This article seeks to answer the question, “Where is God in the midst of suffering?”, through reflecting on the paradigm of discipleship in Mark 9:36-37. Welcoming a child is a parabolic action done by Christ to show that the way to be the greatest is to welcome the weakest or to be the servant of all. A child is used as a paradigm due to his or her low status in the Greco-Roman society. Children had no right, seen as properties rather than persons, and thus equated to slaves. Therefore, welcoming a child means welcoming the weakest of the society, and doing so means to welcome Christ himself and the one who sent him. The suffering caused by COVID-19 makes the whole world suffer, yet it also creates a bigger gap between the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak. A reflection on the paradigm invites Christians to side with the weakest and those who are in need, hoping that the kingdom of God will be ushered into this suffering world.
Copyrights © 2020