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A long Gospel means a short homily!
Stay tuned.
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Hurricane Dorian.
Hurricane Dorian was the most destructive hurricane in the history of the Bahamas.
70,000 people are homeless, tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed, and hundreds remain unaccounted for.
Where is God?
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God was in the rescue boats who went searching for survivors perched on their rooftops.
God is in the volunteers organizing disaster relief.
God is in the heart of every Bahamian who believes in life after Dorian.
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In the Gospel, Jesus gives us three parables of disaster – none of which God prevents.
A sheep strays from the flock; a coin is lost; a son abandons his family.
Again, where is God when disaster strikes?
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God is in the shepherd who seeks out his lost sheep.
God is in the woman who meticulously searches for her lost coin.
God is in the merciful father who welcomes his son home.
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It’s a difficult truth – God doesn’t prevent disaster from happening in our world.
Whether we’ve been recently diagnosed with cancer, lost our job, or found ourselves stuck in a hurricane, hard times happen to every one one of us, which can lead many of us to question:
“Where is God?”
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The answer is quite simple – and yet – quite challenging.
God is in you.
God is in me.
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As Jesus says, “You are the salt of the earth, the light of the world.” You and I are charged with doing the Lord’s work of healing here on earth.
It isn’t always easy to act like the Lord; it rarely is – especially at home, at school, and at work, places where we interact with the same people day after day.
But the Lord is with us – God is in us.
So whether in the Bahamas or right here at home, who is one person you know in need?
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Be a first responder.
Be the Lord’s loving presence for them this week.