12th of Year B
June 2006
At the time when the Gospel of Mark was written the Church was undergoing severe persecution. Christians were being flogged, jailed, tortured and killed in an effort to suppress the new religious movement called Christians. The Church was like a small boat in a storm. It was tossed about and threatened with destruction at any moment. Its members were brutally abused and killed by the authorities. Christians cried out to their God who seemed to be "asleep" and unaware of, or unconcerned by, their plight.
In today's gospel Mark is telling the Christians of his time that despite all their troubles and the danger they are in, Jesus is with them continually.
We too can feel the same way when visited by trouble, sickness and sorrow. We ask: if God exists why does he/she allow this to happen? If God is good why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?
These are questions, which have been asked from the time of Mark and long before, up to the present day. And the answers given are as unsatisfactory today as they were at the time of Mark. But before I get into a huff and start blaming God for everything I might remind myself of a few home truths and ask myself a few questions.
Much of the sorrow and suffering in the world is the result of human greed, and selfishness. How many times have I brought pain and trouble to others by what I say or do or not say and not do? We say, 'if you love somebody give him/her their freedom. If they come back to you they are yours, if not they never were yours.
Should God revoke the gift of freedom, which God has given me? Should God strike me dumb to prevent me telling lies about another person? Should God paralyse my hand to prevent me stealing another's property? What should God have done to me, his beloved child, to prevent me from breaking up my own marriage and family, or that of others? Or what should God have done to me to prevent me from killing or maiming others through my careless or drunken driving? Or what should God have done to me to protect others from the results of my greed and ambition? Or what should God have done to me to prevent me from doing my work carelessly, as a result of which, others suffer loss?
Like joy and laughter, we must also understand that pain, suffering and sorrow are inexplicably part of life and have an essential role in transforming me into a mature, caring person.
God the Son, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity became a man called Jesus Christ, who was sick; who was a refugee; whose father died while he was still young; who enjoyed life, and feasted and rejoiced with his friends and followers; who was hunted by the authorities who wanted to kill him, was betrayed by his friend, was deserted by his closest followers, was arrested, tortured, abused and executed as a common criminal; whose mother had to stand and watch his slow and painful death.
We, who call ourselves Christians, the followers of Jesus Christ, must, before all others, have an acceptance and some understanding of the important part which suffering plays in our lives. We accept the joys of life. Must we not also accept the sorrows of life. Isaiah (the Old Testament Prophet) called the Messiah who was to come, the suffering servant. We, who are the followers of the suffering servant, must also find a place in our lives for suffering.
And for those who seem to have found an answer to suffering, it seems to be a total conviction that no matter what happens they are safely in God's hands.