Hinikayat ni Tagbilaran Bishop Abet Uy ang mga mananampalataya na manalangin para sa pagkakaroon ng ulan upang maibsan ang nararanasang matinding init ng kapaligiran.
Ayon kay Bishop Uy, hindi lamang tao ang nagdurusa sa nararanasang matinding init ng panahon, kun’di maging ang mga hayop at halaman.
Binigyang-diin ng obispo na hindi pagmamay-ari ng kahit na sino ang daigdig dahil ipinagkatiwala lamang ito ng Diyos sa sangkatauhan upang pangalagaan at payabungin, sa halip na pagsamantalahan at abusuhin.
“In the scorching heat of the weather, it’s not only people who suffer. This planet is not exclusively ours; it is also home to animals and plants. Regrettably, it is we humans, who were given the responsibility by God to care for our collective habitat, that have caused it harm. In our folly, animals and plants are seriously affected as well,” pahayag ni Bishop Uy.
Inihayag ni Bishop Uy na marahil ang labis na init ng panahon ay paraan ng Diyos upang gisingin ang kamalayan ng sangkatauhan upang magbago at ihinto na ang pagpinsala sa inang kalikasan.
“We are waiting on God to turn things around. But maybe God is using the situation for us to change. He made us experience extreme heat so we no longer abuse nature and the environment,” saad ng obispo.
Magugunita noong Abril 28, 2024 nang maitala ng Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) ang pinakamataas na heat index sa bansa sa Iba, Zambales na umabot sa 53 degrees Celsius.
Unang nagbabala ang PAGASA na maaari pang tumaas ang heat index sa mga susunod na araw at buwan kasabay ng pag-iral ng El Niño Phenomenon.
PRAYER FOR RAIN
O God, in the midst of sweltering heat and parched lands, we come before You, seeking Your mercy and grace.
As the earth cries out for water to quench its thirst, we turn to You, the source of all life and sustenance. We acknowledge Your power over the elements, knowing that You alone can irrigate the dry fields and bring relief from the burning heat. Please, we beg You, give us rain.
We humbly ask for Your intervention in this time of need, that You may send down showers of blessing to nourish the earth and bring forth new life. Grant us patience and strength as we endure these challenging conditions, trusting in Your providence and wisdom.
Help us to be good stewards of the resources you have given us, using them wisely and caring for the earth with love and respect.
May our faith in You remain steadfast, knowing that You are always with us, even in the midst of trials and difficulties.
Give us hope and courage to face each day with perseverance and trust in Your divine plan.
We offer this prayer in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who taught us to have faith as small as a mustard seed. May our faith grow strong, like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in due season.
St. Isidore the Farmer, pray for us.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us.
Amen.
