Faith & Film

Palm Sunday (A)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Triumph and Tragedy

Palm Sunday (A)

Million Dollar Baby is a 2004 sports drama film that tells the story of an underdog female boxer, Maggie Fitzgerald, who seeks the help of a seasoned trainer named Frankie Dunn to turn her life around. The film is both a triumph and a tragedy in many ways, as it shows how Maggie’s hard work and perseverance are finally rewarded with a championship title but also depicts the heartbreaking decisions that lead to her tragic end. Similarly, the story of Jesus as depicted in Matthew 21:1-11 shows a triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where people call him the Messiah and praise him with palm branches, but this moment of triumph is short-lived, leading to Jesus’ tragic death.

In Million Dollar Baby, Maggie’s triumph comes after years of training and hard work. She starts off as a waitress who dreams of becoming a boxer but knows nothing about the sport. Her journey is not an easy one, as she has to overcome societal and personal barriers to achieve her goal. Her struggle parallels that of Jesus, who had to come to earth as a newly born baby, grow up and work hard to build his following even as the religious and political authorities of the day sought to undermine him at every turn.

Maggie’s success is not just about fame and fortune, but rather about her sense of self-worth, which she had been lacking for most of her life. The triumph of self-affirmation is hard-fought and well-earned, as she overcomes her humble beginnings and proves to herself and her trainer that she is a worthy boxer. Similarly, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem is not just about his popularity or fame, but about his prophetic mission to establish a new Kingdom that will change the world forever.

However, just as Maggie’s success is quickly followed by tragedy in the film, so too is Jesus’ triumph rapidly snuffed out by the political and religious forces that opposed him. In Matthew 21:1-11, Jesus rides into the city on a donkey, welcomed by a crowd of followers who hail him as the long-awaited one, chanting “Hosanna to the son of David.” But within a few days, he finds himself arrested, tried and sentenced to death by crucifixion. The ultimate tragedy of his death is something that both his friends and enemies did not expect or plan for.

The circumstances that lead to Maggie’s tragic end are also unexpected and unplanned, as she suffers an accident in the boxing ring that leaves her paralyzed from the neck down. Her decision to end her own life through euthanasia is a truly heart-wrenching moment, with her trainer Frankie making the difficult choice to grant her wish out of love for her.

While the triumph and tragedy in Million Dollar Baby and the story of Jesus are very different in terms of their historical setting and context, there are some overlaps in terms of the themes of perseverance, faith, and self-worth. Both stories show how hard work and perseverance can pay off in the face of adversity, and how faith can help one overcome the challenges of life.

In the case of Maggie, it is her faith in Frankie and her belief in herself as a boxer that allows her to persevere through the difficulties that come with training and competing. She never lets her lack of experience or skill discourage her from pursuing her dreams, and the love and support of those around her help give her the strength to keep going.

This is similar to the way in which Jesus persisted in fulfilling his mission despite widespread opposition and even persecution from the authorities. He had a deep faith in God’s will and purpose for his life, and this gave him the courage to face whatever obstacles came his way.

In both stories, there is a sense that the triumph and tragedy are inextricably linked, that one cannot exist without the other. Maggie’s success is only meaningful because of the tremendous obstacles she had to overcome to achieve it, and her death serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the need to cherish each moment given to us. Similarly, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem only foreshadows the tragedy that will soon follow, the tragic irony of a Messiah who comes in peace, but is ultimately destroyed by hatred and violence.