Aftershocks’ afterthoughts

I WAS coming home from saying Mass in Lahug, Cebu, when it happened. All of a sudden the car I was driving shook abnormally. I tried to ignore it at first, but it persisted. When I saw the posts swinging and the building nearby swaying, the idea came to me in a flash. This is an earthquake! A shot of terror suddenly hit me.

I was hoping it would just be a brief spasm. But it took long, like an eternity, and the temblor became wilder. People started to come out into the street, all looking alarmed. The women passengers in the jeepney in front of me were crying and holding tightly on whatever their hands could get hold of at that moment.

Immediately all sorts of thoughts came to mind. Will the ground open up? Will I see things falling down? Is this it? Am I prepared? It was amazing that at that moment I was expecting and preparing myself for the worst and yet also hoping and praying for the best. The here and now got automatically related to the ultimate. All in an instant!

When the quaking stopped, I pushed the idea on myself that the worst, for now, is over. That idea came from experience, though I must say that this earthquake was the strongest so far for me.

I drove slowly home, looking around and especially at the people, and praying all the time. My heart both pumped heavily and bled profusely as I saw the faces of the people. When I arrived home, my neighbours, especially the children, met me with expressions tingling with fear.

I tried to comfort them, kind of reassuring them that the worst is already past. Then I started to call my relatives in Bohol and Manila. Thank God, there was no earthquake in Manila where I have a lot of relatives.

It was a different story when I called Bohol. It was my first time to hear my brother sounding afraid. He was always the cool guy, very good at hiding things like fear or alarm. He always projected the image all was under control. This time, no. He sounded like it was the end of the world.

I must have prayed double or triple-time. Then I bombarded my relatives with pieces of advice and suggestions that I could think of at the moment. Stay outside the house but keep an eye on it. Secure all the children. Check as soon as possible the stores, etc. But first, pray, and then all the while, pray, I told them.

Later on, I found out that the epicenter was in my beloved province of Bohol itself. Oh no! The stage of denial was suddenly on me. I never experienced an earthquake when I was growing up in Bohol. Then the usual questioning, why this earthquake, why Bohol?

As I busied praying and calming myself and the others around me, I tried to get more information and to go around inspecting places of interest—the school buildings, the seminaries, etc. I texted my friends to see how they were doing. Thank God, not much of major concern was reported.

Then the seemingly endless series of aftershocks came. These gave me occasions to think more deeply on this disaster. I know God has his mysterious ways that are always full of wisdom, goodness and mercy. Most of them are beyond our perception and understanding. But how can I transmit this message?

Many of the good things that come our way are usually taken for granted. We seldom take the bother to thank him for the air that we breathe, the food that we eat, the water that we drink, the many dangers that were kept from us, many of them unknown to us, etc.

It’s when disasters, like this earthquake, happen when we sometimes ask God why do they have to happen? Can’t you, God, not have prevented them?

Though we still like to stick to our faith, we seem unable to resist from questioning, if not from complaining. I suppose that’s part of our human condition. God understands all this unavoidable predicament of ours.

But we should learn the lessons of Job whenever disasters erupt. Heavily tested, suffering all kinds of misfortune, he persisted in his faith and love for God.  "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (1,21)

Let’s always react with faith in all events of our life, whether good or bad.