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The Lord Is My Chef Daily Recipe for the Soul by Fr. Nicanor F. Lalog II Prayers in the storm and after the storm, 24-25 July 2024
We did not sleep well Tuesday night, worried with the serious impact of heavy rains to our brothers and sisters living in shanties and low-lying areas. Electricity was cut off early yesterday as we received reports of widespread flooding in the Parish. Immediately, the Parish Priest with the Parish Pastoral Council gathered dry clothings, jackets, and blankets for the evacuees in a nearby school, sending some breakfast too. This was our prayer on that rainy Wednesday:
God our loving Father, we thank you for the rains we have long been waiting for to fill our dams, to water our fields and plants, to cool our climate; but because of our continued disregard for your creation and for one another, these blessed rains have brought many problems too especially floods that are getting worse every year; forgive us for we never learn to respect not only nature but especially one another; rich and poor alike never fail to take care of each other thinking only of one's self. May these rains wash away our selfishness, cleanse our conscience to think more of others and enable us to finally take concrete steps in changing our lifestyle as Pope Francis had long called for in Laudato Si so that we may finally see our interconnectedness in this one home and planet we call Earth. Amen.
Rains heavily poured with a lot of thunders before noon yesterday; more parishioners sent help in kind and food for the 60 evacuees near the Shrine. This we composed for our noontime prayer during that thunderstorms:
God our Father, thank you for the midday rest on this stormy Wednesday; many of us are bearing with the discomfort of no electricity, of not being able to move around, of idly staying at home; forgive us for the complaints especially when we forget there are more who are going through severe tests and sufferings at this time: dilapidated and leaky homes with still more moving to evacuation centers; many people have nothing at all in their pockets for these rainy days; help us reach out to our poor brothers and sisters especially the children who haven’t have breakfast nor have rested at all since last night! Father, we pray for the daily wage earners who could not work today due to bad weather; we pray also for those living alone as well as those who could not come home. Bless every home, fill us with more love and kindness to keep warm everyone in this time of calamity. We ask this in Jesus Christ’s name with the Holy Spirit. Amen. O blessed Mother Mary, our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us!
There was still no electricity and rains continued to pour in the afternoon with a handful people celebrating the 6PM Mass at the Shrine. Up in our rectory, our staff and PPC officers were busy preparing packed meals for the families evacuated in a nearby school. This was our prayer that afternoon:
God our loving and merciful Father, thank you for bringing us to the end of this day; thank you for the gift of life, for the selfless people who served in all rescue and relief efforts for those affected by the heavy rains that still continue; thank you and bless those who remained faithful to their call of duty especially those in the police and military, the journalists who risked their lives to keep us informed of the situations, our weathermen who tracked Carina and the habagat; most of all, we thank you for the doctors and nurses who came to hospitals as extensions of your healing hands in this time of calamity. Keep them all safe. Bring us all home safely tonight guided by your light of love and care in Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Mary our Mother, Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us.
Darkness enveloped the whole city of Valenzuela by nightfall as we remained without electricity but the good news of rains finally stopping with the ebbing of the floods were most welcomed news to bring joy to many among us. We continued with our prayers and this is what we shared:
Most loving Father, many of us will not sleep tonight: some are working overnight to ensure tomorrow we’ll have food and power while others are keeping watch for everyone’s safety and wellbeing; bless them, give them the strength to do their tasks and duties, and keep them safe. It has been a very long, cold, and wet day, Father; help us set aside our worries, to trust and hope in You that it is always after the rains and the storms leaves are greenest; it is after the floods when rich top soil are deposited, conducive for farming; it is during calamities when love and charity surprise us most. Amen. Jesus, King of Mercy, we trust in You! Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us!
Finally, we saw the sun at the start of this new day still with some rains and the heavy tasks of cleaning and clearing the debris left by the floods. Will we ever learn to respect nature which is actually an expression of our respect for each other too?
Our prayer after the storm:
Praise and glory to you, God our loving Father! Thank you for this new day, thank you for the gift of life, thank you for guiding us during these stormy days. Bless our doctors and nurses, the selfless volunteers and staffmembers of rescue and emergency units along with our police and military personnel as well as the weathermen who continue to work and serve us today after the storm. Help us to do better in responding to emergencies next time while we finally learn to change our lifestyles in caring for the environment and ultimately, for one another. Let us appreciate each one’s giftedness in Christ Jesus our Lord as we celebrate life in the Holy Spirit today. Amen. Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us! St. James the Great, Pray for us!
