"Sound of sheer silence"

The Lord said to Elijah, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 
1 Kings 19:11-13

A year ago today, most of us woke up to that strange “sound of sheer silence” after Superstorm Sandy blew through. There was something holy in that silence, even with all the downed trees and power lines, and water being places it shouldn’t be. Nature gave us its worst, and we survived.  People and places still bear the scars from the storm, but we survived and prevailed.  God was and is with us in these trying times.

Anniversaries offer us the opportunity to reflect on what happened, mourn what was lost as well as capture the lessons learned.  I bought a manual can opener and a hand crank radio for my emergency bag. I also learned that we didn’t have emergency contact information for many parishioners, so we gather that information in case of such a situation in the future. 

But more importantly, we learned that we do endure even the worst trials of being without electricity for 2 weeks, or even having our home condemned.  We rebuild in one way or another, being more prepared for the next time, should there be one.  God is with us in those trials, through the hands of neighbors and strangers mucking out basements and donating clothes and other goods.  It was heartening to see the generosity from people all over the country who offered their gifts and talents to the rebuilding efforts.  This is the power of creation, which is even more forceful than nature.

Our prayers and support continue for those who are still not “home” after a year.  For those who lost everything, like St. Elizabeth’s Chapel in Ortley Beach, life will never be the same.  We cannot rebuild the past, only plan for the future.  May God bless their ministry and those whom they serve.

Thank you to all who supported our efforts throughout the year toward Sandy Relief.  We are Jersey Strong, yet we remember that that strength comes from God.

In Christ,

Rev. Valerie+

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Give God the Glory

Reflections on Chapters 12-14 of the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Years ago, I had a grandparent chargingly ask me if it was OK for her to be proud of her granddaughter, because she had been taught, “Pride goeth before the fall.”   I assured her that being proud of her grandchild was not a sin when the feeling was offered in thanksgiving of the accomplishment and not boosting up one’s own ego. “Look at what I have done,” has been the down fall of many people because they neglect or forget those that helped them achieve their goals. The Book of Acts shares story after story of the importance of acknowledging that all power and might comes from God, to whom we should offer our thanks and praise.   When our egos take over and we congratulate only ourselves for what we have done, we become idolatrous. Chapter 12 records an terrible story of King Herod’s response to the apostles.   He outright kills James and then arrests Peter, who is guarded by over 30 men. Yet, despite
Read more

A Christmas Poem

‘Twas a week before Christmas and all through the land The Church reminded us that the Savior’s birth was at hand. The season is not about the perfection of glitter But about a loving God who would not leave us bitter. And so God sent us the Son wrapped up like a present In the garb of our mortality, the human flesh of a peasant. The cookies may not be made, the decorations may not be hung, The cards may not be sent, the lights may not be strung. Yet let us all make the true preparations for the coming of our Savior And open our hearts and lives to the Lord’s loving favor. No more precious gift has ever been received. It is up to us to remind the world what we truly believe. Not in jolly old elves, talking snowmen or reindeer in flight But in God, who loves us with all of God's might. So stop for a moment and take a deep breath, As we await the Christ, the true conqueror of death. Let go of the need to fulfill a secular call to perfection
Read more

A Sloppy Track

Reflections on Acts of the Apostles Chapters 15-17 This past Saturday was the 144 th running of the Kentucky Derby.   As with all outdoor events, it is at the mercy of Mother Nature, and sometimes she doesn’t seem to care that the humans prefer sunny, dry weather.   However, a certain horse named Justified was the odds-on favorite to win if it was a sloppy track.   And indeed it was.   Rain poured down for most of the day and it didn’t stop by the time the big race was scheduled to start.   The track was a sloppy as I have ever seen a horse race track be.   Justified loved it – and won. It seems counter-intuitive to me that such adverse conditions could led to victory.   What I would consider ideal conditions (sunny, warm but not hot, dry) was the complete opposite of what made Justified thrive.   The reality is that “ideal” conditions are rare – there is always something that is a bit sloppy or not exactly to our liking.   What is important is how we choose to act in those
Read more