by David Burka
As we consider the fifth anniversary of the national tragedy of September 11th, we are reminded of the frailty of life. Our lives on this earth are filled with painful losses. In the usual course of events, many of us grieve the loss of grandparents, and later, parents and other loved ones. A few weeks ago, a coworker�s 17-year-old daughter was killed in a terrible car accident, reminding me of just how fragile our existence is and how totally unfathomable it must be to lose a child. Her loss seems to define the word �tragic�. Her grief is palpable, and it has affected everyone at our office. It�s a sobering reality to be in the presence of one who has recently lost someone dear to them. There is no pretense, no small talk. What do you say? Only God can truly comfort those who grieve; they are experiencing a pain that only God can relieve.
We all face tragedies in our own families, in the workplace, and in our church family. We know on an intellectual level that death is inevitable. The way we respond to loss on an emotional level shows something about our faith and what we understand about God�s promises.
What does the Bible say about tragedy? In the words of Solomon, the wisest man, in Ecclesiastes 7:1-4, �A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one's birth; better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for that is the end of all men; and the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.� (NKJV) We learn more by the lessons grief gives us than we do when we seek pleasure.
Sooner or later, we will all visit the �house of mourning�, and hopefully we will benefit from the experience. The message for Christians is that, while this earth is full of tragedy, we have a living hope. We are promised an inheritance that is far better than anything here on earth. Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 1:3-6 �Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who �has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ�, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you... In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials�� (NKJV)