On January 9, the Catholic News carried several articles highlighting the catastrophe in South-East Asia . Many angles on the effects of the disaster have been reported: the human suffering, the grief, the minutes of silence, the prayers being offered, the outpouring of financial assistance, as well as the widespread loss of life and physical devastation.

One article on page 17, with the headline “Indian fishermen want boats, not aid, in tsunami aftermath,” caught my attention. In that report, I found an incredible amount of hope, fortitude, resilience and reverence which inspired me.

Aravindan, a 36 year-old survivor and fisherman from the coastal village of Sonamkuppa in India had reportedly stated, “We want to get back to fishing and make our living.” His statement also expressed the belief of those villagers who made it abundantly clear that the only relief materials they wanted were boats and nets, so that they could return to their work at sea.

Ramaswamy, the head of a fishermen's community, declared that his villagers have absolutely no plans to run away even though they lost twenty-two of their children to the waves. It is their desire to re-build their homes on the coast, in spite of the government's plan to re-locate them elsewhere.

Ravindran, another fisherman, remarked, “Running away from the sea is like committing suicide. Our dear ones have become part of this land and sea. Where could we go?”

One of the hardest hit areas, Nagapattinam, a district where three thousand lives were lost, sent three boats out to sea to fish, a mere eight days after the tsunami catastrophe. This I found astonishing, as it seems to me that the most obvious human responses to a traumatic event are fear and paralysis.

Yet, the responses of these fishermen were to rebuild and move on with their lives. Their actions demonstrate and reveal the confidence, faith and resilience of those who survived.

The gospel text for today tells us “ John had been arrested. ” Jesus had a close friend, a companion, a colleague, a relative, taken away from him. He had worked closely with John and shared experiences with him concerning his ministry.

It was a significant moment in Jesus' life. There was a void, but he recognised that his time had come to venture out without John. He took his cue and returned to Galilee . He settled “ on the borders ” fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah so that “ the people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned. ”

The stories of the Asian fishermen, Aravindan, Ramaswamy and Ravindran remind me of Jesus in our gospel story today. They had lost their support systems. Their families, relatives, friends, homes, boats and nets, had been taken away from them.

They are re-settling “ on the borders ” and the coastal regions of South-east Asia . In that way the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled. The fishermen, too, have entered into the prophetic tradition by displaying their spirit of bravery, confidence, courage, fearlessness, determination and hope.

Their desire to go back out to sea, to request boats and nets, to tell the government that they want to continue to live by the sea, and to re-launch three boats so soon after that terrifying experience reflect their determination to thrive in the midst of death. Like Jesus, they have recognised that it is a significant time in their lives and they are moving on, affirming life and hope in the midst of devastation and despair.

In this way, they are prophets to their fellow villagers.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, we thank you for all the “lights” in our world today, especially in South-east Asia , who are fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah. Lord we thank you for their spirit of determination, courage, confidence and fearlessness as they rebuild their lives. They are like “a great light” and through them “a light has dawned” in what was darkness and the “shadow of death.”

Lord Jesus, we ask your forgiveness for the times when rich nations, superpowers, charitable organisations come to the aid of others but we do so with arrogance, imposing what we think is best for them and not listening respectfully or engaging in dialogue with them. We do not accept the fact that within their own territories there are prophets who are very capable of reconstructing their lives. Be merciful to us, O Lord.

Lord Jesus, we ask you to continue to raise up prophets in south-east Asia . Let them believe that they have a voice, a say, in managing their own affairs. Give them the confidence and the resilience necessary so that they can be a light amongst those who live in darkness. Amen.

Gospel Meditations for January are by Annie Gomes-Phillips. Mrs Gomes-Phillips is married to Ainsley and is the mother of Avion and Andrew. She is a parishioner of St Theresa's, Woodbrook and vice-principal of Fatima College.