Sometimes we struggle with the gospel because the story we tell ourselves is so strong. And we forget it is there.
For Sunday
The Third Sunday of Lent
Collect
Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Reading
From Luke 13:1-9
“Do you think that because these Galileans suffered in this way they were worse sinners than all other Galileans?”
Reflection
Some concerned people tell Jesus about a grave injustice. They bring the news to him, looking for help, for guidance, answers.
And what do they get for this? Something that feels like an interrogation.
When we approach this story like those people coming to Jesus with information and a desire for answers, shouldn’t we expect the same? That Jesus isn’t here to give us answers to all of our questions but to lead us toward a Kin-dom life?
Jesus turns the focus from a “why do bad things happen to good people” headspace to something more like “why do you think ‘good people’ won’t ever get hurt?”
In turning our focus: from asking why does God do this to why do we do that: Jesus is helping us see why we’re not going to get the answers we seek in the place we’re looking. Because we’re looking in the wrong place. And using the wrong set of tools.
We don’t do this on purpose, of course. We’ve been taught this. From our culture and our faith tradition. Which certainly makes it hard to deal with. But culture and tradition combine to create a way of seeing the world that that feels normal. And difficult to change.
The concept of merit is part of that worldview.
So doing good makes us good people. And good people deserve rewards. So then we apply the inverse to the bad. There certainly is some of this in Hebrew Scripture. But it also isn’t the story. And it isn’t the inherent worldview of the story. Lots of bad stuff happen to good people. All. The. Time.
So we ask God why does the bad stuff happen because we’re assuming it shouldn’t. It is our assumption that is wrong. Merit isn’t the governing force of the universe or our faith. AT ALL.
We do good for the sake of good. There is no economy of good and bad. No hoarding of this wealth or expecting we deserve anything.
And better yet, death isn’t a punishment! Now of course, we don’t celebrate death. But neither do we fear it. Or see it as justice. There is no justice in death. Life and death is not winning and losing. There are no deserving or justified or earned or squandered. Lives are lived. With people who need us.
We live. And that is why we repent. Not to gain or because we owe anything, but because as long as we live, we can still do good.