we, too, overreact in temptation and testing. We want God to give us a grand gesture. We want laser-guided precision. We want, in fact, the easy way out.
Instead, God wants us to understand that we have the power -- more than enough to withstand any temptation that comes our way.
