The Power of God in Nature
By Colette Lemire
GOD IS POWER! He is the Almighty! He is the Lord of love and beauty, and the beauty of the world is breath-taking, and it is Good! God is also the one who controls all of nature, including the weather. God is Power, how often do we forget this?
This past summer was marked by an incredible year regarding natural disasters in Western Canada and in the world at large. Forest fires, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods and earthquakes are definitely an example of God’s power. Since July 2017, there have been numerous places facing dangerous natural conditions – the fires of British Columbia, the fires of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California, the fires of Manitoba, the floods and devastation from Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose, Hurricane Katia and Hurricane Maria in the southern United States, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. There have been earthquakes and tsunamis in Mexico. And to top things off, a solar flare/meteor was sighted in southern British Colombia, Alberta and in two northwestern United States. As humans we are worried and wondering what is next, what are we to do? Is God calling it quits on our planet?
We must always be ready to meet Our Lord! We need to remember firstly that no one knows the time or place when Our Heavenly Father will send Jesus. NO ONE!!! “Since the Ascension Christ’s coming in glory has been imminent, even though ‘it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.’”- #673 Catechism of the Catholic Church. His power is meant as a call; a call to pray hard and steadfast, and a call to love our neighbours even more than ever. We are called to show our love and share what we have with others.
Are we meant to worry? Are we meant to give up? NO we aren’t! We have to trust God in his power. Most disasters lead to rebirth and a renewed growth.
We need to pray, donate, and be prepared. The first and most important thing we should do is pray. Pray for health and safety for our neighbours being affected by these disasters and pray to the Lord to help those in need; relief is needed in various ways – food, shelter, clothing, money, etc. Our next call is to donate to the flood/hurricane/earthquake/tsunami causes – the Calgary Diocese will take donations and make sure that they go where they are needed most. And after that, keep praying. Our Lord wants to hear from us and our needs. He wants us to pray for each other – this shows the love of neighbour that we have.
We have a responsibility to do what we can whenever the opportunity arises. God is in control but we need to make sure that we do our due diligence. In the event of emergencies such as fires, floods, snowstorms, etc., we need to be prepared, to the best of our ability. We are encouraged to be prepared for 72 hours. Here is a list of items you may want to include in your kit: in a large backpack - water, first aid kit and extra medications, blanket, protein/granola bar, multi-tool, flashlight and batteries, cellphone and charger, clothing (remember the seasons), garbage bags, rope, etc. Also include copies of important papers or documents and pictures – on a cellphone or a stick-drive (USB drive) that you take with you and some money. Remember to help those who may not be ready. They are counting on you.
We must learn to look to God, Our Father, every day, and in all situations, regardless of whether we face beauty or disaster. Remember to pray. Ultimately Our Lord is in control of nature (and our lives) and we must honor Him at all times.
This past summer was marked by an incredible year regarding natural disasters in Western Canada and in the world at large. Forest fires, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods and earthquakes are definitely an example of God’s power. Since July 2017, there have been numerous places facing dangerous natural conditions – the fires of British Columbia, the fires of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and California, the fires of Manitoba, the floods and devastation from Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, Hurricane Jose, Hurricane Katia and Hurricane Maria in the southern United States, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands. There have been earthquakes and tsunamis in Mexico. And to top things off, a solar flare/meteor was sighted in southern British Colombia, Alberta and in two northwestern United States. As humans we are worried and wondering what is next, what are we to do? Is God calling it quits on our planet?
We must always be ready to meet Our Lord! We need to remember firstly that no one knows the time or place when Our Heavenly Father will send Jesus. NO ONE!!! “Since the Ascension Christ’s coming in glory has been imminent, even though ‘it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority.’”- #673 Catechism of the Catholic Church. His power is meant as a call; a call to pray hard and steadfast, and a call to love our neighbours even more than ever. We are called to show our love and share what we have with others.
Are we meant to worry? Are we meant to give up? NO we aren’t! We have to trust God in his power. Most disasters lead to rebirth and a renewed growth.
We need to pray, donate, and be prepared. The first and most important thing we should do is pray. Pray for health and safety for our neighbours being affected by these disasters and pray to the Lord to help those in need; relief is needed in various ways – food, shelter, clothing, money, etc. Our next call is to donate to the flood/hurricane/earthquake/tsunami causes – the Calgary Diocese will take donations and make sure that they go where they are needed most. And after that, keep praying. Our Lord wants to hear from us and our needs. He wants us to pray for each other – this shows the love of neighbour that we have.
We have a responsibility to do what we can whenever the opportunity arises. God is in control but we need to make sure that we do our due diligence. In the event of emergencies such as fires, floods, snowstorms, etc., we need to be prepared, to the best of our ability. We are encouraged to be prepared for 72 hours. Here is a list of items you may want to include in your kit: in a large backpack - water, first aid kit and extra medications, blanket, protein/granola bar, multi-tool, flashlight and batteries, cellphone and charger, clothing (remember the seasons), garbage bags, rope, etc. Also include copies of important papers or documents and pictures – on a cellphone or a stick-drive (USB drive) that you take with you and some money. Remember to help those who may not be ready. They are counting on you.
We must learn to look to God, Our Father, every day, and in all situations, regardless of whether we face beauty or disaster. Remember to pray. Ultimately Our Lord is in control of nature (and our lives) and we must honor Him at all times.