Clifton College Website

Thought for the Week

Clifton College's Chaplain, Kim Taplin, brings us his 'Thought for the Week'

Archive...

Why?

The tragic loss of eleven year old Clifton Preparatory School pupil Alexander Bjoroy, along with 227 other passengers, on the ill-fated Air France flight 447 on Sunday 31st May leaves us with so many unanswered questions. Uppermost in our minds, perhaps, is the three-letter word, "Why?" Why has this happened to Alexander, a loved and respected boy with so much of life left to live?

Mixed with emotions of deep sadness are feelings of anger and protest at the unfairness of it all. We need to realise that it is okay to feel that way. Even a cursory glance through the pages of the Bible reveals that God is prepared to take our stinging criticisms just as readily as he receives our worship. I wish I had an answer to the question "Why?" I am not sure that there is an answer which would fully satisfy us this side of Heaven.

However, Christianity does offer a response which focuses on a rough, wooden cross on which a man died......also before his time. In Jesus Christ, God shared the same pain of human separation, emptiness and despair which many have experienced during this last week.

God knows how we feel. He promises to continue standing by us in our darkest moments. He is with us and he weeps with us in our loss.

8 June 2009

© 2006-10 Clifton College