From darkness to light
“Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened,
and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
What a tragedy. What a horrible thing has happened in our community to two of our most beloved members who have done so much for us, and to a family that has done so much for our church and community. Where is God’s justice? Sima Setian Pariseau spearheaded the Father’s Day picnic this year. The iconic picture of Sima and her son Dylan together on June 16, taken at the picnic on the same day that tragedy struck later that night, became a symbol of who they were.
We often ask and wonder how such things can happen, how God allows these things to occur. In my opinion, it is the combination of evil and serious mental illness. If it was only the mental condition of the perpetrator, then why would he have harmed others as well? We hear of suicides all the time. People cannot handle the realities they have to face daily. It is tragic, but at least they go on without physically harming others. Others kill and try to cover it up. This is mostly because of evil. But why kill others, people close to you, and then commit suicide? So you see, it is the combination of evil intent and mental illness together. That is why this tragedy cannot be understood by so many.
Having said that, we do not know God’s judgment. We do not condemn. We are upset and angry, yet we must pray for everyone. To be honest, in addition to my prayers for Sima, Dylan and their family, I have also prayed for the perpetrator and his family. I believe that his family is also suffering, and they feel ashamed and deeply embarrassed. In a way, their situation is more difficult and awkward. May God illuminate the souls of Sima and Dylan and give comfort to the families, friends and community members.
No matter what, we are Christian, and we cannot fall into despair. When such tragedies happen, and usually when it comes to death, I ask myself how people who do not have faith and do not believe in the aftermath of life can handle it. The issue of death is one of the most difficult, but also one of the most important that we face. It is impossible for our human brains to comprehend it rationally. Life and existence are not only made of realities that we can see, touch and explain — there is much more than that. If we only recognize the material world, sooner or later we will come to a dead end. The truth is that there are metaphysical realities — the transcendent world — and they cannot be understood simply by our minds, but by our hearts and souls. This is the truth, and it leads us to God.
Some may ask, “How could God allow such tragedies?” and this is a legitimate question. This was and is the dominant question that we have for God when it comes to the Armenian Genocide. If God is almighty and perfectly good, how could He allow such tragedies? We have to remember that God the Father did not rescue His Son Jesus on the cross. His Son, being God Himself, was weakened, and in agony screamed: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” God the Son asked this of God the Father. We know what happened to Jesus then — in three days’ time, He was resurrected. Rationally, there are no answers to these questions. We can “find” answers and peace when we go beyond the limited ability of our eyes and minds, dig deeper behind the material and visible world, and look at things with our hearts and souls.
Christianity is the religion of the heart. Jesus is the most compassionate, sensitive, giving and loving person, if we look to Him as a human being for a moment. That is when we start to look at things differently. When it comes to death, no matter how tragic, we start to get out of the darkness into the light, towards the hope of resurrection, to the belief that death is just a separation. If we live a valuable life according to Christian values, then we will certainly be united with our beloved ones. This unity will be for eternity, away from the problems and suffering of our worldly life. We will live in eternal peace and love. Can we be elevated and think of death this way? If yes, then the pain that may seem unbearable can become easier to carry.
Sometimes I hear some desperate words, and this is understandable. We are human beings, but we are not by ourselves — we have God with us, who speaks through good-willed people, people who carry His message and give us hope. If we go this way, then as time passes, we will overcome the darkness and come to the light – God’s Light. Suffering can make people worse, or on the contrary, make them better. Suffering can distance us from God or bring us closer to God. Because of this tragedy, I believe that our community will grow closer to each other, and as a result, closer to God. Suffering will cleanse us of our weaknesses and sins, and in the end, we will become a stronger community united in God’s message of love.
May God illuminate the souls of Sima and Dylan. May God bless you all.
Rev. Fr. Bedros Shetilian, Pastor
St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church
Indian Orchard – Springfield, Massachusetts
Fr. Bedros Shetilian
Latest posts by Fr. Bedros Shetilian (see all)
- From darkness to light - July 17, 2024
