A Letter From Fr. Jordan About the Tragedy in Central Texas

Written By John Jordan

Dear Parish Family,   

We have all watched with incredible sadness the news from the Hill Country over the last few days. It has all hit hard and very close to home. We have a number of parishioners who have family members who narrowly escaped the flood waters. We have parishioners who know families who lost loved ones. We have parishioners who are Camp Mystic Alums.Talking with many of you over the last few days has been tough. This tragedy has left many in deep distress and broken hearted.

Prayer

In times like this, we pray. Pray for the victims. Pray for those who mourn. Pray for those who have lost so much. Pray for the dead. It’s not a throw away line to say that we believe in the power of prayer. In times of distress and uncertainty we turn to our Heavenly Father with whatever words we can. Praying for the living and the dead is one of the 7 spiritual works of mercy. It is important to remember that our Lord calls the Holy Spirit, “the comforter,” and so we pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit to be with all who are suffering.

Sometimes we want to pray but aren’t exactly sure how. The Book of Common Prayer gives us prayers to use in all kinds of situations and there is one provided to pray in times of natural disaster (page 654). We used this prayer on Sunday at the services and I recommend that we all pray it in the days ahead:

Almighty God, by your Word you laid the foundations of the earth, set the bounds of the sea, and still the wind and waves. Surround all affected by the flooding in Central Texas with your grace and peace, and preserve them through this distressing time. By your Spirit, lift up those who have fallen, comfort those who mourn, strengthen those who work to rescue or rebuild, and fill us all with the hope of your new creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

How To Help

If you want to make a donation, there are 2 organizations we would recommend you consider:

The Mayor’s Advisory Committee for the City of Southlake, of which I am a member, meets this Friday. I’m certain we will be discussing more ways that we can help and I will pass those along when I know more.

Why Did This Happen?

Several of you have reached out to ask me some version of why? How could God allow this? This is an important question and one that many centuries of Christians have struggled to understand in the face of suffering and devastation. While I don’t have a complete answer to the mystery of human suffering, here are a few thoughts that might be helpful:

  • The fact that we think human life is precious and valuable: that is a Christian idea. It’s our Lord who teaches that. It is an idea that was unknown in human history before He walked the earth. We wouldn’t be so upset and so distressed right now if we didn’t think that human life is precious. The men, women, and children who have perished in the floods: they matter to Him and to us. He hasn’t forgotten them. He went ahead of them to prepare a place for them in the Father’s house. (John 14: 2-3)

  • Our faith teaches us that in the face of such tragedies we are to respond with mercy and compassion. If we abandon our faith in God, such tragedies will continue and yet there will be no foundation for a compassionate response. When tragedy happens, Christian people have a long history of running toward the problem not away from it. That’s what’s happening now: clothing drives, food drives, and relief drives are all being organized right now in the Hill Country.

  • Creation itself is corrupted and longs to be set free. St. Paul teaches this in Romans 8:20-21. Natural Disasters are a reminder that things are not as they will one day be when God brings about a new creation. St. Thomas Aquinas said that the world itself is in a "state of journeying" toward its ultimate perfection. Natural disasters are awful but they are a reminder of the fallenness of the world and our hope for a day when all shall be made well. God did not cause this. He allows both constructive  and destructive natural processes to take place while we are waiting for creation to be perfected.

  • Pain and suffering come to every single one of us. It’s part of the human condition. There is no one who can escape suffering. It’s been manifested in a very intense way in Central Texas over the last few days. I can’t even imagine the pain of those who have lost children or their homes. When someone is hurting, we don’t ignore it; we endure it with them. That’s what the word compassion means in Latin—"to suffer with." While we cannot always alleviate the sufferings of others we can be with them, reassuring them they are not alone.

CS Lewis was asked about how to live during trying times and answered by saying that we should do "sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts.” In other words, in the midst of life’s struggles we carry on doing the things we know God calls us to do. Let’s all pray and support those who are hurting the best that we can.

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” —Isaiah 41:10

Fr. John

John Jordan
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