Storm aftermath

I just got back from a clergy conference. On Monday noon I left while the rain was still falling from the hurricane that had slammed past us on its way up to New Jersey to do significant damage. Some of our roads were flooded and parts of the Outer Banks were cut off, crossovers were sent out toward Mauritania and some beach-side houses were undermined  and will soon fall into the ocean-- some of the protecting dunes are gone and these barrier islands will return to the state that nature allows. 

Were we any better than the people of New Jersey that we should have been spared? Some of the television evangelists speak of a God who smites the sinners while protecting the chosen ones. I remember when one such "dis-angelist" took credit for praying hurricane Gloria in 1985 away from Virginia Beach where his ministry is located and sending it to New York. Earlier this year, during the time of the RNC , a Florida pastor bragged that her group's prayers send hurricane Issac away from those God loving Republicans in Tampa   

I think of the Exodus story of Moses and the chariots of Pharaoh in the Red Sea. When all the waters swept back on the Egyptians, Marian, the sister of Moses started to sing a song which was the Canticle for Morning Prayer yesterday morning:

The chariots of Pharoah and his army has he hurled into the sea

the finest of those who bear armor have been drowned in the Red Sea.

The fathomless deep has overwhelmed them; *

they sank into the depths like a stone.

Your right hand, O Lord, is glorious in might; *

your right hand, O Lord, has overthrown the enemy.

Who can be compared with you, O Lord, among the gods? *

who is like you, glorious in holiness, awesome in renown, and worker of wonders?

You stretched forth your right hand; *

the earth swallowed them up.

With your constant love you led the people you redeemed; *

with your might you brought them in safety to your holy dwelling.

You will bring them in and plant them *

on the mount of your possession 

Take that Yul Brynner

 There is an old midrash on this story from the Talmud: The angels wanted to sing and dance for joy when Marian sings her song of joyful revenge on the enemy; the drowning of the Egyptian army,  and God silences them saying: “The work of my hands is being drowned in the sea, and you want to sing songs?”

Jesus reminded us that the rain falls on the just and unjust alike.  I think today it is my task to give thanks for this new day and see what I can do to help the suffering.  Today is a new day. This is a picture I took this morning just after dawn at Camp Trinity..