The sermon title suggests the human desire for an application of reason to a situation. The application of reason always seems to us to be the way through the murky unknown, some technological know-how which sets things in understandable categories, which downsizes the mysterium tremendum et fascinans to digestible bits of common wisdom.

To ask a question like "How can this be?" or "Why me?" suggests that we expect some humanly understandable reason for an anticipated event or a strange occurrence. The question itself is understandable. It has been said that the longest distance one can travel is from the head to the heart. Probably, though, the reverse journey is harder — heart to head — for it is uphill the whole way.

"Mrs. So-and-so, we are sorry to have to tell you that your father p…