May the 4th Be With You: Rising Together Against Empire

Every May 4th, fans across the galaxy celebrate Star Wars — but this isn't just about lightsabers and epic space battles. At its core, Star Wars is a story about resistance. It’s about ordinary beings choosing to rise up against a brutal Empire, refusing to let fear, apathy, or despair win. Today, let's remember the spiritual heart of the Rebellion — and what it can teach us in our own time.

Let us celebrate the message within Star Wars — a saga not only of battles and planets, but of people who commit to doing what’s right when the outcome is uncertain. These stories are filled with reminders that even in the bleakest moments, we are still called to the work: to resist empire, to protect what we love, and to hold fast to one another.

✨ “Rebellions are built on hope.” – Jyn Erso, Rogue One

But they are not, are they? They are built on relationship, commitment, love, perseverence. The film "Rogue One" was entirely about a group doing what needed to be done, knowing they were almost guaranteed not to survive. Rebellions are not just built on strategy or numbers. They’re built on people who show up, who choose integrity when it costs them something, who continue even when they can’t see how things will end. The Rebellion holds because people refuse to quit — not because they’re sure they’ll win, but because they know who they are.

🌀 “The Force will be with you, always.” – Obi-Wan Kenobi, (Original Series)

This isn’t about magical power. It’s about trust. About being connected to something deeper — call it Spirit, or Source, or just the sacredness of life. Even in exile, even in ruin, the Force is with those who align themselves with justice and compassion.

💥 “I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.” – Chirrut Îmwe, Rogue One

Chirrut did not actually wield the force. He believed that all were connected through the force. A breath, a chant, a commitment. When the world feels too much, we return to this rhythm. We are not alone. Our actions matter. Even if we fall, the work continues — and we are part of something greater than ourselves.

🛡 “It’s not about fighting what we hate. It’s about saving what we love.” – Rose Tico, Last Jedi

When exhaustion and despair creep in, we remember: we aren’t just resisting. We’re protecting. We’re tending to what matters — the earth, each other, future generations. The Rebellion isn’t just opposition. It’s care, courage, and love-in-action.

🔥 "We have everything we need." – General Leia Organa, The Last Jedi

Empires rely on fear, silence, and division. But the people — when we remember our strength, when we organize, when we hold fast to our values — are more powerful than any Death Star.

General Leia Organa

So today, on May the 4th, may the Force be with you.

Not as a promise of victory, but as a companion in the long work of compassion, disruption, and repair. We are not called to be heroes — only to be faithful to the work. Whether you're a healer, a dreamer, a fighter, or a farmer: the path of resistance is yours to walk.

This is how we endure.
This is how we belong.
This is how we rise.

May the 4th be with you. And with us all.

Beloved, you are whole, holy, and worthy,

Rev. Amy