Sermon On The Augury Of "qué Será, Será"

William Shakespeare, an English playwright and poet once remarked: “Not a whit, we defy augury: there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all.” Romans 8:28 reminds us: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

"Qué será, será" as it is often spelled in Spanish, or "Che sarà, sarà" in the regarded authentic original language of Italian is deemed to mean: “What will be, will be.” Its impetus suggests that there is no point in worrying about the future, as that is dictated by the power of providence alone. It has been said that the true essence of a fulfilling life is to live by qué será, será. Although the original source of qué será, será is believed to be Italian, the translation is deemed closest to Spanish. Some firmly believe that it is Spanish in origin, whereas others refute that thinking and deem that it is Italian. Regardless of the way its ancestry is purported, its general intention is to take heart, not to worry about the future, and to take each day as it comes. However, like its original debatable source, there are also varying interpretations of this well-known phrase. Some egocentric people believe that life is what you make it. They selfishly deem that one is entitled to live life to its fullest and make the most of every day, even if it be at the costly expense of those less fortunate.

Fate is often regarded by many to be predetermined. It is a philosophical perspective of life that is central to the doctrine of fatalism. It is believed that one’s destiny is not subject to change and individuals have little say in its course, direction, or final outcome, as its scope is considered independent of human control. However, in truth, this is a complex and debatable viewpoint with differing opinions, as there is no physical evidence to prove or disprove this theory. Others, in their sagacity, believe that any deviation in a proposed course of actions or definitive purpose for a betterment in life, can alter a predestined outcome.

There are significant illustrations in the Bible regarding the many differing fortunes of providence. In one of Jesus’ parables instanced in Luke 16:19-31, an apposite and salient story is told of a rich man and Lazarus: “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’

But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house - for I have five brothers - so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

This parable not only illustrates that the richness of heaven will come to the poor, but if one changes for the better in life, especially in considering and relating to the needs of others, then a different and more worthwhile outcome at the end of an earthly life is plausible. This enforces the potential that change can predestine a totally different fate than the prescribed one. Romans 12:2 confirms: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”