Msgr. Pope on Great and Terrifying Gifts from God

"Some of God’s gifts come in strange and terrifying packages. The book of Job says,

     The earth, though out of it comes forth bread, 
     is in fiery upheaval underneath (Job 28:2).

It is a fact that we live just above a fiery cauldron separated from us by a thin membrane of earthly crust rife with cracks through which fire routinely flares in volcanoes in fissures, a crust that is always shifting and even shaking violently in earthquakes.

"And yet were it not for this violent cauldron beneath us, it seems unlikely that we would have life here at all. Volcanoes and other tectonic activity keep our soil rich and recycled. In this fiery cauldron are brewed some of our most useful minerals and most beautiful gems. Whole island chains and land masses are formed by eruptions and geothermal energy is a resource we have only just begun to tap. Many scientists think that volcanoes had a profound influence on the formation of an atmosphere in the early Earth period and that the molten core of the earth has an important influence on the Van Allen belt, a magnetic field that keeps the harmful portion of the sun's radiation away from the earth’s surface."

In a recent commentary, Monsignor Charles Pope (pastor of Holy Comforter-Saint Cyprian Parish, Washington, DC) reflected on some of the great gifts we have from God and how they can be terrifying as well.

To access Msgr. Pope’s complete post, please visit:

Community in Mission: Earth, Air, Fire, and Water: Great and Yet Terrifying Blessings (22 OCT 15)