Showing posts with label Pluralism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pluralism. Show all posts

Why is there evil in the World? The Parable of "The Wheat and the Weeds"

When looking at the Parable of The Wheat and the Weeds (or traditionally "Tares") we could address many different topics, but lets talk about what this parable teaches about why evil, corruption, and sin are in the world.

First, notice that the owner of the field did not create the problem. Interestingly, neither is the problem attributed to angels or to the wheat. An "enemy" purposefully placed the seed. Thus, from the perspective of this parable, the existence of evil in our lives was originally intended, but intended by the "enemy", not by God.

Second, there is an option to remove evil from the world, but the result is catastrophic, though not complete, destruction of the world. Take a look at the story of Noah, his family, and the Flood, if you want to see what this might look like. Do notice in the story of the Flood that Noah's family returns to the old status-quo (imperfection) almost immediately after disembarking from the ark.

Getting back to the parable, removing the weeds from the wheat would require identifying them early before their roots are entangled, so as not to uproot both, but the challenge here is that early sprouts may look much the same. Errors in judgement would presumable be frequent.

Alternatively, reapers could wait for the plants to bear fruit, and identify each by its fruit. This would be best done at the harvest when all is ripe, because now the roots are entwined and pulling up one would mean pulling up the other. Problem is, the wheat and the weeds exist in conflict and competition.

The parable says that God has chosen to allow the weeds for now to preserve the wheat. In a sense, God allows for evil and for pain, so as not to destroy what good there is. Difficult to accept? Yes. But then faith is trusting that God, who is omniscient (all-knowing), has a better perspective of this problem than we do. And this makes sense. After all, our perspective comes from maybe 80 years of personal experience and the perspective on one individual, namely "me". God's perspective, even if God weren't omniscient, comes with a great deal more knowledge and experience. So, personally, I think God might be the expert here.

That doesn't make evil any more tolerable. Nor does that make God's decision any easier to bear. Thus Christ says, "Take up your cross and follow me." Life is a mixed bag. And perhaps some fields will have more weeds that wheat or vice versa.

What does give us hope is the end of the parable. God collects all of the field, weeds and wheat, and separates the two. For those who are worried about that separation and its implications, keep in mind that the weeds want to dominate (choke out the wheat) and the wheat wants to grow in peace. No one, however, wishes to be thrown in the fire, but burning was a common method for containing that which is contagious or spreads unchecked.

The point here is that there is consequence and justice. Both what we do and who we are have meaning and purpose. And that is the Christian Hope, the aspiration of the Church - to be what God has intended and do what good and right and pure, as God intended. We want to see God's creation, including ourselves, made whole. We want to be wheat in God's fields, citizens of Heaven even while on earth.
 

The Spring of Faith: An Easter Message

[This is excerpted from the 2011 Easter parish letter. It is an invitation to faith, to Christ, and to experience the Resurrection...]

The pages of history are full of worthy women and men who tell us God’s greatness, who enlighten us and point to the Salvation of God. Mohandas Gandhi, Moses the Law Giver, St. Francis of Assisi, the Buddha, St. Benedict of Nursia , the Prophet Mohammed, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the mystical, poet, Rumi, are just a few sources of great inspiration and spiritual practice. Through their lives and teachings many have cultivated a deep spirituality and religious practice. And then there is Easter…

Easter is not a person, of course. It’s an event - the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Why compare an event with a list of people? Because we so often become fixated on teaching and practice as the core of Christian faith. We believe Christianity and Christ are things of which we must learn and do. Yes, it is true. Our faith results in understanding and action, but to make these our central focus is to forget our Faith.

In truth, the source of Christian Faith is experience! Faith springs from an encounter, an experience of the Risen Christ. Easter is about God doing something BIG, something death-defying and mysterious, something beyond words. What’s more, God isn’t doing that something in the greater cosmos or in timeless eternity. God is acting right here in humanity, in our history, in our finite little selves. Imagine! This is not something we make happen. We don’t even have to understand what’s happening or why. We just get to experience it, to receive it! All the rest just follows.

I, therefore, invite you to experience Easter once again. Experience new life and renewed faith just as Christ did on that innocuously cataclysmic morning. Experience the mystery not by your own effort, but through by grace and gift of God. You don’t have to do anything. There is no obstacle course to run or test to study for. You don’t even have come believing in anything. Just come. Experience faith and life. Experience the Risen Christ. Come and see…

Our Lord is risen indeed, Alleluia!