the problem of suffering

the problem of suffering is the lack of theodicy. According to Wikipedia:

Theodicy (IPA: /θiːˈɒdɪsi/) (adjectival form theodicean) is a specific branch of theology and philosophy that attempts to reconcile the existence of evil or suffering in the world with the belief in an omniscient, omnipotent, and benevolent God, i.e., the problem of evil. Theodiceans are those who seek to reconcile the co-existence of evil and God; a group of theodiceans may thus be called "a theodicy".

if there were more theodiceans, we would know how to reconcile these seemingly clashing notions of a benevolent God and a world full of human suffering.

at this stage, i am still very much a slave chained to this world, thinking of suffering as a direct result of man's sinful ways. this thinking is probably not very wrong, especially when adjusted to deal with specifically "unnecessary evil" - that sinfulness leads to surplus, unnecessary suffering. however, the trick here is determining between evil that is "unnecessary" and evil that can actually be called "necessary". are worthless, corrupt politicians necessary?

anyway, check out what Thomas a Kempis' contribution to theodicy:

The Twenty-First Chapter

Sorrow of Heart

IF YOU wish to make progress in virtue, live in the fear of the Lord, do not look for too much freedom, discipline your senses, and shun inane silliness. Sorrow opens the door to many a blessing which dissoluteness usually destroys.

It is a wonder that any man who considers and meditates on his exiled state and the many dangers to his soul, can ever be perfectly happy in this life. Lighthearted and heedless of our defects, we do not feel the real sorrows of our souls, but often indulge in empty laughter when we have good reason to weep. No liberty is true and no joy is genuine unless it is founded in the fear of the Lord and a good conscience.

Happy is the man who can throw off the weight of every care and recollect himself in holy contrition. Happy is the man who casts from him all that can stain or burden his conscience.

Fight like a man. Habit is overcome by habit. If you leave men alone, they will leave you alone to do what you have to do. Do not busy yourself about the affairs of others and do not become entangled in the business of your superiors. Keep an eye primarily on yourself and admonish yourself instead of your friends.

If you do not enjoy the favor of men, do not let it sadden you; but consider it a serious matter if you do not conduct yourself as well or as carefully as is becoming for a servant of God and a devout religious.

It is often better and safer for us to have few consolations in this life, especially comforts of the body. Yet if we do not have divine consolation or experience it rarely, it is our own fault because we seek no sorrow of heart and do not forsake vain outward satisfaction.

Consider yourself unworthy of divine solace and deserving rather of much tribulation. When a man is perfectly contrite, the whole world is bitter and wearisome to him.

A good man always finds enough over which to mourn and weep; whether he thinks of himself or of his neighbor he knows that no one lives here without suffering, and the closer he examines himself the more he grieves.

The sins and vices in which we are so entangled that we can rarely apply ourselves to the contemplation of heaven are matters for just sorrow and inner remorse.

I do not doubt that you would correct yourself more earnestly if you would think more of an early death than of a long life. And if you pondered in your heart the future pains of hell or of purgatory, I believe you would willingly endure labor and trouble and would fear no hardship. But since these thoughts never pierce the heart and since we are enamored of flattering pleasure, we remain very cold and indifferent. Our wretched body complains so easily because our soul is altogether too lifeless.

Pray humbly to the Lord, therefore, that He may give you the spirit of contrition and say with the Prophet: “Feed me, Lord, with the bread of mourning and give me to drink of tears in full measure.” (Ps 79:6)

The Happy Easter

i had wanted to post this right after mass, but email already kept me up till 4am (!) so anyway...

"Happy Easter!"

it's a joyous refrain you might hear from many of your friends and family throughout the day (and hopefully for the next few weeks as well) simply because it was infectious enough to last in their psyche. what else lies behind this innocuous sounding greeting?

well, for one, we remember, we celebrate, and we believe that Christ our Lord is risen. it didn't happen today, but as part of the yearlong liturgical practice of the Roman Catholic Church (and also within many other orthodox and protestant churches), this week is dubbed the Holy Week when we specially commemorate our Saviour's heroic crucifixion and ressurection - the most central belief of all Christian faiths.

roman catholic liturgy differs in some fundamental aspects as compared to (especially) the protestant commemorations: various iconoclastic churches have such a developed phobia of "according worship to material figures" that they may steer clear of all symbolism as well. roman catholics on the other hand, revel in symbols and imagery - and the holy week liturgy follows that same tradition. we have the washing of feet on maundy thursday (a direct analogue of Christ's actions as at John 13:1-15), the (sometimes overnight) adoration of the blessed sacrament (a direct analogue of Christ's request to his apostles in Gethsamane as at Matthew 26:36-46), the symbolic absence of musical instruments in church until easter, the stripping of altar adornments and suppression of sacraments to accentuate the feeling of Christ's death and departure from earth, all the way until the lighting of candles during easter vigil (and re-adornment of the altar) to symbolise Christ's rising from the dead - the Morning Star that never sets!

these liturgically significant symbols are "enacted" with the priest in persona Christi, a concept that must be profoundly unfamiliar to protestants (perhaps to the point of blasphemy). but what it means is that the priest, as an ordained minister tracing his lineage back to the apostles (and also having received at least 8 years of training prior to ordination), is in service in the person of Christ during a Catholic service - he not only "role-plays" but is an actual symbol of Christ's real presence with us, especially during the Eucharist. now i will not pretend to be familiar with the theological technicalities, but as i understand it, God the Father knows us so well - He knows we need actual physical symbols and signs (which is a translation of 'sacrament') for us to perform our faith and truly feel His presence. of course, these symbols are not merely soulless 'representations' since Christ's very spirit is infused with them. a common analogy is that of a nation's flag - it is such a strong symbol of a nation that it is treated with respect - but the priest in persona Christi and the consecrated Host are not mere political symbols: they are spiritual.

hence, for me the holy week services have helped me to get a sense of what happened 2,000 years ago at Calvary through the Passion reading (John 18:1-19:42) - the fifteen minutes spent standing in rapt attention, listening to every detail as though it were unfolding in front of us - and the veneration of the cross has helped me feel so much closer to Christ's agony of that moment which changed history. while i did not spend the rest of Good Friday and Holy Saturday in deep meditative contemplation, it helped me tide through my schoolwork (lotsa catching up!) as i considered all my labours to be part of an earnest wait to see God's glory unvieled. and what an unveiling! during Easter Vigil last night, i heard, once again, that glorious proclamation in the Easter Exsultet... "O necessary sin of Adam, which gained for us so marvelous a redeemer!" and the Easter readings which very much summarised salvation history up till the new testament... it all reaffirmed my faith, that there indeed IS something more to life than the average humdrum... the people dying unjust deaths, the wanton destruction of the planet by unrepentent consumer capitalism, the untold swathes of human and animal populations in unspeakable suffering, all the cycles of violence and evil in our history... for that one second, it all made sense - because God has a plan beneath it all. God knows each person He has created for His very breath is in everyone. God has blessed every inch of creation when He breathed on the waters in Genesis. God has saved all of us in spite of all the sins we have committed, are committing, and will commit in future by sending us His Son, who died the Messiah's death as foretold by the prophets so we may have life to the full.

and all of that... taking half an hour to type... is to me, what a 'Happy Easter' is about! the gleeful partying, hugs all around, end of Lenten abstinences aside... Easter is happy because i have found my Saviour once again, in my heart where He knocks ever so gently, and now i can live with meaning.

and for a sociologist assigned to read post-modernist consumer culture writings... it truly is a breath of fresh air. something i sorely need as i head into the 21st day before my Thesis deadline. but even if i fall short of this standard, i already know where i can go next... for Jesus is there with me along the way.

Happy Easter, my fellow siblings! live for Christ, for He has risen!