Prayers for Japan. Friday March 11. Lent 2001.

Poor, poor Japan.

An 8.9 earthquake rocked their world.

The 5^th largest earthquake ever recorded.

The largest ever recorded in Japan.

Violently shook for a full 5 minutes.

Aftershocks shook at around a magnitude of 6.0.

Then a tsunami flooded their lives.

Cars, people, houses, buildings, boats, just drift away in these powerful waters.

Only the power of God is stronger than these earthquakes and tsunamis.

There are tsunami warnings throughout the Pacific Ocean.

Both Hawaii and the West coast are expected to be hit.

It is in moments like these when we simply ask God, “Why?”

Why the pain and suffering? Why the fear and uncertainty?

It is punishment? It is a test? It is to draw us closer to You?

These questions cannot be answered by us.

The answers are only for God to know.

But doesn’t this fear and uncertainty make us want to do a little better with our lives?

To say a little bit longer of a goodbye to our families as we go to work or school today?

Or to hold the door open for the person you pass everyday?

Or to pray just a little bit longer?

Or to be more helpful?

Or just to act like a Christian?

Fear has great power over us.

But if we are fearful, we are not trusting in the Lord as we should.

If we truly believe, then we will have peace in the fact that the Lord knows what He is doing, we will trust that He has power over all these natural disasters, and we will believe He has a reason- for EVERYTHING.

Here is the first reading for today from Isaiah 58:

Thus says the Lord GOD: cry out full-throated and unsparingly, lift up your voice like a trumpet blast; tell my people their wickedness and the house of Jacob their sins.
They seek me day after day, and desire to know my ways, like a nation that has done what is just and not abandoned the law of their God; they ask me to declare what is due them, pleased to gain access to God. “Why do we fast, and you do not see it? Afflict ourselves, and you take no note of it?”

Lo, on your fast day you carry out your own pursuits, and drive all your laborers. Yes, your fast ends in quarreling and fighting, striking with wicked claw. Would that today you might fast so as to make your voice heard on high! Is this the manner of fasting I wish, of keeping a day of penance: That a man bow his head like a reed and lie in sackcloth and ashes?

Do you call this a fast, a day acceptable to the LORD? This, rather, is the fasting that I wish: releasing those bound unjustly, untying the thongs of the yoke; setting free the oppressed, breaking every yoke; sharing your bread with the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless; clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own. Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!

I think this reading is interesting at this time.

It talks about fasting which pertains to us being at the beginning of Lent.  The Lord is simply giving more directions on how to fast appropriately.  But what is really promising is the last part of this reading. The Lord says that if we do good, which all of us have done some good and one point or another, He will be there for us!

“Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer, you shall cry for help, and he will say: Here I am!”

When the faithful cry for help God will answer the cry!

He may not answer our prayers exactly the way we want; but even better, He will answer them in the way His will desires! 

He IS God, He know everything.

Take comfort in knowing that He knows the number of hairs on your head.

He will care for you.

Do not let fear of earthly things overcome you.

Let fear of the Lord overwhelm you.

He will amaze you.

Trust in Him.

Praise God in the fact that you can take consolation and have peace in Him.

You are so blessed to have the option to completely disregard the earthly fear in your life.

Others may not realize that they are so blessed.

Or they may be too afraid.

This is where we all need offer what we have, trust and fear in the Lord, to others.

Japan needs prayer.

We have the strength and the means to pray for Japan.

This is our job as Christians.

Hundreds have died.

Hundreds are missing.

Hundreds are fearful.

We NEED to pray.

We need to pray for the souls who have died.

We need to pray for the rescues workers.

We need to pray for the families that were torn apart. 

We need to pray for everyone in Japan.

In our humanness we all want answers to the deep and burning question of why? But we REALLY need to accept that fact that our merciful and just God knows exactly what He is doing. 

Pray.

Trust.

Be faithful.

We will be rewarded.

In our hearts we want to do more but we must trust in the power of pray, leave the rest to God, and just let it be.

When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

And when the brokenhearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah, there will be an answer let it be


Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be

I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Yeah, let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
There will be an answer, let it be

Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be

The Beatles-

Let it Be