The Miracle in Moore, Oklahoma

Whenever a natural disaster strikes, the God haters come out of the woodwork blaspheming Him for not intervening and saving everyone or chalking it up as one more proof that He doesn't exist. The tornado in Moore, OK is no exception. On one atheist's blog, vitriolic comments blaming God were legion. But the reality is, Moore proves the power of God, because despite the tragedy and the devastating material loss the outcome is a miracle. The 1.3-mile wide tornado swept through the town leveling 13,000 homes, but the death toll as of yesterday was 24! That is nothing short of a miracle. 

And the people of Moore, a working class city where "churches outnumber bars", are already rebuilding. As one local resident said, “In California you have earthquakes, in New York, you have hurricanes. Everywhere you’ve got something. We just choose this over everything else. It’s a good place to live. It’s home.” As one Facebook user said in a video he posted showing his home before and after the tornado, "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away." Many who spoke to the media after the tornado attributed their survival to God.

One elderly woman describing what happened expressed her sorrow that her little dog was under the rubble. Just at that moment he popped his head out from the ruins. Her tearful response as they were reunited was to say she thought God had only answered one prayer, that she be all right, but he answered both prayers. Her other was for her little dog. It was a touching scene.

Stories are coming in all over about the heroes of Moore: about teachers who shielded their students with their bodies and a nurse who wheeled a mom and her newborn baby down to the hospital cafeteria where they protected the infant between them as they hugged and prayed.

And then there are the stories from those on the ground helping in the aftermath. Mercy Chefs arrived a day after the storm with hot meals. Steve Elliott of Grassfire joined them to help describing his experiences:

Yet the most amazing thing of all that I saw yesterday was not the storm's wrath but the unwavering resiliency and hope in the hearts of the people of this community. 

One man was standing over the ruins of his mother-in-law's house when I asked him if that was his house. "No, this is my mother-in-law's house," he told me. Then he pointed to the left and said, "My house is by that white truck." 

I looked in the direction he pointed. There was no house by the white truck. It had been leveled by the storm. He then told me he had come back to get his employee badge out of his destroyed truck so he could go back to work.

And that's what the people of Moore are doing. Getting to work to clean up and rebuild. They are the salt of the earth. So join in praying for these courageous folks. They illustrate what's really important -- not the stuff we own, but the stuff we're made of!

You can do something practical by helping Mercy Chefs feed folks while they clean up.  To feed the hungry is the first corporal work of mercy. And of course pray for all the families impacted. May God give them courage and peace as they put their lives and homes back together.

Hostage Captain Freed, Crew Member says first thing he'll do back home is go to Church.

Let us all give thanks to God on this feast of the resurrection for the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates. The Captain who was willing to lay down his life for his sheep is a true example of manly courage. And what a message that he should be returned to his family and friends on Easter Sunday! Halleluia, He is Risen. Our God saves us not only from sin, but sometimes from pirates as well (with a little help from the U.S. Navy). For more information on the rescue go here and here. The Phillips expressed their gratitude for all the prayers of people around the world.

One of the crew members, William Rios, from New York City described the entire experience as a "nightmare" and said the first thing he'll do when he gets home is go to church.

Which reminds me of the old saying, "There are no atheists in a foxhole." And I doubt there were many locked in that cabin on the Alabama. Pray for the release of the many other ships and hostages being held by pirates in that dangerous part of the world. I hope all the Catholic crewman on those ships keep rosaries in their pockets and St. Michael on their shoulders.

Oh, and one last comment. The Alabama was a cargo ship bringing food aid to Rwanda, Somalia, and Kenya. Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you. The people of Somalia should be up in arms over what these pirates are doing instead of cheering them on and making them heroes as some news footage has shown. I can't help thinking of what happened to the American Blackhawk helicopter pilot during the Clinton years who was taken hostage and the other military less fortunate who were killed, mutilated, and dragged through the streets (depicted in the book and film Blackhawk Down ). Pray for the people of Somalia living in lawless chaos.