If you’re not in the Boston area, you will probably see this on the national news. A massive explosion in the city of Danvers, Mass., at 3 am destroyed a chemical plant and a whole bunch of homes. It was so large that it could be heard as far away as 40 or 50 miles. Yet, Melanie and I live in the next town over in Salem and we didn’t even wake up, probably because we keep a fan on high in the room for the sake of the baby (white noise). Still, you’d think… I can’t explain it. In fact, I only found out about it when my brother called me this morning about it.
Debris flew as far as a quarter mile away and dozens of homes were destroyed, but miraculously no one was killed and only 10 people had minor injuries. An eyewitness report from a guy driving near the scene at the time said he was stopped at a red light about 1/4 to 1/8 mile away in his SUV when it occurred and it pushed his truck sideways into the next lane.
I’m very familiar with the area because it is the route I used to take into Salem when I lived in Danvers for a year. I drove it practically every day going to see Melanie.
I think that part of the miracle is that there is a convent of very holy cloistered Carmelite nuns in the same neighborhood. Perhaps it was their prayers for the people that saved so many. Unbelievable.
Dom, it got a brief mention tonight on Fox News. Glad no one was killed. That IS a miracle.
Per NECN, the residents of the Homes for the Deaf were evacuated to a shelter; later the state got emergency waivers to re-open a disused facility in Beverly and bring in beds to make temporary housing.
I join everyone in rejoicing that no human life was lost in the explosion in Danvers! But Dom’s statement gave good food for thought over Thanksgiving Day. He wrote:
“I think that part of the miracle is that there is a convent of very holy cloistered Carmelite nuns in the same neighborhood. Perhaps it was their prayers for the people that saved so many.”
Do folks here understand God to work in this way? Does God respond to prayer in this manner? Does the prayerful presence of the contemplative community account for what happened or, better, what didn’t happen?
Might be interesting to read what folks think about this.