Tuesday
of the 6th Week of Easter
May 27, 2014 6:30am
I think it was four years ago
when an American Christian evangelist proclaimed God’s judgment on some people.
His judgment was on the people of
Haiti, because they had suffered a great earthquake.
The evangelist said that the
earthquake was God’s punishment on the people of Haiti, and that the Haitians
brought this destruction on themselves.
They did this because centuries
ago, they had made a pact with the devil to get the French out of Haiti.
We see a very different response
to an earthquake in today’s first reading.
Paul and Silas are in jail.
They are being persecuted for
their faith.
During the night, there is an
earthquake.
The doors of all the cells are
thrown open.
And what do Paul and Silas do?
They don’t run for their freedom
and escape.
They know that if they do that,
the jailer will lose his job or even his life.
Also, Paul and Silas don’t
condemn the jailer or anyone else.
And they don’t proclaim that the
earthquake is God’s judgment against their jailers, as the evangelist did with
the Haitians.
Instead, Paul and Silas just stay
in their cell.
Imagine having the presence of
mind to say that this earthquake that has freed me is not worth my freedom if
it imprisons someone else in shame and even death!
Paul and Silas, even while
persecuted, have the inner strength to live for the benefit of another person.
And the result?
The jailer is so touched by their
love of God and of himself that he and his family become believers.
So, what a wonderful message this
earthquake story has for us!
Others can be drawn to God not by
self-righteous condemnation and judgment and not by living just for ourselves.
They can be drawn to God by thoughtful,
faithful caring for their well-being, all of this empowered by the presence and
life of God within us.
