The Fratricides

Nikos Kazantzakis authored a novel called The Fratricides in which he recounted the tragic and terrible violence that swallowed up Greece during the civil war from 1946-1949.  “Fratricides” means brother killers.  The biblical story of Cain and Abel is a story of fratricide,  That story has been repeated year after year, century after century, millennium after millennium, and war after war.  It was repeated last week just down the road from where I live—and where my daughter, Rachel, is a teacher.  A young brother (15) and his older brother (18) got in an argument.  The younger brother stabbed his brother and killed him.  Another fratricide happened!  Such fratricides happen every day.

A fratricide occurred again today at The Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Yes, it was a fratricide, because in spite of all the hate, ignorance, and misunderstanding of the assassin (Robert Bowers), those worshippers and the law enforcement officers who came to their aid, were his brothers and his sisters—and he was and is their brother.  Yes, Robert Bowers is my brother and your brother, too.  Cesar Sayoc, Jr. is my brother and he is your brother, too. In our anger and frustration we must never forget that fact.  We do not choose our brothers and sisters.  They are given to us.  Where is your brother?  Where is your sister?  Who is your neighbor?  No human being is an animal and no human being is “a piece of garbage.”  Every person, whether enemy or friend, whether black or white, whether Jew or Muslim, whether assassin or victim is my brother and my sister.  

“The road is long with many a’winding turn that leads us to who knows where, who knows when.  But I’m strong, strong enough to carry him.  He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother. So on we go.  His welfare is my concern, no burden is he to bear.  We’ll get there. For I know he would not encumber me.  He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother. If I’m laden at all, I’m ladened with sadness that everyone’s heart isn’t filled with gladness of love for one another.”  

Sometimes a brother or a sister does become a burden—a heavy load—a severe embarrassment, a pawn of the demonic powers, but still we must carry our brother, our sister.  We are heavy ladened with sadness, sorrow, and grief because of fratricide, but we must be careful not to commit it ourselves.