Christians are the Samurais of the Lord Jesus Christ - Vigilantly Waiting for the Lord's Return, while Remaining On Guard
I am sure you wonder what Bushido – the
way of samurai or the code of samurai – has to do with teachings of Jesus. As a
Japanese Catholic, with samurai ancestral roots, I cannot help but discern
similarities across Jesus’ teachings on inheriting the Kingdom (salvation) and
the cost of the discipleship, and Bushido.
In my blog entry, “Costly Grace in
Bushido-like the Christian Discipleship - A Reflection of the Scripture Reading
on the 12th Sunday Year C” on 6/25/13, I indicated how Jesus’ teaching on
self-denial and embracing a prospect of martyrdom (carrying a cross) as
conditions to be his disciples is similar to certain teachings of Bushido. Now,
with the 19th Sunday Gospel reading (Luke 12:32-48), I see more
resemblances between Jesus’ teaching and Bushido teaching.
In this Lucan narrative on Jesus’
teaching on the end of time with Christ’s return, judgement and inheriting the
Kingdom, Jesus emphasizes on the importance of vigilance in our waiting for
this time. This is also to guide us to better understand the Book of
Revelation, which prophesizes the end of time and transition into the New Eden,
transcending the reality of chronos into the reality of kairos.
Being ready to respond to any intruders
and invaders at any time is what a samurai strives for. A great invincible samurai
of the 17th century, Miyamoto Musashi, was known for his relentless
sword practice not only to stay alert but also to keep honing his swordsmanship
– even there seemed no threat at all. To samurais like Musashi, even a moment
of falling off-guard means a sign of defeat.
The Jesus’ teaching on perpetual
vigilance in the Gospel message (Luke 12:32-48) really echoes this Bushido’s
teaching of constant alertness.
“If we snooze, we lose”, is indeed a lesson
from the Gospel message. To put this popular saying in the context of the Jesus’
teaching in the Gospel, “if we snooze, then, we lose a chance to inherit the
Kingdom of God”, while putting it in light of Bushido is, “if you snooze, you
get killed by your enemy.”
These words of Paul really help us
further appreciate the Jesus’ teaching on vigilance – his encouragement for us
to be great spiritual samurais, while waiting for his return, Parousia:
“Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm
against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not
with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the
world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be
able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your
ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in
truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and
your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In
all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all [the] flaming arrows
of the evil one. And take the helmet of
salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Ephesians 6:10-17
For us, the faithful, spiritual samurais for the Lord Jesus
Christ, our mature and steadfast faith keeps us as alert and vigilant, while
waiting for the Lord’s return to us. While
waiting, we may have to fight any temptation to derails us from the path of
steadfast vigilance and alertness – so that the devil, our enemy, can take over
us, before our Lord Jesus Christ’s return. To ensure that we overcome such
temptations and attacks by devil, we put the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11, 13) and perpetually execute
the virtues (prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance – Four Cardinal
Justice, CCC 1805-1809, along with the theological virtues, faith, hope, and
charity – CCC 1812-1829), in conjunction with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1
Corinthians 12:8-10), as Miyamoto Musashi’s sword exercises.
This is how we remain as vigilant servants awaiting the Lord
in order to inherit the Kingdom upon his return. Bushido is a way to better
understand this teaching of Jesus.
The Feast of Assumption and the End
of Time that We are Awaiting Vigilantly
Now, the solemn feast of Assumption (Mary being assumed into
heaven with her body and soul) , August 15, falls in the week of the 19th
Sunday, this year – 2013.
It’s no coincidence that the Assumption is a preview of the
end of time that the 19th Sunday Gospel reading also alludes to.
As long as we steadfastly remain faithfully vigilant in
waiting for the Lord’s return as samurais do, exercising the virtues and gifts
of the Holy Spirit, as Miyamoto Musashi’s sword practice, we will be also
raised from the dead as Mary was assumed into heaven. To appreciate this
connection, I suggest you to read the 19th Sunday Gospel (Luke
12:32-48) together with 1 Corinthians 15:13-18, 42-44 and Revelation
20:11-21:4).
Because Mary is the only full human with the full of grace, she
was born immaculate (immaculate conception), conceived the Son of God, Jesus,
and gave him the virgin birth, and assumed into heaven with her body and soul
all together before the end of time (Assumption). Our
turn to be raised with our dead bodies will come at the end of time, and it
will be just like the resurrection of Christ, the Ascension of Christ, and the
Assumption of Mary. Even though the flesh of our corpses may be long gone by
then, they will be restored by God’s mysterious power in our rising – as long
as we remain to be Christ’s vigilant samurais until we die.
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