UNDESERVED SUFFERING

SERMON PREACHED BY FR. TONY NOBLE ON MARCH 11, 2007

Psalm 103:11 "For as the heavens are high above the earth so is His mercy great upon those who fear Him."

Another word for God's mercy is love. But not everyone feels God's love. And not everyone feels that God is merciful. Take today's gospel as a case in point, from Luke 13. This follows on from Luke chapter 12, where Jesus was preaching about God's love to the crowds. In chapter 12 he says: "Have no fear, for your father has chosen to give you the kingdom." And further on he says: "Have no fear, you are worth more than any number of sparrows."

Following on from this teaching of God’s love someone in the crowd immediately told Jesus about a massacre in which the blood of those who were massacred - the Jewish people murdered by the Romans - their blood was mingled with the temple sacrifices. This was not just murder but sacrilege. What did those people do to deserve that? And then what about the 18 people killed in Jerusalem when the Siloam Tower fell down? Did they deserve that also?

It is the age old question: Why do the innocent suffer? Why children? Why do terrible accidents happen to ordinary people going about their business? Or what about when some gunman shoots a group of innocent people? Or what about people and families who always seem to have misfortune or bad luck? And what about us when every thing seems to go wrong? I'm sure I'm not the only person who has said to God: "Why me Lord?” An old Negro spiritual reminds us that God heals us in those times of stress and overwhelming difficulty – There is a balm in Gilead. But sometimes Gilead seems to be elusive.

Today's readings tie in this question of underserved suffering with our need of repentance - one of the themes flowing through Lent. St. Paul suggests in our Epistle today that suffering is given to test us. Why are we tested by suffering? In Exodus 3 and 1Corinthians we have the theme of Israel's escape from Egypt and their 40 years in the wilderness. If God really loved his chosen people, and his mercy really is, as the Psalm says, great upon those who fear Him", why didn't He just lead them straight to the Promised Land after they passed through the Red Sea? Why 40 years of stress and trouble wandering in the Sinai Desert? Was that to test them? Indeed, they were tempted, and at one stage in their impatience worshipped the golden calf. So the Epistle raises the further question that comes from underserved suffering: Is suffering really given just to test us, to make us better Christians? I find that difficult also.

In today's gospel Jesus takes these themes one step further. He tells one of the parables of the fig tree to remind us that God is ever patient. That he is truly the God who loves us. That, as high above the earth are the heavens, so is his mercy and love. Give the Fig Tree another chance, says the vinedresser. Thus we have this theme of repentance as part of our Lenten pilgrimage. Repentance is a necessary response to the love of God.

If God had delivered the people of Israel straight into the Promised Land after escaping from Egypt, they would have loved him for what he had done for them, because of the miracle of the Red Sea. But the 40 years in the wilderness taught them to love God - not because for what he did for them - but because of who he is. Taught them that his mercy and love are great upon those who fear him.

Let us compare our response to God's love with human love. When we fall in love we cannot stop thinking about the other person. Teenagers spend hours on the phone to their new love. Just to hear their voice is exciting. Parents know how long a phone call takes when teenagers are in love!

A couple decides to get married because life without the other seems impossible. This is all well and good at the beginning of love. But for love to grow, to mature, to be strong, there comes a time when the other's mistakes, our stupid words and temptations have to be acknowledged. When everything about the person is accepted - and one's independence sacrificed. Love always requires sacrifice.

So when Jesus talks about repentance in the context of love we take notice- for he knows all about love and sacrifice. He told so many stories about God's love. He said: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." He taught us about the lost sheep, the prodigal son, and the lost coin. But mostly he taught us by his death on the cross.

Lent bids us look at the crucified Christ, because there is God's love for all to see. But sometimes as we look at the crucified Christ, look upon our Savior, there is a danger we will look on Him as past history. The one who was sacrificed for our sins, who was redeemed for the world. who paid the debt of the world's transgressions - as many of us were taught when we were young. But the crucified Christ is a reality now.

In John 19:34 it is recorded that when Jesus died on the cross out of his side flowed blood and water. The church has always considered this as supremely important and significant - .as symbolic of the two sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist. Water and blood. Baptism and Eucharist. Given at the moment of his life-saving death - these two means of grace, these two sacraments Jesus gave us to fill us with his love.

Through the waters of Baptism we enter the mystery of Christ's death and resurrection. Our Lenten Journey concludes on Holy Saturday with the blessing of the font and renewal of Baptismal vows in that wonderful liturgy of the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. There is the water from the side of Christ, the water of Baptism.

The blood from Christ's side takes us straight to his Sacred Heart, the heart so full of love for the world. And as the blood pours out from the side of Christ at his death, it is a symbol indeed of the Eucharist. For at the altar his blood is once again poured out as we meet to celebrate at the altar his holy sacrifice.

In fact the Eucharist always draws us into Jesus' act of self-oblation and love. Just read our Eucharistic prayer. The Eucharist takes us into the mystery of Christ's sacrifice - and therefore is always at the heart of Christian living.

I do not know why the innocent suffer. Nor do I quite comprehend St. Paul's teaching that suffering is to test us. But as we ponder Him whom they have pierced we see the overwhelming power of God's mercy revealed in all its fullness.

And so we say with Psalmist: "For as the heavens are high above the earth, so is His mercy great upon those who fear Him."