Absorbing the blows

Absorbing the blows

“To the governor’s amazement, he offered not a word in answer to any of the charges.” Pilate is astonished that Jesus does not defend himself (Matt 27:14). And elsewhere it says, “He was insulted and did not retaliate with insults” (1 Pet 2:23). Throughout his passion Jesus does not complain or threaten. He was walking his own talk, “If anyone hits you on the right cheek, offer him the other as well.” (Matt 5:39).

Such quotes are familiar to us and it can be hard to recover their sharpness. Who has ever heard of someone who does not try to defend himself? When we confront someone we always expect a response, a defence. We would be astonished if someone did not at least try to explain their actions. Why does Jesus not defend himself?

He is well aware that the charges against him are contrived and false. You can try to prove that they are false but if you know the judges are not interested in what is true or false you are wasting your time. This was Jesus’ dilemma throughout his life. What do you do when people do not accept the truth, turn their back on your message? Jesus’ way was simply to say nothing since there was literally nothing he could do.

I have often been impressed by people who do not complain when things go wrong. They simply remain silent and wait. A lot of people in Zimbabwe and in Africa generally do that. There is so much “untruth”, so many unjust structures heaped against them; there are so many ways in which they cannot advance. Surely they should complain and shout and scream. But they don’t. They keep up a dignified silence. They wait.

Some might call it passivity, cowardice, or that they are anaesthetised by religion to suffer without complaining. There is some truth in this. But I also think there is a quiet dignity and integrity in continuing to struggle and do what one can without complaining. Absorbing the blows that life deals us is not always a passive way of living. It can also be an active way of working through the suffering of the world, which is what redemption is all about.

I have often been astonished by the quiet dignity of people with disabilities. I have just been visiting a home for handicapped people in Nigeria and life is hard for them. Yet they do not ask for pity. They do not complain. They just absorb it all quietly, day after day. Are we to say their life is useless? They don’t “do” anything. The Christian mystery tells us their life is at the heart of the gospel; the passion. They suffer with Jesus and he suffers in them. It is a mix that gives life to the world. And for “the healthy” who share their life with them there is often an extraordinary but quiet conversion.

11 May 2014   Sunday 4A of Easter

 Acts 21:4, 36-41        1Pet 2: 20-25   John 10: 1-10