Swept Away

From the perspective of natural history, the undersea earthquake that generated the recent deadly tsunami was but a hiccup. It was a relatively minor event, compared with the stupendous cataclysms that have shaped the earth’s landforms over the eons.

But from the perspective of human history, the tsunami towers over the social cataclysms that lately have occupied so much public attention. And it makes the challenges in my own life seem so much less daunting, compared to the devastation facing millions of people in South Asia.

The tidal wave drowned the categories into which I put current events. It washes out my assumptions about what is more or less important. Sure, my concerns and opinions matter at some level. But do they rise to the level of the waves that killed so many people the day after Christmas? Those issues I thought were so earth-shaking – do they really rock the world at nine points on the Richter scale?

Just eight points would be plenty to moot all political, religious, and cultural differences right here in the Bay Area. The only difference that would matter after such a quake would be the one between vertical and horizontal. And it could happen any time. Make that: will happen, any time.

But why wait? I ask myself. Why not let the tsunami in South Asia lay waste, right now, to my petty prejudices and precious preferences? Why not let that tsunami roar over the sea-walls that keep me from tasting the grieving, salty tears of others, far and near? Why not let it sweep away the breakwaters that keep me from comprehending how vastly much more I have in common than not with every other human being on this shaky, watery planet Earth? And aren’t we seeing this wave of compassion sweep over America? Our country radically re-arranged its priorities when 3,000 people died on 9/11. Will we change our priorities again, in response to fifty times as many casualties on 12/26?

Jesus said: "You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5: 43-45).” A rain shower was enough to convince Jesus of what it takes a tsunami to persuade me: that all differences and disagreements among people are relatively unimportant, compared to the wider divine purposes and processes of this world. And through this humbling message come waves of understanding, compassion, forgiveness, patience, and peace. Let them roll over me.