Finding God in the Pandemic #4
Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 10, 2020
1 Peter 2: 1-10
In 1981, a book was published that rocketed to the top of the New York Times list of bestselling books. It was a religious book, very different from the usual genre of books that make it to a bestsellers list.
Written by a Jewish rabbi, Harold Kushner, the book chronicled the story of his son. At the age of 14, Aaron died from "progeria". Progeria is a disease where a person ages very rapidly and by 14, Aaron had passed away.
As Aaron's father moved through the grief that had ravaged his family, he wrote the book that has touched the lives of all who suffer, which, of course, is all of us. Kushner entitled his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People.
Kushner, who as rabbi of a temple in Massachusetts had counselled many of his members in their own suffering, was now facing his own personal tragedy. Rabbi Kushner tells his story in language that all of us can understand. As readers we listen to the details of Aaron's life, and we feel the anguish that tormented his family.
What happened to make Kushner's book so profound and what made it so helpful for people who were in the midst of their own valleys? "I wrestled with the existence of God," Kushner says. "As a rabbi I've seen people gather to pray for folks who were sick. Some lived, and people felt it was their prayers that had made the difference." But as Kushner relates, some people died, and the members of his temple wondered, "What was the difference?"
Kushner states, "If we believe in God we have to struggle with who this God is. Is God all powerful (omnipotent) and at the same time all caring? Or is God one and not the other?"
Kushner concludes that God is good but not all powerful. God weeps at the brokenness of life, but God's power is limited. God didn't save Aaron. Don't expect God to extract any of us from the difficulties that we face. Is Kushner right? God is good, but God is not great.
Into the middle of this theological conundrum walks some words from the lectionary readings for today. First Peter, for me one of those shadowy documents near the end of the New Testament, offers some insight. In the second chapter of 1 Peter, the writer uses metaphors to describe the identity of the followers of Jesus. Basically, the message of 1 Peter is that disciples of the Christ are God's "new creation". In the first two verses, the writer employs the image of a mother nursing her infant. Instead of asking us to hear or to see, 1 Peter uses the sense of taste to describe the relationship of Jesus to us. Jesus is like a mother holding us close to herself. For those of us who are still holding on to a God who is both omnipotent and caring, this verse does say that Jesus is Lord, and that in Jesus, we know that God is good.
Frankly, the Bible seems to argue with itself about the nature of God, and each of us has to decide where our belief will land. What is the thrust of the whole Bible saying to us about the care and power of God. We can't build a ladder of reasoning where we finally reach the top rung, look down and say, "Now I understand why bad things happen to good people".
Some suffering is caused by humans themselves. For example, our failure to curb carbon emissions is creating our own death chamber. But much suffering seems random. The COVID-19 virus doesn't pass over the houses of good people. Perhaps, there is a reason that the virus first started; maybe, steps to intervene should have come earlier. But for someone on a ventilator struggling to breathe, assigning blame is no comfort to her. For people who need to frame all of life in rational terms, human suffering doesn't seem to fit neatly into any frame.
The Bible offers us one way to know - call it "faith" or "trust in God". For me, this is a way to "know". Faith can't be taken to the lab and proved. As the theologian Paul Tillich reminds us, "It is a leap of faith."
Believe me, I empathize with Rabbi Kushner and try to feel the pain of what it is to lose a child. I respect his thoughtful way of dealing with the death of Aaron and the larger problem of suffering. However, I choose to take another path. It is the path that recognizes the terrible suffering in our world. By no means do I pretend to have a corner on the truth about God and all of the ways that God may work. I have been a pastor long enough to know that my words are limited in the face of people's suffering. However, in the final analysis, I stake my life on a God who is both all-caring and all-powerful.
For faith to be faith, it must embrace our fears, uncertainties, our doubts, and even our anger. God has to be big enough to hear our questions as well as our affirmation. "I believe; help my unbelief."
May 10, 2020
1 Peter 2: 1-10
In 1981, a book was published that rocketed to the top of the New York Times list of bestselling books. It was a religious book, very different from the usual genre of books that make it to a bestsellers list.
Written by a Jewish rabbi, Harold Kushner, the book chronicled the story of his son. At the age of 14, Aaron died from "progeria". Progeria is a disease where a person ages very rapidly and by 14, Aaron had passed away.
As Aaron's father moved through the grief that had ravaged his family, he wrote the book that has touched the lives of all who suffer, which, of course, is all of us. Kushner entitled his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People.
Kushner, who as rabbi of a temple in Massachusetts had counselled many of his members in their own suffering, was now facing his own personal tragedy. Rabbi Kushner tells his story in language that all of us can understand. As readers we listen to the details of Aaron's life, and we feel the anguish that tormented his family.
What happened to make Kushner's book so profound and what made it so helpful for people who were in the midst of their own valleys? "I wrestled with the existence of God," Kushner says. "As a rabbi I've seen people gather to pray for folks who were sick. Some lived, and people felt it was their prayers that had made the difference." But as Kushner relates, some people died, and the members of his temple wondered, "What was the difference?"
Kushner states, "If we believe in God we have to struggle with who this God is. Is God all powerful (omnipotent) and at the same time all caring? Or is God one and not the other?"
Kushner concludes that God is good but not all powerful. God weeps at the brokenness of life, but God's power is limited. God didn't save Aaron. Don't expect God to extract any of us from the difficulties that we face. Is Kushner right? God is good, but God is not great.
Into the middle of this theological conundrum walks some words from the lectionary readings for today. First Peter, for me one of those shadowy documents near the end of the New Testament, offers some insight. In the second chapter of 1 Peter, the writer uses metaphors to describe the identity of the followers of Jesus. Basically, the message of 1 Peter is that disciples of the Christ are God's "new creation". In the first two verses, the writer employs the image of a mother nursing her infant. Instead of asking us to hear or to see, 1 Peter uses the sense of taste to describe the relationship of Jesus to us. Jesus is like a mother holding us close to herself. For those of us who are still holding on to a God who is both omnipotent and caring, this verse does say that Jesus is Lord, and that in Jesus, we know that God is good.
Frankly, the Bible seems to argue with itself about the nature of God, and each of us has to decide where our belief will land. What is the thrust of the whole Bible saying to us about the care and power of God. We can't build a ladder of reasoning where we finally reach the top rung, look down and say, "Now I understand why bad things happen to good people".
Some suffering is caused by humans themselves. For example, our failure to curb carbon emissions is creating our own death chamber. But much suffering seems random. The COVID-19 virus doesn't pass over the houses of good people. Perhaps, there is a reason that the virus first started; maybe, steps to intervene should have come earlier. But for someone on a ventilator struggling to breathe, assigning blame is no comfort to her. For people who need to frame all of life in rational terms, human suffering doesn't seem to fit neatly into any frame.
The Bible offers us one way to know - call it "faith" or "trust in God". For me, this is a way to "know". Faith can't be taken to the lab and proved. As the theologian Paul Tillich reminds us, "It is a leap of faith."
Believe me, I empathize with Rabbi Kushner and try to feel the pain of what it is to lose a child. I respect his thoughtful way of dealing with the death of Aaron and the larger problem of suffering. However, I choose to take another path. It is the path that recognizes the terrible suffering in our world. By no means do I pretend to have a corner on the truth about God and all of the ways that God may work. I have been a pastor long enough to know that my words are limited in the face of people's suffering. However, in the final analysis, I stake my life on a God who is both all-caring and all-powerful.
For faith to be faith, it must embrace our fears, uncertainties, our doubts, and even our anger. God has to be big enough to hear our questions as well as our affirmation. "I believe; help my unbelief."
Live simply,
Love generously,
Care deeply,
Speak kindly,
Listen reverently,
Pray daily,
And then... leave the rest to God.
I agree with you Pastor.........we have both lost loved ones..........take care my friend.......
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