Peace be with you and your ohana!

As we continue our Easter journey, let us continue to place our fears and doubts with the Lord! For He is the Way, and the Truth and the Life! Amen! Alleluia!

Reflections by Fr. Brian:

While I was assigned to our Mission in the Kingdom of Tonga (in the South Pacific), a couple of years ago, the country experienced the worst cyclone ever to hit the country, in its recorded history. It was a direct hit on the main island where we were, a category 5 cyclone. The night it hit, the winds howled like several freight trains through the night with wind speeds of over 135 MPH, sustained winds, not gusts! The damage to the school where I was teaching was massive. Roofs ripped off of the chapel, classrooms and other buildings. It was devastating to the school. We were without electricity for over 2 months. It was kerosene lamps at night that became our new normal.

While I was in the seminary in Berkeley, CA back in 1989, we experienced the worst earthquake to hit California since the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. It was a real rocker! The day after the earthquake was the day of my weekly visit to a home for homeless mothers and their children in West Oakland as a part of my pastoral year training. When I went down there, I stood on the front, and actually saw off in the distance, maybe about a mile away, rescue workers working on extracting victims trapped in their cars from the freeway that had collapsed. My heart sank. Then, the door opened, and the women gave me a big hug. They were terrified!

Well, I could go on and on describing the many experiences I have had in my lifetime of disasters – cyclones, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes and now, a pandemic!

I firmly believe that God had a purpose for me back then and some of the near-death experiences I have had since. And, you know, the world does go on! Resiliency is a word that I feel describes the human being. We have a capacity to adapt to situations no matter how difficult or challenging.

It is our faith in God that, I believe, holds us together as one. The Spirit of God within us has been placed there to pull us through the darkest hours and it is that Spirit that thrives through the tough times and inspires us to keep moving forward.

Maybe we can all reflect during these times on our own experiences of this Spirit, of the reality of the Lord in our lives, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! Amen! Alleluia!

Scripture:

“What God promised our ancestors he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.” (Acts 13)

“You are my Son; this day I have begotten you.” (Psalm 2)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. Master, how can we know the way? ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14)

May God bless you and your ohana, + In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Alleluia!

Blessings, pono, and pule to all!

Fr. Brian, ss.cc.
Priest
Molokai