There are millions of people within institutional christianity who reject Jesus’ witness with the man born blind. Jesus taught and demonstrated with the blind man that external suffering or deprivation of any kind is not God’s will. Illness, poverty, disadvantage of any type is not from God. Suffering caused by blindness or any other negative circumstance is not inflicted by God.
Unfortunately, there are millions of people within institutional christianity who believe God, the power of Life, intentionally causes suffering. Some self-titled Christians believe tragedies such as natural disasters are God’s willful punishment for evil. There is an entire theology within Christianity that believes Jesus’ suffering on the cross was the will of God. Worse yet, they belief Jesus’ suffering saved humanity. The theology is called Atonement. It is the religious name for Military Justice. According to Military Justice, suffering is not a problem. Suffering is a sign of God’s justice, evidence that his saving will is being accomplished in the world. Consequences of this military theology are horrendous. Suffering is not alleviated but instead allowed, justified by God and God’s representatives. Worse, suffering is promoted and intentionally caused – because a just God wills it upon those who deserve it. Military justice is the foundation of most nations’ justice systems. Examples abound in the U.S. Empire; all the people looking for work who migrate throughout the southwest on land stolen by the U.S. Empire are not seen as needing help in their pursuit of basic needs but instead are targeted for suffering as lawbreakers. For these laborers work is penalized, benefits are denied, assistance is criminalized, and harassment encouraged. Why, because “they” (Mexicans, women, commoners) deserve to suffer. The same suffering is routinely inflicted on all persons who are poor in the U.S. Empire; work is outsourced, living wages are denied, assistance is cut, and harassment encouraged or tolerated. Why, because “they” deserve to suffer. These are instances of arranged injustice and yet are justified. All of these injustices cause people great suffering and yet some self-titled Christians seem to be blind to that truth. They are blind to their will being a rejection of Jesus’ way in the world. They are blind not like “the man born blind” but blind like the Pharisees “who will not see.”
Suffering is widespread in a nation that refers to itself as Christian because self titled christians are blind to Jesus’ witness with the man born blind – He healed the man from his suffering. We are called to do the same.
Prayer: Creator God, help us to see that we are all of one family, recipients of your love and healing power.
Question: What is the suffering I can help heal?
March 30, 2014 Gospel John 9:1-41 Fourth Sunday of Lent