Editorial November 6, 1995 Issue

Earthquakes, hurricanes, and prayer

Michael A. Seek

The Sunday following the earthquake in Kobe, Japan, one of the visitors to our Christian Science church service told me of her hesitation in praying because she was unsure whether her prayers would actually help or would merely serve to soothe her own conscience.

Her earnestness was obvious to me from her words. I felt this demonstrated one of the basic requirements for prayer: It must come from deep within and be imbued with compassion and a sincere desire to help. What matters is not just saying words but being convinced of their meaning and power. This can lead to active, hands-on assistance as well.

After earthquakes, hurricanes, or wildfires, there are many individual tasks that can be supported and brought to successful conclusion through prayer. One of my relatives, whose apartment was wrecked by a toppled construction crane, was given quick assistance in the first hours after the accident in the form of blankets and something warm to drink. Then came the work of the cleanup, finding a new apartment, and settlement for the damages. During those months, it became quite clear how important it was to pray and to understand that a lack of planning, carelessness on the part of the agencies involved in giving assistance, and bureaucratic problems did not have the power to keep my relatives from feeling a sense of protection, harmony, and a new, deeper dimension of security.

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