Not to offend anyone, but one of my pet peeves is to hear someone say, "everything happens for a reason, it's all part of a bigger plan" or anything along those lines. In short, I simply don't believe it. I see that horrific things happen and I don't believe that people---or any part of creation---are crushed for some greater divine plan. Heck, I don't even hold that view of the cross!
What I do believe in, with great force and feeling, is redemption. I do not believe that awful things happen so that something good can come out of it, but I do believe that God is working---and we can work with or against God here---to bring about something good, to redeem the horror in whatever way horrific events might be redeemed.
A few weeks ago, a friend posted, on Facebook, the trailer to the movie, The Music of Strangers. In it, composer Osvaldo Goligov gives us the quote I posted above. "Revenge" would not be the word I'd use, but the sentiment is something I can endorse. The best part of us, which I would contend is the Imago Dei implanted in each of us, will meet violence with beauty, in whatever multi-faceted way we want to define beauty.
The fully human part of us is the fully divine part---these are not in opposition as is popularly believed---and out of this humanity, we are working with God to redeem all the ugliness with beauty.
It's a constant, ongoing process, but then so is the present and coming Reign of God, the completed and future resurrection.
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