E. THERE IS A SYLVIE DOSROSIERS PLAY THAT RAN ON BROADWAY IN 1995 ENTITLED, "THE LONG SILENCE" THAT SAYS IT ALL, “AT THE END OF TIME, WHERE BILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE SCATTERED ON A GREAT PLAIN BEFORE GOD’S THRONE. MOST SHRANK FROM THE BRILLIANT LIGHT BEFORE THEM, BUT SOME GROUPS NEAR THE FRONT TALKED HEATEDLY - NOT WITH CRINGING SHAME, BUT WITH BELLIGERENCE SAYING, "CAN GOD JUDGE US?
F. WHAT DOES HE KNOW ABOUT SUFFERING, SNAPPED A YOUNG BRUNETTE. SHE RIPPED OPEN A SLEEVE TO REVEAL A TATTOOED NUMBER FROM A NAZIS CONCENTRATION CAMP, "WE ENDURED TERROR ... BEATINGS ... TORTURE AND DEATH IN ANOTHER GROUP AN AFRICAN AMERICAN BOY LOWERED HIS COLLAR, "WHAT ABOUT THIS? HE DEMANDED, SHOWING AN UGLY ROPE BURN. "LYNCHED... FOR NO CRIME, BUT BEING BLACK"
G. IN ANOTHER CROWD, A PREGNANT SCHOOL GIRL WITH SULLEN EYES SAID, "WHY SHOULD I SUFFER, IT WASN’T MY FAULT.” FAR OUT ACROSS THE PLAINS THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF SUCH GROUPS AND EACH HAD A COMPLAINT AGAINST GOD FOR THE EVIL AND SUFFERING HE PERMITTED IN THIS WORLD. HOW LUCKY GOD WAS TO LIVE IN HEAVEN WHERE ALL WAS SWEETNESS AND LIGHT, WHERE THERE WAS NO WEEPING OR FEAR, NO HUNGER OR HATRED.
H. WHAT DID GOD KNOW OF ALL THAT MAN HAD BEEN FORCED TO ENDURE IN THIS WORLD? FOR GOD LEADS A PRETTY SHELTERED LIFE THEY SAID. SO EACH OF THESE GROUPS SET FORTH THEIR LEADER, CHOSEN BECAUSE HE HAD SUFFERED THE MOST - A JEW, AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, A PERSON FROM HIROSHIMA, A HORRIBLY DEFORMED ARTHRITIC, AND A CHILD WITH DOWN’S SYNDROME. THEY CONSULTED WITH EACH OTHER.
I. AT LAST, THEY WERE READY TO PRESENT THEIR CASE, IT WAS RATHER CLEVER. BEFORE GOD COULD BE QUALIFIED TO BE THEIR JUDGE, HE MUST ENDURE WHAT THEY ENDURED. THEIR DECISION WAS THAT GOD SHOULD BE SENTENCED TO LIVE ON EARTH - AS A MAN "LET HIM BE BORN A JEW. LET THE LEGITIMACY OF HIS BIRTH BE DOUBTED. GIVE HIM WORK SO DIFFICULT THAT EVEN HIS FAMILY WILL THINK HIM OUT OF HIS MIND WHEN HE TRIES TO DO IT.
J. LET HIM BE BETRAYED BY HIS CLOSEST FRIENDS. LET HIM FACE FALSE CHARGES; BE TRIED BY A PREJUDICE JURY AND CONVICTED BY A COWARDLY JUDGE. LET HIM BE TORTURED. AT THE LAST, LET HIM SEE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ALONE. THEN LET HIM DIE. LET HIM DIE SO THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT HE DIED. LET THERE BE A GREAT HOST OF WITNESSES TO VERIFY IT." AS EACH LEADER ANNOUNCED HIS PORTION OF THE SENTENCE,
K. LOUD MURMURS OF APPROVAL WENT UP FROM THE THRONG OF PEOPLE ASSEMBLED. WHEN THE LAST HAD FINISHED PRONOUNCING SENTENCE, THERE WAS A LONG SILENCE. NO ONE UTTERED ANOTHER WORD. NO ONE MOVED, FOR SUDDENLY, THEY ALL KNEW THAT GOD HAD ALREADY SERVED HIS SENTENCE.”
L. THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS: WHEN YOU COME TO YOUR MOMENT OF SORROW AND SUFFERING,
M. EMBRACE THE CROSS AND REMEMBER THAT GOD STANDS WITH YOU IN YOUR SUFFERING.