Disaster...

I had intended to post about the Titanic yesterday (to go along with the post earlier last week) but daughter lives in Oklahoma and I spent most of Saturday night on the phone with her. She was in a shelter and watched the tornado that devastated Woodward pass about 1/4 mile away. She and all hers are fine with no damage to their living space. But it still makes a Mother hit her knees to know that a child is so close to danger. Daughter has a servants heart and once she knew that they were going to get through unharmed, she immediately went in to "helper" mode. She wanted to be out and about at 3am, helping. But cooler heads prevailed and she rested for a few hours and was then able to offer all of her energies to those in need. Our prayers are with everyone affected by these deadly storms.

As a coincidence (and I don't believe in those), I ran across a post about Father Thomas Byles. He was sailing on Titanic to New York in order to officiate his brother's wedding. "When the Titanic went to the bottom, Father Byles stood on the deck with Catholics, Protestants and Jews kneeling around him. He was saying the rosary and praying for the repose of the souls of those about to perish." John 15:13 tells us, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay day his life for his friends." Seems the priest had assisted women and children into the lifeboats and twice refused to board himself..."saying his duty was to stay on the ship while one soul wanted his ministrations."

While facing imminent death, on a cold dark night 100 years ago, Father Byles remained a priest to the end. Offering the light of Christ to all who needed it.