The Fast Response

The people of Japan are experiencing a very large earthquake. The response of the electronic nerve system of the world wide communication networks has been extremely fast. Hundreds of millions of humans now share in the event. The indwelling Spirit moves toward communication with the Divine as we struggle to put the events and live pictures into some frame of understanding. In the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary we hear the call of the prophet Isaiah for a fast that is in solidarity with the impoverished and the oppressed. This morning millions on the planet are the subjects of our fast which brings us closer to them and God. The insignificance of the daily frustrations and aggravations becomes clear as we witness the literal sweeping away of material and temporal existence in the instant movement of the continental plates upon which our entire civilization floats. The Gospel of Matthew relates Jesus response to the lack of outward practice of the religious tradition of fasting among His disciples. The drawing closer to the Divine in the times of compassion, forgiveness, charity, affirmation and struggle with those overwhelmed by events is the fast response.