Tragic Flaw

When the rich man heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions. (Mark 10:22).

             When I was studying the plays of William Shakespeare in High School, one of the ideas I learned was that of the “Tragic Hero”. This individual was usually the main character in the play and had many fine qualities. Yet, as the plot unfolds a tragic flaw is exposed in the character of that person which leads to tragic results. Sadly, tragic flaws are not confined to characters in the plays of Shakespeare but can be found in real people and have unfortunate consequences.

            In this passage from Mark, after a rich man is told by Jesus to sell all he owns, give the money to the poor and become a Disciple, he goes away grieving. By doing so, Christ identifies the man’s tragic flaw: his attachment to possessions.

            Within certain sections of the Hebrews Scriptures/Old Testament there was a perspective which linked Material prosperity with Religious observance. If someone obeyed the Jewish Law in its: Liturgical, Doctrinal and Moral Teachings, God rewarded that individual with success in earthly life. In the Book of Wisdom, a person who receives Wisdom from God and reveals it by the way he or she lives recognizes that quality is more valuable than gold or silver. Yet, Wisdom also brought with it good things such as wealth. Since such texts promoted true belief and proper conduct, they were popularized by many Religious Leaders. However, other texts challenged this view. The Jubilee Year required the return of property to its original owners and cancellation of debts which reduced differences in Material inequality. Job was a devout man who nevertheless experienced great personal and Material hardships. Amos attacked the wealth of the rich derived from the exploitation of the poor. The rich man could have accumulated his wealth through hard work, good business decisions or inheritance. There is no indication he did anything immoral. In fact, his observance of the Commandments revealed his Religious commitment and high ethical standards. Yet, he also likely saw his good fortune as the result of such behaviour. He and God made a deal: the man observed the Law and God rewarded him. His wealth was an indication of his Holiness. The certainty of this connection was the reason he was so attached to his property and his tragic flaw. God made no such bargain with him. Eternal Life was a gift which demanded detachment from all other commitments which included not just Material goods but the meaning given to them by Humans. As the man walked away, he grieved the loss of his view of how God operated.

            During this Covid 19 Pandemic there have been many stories which have highlighted the existence of a person’s tragic flaw. A mother who is sincerely concerned about the health of her adult children who do not want to get vaccinated continuously urges them to get their shot until they stop speaking to her. A man who will not get inoculated for Conscience reasons because the Vaccine was tested on material obtained from an Aborted Fetus is likely the reason a loved one get infected with Covid 19 and becomes seriously ill. A store owner seeking to protect the health of his employees and customers is so exacting in enforcing Health Regulations that relations with both groups deteriorate badly. Although in each case the person was well intentioned, a character flaw like the desire to force change, uphold a principle or control the behaviour of others results in problems. Catholics and other people of Faith sometimes want to make a deal with God. If I have the right motives God will vindicate my actions. Yet, they must also recognize the dangers which come with doing so; for as rich man discovered God does not make deals with us. Divine Providence is God freely giving us what he knows we need. He will not be manipulated.

            Most Catholics know there is a limit to what they can do during this Pandemic. They can encourage people to: get vaccinated; follow their conscience; and observe health regulations. But they must remember who ultimately is in charge. Failure to do so can expose a tragic flaw within themselves which can have negative results.

            Shakespeare’s plays taught me the importance of finding the tragic flaws within myself. Life has taught me I will probably find a few more in the years to come. Yet, the most important question I need to answer is not “What are they?” but “Will I learn from them the lessons God is trying to teach me?”

October 10, 2021