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Rev. James Martin, S.J.

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A Christian Hurricane Prayer

Posted: 10/29/2012 11:34 am

God of the Universe, at the dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. You created the oceans and rivers, and all that dwell within them, and at your word the wind and the waves were born. The seasons follow your plan, and the tides rise and fall on your command. In both calm and storm, you are with us.

On the Sea of Galilee, even when the disciples began to fear, Jesus showed that he was Lord over the waters by rebuking the storms, so that all would know that even the wind and the waves obey him.

Creator God, we ask you to calm the wind and the waves of the approaching hurricane, and spare those in its path from harm. Help those who are in its way to reach safety. Open our hearts in generosity to all who need help in the coming days. In all things and in all times, help us to remember that even when life seems dark and stormy, you are in the boat with us, guiding us to safety. Amen.

Published originally at America Magazine.

 
 
 
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God of the Universe, at the dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. You created the oceans and rivers, and all that dwell within them, and at ...
God of the Universe, at the dawn of creation, your Spirit breathed on the waters, making them the wellspring of all holiness. You created the oceans and rivers, and all that dwell within them, and at ...
 
 
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HUFFPOST BLOGGER
Cindy Bird
04:04 AM on 11/02/2012
Father, thank you for your compassion and concern for those who were in the storm's path. Many here are making light of your prayer, but it comes from a place of love. It is a loving attempt to turn to your faith as a way to send your love and hopes for those being threatened by the storm. You turned to your faith and asked for help for thousands. How that can be something to belittle and make fun of is beyond me. I hope you know that I, at least, understand your intent and honor you for it.
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KrautMan
Carpe jugulum
05:10 PM on 11/01/2012
*Crickets*
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04:57 PM on 11/01/2012
Yeah that really did a lot of good.
04:52 PM on 11/01/2012
Fr Jim. Do you think God can turn off his omniscience in knowing:

1. When, where and to whom a natural disaster is going to happen?

2. What you are going to pray for and say in your prayers?

That doesn't make any sense does it? Anymore sense than him being omniscient in the first place.

Fact is, if he is omniscient, he must know the future and is therefore an uncaring monster. If he isn't omniscient, he isn't Almighty God.
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10:27 PM on 10/31/2012
Whatever happened to that Biblical assertion that the only prayer needed is the Lord's Prayer -- and that prayer said privately? Speechifying prayer is self-serving agrandizement.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Robert Cat
Low probability events occur
03:48 PM on 10/31/2012
Oh, yeah, prayer.....that'll help.
ParadoxHarbinger
shoulder high in crap, water wings are flat
12:30 PM on 10/31/2012
maybe god could have prevented the storm from ever coming into existence, rather than waiting until humanity stroked his ego enough to bother doing anything about it?
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noneed4gods
Surfing is the best life.....
09:49 AM on 10/31/2012
Atheist prayer:

Oh, humanity, get off your asses and get to the rebuilding. Dig into your pockets and give.

But please, oh please, do not bother praying because we cannot eat prayer.

If we could, not too many would be hungry.

I'm guessing that's why millions go to bed hungry every night. 15 million is this counrty alone and that's just the number for children 18 and under.

god is not great.
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cyanmanta
Thinking outside the box is for smart people...
02:28 AM on 11/01/2012
Agreed.
05:41 PM on 10/30/2012
And pray for those who would scapegoat others in an attempt to explain why such disasters happen. Pray that God may lift the veil of ignorance and bigotry from their hearts.
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AntithiChrist
Rhymes with Grist
01:50 PM on 10/30/2012
Just came from google images.

Methinks someone didn't flatter god enough.
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AntithiChrist
Rhymes with Grist
01:46 PM on 10/30/2012
"Creator God, we ask you to calm the wind and the waves of the approaching hurricane, and spare those in its path from harm. "

Hmmm. Were you just leaving a message on someone's voicemail or something?

Perhaps "Creator God" is a deleted HuffPo blogger's account?

Just trying to figure out why your prayer, and everyone else's similar prayers, were so blatantly ignored.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Robert Cat
Low probability events occur
06:25 PM on 11/01/2012
I've always wondered why the religious never notice that god isn't answering their prayers. Ever.
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ga4ry
Born atheist
01:01 PM on 10/30/2012
Well the storm has passed and it seems that your prayers went unheeded.
Devastation, death and the prospect of disease now face the residents of NYC and surrounding areas.
Now I find myself at a loss here, I thought your Jesus said in no uncertain terms "Whatever you ask in my name shall be done"
Now Father, I read your prayer, you covered every base in the agreement, you were humble and obsequious with just a touch of mystery thrown in and yet....
So tell us please, what god was the prayer, what aid did it or does it provide for the dead, the hungry and the cold?
It seems to me that when you offer prayers and are assured they will be honored yet are in fact either ignored or useless one might wish to rethink ones profession
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11:55 AM on 10/30/2012
Ugh. You do realize that hurricanes, cyclones and the like all serve a purpose, right? There is a larger beneficial impact on the earth that is more important than us not getting hurt. A bit of research can glean all sorts of information. Praying that us oh-so-important humans don't get hurt is selfish and egotistical. Why can't you send out a prayer of thanks for the rejuvination of the earth and the life that will come about because of this storm?
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Rob Devitt
I like intelligent debate and slapping down trolls
02:55 AM on 10/30/2012
Rev Martin, i would like you to travel up and down the east coast, do not stop until you have spoken to everyone affected by this natural disaster and explain to each and every one of them how this was gods plan. comfort the children, parents, spouses and sibling who have lost loved ones or everything that they own with the knowledge that god took this from them for a reason. Don't actually explain the reason just leave it all vague and mystical. Let me know if you make it out of the first shelter.
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bobbrowntown
02:30 AM on 10/30/2012
As a Unitarian Universalist
We are part of an interdependent web of existence. We respect the forces of nature which we have learned from and adapted to for millions of years. Let us learn from this storm that what we build can be torn down and that we must learn to protect ourselves in times of natural disaster. Let us also learn that as people we must come to the aid of all those who are suffering from this natural disaster. We must also begin to understand our human impact on the planet through the warming climate we have created. We must know that we must change the ways we approach our interdependent web, by changing how we impact the environment. Until then the people impacted by this storm will be in our thoughts.