andi oakes

I think there can be very few of us who haven't been shocked and moved deeply by the images coming from Japan over the last few days.  At least I hope this would be the case.  Unfortunately there always seems to be proportion of people who may have little sympathy for the people caught up in such devastation, whether through religious beliefs, economic jealousy or good old fashioned racism.

It has been encouraging though, to see so many countries rally to help Japan.  They may be one of the richest countries in the world but that means very little when it comes to the raw power of nature.  In truth, we see our fragility in such extreme circumstances, which really are a perspective check for us all.

On occasions like this however, there begins to shine a little light of hope: a light that flickers into life in times of turmoil and disaster.  This light is the potential of a humanity that is moving in one direction, abandoning the old ways of fear and mistrust in favour of a collective future where all are dedicated to one common goal: love for each other. 

All too often however, this light doesn't last and it's energy too quickly dissipates as we all return to our old mindsets of territorial, religious, and political differences.

I choose to believe in humanity's potential and I believe that this is what Jesus' teachings are mostly about.  I sometimes think we become far too focused on the life “here after” and in doing so sacrifice the invitation to be fully involved in the present reality that is God's Kingdom here on earth, now.  A kingdom that moves towards the place of greatest need.  It is interesting that the bible uses the analogy of the church, collectively, being a representation of Christ's body on earth.  So, just like the human body redistributes its resources to the point of greatest pain in order to heal itself, so we must surely be called to do that for each other here on earth. 

But that's where the problems begin, because our deep rooted prejudices, suspicions and fear driven assessments of life hinder our ability to reach out in true, unhampered love.  We can't allow ourselves to love people because to do so surely validates their lifestyles that differ so much from ours; and that, we just cannot do.  And so we come up with other ways to “do good” to people by making it all about conversion: we use practical measures in order to convince people of the truth of our ways, not understanding that it is our, not so subtle, sub-text that actual reinforces the walls that divide us.

But what I think we also don't realise, is that this partisan thinking actually infects us at our most basic levels, to the degree that the supposed “Body of Christ” here on earth (the church) is so fractured and dismembered that you can expect very little cooperation between rival denominations and movements; because we are all fighting for our own little corner in a desperate attempt to increase our (and I make no apologies for using this term) market share.

Even at the micro level, within our various organisations and faith groups, we are divided: still mistrusting each other; still judging each other; still believing that we are the only guardians of ultimate truth.

But the light of humanity still flickers.  For into all our sphere's comes trials and tribulations, whether on a micro or macro level: trials and tribulations that the bible encourages us to embrace and even welcome.  Why?  Because it seems as though it is only difficulty and adversity that has the ability to awaken us from our thoughtless slumber and malaise.  In great disasters we cannot help but look at those suffering and think to ourselves “They look like me...that could as easily have been me.” 

And as poignant a thought as that is...a more profound one, I believe, is what Jesus was trying to get us to understand when He said “Love your neighbour as yourself”; for in that little statement, I believe that what He is actually saying, is that we will never truly be able to love another until we actually see them as ourselves: that when someone else suffers...it is “me” who suffers: in the same way as recognising that any individual part of my body is still “me”.

So...on that basis...right now, perhaps what Jesus is saying, is that you and I are suffering in Japan.

It would seem somewhat strange to ignore ourselves in that case then wouldn't it?