In 1977, Star Wars took the world by storm, and Chris, who was seven at the time, found his first love. He talks to Father Niko about his love of the original blockbuster trilogy as The Empire Strikes Back celebrates its 40th anniversary. Father explains that as a child, he “didn’t get” the movie, but as the years went on, it became his favorite. Father Niko talks about the challenge of his days at the seminary, which he calls “Orthodox Boot Camp.” He relates his seminary challenges to Luke’s training at Dagobah. The exercises -both spiritual and mental – that Luke experienced can be metaphors for the Christian journey. The notion of free will and the temptation of the Dark side is an essential part of the Jedi religion. It can be viewed as a reflection of a Christian’s journey during Lent, a time to focus our energies and mental faculties.