It seems to me that the number of natural disasters and the size of the disasters has been rising, floods, volcanoes, and earthquakes.

The latest, of course, is the earthquake in Japan this week.  There is massive damage from the earthquake.  Giving that earthquake was measured at 8.9, I think we can give thanks that even more lives have not been lost (The latest death toll that I have heard is 1,300 but as they search for missing people, I’m sure the number of dead and injured will rise).  As if the original quake was not enough, there has been hundreds of aftershocks.  There is also the tsunamis that have resulted in massive damage in Japan and resulted in damage thousands of miles away.

It would easy to say that Japan is half a world away, so it doesn’t affect me.  Why should I care?  You should care.  Jesus cares.   These are real people affecting by the earthquake.  All life is precious.

What can we do to help?  The obvious secular answer is to donate money.  That is certainly a good thing.  We can also pray.  At times like this people might ask “does prayer really do any good?  If God cared, he wouldn’t have the earthquake happen.  I cannot explain why God allows such things but I believe that God does not cause these things. 

Some might then ask, “Where is God now?”  God has not gone absent.  God is present in the emergency workers, in the teams coming from across the world to assist with search and rescue.  God is present offering his comfort to all who seek him.  We become aware of God’s presence in prayer and see his grace at work in the rescuers.

Let us pray for everyone affected by the earthquake this week.

Peace,

Fr. Jeff