Questioning Him

by Polo Guillermo

There have been various calamities that have struck different places in the world. From intense earthquakes to heavy rainfalls due to typhoons, these types of natural disasters have unfortunately been a part of our daily lives. One that hits close to home was the recent super-typhoon Yolanda. A month has already passed yet victims of affected areas are still experiencing the aftermath of the storm. More than 10,000 people have been confirmed dead and thousands more are still missing. Infrastructures, livelihood and residences were wiped out completely destroyed.

At times of disasters, people tend to question why such things happen. People have been vocal about their complaints against government agencies for not having predicted the intensity of the super-typhoon and the efficiency of the precautionary measures that were instigated and planned by local government units. Some even berated the terms (storm surge) issued by PAGASA and media for allegedly it has caused confusion and apathy since people are not aware of this natural phenomenon is. People assumed that it was just like any other storm that would bring scattered rains. They never expected that such a catastrophe would actually take place.

There are also people who blame God for everything that has happened. They assume that these disasters happen because God is punishing us for all of our sins. Why would a merciful and loving God let his people suffer and consequently destroy His creations? Isn’t he an all-knowing supreme being capable of manipulating what is bound to happen in the world? It is during these times of discomfort, pain and suffering when people try to look for people to relate to or simply blame in order to lessen the grief of what they are experiencing and try to have some explanation to whatever they have dealt with. But is God really to be blamed for everything that has happened or does these disasters say something to humankind that is commonly ignored and taken for granted?

I believe in God but I cannot say that I have been the perfect Catholic. However, I have always believed that everything happens for a reason and that each event of our lives is a part of God’s greater plan for us. Some things may happen that might shake or hurt our faith but I think it’s just God’s way of testing our faith and commitment to Him. God let bad things happen for a reason but this does not necessarily mean that he enjoys seeing us suffer. Most of the time our judgment gets clouded by our initial and intense feelings at times of problems that causes us to not immediately realize or comprehend what is happening or the bigger picture. We forget to trust Him and believe in his greater plan. These realities only affirm Marcel’s view on ontological humility of human beings. There are things in our lives that are beyond our capacity to grasp and understand since we are finite beings. Each person in the society shares this finitude which becomes a certain sense of commonality that should bind and unite people all together.

Experts from the field of science have interpreted these events quite differently. Global warming has been an alarming environmental concern that continues to exacerbate as time goes by. Anthropological activities have been the most significant contributors to why it even started and continues to persist in the environment. Since we were capable of starting such a problem, logic would only imply that we also have the capacity and means to mitigate and eventually resolve it. This realization has been alive in environmentalists and concerned citizens from different parts of the world with their efforts of preserving the environment. This green movement and involvement of people in saving Mother Nature only underscore our nature as relation beings. The phenomenon of global warming proves that one’s action inevitably affects others and the entire society. Therefore, we must be more conscious with what we do and think of its consequences not only to ourselves, our neighbors but the environment as well.

At times of disasters, blaming people or even God will not help or change what has happened. Even if it is difficult or even impossible for some, we must try and learn how to trust God and His greater plan for us. Holding onto our faith can be a source of hope and strength at times of suffering. Events like these also call us to act as one unified and loving community in facing reality. At the end of the day, we are relational beings and we are our neighbor’s brother/sister.