Three Thousand Reasons To Live

By Pastor Vinnie MacIsaac

There are three thousand reasons you should live and only one reason to die.

Tony Stark, is also known as Ironman in the Marvel movies, based on the Marvel Comics Avengers franchise. As a fan of the both the movies and the comics, I know well that Tony Stark has always been a man haunted by his own inner demons and flaws. Pride, alcoholism, and attempting to walk in his father’s footsteps have always been chief obstacles for Tony to overcome. But make no mistake, our Tony Stark is a hero and he has repeatedly overcome such existential struggles, to rush in and save us all.

However, in the 2019, Endgame, which followed up the epic fan favorite Infinity Wars, there was, to use a pun, a “Stark” change in Tony. Ever needing to prove himself, Tony has always been willing to sacrifice himself for his team, city, or world, from the very start of it all. Sure he played at being a snarky, boastful, self-absorbed billionaire but we all knew, since the first Avengers movie Tony was willing to give it all up to stop Loki’s celestial onslaught of Aliens from invading New York City and taking over the whole world. If it included stopping the Mandarin, Fin Fan Foom, Whiplash, Crimson Dynamo, MODOK, Justin Hammer or the Bottle itself, fans of the comics and movies could always count on Tony to be up to finding the hidden strength to eventually self-sacrifice for the greater good of all; or at least he was until Endgame.

Suddenly, in Endgame, our hero did not want to die anymore. Whoever heard of a self-sacrificing Super Hero who wanted to stay home rather than die saving the world? All the other heroes were a go! The Hulk, Antman, Captain America, Black Widow, even a grossly out of shape Thor were ready to rumble with time and set the world right again. Tony, however, refused to play. What had changed? Tony has a child. And he loves his child too much to risk erasing her from history, by changing time.

Reading her a bedtime story, he kisses her on the forehead and says, “I love you tons”

But she replies, “I love you 3000.” Tony smiles, but in the smile, you see his pain. You see he knows that one of the two of them is going to have to be sacrificed if the world is going to be made right again. The cost of the “fixing the world” is the separation of child and father. In my mind, I can see that scene in the movie and as a father, it hurts to even think of the pain of not being with your child in all the important parts of life. He does not want it. He does not want to save the world at that moment if this is the cost. He wants to love his daughter back 3000; I can’t blame him. Shutting off the lamp, he looks back at her and says, “3000, that is crazy.” Still, he knows, love like hers deserves to exist in a “fixed” world.

The Garden of Gethsemane is still present on the Mount of Olives. Locals claim that these very trees are from the same roots of the trees from the time of Jesus.

One night, in the Garden of Gethsemane a son had to decide to be “Stark”, and to face what had to be done even though he had 3000 reasons not to do it. He did not want to be separated from his Father. He did not want to lose his connection with God. He did not want to make the sacrifice that would fix the world if it was to cost the breaking up of his family.

“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” But the disciples could not stay awake; even after being repeatedly awakened. You see, the truth about being a real hero is that sometimes your teammates let you down. Sometimes your teammates can’t cut the sacrifice. Sometimes it has to be you, and you alone, that has to fix the world.

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he cried out, and returning back to prayer he pleaded with his father, “Abba, (that is to say, Daddy) Father,” he said, “Everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.”

But Jesus knew the truth even as he spoke those words. He knew the truth, just like Tony Stark knew the truth as he said, “3000, that is crazy.” You see, crazy or not, there will always be 3000 thousand reasons to live and love. I mean it makes sense. It is not just about survival it is about love, —  love that passes all comprehension. When I think of my child, my son, what would I sacrifice to not have to leave him alone in this world?

I get why Tony Stark can’t let go of his daughter, Morgan, to save the world. Not only do I get it, I don’t blame him. Love is a more powerful motivation to live than simple survival. The Apostle Paul said, “Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.” It is not easy to give up life, let alone to give up life with real love.

Tony Stark, had 3000 reasons, in his daughter Morgan, to want to go on living. But he only had one reason to die. No one else could pull off time travel, try as they might. And, in the end, no one else could pull off the “snap” that would fix the world. Tony knew, even his love for Morgan was not enough for her, if she had to grow up in a forever- broken world. If he was really going to be her hero, he had to do the right thing. The problem is that in a broken world the right thing always comes at a real cost with lasting hurt.

If the love of a five-year-old daughter for her father is quotative by the number 3000 how much would be the love of God between Him and His only begotten Son?

Jesus, had many more than 3000 reasons to live; but he had only one good reason to die. You.

You won. You mattered. At the end of the day, Jesus confessed, “Not my will, but Thy will,” because the Father knew that even his love for Jesus was not enough for Jesus, without you.

What are you going to do with that love?

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5

“3000, that’s crazy!”

Be crazy.

Love like Jesus.

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