Posts Tagged ‘safety in a typhoon’

 

For the People of Philippines

Posted on: November 17th, 2013 by Alden

Haiyan_2013-11-07_0420ZHere are two prayers in response to Typhoon Haiyan. They’re revised from prayers that I originally wrote for the people of Haiti and have subsequently revised for other places hit by major storms, including Japan and New Zealand. The first is a prayer for safety, relief and healing. The second is a prayer for the well-being of first responders, including the hopes for healing in the region. The first prayer offers the option to call the storm either Typhoon Haiyan or Typhoon Yolanda, as it is known in the Philippines.

In Devastation (Prayer for the People of Philippines)
G-d beyond my understanding,
The sea has turned violent,
Sweeping our brothers and sisters off their feet,
Crushing and drowning homes and lives,
Upending dreams,
Toppling the foundations of hope and sustenance.
A shallow breath beneath water and rubble
And wailing in the streets.
The injured, the dead, the starving.
The new widow,
The new orphan,
The newly bereft turn to You
Divine Source of abundance and grace.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of Philippines,
All who have been swept into chaos by Typhoon Haiyan/Typhoon Yolanda,
And the victims of any disaster,
Any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May a world of justice, righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of Philippines Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.

Prayer For First Responders
Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.

G-d whose ways are secret,
Bless these first responders with endurance
To be of maximum service in this moment of immeasurable need.
Bless their limbs with strength,
Their eyes with courage,
Their hands with gentleness,
So that they become a source of hope and love.
Give them the tools they need in the days and hours ahead.
Protect them from physical harm,
Shield them from emotional pain,
And guard them from taking this trauma into themselves.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of Philippines.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.

© 2013 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: Here’s a general prayer “For First Responders,” as well as prayer for those who have died in service to others as first responders, called “Yizkor for First Responders,” which appears in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

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Photo Source: NASA via Wikipedia

Safety during a Hurricane

Posted on: October 29th, 2012 by tobendlight

img_0708This is a prayer for safety to be said as a hurricane approaches, as well as during the storm. Use the blank line to fill in the name of the storm. Here’s a prayer to be said after the storm passes called “Safety After Violent Weather.”

Safety During a Hurricane
G-d of heaven and earth,
Source of All,
Hurricane____________,
A tribute to the force of creation,
Your power and might.

What chaos will blow with the wind?
What destruction will strike?
Who will suffer? Who will stay secure?

G-d of mystery and awe,
Grant us safety as the storm
Engulfs our homes and our lives.
Protect us. Shield us. Guard us .
Grant peace of mind to those in fear.
Grant food and clothing,
Warmth and shelter to those in need.
Bless emergency and rescue workers with the tools and skills they need
As they risk their lives for the sake of our families, communities and friends.
Grant healing to those who are sick or injured.
Bless us with common sense throughout the squall — the wind, the rain and the tides —
And with kinship and cooperation when the hurricane passes.

G-d of awe and wonder,
Our Rock and our Refuge,
See us through the gale
And watch us through the night,
For comfort, security and well-being,
So that we may serve You in love.

© 2012 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: This prayer was first posted as “Before the Storm” on February 1, 2011, and was modified and reposted for Hurricane Isaac on August 28, 2012. My other weather safety prayers include: “In Devastation,” “For First Responders,” “After the Tornadoes” “Safety After Violent Weather” and “After the Storm.” I used the prayer “For First Responders (to the Earthquake in Haiti)” as the inspiration for a prayer called “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.”

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

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