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“Jesus wept.” John 11:35
What is a tragedy? In our present-day lives, what does a tragedy look and feel like — that instant feeling of panic, suffering, destruction, and distress? How do we react in that first striking moment? Whom or what do we turn to first? Humans? Easy and accessible media, such as social media, internet, broadcast, print, or television? Or rather, in the face of a tragedy, do we immediately turn to faith in God, the One who sent His beloved, perfect, and blameless Son for us? The One who says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).
True tragedy came into existence that very moment Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden: instantaneous separation from God (Genesis 3:6-7). It was at that moment that the burden of sin penetrated complete perfection and brought it to ruin. Ruin to our earthly lives and bodies. The cancer of sin and its consequences spread throughout thousands of generations — shame, guilt, pain, anxiety, depression, addiction, murder — how tragic!
Our sin and the sin of the world can seem so great and deep, yet God’s love and mercy are even greater and deeper. Sin, death, and the devil have been defeated. The battle has been won by the One who came as fully man and fully God. The One who felt and experienced the tension and every bit of our pain and suffering, but was omniscient to the triumph to come (John 11:35).
Here we are now in the season of Lent. A time for personal reflection and repentance. A time to ponder the calamity of our sin — to take up our cross and deny ourselves of the objects and vices that may lead us to the tragedy of sin (Matthew 10:38). In this season, we have the extra privilege and opportunity to come together as sinners/saints (Romans 7:18–20) and confess our sins before one another and our Father. As followers of Christ, let us take this time to prepare our minds and hearts for the tragedy of Good Friday and the triumph of Easter morning!
Then, for all that wrought my pardon,
For Thy sorrows deep and sore,
For Thine anguish in the Garden,
I will thank Thee evermore,
Thank Thee for Thy groaning, sighing,
For Thy bleeding and Thy dying,
For that last triumphant cry,
And shall praise Thee, Lord, on high.
LSB Hymn 420, "Christ, the Life of All the Living"
Stanza 7
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