Sea Major-Campbell | Hurricane Melissa: God or nature?

EVERYONE SHOULD spend some time sitting with the newspapers. Engage a necessary processing of the raw truth of a catastrophic event in our country, from which many of us were spared. And yet, we are all about to feel the effects of lost produce, high price of food, and, yes, more imports to fill the gap.

Look at such stories in The Sunday Gleaner (November 2), as, ‘Faith shaken, not broken’; ‘Bodies all over the place’; ‘A Westmoreland family’s deadly fight against the storm’.

Look at the Daily Observer of the same date: ‘A landscape scarred by Melissa’s wrath’; ‘I don’t know what to do now’; ‘I never book dah flight deh’. Atop The Sunday Gleaner, was ‘Sanctuaries shredded’.

Many people of religious faith have been asking me, “why?” I consistently note that this is reality. This is nature. This is how nature works. Add to that, global climate change and the added impact of what human beings are doing to the environment!

While it might be cathartic to lash out against the devil or demons, it might be more helpful to face this God of whom we speak. The challenge with Christian theodicy, is how it processes the matter of suffering, evil, and a God of love and mercy, deemed omnipotent.

Hinduism does not have this struggle since it understands destruction to be part of the divine order. Shiva is, for example, a god of destruction and interestingly, responsible for creation and renewal. The cycles of life in terms of death and rebirth are understood to be part of reality.

There are some realities to be faced by people of religious faith:

1. People are not more vulnerable to the catastrophic events of nature based on their religious belief or lack thereof.

2. The events of nature are great at affirming common humanity. The attendant consequences of a catastrophic storm or earthquake do not care about your titles, degrees, or status symbols.

3. Hurricanes have no interest in how or whom you love. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not even matters of concern in the face of the plight of humanitarian crises. Nature is neither prejudicial nor bigoted.

4. When people are hungry, thirsty, dirty, and ill, all that matters is food, water, and medical care.

5. The events of nature have no interest in your orange or green flags, ribbons, and poster boards.

6. Desperate people are neither helped by political party songs, jingles, nor memes. Those are silent now!

7. Buildings which have served religious use over the years, spanning two or more centuries, were long overdue repairs and possibly rebuilding. Many of these spaces were places of refuge for many in times of several storms literally and figuratively.

While rich in social capital, they have been poor in financial capital. Who knew that many of these financially lacking churches have continued over the years to help young people through high school and college? Who knew that many lives have depended on Jesus’ ongoing ministry of the five loaves and two fish, through the work and witness of the church in Jamaica?

HURRICANE MELISSA HERALDS HOPE

I suggest that how we respond now is what determines the way forward. I will not try to tell anyone that God is saying so and so through Melissa. Instead, I will suggest the following:

1. We have an opportunity to deliberately move away from the political bitterness, crassness, and one upmanship approaches. Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Opposition Leader Mark Golding should do all in their power to do anything that would build an atmosphere of unity and togetherness for one Jamaica.

2. Churches should explore the possibilities of working and building together in new and different ways of cooperating. I am not sure that God has any interest in your denominational and doctrinal differences. But it will take an abundance of humility in submission to God before this unity can occur.

3. One’s leaning to the Democratic or Republican Party does not matter in the face of humanitarian crises. What matters is that righteousness, peace, and love reign for all.

Does anyone else agree that we have an opportunity to explore and maybe even experiment with the Church of South India (CSI) model? The CSI is defined by the union of churches of various church traditions to include Anglican, Methodist, Congregational, Presbyterian, and Reformed. Yes. Believe it or not this happens.

Will anyone respond to God’s perceived call to ministry? Catastrophic events have a way of reshaping our priorities, sense of purpose and meaning re life. In the words of Isaiah the prophet, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”

To assist with immediate assistance re food, water, toiletries, and other urgent needs, you might call 658-206-0710 (for banking details) re the Deanery of Kingston’s Mission Trip and ongoing partnership starting with St Elizabeth. To assist with long-term building matters you might be guided by the banking details on how to contribute to the general Diocesan Church Fund National Commercial Bank, Duke Street Branch, Kingston, Jamaica. J$ current account #231525793 in name of Diocesan Church Fund or US$ savings account #236126528 in name of Diocesan Church Fund.

May we give for the common good and to the glory of God.

Fr Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human rights and dignity. He is also the Rural Dean of Kington. Please send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com