There has never been a better time to be a fan of superhero movies. Earlier this year, audiences were thrilled by the epic blockbuster Avengers: Endgame, introduced to a new female hero in Captain Marvel and enjoyed a lighthearted take on the genre with Shazam!

The superhero streak continues this month, as fans get a second instalment in Marvel’s Spider-Man series with Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Under Attack
In the first film in the series, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man (Tom Holland) learns the crime-fighting ropes from Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), while trying to keep his superhero identity under wraps.

At the end of the film, however, his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) discovers who he really is, and as Far From Home gets underway, we see how Spider-Man is using his newfound fame for good. His aunt recruits him to lend a hand at a Salvation Army fundraiser she has organized in support of people who are homeless. It seems our web-slinging hero is just as committed to defending the vulnerable as he is to defending the world.

Spider-Man supports a fundraiser for a Salvation Army homeless shelter in Far From Home

But, at heart, Peter is still just an awkward teenager. And at the beginning of Far From Home, he is ready for a vacation. Leaving the Avengers and his spider suit behind, he heads off to Europe on a high-school class trip, making stops in London, Venice and Prague.

“I just want to go on a trip with my friends,” Peter says. “Europe doesn’t really need a friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man.”

But it turns out, Peter is wrong. Because Europe is under attack.

Just as he’s starting to relax, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), former director of the S.H.I.E.L.D. law enforcement agency, shows up in his hotel room. Fury wastes no time in recruiting Peter to fight against the Elementals, a mysterious group of four world-destroying creatures.

“I think Nick Fury just hijacked our summer vacation,” Peter laments.

It’s a good thing his Aunt May has packed the spider suit for him.

Joining Spider-Man and Fury in the fight is Quentin Beck, aka Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), who was also recruited by Fury because of his supposed expertise on the Elementals. Comic book readers will recognize Mysterio as a classic Spider-Man villain. So is he really friend or foe? Peter doesn’t know.

Despite Peter’s desire for a break, it’s clear that staying out of the fray isn’t an option. People are suffering. The fate of the world hangs in the balance.

"You’ve got gifts, Parker,” Fury tells him. “But you have a job to do. Are you going to step up, or not?”

The Right Path
Peter Parker is hardly the first person to want to run away from a tough mission. As Peter tries to avoid his superhero duties by going on vacation, the Bible is full of people who tried to run away from what God wanted them to do.

When God asked Jonah to share His message with the people in Nineveh, Jonah hopped on a ship and went as far in the other direction as possible (see Jonah 1:1-3).

When God told Moses to confront the Pharaoh in Egypt and demand that he release the Israelite people from slavery, Moses said, “Send someone else” (see Exodus 4:13).

It’s a good thing that God is patient and He never gives up on us. Sometimes He shows up in the most unexpected places, to “hijack” our lives and put us on the right path. Though they were initially reluctant, both Jonah and Moses stepped up and obeyed God, and countless people were saved as a result.

Everyday Heroes
It doesn’t matter who you are—you don’t have to be Spider-Man to be a hero. But there’s something to that “friendly neighbourhood” part. What are the needs in your neighbourhood? How can you love others and make a difference in the world around you?

It could be supporting a Salvation Army homeless shelter, as Spider-Man does in Far From Home. It could be welcoming a family of newcomers on your street, or volunteering at the local food bank. As Mother Teresa once said, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

Be an everyday hero. The world is waiting.

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Giving Hope Today

It’s no surprise that Spider-Man would be a supporter of The Salvation Army. Across Canada and Bermuda, and in 131 countries worldwide, the Army is giving hope to people in need.

More than 1.7 million people were helped by The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda last year.

3.2 million free meals were served at shelters and in feeding programs.

7,300 shelter, addictions, detox and mental-health beds were provided each night.

21,000 people were helped when an emergency or natural disaster struck.

130,354 “everyday heroes” volunteered with the Army, contributing 1,130,965 hours of their time.