In these past few weeks we have all seen the news of the tragedy that struck our nation.
Roaring wind and torrential rain flooded the streets of our cities.
Families were torn apart and homes were split in half.
As the tears of victims stained the pictures we see, I could not help but feel the pull on my own heart.
In times such as these, it is easy to question our faith, to feel that there cannot be a higher being watching over us and protecting us amidst the storms and struggles of life.
It is so hard to get up each day and put faith in something we cannot even see.
How can we possibly find God in moments such as these? I even find myself questioning that at certain times.
Doubt fills our minds, blocking us from seeing things such as love or hope.
Despite this doubt, God is still present and all around us.
Yes, he was there in the pain and the horror of what we saw on our television screens, but he was also there this past week as our campus came together to pray over those impacted.
As students stepped up to donate to the cause, a spark of hope grew.
It is so easy to fear what we cannot truly know. To overcome that fear, we must have hope.
We must have hope that despite all of our loss, we can rely on each other for a sense of love.
As I sit here writing this article, I am reminded of the event that occurred at this time 16 years ago.
Our country faced the immense evil that existed within our own mankind, and we continually questioned where God could be.
To this day, people have a hard time answering that question.
In the exact spot where the Twin Towers once stood, we now find a memorial for all of the lives lost.
Despite the horror we faced that day our country came together in love. Love for each other and for healing.
Today, I believe that this love can enable us to move behind the “whys” and “hows” of our faith.
A hope for a future forged in God’s love is what can help us all move toward something greater.
Our own campus is coming together to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.
Here at Gannon, we find God in our hope. Yet this hope does not come roaring in for all to feel right away.
It starts as a spark in the hearts of certain individuals who can see something beyond the disaster in front of them.
Little by little, these sparks become flames, warming others and leading them toward a sense of hope.
Before you know it, the coldness and dampness we feel in our loss is extinguished in the warmth of hope and God’s love.
Please pray for all of those impacted by the recent hurricanes and flooding.
To contribute to Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA, please visit the Office of Mission and Ministry in the Keim Commons of the Waldron Camus Center throughout the month of September.
RACHEL NYE
