From The Bishop

Bewilderment is described as the quality or state of being lost, perplexed or confused. It is the perfect word to describe the reaction of many to the news that 15 members of the Humboldt Broncos' hockey team lost their lives in a tragic accident while 14 others in the same bus were seriously injured. How could this happen? How do we deal with the multitude of emotions? As Christians, our faith offers us a unique perspective. "At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?' He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, 'Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'" (Mt. 18:1-4). Jesus offers a child as the model for living our faith. We are to be childlike rather than childish. This is seen in a child's profound humility. A child can easily accept the fact that he or she does not have all of the answers. There were times many years ago when I was visiting with my eldest sister and her three young children were playing in the backyard. The two boys were very active and if one occasionally fell and skinned his knee he would begin to cry. Instinctively he would look for his mother and run into her open arms seeking nothing but consolation. He never asked the question, why? He just wanted to be comforted and loved by his mother. Children, in their simplicity and humility, do not need all the answers in order to be consoled. As adults, we often react differently when it comes to painful situations. We feel that a significant part of our consolation is having our questions answered. We want to know 'why?' The truth is that we have to be humble enough to admit that there are times that we do not know why certain things happen and the tragedy concerning the Humboldt Broncos is a prime example. What we need to do is run to the open arms of Jesus to be consoled. He will draw us to the good when we want to focus on the bad. We will then begin to see the extraordinary in what appears to be quite ordinary. So many good things have come out of this tragedy. There are countless examples of inspiration taken from simple actions that have profound effects. We see this in the first responders, hospital staff, grieving family members, the survivors fighting for their lives, and the goodness of so many people who just want to help. The faith of so many has also served as a source of inspiration. Rather than experiencing outbursts of anger and frustration, the local community has demonstrated great love and mercy. An example of this is seen in the prayers offered for the transport truck driver because many feel that he needs support at this time. At a time when there seems to be so much polarization and division, we see how people have come together in a spirit of unity. We stand united in hope as God's family. We have just celebrated the feast of Easter. Many of the disciples were bewildered when they heard the news that Jesus had risen. It was only when they encountered the Risen Lord that they were able to believe. We have all had the privilege of seeing our Lord in the actions of so many who have helped to bring hope and healing to a bewildered community. The Most Reverend Gerard Bergie is Bishop of St. Catharines. Source: https://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/opinion-story/8393102-faith-matters-finding-hope-in-times-of-tragedy-and-bewilderment/