The wildfires that have ravaged the Hawaiian island of Maui have caused massive ruin and havoc, including the tragic loss of over 100 lives. Although many homes and business have been reduced to rubble, a nearly two-centuries-old church in Lahaina has become a merciful symbol of encouragement to those affected by the devastation.
Maria Lanakila Catholic Church on Waine Street in downtown Lahaina, which has stood since 1846, suffered minor roof damage. The palm trees next to the historic church that serves between 700 and 800 families were charred.
“For us, it’s like a miracle,” Monsignor Terrance Watanabe, pastor of the nearby parish of St. Anthony’s, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. “All of Lahaina town has been consumed by fire. It’s all gone. The church is still standing, as is the rectory. The school has been a little bit affected.”
On TikTok, user Jeffrey Domdoma wrote of God’s apparent hedge of protection around the church, “May she be the beacon of hope to the people of Lahaina! Praise the Lord … upon this rock I will build my church! Come and follow me. …”
In the past couple of years, heavily destructive wildfires have broken out across the country, including those in California in 2018 and Colorado in 2021. These have led many to wonder if they are only part of the natural disasters in the end times mentioned in Luke 21 in the Bible.