Dumb Question

Being fearless in asking questions

Matthew 9:14-15

The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.”

          Children love to ask questions. And they love to ask lots of questions. And sometimes they even answer their own questions. Here are some samples of their sagacity. One child asked, “Why do pandas like old movies?” The answer: “Because they are black and white.” Another question: “When does a doctor get mad?” Answer: “When she runs out of patients.” Here’s a clever one: “Is swimming good for your figure?” Answer: “If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.” And here’s my favorite: “What kind of lighting did Noah use on the Ark?” Answer: “He used floodlights!”

          These are humorous examples, of course. But children also ask serious questions, like “Why can’t we see God?” and “Where do babies come from?” and “Who wrote the Bible?”  Good questions! Over the course of my 20 years as a priest, I’ve learned that not all questions have answers, at least that I know. Some answers will only be found in heaven. But it’s still good to ask the question, you never know what you might learn.

          In the gospel today, John’s disciples ask Jesus a question. They ask: “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus gives a cryptic answer in calling himself the “Bridegroom,” and that it is not customary to fast when the Groom is present. What’s the point? Well, notice how a seemingly simple question prompted Jesus to divulge his deepest identity. He is the heavenly Bridegroom who has come to earth to claim his Bride, the Church. This was a little more important than knowing what kind of lights Noah used on the Ark! But you’ll never know the answer unless you ask the question. I bet Jesus loved it when people asked him questions! And those fortunate people didn’t have to wait till heaven to get their answers.

          Some people think there are “dumb questions,” but I don’t. Do you think it’s a dumb question to ask, “What was God doing before he created time?” One religious retort was, “He was creating Hell for people who ask dumb questions.” But I believe that’s the farthest thing from the truth. In his book, The Universe in a Nutshell, Stephen Hawking explained that precisely that “dumb question” -- What was God doing before he created time? -- inspired the greatest minds, like Albert Einstein, to rethink the nature of space and time and discover the theories of “general relativity” and “quantum mechanics.” In other words, there are no “dumb questions.” In fact, there are only two kinds of questions: Good questions and those questions you didn’t ask. As soon as you ask the question, it becomes a good one. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, you never know what you might learn. Now, as for the answers, some of those you’ll only find in heaven.

          Praised be Jesus Christ!