[illustration from the Brooklyn Museum - The Lord's Prayer (Le Pater Noster) by James Tissot]
By Joseph Ostrander
“…lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from all manner of evil; the evil one without, and the evil within.”
That’s how I end my version of the Lord’s Prayer. It was a result of participating in Larry Lea’s Could You Not Tarry One Hour challenge based on his teaching using the Lord’s Prayer many years ago...
Chris’ teaching today focused on the existence of evil in the world via reference to the terrible aftermath of the terrorist attack in Paris, France.
Living in a raw and wild world is challenging enough when natural disasters claim the lives of innocents. And then there are the unanswered questions that arise from tragic accidents resulting in death. Such occurrences are the regular stuff of daily news feeds…
But the carefully plotted-out actions of human beings choosing to attack, maim and kill innocent victims causes a primal reaction unlike any other deep, deep down inside the pit of our being that screams out:
“WHY!?!?”
How could another human being, with the God-given privilege of choice, use that very choice to inflict such terrible suffering on victims and the grieving friends and family that are now forced to live with their loss? Such senseless pre-meditated actions simply boggles the mind and overwhelms the emotions…
“Why, O Lord…why???”
Events like those that happened in Paris, France, expose our greatest visceral fears: it is a gruesome reminder of our own frailty, vulnerability and mortality. It reminds us of the evil ‘out there’ that rears its ugly head in vicious acts causing unimaginable carnage. People, like us, are both the victim and the perpetrator made in the image of God…
“Lord, have mercy…”
I overheard some comments today during service that mentioned how insulated we are here in the good ol’ U.S. of A. And because of this maybe we are calloused to the incredible amount of suffering going on throughout the world today…
But what of the prayer mentioned earlier? “Deliver us, O Lord, from all manner of evil…”
Is it merely platitude, or petition answered???
Am I merely lucky to be alive and well in Morro Bay? Am I the insensitive one living behind the bunker of indifference while many parts of the world are going to hell in the proverbial handbasket???
I do know this: my shoulders were not designed to carry the weight of suffering any tragedy leaves in its wake. I am not capable of perfectly parsed reactions to the countless examples of tragic deaths occurring daily. I would be easily undone by tragedy of any kind happening to me. I know I am not immune to the effects of evil, or unpredictable accidents and natural disasters that happen with impunity. As Chris said, bullshit happens to the just and unjust alike…
However, there is One whose shoulders are big enough to carry the weight of all manner of human suffering. They were big enough to carry a rough wooden cross that has now become the symbol of death and evil conquered. Death and evil had a gruesome stake driven into the ground atop Calvary’s mount. It was as if Jesus declared: “Death, Devil, Hell, and all manner of evil stops here!” The resurrection echoed the victory. And when I am reminded of evil’s last gasps expressed by events like those that recently happened in Paris, France, I will, “mourn with those who mourn” and pray for those affected…
Think about it…
Amen.