The Mystery of the Earthquake and the Running Man

Well, everything is shaking around me.  It's an earthquake, yet this one is big. 7.1 to be exact. I know this is not normal. So what does a seminarian do at 5:15 in the morning? He prays! I prayed a Hail Mary as the picture on the wall swung like a pendulum on the wall and different things fell off of my shelf for 20 seconds. Then once it stopped I went out in the hall and saw the running man. He said, "Are you guys ok?" We all said we were fine. The running man told us to stay out in the hallway for a little bit, then he ran off to check on his sons.

Fr. Joel, OSB

The running man's name is Fr. Joel. He is a Benedictine Monk of Marmion Abbey in Illinois. While studying in Guatemala he brought a group of high school men down to help serve the poor. He did not expect to encounter an earthquake, yet he did. He ran to his sons to make sure they were safe. What story in scripture does this sound like to you? Immediately as I reflected on this moment in Guatemala while I was mowing the lawn yesterday (yes, I know it's a weird time to reflect) I thought of the Prodigal Son parable (see Luke 15). Yet, how often we do not run to the one's we care for. However, I would recommend running to prayer first. Run to to Eucharist where Jesus is truly present body, blood, soul, and divinity. Run to grab your Bible. Encounter Christ in the Scriptures. Run to grab your Rosary and ask the Blessed Mother for help. Run to grab your Catechism and pray.

Whether we like to admit it or not, we all have had events in our lives that literally feel like Earthquakes. Yet, the Father runs to us to make sure we are ok. He runs to his children in many different ways and we need to have a passive disposition. Psalm 46 says, "Be Still and Know that I am God." If we can internalize these of words truth, comfort, and trust then what else matters?

Sometimes we try to cross the roads that have been
destroyed by earthquakes. Maybe we are not supposed
to travel across them. Maybe it is God that is supposed
cross the beaten road and allow him to come to us.

Stay in the mystery.
Reflect on the events of life.
You never know, God might just reveal himself to you while you are mowing the lawn.

God Bless!

Zach