JFK Jr.’s Flight, and Ours

This was published in the fall of 1999 in the Yale Standard.

On July 16, 1999, the search for John F. Kennedy Jr.’s airplane began. The previous night, JFK Jr., his wife, and his sister-in-law took off to attend a family wedding. The family called the authorities later that night to report that the plane had not arrived. It had disappeared, and chances of finding it were slim.

We learned from reports that JFK Jr.’s plane was new and unfamiliar to him. Many other pilots decided not to fly that evening because the weather was ominous. Moreover, JFK Jr. did not log a flight plan with the airport. I cannot help but wonder if he could not have better prepared himself for the circumstances that arose in the flight.

The events surrounding JFK Jr.’s crash caused me to consider our journey through life. In any journey, we first need a destination. In the Bible, Jesus tells us that the final destination for His followers is the kingdom of heaven: “Come ye blessed of my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 25)

Also, in any journey, we must take careful consideration of how well-equipped we are to reach our destination. Scripture tells us that our own human efforts are wholly inadequate to reach God’s kingdom: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3)