Suffering, such as the Gospel describes this Sunday in the crucifixion, is violently inflicted upon Jesus on the cross. Such suffering is unfortunately extolled in institutional christianity. It is mistakenly believed to save us. It is mistakenly believed because Jesus never teaches his suffering saves us. Those who believe it are therefore not centered on Jesus’ witness. Those who are centered on Jesus’ witness know he distinguishes between two experiences of suffering. One is the suffering we experience because of our vulnerable human condition. The other is the suffering that’s violently inflicted upon us by those who believe it is a saving action. When Jesus taught us the difference between suffering sickness and suffering persecution he also taught us how to respond to each.
Jesus’ response to suffering as a result of sickness was healing power not resignation. His response to suffering as a result of persecution was neither resignation nor imitation but rather creativity. Jesus resolved many a conflict with his creative responses. Unfortunately, the hierarchs who persecuted Jesus were operating according to Militarism’s very non-creative responses. Their responses reflected perverse values. Militarism’s perverse values include justice. We are coerced by Militarism to value justice. But justice is the word Militarists use to justify the suffering they perversely inflict. Thus, Militarists of Jesus’ time intended to inflict their most extreme suffering on him – death – and they carried it out in a most perverse manner – by crucifying him. Jesus knew his suffering wasn’t the will of God but rather the will of the rulers who opposed Jesus and believed they were justified in torturing and murdering Him. Even then, Jesus’ Resurrection, celebrated next week, is divinity’s creatively healing response.
How is it so many Christians have come to reject the witness of Jesus to be creative in the face of suffering persecution? How is it so many Christians have come to accept the witness of Jesus’ persecutors – imitating their justifications for inflicting suffering? Unless we Christians convert from the deadly military practices of Jesus’ killers and reclaim the creative practices of Jesus himself, Christianity will not only continue to suffer but people who call themselves Christians will continue to be among those most responsible for inflicting that suffering, upon our many brothers and sisters in this world.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, I devote myself to creative and healing power amidst conflict and persecution.
Question: How do you explain Christians adopting the value of Jesus’ killers, specifically the value that inflicting suffering is good?
March 24, 2013 Gospel Luke 22:14-23:56 Palm Sunday/Passion (Oscar Romero Feast)