In need of mercy for these difficult days

I was frustrated, this morning. Nursing the baby on and off from 3 am onwards because she has a stuffy nose. Last night I had watched the news for the first time on Haiti. Although I've been praying, I didn't feel emotionally prepared to deal with the vivid images of devastation that I knew were coming from all over Haiti. I thought I would give it a try.
What I found was what I knew I would see-- to be honest, not anything too far removed from the horror of daily life in Haiti as we've been praying for it over the years. A stronghold of poverty, anarchy, and devastation. I had cried and held my kids close. Maybe her stuffy nose was in solidarity with mine.

We were nursing. I felt myself falling asleep so I picked up my Mp3 player to stay awake. My heart sank. There on the little screen what I found was not the solace of my middle of the night quiet worship in the darkness, nor the peace of lauds. What I found was a flashing message-- an AP newswire breaking news alert: "Haiti rocked by second quake, Magnitude 6.0, moments ago." I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. I caught my breath. It could not be so.

I gasped, audibly cried out for mercy. I hurriedly went to find my Father in Law, who never sleeps either, to tell him the news. I think I wanted to share my shock with someone- anyone- human. Someone who could "feel" the tangible darkness in the news that morning with me.
"Yeah, isn't that something?" He said. "And did you hear? My man Scott Brown won! Now we've got a chance to kill the Healthcare Reform."
I looked at him wide eyed. He didn't get it.
Was I crazy? Was it really not as significant as I thought?

I turned on the morning news, as low as can be so as not to wake the kids. I flipped through channels. Scott Brown, Scott Brown. Scott Brown. Red and Blue balloons floated in artificial glee around my TV Screen. Proud looking little girls shook powerful hands and their parents beamed. I felt crazy-- desperate to know if there was really something as ominous as I thought out there.
Finally, I landed on Fox news, where there was mention of the quake. 6.1. Devastation. My heart pounded in my chest the same way it had when the second plane had hit the World Trade Center. It was true.

Weeping I watched the little red stripe at the bottom of the screen ticking the same three pieces of information while the newscasters babbled with a seismologist about fault lines in America that "might" be next.

I googled "scripture encouragement disaster" and found page after page of ministries asking for money to send bibles to relief efforts. I turned to my faithful Psalm 90 (Psalm 91 in the protestant Bible:)

Book Of Psalms, 91 (Douay Rheims)

Qui habitat. The just is secure under the protection of God.

1 The praise of a canticle for David. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God of Jacob. 2 He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I trust. 3 For he hath delivered me from the snare of the hunters: and from the sharp word. 4 He will overshadow thee with his shoulders: and under his wings thou shalt trust. 5 His truth shall compass thee with a shield: thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night.

6 Of the arrow that flieth in the day, of the business that walketh about in the dark: of invasion, or of the noonday devil. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 But thou shalt consider with thy eyes: and shalt see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou, O Lord, art my hope: thou hast made the most High thy refuge. 10 There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.

11 For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk: and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon. 14 Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known my name. 15 He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him, and I will glorify him.

16 I will fill him with length of days; and I will shew him my salvation.



The Screen changed to news about a sixty-something year old woman who had been pulled from the rubble and had been literally UNDER a rectory for the week and a half or so since the first quake. "How did she get through it? Did she have food source or water?" The Reporter asked.
"I just prayed," she said, "and God was with me."

Please join me today --whether it be the day of this second quake or any other day you happen upon this page-- in praying a rosary for the people of Haiti, for God's mercy on ALL the peoples of every nation in this beautiful, terrible, messy place called Earth.