For a village of some 400 inhabitants, the sudden death, in a gas explosion at a shop and filling station, of ten of its villagers with ages ranging from five to fifty nine, is an unspeakable catastrophe.
We can only stand at a distance and grieve for those whose families have suffered such a loss. It seems so empty to give expression to sorrow but as one who has witnessed devastation on a similar scale on many occasions in my lifetime we can but offer sympathy and, above all, remember the sorrowing in prayer.
(top row, left to right) Leona Harper, 14, Robert Garwe, 50, Shauna Flanagan Garwe, five, Jessica Gallagher, 24, and James O’Flaherty, 48, and (bottom row, left to right) Martina Martin, 49, Hugh Kelly, 59, Catherine O’Donnell, 39, her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, and Martin McGill, 49, the ten victims of explosion at Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday, 7th October.
There is One, only One, Who can comfort in such circumstances and He is the One spoken of in our old hymn:
Standing somewhere in the shadows you’ll find Jesus
He’s the only one who cares and understands.
Standing somewhere in the shadows you will find Him
and you’ll know Him by the nail prints in his hand
Some may point the finger at the Lord and blame Him for such a tragedy but to do so is wrong, very wrong! The ancient patriarch Job sets the standard and the pattern we must adopt in such circumstances. What sorrow came on that man in a moment! (more…)
