A 21st Century Christian: Chess Player, Samurai, and Doctor

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The elements of a chess player, a samurai, and a physician can be woven into a metaphor to paint an image of an effective 21st century Christian. Three legendary figures- the Chess genius Bobby Fischer, the legendary Japanese Samurai Musashi, and the Greek physician Galen are archetypes whose combined talents of what modern Christians need for spiritual battle.

Jesus said: “Be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves”(Matthew  10:16). In chess, each move is seriously planned; nothing is surrendered to chance because each move affects each phase of the game-opening, middle, and end. Thinking ahead is essential – it’s finding opportunities in making the next move. But even chess world champions are outsmarted by a Chess Computer. Why? Because all chess variations are stored in an engine. Plus the calculating speed per millisecond, we are no match with a machine.

In any endeavor, when our moves become highly predictable to the enemy, we become vulnerable to attack and counterattack. That’s where Musashi comes in – the creativity to go beyond established systems or programmed engine like a chess computer. Creativity is integral to strategy, yet much of it comes from “killer instinct”.

The Way of the Warrior

A samurai knows it’s not just skill that matters, but the way of the warrior. This is the dimension where the battle is directed not outside of oneself but inside; the samurai knows that behind the skill are his core principles. So we change the paradigm: the battle must be won inside, so as to win the outside. Plain external victory can be slippery; it can easily turn into a downfall. What does it profit to a man if he won all battles in the world but lost the battle within?

A Point of Convergence: Doctor-Philosopher

The best of warriors would always articulate about this inward dimension; hence they become teachers and doctors in an etymological sense. If the battle turns inward, then its notion is changed into a human flaw or disease that has to be corrected or cured.

Both Fischer and Musashi would converge into Galen, a doctor-philosopher in order to answer the ultimate question behind the battle. Conclusively, it would lead to the basic flaw of the human condition. This is the crux of life’s struggle. In any area or discipline, this flaw has different names. Psychologists call it neurosis; Economists label it as systemic greed. Buddhists call it desire. In a literal sense, symptoms of a terminal disease can easily be detected by ordinary people; they may provide their own pseudo diagnosis; it might be covid19 or just seasonal flu. But its accuracy can only be verified by a legitimate authority, the physician Galen with the help of his instruments.

In a deeper scheme of things, Peter Kreeft says that Buddha and Karl Marx (or we can add lots of thinkers) have seen the symptoms of human malady, but they were not able to provide an accurate diagnosis. To do so requires faith-understanding of the Judeo-Christian theology of the fall of humanity’s first parents called original sin. Otherwise, it could result in an inaccurate diagnosis, lopsided prescription, and deadly prognosis. No amount of genius or expertise can cure humanity of its own flaw. We need our Great Physician of whom “by his stripes we were healed”(Isaiah 53:5).

Priesthood

This third dimension as a physician takes place in the context of atonement which is actualized by the role of the priest. Christ, our High Priest offers Himself as a sacrifice for the atonement of sins of the human race. Each Christian is called to participate in this atonement. This is the ultimate price of discipleship – to deny one’s self, take up our cross, and follow Christ. A first-century Jew understood what carrying a cross meant, it’s headed for crucifixion. Jesus hinted to all Christians that following him means going with him to oblation as a sacrifice for the atonement of sins. It might confuse to say that Jesus has sacrificed himself once for all (Hebrews 7:27) on the cross two thousand years ago. But Jesus’ offering on the cross is co-eternal –  it retroactively happened during the fall of Adam, and is happening every day up to Christ’s second coming and beyond.

The Sacrifice

The full participation in this mystery is through the sacrifice of the Holy Mass. By the virtue of our baptism, we are called to partake in Christ’s oblation through our day-to-day struggles. Everything we do – everything, from picking up a candy wrapper to doing manual labor, from patiently bearing an insult to the extreme suffering of cancer, when we offer these to God – can become a form of atonement for others in the mystical body. The impact of intrinsic battle spans outside since we become instruments of healing for others. Only in this dimension that Musashi can fulfill his role as a samurai, not an out-of-command ronin.

Chess, Strategy, and Kingship

Chess is a good analogy of our Christian role of kingship. To respond to the times, a Christian has to do a lot of brainwork. “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones…”(Luke 16:10) …”be not foolish. Why should you die before your time?”( Ecclesiastes 7:17) “he who fears God will win through at all events.” The Christian duty of Kingship is manifested through service, “Just so the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many”(Ecclesiastes 7:18). This is the key to the “chess” dimension in our spiritual life.

Prophet: A True Warrior

Musashi is the prophet of action. Every cell of his body, each neuron of his brain is combusted with passion. The whole fiber of his nervous system is a meteor colliding into the battlefield. Think of Jeremiah. Think of John the Baptist. Most Prophets became candidates for being beheaded because they would not accept a middle ground – either you are with God or against Him. “Is your daily life a Gospel or nothing?” This is the battle cry of a Christian Musashi.

Our Christian Birthright

Just as Christ is the Only Way to the Father – His work of redemption is being accessed through the sacraments in which priesthood becomes indispensable. So, objectively, we need priests in the hierarchy. In a mystical sense, by virtue of our baptism, every Christian is a priest. This is a role that connects the other two elements, forming a tri-unity of our Christian birthright – King, Prophet, and Priest.

Application

How do we make our life like a game of chess where every move or decision matters? Just as every genius strives for excellence in his field, every Christian must strive for holiness as his ultimate goal. It’s not optional. “So be perfect – just as your heavenly Father is perfect”(Matthew 5:48). We don’t need a crystal ball to know whether we are walking in this direction. All we do is find out what’s in our hearts each time we wake up in the morning until we go to sleep at night. Do we take God seriously? Is He the center of everything we do?

God’s Checkmate

We can partake the role of Christ’s priesthood through our little self-sacrifices. This is the dimension where our battle is brought into a redemptive power of the atonement. Jesus performed miraculous feats – healing the incurable, raising the dead, stopping the storm, walking on water, etc. But these are not his checkmate to the enemy. God’s ultimate “power is made perfect when we are most weak,” (2 Corinthians 2:9) and at our darkest days when we don’t see any divine intervention. It happens the moment we cry out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”(Matthew 20:28).

Christ’s redemptive battle did not happen as in the super-hero movies. “Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.., he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.” In the eyes of the world, the Christian battle is doomed. John the Baptist was beheaded, the martyrs were executed, Christians were terminated; even Christ was crucified. God’s checkmate is a scandal: shame, rejection, torture, death, name it! Anything repulsive that is symbolized by the cross.

The Queen in Chess

Finally, in chess, the most threatening piece to the enemy is the Queen. It might appear that she is the most powerful. No, she’s not. However, she is the highest means in which the power of the King is being actualized. But the highest value rests on the King. Without him, there’s no chess.

In our spiritual life, Mary is the focal point of satan’s hatred, because she is the means from whom God’s Word took flesh to crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15). Dispossessing or not utilizing the Queen’s help in giving an advantage to the enemy and grave danger of losing the King.

Consecration: Queen’s Sacrifice

When we consecrate ourselves through the Queen’s Immaculate Heart, our sacrifices become hers – Queen’s sacrifice. In chess, a Queen Sacrifice is frightening. Christian writers say that Mary suffered much at the foot of the cross that she was like being crucified with Jesus emotionally. Jesus’ crucifixion is a Queen-Mother’s sacrifice.

End Game

In chess, when the powerful pieces are eliminated, the remaining pawns that protect other pawns have also to be protected. At this juncture, the King comes to protect the pawns directly when they are most vulnerable.

In spiritual realities, when there’s no available protection, a deeper level of protection from our King is assured. Yet, it’s baffling. Imagine the world as a gambling arena, and you must join the fight between Lamb ( Revelation 5:6) versus the dragon (Revelation 12:3). The lord in the arena told you, “Your soul is the bet. Pick which side you are in – dragon or Lamb?” Looking at the Lamb, you saw innocence, submission, and harmlessness. You didn’t see a slim chance of winning.

On the other hand, you saw the dragon. It’s frightening. There’s strength, anger, fierceness, power, and the image of invincibility. “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.” (Ephesians 6:12).

Now, “decide today whom you will serve [?]”( Philippians 2:8).

But God’s Wisdom is incomprehensibly far beyond our wildest stretch of the imagination.

The slain Lamb is the Lion of Judah[xviii], the image of Kingship and Warrior. There must be a “Divine Strategy” behind everything that has to illumine our finite Fischer mind; and a Divine Creative Dimension that has to transcend our warrior Musashi struggle.

In the face of hopelessness, total darkness, and death; even our defeat can turn into a potent force that would crush the enemy. Just as the vilest strike that slew the lamb,(Revelation 5:12) the blood-splattered became a cleansing force that defeated the enemy (Revelation 12:11). What’s in the blood? It’s a Covenant (Luke 2:20). in which we can participate with our sweat, blood, and tears. It’s self-giving. It’s Love.

The height of our chess and samurai struggles must culminate into a doctor’s medication – our role of the atoning priesthood. God’s power invades at the moment we surrender ourselves with Christ in the garden: “Not my will but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

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