God come to my assistance. Lord make haste to help me.
Images on newscasts and online bring the widespread devastation ravaging Japan’s Northeastern coast into our homes and hearts, but I had another, more personal connection. On March 7, I stood in line at Tokyo’s Narita airport, buying boxes of green tea and a drink to keep me going until Delta Flight 620 would return me to the States through Minneapolis/St. Paul. Four days later, passengers on the same flight were among the last to depart Narita before the airport was closed down. I read they waited seven hours after boarding before the plane was given the go ahead to take off.
As I viewed video and listened to reports, I wondered about the young women who worked at the kiosk where I made my purchases and the crowds of travelers I had seen returning to their homes in Japan. How many of them were headed to the Northeast? What once would have been regarded as remote has been made more immediate through travel and technology. Some of the first images broadcast to the world were taken on cell phones. We no longer need spectacular photos of our planet from outer space to realize that we are one human race bound, one people of God.
As I prayed morning prayer and then searched through the Liturgy of the Hours and Mass readings to find something, some wisdom that spoke to the tragedy.I read and reread until suddenly becoming aware of the introductory prayer common to them all. An ancient prayer, it says it all, “Help!” in a more elegant, poetic way: “God come to my assistance. Lord, make haste to help me.”
I cannot imagine how those living in areas demolished by the quake and tsunami feel. What happens to one’s heart while looking at piles of debris that were once home and neighborhood? What happens to one’s faith when the closest sources of water, food, and shelter are miles and miles away?
After the first flood of gratitude that you are still alive, how do you face the future without becoming overwhelmed? With communication lines disrupted, what fear accompanies the long wait to hear from loved ones?
Another quote comes to mind, this time from St. Teresa of Avila (15151582)
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.
There are many ways we can respond to the disaster that has befallen our sisters and brothers. Here are a few links to charitable organizations that are responding to this crisis:
Donate through Catholic Relief Services
© 2011 Mary van Balen
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