Evils in the world – suffering – illness – the demonic – death – There are evils in the world – and we face evils – we do indeed suffer, and we call them evil – one place many look for consolation is in Christ – and rightfully so – for it is through Christ that the world was made – it is Christ who rightfully holds sovereignty – the King of the Universe – it is Christ who throughout his ministry heals the sick – expels demons from the possessed – and even raises the dead to life – Christ shows power over evil – indeed this is why He came – for it is Christ who became man for the sake of defeating sin and death – pulling all back to himself – that all will be right for eternity!
Yet for all the comfort – and looking to Christ and his power over evil – there is a simple reality – evil is still in the world – moral, spiritual, and physical – all those things he should power over? – there is still the demonic – there is still illness – there is still suffering – there is still death – Christ has power over these, yet there are still here … - what to make of this?
One approach is to go philosophical. The existence of evil provides one of the most common arguments against the existence of God. One can analyze it – consider its strong points – and point out the contradictions – if there is no God, what is good and evil? How can we say evil is evil is bad by rejecting the good? – in what ways does rejecting the good do anything to answer the challenge of evil and suffering? – instead of strictly philosophically, one could turn to literature, where the character of Ivan Karamazov in Dostoevsky’s Novel – The Brothers Karamazov provides one of the best examples and demonstrations of nihilism in all of literature – perhaps the most famous section being the story of the Grand Inquisitor - … - yet the novel is actually opposed to nihilism – for Ivan objects to God based on the evil of suffering of children – but if there is no God, all things are permissible – his outrage is based on – a Christian morality – As one commentator puts it - “the inner debate taking place in Ivan between his recognition of the moral sublimity of the Christian ideal and his outrage against a universe of pain and suffering.” – One can approach and answer things challenges to philosophical logic – in the story of narrative and literature – indeed that is worth wile, and The Brothers Karamazov is an enjoyable, though not easy, read. If you want to discuss these questions, feel free to come and talk.
However, besides the philosophical questions of the problem of evil and suffering, there is a far more straightforward question that can be considered in the gospel itself: if Christ has power over evil, why did he not remove them from the world? – For he does not heal everyone in the gospels – and today, many of the sick turn to Christ for healing – yet physical healing does not always occur – what might be his purpose? - the only answer found in the gospel? – because that was not his mission – for yes, he cured the sick, cast out demons – a couple of times even raised the dead – but these are still present – he came to bring salvation.
Today, he leaves Capernaum for the neighboring towns – though there was still sick present – yet he left – for healing the sick was not the purpose – instead: “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” – what purpose did he come? – not so much physical evil – but moral evil – the harm of sin – for he came to preach the coming of the kingdom – to call to repentance - a message of mercy– the mercy of the coming cross – a cross where salvation lies – Salvation not around suffering, not removing – but through it – somehow, instead through it– yet this means that suffering, sickness, physical evils, may become a place for mercy through the cross – one might think of it as severe mercy!
This brings us to another book – a much easier book to read than Dostoevsky’s - A Severe Mercy, by Sheldon Vanauken – a memoir of his life with his wife and recounting his wife’s death – something sad, something that is not good – suffering was real – yet he calls it mercy – for through it he was brought closer to God – through suffering and evil – Sheldon Vanauken found mercy – why might God not remove all the suffering from the world? Because he can somehow put it to good, though we may not understand how our way until the end of time – Sheldon Vanauken gives a good example – and it is a worthwhile read and something to reflect on.
None of this makes suffering good – it is evil – yet instead of removing it, Christ leaves some in place – for somehow mercy can come through it – after all, salvation is not through a fun celebration – but through the cross – “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” He came with a message of mercy – sometimes a severe one.
Lent is coming quickly – Ash Wednesday is only 10 days away – and we are beginning preparations – making plans for our Lenten penances – prayers, fasting, and almsgiving – But I would also encourage you to look at evils, sufferings, sickness in life – both your own and others – and look in the coming Lenten season not only to the penances we choose but those that come to us – no sane person chooses to suffer, but it may come – but sometimes, by accepting the suffering as a penance we may through it actually receive mercy – a penance for better and effective than that we choose ourselves – for Christ’s mission was not to remove all sickness from the earth – but the salvation of the world - preaching a message of kingdom and repentance – a message of mercy– even if it is severe mercy times– for through the cross is salvation.