Does Bargaining with God Work?
The well known Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross cites bargaining as the third of five common stages of grief. It is the point at which, seeing no alternatives within a person's own control, they propose to make a deal with God or "the universe" to make a fundamental change in their own lives or trade something they possess in order to prevent a dreaded loss of something or someone else precious to them. Does it work? In this week's sermon Fr. Garrett examines a story from the Biblical book of Genesis (18:20-32) in which it actually seems to work very well, but with an essential caveat. What is being asked for, and whose interest is being served in the outcome, makes all the difference.