PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAITI
Gracious and loving and all-knowing God. Hear our prayer for the people of Haiti.
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
As you are well aware, an earthquake and aftershocks of horrific force have wreaked utterly devastating destruction and havoc in Haiti. Tens of thousands of lives have been lost, many still buried under rubble, their life eking away without rescue. Countless numbers of men women and children wander, some carrying their dead loved ones with no place to bury them. They are homeless and without access to food, water or medical care.
Bishop Rodney Michel received word from officials of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti of the devastation, including severe losses to the Diocese. The Episcopal Cathedral and the Bishop’s residence is gone, Holy Trinity School, the College St. Pierre (seminary) is gone as well as the Convent for the Sisters of St. Margaret and countless churches.
The Diocese of Haiti is the largest in the Episcopal Church and Haiti is the poorest nation of the western hemisphere so the needs of the Church and the country are staggering.
Our Bishop has called all the members of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania to a special time of prayer at a Liturgy to that will take place at the Cathedral this Saturday, January 16 at 10: 00 a.m. Please take this time to attend if you can. If not, do pause at that moment in solidarity with the diocese and pray with us for the people of Haiti.
A special offering will be taken for Episcopal Relief and Development for their efforts in Haiti. If you are not able to attend, you may still contribute this effort by clicking here to the ERD website.
Here is a simple prayer to guide your own reflection as you pray.
Gracious and loving and all-knowing God. Hear our prayer for the people of Haiti who have borne utter destruction and devastation beyond our imagination. Be with those known and yet unknown, who have died. Bring them safely into your eternal keeping.
Protect under the shadow of your wings, the countless ones terrified and hardly alive, still buried deep beneath the rubble. Surround the ones who are alive and those who have been rescued, but who have lost family, loved ones and the wherewithal for living.
Encourage people of faith, and our Episcopal family in Haiti, that they not lose hope in you. Strengthen the hands of governments and relief agencies in their efforts to rescue. Help us to remember that you have created out of one blood, all the peoples of Earth, and inspire us to action for these our brothers and sisters. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Peace,
19 Jan, 2010 — Daniel Tomko
