Another Prayer for Haiti


"God, you are the one who gave me life. Why are we suffering?"
- these are lines of a song being sung among the survivors of Haiti's earthquake camped overnight in Place St. Pierre, Port-au-Prince. (Source The Miami Herald). The words sum up the hard questions that are sometimes asked of people of faith at times of disaster. People wonder how God can let such suffering and death happen. Where is God in all this?

There are some very stupid answers to these questions. One U.S. television "evangelist", Pat Robertson, said on his programme, “They (Haitians) were under the heel of the French…and they got together and swore a pact to the devil". What utter nonsense. (If you don't believe a Christian preacher could say such disgraceful things, click here and see the video clip. But if you do continue watching for the excellent response from a Haitian spokesman.)

In the Gospel (St John 9.1-3) Jesus clearly refutes any direct connection between our moral condition and our fate in this world. So let us be absolutely clear: our God does not cause evil, and does not take violent retribution on people because of their past behaviour.

Instead, to seek answers we need to ponder the word of the LORD from Isaiah (43.2) "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you". God is in the midst of human tragedy. God suffers with those who suffer and mourns with those who mourn. Where is God in this tragedy? Surely in the midst of the rubble of Port-au-Prince, suffering with the wounded, weeping with the bereaved, binding up the broken hearted.

We continue to keep the people of Haiti in our prayers especially in our churches this Sunday. Do give generously to agencies engaged in the relief efforts.

Here is another prayer for Haiti, prepared by the Revd Peter Moger, the Church of England's Worship Development Officer:

O God, our refuge and strength,
we hold before you the nation and people of Haiti,
and pray for healing in the midst of tragedy and devastation.
Give comfort to the homeless, the bereaved and the suffering,
courage to survivors,
wisdom to those who seek to help,
and light to all who live in the shadow of death.
This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ,
our rock and our salvation. Amen.

Comments

  1. Philippe de Paris16 January 2010 at 08:46

    Thank you Bishop David. There's another thoughtful response which i think bears reflection here http://www.fulcrum-anglican.org.uk/page.cfm?ID=505

    ReplyDelete
  2. David Hamid16 January 2010 at 09:43

    It is very good. Thanks Philippe

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sybille Yates17 January 2010 at 21:09

    +David, our chaplaincy has decided to donate a rather substantial amount to Christian Aids Haiti Appeal, but we are unable to find information on how to donate via bank transfer on their web site. They offer a selection of rather "fancy" ways of donating, but seem to have that one left out. We will contact them by email, but if you know more, we would be grateful for more information, SY

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farewell to the Diocese in Europe

Image
Deacon Frances and I packed up our office yesterday and turned over our official files, emails and equipment. Thus a close working together for 22 years comes to an end. So it is hard to believe that today, St David's day, a new chapter begins, after 44 years of stipendiary ministry, 22 years as deacon then priest and 22 as a bishop.  Here are just a few memories from the last couple of months...   But now it is time to begin a new chapter.  O God, by whose command the order of time runs its course: forgive our impatience, perfect our faith and, while we await the fulfilment of your promise, grant us to have a good hope because of your Word,  even Jesus Christ our Lord. (St Gregory Nazianzus, 330 - 390)
Read more

Archbishop of Canterbury's Pentecost Letter: A European Consequence

Image
In his Pentecost letter, the Archbishop of Canterbury warned of certain consequences for provinces of the Anglican Communion which have failed to stand by the three moratoria . (No authorisation of blessings services for same-sex unions; no consecrations of bishops living in same-sex relationships; and no bishop authorising any ministry within the diocese of another bishop without explicit permission). One consequence would be that representatives from such provinces w ould not be able to participate in the formal international interchurch dialogues of the Communion. One of those dialogues is the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council ( AOCICC ), the official instrument set up to deepen the relationship of communion established in 1931 between the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht . As the member Churches of the Union of Utrecht are all European, the AOCICC is effectively a European body. (I am one of the members, appo...
Read more

Bishop Austin Rios of California

Image
It was a joyful, colourful, multicultural three-hour liturgy. At Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, the Revd Austin Rios was consecrated the bishop coadjutor of the Diocese of California. I have known Austin from his time as the Rector of St Paul's Episcopal Church in Rome, where he was a great friend and collaborator with our own Church of England All Saints Chaplaincy in that city. The liturgy, appropriately, marked the multiculural make-up of the diocese, with prayers, readings, hymns and songs in English, Spanish, Tagalog, Tonga and Mandarin. The final procession was led by a Chinese dragon! I was told that there were about 300 in the procession and 2000 present in the beautiful gothic cathedral on Nob Hill San Francisco. My good friend and ecuenical colleague from Rome Fr Keith Peckers SJ was also in attenance, so the Church of Rome and the Church of England were both represented! Among the bishop friends present were Bishop Mark Edington of the Episcopal Convocation in Europe, a...
Read more