En Memoriam

Being from Louisiana, it strikes me anytime there is a tragedy in or around the great state. The explosion of the oil rig hit me a little harder than usual, mostly because my father worked on oil rigs out in the Gulf for most of my early life. He no longer works out on rigs but he still works in the oil industry.

I never thought anything, really, of the long weeks he would be out on the oil rig. I just thought it was normal, something dads did all the time, and it never once struck me that he might not be coming back.

Since the explosion out in the Gulf, I have come to realize just how dangerous a job that is and how much danger my father was in during most of my young life. I praise God for bringing him back home to us safely every time he went out on those rigs to work.

I think of the little children who were expecting 'daddy' to come home and had to be told that he wouldn't be coming home this time. How difficult that must be for a child, especially a little girl, to grow up without a father.

This day, my thoughts and prayers are with those children and the families of those who were lost in the explosion.

While reading the Gospel today, I was struck by the timely words from John 14:1-4:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going you know the way.”

Christ is with us at all time, through the heartache and the pain. He asks us to allow Him to share this burden with us in Matthew 11:28-30:

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for your selves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." Jesus asks us to take on His meekness and humility. In doing so, we find rest and our burdens are lifted by having faith in and trusting in Him, the only one who can give us comfort and true peace.

For those lost in the explosion, we pray:
"Eternal rest grant unto them, oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."