Remembering 29/10: Tragedy, Faith and God’s Love

When we cannot trace God's hand, we must simply trust his heart.
– Charles Spurgeon (19th century preacher)

A month after the bomb blasts claimed over 60 lives and gutted many shops in the Sarojini Nagar Market, Paharganj and Govindpuri areas, life has bounced back to normal – the familiar sign of the indomitable spirit of the people of Delhi.

The terrorists have attempted to strike terror in the hearts of the people, but have failed miserably. Rather, it has provided the people from different religious backgrounds and beliefs with an opportunity to resist communal prejudices and condemn terrorism in unison.

The bomb blasts of October 29 were but another futile attempt made by terrorists to disrupt peace, bring chaos and confusion, strike hatred, distrust and fear in the hearts of the people. What the terrorists did not expect, however, was a resilient and a defiant stand taken against terrorism by the public.

Expression of human compassion and solidarity against common tragedy is not new. Be it the killer tsunami of December 26, 2004, or the earthquake in Pakistan or the bomb blasts in Delhi – tragedy, both natural and man–made, have failed to quell the indomitable spirit of man. And his compassion and love for fellow human beings, transcending boundaries of caste, class, culture, language and religion.

In times of tragedy, faith provides support. Faith responds. And love reveals its true strength. Over and over again, we have seen that tragedy does not wipe out love: rather it intensifies it, in loss, in relief, in effort.

Disasters or tragedies do not wipe out faith anymore than they wipe out love. Rather, the light of love, the light of God glows more persistently in that awful time of darkness. It shines in human heroism, generosity, selflessness and courage.

Death, of course, is the ultimate tragedy. But come it will. That is 100 percent certain. But no matter how death comes, whether it is early, in the first months or years of a life, whether it comes in the full vigor of adulthood, or slowly after a long decline; whether it comes in a sudden physical collapse or in a calamity, it has no power to rob us of our God given grace, our destiny to be with God for all eternity.

Without faith, the question of suffering and death is unanswered. With faith, we reassert every day our belief in the One who sees the universe from a perspective far greater than our own.

In times of tragedy, we learn to trust in the ultimate goodness of our God even when unbelief seems so much easier to embrace. We cling to faith even as we comfort those enveloped by the evil of this world.

In times of tragedy, we must also learn to recognize the many tangible signs of God’s love and care for us. For instance, following the earthquake in Pakistan and the Delhi bomb blasts, the whole world, transcending differences of culture, language, religion, politics, race, color and ethnic origin, united in sharing the grief, providing relief efforts and experiencing something of our common humanity – those who ‘have’ are giving in a way such as, perhaps, never has been experienced before, to those who are classed among the ‘have nots.’ Many people have displayed generosity and kindness, showing us that there are people who care and who will help when things go wrong. Why do these people show us this love and concern? It is ultimately because God has moved them to do so.

Also there is a lesson to learn from this – we should persist in questioning God in our pains less, and praise Him in our delights, more.

And, lastly, as Christians, let us never forget that instead of removing our pain, God Himself chose to join in it – and thus transform its nature and meaning – by sending His Son to live among us and die among us, for us.