Mother Nature

Learning to love God through natural disasters

05/28/2019

Acts of the apostles 16:22-34 About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, "Do no harm to yourself; we are all here." He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved." So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

As you all know, Mother Nature has not been kind to her children in Fort Smith lately. As a consequence of severe and repeated thunderstorms and rainfall in Kansas and Oklahoma, we’ve experienced unprecedented flooding along the banks of the Arkansas River. Last night the news reported that the river would reach a historically high crest of 42.5 feet by Wednesday, when, by the way, another thunderstorm is forecast to arrive. Now, I believe Nature is not only a good mother, she is also a wise teacher. Medieval theologians were convinced the study of the natural order of nature (philosophy) was absolutely necessary to understand the supernatural order of grace (theology). Hence, they coined the axiom: “philosophy is the handmaiden to theology.” That is, Mother Nature is the handmaiden who predisposes us to open our minds to God the Father.

That reminds me of chapter 119 of Herman Melville’s classic novel called Moby Dick, which some regard as the most boring book ever written. Chapter 119 is called “The Candles,” and mad Captain Ahab steers his ship, the Pequod, into a terrifying typhoon on the Japanese Sea. The first mate, Starbuck, interprets this storm as a sign from Mother Nature to abandon the quest to kill the white whale Moby Dick. He cries at his captain: “No, Ahab, turn the ship around or we sail to our death!...God is against you, Ahab! This voyage is doomed. It was doomed from the start. Let’s get out of here while there is still hope.” Starbuck was listening and learning philosophy from Mother Nature, the handmaiden who was opening his mind to theology, that is, God’s will and his wonders. But not Ahab. Mother Nature is a mighty teacher, but not all her children learn her lessons.

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas sing songs in jail and listen and learn to love God while being taught by Mother Nature. A terrifying earthquake breaks the bars of their prison cell, as well as their chains, leaving them free. But they do not leave. Why? Well, they know that the natural order serves the purposes of the supernatural order, philosophy is the handmaiden to theology. When the poor jailer who was supposed to guard the prisoners sees the mighty portent, he despairs and intends to kill himself. The jailer evidently had not been studying his medieval textbooks and did not know how Mother Nature always teaches us to love our Father God. So, St. Paul says: “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” Then he teaches the jailer about Jesus and he and his whole household are baptized that very night. In other words, the natural order, even through storms and floods and earthquakes, should awaken faith in the supernatural order of grace and salvation and sacraments. That is the fundamental lesson of Mother Nature, the faithful and holy handmaiden to theology.

May I share with you how some Fort Smith Catholics are learning the lessons that Mother Nature is teaching today? Here are a few texts I’ve received over the past several days from a neighborhood that calls itself “Catholic Cove” (which is really Canterbury Cove) because of the large number of Catholic households. Eileen Teagle opened up their warehouse to let neighbors store furniture there. She said: “Those who were on dryer ground came running to our door to help us pack and have been invaluable. Bo Hunter borrowed a flatbed boat so that he can ferry back and forth to their house with the Hadleys. We now call him Captain Bo.” I think they should have called him Captain Ahab. Wendy Hindley shared: “It was amazing to see the community pull together all over from all different places, backgrounds, work-forces, religions to become one helping hand.” Janice Keating texted: “I am very blessed. I keep going over one of your recent homilies in my head, reminding myself this is only my ‘earthly home’.” Phillip Stevens sent me a picture of a statue of Mother Mary in front of a wall of sandbags in front of their home. Mother Nature has not only unleashed an outpouring of rain and river water, but also an outpouring of faith, hope and love.

That is what she always does, this great handmaiden of theology, if we are humble and holy enough to learn her lessons. And that, by the way, is also why everyone should read Moby Dick.

Praised be Jesus Christ!