This past week, if you are anything like me, you have probably been watching TV or reading the newspaper about the devastation in the Gulf of Mexico from Hurricane Katrina.

Our neighbors to the southeast have really suffered tremendous losses. Hundreds, possibly thousands, have died and many, many more have lost their homes and businesses.

The devastation is simply catastrophic. The storm blew out windows in hospitals, hotels and high rises.  It flooded entire towns. It flattened houses.  New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile, Gulfport all have suffered tremendous damage. 

80% of the city of New Orleans is underwater at depths of up to 20 feet and the entire city is being evacuated (albeit slowly). Flood waters have became a toxic soup of chemicals, decaying bodies, raw sewage and other debris.

The potential for cholera, typhoid and dehydrating diseases that come as a result of the stagnant water is high. 

Looting and violent acts are occurring in affected areas – much a result of having no food or water for days and days.  And the estimates as to when folks can begin to return range from two to six months. Putting the city back together will take years.

This catastrophe caused by Hurricane Katrina, when all is said and done, will be the biggest natural disaster this country has ever seen.  Life in New Orleans and many other cities on the Gulf Coast will never be the same. 

Hurricanes are a way of life in the Gulf of Mexico, so on the one hand it shouldn’t surprise us that these horrific storms occur, but on the other hand no one expected one of this magnitude – with such horrific results.

Still, I was amazed at how many refused to evacuate.  I found myself saying, “Are these people crazy?” It seemed they were rolling the dice, playing with mother nature like that. 

Then again, we who live in an earthquake zone are no different.  We, too, have been warned and there is a chance one day we will be sitting among the ruble. Hindsight, of course, is 20/20.

And yet who are we to judge? Perhaps they had no opportunity to escape the storms’ fury. Perhaps they didn’t own an automobile. Perhaps they had no resources to buy gasoline.  Probably they had every confidence that the levees would hold and the storm would blow over.

Tuesday afternoon, a CNN reporter was interviewing folks who were wandering in New Orleans. One man said his home and all of his belongings were gone. At the time he was searching for his wife, who was missing. He was holding the hand of his little girl.

All they had were the clothes on their backs and each other. I was struck by the agony and pain in his voice.

This was the man’s neighborhood where he lived all his life. It was all he knew. Now he has nowhere to go. The reporter said, (in a choked up manor) “Good luck sir, I hope you find your wife.”

That story has left a permanent image in my mind. This man is someone’s neighbor. He desperately needs help. He is a human being who has experienced a terrible tragedy. It kind of makes it all real, doesn’t it? And what should our response be?

Reading our morning’s scripture text from Romans – I am again reminded that it is all about love.  We talked about that last week.  Agape love … a love that God has for us and encourages us to have for one another. 

As a matter of fact, we can distill the entire Gospel down to just five words:  “Love God” and “Love one another.” 

As the Apostle Paul wrote, “You can’t go wrong when you love others.” And it doesn’t matter if they make wise choices about how soon to evacuate in times of trouble. 

It doesn’t matter whether they are black or white, Christians or Muslims, rich or poor, Republicans or Democrats – the commandment is the same:  LOVE!

And the kind of love that Paul talks about, and is encapsulated in our faith, is much more than just a feeling of love, or a feeling of compassion, or a feeling of empathy for one another.  It is rooted in action.  Listen to what Isaiah says in our Old Testament passage: 

“What is God interested in?  God is interested in our sharing our food with the hungry, inviting the homeless poor into our homes, putting clothes on those shivering because of not having enough clothes to keep them warm … 

“And if we are generous with the hungry and start giving ourselves to the down and out, our lives will begin to glow in the darkness and our shadowed lives will be bathed in sunlight.”

Paul also stresses a sense of urgency when it comes to loving our neighbors. It is not something we should put off. Paul said, “The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber.”

To be apathetic or indifferent or fail to respond means we are asleep. Love of neighbor requires an immediate decision. Paul even takes this a step further. It links our response time to our salvation. The time is now! It’s time for us to wake up!

Several years ago a twelve-year-old girl, Ashley Peebles, ran into the kitchen and said to her mother, “Have you seen the news today?”

The news revolved around a flood that hit Elba, Alabama. Elba relied on a levee system, much like New Orleans, to hold back the waters of the Pea River. The levee gave way and the entire town was engulfed in water. Many families lost everything they had.

Ashley wanted to help. So, she decided to start a food drive. Her mother asked her how she would deliver the food to those in need. “That’s where you come in, Mom,” she said. “Will you help me?”

Her mother agreed and Ashley began placing containers in her community. She distributed flyers throughout the neighborhoods in the area and contacted the Salvation Army who would arrange to deliver the food.

Ashley’s food drive was a huge success and everything was progressing smoothly until a tornado struck Birmingham, Alabama. Many homes were destroyed and 30 people perished in the storm.

The Major at the Salvation Army telephoned Ashley and told her he wanted to send the donations she had collected to Birmingham. Elba was in fairly good shape by then but in Birmingham they had a real emergency.

Ashley was already one step ahead. She had heard the news and had again begun distributing flyers, telling folks about the disaster in Birmingham. She even called the local Wal-Mart. Its manager agreed to provide supplies and arrange for the store to be a drop-off center.

The manager of Wal-Mart even arranged to broadcast their efforts on radio. Ashley worked twelve straight hours and by the end of the day a Salvation Army truck arrived to deliver the supplies.

At the end of the day Ashley said to her mother, “I’m tired, but I feel good inside.” She thanked her mother for helping her.

Her mother replied, “No, thank you for teaching me about reaching out to others in need.”

Ashley’s passion to respond to people in need was a wake-up call for her mother and her community. Her efforts enabled an entire community to be involved in the process of helping their neighbors.

When we love our neighbors it means that what we do for them is a gift. In other words we give without any strings being attached. A gift of love is given without expecting anything in return.

You may have already been made aware of the myriad of options to help with the disaster in New Orleans and the communities along the Gulf Coast. There are many worthy charities and organizations that are assisting with the relief effort. 

The Red Cross is sending supplies AND volunteers.  Just yesterday I read of a number of folks from the South Bay that have volunteered, been trained and are on their way to Louisiana right now. 

American Second Harvest is accepting cash donations and in turn is sending much needed food to the disaster areas. 

Church World Service is providing immediate and long term support and needs our donations. 

And our own Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is providing disaster assistance for immediate relief, pastoral care for the many who may be without any hope or church community, and raising funds to repair churches damaged from the hurricane and its aftermath. 

You can even form teams of volunteers to go and provide hands on service, coordinated by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.  And then there is a website you can go to if you want to share your home with the survivors who now have no where to go.

The opportunities are there.  Sometimes there are so many that it can be overwhelming.  And in response, some folks will be more than generous. Others, however will ignore the pleas thinking, “I have enough problems of my own.”

Still others of us will hold back, because we want assurance that our resources will be used for those who truly have need. Some will say, “I’ll get around to it.” But never do.  And others of us will just ignore the pleas for help – it doesn’t seem to touch us.

Paul says we are to “clothe ourselves with Christ.” Jesus modeled a life of sacrificial giving. Giving is meaningless unless it means we are willing to make a sacrifice ourselves. To hold back is to live in darkness. To give freely is to, as Paul says, “Put on the armor of light.”

Tomorrow is Labor Day, a day where we honor those who faithfully teach our children, nurse us to health, protect our streets … firemen, policemen, teachers, nurses, and many others. 

Many are the same people who respond in a crisis like the one in New Orleans – some even have put their life on the line to bring hope and healing to a wounded city. 

As we celebrate this holiday, may we remember that God calls us to love one another, as he has loved us.  What do you think he wants us to do???