What a tragedy in Turkey and Syria this past week with the massive earthquake they have experienced. It is devastating for the local people affected especially with the huge loss of life and so many people now homeless.
Again, we have seen local and international emergency workers coming to the aid of the people in their hour of need. The rescue of babies, children and adults from among the rubble is nothing short of a miracle. I know the window for people to be saved is a matter of days and when someone is pulled from the rubble alive it makes all the painstaking efforts worthwhile. The relief and joy is palpable on the faces of the rescuers.
The people have a long road to recovery and of course for many life will never be the same. I am sure you have been holding all the people in prayer during this time.
Natural disasters and severe weather events remind us of our human frailty and vulnerability.
And we don't need to have dramatic events happen either to know how fragile we and our relationships can be.
Our Gospel this Sunday is taken from Matthew 5:17-37. Jesus is asking us to look deeper into our behaviour and responses in a number of areas of our lives. One of those areas is anger. If we let our anger get away on us it can have damaging consequences on our relationships. Jesus challenges us to work at reconciliation with those we have hurt in any way or who have hurt us. Otherwise we can be living a lie when it comes to living out our faith...…. 'be reconciled with your brother/sister first, then come back and present your offering,' Jesus says.
You may like to listen to a song I wrote for children a number of years ago called 'Sometimes we fail'. It is track 11 from the album 'Movement of Time'. The old adage 'life is short' is worth remembering because if we miss the opportunities to forgive it maybe too late. We can be certain that Christ wants to heal us and the situation concerned.
Blessings on your week. Let's hope Cyclone Gabrielle on it's way to the upper North Island is not too severe.