Thursday, April 18, 2024
The Rev. Rob Stevens
Tragedy, Suffering & Resurrection
In the wake of the seemingly endless tragedies is not hard to understand why people ask, “Where is God and why so much suffering?” It is also very difficult to remember that we are “Easter People.” Being “Easter People” is about celebrating and practicing resurrection, but what does that word mean in a world like this? One of the best definitions that I have for resurrection in times like these is, “Resurrection is what happens after we think that we cannot go on…and we do anyway.” This is not a passive approach to resurrection or one that assumes that resurrection is a one time reality that happens only when we physically die. This definition makes resurrection an active and daily approach to life. This may seem a bit stark, but it is real and it has grip. Think about this past month. Think about the suffering either you have had to endure or sufferings that you have witnessed others endure. It is traumatic and causes wounds that take time to heal…and yet we continue.
Anne Lamott, writer and in my opinion contemporary saint, writes this about her understanding of suffering and resurrection, "Rubble is the ground on which our deepest friendships are built. If you haven’t already, you will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and you never completely get over the loss of a deeply beloved person. But this is also good news. The person lives forever, in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through, and you learn to dance with the banged-up heart. You dance to the absurdities of life; you dance to the minuet of old friendships."
Last month reminded me (again) that we need to give up the illusion that if we did all the right things at all the right times, we could somehow avoid suffering. Suffering just is. Our life is about how we respond. We are given an invitation to respond with resurrection. Jesus invites us to practice the presence of God, to practice resurrection…no matter what the situation. This world needs people who do more that simply state, “We believe.” This world needs people and communities that will live lives that reflect hope in the face of suffering. I am never more acutely aware of the need for community than in the face of tragedy and suffering. Whether we are first responders or those praying in the distance we all have a crucial role to play in this life. Our call as God’s children is not to pretend that darkness does not exist, but rather to shine God’s Light brightly to overcome it.
My prayer for myself and indeed for us all is that we will remember that we have the choice daily to be bearers of light and that while suffering is an ever-present reality may we resist the temptation to repay evil with evil. We are resurrection people and people who say that we believe the Good News that “Love Wins.” Join with me in praying this and that every day we will live lives that reflect our faith.