Life Is Unfair

Life is unfair.

Those famous words were uttered by President John F. Kennedy during a 1962 press conference when referring to the plight of American reservists who were continuing to be held on active duty even after the Berlin Crisis had subsided. Tragically, just one year later, on November 22, 1963, this young American president was gone. To this day, Americans remember his death as an ultimate example of unfairness.

In our day, the idea of fairness is regularly bandied about. The news media provides an excellent example. As one network proclaims itself to be "fair and balanced," others decry their commercial success and insist that a so-called Fairness Doctrine be instituted which would mandate that broadcasters offer a "diversity of opinion" within their reporting. In the end, we are told that fairness is outcome based. Period.

To once more quote President Kennedy:

Life is unfair.

Through the years, I have relished providing my students with anecdotes regarding unfairness:

Is it fair that one of you has the ability to become a Nobel Prize winner while another does not? Is it fair that one of you has been gifted with an aptitude in science while another easily masters languages? Is it fair that one of you is a "trust baby" while another must gut out the "9 to 5" over a lifetime? Careful to draw myself into the mix, I pose the ultimate question: "Is it fair that my own follicly-challenged condition be continually and publicly exposed against hollywood movie stars with vast expanses of blonde, brown, salt and pepper?"

To greater or lesser extents, the realities of life seem to "scream out" at its unfairness. Truth be told, we needn't look far to find others who are in truly sad situations. Though paved with greater material wealth, our modern cities continue in their similarity to the towns, villages, and dusty roads that Jesus once trod. When one considers the frailty of the human condition, it is easy to insert ourselves into the Gospels. And while there, we will find Jesus encountering those with severe health conditions, disabilities, addictions, and personal failures at many levels. In every interaction, Divine Grace is bestowed. And with this help, change and healing ensue. 

But what can be said in regard to the ultimate unfairness? In John's Gospel (11:1-44), Jesus' journey leads Him into a scene of mourners. And as Mary approaches Him, she quickly says: "Lord, if you had been here, my brother [Lazarus] would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled; and he said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see."

And in the shortest verse of scripture (Jn 11:35), we are told that:

Jesus wept.

In considering the Divine tears, the Navarre Bible Commentary challenges us to reflect on the depth and tenderness of Jesus' feelings:

If the physical death of His friend can move Him to tears, what will He not feel over the spiritual death of a sinner who has brought about his eternal condemnation? "Christ wept: let man also weep for himself. For why did Christ weep, but to teach men to weep." (St Augustine, In Ioann. Evang., 49, 19). We should also weep- but for our sins, to help us return to the life of grace through conversion and repentance. We should appreciate our Lord's tears. He is praying for us, who are sinners. Jesus is your friend. The Friend. With a human heart, like yours. With loving eyes that wept for Lazarus.

Enough said.