TRINITY IV 2008

“I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed unto us” (Rom. 8.18).

“Why does God allow so much suffering?” “I can’t believe in a God Who allows and even seems to cause so much suffering”: just a few of the variations that one hears against perhaps the single most asked question, not by just non-believers, but even by many believers. Several years ago on this Sunday, I did venture to respond to the question. On that previous occasion, I mentioned that many people who had tackled the topic, of what we might call material suffering, see four primary causes: my sins; others' sins; avoidable physical or natural disaster; and, unavoidable physical or natural disaster. It has also been observed that the first three account for 95% of the suffering in the world, which then might prompt the question, “Why do we allow so much suffering?"

I then focussed primarily on that remaining five percent of suffering that seems to be totally random, striking down anyone for no apparent reason. And I further mentioned that the Bible is not silent on the topic, as just a week ago in the course of the yearly readings of the Bible, we completed reading the Book of Job which presents four different views of the five percent of suffering for which, from our finite perspective, we can see no obvious reason.

Let us turn today to the Gospel, which begs us to consider the issue of our sins, and others’ sins, and look at that which underlies some physical suffering – spiritual suffering. First, we must get beyond the obvious humour with which our Lord makes the point about not judging others. The images of the blind leading the blind, and the log in our own eye versus the tiniest speck in our brother’s eye will surely cause us to chuckle; but if we think about them even for just a moment, we surely should be moved to self-examination. Honest self-examination should then move anyone to tears. The humour in our Lord’s examples quickly turns to a humbling acknowledgement of guilt.

I daresay that such an exercise of a truly critical self-analysis against the one perfect life of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is not nearly so often practised as it used to be in the course of the average Christian’s life. Yes, there is the danger of excessive self-recollection that can lead to a permanent state of despair; however, that appears not to be the chief danger for most of us. On the contrary, a virtually complete lack of honest self-examination leads to a condition of spiritual malaise characterized most often by a seemingly blissful but truthfully dangerous unawareness. Without apparently being aware, many thus fall into a state of spiritual suffering, usually not aware of having arrived in such an unhappy condition. And that is the pernicious thing about spiritual suffering; we are often not aware of it in this life, as it doesn’t stick out like the sore thumb of physical suffering.

Further, in such a state of unawareness, many do not recognize that the confidence that they may presume to possess as regards particular virtues is always in danger of manifesting the opposite vice, as the two in all cases are unavoidably connected. Faith and hope become misplaced by presumption; the virtue of honesty and open frankness can often run on to gossiping or vicious backbiting and an indiscreet and cruel tongue; charity can lead to self-congratulatory pride; liberalism becomes mistrust in God’s providence; conservatism in looking out to uphold the tried and tested leads to an inability to distinguish between what is precious and what is rubbish. The careful can become mean, and the modest, cold. The well-intentioned are busy-bodies and meddlers. “Judge not.” “Can the blind lead the blind?” “Cast out first the beam out of thine own eye.” And if we had read further in Luke in the same episode, Jesus goes on to say, “And why call ye me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not the things which I say”?

On the one hand, we have become hardened to self-criticism through the avoidance of a healthy spiritually disciplined life of regular self-examination; and, in being blind to the log in our eye, there is often the attendant result on the other hand that we are typically not very welcoming of helpful comments from others.

On Friday morning past, there was a very interesting reading at Mattins from Proverbs, Chapter 9. This short chapter begins with an image of wisdom having built a house and prepared a feast. As Christians we be prompted to think of the Church of Jesus Christ; the feast encourages us to consider the heavenly banquet, which should also remind us of this service of Holy Communion, a participation in the Lord’s Supper which He has prepared for us, and at which He is present. Wisdom invites “the simple” or the humble to this feast. At the end of the chapter we have a contrast of a foolish woman likewise inviting the simple to turn in to her devices; but the unassuming simple man, in lacking discernment, is blissfully unaware. The chapter ends, “But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.”

The middle part of the chapter resolves which simple man is the one that will respond to the far better invitation; and it is this part that is of particular interest as we contemplate our self-awareness in terms of our spiritual health. “He who corrects a scoffer gets himself abuse, and he who reproves a wicked man incurs injury. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase in learning” (vv. 7-9). These verses struck me in terms of the parallel to those who have a vigorous life of spiritual discipline and self-examination – they welcome instruction and being reproved when and as appropriate; versus those who, through lack of such a healthy spiritual life, being unaware of the log in their eye, most often do not welcome instruction, and usually also are not receptive to being reproved. Where do I fit?

Of course, we are all somewhat on both sides of that equation; and when it comes right down to brass tacks, it doesn’t matter whether we are like the fools, blissfully unaware of our miserable sinfulness, or whether we are wise and fully aware of our shortcomings, doing all that we can to increase virtue and displace vices – we are, none of us, worthy of God. And while we fully admit this just prior to receiving the precious Body and Blood, “We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs under thy table”, let us not resign ourselves just yet to a position of, “Well then, it doesn’t matter whether I make an attempt to become less sinful and more holy.” It matters a great deal. Perhaps St. Paul was thinking of Proverbs and its many other comparisons of the behaviour and teachability of wise and foolish people when he wrote to the Church in Ephesus, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time” (Eph. 5.15-16a).

For a moment, however, let us continue on the plain fact of the unworthiness of each and every one of us. In the Chapter just prior to today’s reading in Romans, St. Paul makes the observation that, in spite of our knowing what is good, we persist in doing what is evil. Today’s Gospel seems to leaves us similarly condemned, self-absorbed, blind creatures that we are, without any power of ourselves to help ourselves. Spiritual suffering; a grave condition that sometimes, but not always, manifests itself in associated physical suffering. We are often encouraged to pray for and empathize with those who are undergoing physical suffering of various kinds; and that is right and proper. To care for and love our neighbours, especially the fatherless and widows, those who are suffering materially or physically, is part of our Christian calling. And yet, all of that sort of material suffering will have an end. Our Lord’s wake-up call today is stated quite plainly – woe to those who are unaware of their own spiritual blindness; there is a judgement coming, and that judgement is that not all spiritual suffering has an end.

Is that the final sentence, the judgement that befalls all of us? Happily, St. Paul opens the door of hope in today’s Epistle. Vanity, pride, self-deceit, spiritual unawareness and therefore suffering do not have to be the end. “For the creation was not made subject to vanity of its own will, but in accordance with the will of Him Who made it subject in hope” (v. 20). God did not allow us to fall into this dreadful condition, whether we be fools or wise, in order to destroy us; but rather, ultimately in saving us, to unite us to Himself. Our free will, with its inherited proclivity towards sinful actions and behaviour make God’s adopting us as children a spectacularly generous gesture on His part. And perhaps curiously, in large part it is that very self-destructive freedom of ours that is the means to the glorious liberty that we ultimately claim as children of God.

When, at God’s prompting we must allow, we finally come to realize the vanity of our own purposes and the weakness of our presumed strength, then we awaken to the need for the redemption of our souls. We admit that we cannot transform ourselves by ourselves; only He Who first loved us can do that in us and for us; but He will only do it with us as willing participants. Then the light that cannot be overcome by the darkness prevails. Outside of us and our own devices shines the light by which we can see ourselves as we truly are, and only by that light of knowledge is the ignorance of our foolish ways overcome. The “groaning and travailing of the whole creation” is resolved as “the creation itself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

One of the oldest post-Communion prayers in the Church comes from the Didache (the so-called Teaching of the Twelve Apostles), and begins, “We give Thee thanks, O Lord, Holy Father, for the light and knowledge which thou hast given us through Jesus Christ Thy Son.” The actual original reads, “We give Thee thanks ... for the life and knowledge”; but as we know from the prologue to the Gospel according to St. John, they mean the same thing as regards God Incarnate, “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.”

When we become aware of our inability to be transformed without that life that is light and knowledge, we also recognize that we have nothing of our own efforts and accomplishments to plead before God. Only by the merits of Jesus Christ are we made worthy to receive His precious Body and Blood; only by His merits are we made acceptable to Him and offered the gift of salvation; only in Him does spiritual suffering find a cure.

“We are not worthy so much as to gather up the crumbs ... but thou are the same Lord, Whose property is always to have mercy: Grant us therefore, gracious Lord ... that our souls may be washed through His most precious Blood.”

Thanks be to God, for His infinite goodness and mercy in sending His only-begotten Son thus to save us from ourselves, and thus from eternal spiritual suffering.

(Now, go and tell everybody else you know...)

ANNUNCIATION OTTAWA 2008 +CR