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- Added March 12th, 2010
- Filed under 'Articles'
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Which journey?
By George Davis in Articles
Are catastrophes a punishment for evil lives?
Which Journey?On 7 March Rev Don Phillipps preaching in the Mornington Methodist Church led the congregation to confront the role of catastrophe and suffering in the human condition. A key idea was whether God would permit such suffering as we have seen recently in Haiti and Samoa, and as appears to be continuing.
Are catastrophes a punishment for evil lives? Are they a trial of fitness to continue the Christian journey? As part of the service hymns and readings seemed to pick up the notion of human life always being on a journey, yet we are in another sense, "home."
It often seems that in catastrophes there is no rationale. Are writers like the French existentialist Eugene Ionescu correct - there is no God, no God's plan, no heaven, no hell, just here and now? Life to Ionescu, as in his play, Rhinoceros, was random. That bastion of French order, the fire brigade, became a band of thick-skinned grey rhinoceros rampaging thorough the town. The most rational and philosophic of friends developed headaches, then a lump on the forehead, and became rhinos. The reliable and constant become unreliable and inconstant. Nothing makes sense.
In an earlier age Shakespeare's Macbeth cried out from his trapped conscience that life was 'a poor player who struts across the stage' and life was 'a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.' Indeed, all images of catastrophe in a Godless world.
However, the Christian life does have meaning. It has (to use that appalling term) a "roadmap". Its guide is the life of Christ who gave reassurance of worth and significance for all humanity. So what value do we place on this?
When we prepare for a journey overseas we go to travel agents and seek their advice to plan the trip. Planning aims to avoid catastrophes or at least cope with them if they arise. We establish contacts where we hope to stay and make preparations for the care of things back home while we are away. Banks, electricity, rates, insurance and rental payments are assured and we see that our house is left in order. We care for our health taking appropriate inoculations or carry medicines for areas at risk. Our pets are boarded out or otherwise cared for and kindly neighbours or relatives and friends look after the house. All of this involves planning, time and energy.
If we have faith in the Christian journey of life, as opposed to a Godless or meaningless life, whose advice do we seek, how do we ensure our own safety, when emergencies or catastrophes happen how prepared are we, how do we recognise the significant signposts or sights we hope to see on life's journey, are we sufficiently physically and mentally prepared, is our spiritual house in order, and what do we expect when we return "home"?
-- George Davis
Written as a Connnections article for the Parish weekly bulletin, March 14, 2010.
