Han Solo was one of the most compelling characters of the Star Wars saga. Whether you consider him a hero of the revolution or an enemy of the state, his was a journey worth following all the way to the end.
When we first met Han in the original Star Wars film, he was hanging out in a bar with his…um, “peers.” Obi-Wan Kenobi described the Mos Eisley Cantina as “a wretched hive of scum and villainy.” Han seemed to belong in that hive. Cheat, braggart, smuggler, ruthless: That’s the Han we met.
And, he was a liar.
Wait. What? Sure: cheat, braggart, smuggler, even ruthless. (After all, Han shot first.***) But liar? Where did that come from?
In the scene, Han bragged to Luke and Obi-Wan that his spaceship was more than fast enough to meet their needs. He claimed, "It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs."
Astronomers and astrophysicists everywhere shuddered.
Scientifically speaking, that can’t possibly be how fast the spaceship made the Kessel Run. A parsec is just a measurement of distance, not speed. One parsec is roughly 3.26 light-years (about 19 trillion miles). So, if Han wasn't bragging about the speed of his ship, what did he mean?
Well, the Internet is full of answers.
Many serious scientists have weighed in on this, and their answers run the gamut. One theory suggests that Han took a short-cut through a dangerous region of space to reduce the distance, an action a more risk-averse pilot would not take. One scientist talked of wormholes (or hyperspace). One even wrote a very learned paper on why it had to be time-travel.
The situation is similar to what happens when we read the words of Jesus, especially when He tells a parable as He did in this week’s Luke passage. We often get caught up in the details of the parable—completely missing the reason Jesus told it.
In the case of Han Solo, it’s unlikely there will ever be an answer that is acceptable to everyone; however, Star Wars author, George Lucas, is on record with his answer. (
And who knows better than the author?
We have a similar situation in this week's Gospel passage, which opens with: "Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart.“
What are we supposed to make of the hard-hearted judge and the widow who pesters him? There are only eight verses, but the debates about the meaning of this parable are, seemingly, infinite. Is the judge God? Are we the widow? Are we supposed to act like the judge? Should we seek justice like the widow—keep pestering until we get our way? Is it important for us to figure out who her adversary is, so we can apply it to our lives? And what is Jesus trying to tell us with that last statement about faith? Or was the parable told just for the benefit of the twelve apostles, and not for us?
On and on the debates go...all of it, in my opinion, missing the point.
Luke indicates the purpose right there in the very first verse. If you read the parable and come away with any other meaning than we "should always pray and not lose heart," then you have drifted from what Jesus meant for His audience to take away from the parable.
And who knows better than the author?
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***Memory refresher-Han & Greedo in the Cantina:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjGZ8ABEFhI
Script note indicating Han Solo was lying about the 12 parsecs:
https://imsdb.com/scripts/Star-Wars-A-New-Hope.html
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DaySpring continues to meet for Lectionary Breakfast every Friday morning at Our Breakfast Place and on Zoom.** Join us at 8:00 for some excellent earth-based foods and some celestial discussions.
Astrophysicists are welcome but must limit themselves to language we can all understand.
Blessings,
Steve
**Contact me for the Zoom link
NOTE: Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts.php?id=284
Print them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/pdf//Cx_Proper24.pdf
Jeremiah 31:27-34
Psalm 119:97-104
Genesis 32:22-31
Psalm 121
2 Timothy 3:14-4:5
Luke 18:1-8
Proper 24 (29) (October 16, 2022)
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