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It is true. God does not give us any explanation for the recent
frightful events. We must trust that in the end his goodness
and wisdom and love will be vindicated. "In him there is
no darkness." If he had given us an explanation that would
not have changed the fact that terrible things do happen. But
God has given us something far better than an explanation which
would not have changed the horror. He has given us his Son who
so loved us that he gave himself to save us, "so that we
might not perish but have eternal life." He has given us
one like us in all things but sin, who cried out in the greatest
sufferings and the horror of the most innocent one the world
has ever known "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
And risen, he, in turn, has promised us: "I will raise you
upon the last day."
But what can be said of the present fate of our firemen and policemen
and other rescuers who gave their lives to save others' lives?
There is one class of the departed for whom our Church has never
prayed - the martyrs who gave their lives in witness to their
faith in Christ. Now. when St. Maria Gorretti died rather than
allow her chastity to be violated, the question was asked, could
she be considered a martyr since she had not died for the faith.
Pope Paul VI said yes - chastity is a religious and Christian
virtue. The firemen, policemen, and other rescuers who died out
of love for perfect strangers, died for the greatest Christian
virtue, greater than faith or chastity, that is, charity. And
whatever their previous way of life, even if regarded as sinful,
"charity," Saint Paul tells us, "covers a multitude
of sins," that is, charity silences the triumphant clamor
of the power of persuasion of sins. And for those men and women
who died out of charity. Jesus himself said "Greater love
than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends,"
Now he is saying to them "'Now it is my turn."
But what of those other victims who may have lived wayward
lives when sudden death took them? When the Church commits the
body of the deceased to the earth, her final prayer for them
at the graveside is this consoling one uttered only on this occasion:
"Do not count his or her misdeeds against them, for in their
heart they desired to do your
will" (that is, do not condemn them for what they have done
in this mortal life, because in the core of their being, their
heart desired to remain faithful to your will.) "May your
mercy unite them to the choir of angels in heaven."
Father Karl Rahner, the greatest theologian of the last century
said that if anyone has in their life really loved one other
person, they will be saved.
If today's parable of the prodigal son is the picture of God's
Joy in receiving a sinner coming home, then it can also give
assurance of God's love to all of us facing death wondering how
God will receive us. In the end, we all return home as sinners,
so Jesus' parable invites us to trust that God's goodness and
mercy will be at least as great as a loving father's. Notice
how the heavenly Father, who has been watching for his son is
running down the road, careless of his dignity, to meet his dissolute
son, even before the son can voice his confession, "Father,
I have sinned before heaven and before you." And the father's
response is even more receptive than the son could imagine -
no rebuke, no lower position as a hired servant, but a kiss and
a ring and a robe and a banquet with music and dancing. The picture
is one of sheer grace - no penance is required, no merits offered:
all is grace. It is enough that the son has come home. This is
the scene in heaven these days. |
