When SHTF

Image from CDC

Do you have your plan for TEOTWAWKI? Thanks to some of my high school students who think I am really convinced of an upcoming zombie apocalypse, I have recently discovered Doomsday Preppers. This is a National Geographic show that chronicles the lengths some people have gone to prepare for an expected disaster. I was watching the show the other night and it got me thinking about spiritual preppers.

More specifically, it got me thinking that way too many people are not ready for the end of times (theirs or the world). I have recently had a few friends who have had some devastating and tragic events occur in their lives and the lives of their families. Two of them were near death. What has been interesting to me is their determination that they do not believe in God.  For example one of my friends whose doctors' had discovered that he had brain clots, and who claims to be atheist, asked me to pray for him. Of course I did, but I have to admit I smiled inside at the irony. It was like he was hedging his bets. It reminded me of Father John Corapi (yes, we should continue to pray for him) who used to say, "there are no atheists in foxholes!"  I also had another friend in an accident and a mutual friend said to me, "you know I don't believe in all that religious stuff, but can you pray for her?" I prayed for both.

One of the ongoing themes of the Doomsday Preppers is that survival is not possible without aid from others. As the Church Militant we have a responsibility to pray even for those who don't believe. Additionally, when stuff happens (and it will because that's just part of life), we have to be willing to demonstrate true charity. We need to be there for others in their times of need. We never know when God may not use us as his instruments of hope and prayer.

Oh, and yeah, it wouldn't hurt to have your Bible, Catechism and Rosary in your bug out bag.