In Ursula K. Le Guin's allegorical tale, the people of Omelas live in perfect happiness. When young people come of age, he or she is taken to a dark room to see the one broken individual who suffers for their sake. "This is necessary," the elders say. "Her suffering makes our happiness possible." Once they know the secret cost of their comforts, they are considered adults. Most find a way to live with what they have seen. A few decide that the price of happiness, this constant knowledge that they are the cause of another's pain, is too high to bear. They walk away.
On this holy day, we honor Jesus' loving sacrifice of his life on the cross. We take the time to remember exactly what he endured for his unwavering commitment to the truth of God's love. But I believe that Jesus does not want us just to look at him with tears and gratitude. He wants us to look through him and see in him all the people who hurt in this world. Let our grief and compassion be for them, the ones who endure pain because of our wrong choices and the ones who willingly bear hardships to make our lives better. Let us imagine a better way and change our lives to help create a world they will suffer and sacrifice no more. Let us walk away into the new hope of Easter.
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