September 2, 2005

For I, the Lord your God, hold you right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I will help you."  Isaiah 41, 13.

As with many of us, my thoughts have been drastically changed over the last few days.  The entire centre of this reflection has been altered. The tragedy which our nation and our citizens are enduring must give us pause.  As citizens of this country, we must reach out and do our best to help; but as citizens of God's Kingdom, we must do more. Yes, material and financial aid are essential; but the strength of prayer is also critical. The Prophet Isaiah gave the above comfort to the people of Israel ; assuring them of the consolation, which only comes from the Lord.

Our brothers and sisters are in great need of comfort. The power to accomplish this abides only in God, never the less, we as the body of Christ must direct our thoughts and prayers to the Almighty for the people in the Gulf States . I am a bit of a news junky. As a result, I have been trying to keep up with the situation by staying glued to the news reports.  Last night, it occurred to me that had I spent one third of that time in prayer; it would have been a much more edifying use of time. How easy it is to become wrapped up in the physical needs and forgo the spiritual. And yet as children of God what is our calling, our vocation? It is to transfigure the world by the light of Christ.

If any situation is in need of transfiguration, we are witnessing one now. The question that begs to be asked is how we can transform this misery into the light of Christ's presence. Over the last few days, I have been contacted by telephone and email by many of our judicatory leaders who have outlined the actions that are being taken in their communities across the state.

Yesterday, I received a call from the Tulsa Metropolitan Churches wishing to help, but I must share one email with you. The Council of Churches in Wooster Mass. wished to "adopt" five families, relocate them, give them homes, jobs and automobiles. Such is the outpouring of Christ's love. As Virgilio Elizondo reminds us:

"When I feel totally down in the affairs of life, I need not fear and I need not despair. For I know the Son of God is with me to give me that hope that is beyond all human hope, that God- no mere human –will triumph in me…God is with me no matter what"

Elizondo, V. (2003) A God of Incredible Surprises - Jesus of Galilee, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc, Lanham, Boulder , New York Oxford .

Here is our prayer; May our Lord allow them to feel His presence and the light of Christ in their darkness and desolation. May they feel our prayerful presence as the Body of Christ, which they are such a valuable part.