Whenever I vacation I like to visit and attend Mass at the Catholic Church wherever I am. Many years ago I visited Sanibel Island on vacation with my family and attended Mass at St. Isabel Church. It was a beautiful church with a vibrant faith community. Of all the things that sadden me about the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, I am most saddened thinking of that faith community with a church, which I'm sure is devastated, like most of the island. I can't even imagine such loss, such human suffering, losing all your belongings, your home as well as your church. It's inconceivable and unimaginable. And of course, people lost their lives which is so tragic. My friend who lives in Naples, Florida near the Gulf of Mexico watched from her second floor condo as her car floated away....so many people have lost so much. But she was told to evacuate....I will never understand people who defy evacuation orders, it doesn't make sense to me.
So as we pray for the people of Florida (and also some in South Carolina) who have lost so much, we have to think about the future. If climate scientists are right, they say storms will become more powerful and fierce as the climate warms. Its not happening in 50 years from now, the effects will be happening now and in the near future.
How can God help us when we won't help ourselves?
NJA
