ARCHBISHOP Socrates Villegas has written a prayer in behalf of Filipinos on the tragic devastations of Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda. Here’s an excerpt of his prayer:
Lord we are in great need. Like infants we cry to you, do not abandon us in our distress. We kneel in disbelief! How could you, Lord, have allowed this to happen to us, who call on your holy name? Have you abandon us Lord? Are you punishing us for our sins against you? We have been crying for days and our eyes have run dry. But, our grief is still very deep, our wounds keep bleeding and our hearts are confused and anxious. Our tears are not enough to wash away our sadness. Tama na po! Hindi na po naming kaya! (Enough Lord, We cannot bear this anymore!)
The prayer shows sentiments of despair and complaint. It’s a profound appeal for mercy.
Is such a cry for mercy a sound one without feeling guilty of disrespecting God? I think it is. Many of us have expressed a similar sentiment to God, at times even with anger. “Lord, how could you do this to us,” so we say in times of great distress.
It’s fine; I think the Lord understands us. Even Job, the prophets and the fathers of our faith expressed complaint to God. If we cannot be honest to God, then, our relationship with him is solely based on fear. We can turn to God with all our angsts, anxieties, and confusions, because we know that he is a loving father who understands our feelings.
Archbishop Villegas’ prayer, however, is not without faith and hope. In the prayer he continues: Lord, we believe in You and trust in You…Winds have brought us havoc leaving many orphans, but we will stand from the rubbles, and change this nightmare into a new day of new hopes and new dreams and new visions.
I hope that we don’t really lose hope and belief in God with all the tragedies that has happened in the Philippines. I hope that we stand erect in the midst of great confusion and despair.
Anderson Cooper, the television journalist of CNN News, describes very well the courageous spirit of the Filipinos, when he clarified on his negative comments regarding the rescue efforts in Tacloban City. To the whole world, he proclaimed: “Can you imagine the strength it takes to be living in a shack, to be sleeping on the streets next to the body of your dead children? I can’t! I have seen that strength day in and day out here in the Philippines.”
Let us altogether pray for continuous courage and strength in the midst of destructions and pains! May Mary, Our Blessed Mother, intercede for us! Amen!
* * *
Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas attended St. John Seminary in Camarillo, California and earned his Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, Missouri. For twenty years, he has been in the parish ministry of large multi-cultural communities. Since 2002, he has been the pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles. Please email Fr. Rodel at [email protected].
