Reaction to Kung Fu Panda 2

Inner peace is really what we are all looking for.  Everything else is, in the words of the soothsayer, "a cup that can never be filled."

Inner peace and power come from knowing who we are, a theme also present in the Lion King.  We come to know who we are as we 1) accept our past, 2) feel we are loved, and 3) choose who we will be.  Actually, I wish it were this simple.  But, in fact, I believe we come to know who we are by revelation.  It is a spiritual journey.  It cannot be forced, any more than you can force a seed to sprout and flower.  (But you can plant the seed, and nurture and protect it.)  It was such for Po in this movie.

And this is a weird one.  As I looked at the menacing wolves at the beginning of the film, bustling about in the foundry making cannons, I thought, What could sustain someone in such a dark and evil life?  What sustains any of us?  If we are more than just physical beings, then we need more than just physical nourishment.  Some pine away in a life of addiction, feasting on pleasures and escapes that increasingly do not last.  Some draw continual strength from prayer, fasting, the Word of God, and losing themselves in service to others.  Most of us lie somewhere in between these extremes, struggling each day to make our choice.  But I believe our power to choose is greatly affected by what we feed on, whether it be dreams and plans of comfort and security; schemes of lust and power; or entering into covenants with God, and walking in His ways.