Sunday, Jun 25 – Why do bad things happen to good people?

Job 3:1, 8-11

From the heart of tempest the Lord gave Job his answer. He said:

Who pent up the sea behind closed doors
when it leapt tumultuous out of the womb,
when I wrapped it in a robe of mist
and made black clouds its swaddling bands;
when I marked the bounds it was not to cross
and made it fast with a bolted gate?
Come thus far, I said, and no farther:
here your proud waves shall break.

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2 Corinthians 5:14-17

The love of Christ overwhelms us when we reflect that if one man has died for all, then all men should be dead; and the reason he died for all was so that living men should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and was raised to life for them.

From now onwards, therefore, we do not judge anyone by the standards of the flesh. Even if we did once know Christ in the flesh, that is not how we know him now. And for anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here.

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Mark 4:35-41

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side." And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, "Master, do you not care? We are going down!" And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Quiet now! Be calm!" And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, "Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?" They were filled with awe and said to one another, "Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him."

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Why do bad things happen to good people?

I remember Father Bruno St. Girons giving a talk at Cana following the Dec 26, 2004 tsunami. He gave a very good reason which at that time I found unsatisfactory.

When we look at all the major disasters and crises that happen in the world and in our lives, we realise that no one goes through them unaffected. They always affect us in some way or other. Most of the time, we find ourselves asking the above question, "Why do bad things happen to good people?" Sometimes, we find out why.

For the disciples, a storm happened to them while they were on the water. It happened to make them realise that Jesus was in the midst of them. The storm made them turn to him and ask for help. The storm made them realise that they have no power over what happens in their lives, but they were wise enough to recognise that Jesus had that power. Not only did Jesus have power of what happened to them, he had power over the elements as well. The storm happened so that the disciples could rediscover the person of Christ, the person of God in their lives; to acknowledge God as supreme and to renew their relationship with God.

It is the same with Job as well. A good and religious man, he was put through many trials seemingly unfairly. He felt that he deserved an answer as to why all these things were happening to him, and he got angry with God who seemed to be silent in the midst of his difficulties. But when God did speak, it was to remind him that God was supreme in the universe, and to put Job back in his place. The trials occurred to Job so that he could rediscover his position with God and to renew his relationship with God.

Why did the tsunami happen? Why are there natural disasters still occurring today? Why is there so much evil in the world? All these happen so that we, the observers, or we, the involved, may rediscover where Christ is in our lives, where our standing with him is, and to renew our relationship with God.

Is all this necessary, we ask? Is it necessary to sacrifice so many innocent lives just so that God can put me in my place? Just so that I can renew my relationship with God? What evil that happens these days can rival the one that took place 2,000 years ago, when the purest, most innocent Lamb of God was put to death? That was the greatest evil that took place in the history of the world. But from that evil God transformed it into the greatest good, by helping mankind to rediscover its place with God, to discover who the person of Jesus is in the history of mankind, and to renew the relationship between mankind and God.

"Is it necessary?" we ask. God counters our question with: "Are you going to make the sacrifice of innocent lives in vain?" There is not much that we can do to prevent the loss of such lives, because God is ultimately in control of life and death. What we can do is to take charge of our relationship with God, to rediscover where God is in our lives, what he is doing and what we allow him to do, to rediscover who God is in our lives, and where we stand with him… and to renew that relationship with him.

For there is more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety-nine virtuous men who have no need of repentance. – Luke 15:7

So when troubles come your way, and you find yourself asking, "Why is this happening to me?" or "Why do bad things happen to good, innocent people?" pray and hear God asking you, "Are you going to make full use of this opportunity that I have given you to rediscover me in your life? Are you going to renew our relationship together?"

Let us pray for all who are going through difficulties in life now, that they may stop, pause, and reflect on this wonderful opportunity to turn to God, to rediscover him in their lives, to acknowledge him as supreme Lord of their lives, and to renew their relationship with him.

And I thank you Lord
for the trials that come my way
In that way I can grow each day
as I let you lead

'Cause you promised Lord,
that with every testing
that your way of escaping
is easier to bear

And I thank you Lord,
for the victory that growing brings
In surrender of everything,
life is so worthwhile

And I thank you Lord,
that when everything's put in place,
out in front I can see your face
and it's there you belong.