Actual natural disasters are not only events that repeat
themselves with certain frequency, cyclical phenomenons, how some scientists
affirm. They should be understood as they are: signs of the times! They cannot
be translated as warnings of the end of time, but rather as alarm clocks of our
consciences that have been affected by the sleep and lethargy that sin
produces.
They are a warning against evil, a note for our souls that
we should be prepared, for the Lord will come like a thief in the night (2
Peter: 3,10) and we are seeing it in these days. It is a reminder of our
fragility. That we are here today but not tomorrow. That we are not permanent
nor immortal. We are travelers and should have light luggage because getting
too attached to material things makes our walk a lot slower.
Tribulations and natural disasters remind us that sin has
consequences. It is not only global warming or a hole in the ozone, it is the
empty fruits of a life without God. Some ecologists believe that the world’s
problem is overpopulation, but the real problem is living facing backwards
towards God. They think he word will explode if we bring more babies into the
world, but it is the opposite, the world is losing children because of
selfishness, because we run away from sacrifice, and we do not understand the
attack of the devil towards the family.
The real problem is accepting sin, the lack of asking for
forgiveness when we offend others, not fixing our faults, not doing penitence.
It is also the lack of charity, kindness, and compassion: our selfishness.
Persecution against Christianity is another sign of the
times. If we write foul things, they congratulate us, but if we mention Jesus,
they come after us. I hope we open our eyes. God wants to guide us towards Him,
he wants to use up all his mercy calling us towards his good and merciful
heart.
Let’s understand natural disasters as an opportunity of
getting our hearts in order and aligning our lives towards heaven. Instead of
running away and taking refuge, we should first run to the confessional to
reconcile with God. He never despises a heart that is sorry. He is always
waiting with his arms open. We should see these hard times with eyes of faith,
without falling into fatalism or letting us be moved by fear. We should see God
in all parts of history.
