Responsibility for others ...

The ethics philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas, once wrote, "Responsibility is not a return to self but an irremovable and implacable crispation, which the limits of identity cannot contain." To Levinas, when somebody is called to take responsibility towards somebody or something, he/she is caught in the spot, not knowing exactly how to respond. This moment of not knowing how to respond is equivalent to being burn into a crisp.

Levinas might sound too high-up-there for us to understand, however it is somewhat true. With so many troubles and problems in the world, how are we suppose to respond to them all? For one human being, it is difficult. Two Oscar-nominated movies got me thinking about the issue about responsibility towards others. For those who have not watched the movies, please do not read on.

Firstly, "Slumdog Millionaire". Many people applaud the film for its depiction of Mumbai and India at large. Others also applaud it for its celebration of the success of the underdog. However, I applaud it for its portrayal of one significant figure, the elder brother of Jamal, Salim. Salim being Jamal's elder brother, probably failed in many ways. When both brothers were still young, Salim sold Jamal's Amitabh Bachan autographed photograph, betraying his younger brother. When they were running away from some thugs and got on the train, Salim did not pull Lathika up the train, but left her stranded as the train carried both brothers off. Salim once again betrayed his brother, when soon after Jamal and Salim found Lathika after several years, Salim took Lathika and sold her to a new gang he just joined. And once again, Salim betrayed Jamal, by not telling him where Lathika was.

By now all of you must be thinking, "Man, this Salim is really a jerk!" However, towards the end of the move, when Salim helped Lathika escape from his gang leader, he took responsibility! Salim knew full well that he could no longer remedy for all the past mistakes he had done before, but for that moment, he knew he could take responsibility for all the wrong things he had done.

Similarly, in "The Reader", Hanna Schmitz is probably one of the most irresponsible characters we have ever seen. She lured a then 15-year-old Michael Berg into having sex with her the entire of his summer. After which, she joined the Nazi SS, where she actually left a large group of Jewish prisoners burning in a church where they were locked up. In the trial, she actually claimed that as a security officer, she could not allow these Jewish prisoners to escape, and that this showed her responsibility as a security officer. Most important of all, being functionally illiterate, she hid it, therefore not bearing responsibility to herself.

But towards the end of the movie, we see Hanna learning how to read and write. And in the end, when Hanna was to be released from prison, she commits suicide. We learn that she never thought of leaving the prison. Towards the end, she bore responsibility, for though she could not remedy for all the wrongs she did previously.

As Christians, we know that we can never fully take responsibility for the sins we have committed. If we ever look back at our sins, it is probably larger, bigger, taller than Mount Everest. However, Jesus Christ died once and for all, to clear off the responsibility we have for our sins. Jesus took it upon Himself, and released forgiveness upon us. So, are we absolve of all responsibilities then?

Consider Matthew 28:16-20:

"16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.""

This is our responsibility. Let us take it up, and not give up!

Amen.