Ok, so this was the easy part. When researching this reflection, seeing that the text included the unexplainable deaths of the Galileans who were killed by Pilate, and those who suffered from the collapse of a tower, it was easy to find a couple of modern day equivalents. We need to look no further than the earthquakes in Haiti and Chili to find unexplainable suffering.
It was also easy to find someone who would answer “Yes” to the question, “where those people worse sinners than us;” in essence, “did they deserve what they got?” A quick Google search revealed Pat Robertson declaring that the Haitian people were paying the consequences of making a pact with the Devil so that the French would leave their nation. Pat makes my reflection writing so easy sometimes. As predicted, he has certainly said something stupid and wrong, and I have the great fortune of quoting him, calling him horrible, and then pointing to myself as a wonderful, caring, smart man.
But, maybe his presence makes things too easy. Maybe his outlandish comments allow us to change the subject too quickly and we do not take a serious look at some of the natural instincts that we have when we face tragedy of great magnitude.
One of our first responses to a tragedy, such as the earthquakes, is one of care and assistance. This is good. This is Christ working in us at its finest. The need for morning $4 coffees and other luxuries goes out the window right away and people try to help the best they can.
But, lingering behind the aid is always the question, “Why?” And though none of us would ever go on television and say that a bunch of impoverished people deserved what they got because of what their government did years ago to free themselves from colonialism, you cannot stop the question, “Why, did they deserve it?” from flying through your head. It is in there before you even know it.
Psychologists have actually studied this phenomena and documented it. They did a study in which they showed a number of people a video with a mom doing something normal, such as baking with her daughter. They asked half the group what they thought of the mother. Of course, they got answers such as, “you can see they love each other,” “she is a good mother for taking time to do such a neat thing,” etc. But, the scientists told the other half that the mother died soon after that video was shot. Then they asked what the group thought of the mother. And, shockingly to us, but predicted by the psychologists, the majority of the people started to pick on the mother; how she did not smile as much as she should, how she did not pay attention like she should, etc. When grappling with great suffering, it is practically human to ask “why” and to wonder if the person or people suffering were worse than we.
Jesus answers differently than Pat Robertson and differently from our natural instincts. Jesus’ immediate answer is “No.” No, they were no worse than anyone else. Sometimes bad things just happen. There is nothing to be done about it. The victims are not necessarily any worse than the survivors. “No,” they did not deserve what they got. “No.”
And, I would love to end the reflection right there. It does not answer the question of “why,” but it does give an answer to some of our worst tendencies when disaster happens.
However, Jesus just has to ruin everything by addressing the other matter. Yes, it is the other subject that pops in our head when we are faced with tragedy. It is the one that sends people into churches after calamity hits and sends people into personal turmoil as they try to deal with death when it lurks so close.
Jesus remarks, “No, [They are no worse than you, but,] I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all perish as they did.” They may seem harsh Pat Robertsonish words, but they are the other ones that pop in our head. In our language today, they take a form that goes like, “Wow, death can strike anyone at any time. Have I done what is wanted to get done…have I become who I wanted to become before the end of my life?”
Life is fragile. Life can be taken from a four year old as easily as it can be taken from a 90 year old. Just because tragedy has not taken us out, does not mean we are privileged. It can happen at any time. Have I become the child of God that I have always desired to be? These are questions that fade into the background of everyday noises, but they are still there. And, if people do not deserve the tragedies that befall them, then we cannot ignore these questions.
The gardener has not yet cut down the tree. The gardener is everyday placing fertilizer around the roots so that it might grow to a great height and produce wonderful fruit. However, it might be cut down if it does not produce fruit. Or, lightening might strike it. But, grace is being heaped up on the roots. Hopefully, the tree will find joy in what it has been given and produce fruit that will feed everything and everyone around it.
The question, “what have I done to show that in am a child of God?” is a good question. It is not one that we should stuff away for later because, in exploring its answer, we will find the grace that has been heaped upon our roots; and in finding the grace heaped there, those around us will enjoy our fruits. Why would we want to stuff that sort of joy away? God, is not willing to stop trying to make us grow, why should we?
All Scripture quotes are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyrighted, 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and is used by permission. All rights reserved.
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