Mercy, Murder, and Grace

A bit of humor to start a difficult post
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My sister and I attended a class at our church once that centered around the idea of becoming members of the church. During one session, the topic of salvation versus damnation came up, and one man mentioned that he did not believe in Hell. This surprised a few people, but the man described how he believed in God's enduring love, and that he could not believe that a God of greatest love and mercy would condemn a child of his to eternal torment. The man asked, "Why would a master allow a dog he loved to have its toes cut off?" I've thought a lot about what the man said over the years, and I still do not have a clear answer. However, I still think it is a worthwhile question to think about, even if it can be unsettling to approach. Flannery O'Connor, the author that Rowan Williams discusses in chapter three of Grace and Necessity, explores dark and disturbing subjects in her stories in order to ask important questions about what it means to have grace from God.

There is a lighter side to love and mercy, and a darker side
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One story of O'Connor's that Williams discusses is titled "A Good Man is Hard to Find." In it, a grandmother unintentionally instigates a chain of events that culminates with her talking to a serial killer, the Misfit, while she hears the gunshots signifying her son, Bailey, and his family being killed by the Misfit's partners in a nearby forest. While talking to the Misfit, the grandmother feels a moment of kinship with the murderer, and touches him, but he flinches back and shoots her (O'Connor, 1-23).  Most people are not inclined to feel any sort of connection with a serial killer, yet, in this short story, O'Connor manages to make the Misfit sympathetic. If he had not ordered the execution of this family, he would probably be the most likable character in the story. For example, when the grandmother reveals that she recognizes the Misfit and it becomes apparent that the family will be killed, Bailey curses at his mother, and she begins to cry. The Misfit shows distress at this, and tries to comfort the grandmother, saying, "'Lady... don't you get upset. Sometimes a man says things he don't mean. I don't reckon he meant to talk to you thataway (15).'" This unexpected display of compassion from the man about to murder the grandmother creates a dramatic situation of light and dark mixing in one person. Through this, O'Connor is able to ask questions about grace and what it means to be evil, such as:

• Is there a point we reach where we are irredeemable in the eyes of God? 
• If so, where does that boundary lie? 
• What about cases that are not so clear-cut, as in that of the Misfit? If the Misfit has some inclination towards good, does he still deserve God's grace despite being a murderer? 
• What about people who feel they are good, like the grandmother, but whose words of faith are more empty than poignant? What about those of us whose lives have been easy when compared to others? Is the measurement for grace still the same? 
• Is it easier for some people to be "good" than others? Does this affect our idea of salvation?

These questions can be really disturbing, but if one is willing to look at them, it can give one a more understanding and merciful outlook on those whose lives are surrounded by darkness. Williams mentions when discussing the story that the moment where the Misfit kills the grandmother is the moment of grace, and, despite its gruesome nature, one can see the deep bonds being made in that moment (107). On page 117, Williams summarizes O'Connor's approach to grace by saying, "O'Connor is insisting on a perception of grace that is not necessarily the introduction of a meaning or even an absolution... grace is an excess that may make for significance or forgiveness, but needn't." The story doesn't specify if the interaction with the grandmother made any effect on the Misfit, and it seems unlikely that he would change his ways. Yet, in her final moments, the grandmother was most certainly changed, and she found a greater understanding of humankind than many achieve in their lifetime. Whether or not this redeemed her or the Misfit is difficult to say, but the potential was there, and sometimes, at the very worst moments of life, the potential for change is reason enough for hope.

Illustration of Scene from "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
Source: http://vwordpress.stmarys-ca.edu/commonplacebook/files/2012/12/a_good_man_is_hard_to_find_by_howi3-d31nrko-1kjw325.jpg

Sources:

Williams, Rowan. Grace and Necessity: Reflections on Art and Love. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. Print.

O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Stories. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 1955. 1-23. Print.