Tough Answers

Jesus has already answered the questions that came to mind when we heard about the shooting today in Sandy Hook, CT. We can troll the internet for human wisdom and commentary, or we can simply look to God. He is merciful in that he doesn’t leave us guessing. He never let’s us think that something horrible – even as horrible as this – somehow slipped by him. I’m referring to the exchange between Jesus and those who were trying to find a category for bloody violence both planned and apparently random. Luke 13:1-5 would qualify as the divine response to the horrible events of this morning, and countless other crimes throughout history. It’s not the answer most of us would expect. It doesn’t initially satisfy our thirst for revenge and justice. It may even seem cold. Jesus doesn’t rage against the aggressors because they will receive just punishment for their deeds. He sympathizes with the living by calling them to a time of reflection in light of tragedy. We need to be careful about how we think about these things. Providentially our Sunday text (Philippians 4:6-7) provides the biblical antidote to the sadness and confusion that is burying so many people around the world tonight.